Hello, everybody, here's part 70 of Into the Hellmouth! So, it appears as though I have lied to you. Again. *hangs head in shame* So, the final part of Into the Hellmouth will, in fact, be part 72, not part 71. Damn you, character limits! So, here's the schedule for the remaining parts: Part 71 will be published this Wednesday, and 72 will go up this Friday. Also, I just want to say, since it's Thanksgiving weekend here in the US, how thankful I am for all of you. It really means a lot to me that you all show up to read this story every week. Thank you. In the meantime, here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218461215?showBanned=0&path=0]part 69 i[/url]f you missed it, or, if you're looking for a different part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218649250?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=1]master post![/url] Stay classy, Guardians! “Eris?” Ikora said. “It’s time.” Eris nodded. At last, she would be facing the Consensus. “Do you think they’ll listen to me?” she asked. Ikora sighed. “Hard to say,” she said. “It’s in the hand of the factions now.” “If they have any sense, they’ll listen,” Eris said. “The factions seldom listen to anyone save themselves,” Ikora said, a grim smile on her face. “But they will hear you. You should have heard yourself talking to the Vanguard! You were most. . . eloquent.” Eris chuckled. “Has anything changed since I’ve left?” she asked. “Other than some of the representatives? Not really,” Ikora said. “Saladin still has the Speaker’s ear, but now Zavala has New Monarhy’s.” Eris cocked her head to one side. “Hm?” she said. “You see -“ Ikora began. Then, the door opened behind them, and they turned around. Cayde was standing in the doorway. “Ikora?” he said. “Let’s go.” Ikora looked around the room. The Speaker had just taken his place on the Podium. He looked around. “I see that all our representatives are present,” he said. “I officially call this meeting to order.” He slammed his gavel down. Arach Jalaal stood up. “I was recently informed that the Chosen Guardian - the one who destroyed the heart of the Black Garden - has undertaken a Raid on the Vault of Glass, with the help of several companions,” he said. “Am I correct?” The Speaker nodded. “You are,” he said. “My question is; why was this Raid allowed to happen?” he said. “And why was the Consensus not informed of it by the Vanguard? We cannot afford to waste resources on foolish endeavors.” “I’m not sure that I would describe the endeavor as foolish, Jalaal,” the Speaker replied. “Destroying the Vault would gain invaluable intelligence on the enemy, as well as destroy a great source of Vex power.” “I fail to see the . . . practical . . . advantage in that,” Jalaal said. “We need to concentrate our resources on ways of surviving the Darkness -“ “You mean fleeing from it,” Lakshmi said nonchalantly. Jalaal glared at her. The Future War Cult representative sighed. “Believe what you want, Jalaal, just call it by it’s name.” The Speaker struck his gavel. “That’s enough,” he said. “In any case, the point is moot. We cannot stop Guardians from traveling to destinations off-earth, nor can we force them to conform to your agenda, Arach. In the meantime, we have a more pressing matter to -“ The New Monarchy representative, Executor Hideo, stood up. “I propose a plebiscite,” he said. “It’s time the City had a true say in who their leader is.” Collective groans went up from the Consensus. Hideo was always trying to put forth a way to ensure that his dream of City government came true - a single monarch, exercising complete power over the City. Even the Speaker appeared frustrated. “We have been over this before, Hideo,” he said. “The Plebiscites routinely fail to fall in your favor.” “But the last one was -“ Hideo began. “Enough!” the Speaker said. “We have another matter to discuss.” He looked over at Ikora. “I’ll let you begin,” he said. Ikora nodded, and stood. “Thirty-three years ago, shortly after the Great Disaster, this council met to discuss the fall of five Guardians,” she said. “Angered by the loss of so many of their friends, the Guardians set out to destroy the beast whom we know as Crota.” “I recall this expedition,” Lakshmi said, her thick Russian accent cutting through the air. “They had enlisted the aid of Toland the Shattered, had they not?” “You are correct,” Ikora said. Hideo frowned. “Why did we never learn of this mission?” he asked. “The attempt was carried out without the knowledge or support of the Vanguard,” Zavala said, glancing at Ikora. “In order to deter further expeditions, we kept the mission a secret.” Hideo nodded. “I see,” he said. Ikora was irritated by the interruption. “In any case, the mission ended in failure,” she said. “We assumed that all of the Guardians involved had died - until now.” She took a deep breath. “Representatives of the Consensus, I present to you, Eris Morn, the sole surviving representative of the fire team that attacked Crota, all those years ago.” And with that, Eris Morn entered the room, glowing eyes and all. Hideo’s eyes widened in disbelief, and Jalaal gasped with shock. Even Saladin seemed mildly disturbed by her presence. In fact, the only one who appeared truly unperturbed by her appearance was Lakshmi, who only bore a look of mild surprise, as though someone had just told her that their dinner plans had changed. Jalaal cleared his throat. “What is this. . . thing?” he asked. Ikora looked up at him, more than a little angered. “She was a Guardian of the City, Jalaal,” she said. “She personally fought Crota, and lost many friends doing so. And now, she comes to us with information that could save the City. “And her name is Eris Morn, Jalaal. Have the decency to call her by her name.” Jalaal continued to gaze at Eris. The former Hunter looked around the Consensus, and took a deep breath. “Thirty three years ago, my companions and I set out to destroy Crota, once and for all,” she said. “Eriana-3. Sai Mota. Omar Agah. Toland. Vell Tarlowe.” She gazed at Laksmi. “You may know their names,” she turned her gaze to Jalaal, “or you may not. Either way, now you shall know their tale.” [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218863446]part 71[/url]