The Titan rose from his crouched position. The Ward of Dawn that encased his body dissipated, along with the Void energy that surged within his sword, returning the blade its deep silver color, and leaving the center of the blade hollow once more. His Ghost, Orion he called it, appeared a second later by his left shoulder. "[i]Well, that was fun."[/i] It said. "Ha ha, you're very funny. C'mon, let's destroy this crystal and-" Suddenly, the center of the room exploded in a sudden rise of power, casting the room in a ghastly green color identical to the crystal hanging over the podium. The Titan had to bring his hand over his face to cover his eyes from the blinding light. When the light dimmed, he lowered his arm, and stared at the center of the room. A massive green vortex now swirled around the podium, and the crystal now began to pour its energy down to an ethereal figure that stood around twenty feet in he height. The figure resembled that of a Hive Knight, it's three eyes staring down at the Titan. Anaxis didn't have to guess to know who this being was that the Hive were summoning. Sarkon. The Titan drew a side arm from his waist with his free hand, aimed at the crystal, and fired. The round soared at incredible speed toward its mark, but did nothing as it was stopped by the raging vortex protecting the ritual. He fired several more shots, only to have same results each time. With a grunt, the Titan returned the weapon to its holster. He then brought his arm around in front of him, then jerked it back its side, a large flaming hammer appearing in his hand. He threw hammer after hammer at the crystal above, but like the rounds fired from his sidearm, they only seemed to dissolve against the protective barrier. "[i]This thing is too strong!"[/i] Exclaimed the Titan's Ghost. "How are we going to get past that vortex?!" The Titan slowly glanced down at his sword, then looked up at the ritual before them all. "The only thing we can do." He said. His Ghost looked over at him and seemed to understand what it's Guardian meant. "[i]No! You don't know what will happen!"[/i] "It's the only thing strong enough that can pierce that vortex! We don't have any other choice!" The Ghost only stared at his Guardian, obviously fearful at what he was talking about. But after what seemed like an eternity, it spoke with a voice filled with sorrow. "[i]It's been an honor to be at your side, Magnus."[/i] [i]What?![/i] "You too, Orion." Then the Ghost vanished from existence. The Titan then looked down at his sword, gripping its hilt tighter. Then his arm began to glow. It started off as just a faint shimmer, but as the seconds went by, his arm grew brighter and brighter, giving off a faint white light. The crystal within his sword seemed to respond to this, as it too began to dimly shine the same white color, along with a small white orb that formed at the center of the hollow blade. Anaxis couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was channeling his own Light! "C'mon, C'mon!" Cursed the Titan under his breath, struggling to gather more of his Light. That was when a loud laugh echoed throughout the chamber. The Titan looked up from his work to see what was happening with the ritual. The ethereal form, was now almost a complete solid figure, as evidence to the dense black armor that could be seen through the vortex. [i]"There is no Light, that can stand against the Darkness! This place will become your tomb!"[/i] But the Titan never ceased, he continued to channel his growing power, his arm and sword glowing brighter and brighter. Then a what sounded like a loud chime filled the room. The Titan's arm had become a pure white light, the sword's crystal glowing bright, and the energy that was too weak to sustain before, now filled the hollow blade with the same energy, making the edges shine a brilliant golden light. He had done it. The Titan then stared at the crystal, bringing his sword to bear, aligning the tip the bright golden blade with the large crystal. The sword grew bright once more, then unleashed a beam of of pure Light at the crystal. The beam struck the vortex, cutting through the powerful ward and hit the crystal at its center. The sound of cracking glass sounded, followed by an ear piercing screech as the crystal glowed a blinding light, then went supernova, sending out a ring of Light and Darkness throughout the room. The chain that held the crystal high in the air, broke, sending the now broken shard crashing to the ground. The explosion swept the Titan off his feet and sent him flying into the wall behind him, the impact leaving an array of large cracks in the stone, before the Titan slid to the ground in a heap. Then the room fell silent. Sarkon, who had now fully entered the world, was crouched down, clutching his chest with a scaly claw, over his armor that had now changed from pitch black, to a dull gray, and the Titan, who was now beginning to recover and regain his bearings. The Titan's hand, now returned to normal brushed over the hilt of his sword that laid upon the ground, lifeless with no power, and instinctively gripped hold of it. But he looked down at it, before releasing his hold of it. He raised his free hand into the air in front of him, slowly uncurling his fingers to form an open hand. He was trying to summon his Ghost. But it never came. "Orion... Orion!" Shouted the Titan, fear leaking into his voice. He called it's name over and over and over. But each time, his calls were left unanswered. "No." His breathing trembled, grief practically washing over him. His head shot up however as portals began to appear all around the podium, spawning large groups of Hive at each one. The massive Knight stood up, and looked down at the fallen Guardian, anger and blood-lust filling its eyes. It jabbed a finger at him. [i]"Kill that wretched Light, NOW!"[/i] it boomed. Upon their god's command, they charged. The Titan scrambled to his feet, hissing in pain at the sudden movements. Fire engulfed his entire body, as a Hammer of Sol appeared in his hand. However, as soon as it came, it vanished, the flames surrounding him, smothered as it was instantly replaced with black shadows and corrosion that covered his torso and right arm. The Titan howled in pain as the dark essence threatened to consume him. With the Hive quickly advancing, he stumbled toward the exit, drawing his sidearm as he went, and fired into the oncoming wall of death. He then retreated through the exit, waves of Thrall following close behind. All that was heard was the occasional gunshot and the continuous chorus of death. Then everything stilled and vanished, as the room returned to its dark, silent, ruined form. Anaxis could only stare at the exit, long banished memories coming to the forefront of his mind. He knew who this was. A long buried secret. But now, it wouldn't take long for his companions, specifically Alice, to piece together that secret he had buried so long ago.

Alice stepped away from the crystal, and over to the broken hilt that lay on the ground. She picked it up, observing the hilt. "I knew something was strange about Grixis, why it was no one helped him. I now I know why." She turned and looked at Anaxis. "I'm sorry." Was all she said to him.

"Don't be." He responded. "My best friend died here, all those centuries ago. And when he did, Grixis stepped in to take his place." He looked over at her. "Whatever was left of Magnus is gone. He has to die, there's no other choice."

"But that doesn't make the hurt any less, does it?" As she says this, she walks over to Anaxis and offers the broken hilt out to him.

The hurt? He had been horrified when the news of Magnus turning over to the Darkness reached him. He didn't want to believe it at first. But then he went out to where he was last seen in a village outside The City, and when he got there, his worst nightmare was all too real. Everyone in village laid dead in the streets, everything burned, and on the center of it all, was a collection of Hive from Thrall to Knights, and in the center stood [i]him[/i], inside his new armor wielding a Hive cleaver. He knew then and there that his friend was gone. The monster that he had become was the only thing that was left. Did it hurt? Yes. But he knew what he had to do. He would have thrown in the towel if he knew he couldn't do what had to be done. There was no other choice. It was either Grixis, or them. He broke his line of thought when he noticed the sword that Magnus wielded was held out to him. The blade, like it had been before, had no fuller, only to be filled up with the energy of the element he wielded, so it was only the deep silver edges. The hilt had the most damage, one end of the cross guard had a deep gash in it, almost going all the way through, while the other side had been completely cut off. And the once beautiful, shining crystal that held the swords power, now sat in the hilt, completely dull, no shine whatsoever, with a large crack going down it. The color of the whole thing, had surprisingly kept its shine all these years in the dark. He looked back over at the exit, then let out a sigh. "Keep it." He said under his breath.

She looked at him for a moment, then pulled it back. She spun it lazily through the air, noting that how the blade itself didn't seem to be even the littlest bit dinted or dented. The hilt itself was a wreckage, but still quite usable at her swing. Even the crystal at the hilt (though still dull) seemed to be generating a faint bit of light at her touch. She rests it on her right shoulder and looks at Anaxis. "Wasn't there meant to be some form of darkness here that Sarkon uses? I mean, this crystal could be it, but if it was, wouldn't you have noticed it sooner?"

[i]"Not just Darkness, but the Light as well."[/i] A voice echoed throughout the ruined chamber.

"Light? What do you mean by that Anaxis?" She says still looking at Anaxis.

Anaxis had his auto rifle drawn, scanning the room for anything besides them. "I didn't say that." [i]"I did."[/i] Said the voice from before. Movement caught his eye from above. He snapped his rifle to whatever it was, putting his finger on the trigger, ready to unleash a bullet storm. But he wasn't expecting to see what came floating down from the shadowed ceiling, and the sight unnerved him. Floating down, was the small, white shell of a Ghost, but what unnerved him about it was its eye. Instead of the cool blue diamond eye against a black background like almost all Ghosts, this ones diamond eye was pitch black against a wall of green that shimmered and danced like fire. "You're the disturbance." Anaxis said, keeping the Ghost in his weapon's reticule. [i]"I am. It's good to see you again, Anaxis. Though I know you don't remember me, I never much liked to show myself. My name is Orion. Ghost of the Guardian Magnus. Or was, after that horrid day."[/i]

"You're still bound to him, aren't you?" Alice says walking closer to Orion, ignoring Anaxis's displeasure at her being so close to the Ghost.

Orion looked over at Alice. [i]"I merely say that, due to my Guardian using a different name. But to answer your question; yes, I am. I feel what he feels, much like your unique friend, Emaria. But unlike her, I also see what he sees. And he doesn't even know that I'm still alive."[/i]

"You still care for him then?"

[i]"How could I not? He may be a dark, tortured soul now, but he's still my Guardian. I still feel every little thing in him. It's very saddening. He used to be the very definition of good, he was so much more happier back then. But now all I ever feel from him is his pain, as he fights against the Light within him, and his anger and hate, for those that turned against him that he trusted with his life."[/i]

"Anaxis?" She says.

"What?" He practically spat out.

She doesn't flinch. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm think that this is pure idiocy. Orion, you still care for Magnus, I get that. But he is gone, he died centuries ago, and now Grixis has filled the void." He told Orion icily. [i]"I see you still have the same narrow-minded thought process that the Guardians of old used to have."[/i] He looked at Alice. "[i]What is it you wish to know."[/i]

"How do we balance out Grixis's light and darkness?" She says, adjusting her grip on Magnus's sword.

"[i]You say that as if it never was. This entire time it's been balanced, that is what he despises. He wishes to be rid of the Light, to become a being of pure Darkness."[/i] Orion looked away from Alice's gaze, then turned and looked at shattered crystal on the circular podium. "[i]And whatever he's doing on Fundament; he's slowly succeeding."[/i]

"No, I don't believe he is balanced. I'm balanced but I don't suffer from his symptoms. Reason why is because I'm balanced physically and mentally." She swings the sword down and stabs it lightly into the ground. "I didn't say he wasn't balanced physically. I meant mentally. How do we help him?"

"[i]Now that is the problem. I honestly have no idea. He's made the Light his greatest enemy, for reasons you already know. But I do know this: if there is anyone that can help him down that path, it is you. But know, he won't be willing to accept the Light so easily."[/i]

She nods. Then takes a knee in front of the sword in the ground, gripping the orb at the top. She then attempts to fill the sword with her own energy.

"[i]Dawn's Resolve, is it's name. Made by Magnus himself. It could only work for him, but now that it has no link to him anymore, it would seem that you are its next wielder. It's a shame, how low it's brought down. It can never reach the performance it was before in its current state."[/i]

"You'd be surprised how powerful a name can be." Alice says as she stands up, now with the gem swirling with faint black shadows amongst bright white. She grips it's handle and pulls it up from its position in the ground. "It's not fully bonded yet. It still whispers of Magnus's soul. But luckily, that's what I need." She turns to look at Orion. "We're going after Grixis. I'm going to try and save him, Anaxis will try to kill him. So now it's a race."

"So it would seem." Anaxis said blatantly. "You said Grixis is on Fundament. What is he doing there?" There was a pause, Orion having that look, weighing which option to go on. But then he finally spoke again. "[i]I think it's best that I show you."[/i]