[b][u]Chapter 3: Coordinates & Chronovores[/u][/b] Saladin, Osiris, and Artemis stood around their makeshift table, one of the stone slabs from an old monument, Stonehenge. They were inspecting Artemis' old maps she had chartered during her time with the Six Coyotes. She spread out three maps. One of Venus, one of Mars, and one of Mercury. "The best places to pass on our energy to are on these planets." she jabbed her index finger at one spot on the Venus map. "This is where I will go. To the Endless Steps. I know of something there that can contain the void." she looked up at her comrades. "Where will you each go?" Osiris brushed dust off of the map of Mars, then circled a wide area. "I'll place my powers underneath the surface of Mars, in Freehold station." "Those tunnels go on for miles." Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you know where you're going? We wouldn't want you to get lost in the darkness." Osiris shrugged. "I know my way around the shadows." he smiled, and Saladin felt a cold chill down his back. "Where will you go Saladin?" she asked. He pointed to the map of mercury. "In the Field of Glass there are many temple-like structures, such as the Burning Shrine, which has become a Crucible Arena." he pointed at another spot on the map. "Sunbreaker Titans have developed their powers at a similar temple called the Burning Forge for ages." He shot a glance at Osiris. "Until the contract you had brokered between them took a wrong turn, and they refused to tend to the flames. The Burning Forge's fire was extinguished, and nobody has been able to ignite it since." Osiris shrugged. "It was a good contract." He protested. Artemis rolled her eyes. "Wasn't one of the conditions that in the event of a threat to the city their barracks were to be relinquished from them for the use of safeguarding your precious artifacts?" she pointed out. Saladin nodded. The Battle of Twilight Gap had caused the Sunbreaker Legion to be‎come very angry with the Vanguard, so angry to the point that Ouros, the Third Empyrean Magistrate of the Sunbreaker Legion, had recalled her forces from Twilight Gap, nearly costing them the battle. They recieved a dishonorable discharge, and then disappeared from the city. "Regardless," Artemis continued. "We need to make sure each area is undisturbed by any Vex units. And definitely make sure there aren't any active gates in the area." Osiris looked uncomfortable. "I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but a large portion of those gates are directly linked to the Black Garden, and after the Black Heart was destroyed..." he trailed off as Artemis' eyes widened. "You cannot be serious you madman. Don't you realize the Black Heart is more than a source of the Vex's power? It's a lock!" Artemis' tone became more worried. "I know, I know!" he snapped, to Saladin's surprise. "It has already started testing the strength of its cell, and if it breaks free-" "What are you talking about?" Saladin asked, tired of their pronoun game. "What is it?" Artemis sighed, absent-mindedly playing with her knife. "There are a collection of Axis Minds & Gate Lords with the purpose of cultivating the perfect timeline, they are known as Chronovores." while she spoke, Osiris began to pace, muttering. "One such Chronovore is Qodron, a Gate Lord that currently resides in the Prison of Elders." Saladin nodded. He knew of the many powerful entities the Prison of Elders housed. Nobody knew how the Reef had managed to capture the Vex Gate Lord. "Go on." "There is one Chronovore, the original Chronovore, named Apophis, the Devourer." they turned to Osiris, who had spoken up. "Apophis is the biggest Vex unit to exist, it's serpentine body formed from over dozen interlocking chassis of Axis Minds. He was magnificent." Saladin saw a glint of awe in Osiris eyes. "But something went wrong, a virus of unknown origin, it corrupted Apophis' systems, altering his directive." Artemis interrupted him. "Apophis' original purpose was to consume the unwanted timelines of the Vex, his new purpose was to consume all timelines in existence, devouring everything in it, even the Vex." "Right." Osiris said, irritated at the interruption. "The Vex tried their best to stamp out the virus, but it had already corrupted his inner workings beyond repair. So they imprisoned Apophis deep in the Black Garden, with the Black Heart as a lock on his cage." "So when that Guardian destroyed the Black Heart..." Saladin began to piece the puzzle together. "The lock on Apophis' cage broke." he stared at Osiris. "That's what you were running from back at the Lighthouse?" Osiris nodded gravely. "I was testing the strength of his cage, with the Black Heart gone the cell walls will hold for now, but they are deteriorating." "We have to tell the Vanguard." Saladin's voice had a hard edge to it. "If this threat is as powerful as you say it is..." Both Artemis and Osiris shook their heads. "No." Artemis said firmly. "They have enough to handle with the Dreadnaught approaching. I will deal with Apophis." Osiris raised an eyebrow. "I have encountered him before, I can handle it on my own." Saladin sighed. "Fine. We will each complete our individual tasks, no side trips, agreed?" he shot another glance at Osiris. They both nodded their agreement. Osiris looked at the ruins. "Anybody mind if I take a look around? No? Ok then, good talk." _______________________________________ Artemis pulled Saladin to the side after they had finished formulating the plan. "Do you mind telling me why you brought him here?" Artemis asked. "He is one of, if not the most powerful Warlock ever to be reborn." Saladin replied warily. "He is also the most insane of them."‎ she argued. "He has gone too far too many times, has too many secrets.‎ I don't trust him, and you shouldn't either." "Funny, he said the same about you." Artemis opened her mouth to protest, but Saladin raised his hand. "Don't pretend that you don't keep your secrets either, or that you never went too far or against orders. I still don't know why you first showed up to the Tower in the ship of one of my Titans who went MIA, or why his Ghost is now your own." She closed her mouth. "Fair enough, everybody has their secrets." she paused. "But you cannot deny that he has dwelved into the darkness, embraced it, even." Saladin sighed. "No I cannot. But he is the most powerful Warlock I know, and the only one crazy enough to accept this mission." Artemis rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement." she pointed to Osiris, who was currently poking around the remains of Stonehenge. "What do you think he is looking for? He's looking for gateways, Relics, anything related to the Vex." she looked Saladin square in the eyes."Can you honestly say that you truly trust him?" Saladin thought hard for a few seconds as Osiris finished with his searching and began to walk back to them. "No." Osiris walked up to them, brushing his hands off on his robes. "I'm all done here, everybody ready to go?" Saladin nodded. Artemis looked up at the sky as dusk began to fall. "The darkness will be here before we know it. How will the light compare?" _______________________________________ To be continued. Next Chapter: http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/158844248/0/0 ‎Table of Contents: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/114713352/0/0