Exactly twenty-four hours after I talked to the Speaker, the Tau'la Ambassadors and my parents were in the hangers, preparing the ships. I, however, was standing by the vaults. I typed in codes prompting the 3D printer. The gate raised open revealing an old souvenir-- boots once worn by a Taken warlock. "You. Are. Isane!" Colt yelled. "Colt, I know what I am doing..." I looked around the plaza. "I just don't want Kourtney to find out. Just hang on to these boots-- don't touch 'em-- transmat them somewhere safe." "I should not be helping you with this... I am your ghost, Alan--" "And I am a 'guardian' as h***bent as the Taken I plan to kill..." "Did you even hear what the Speaker said yesterday?! What's next Alan?! After you 'kill' this warlock, after you have your 'revenge'?! What happens next?! Do you remember the Dreadnought?! Just two months ago you said no one can just walk away from stuff like this! And you can't! What you plan to do, will stay with you forever! Could you live with yourself after that?!" "You don't think I can kill him, do you? The Vanguard isn't too supportive either. You know, I've tried to be a team member, but everyone is right-- hunters don't belong on teams, it's time I act on my own accord..." I turned to Colt with a stern and disgusted gaze. "Oh, Traveler, please help this person realize, he's gonna GET HIMSELF KILLED!!" Colt snapped. "Do you think Kourtney would want you doing this?! Do you think she wants you to believe revenge is what's gonna make you feel better?!" "I don't know... Maybe I should go find out. Maybe it'll satisfy the fire in me..." "Or it will literally consume you alive, Alan! The Speaker never did say it directly-- he wanted you to figure it out, if you let this continue the fire in you WILL kill you!" I slammed the vault computer with a fist, causing the screen to shatter and sparks to fly. I turned to Colt, "Then, let's find out who's right..." Colt grabbed the boots with a disgusted sigh. Mom, Dad, and Conner met me in the plaza. The exchanging eyes between my parents and I told the story. They walked to the hanger, leaving my little brother and me alone. I squatted down and gave him a hug. "Alan?" He asked. "What's going on?" "Nothing, Bud. Mom and Dad and I are just going on another mission..." I stood up, rubbed his head, and walked him back to the hanger. Mom took Conner back down to the city while Dad and I powered our starfighters. We launched for orbit and joined the Tau'la Ambassador, and waited for Mom. It was silent-- no one spoke on the comms. I guess nothing needed to be said. No questions to be asked. Good. Mom finally joined us, and we darted through the clouds. Within five minutes, the vast Sahara Desert reached as far as the eyes could see. And in the midst of dunes, and gritty sand-filled dust storms, was a shining kingdom. Many buildings, that weren't destroyed, glimmered in the sunlight. It was beautiful! Ta'Chal and his royal guards landed in a hanger on the rear side of the castle, then guards directed our ships to land. The warlock prince led us to the inner chambers of the fortress, to the throne room. Extravagant paintings lined the walls, and stained glass windows stood out beautifully with the sandstone walls. The paintings depicted the battles with the House of Dunes, one even showing the beheading of a baron. "Father," Ta'Chal cried out as he approached the throne. Guards blocked our way, so we couldn't follow. "Father, Guardians from the Tower of Light have come to aid in our war. With their help, we could push back the demon army..." Ta'Chal held the King's hand. "My... son. My reign is coming... to an end..." The King kept pausing for air. His unknown illness shortened his breaths. "Tau'la, is now yours. This war is yours... Our fate is yours..." "Father--" "Ta'Chal Ankara, heir to the throne... I gift you weapons... that helped form and protect Tau'la for many years... The Ambassador," Ta'Chal picked up a silver hand cannon with elegant engravings. "And the Executor..." Ta'Chal inspected a sleek, and swaying bladed sword before sheathing it and placing it on his back. "Both weapons helped... make this city--" The King barked a sickly cough, "What it is now... Now, my only son... Defend this city........" The King's head dropped to the side, letting his crown fall off and clank as it hit the floor. "Father, I will fulfill your final command..." Ta'Chal dropped his head and whispered native prayers. The new king, Ta'Chal, led us and many soldiers to no man's land, just outside of their broken wall. We stood ready, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, four guardians, and a new King. Ta'Chal reached to his back, wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his new weapon-- it was a foreign sensation-- but yet he gripped it and drew it free of the sheath. Our opponents climbed the sand dunes before us. Several Fallen in desert camo cloaks, and eroded armor, lined the hilltops. One Fallen stood taller than most, its cloak waved in the wind. As Ta'Chal became king, this once was baroness ascended to become the new Kell. This ferocious Kell was clad in chainmail links, and plasteel plating, full body armor recycled from dead Guardians. The Kell reached to her back and, rather than the typical shock blades, drew one large flaming sword. Ta'Chal stared aghast, "Ariks, the Executor..." "Who?" I asked. Ta'Chal charged the Fallen forces, and the Kell Ariks led her forces to us. We followed the warlock king, gunfire exchanging! The Fallen scurried down the sand dunes as we met them half way down! Ta'Chal and Ariks clashed their swords, but the Kell shoved the warlock back down the slope. I tackled a vandal and slit its throat, stood up and shot two more. They tumbled down the sand, staining it with blue blood. Tau'la warriors shot Fallen as they tried to flank us. The Kell and King engaged in a deadly dual! Dad punched the core out of a servitor and cupped it on the head of a captain then kicked it down the hill. Ariks tried to snatch Ta'Chal, but he glided back. The Kell fell in the sand, and tumbled down the slope. The soldiers covered us as we all converged on the leader. She stopped rolling and raised her sword, ready to swing, but realized she was outplayed. "Yeah, I don't suggest moving..." I said as I pulled back the hammer on my Ace of Spades. The downed Fallen slashed her sword through the sand, and a wall of raging fire blocked us from her. We all took potshots-- the fire was too dense-- but there were no cries of pain. The mountain of sand started to shake violently! "What the h*** is that?!" Mom exclaimed as she watched sand start shifting down the slope. Up on the top of the dune, the Fallen and our soldiers began to scatter. I holstered my cannon and turned to look, just as everyone else did. Suddenly, a massive spider walker, rusted and unstable, burst through the shroud of sand! It had to have been double the size of an actual walker. Standing, holding onto the cannon, was the Kell, Ariks the Executor. The sand pelted us and scratched up my freshly painted gear, and what remained caved in, swallowing both Fallen and humans. I wiped my visor clear and stood, petrified! "Oh, s***!" I yelled. Our soldiers retreated, and we were completely surrounded. "I have walked us into a trap..." Ta'Chal declared. "Well, I'm not going down without a fight!" Dad yelled as he locked a new clip into his auto rifle. Mom raised her pulse rifle, Ta'Chal gripped his royal sword, and I pulled out my dusty hand cannon. "We'll stand by you, your Highness..." Mom stated as she collected void energy in her hand. We stood back, to back, to back, to back, watching the Fallen surround us. Ariks and the barely standing behemoth slowly marched down the dunes. "Kill them all!" The Kell screamed in the Fallen tongue.