My goodness, this is long overdue! My apologies, friends, but real life has caught up to me. School is at it's close and people demand my attention, swallowing up my time to make these chapters. I hope to get this series back on its feet. If you missed the last chapter, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/226269050]here[/url]. If you are looking for all of my chapters, go to the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/222701511?sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]! Enjoy! The ketch soared over the deep blue Atlantic. Strange sea life jumped above the curving waves. Birds flew away at the sound of the ships' booming engines. The sea creatures went under as soon as they heard it as well. No life form stood before our shark-fierce ships without fear in their eyes. I gripped my blade and looked down at the blue world beneath us. I never liked coming to earth for several reasons: the Devils, dead soldiers, and the fact that the Great Machine is here, gifting those undeserving hoarders. Humanity shall not be allowed to have it. I certainly won't let those green-eyed Hive or the machines have their wretched claws on it! I'd rather it be in the hands of that mad emperor! No matter. The dead soldiers will thin out, and something more powerful shall one day reach them and obliterate them. I'd rather stay out of there way and prosper until I see their final deaths done. I just hope the Deep does not claim my spark. No one can know it. No one shall know it! Not even my closest friends. Everyone looks below us as a landmass appears into view. The European Dead Zone: a place that the House of Scar shall now lay claim over, specifically Paris. The Devils left France a while ago, thank goodness. I'd rather not hear their complaints. I looked to Nayvadis and gave him an order. "Nayvadis! Transfer more power to the thrusters; I'd like to be there a tad quicker." He saluted me and said, "Yes, your highness." Such a polite fellow, Nayvadis was. I respect him a great deal. He put his heritage before his kell, and chose to join the Scar banner to meet his true kell. He was a King, until he found out who his father was. I never knew him, but I know he tried to get the House of Scar back on its feet, and failed. I'm not looking to make whatever mistakes he made. The Eiffel Tower came into view, and I'm not going to lie, I felt giddy about it. I looked to my baron and said, "Nayvadis, I want the ketch to hover above the city. I'm going down there with a crew, and Vrayth is coming with me." "Gotcha, Vesrik. We'll hold down the fort for you." "I would hope so, lord Nayvadis." I headed toward Vrayth's quarters to gather him. The crew I had was already in the hangar, waiting for their Kell and Archon Priest. I wondered what Vrayth thought of this whole thing, and why he even joined us. He is a strange fellow, with strange tech that I was unfamiliar with. It swarmed around him, and was a bright red. Tendrils curled up and down his body, which could make anyone cringe. His arsenal was also upgraded with the red tech. I only noticed recently when I walked in on him that his left arm was fully metallic and detachable. That day was especially awkward, since we stared at each other for a good minute until finally speaking. To be honest, I really don't mind how he chooses to modify himself. He has the mind of a splicer. I knocked before walking in this time because who knew what he was detaching this time. I heard a click, and then a "come in" so I knew it was alright. When I got within the quarters, he appeared to be sitting down and making some type of machine. It had the furnace of a scorch cannon, but had a bunch of other parts slapped onto it. I took note that it was also modified with the strange tech that he carried. I approached him and said, "What is it that you are making?" He smirked and replied, "Remember when you saw me take my arm off? Well, I am making a detachable scorch cannon that can attach to my arm. The most difficult part was figuring out the weight so it wouldn't be so top-heavy and just aim downward the whole time." I didn't know if I was impressed or weirded out by this, quite honestly. His craftsmanship was most eloquent, but it was odd how he just attached this to himself. I begin to wonder if his real arm was removed by choice or by battle. I refocus myself and say, "I've assigned you to come with me to the Palace of Versailles. We are going to take a look around and find a good place for everything. A crew is waiting for us at a skiff in the hangar already." Vrayth looks down at his mechanism, almost disappointed with the fact that he didn't get to finish but wiped the look off of his face quickly. "Of course, my kell; I'll walk with you to the hangar." As we walked down the hangar, I could hear the red mites buzzing around Vrayth. I thought now was a good time to ask the question. “Vrayth, what is the name of the technology that you have… modified yourself with.” We stop, and I can see him smiling behind the mask. “That is called SIVA,” he clicks, “it is a nanotechnology from humanity’s Golden Age. It could be used for anything. Unfortunately, I only have so much of the nanites.” “It certainly is interesting, but I do not think I would disassemble myself to become more powerful. You do what you wish, but I’m not touching it.” Vrayth simply chuckled. “It’s all a matter of preference and will.” I just shrugged and we continued on to the hangar. The crew was already waiting: two humans, an awoken, two exos, and eight eliksni, all with the Scar banner on their backs. Unfortunately, my non-eliksni crew came to the house for pay and food. I grant them such things, but will there be a day when they betray me and join their people again? I hope I never live to see that. I allowed the crew to board the skiff before Vrayth and I did; we were substantially larger. As soon as we boarded, the baron took off and flew down to the city below. Vrayth had told him to take us to Versailles specifically. Soon, massive gardens and a palace came into view. From the first time I saw it, I knew that it was my new home. Versailles was the proper throne and home of a kell, one that many kells do not have the luxury of having. Oddly enough, the place was very well preserved. Before we landed I saw several shapes, figures in the garden, tending to it, and as soon as they heard our engines, they turned to stare directly at us. Vrayth, the crew, and I were allowed to land and we fell just fifty feet away from them. They appeared to be… frames? Frames are non-sentient machines built by humanity. These models looked very old, not much like the frames seen at human settlements. One of them approached us. Vrayth stared at it suspiciously, but it took no notice of him. I held up my hand to signal to Vrayth to let it come closer. [i]What could they be doing here? How have they lasted this long[/i], I thought to myself. The frame stopped just seven feet in front of me and began to speak in a feminine voice. “Welcome to the Palace of Versailles. The Sun King has been waiting for you.”