The projection continued.
The strange planet was engulfed in wretched flames, chained by wicked magic and corrupted by the endless legions of the Hive. The projection shifted again, years passed.
As the world dropped to its knees, an inch away from death, a minute from despair. Just as embers of hope seemed to sputter, He appeared. The prince of ruin, wielding his dark emerald scimitar as he treaded an ocean of shadows that veiled everything below him.
Crota, the world breaker, tore through the surface with each step. His scimitar slinking from his hand as he threw it to the core of the world. His Oversoul flared, as a dark malignant star bloomed overhead.
The world crumbled. Everything turned to ash.
He closed his hand and the circle shrank to a coin of light, then to a spark, then to nothing.
Cayde's boots slipped off the table with a soft thump. "Well," he said after a beat. "That's cheerful."
Ikorra had not blinked. "Where?"
"An old world, corrupted by the Hive." Void said, his turned grim, "There's more of them. More than we could ever hope to count."
"Ok, I get all this ancient history. But, what about this Veil? Why's Crota asleep? I thought the big bad was behind all that new Hive activity?" Cayde raised a brow.
"Crota is asleep, there's no doubt about it. I saw it myself. In fact, the only reason we returned alive, is because he wasn't there. The Worldbreaker is by no means an easy enemy." Void answered.
Ikorra frowned, her fingers tapped the data pad across her, "If Crota is in slumber, who's controlling the Hive? Who's leading them?"
"You've all seen the combat clip." Void continued, taking in a short breath. He had Obsidian project another visual, outlining the dark mist that surrounded them.
Void pointed towards it, "That mist you see, gave me a clue to who it was. The Hive, have another ascendant. A witch that can affect the very souls of her victims."
The room paused.
"Omnigul, The living will of Crota. With her guarding Crota in his slumber, there's no chance we can do anything. But that also means the Hive have their hands tied. Beyond Hellmouth, they too are helpless."
The Speaker's voice came mild from behind the mask. "This, ancient world you showed. I understand that you mean the Hive want to do the same to us. "
Void met the blank face without hesitation. "The Hive seem feral wielding their army of mindless thralls. But, the truth is, their ways are ancient. Every world they conquered followed the same path. Ultimately, every world fell."
Zavala's gaze lingered on him, "If you're telling us this, it means you've found a new way. Isn't that right?"
"I did." Void replied resolutely. "But it won't be easy."
Shaxx made a low, approving sound. "Go on."
"First," Void said, counting it off with gloved fingers, "We'll need to break the Hive's methods. We need to dismantle their legions, break their shrines that feed them."
"Second," he continued, "We take away his sword. The prince of ruin is strong. But with his weapon? He's unbeatable."
Cayde's head tilted. "And third?"
"We close in on them" Void continued as his words trailed off "Hellmouth is under their control, no doubt about it. But to win this war, to truly win it...."
Void clenched his fists, "We need to conquer the Ocean of Storms, make it ours."
Zavala folded his arms, face unreadable. "You're proposing we divide a war on the Moon, again?"
"I'm telling you," Void said, "to stop letting the Hive pick the rhythm. If they finish their preparations, its over. You saw what happened. You saw that there's nothing you can do once it does."
A gelid chill gripped the room, a flicker of unease jolted through the room.
Shaxx broke it with a gauntleted fist set down like a gavel. "He is not wrong. Before, we were fighting blind. Now, we have a target. No matter how sharp our blades are, it doesn't matter unless we aim it right."
Cayde lifted a hand. "Sorry, quick question. How do you take away a sword?" he said, "I mean, do we snatch it? Put it on storage? What's the deal here?"
"No, the emerald blade can only be destroyed." Void replied, "I know the way."
Ikorra's gaze slid from Void to Zavala and back. "What else did the archive show you?"
Void didn't look away. "Enough to know the Hive don't fear our Light. They resent it. They want to feed it to their logic. Make it proof of their truth. If we fight them like we fight Fallen, we lose the part that matters."
"Meaning?" Zavala asked.
"Meaning we stop giving them easy deaths inside their rules," Void said. "They love a fair duel. They love a hallway with a single door. We deny both. We make them starve. We make them waste ritual where it does nothing."
Ikorra sat back a fraction. Something in her expression was still tense.
"How do you know all this? I mean, beyond the archive. You speak as if you've seen things. How do you know how to break the sword, how to stop the Hive.? I don't understand."
Void said nothing to that. His fingers rested on the flat of the blade as he unlatched the blade and put it on the table. "I had help."
Zamyr kept still and silent, a shadow held at the edge of breath. But the blade glowed nonetheless. A pale light swirled around the blade, a light everyone recognized.
"An Ahamkara. Or a wisp of it." Shaxx spoke as his eyes flickered.
Ikorra's eyes narrowed as she studied the blade, "Is that your source of knowledge? You've asked the dead Ahamkara for help?"
"No." Void replied, "I simple used it to confirm what I knew."
"To use the Ahamkara for anything would require a price. If you've found this all out....what price did you pay?" Ikorra' eyes widened a little, a slight concern flashed in her gaze as she asked.
Void looked at her but shook his head as he shrugged, "I told you. Nothing. Don't worry about it."
Ikorra frowned as he pursed her lips, "Fine, keep your secrets."
"Enough," Zavala said at last. "We cut the Shrines. We break his sword. We collapse routes. We hold Ocea of storms. That's what's been decided. As for how, we'll need more directions. I assume you've got the plans?"
Void quickly responded with a nod, "I'll keep you updated, for now, tell the City to prepare for more weapons. We'll start this all off within a week."
Shaxx inclined his helm. "The Crucible stays open."
Cayde flashed a finger gun across the table at Void. "Oh! If you're going to keep taking that ship out for moon joyrides, at least send an invite!"
"Hmm, I'll think about it." Void replied with a smile.
Ikorra folded her hands at last. "And you?" she asked softly. "What will you do while we prepare this all."
Void's eyes went briefly distant. "I'll keep pulling threads," he said.
"I've been looking into the Fallen. For now, I need to make sure no one else is targeting the City. Once we move for the moon, we can't afford distractions."
Zavala's gaze returned to Void. "If you learn something new, do share."
"I will tell you what you need," Void said evenly.
Zavala's jaw ground once, then he let it go. "Then we're finished."
Chairs scraped. Cloaks lifted. Cayde paused beside Void, tapped two knuckles against his armored shoulder. "Don't die out there young blood," he said lightly. "It would ruin my schedule."
Ikorr just shot a glance near Zamyr's hilt, a silent acknowledgement that the thing Void carried wasn't entirely dead. The Speaker moved without sound. Only Shaxx lingered long enough to set a heavy hand briefly on Void's forearm. "Good hunting," he said. No more. No less.
The room emptied.
Void took the blade back up and turned to leave, only to find Levi already leaned against the far wall, arms folded, eyes amused.
=
A/N: LEAVE A REVIEW!!! AND THROW STONES!
Check out my Patreon for fire ahhh chapters.
patre*n.com/Writers_Ablood