i just wanted to share my destiny 2 character with yall! enjoy!
to begin, she is an awoken warlock which basically means she’s really good with magic and her name is Sephite. Sephite is a fairly newer guardian. she’s been alive (this time) for maybe six months, but because of her drive and passion and longing to learn she climbed ranks rapidly. she’s grown very close to Ikora, Zavala, and especially Eris Morn because she developed an obsession with the magic of the Hive Gods, so much so that Eris called on her often and to the point that she nearly became a Hive Goddess as Eris did, but came up short and instead only developed a third eye and they grow a near-white grey. she typically covers them with her helmet which resembles a crown gifted by Eris. she has mastered Arc, Solar, and Void subclasses and absolutely HATES using Strand as she thinks it’s tedious and aggravating but will use it if need be. she refuses to touch stasis cuz she doesn’t vibe with the cold. as mentioned before she’s good friends with Ikora and Zavala and broke down after hearing about Cayde-6’s fall, but is trying her best to help bring him back behind the scenes. before Sephites more recent revival by her new ghost, Psyche, she was a very sprite like person, much like she is now, and was mostly a foot soldier who helped New Lights as they came in the EDZ and Cosmodrome, only rarely joining the New Lights she befriended on other planets. one of the New Lights was a human Titan, Ace… Sephite fell in love with Ace very quickly, and he her. Sephite was a very shy but outgoing person which made her the perfect specimen for welcoming New Lights, but Ace changed that. he always came to visit her her and insisted on taking her on every mission with him. everyone who knew her even superficially saw a change in her when Ace was around and love followed… until she died when exploring a Lost Sector in the EDZ and came across what is known by the Vanguard as Unstoppable Champions. Ace came up to her one day (after a lot of time talking himself into it as he told her) and told Sephite about her past self, who he knew as Junei, which in turn brought back those memories. Unfortunately Ace had moved on by the time she was found and resurrected but he regularly visits her and takes her on missions with him. (“For old times sake my lost love”). She tells herself she’ll show him what she’s become after her help with Eris someday. (“knowing what i know now, i don’t know if i can”). Sephite was forbidden to interact directly with Savathun after their first meeting. although she loves learning she’s highly naive and is willing to help anyone despite if they’re touched by Light or Darkness (she was once spotted nursing a child Scorn to health, but was left alone). Savathun saw her as easy to manipulate which was quickly caught by Eris, therefore she was only permitted to help with rituals and ritual preparation. (she finds Immaru quite funny and he in turn finds her endearing but will never admit it). As said earlier she was requested by Osiris to learn Strand on Neptune where she bonded quickly with Nimbus. when Rohan sacrificed himself, she grieved with Nimbus in the shadows (he didn’t want to seem weak in front of the other guardians even though she told him he isn’t).
I hope you're all well today! Here's part 4 of Ace and Sephite's story. As with the last part this is subject to change, but I hope you all enjoy nonetheless! Warning's will update as they come to light as I write on paper before typing, but I think the only ones really prevalent in this one are:
Triggers/Warnings: Cursing (what can I say, 'fuck' can be used in place of a verb, noun, adjective, etc etc.), blood, death, and cannibalism in a way.
I finish writing my report, minus all the gory details, and send it off. Okay, timer starts now.
Quickly changing out of my armor into a tank top and shorts, I make a mental note to bring more clothes to keep in my office. I'm pulling my socks on when Zavala breaks down my door.
"Hey, fifteen minutes! New record, boss man."
"You slept with him?!"
"You owe me a new door," I deadpan as I pull on my shoes.
"No, I owe your replacement a new door because you're off this case!" he yells.
I wipe Zavala's spit from my cheek and look up at him with disinterested amusement. "And who, pray tell, would you replace me with?"
He grits his teeth. "His ex--"
"His ex-wife isn't a Guardian, meaning if the exact same situation happened and he killed her, she's gone forever, and then you'll have an angry Guardian daughter on your hands, trained by me, might I add, and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Try again," I grin and cross my arms over my chest.
"His daughter then!" Zavala throws his arms out in frustration.
"That wouldn't work either," I say matter of fact and pick at my nails.
"And why the fuck not?"
"Because he hasn't seen his daughter in five years, Zavala. Well before Leah was a Guardian. Not to mention she's grown from a teenager to a woman, and gods know what Oryx did to her in his head if he didn't erase her entirely," I finally stand and get in the Commander's face. "You and I both know putting her in there would yield the same results as you, or Osiris, or anyone else for that matter, and he's a beast off his leash now. He rips someone else other than me to shreds you know they won't come back, and you'll eventually run out of people to throw at him.
I slept with my fucking husband, Zavala," I growl. "And then he killed me, and I came back. Just like it says in the file. It will most likely happen again," I say with a shrug as I push past him and start walking to Ace's cell. "Now if you'll excuse me, Commander."
"Aw did I cause issues?" Ace asks with a bloody grin.
"Nothing I wasn't already expecting. How--"
"What do you need the Thrall for, Mori?" Zavala seethes behind me.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Commander," he growls.
I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration, "What did I just fucking say, Zavala? Ace?"
His grin returns as he shifts his attention to me. "You'll find out when you get it to me, sweetheart."
I sigh and turn around, marching to the exit.
"Where are you going?" Zavala barks.
"To figure out how to capture a Taken Thrall," I call back. "Fix my fucking door!"
The door seals behind me and I sigh as I lean against the doorway before steeling myself and walking to my ship. I wave at Caine with a smile as we pass.
You're awfully quiet, I call to my subconscious.
I figured you wanted some privacy, Savathun calls back. That's a nasty scar, she sniggers.
I'll wear it with pride, I respond with a smile.
You're a freak you know that?
Then quite looking. You have any idea how to get this Thrall?
You're a smart girl.
I roll my eyes and sit in my lab on my ship, rubbing over my face.
Savathun, I'm exhausted--
I bet you are, she chuckles.
I groan in frustration. Hypothetically, Darkness would make the Taken stronger, right?
It's not hypothetical, it's fact.
Finally, you answer a question.
Not my fault you haven't been asking the right ones.
My eyes dart back and forth across the tile. Theoretically, if I made a collar of pure light and lined it with Darkness, I would be able to transport the Thrall?
Your guess is as good as mine, I feel her shrug. My brothers methods always eluded me.
It's all the confirmation I need to spring into creating the collar.
"OPEN THE CELL, CAINE!" I shout down the corridor, struggling against the Thrall at the end of a Light based pole.
"Sephite, he's not chained up, what if he--" he bounds around the corner and stops in his tracks.
"Good! Now you see my cute lil package! Open the cell."
Getting the Thrall around the corner was much easier once it saw Caine, who now sat waiting to open Ace's cell. The man in question shot out of his bed and bounded to the door like a puppy waiting for a treat.
"You brought me a present!" he beams.
"Ace, I'm begging you, please don't try to run," I plead.
"I'm not going to run, babydoll, I swear it. Now gimme!"
I nod to Caine and he hesitantly presses the button to open his cell, quickly raising his weapon as Ace steps out.
"Ace please--"
"Calm down, I'm just coming to help," he says, ripping the collar off the creature and grabbing it by the throat, dragging it into his cell. "C'mon doll, it's our time now, right?" He looks back at me expectantly, almost as if he's excited for us to talk today.
I nod and smile softly at him. "Just give me a second, okay?"
He nods back and sits on his bed, still holding the Thrall that had since become much more complacent. The cell door shuts back into place and I make my way to my office, noticing a fresh door.
"I can't tell if you're crazy or a genius," Caine says exasperated as he follows me.
I grab freshly printed pages of mine and Ace's past and place them in a manilla folder before heading to the kitchenette area of the small compound. I pull a frozen lasagna from the freezer and set the microwave to heat it, pulling my Ghost to remove my armor and replace it with a heavy sweater.
"Geniuses are insane until something works," I finally answer Caine. "Take the scientists from way before the Traveler came: Plato, Newton, Darwin, all men criticized and considered insane by their community because they were going against the teachings of an old god."
The microwave beeps and I turn back to him to find him staring at my neck. I sigh. "What Caine?"
He jumps and his shoulders drop under my gaze. "Commander Zavala told me what happened. Told me I wasn't allowed to leave you on your own."
I roll my eyes and push past him. "And you and I both know...?"
He sighs. "That you run things at the compound, not Zavala."
"And?"
"I'm going home to my beautiful wife and adorable kids until my next shift," he chuckles softly.
"Atta boy."
We walk in silence until we reach the cell, Ace still sitting exactly as we left him.
"Seph?" I hum in response. "Does it hurt?"
I smile at him softly. "It's a little sore."
He nods and presses the button for the cell, watching it close behind me before leaving.
"Can't believe you thought I was gonna run," Ace chuckles.
"Can you blame me?" I ask, setting the lasagna and manilla folder on the table side by side as I'd done several times before.
"No, but that's cuz you don't know my King," he says, patting the Thrall like a pet. "But, I can't blame you for that, one thing you should know is he doesn't renege on a deal."
I nod. "Noted. You gonna tell me what that's for now?" I gesture to the creature in his grasp.
He shrugs. "Better to show you," he grins wickedly, his teeth sharpened to fangs before he rips at it's neck. The Thrall lets out a horrifying screech before going limp. Ace pulls away and black mist and inky black blood seep from the wounded creature.
"Mm!" He swallows thickly and waves his hand to me to sit. "You don't have to be afraid beautiful, and you can have that," he gestures to the microwaved lasagna, "I've got all I need right here."
I squint down at the lasagna and then back towards him as he bites another chunk out of the creature. "Is that why you haven't been eating?!"
He chuckles and I yelp as he grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his lap. "Eat, darlin'."
I grumble and summon a fork, quickly devouring the frozen meal with as much vigor as Ace did his own, creature, thing. He raises a brow at me, watching me eat forkfuls of the pasta. "What? I haven't eaten in hours."
"I genuinely thought you were trying to poison me with that shit," he rumbles.
"What?" I say, quickly swallowing. "Of course not, they're good quality meals! I get them for myself for when I'm stuck doing paperwork, too. This," I tap the container with my fork, "is from my own personal stash. I thought you were refusing to eat to spite me."
He chuckles softly. "As fun as that sounds, no. I fully thought you knew I couldn't eat it and were trying to torture answers out of me."
I squint at him. "Ace, if I were trying to do that, why would I go get it as soon as you asked?"
"Frustration?"
I sputter and close my mouth quickly. "While I am frustrated that I often leave with more questions than answers, I wouldn't withhold food in order to get them. From anyone," I tell him genuinely.
He hums and takes another bite from the shoulder of the Thrall before tossing it to the side, wiping his mouth and sucking the rest of the creature's blood from his fingers. "So, you didn't know?"
"No." We sit in silence for a while. He caresses my hip as I finish my own meal and set the container back on the table. I turn back to him and he picks at his teeth with a claw, his gaze trailing up and down my body. I clear my throat as a blush crawls up my neck. "Can I ask a question?"
"Isn't that why you're here, darlin'?" he grins.
I smile and shake my head. "On one hand, yes. On the other, I'm just happy to be in the same room as my husband again, no matter how much you hate my guts." His grin falls at my confession, and I clear my throat again. "So anyway, how come you can't eat 'normal' food?"
He shrugs, "It's not that I can't per say," he says, scratching soothingly at my arm. "It just doesn't taste the same anymore, it tastes like it's rotten. Taken and blood on the other hand, tastes like the finest steak and wine you've ever had. Helps that Taken makes me stronger."
"Huh! Interesting..." I trail off, thinking about the implications and how often he snapped his jaw at my throat before he finally had the chance to take a bite out of me yesterday.
"My turn," he says, snapping me out of my thoughts and turning me in his lap.
"Of course! Anything," I say with a soft smile.
"This little packet," he says slowly, reaching to the table and thumbing at the pages. "I finally read it," I look at him wide eyed and he grins wolfishly, "I got bored."
"And?" I ask full of hope.
"You write it all?" he asks, his brow raised accusingly.
"Uh no, not all of it," I start, picking at my fingers nervously. "But a lot of it I did, yeah. It's from both of us, but a bulk of it's me," I laugh sadly. "You wrote a lot about me from before I was, well, me..." I rub a hand over my face. "Dammit I should've printed those. Anyway--"
"Uhp-uhp," he cuts me off. "What do you mean you from before?"
"Oh! Right, so, when the Traveler came to Earth hundreds of years ago, it started turning people into Guardians--"
"I know that," he growls and tightens his grip on my waist.
I wince softly. "I know you know, it just helps to start from the beginning, it's usually where we start when people come back, but I figured we could skip that considering you do hold memories before Oryx, however tainted they may be." He grunts and gestures for me to continue. "Well, you and I were among the first wave of Guardians. Savathun figured out a way to unlock a barrier in my brain that allows me to see images from my past lives in dreams, first it was Skye, then Junei, who you often wrote about, and now me as you see me today.
"At first I thought it was just you and me, that we were special in some way, but then others started popping up. Others that we recognized but they didn't know who they were, so we made a system. A-A computer program that allows someone to type or speak whatever they want into it. Mission reports, big events in their families, outings with their fireteam, it doesn't matter. Whatever they want to talk about and anything that can help them remember if they come back from biting the big one."
He hums once I finish. "And the ending of our story?"
"The complete truth," I say, finally looking back into his eyes. "Is that not how you remember it?"
"No," he says flatly. "No, the way I remember it is you gave me this big electric hole in my chest and left me to die in a clearing in the Ascendant Realm," he growls, rubbing absently at his chest.
I laugh dryly and his eyes snap to mine. "Not when that happened, but I do regret what did happen, even if you told me it wasn't my fault."
"So, what did happen?"
I chuckle softly and wrap my arm around his shoulder to turn myself to him more. "I had just gotten back maybe half a year earlier. You and I had been hanging out a lot, and you insisted on helping me train, helping me get my powers back in control. So, we went to Europa like we always did and we sparred, throwing Light at each other back and forth and...." I trail off. It's not a pleasant memory for me like it was for him, I genuinely thought he was gone.
"And?" he urges, looking at me like he was having a war in his head.
I swallow thickly and blink away stray tears. "And I fired a blast of Arc energy straight into your chest. Sent you flying straight over the edge of the cavern we were practicing over," I laugh softly. "I'm telling you I fucking lost it! I'm on the ground sobbing and you come up behind me and scare the ever-loving shit out of me and tell me you're alright and I was amazing for being able to get a straight beam."
He chuckles softly and rubs his thumb over my hip. "So, what you're telling me is you've always been a crybaby?"
"Oh, fuck you!" I scold and smack his arm with a smile.
We both just sit there grinning at each other for a few moments before his smile drops. "Our time's almost up, Buggy, but I have one last question before you go." I nod and scratch lovingly at the nape of his neck. He leans into my touch and damn near purrs. His hand comes to my neck, and he gently brushes over my fresh scar. "Scars are what prove you died? Even if not an official death?"
"Yep! I've got several. Some bullet holes, some slashes, and some internal scars."
"Does it hurt?" he asks, looking up at me regretful.
I smile down at him and gently stroke his cheek. "Which part? The death or the scars?"
"Both."
I tilt my head side to side in contemplation. "The death is worse than the scar. As far as you ripping out my throat, I felt the bite, the tear. Felt myself bleeding out, felt the chill that comes from that kind of death. Honestly, blood loss is probably the most peaceful of all the deaths I've felt. The scar is just sore for a couple hours."
He hums in understanding. "Our time is up for the day," I distantly hear the entrance open and seal as he says it. "I'm sorry, Buggy," he says before his grip tightens around my throat and he snaps my neck.
I gasp as I come to with someone shaking me. "SEPHITE! Oh, thank gods." Caine hugs me tightly and I pat his back. "Are you okay?"
A low growl comes from beyond the cell door and I laugh. "I'm fine, but I think you're making my husband jealous."
He looks at me incredulously. "Sephite I just watched him kill you!"
"I know," I grin, staring past his shoulder and into murderous, glowing, honey-colored eyes. I grab Caine's shoulders and push myself from the floor. "But, progress has been made my friend."
I shoot Ace one last beaming smile and bound off to my office.
As usual, I hope you all enjoyed the ramblings of a lovestruck idiot. If there's any triggers or warnings I missed, please let me know and if there's any typos I apologize. Have a lovely rest of your day my lovelies!
I don't think I really have enough people interested in my stuff or following for me to have one of these, however in case I eventually do and you wanna read more of my writing I want it to be semi-coherent.
So, ya boi hits writers block often, and you can help! So first, let me get what things I won't write: piss, scat, vomit, basically any bodily fluid that doesn't include blood or semen.
I will try writing WLW, however I myself have never been in a relationship with a woman so I can't promise it'll be great.
Now, here's what I will write for:
Your OC's! Just tell me their name(s) and what fandom, and I will write for it, or do research on the fandom, and then write for it.
DBZ
Supernatural
BNHA
Destiny 2
Warhammer 40k
Iron Lung
Project Hail Mary
Marvel (including Marvel adjacent series like The Punisher)
Aaaaaand that's about all I can think of about now, but please reach out if there's anything you'd like to see.
Hello cupcakes! If you're interested in Destiny 2 (and my writing) then you know why you're here! This is what you'll use to keep track of Ace and Sephite's story. I really hope y'all are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it, and I ask y'all to be patient with me as I write it as I really only write in my free time when the itch needs to be scratched. This is being updated to this day, and although I started writing this in high school, I'm still revising and editing and writing everything to this day. As with all of my works, this series contains smut and death, so please for the love of god MDNI. Anyway, now to what you're really here for:
Coveters of the Light -- Part 1 (in revision)
Coveters of the Light -- Part 2
Coveters of the Light -- Part 3
Coveters of the Light -- Part 4
Anyway, please enjoy and keep in mind that I will be updating this as well as trigger warnings as it comes up. Thank you again for reading my maladaptive daydreaming ramblings.
I’m nearly skipping once I step into the H. E. L. M. Honestly, I’m still floored that Phi wanted to sign up for the exploration of the newest Lost Sector in the Dreaming City, especially since it was labeled as a Legendary class; I’m just glad I can protect her this time.
I freeze halfway down the steps at the thought, sighing and leaning against the wall.
“You alright there, Guardian?”
My gaze falls over my shoulder, brow raised. “Fuck off, Crow”
“Answer the question Ace.”
I look away from the Awoken Prince and into the glittering black pool I know that she’s behind. “Just… thinking a lot about Junei today.”
He nods in response, his hand falling to my shoulder. “Look man, I know you aren’t always willing to take it, but if you both need help through this one, I’m only a call away.”
I shrug him off. “We won’t need your help. I promised to protect her and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” I snap and walk through the portal to the Athenaeum.
Shaking off the chills left from the jump and blinking away the dark spots at the corners of my eyes, I quietly head up the stairs, scouting out my Deck of Whispers among all the floating cards and smile pridefully at the large collection.
My breath suddenly leaves my chest. It almost looks like Junei sitting between the Lectern and Ritual Table. Hell, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if it weren’t for her dyed pink and purple hair and the glowing green tattoos crawling up her arms. She sat on the cliff’s edge, hair pulled back in a bun with coffee in hand and staring off into Savathun’s Throne World.
I lean against one of the pillars. They’re both so similar, but so different at the same time. There are times I wish I would’ve gotten to know Sephite before I ever told her about Junei. I’m glad it didn’t change her, though.
Phi keeps more to herself while still helping others, questions everything, does everything in her power to find different ways to protect the Last City other than endless fighting. She’s the smartest person I know. And the most stubborn.
“You just gonna stand there staring at me or are you gonna come sit?” She asks, peeking over her shoulder with a small smile.
A smile returns to my face, and I take my place next to her. “Good morning, my lost love,” I say softly, kissing her cheek.
She catches my nose as I pull away and grins up at me. Dear gods, that smile will be the death of me someday. “Mornin’ Ace. Coffee?”
“I’d love some, Buggy.”
A blush spreads across her cheeks and she stands, walking over to the Lectern where her coffee maker rests, stars of the Scorpio constellation glowing to signal it’s on as Arc Energy crackles in her palm. “Maybe don’t tell Eris I’m making coffee in the Lectern? She’d kill me.”
“Don’t spill it then,” I whisper in her ear as I wrap my arms around her waist, grazing my lips over her bare shoulder. “You’re magnificent, you know that?”
Her breath hitches as a shiver runs down her spine. “You’re gonna make me fry my coffee maker and then you’ll owe me a new one.”
I chuckle against her shoulder, laying soft kisses at the apex of her neck. “Money well spent.”
She laughs softly as she sets down the cord, adding cream and sugar to the dark liquid, humming as she goes along.
“What is that?” I mutter.
“What’s what dear?”
“The song. I recognize it.”
She shrugs. “I dunno. I started humming it one day and Mara told me it’s a traditional Awoken lullaby about stolen love; just seems fitting for us don’t you think?”
I hum in agreement and take the mug from her hands. “Amazing what the soul can remember.”
I take a sip of the coffee, relishing in the warmth as Phi smiles over to me and opens the drawers for all her hidden goodies, replacing her coffee maker and throwing me a pack of mini-muffins.
“So,” I swallow, “ready for today?”
She freezes under my gaze and slowly opens her own pack of muffins. “I… think so? I’m more anxious about it.”
I lean against the Lectern, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Why anxious baby?”
She shifts side to side. “I don’t know. Anxious that something’s gonna go wrong? Realistically, what happened to me was one in thousands. I was inexperienced and eager to help, or I assume I was from what you told me.” She blows out a breath, running her fingers through her hair. “But fuck… I can’t keep shutting down every time a roided up Taken shows up on a mission Ace.”
She looks so defeated. I set my mug on the Lectern and pull her into a hug. “It’s okay, we’re going to do this, and you’ll be able to do anything and everything. You’re just gonna have to be fine with me being clingy and overprotective the entire time.”
I feel her grin into my chest and wrap her arms around my waist. “I suppose that’s fine.”
I kiss the top of her head and nod back towards the stairs. “Go get ready. I’ll be right here.”
She kisses my cheek and winks as she grapples onto a branch of the tree by the portal and slinking into a hole I know to be her humble home.
A comfortable silence falls over the Athenaeum and I smile. This is home. More home than that little hut my ex-wife made me get. I scowl as the thought crosses my mind. I should’ve waited.
“You couldn’t have known, honey.”
I jump at Phi’s voice behind me and turn to her. “How did you—”
She shrugs. “Perks of having a Hive God in your head. Plus the look on your face says everything.” She smiles softly at me before clicking her helmet into place. “I’m ready if you are,” her metallic voice sounds through the headgear.
I sigh softly and pull on my helmet. “Lead the way darlin’.”
We land in the Divalian Mists, and I pull off my helmet, taking Sephite’s hand and leading her through the landing area to look over the cliff.
“How does it feel to be home?” I ask, rubbing my thumb over her gloved knuckles.
“Foreign,” she says distantly. “Almost as if I were never here.”
“Hey y’all! How’s it hangin’?” A New Light shouts as he jumps towards us. He lets out a little ‘oof’ as he lands, placing his hands on his hips as he looks the both of us over. “Wow y’all seem really strong.”
I click my teeth, scowling as I give him a once over. “You working with us?”
“Sure am! Gotta get my hands on that powerful loot ya know? Name’s Jaques.” He holds out a hand for me to shake and my scowl deepens.
Sephite rolls her eyes at me and takes his hand. “Ignore him, he’s a little grumpy today. I’m Sephite, and this is Ace, it’s a pleasure to meet you Jaques.”
He releases her hand and pulls out his ghost. “Boy, am I glad I was paired with you guys. Your power levels are through the roof!”
I pull out my own ghost as Phi crosses her arms over her chest. “It takes time to get where we are Jaques. Lot of grinding days and sleepless nights.”
A small growl escapes my throat as I look over his armor and light level, my irritation growing steadily.
Sephite sucks in a small breath and I look up to see her analyzing the same thing I’m looking at. “And also knowing how to combine certain things to maximize your light level and strength. Here, let me help,” she says as she grabs his Ghost and starts moving things around.
I sigh as my shoulders relax and run a hand over my face.
I sigh as my shoulders relax and run a hand over my face. “Just don’t sit there and leave Scorn alive and mooch off loot,” I growl.
“Be nice, Ace,” Phi scolds, looking back at me with a grin before handing the blueberry’s Ghost back to him. “Try this out, Jaques. Should help you a bit, just try to use Sol Energy to maximize it.”
His eyes widen as he switches into his special armor and inspects his weapons. He looks to me grinning. “Ain’t gotta worry about me boss! Not with this new gear,” he beams and pretends to shoot at enemies, earning an eye roll from me.
Sephite giggles and leans close. “New Lights are adorable aren’t they? Like children gifted a new toy,” she whispers.
Her smile soothes away the rest of my irritation. “Yeah, they are. He doesn’t look too bad anymore, should be an easy mission.”
“Let’s go shall we?” She says, clapping her hands together.
She sounds kind and genuinely ready to go to anyone who doesn’t know her, but the quiver in her grin and the way she picks at her fingers gives her away. She’s absolutely terrified.
“Come here a second, Phi,” I say, leading her away from the New Light. He looks over concerned and I just nod
“Come here a second, Phi,” I say, leading her away from the New Light. He looks over concerned and I just nod.
I look down at her and whisper, “We don’t have to do this today, my love,” I rub her arms as she shakes. “We can wait for the next one.”
“No! No,” she insists firmly. “We have to do this now, I mean look at him,” she gestures to the New Light, who’s still inspecting his new weapons and firing a few shots into the nearby mountain. “This isn’t just for me honey.”
I smile down at her, brushing over the determined crease in her brows. “Okay sweet girl,” I whisper and kiss her forehead.
“OI!” I shout and the New Light jumps. “We’re goin’, c’mon!” I summon my bike and kick my leg over, holding my hand out to Sephite. “Ready?”
She rolls her eyes as the grin returns to her face. “And let you try to maneuver the fog? Please, you know I can see through it better anyway.” She summons her own bike and climbs on. “You ready, Jaques?”
He practically jumps on his sparrow. “Born ready!”
I roll my eyes as Phi laughs. “Follow me closely okay? Where you see mist and deep fog I see practically nothing. Wouldn’t want you to run into the side of the mountain.”
Her grin is quickly covered by her helmet and she takes off, followed closely by me and the New Light.
She slows once we break through the mists and leads us slowly underneath the mountain, weaving through cracks and over hills until we come across Scorn. She bounds off her bike and I chuckle as she flips through the air. Her gun materializing in her hands and quickly takes out the first wave of Raiders.
“RISK RUNNER BABY!” She shouts gleefully and slowly descends to the ground.
I laugh as I skitter to a halt, climbing from my bike and holding my hand out to her. She skips over to me and jumps up, kissing my helmeted cheek before her helmet materializes back over her eyes.
“That was awesome!” the New Light shouts. “Where are we by the way?”
I swear this guy is going to give me a scowl that stays far beyond this mission. “Dumbass, did you not do your research?” I growl. “We’re in Rheasilvia.”
“Be nice, Ace,” Phi scolds as she walks over to the edge of the cliff. She turns back to face us with a smile. “Down we go,” she says, stepping off the edge.
The New Light yelps and runs to the edge of the cliff, looking down to see where she landed. I saunter next to him and peak down over, watching Sephite wave to us at the next cliff down. I chuckle softly and step off the cliff, jumping at the last second and landing next to her.
She smiles at me as I land and looks back up to a nervous blueberry. She shakes her head with a grin and I just frown.
“Come on, don’t be a pussy!” I call up.
“I will push you off this cliff, Ace,” Phi bites.
I chuckle as she looks back up. “Come on, Jaques! We won’t let you fall!”
He hesitantly steps of the edge, yelping with every stone he catches on as he scales down the cliffside and stumbling as he lands. I click my tongue and Phi elbows me before helping him up.
“This one is the most difficult to get to. You did good for your first jump,” she says with a soft smile. I smile, Junei practically flickering in her place.
“I can bet you your husband doesn’t quite think so,” he says with a sheepish grin, his eyes glancing towards me.
Sephite breaks into a laugh as she looks towards me. “He doesn’t really work well with others.”
“C’mon sweetheart give me some credit,” I say, backing towards the crack in the cliffside. “I work well with you.”
She grins and follows me, patting my chest as she pushes past me into the cave. “I don’t count.”
I chuckle and watch as her helmet reappears and she walks down the corridor.
The New Light pauses next to me and eyes the crack in the wall nervously.
I sigh and look over to him. “Welcome to the Chamber of Starlight,” I say, following after Phi.
“Neat,” his voice echoes off the cavern walls.
I roll my eyes and jump down a steep edge, reaching up and grabbing Phi’s waist to help her down.
She runs her hand over my forearm. “Such a romantic,” she teases.
I squeeze her hips firmly. “Don’t leave my sight, Phi.”
She lets out a shaky breath and nods. “I won’t.”
The New Light lets out a little ‘oomph’ as he tumbles over the edge. I shake my head and lead us further into the cave.
“Where the hell are we?”
“Someone didn’t do their research,” Phi teases in her best impersonation of me. “We’re underneath the castle, my love.” She guides her hand over the stone walls and it lights up green and gold under her fingertips.
We follow her to an opening in the cave leading to a glowing pool. Sephite’s tattoos light up gold as she reaches to the waves.
“Where is everything?” The New Light’s question bounces of the walls of the cave, my groan following hot on its heels.
“You just had to ask.”
Phi pulls away from the water and shakes the droplets from her fingers as Scorn appear all around us. We all dodge stray blasts as the Scorn snarl and call to each other in their language, each of us knocking off a few down to manageable levels.
My grin grows into a maniacal smile as we kill all the Scorn in the cavern. Phi grabs my arm and I look back into her green eyes. They glow as she trembles.
My grin drops. “Hey, hey, what’s the matter?”
“Ace, where the fuck is the Unstoppable?” She damn near whimpers.
“Maybe it was just misinterpreted,” I whisper, stroking her arm soothingly as my helmet dematerializes.
“I saw the reports myself, Ace. Blood like that doesn’t come from a few dozen Scorn.”
“Someone must have gotten to it already, I’ll check,” I pull out my Ghost and scroll to the reports. “Okay here we go, Chamber of Starlight, status of Unstoppable Champion—” I trail off as ‘Undefeated’ glows across the projection.
“JAQUES!” Sephite shouts, but it’s too late. The Taken Ogre throws him against the cave wall and he splatters over it.
She screams and it snaps its attention to us.
“Phi,” I turn to find her frozen. I shake her out of her stupor as I hear it’s blast begin to power up behind me. “Sephite go!”
She pulls us behind a boulder as the beam from the beast rolls over where we just were. “I’m not leaving you,” she says, steel in her voice.
She peeks over the edge of the boulder before quickly settling next to me. “Okay, Jaques’ Ghost is nestled in the corner, I’d venture to guess we’ve got another—” She screams as the ogre grabs around her waist and throws her through a portal to the Ascendant Realm.
“SEPHITE NO!” I yell and jump on top of the rock and put my fist through the head of the ogre just as Jaques materializes where his Ghost once was.
I growl lowly. “Jaques—”
He jumps down next to me already bumbling through words. “Where’s Sephite? Did she go through that portal?”
I grab him by the front of his armor and force him against the wall. If that didn’t make him shut up the rage in my eyes did. “Shut the fuck up and listen. Go to the H. E. L. M., get ahold of Crow, Eris, Zavala, anyone you can get ahold of. Tell them to go to the Ascendant Realm, we just lost our Hive Princess. Do you understand?”
His mouth opens and shuts like a fish out of water and I slam him against the wall. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND!”
“Y-yes, YES!”
“Good,” I say as I let him go, checking and reloading my weapons.
“Where are you going?” he squeaks.
“I’m going after her.”
“Then why—”
“Because those portals spit everyone out somewhere different. If we have all the heavy hitters, we’ll find her faster.”
He mumbles a bunch of ‘okay’s before I hear his transmit signal open and I walk through the portal.
I groan as I blink open my eyes, nearly screaming as I shift to stand, my hand flying to my side.
I feel around and find a shard of stone in my side. Amazing. I yelp as I rip it out and look down to watch it seal over.
I look around and sigh. Of course I’m in the middle of the Ascendant Realm, fucking of course.
“ACE!” I yell, my voice echoing over stones. I suck in a breath as I stumble down a hill, tears of frustration gathering in my eyes. “ACE!”
I glide over a ridge, scanning the area for his white armor. I stumble to the ground as I land and a sob breaks free of my chest. “Please have followed me here,” I whimper and look up. “Please, gods please, I don’t wanna lose myself,” I ball my fists into the dirt and lay down as sobs wrack my body. “I don’t wanna die again, please.”
An echoing roar startles me awake. How long have I been laying here? I look frantically at my hands and feel over my body, and heave a sigh. My breathing slows as I realize there’s no signs of being overtaken by Blight.
Another frustrated roar echoes through the void. “SEPHITE!”
I stumble quickly to my feet. “ACE?!”
“PHI!”
I sprint towards Ace’s voice despite my growing pain, and after what felt like hours of jumping, scaling, grappling, and running, I finally find him. Never in my life did I think I’d be so relieved to see the tells of his overwhelming anger.
“Ace—”
A hand comes over my mouth as I’m pulled behind a stone pillar. I struggle against whoever is holding me as another devastating roar shakes the dust in the air.
“Shh, be quiet Солнышко,” Saint whispers in my ear. “It’s not him anymore.”
What the fuck do you mean it isn’t him? I question him in his head.
He’s gone, Phi. He says sternly. I push against his hold as he pulls me through a portal back to the H. E. L. M.
Saint releases me as the portal to the Ascendant Realm closes in front of me. I whip around to him, Eris, Crow, and Osiris standing behind him.
“Why the fuck are you all still standing here!” I yell as tears gather at my lashes. “We have to go get him!”
“Sephite, we can’t,” Osiris says, looking at me sympathetically.
I sputter, smiling incredulously. “What do you mean we can’t? He was right—”
“No he-he’s not, he was right there I almost got to him—”
Something catches the light as she holds open her palm. A sob forces its way from my throat as I put together what’s in her hand: the shards of Ace’s Ghost.
“He destroyed it right before Saint grabbed you, I’m so—”
“NO!” I growl and Eris flinches under my gaze. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry like he’s dead.” A shudder rolls through my body as I hyperventilate. “He’s not dead, he’s not—”
Someone sticks a needle into my throat, and all I can mutter is ‘he’s not’ as the darkness takes over.
