The Aegis This shield was amazing. It surpassed Kabr’s most wild dreams. The Vex technology had absorbed, amplified, and even shaped the Light he had poured into the shield. The shield amplified his melee allowing him to both punch harder and faster. The shield also had an impact on his jump, allowing him to glide large distances. Kabr became obsessed with the Vex technology. He formed the rest of the Gorgon materials to make a chest piece. If a guardian saw him now, they would think he was a mutated Vex Minotaur. But scarier. Kabr’s Ghost - The armor enhancements from the Vex are amazing. Not only have you seen benefits from the shield, the Vex armor has increased your reflexes and your recovery. Kabr - It is truly amazing. The Vex technology is so advanced, yet it binds to our needs so willingly. Kabr’s Ghost - What will you do now? Kabr - Test it. I think it is time I re-visit the Templar. Pahanin awoke for the third time. He was still weak, but he knew he didn’t have much time. He was down to three meals at best. He gathered his weapons and looked at his leg. The burning sensation had stopped, but his leg was black with soot; it was not an easy thing to behold. Pahanin - Ghost, are you still present. Pahanin’s Ghost - Yessss…butttt…notttt…forrrrr….longggg. Damn. He would need to leave the ghost alone. Pahanin - Conserve my friend, I will go it alone. Pahanin got to his feet, his leg screamed with pain as blisters and scars re-opened. Pahanin fought the pain, he knew once he got a range of motion that his leg would calm down. He began to walk slowly. Luckily, his foot was not hit badly, so the process of putting weight on it was ok. He climbed up the rocks, using his triple jump as much as possible. Better to use a leap then chance rubbing his leg against the rock. The going was slow. After what felt like a lifetime, he reached the winding path to the Vault entrance. He collapsed in need of rest. Pahanin began contemplating his next moves. At this rate, he would not have the ability to run once he reached the top…stealth was his only hope. Even so, he would be exposed at the door and it was at least 400 meters to the jungle growth that he could hide in. Then it would take days to get back to the Ishtar Academy on foot at walking pace. The going would only get tougher, his body would likely begin to shut down from lack of food and sleep. Pahanin - What I need is my ghost. Then I could summon my sparrow, or even risk the ship picking me up at the door. If the ship took damage I could still fly to a safer spot and not worry about breaking orbit. It was hard for Pahanin, while he was used to going on patrol alone, he was never really alone, his ghost was with him. And his ghost had a knack for keeping his mind occupied and keeping him alert, thus he could focus on the situation at hand and not on the what-ifs. Having the ghosts advice was a valuable commodity. Pahanin sat there trying to think when he noticed a slight glow in the corner of his eye. He turned to look and saw the light was coming from the Arc generator on his machine gun. The Arc generator! It could create energy! Pahanin - Ghost! Pahanin’s ghost appeared, though not with the same abruptness as usual. Pahanin’s Ghost - Yessss… Pahanin - Please remove yourself from conservation mode. Pahanin’s Ghost - Done. Pahanin - I want to transfer you to the machine gun. Pahanin’s Ghost - Ummm…what? Pahanin - The Arc generator on the machine gun should be able to produce enough energy for you. Pahanin’s Ghost - Well, yes, but…I would not be able to retake ghost form. I would have to upload my consciousness to the machine guns internal computer. Pahanin - I know, what other features would you lose? Pahanin’s Ghost - I’d lose the inventory and my ability to carry items. Pahanin - And your communications? Pahanin’s Ghost - The machine gun has built-in comms, I could use its systems. Pahanin - We are in great peril, and I will need you and your assistance more than ever. I fear it is a sacrifice I must ask you to make. Pahanin’s ghost looked at him and appeared to be contemplating. Pahanin’s Ghost - I do not believe it will work. Arc energy, while safer than Void, is not as predicable, and it could burn me out. Pahanin - Damn. I thought we had a solution. Pahanin’s Ghost - Perhaps we still do. You have a Solar machine gun as well, Solar energy is far more stable, but will not be of additional assistance against Fallen shields. Pahanin - I prefer to have you present with me. Please swap out the weapons. Pahanin’s Ghost - Very well, but we must move quickly. Pahanin set his ghost next to the machine guns' built-in electronics. His ghost began what looked to be a scan, but was actually his ghost wiping the internal memory on the gun in order to make as much room for the ghosts' intelligence as possible. Then, with a strange dispersal of light, the little ghost body dropped to the ground, dead. Pahanin - Did it work? Machine Gun - Yes. It is a little tight in here, but nothing I can’t work with for now. Pahanin - Then let us continue to the top. Machine Gun - One thing, when we get to the top, please try not to drop me. Pahanin - Good advice my friend. Kabr scaled the cliff, a much easier feat now that the wall already had handholds and footholds from his previous accent. He reached the top and looked down the hallway to the Templar. There it stood, looking down the hall at him. Had it knew he was coming? Kabr approached the Templar, but the Templar did not open fire. Kabr got 50 meters from the Axis mind and screamed: Kabr - WHY? Why do you not attack me? What do I not understand? The Templar looked at him. It appeared to stare not at Kabr, but at the shield he had at his side. The Templars gun then heated and it fired on Kabr. Kabr activated the shield and he was surrounded by a field of Light. The Templars Void weapons could not pierce the strength of Kabr’s shield. The Templar stopped firing. Kabr - My turn. Kabr powered the shield and fired it on Templar. The Templar’s shields, once impenetrable, fell with a single shot. Templar continued to float in front of him, but it did not fire. Why? Did it want to be destroyed? Did it not believe it could be destroyed? Or had the Templar, a being outside the realm of time, knew Kabr was coming, because from its standpoint, it had happened before? No, Kabr refused to believe that he was the slave of fate. Kabr - GUARDIANS MAKE THEIR OWN FATE! Kabr fired a second blast at the Templar and the Axis Mind exploded in front of him. Kabr stood with his shield looking at the Templars destroyed carcass. He walked into the temple and looked around. The temple was empty save for a pool of light emanating from the ground. He approached the Light and stood in it and felt refreshed. He walked to the Templars wrecked body and pried off a piece of its armor. He then turned, walked back down the hallway, and jumped back into the Gorgon’s Maze. Kabr was in the maze for only a moment when his ghost appeared. Kabr’s Ghost - Do you mind if I scan this armor? Kabr - Commence your scans. Kabr’s Ghost - Fascinating. The armor shows no age, and it fails to show any carbon dating. It is ageless. There are traces of the Templars computing pathways…they show organic structure. Kabr - What does that mean? Kabr’s Ghost - I can only theorize that this Vex was originally based on an organic being. Kabr sat down and looked at the shield. He then looked at the armor on his legs, arms, and chest. They had all performed so well together. In fact, the only thing that was letting Kabr down was his body. He was tired, his body ached to his very bones. Kabr - Ghost, scan my body as well. Kabr’s Ghost - Your body is showing signs of temporal displacement from our time in the Vault. Parts of you appear to be aging faster. There is also some radiation from the Gorgon armor. Kabr - Why are the Vex not affected by this? Kabr’s Ghost - They are not organic. Kabr - Neither are Exos. Kabr’s Ghost - That is correct, an Exo would not suffer from these ailments. Kabr - So, perhaps the Vex gave up their organic bodies in order to reap the benefits of inorganic life. Kabr’s Ghost - A likely possibility. As far as we know, the Traveller shared the same ideology. Kabr - Hmmm, I had not considered that. And…if I wanted to…could I transfer myself into a Vex? Kabr’s Ghost - Please don’t even think it. I have a hard enough time being around you covered in that Vex armor. Kabr - THEORIZE. Kabr’s Ghost - Very well. The Vex mind is based on organic pathways…as are Exos. It is not beyond possibility that you could transfer your intelligence to a Vex unit…but I would not know where to begin, or what the drawbacks of that would be. Kabr could feel the benefits as he sat there. To never tire, ache, worry about sustenance. These were all things that made Kabr weak. Kabr wanted to be strong. He took the piece of Templar’s armor and fused it to his helmet. Kabr - We take what we have and we will go back to Atheon. Kabr’s Ghost - Why? Should we not try to escape? Kabr - No. We have an advantage, I mean to destroy this time lord. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/100607273]Links to the 16 chapters...[/url]