“What you are about to learn are some of the most disillusioning facts to ever rot morale in an empire,” Toland began. “The forces we face on the surface are no mere plague of interplanetary savages. The Hive’s conquests surpass the Cabal in both breadth and brutality tenfold. To start with, they have several [i]million[/i] years of experience on them. In that time, they have swept through the universe with a singular goal: to destroy [i]this[/i].” The holograms flew together, piecing together into an image of the Traveler, unscarred and floating through the cosmos. “They’re here for the Traveler?” D’Ssoad asked. “Yes,” Toland affirmed. “The Hive armies gather at the crest of the wave of Darkness that crashes over every world ever blessed by its Light; the Eliksni homeworld, Earth, and scores of others before it. All razed by the Hive, with at least twice as much extra worlds that were just in the way. It is the reason they try so tirelessly to land on Earth.” “I would expect such a [i]remarkable[/i] species to have better tactics than hurtling ships at blockades or armies of rabid dogs and sword-wielders,” Riksis hissed. “For all the losses we have sustained, we must have wounded them in turn.” Toland smiled apologetically. “They are no conventional army, Centurion. They are not just a planet-conquering people, they are dark crusaders.” He waved his hand and the holographic Traveler burst into images of green runes, fire, and bone swords. “Much like the Risen are connected to the Traveler and its Light, the Hive share a deep connection with the Darkness through some symbiosis with a specie of worm. Together, they exist in-between life and death. Every Hive soldier bonds with a worm and feeds it the very Light found in all living things. In return, the worm grants them powers as inexplicable as those granted by the Light and even a chance at immortality.” “What do you mean ‘a chance’?” D’Ssoad asked. “I am still looking into that, but preliminary results suggest that feeding the worms both empowers it and increases it hunger for more. The very source of their power is avarice, and if that is not sated they worm will claim its host. That, or if it fails, it will consume it. This brings us to the most fundamental driving force or their kind.” The image of a Hive sword expanded, pushing all others out. “They call it the ‘Sword Logic,’” Toland began. “At its simplest and most general, it is survival of the fittest exalted to a religious undertaking. We’ve seen evidence that the Hive conquer races simply by testing if they are strong enough to survive. However, it goes far deeper than that, and ties into their relationship with the worms. The analogy is thus: every cut a blade makes against an enemy, it becomes whetted by the experience and grows sharper. The more enemies it slays, the stronger it gets and the stronger the wielder gets. In short, the Darkness allows them to grow stronger for every creature they defeat, but at the cost of requiring even more victory and Light to sate their worms.” “How did you gather all this information?” D’Ssoad inquired. “One of our first missions here was to map out the tunnels in and around the Hellmouth,” Sai answered. “While we were down there, we found their main repository of knowledge they call the World’s Grave.” “Did it tell you how to defeat them?” Riksis rumbled. “The philosophizing is nice, but I’ll pick out their scrolls from the dust and bones I leave behind.” Toland looked incredulously at the Eliksni. “Haven’t you heard a word I said? Can you not comprehend the [i]scale[/i] of the task you seek? It is like trying to blot out the sun in broad daylight with holey umbrellas! Or emptying a lake with a [i]spoon[/i] while it rains! This is a force untiring, primordial, and [i]opposite[/i] to we who fight for the Light! They care nothing for their own well-being, have no morality, and only seek to consume Light and purge the universe of everything unworthy of surviving. How do you hope to stand against that?” “Our experience doesn’t count for nothing,” D’Ssoad argued. “The fleet has held the line and kept their ships from Earth for this long. Our main goal is to try and figure out how to take care of the armies here.” Toland shook his head. “Either the Cabal have successfully ingrained ‘victory at all costs’ into you or you have yet to comprehend what I’ve been saying. You’re engaged in a war of attrition, and [i]you’re[/i] the ones attriting. They’re huddled in every crevasse, hole, and tunnel in this moon, and they can make more as they see fit. Ever wonder why they don’t hold the fields they take? They are literally [i]leeching[/i] your forces of strength.” “What are you saying?” D’Ssoad asked. “That we can’t finish them off? How many can this moon hold?” “More than you’d expect,” Toland warned. “Pulling out may be your best option. Especially if the fleet can hold off any invasion attempts, that will certainly be a better use of manpower than drenching the lunar dust in blood, ether, and oil. Though I suspect it will still only be a matter of time before the Hive circumvent your blockade. They have extraordinary measures at their disposal.” “Then perhaps we don’t need to kill them all,” Riksis mused, pushing Toland aside and flicking his claws through the holograms. Eventually, he found an image of a flaming green monster with giant sword. “Perhaps it is enough to kill just one.” “Huh?” Eris said, looking back up from gathering materials off the floor. Vell shook his head. “Here we go.” The rest made disgruntled groans as Toland’s mouth open and closed in astonishment. “CROTA?! You think you can kill [i]Crota[/i] and that will be the end of your problems?! Do you even know the idiocy that just came out of your—” Eriana interrupted him by touching his shoulder. The Light Master glanced at her to see what was going on, but ended up following her gaze to the Psion cages. All three Flayers stood in the middle of their cells and stared off into space. “Do your pets normally do that?” Riksis purred. “Only when something’s wrong,” Eriana murmured. “Where are looking?” Realization dawned on Toland’s aged face. “They’re facing the Hellmouth. Eris, the rock.” She glanced down at several of the fragments in her arms. “Umm…not really sure which one—” “No!” he snapped. “Not those! [i]The[/i] rock!” “Oh!” the Light Stalker comprehended, dropping everything in her arms. “Right, duh, of course.” She dashed over to one of the bookcases and clambered up the shelves to get at one of the higher ones. From there, she drew out a cubic wooden box and jumped off, landing at the table on the other side of Toland. She passed it across to him, who undid a latch and opened the lid. Green light spilled over his face and the surrounding area as he drew out a peculiar green crystal suspended in a flaming sphere of emerald energy. He grasped the artifact in both hands and closed his eyes, almost adopting a meditative posture as the energy flared and coiled around his fingers. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, which shone just as brightly as the rock. “They’re coming,” he murmured. “What?” Vell asked. Toland picked the box up and replaced the rock, his eyes fading back to normal. “Crota’s forces are amassing outside the Hellmouth. They’ll be here in moments.” “I thought you said you weren’t followed!” Sai said, shooting D’Ssoad an accusing glare. “They weren’t,” Toland defended. “This is entirely of Crota’s volition. His Hands, Eyes, Blades, Heart, and Will march with them. They’ve toyed with the Cabal’s soldiers long enough. They plan to wipe us from the surface and launch a massive offensive on Earth. Have your Ghosts transmat [i]everything[/i] and prepare the jumpships.” “Why do we have to leave?” Eris asked. “Won’t the wall hide us?” “Not from Crota’s lieutenants,” he denied. “Not from Omnigul.” He turned to D’Ssoad and Riksis while his Flayers emptied the bookshelves and tables. “I’m sorry to say my information won’t be able to provide much help to High Command before Crota reaches the ground troops. Let them know they have my condolences.” “You’re not returning to Earth?” D’Ssoad questioned. “I have nothing to provide them that you can’t deliver,” the Light Master replied. “As it is, I have intellectual responsibilities to attend to, including contacting one of my peers on Venus. So, if you’ll see yourselves out—” “[i]As it is[/i],” Riksis interrupted, “I have men on Venus that I need to get in touch with as well. And seeing as how our ship crashed…” Toland frowned in irritation. “You don’t have a ship?” “You forgot to mention [i]that[/i] little detail about them, Eriana,” Wei grunted from the back of the room. D’Ssoad felt panic seeping in. “You can’t take us with you, can you?” [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=244991280&sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]