Note: Words spoken in the Eliksni language are italicized Table of Contents https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/229522482/0/0 I stare into the lifeless eye in my hand, tracing the cracks in its lens with my thumb. Light glints on the metal, but its pupil lacks the characteristic red glow of the Vex. [i]"We have secured the Spire,"[/i] Sinekis growls over the comms, [i]"Bring the eye."[/i] The City Hawk lurches out of cruising speed, and I use my free hand to steady myself against the hull. Tucking the eye into a pouch at my waist, I look over my shoulder and inspect my team. It's clear how nervous they are. They clench their weapons, needlessly adjust equipment, and look at nothing. No one dares speak. I focus on the closed hatch in front of me and think carefully for a silent minute, then declare, "Victory or death." The soldiers turn their gazes to me questioningly, not knowing if they should be motivated, and I elaborate, "That's what the Cabal say." They show no reaction and I turn back to the hatch, indicating that I'm finished. The only sounds are the roar of the engines and the clatter of vibrating metal. Soon a new noise rises above them: the sporadic rumbles of explosions and heavy artillery. It grows until it's nearly thunderous, coming from all directions as our jumpship slows to a halt. Air hisses as the ramp cracks open and slowly swings down. Sunlight shines on our faces, and a torrent of dust blows into the bay. The man standing next to me pumps his fist above his head and shouts, "VICTORY OR DEATH!" The others take up the cry, hollering as the ramp completes its descent and we hop out of the vessel. I ready my rifle and scan our surroundings. We're in a circular enclosure, formed by the bulky metal constructions of a Cabal base. A bridge behind us links to the warbase, and a massive column of Vex design dominates the center of the space. Eliksni of the House of Winter occupy the area, and one of their Skiffs occasionally darts overhead. The dead bodies of both Eliksni and Cabal lie in the dust, and the battle cry dies out awkwardly as the crew realizes there isn't anything to fight. Sinekis stands proudly in front of us, accompanied by several Vandals and another Captain, weathering the vortex of Martian sand thrown up by our transport. He steps forward and inquires amusedly, [i]"Victory or death, Vanguard? That is Cabal speech."[/i] The other Captain takes charge of my team and Sinekis turns. I follow him around the rim of the enclosure, and he continues with a smile in his voice, [i]"We do not bring the Cabal victory today. Only death."[/i] We come to a small Vex conduit, attended by several Splicers and Servitors. A Splicer Captain meets us, and Sinekis implores with a small movement of his hand, [i]"The eye, Vanguard."[/i] I carefully extract the eye from my pocket and place it in the outstretched hands of the Splicer, who nods assuringly and takes it to the conduit. I leave them to their work and study the distant bridge. Stray bolts of ammunition fly from the far end, marking the attempts of the Cabal to retake their territory. [i]"They will not get through,"[/i] Sinekis states, showing no doubt, [i]"They cannot get through."[/i] A shaft of light bursts from the conduit, capturing everyone's attention and beaming into the base of the massive Vex construction at the center of the enclosure. We watch as the mass of metal at the top of the column splits, separating into pieces that inexplicably float through the air and reveal a rectangular prism wreathed in the light of a Vex conflux. The metal pieces vanish, leaving only the prism as the light emanating from it intensifies. Then the prism disappears along with the beam from the conduit, leaving only the stone column. The Splicer Captain emerges from the crowd of its subordinates and begins to speak, but is interrupted by the squeal of turning gears and shifting metal. We all look to the end of the enclosure opposite the bridge, where a colossal circular door is sliding open. [i]"Reinforcements!"[/i] Sinekis bellows, [i]"They will try to kill us! Kill them back!"[/i] The Eliksni loose a volley into the inlet as the first forms of the Cabal become visible beyond the gate. Many of the Cabal drop dead, but a row of Phalanxes advances, bearing massive shields that absorb the Arc bolts. A giant lumbers out behind them, towering meters above everything else and encased in the thick black and yellow armor of a high-ranking officer. A red tag pops up in my visor's display, marking the titan. "Traveler above," an awestruck man mutters on the comms, "Is that..." "Sha'aull!" Sinekis roars to his subordinates with renewed vigor, [i]"Primus of Blind Legion! Take out his eyes!"[/i] Bolts pelt the Primus, scorching his armor as he uses thrusters on his back to leap into the center of the fray. Rockets fly from his firearm, blasting up sand and scattering his enemies while more Cabal pour from the doorway to exchange fire with the Eliksni. I move to raise my rifle, but Sinekis stops me with a raised hand, showing no sign of his previous excitement, [i]"No need, Vanguard. It won't help."[/i] He observes the battle with an air of cold indifference and speaks to a pair of Captains wielding scorch cannons. Vandals line the small ridge that we occupy, using their wire rifles to pick off the Cabal and shoot the Primus as he rampages around the Vex structure. Ammunition peppers him from all sides, but he continues his spree unhindered. "We'll need to overwhelm him," I speculate, "Lure him into a kill box." [i]"An excellent strategy, Vanguard,"[/i] Sinekis agrees, [i]"I believe I can manage that."[/i] He finishes with the Captains and sends them off. My eyes follow the path of the Primus and watch as the Eliksni hold back the other reinforcements. "Vanguard!" A man approaches me hurriedly, hunched over in case any of the Cabal's micro-rockets happened to come by, "What're you doin' standin' here?! You need to get to cover!" "No," Sinekis dismisses the man irritably, [i]"The Vanguard is in no danger. Let his warriors see that he is not afraid."[/i] The man puffs, frantically trying to think of something to say or do, but gives up and turns his worrying to the Primus, "What about that thing?!" Sinekis chuckles, moving closer to grip the man's shoulders and keep him from moving away as we watch the battle, [i]"It is a wall of flesh and steel. We poke at it with mere needles, but it will bleed and die nonetheless."[/i] "Great," the man stutters weakly, barely bothering to resist the Captain and joining us in our passive monitoring, "We've got needles, they've got tiny missiles. I wouldn't be the first to say you spiders are crazy." Cabal rounds careen at the ridge, detonating against some of the Vandals. Clouds of Ether spew out and one arm spins end over end through the air, but the Eliksni stand their ground and don't falter in drilling the Cabal reinforcements. [i]"Oh look, Vanguard,"[/i] Sinekis chirrs, redirecting my gaze to the Primus, [i]"He has finally seen us."[/i] The Primus pounds his chest with a meaty fist and takes thunderous steps straight towards us. The man yelps and squirms, but Sinekis holds him firmly in place as he converses with me casually, [i]"Do you wonder if you bear the same condemning red diamond that hangs over him in your helmet?"[/i] "He's coming this way!" The man fusses desperately. "Be still, Dreg," Sinekis scolds in our tongue, "The Vanguard leads us, and we are safe with him." The Winter Captain's words are confident, only belied by the blades clenched readily in his second pair of hands. The Primus propels himself through the air with his thrusters, letting fly a micro-rocket that darts over our heads and hits the rocky wall behind us. Sinekis barks a sharp command and the Primus erupts in an explosive inferno. He crashes into the slope of the ridge in a smoldering heap, and the Vandals peer down at him with their rifles ready to finish him off. The two cannon-bearing Captains from before come into sight and admire their handiwork. [i]"Your strategy has succeeded, Vanguard,"[/i] Sinekis comments as the giant roars furiously and begins to push himself up, "FIRE!" A hurricane of Arc bolts pulverizes the Primus, pounding him back down into the sand. He lays motionless when the barrage ends, steaming and leaking pressure gel. Several Vandals draw their shock blades and warily approach the fallen Primus, probing him to affirm his death. When he doesn't even twitch, one cuts his throat for good measure and crosses her blades to signal us. I look to the gate and see that the Eliksni are still pushing back the reinforcements, not even giving them the chance to get far from the door. [i]"We have what we came for,"[/i] Sinekis remarks, and I turn to see him holding the Gate Lord's eye with the Splicer Captain standing behind him, [i]"And the Blind Legion is left leaderless. With your permission, Vanguard, we will continue our mission."[/i] I nod and speak, "Extraction, we're ready." "We're on our way, Vanguard," a woman responds on the comms.