#dark ops

“I’m starting to see why the Vanguard sealed this place off. This is like Mega-Gambit!” Blaze called out as she fired a few round at a Taken Legionary before muttering, “Here’s hopin’ Drifter doesn’t get any ideas…” Rae lobbed a Solar grenade at a group of Taken Thralls, “This makes no sense. First they were nowhere and now there’s loads of them!” “Maybe they planned an ambush?” Adam suggested as he rammed into a group of Taken Dregs before shooting his pulse rifle at a Taken Knight. “There’s no way the Taken are that smart!” Cayde replied as he activated his Golden Gun and struck down a group of Taken Goblins in seconds flat, “Plus, even if they were, how’d they know we were comin’?” “True.” Adam agreed as he fired a rocket at the Taken Knight, dealing the final blow to it as it dropped its sword. “I’m borrowin’ this!” Drifter grabbed the sword and rushed up to the Taken dome that had surrounded Marcia. “Uh, Drifter? I don’t think that’s a-” Rae went to warn Drifter but was cut off as Drifter took a swing at the dome with the sword. But as soon as the blade made contact with it, an invisible blast of energy was emitted from the dome, causing Drifter to go flying backwards. “…idea.” Rae finished as she sighed and fired a few fiery projectiles from her palm at a Taken Acolyte. “What the hell’s goin’ on in there…?” Drifter muttered as he glared at the dome. Meanwhile… Marcia faced Paragon with a surprised expression before looking to the side awkwardly, “So…I, uh…haven’t heard from you in a few centuries…” “You haven’t needed me in a few centuries.” Paragon replied, “Nor did I need to interfere with your life…well, until now.” “Not gonna lie here.” Marcia began, “I may have thought you abandoned me.” “Why would I do that?” Paragon asked, cocking her head to the side. Marcia just pointed to her corrupted arm. “Oh, Marcia…” Paragon chuckled softly, “I wouldn’t abandon you over things you can’t control. After all, it was my power that saved you.” “Wait…what?” “When you were taken, you’re body went into a limbo state – the Taken corruption and the Light you were born with fighting each other for control with the Light on the losing side. So I gave you some of mine, overpowering the corruption, but it was only enough to give you limited control of yourself. I was relived when I found out you were one of the Traveller’s chosen, even if you’re not fully trusting of the Traveller itself.” “So why are you interfering now?” Marcia asked, “Why call me here?” “Well…” Paragon began, lifting up her tail to reveal a strange orb of Taken energy balancing on it, “I saw the Taken War. I saw what Oryx did and the suffering the Taken brought to all races in the solar system. When Rae and her friends struck him down, the Taken were left without their king; without the keeper of their will. So they’ve continued to do what their king had always commanded of them – take and destroy. But I think I’ve thought of a way to turn the tides of this war against the Darkness…or at least, aid the side of Light anyway.” “I’m listening.” Marcia nodded. “You know of the Sword Logic that the Hive go by, yes? Since Rae, Blaze and Adam killed Oryx, one of them should have taken his place as king or queen. However, they didn’t, thus breaking the Sword Logic and leaving the throne open for the taking. Yet no one has claimed it, because no one had the ability to wield the powers Oryx had or knew how to achieve them. Thankfully, I was able to preserve a bit of the power here. And there is only one person I know that could wield the power without being corrupted.” “Y'mean...me?” Paragon nodded, “Marcia, Starlight of Tribe Claw, I want you to become the new ruler of the Taken. I won’t force it upon you, but this could shift things into the Light’s favour.” Marcia thought for a moment before speaking, “Why me?” “Pardon?” “Why save me? There’s nothing special about me compared to other Paragonialans. My Starlight abilities would just get passed on to another worthy Paragonialan. Why go through such lengths to bring me back?” Paragon chuckled again, “Young Marcia…you don’t give yourself enough credit. You are much more different than you realise. Think about it. While other members of your tribe were content to stay in safety, you sought dangerous. They thought they had all the answers, you knew there was so much more to know. While they shielded themselves in a bubble, you fought for their safety. They hid behind lies, while you sought out truths. Even if you were never recognised for it, you kept risking your life for your people. Not a single member of your tribe had the bravery and devotion you possess – traits you still hold to this day and carried with you when you became the leader of the Umbrialyx. You lead a group of rogues and misfits with honesty, devotion, courage and justice; the true traits of a leader…of a queen. Like I said, the choice to lead the Taken is yours, not mine. I will accept whatever answer you give me.” Marcia glanced between the orb and her arm for a moment before sighing, “The Darkness is gonna come for us anyway. It’s unavoidable.” Paragon nodded in understanding as Marcia continued, “However…even if it’s only for a while; even if it only prolongs the inevitable…I’ll protect those I care for. I refuse to keep hiding and watch more people suffer.” ——————————————————————— “GYAH!!” Rae winced in pain as a Taken Phalanx blasted her into the wall. It went to shoot at her but was stopped when a Void shield embedded itself in its head, killing it. Adam rushed forward, grabbing his shield as he went, and helped Rae back onto her feet. “Thanks, Adam.” Rae grunted. “No problem.” “Damn it!” Blaze cursed as she finished off a Taken Vandal, “There’s too many of ‘em. We can’t kill ‘em all!”

“Enough!”

A voice echoed through the court as the Taken suddenly stopped attacking at gazed at where the dome was…or once was. Cayde’s optics darted between each of the remaining Taken, “Uhh…why’d they stop attacking?”

“You guys might wanna see this…” Drifter called from behind followed by a faint tink as something metal hit the ground. Everyone turned to see what Drifter was looking at. Rae’s eyes went wide as she gasped at what she saw. Marcia’s Light-amplifier crystal was lying at her feet. She stood there, still in one piece, but she looked different. She wore a long dark purple and pink robe that was jade on the inside over a black, short-sleeved one-piece suit and had a large, pointed jade collar that reached up to her ears. The robe was sealed closed by a clasp in the shape of her insignia – a four-pointed periwinkle star with a jade curve going through it – and a periwinkle sash around her waist. A jade and periwinkle loincloth protruded from the sash that bared a completely periwinkle version of the insignia. The robe had ivory spikes curving around her sides – one pair below the sash pointing down and two pairs above it pointing upwards – and shoulder pads made of the same material. From the shoulder pads flowed a long, torn cape made out of a Taken Blight-esque material. She wore dark purple and pink gloves and dark purple, pink and jade boots with metal soles. The outfit showed her semi-corrupted markings in near-full view – parts were covered by the sleeve of her suit and her glove. In her hand was a scythe similar to the one she wielded in her Darklight form, except it was mostly greenish teal with a periwinkle dragon curled around the main pole and the insignia on the handle. The blade that was once made of silver energy with black markings was now made of Taken Blight with dark flames protruding from the top.

Marcia stared out at the Taken for a brief moment, a stern look on her face, before tapping the bottom of the scythe on the ground twice, “No fighting. The next Taken to harm a Lightbearer has me to answer to.”

Rae glanced back at the Taken and nearly did a double-take as she watched the Taken, one-by-one, kneel to Marcia. Rae turned back to Marcia who had turned her attention to her fellow Dark Ops. “So good news.” Marcia smirked, “My hunch was right, and it turned out to be outcome A.

Hail to the Taken Queen, baby!”