[b][u]Episode 1: An Audience with the Queen[/u][/b] Petra Venj grimaced, slumping against the wall. She prayed for the safety of her queen. She cursed herself inwardly, she should have been prepared. Her vision blurred, and she realized that she could only see out of one eye. The Queenbreaker Wolves had been swift and relentless in their attack. Hundreds of Petra's sisters lay wounded, dead, or dying. The few remaining were trying to push towards the throne room, where the Queenbreakers had isolated their prey. Petra had been alongside them moments ago until a hidden shock grenade had detonated too close, incapacitating her. She craned her neck to get a look at the doors of the throne room. The doors were still closed. The sound of approaching Fallen grew louder behind her, but she didn't turn to face them. She closed her eyes and waited for the end. But the end wouldn't come. Petra's eyes flew open at the sound of the doors to the throne room exploding. Prince Uldren dashed through, slicing through dozens of Queenbreakers with his knife. He grabbed a Captain by the neck, stabbing him in the ribs and snapping the neck in one swift motion. He then threw his knife without looking, and a Vandal's head snapped back, the knife embedded in his skull. He yanked it out of the dead vandal and began sparring with a Wolf Baron. But there were still too many Wolves. Petra tried to rise to her feet, pulling out her Vestian Dynasty sidearm to assist. But the pain overwhelmed her, and she crumbled to the floor. Another figure appeared in the ruined doorway. The Queen raised her arms to her side, causing energy to surge between them. That energy rose and began to circle around her head. "Wolves!" her voice echoed throughout the room. "You will never live to see chains!" she splayed out her fingers and the orbs of energy, the Harbingers, flew towards the mass of Queenbreakers, obliterating most of them. The few that remained fled. Petra felt herself being pulled up to her feet by Prince Uldren. She dizzily looked at her Queen, who was staring at the floor covered in her dead Paladins. "Petra." The Queen spoke, and Petra straightened up and stood at attention. "Broadcast a message to all Guardians on open channels. tell them that I have opened up the Reef to them, and that the hunt for the wolves has begun." Petra bowed. "Yes my queen." "And send a message to the Speaker."‎ Uldren raised an eyebrow. The Queen ignored him. "Tell him I request an audience with the unit classified as Fireteam X." _______________________________________ Dredgen tapped his foot on the ground impatiently. He checked Thorn, making sure it wasn't jammed. "How do we know this isn't a trap?" he asked. "The last time we saw the Queen we were on opposite sides of a holding cell." "I don't know and I don't care." Toland snapped, pacing back and forth across the waiting room. "What I do want to know is what is taking them so long!" he complained. "Relax." Kabr sat cross-legged on the ground. "They told us that the queen had another meeting before us. Wait a few more minutes." Toland cursed as his knee bashed into Kabr's shield on his back. "You really aren't good with waiting." Kabr observed. "That doesn't seem like you." "I'm with Toland on this one." Dredgen checked Thorn again for the thirteenth time. "[i]It feels like we've been waiting two months for somebody to try and continue this story.[/i]" Toland and Kabr stared at him, confused. "What?" The door to the throne room opened abruptly, and Petra Venj walked in, flanked by two Paladins. "The Queen will see you now." "About time." Toland moved towards the door, but one of the Paladin's blocked it. "We can't let you bring your weapons in." Petra was strict. "Not after what happened last time you came here." Dredgen grumbled, then handed her Thorn and his Knife. Toland handed over Bad Juju, and Kabr handed her the Vex Mythoclast. "I'm keeping my shield." he stood his ground. Toland looked at him quizzically. "What happened to the Fate of all Fools?" he asked. Kabr shrugged. "I don't know. It disappeared yesterday. No clue why." Dredgen sighed. "Let's just get this over with." _______________________________________ As they entered the throne room, Toland caught a brief glance of the Queens two guests as they made their exits. He saw one of them melt into the shadows and the other disappear in a blinding light. Before Toland could ask about them, Prince Uldren spoke. "Well, well" the Prince looked at them with distaste. "I thought we threw out the garbage, not brought it back to our home." Dredgen roll his eyes. "Nice to see you again." he muttered. "Look, your, what is it, Majesty? Grace? Excellence?" he looked at Kabr, but the Titan just shrugged. "Ok, let's just cut to the chase, why the hell do you want our help after what happened?" "Show some respect!" Uldren snapped, reaching for his blade. "Dredgen, quiet." Toland gave him a look. "With all due respect your majesty, why did you send for us?" The Queen raised her hand and the throne room went silent. "Do you remember Skolas, the Wolves Kell, who you were tasked with his assassination? They nodded. "He has returned, having sent his pack in an attempt to assassinate me. They failed, but Skolas is no longer in hiding." "So we're here to finish what we started?" Kabr asked. "No." the Queen shook her head. "That task will be carried out by another Guardian. You three have a different task." the Queen stood up, and paced before her throne. "With Skolas active again, the Wolves Servitor God, Kaliks Prime might be found." "The only thing is, we don't know anything about his whereabouts, except for this." Petra pressed a button, and a hologram of a Fallen Wolf appeared. "I know that Fallen." Dredgen stared at the image with steel in his eyes. "That's Liksor." The Queen nodded. "Our assassin, his assignment to kill you failed, and he aided in Skolas' escape. He and his brother Grayor of the Silent Fang crew are ruthless in their approach." Uldren spoke. "We intercepted a communication between them and Skolas. They are the only ones who know the Prime's location." "Where can we find them?" Toland asked. "They are separated." somebody behind them said with a familiar hiss. Variks the Loyal stood behind them, staff in hand. "Grayor hunts with Drevis the Wolf Baroness in your planets cosmodrome. Liksor has been tougher to spot, but not too tough. We have found him on Venus, in the Cinders." "You will find Liksor and bring him back here, alive." The Queen spoke. "Variks will help you." Toland and Kabr looked at Dredgen. "Are you up for a rematch?" Dredgen's hand went to his belt. The saber he had taken from Liksor as a trophy had broken long ago, but Dredgen knew another would be his very soon. "Rematch." he smiled. _______________________________________ [i]To be continued.[/i] Next Chapter: http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/177509618/0/0 Table of Contents: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/114713352/0/0 ‎