//------------------------------// // The Weakness Verse // Story: Pokemon Destinies: Wrath of The Taken King // by Metroid Prime //------------------------------// At the beginning, they stood in the thrall of the Formless One, and they offered themselves to its depth -Grasp of Eir Sardok, Eye of Oryx "Until the Darkness reigns, the Eyes must never close" INTEL: There are whispers of shrines to the fabled Oryx peppered across the stars. Stories tell of walking nightmares, protectors of bones and fury, towering over these prized chambers. General Ag had seen and experienced many things, fought many battles, and watched comrades fall before the hands of the enemy, at it all accumulated to point when you think she would be used to this stuff by now. Yet somehow, looking at General Rio's lifeless body as she set it down in what as essentially the makesift PLA morgue, it struck a chord within her metal frame. "He was one our our greatest members" The Aggaron turned to her left as she saw General pay his respects to the dead commander. "Yes, may Arceus give him eternal peace" Ag said respectfully. As Drill covered the Lucario's body with a white cloth, another thought entered his mind just as they left the room, as the duo walked down the hallway Drill broke the silence by saying something that only made their hearts sink even more. "What are we gonna tell his family?" For a split second Ag froze in fear, he was right, Rio was the father of 15, not to mention an irate wife who be absolutely crushed when the fate of mate reached her ears. Her thoughts also turned to Lu, the poor child would be devastated when he would her the news, the little Riolu looked up to his father a lot, the inevitable scene would be heartbreaking for all no doubt. Ag remember how whenever she asked her mate General Gard about the subject of her mother, he would avoid the issue, but almost every time she would notice a pang of sadness in his eyes. "We will tell them the truth, General Rio died fighting, and that he died an honorable death" Drill was a little surprised at her answer, but relented as his conscious told him she was right. "Yes, that is exactly what we shall do" Light to the Hive was delicious, it provided their Gods with tithe in a chain of command that went all the way up to the Formless One, it was also a source of power for them, the more light the Hive consumed the more powerful they became, but in the hands of the enemy it was a weapon to be used against them, a warrior of light could slay and entire legion of Thrall and if used correctly, fell their King's and Queens, sending them back into the Ascendant realms. So when Omnigul breached the surface of caves for the first time in a ten centuries, she was greeted by the sight of the setting sun as it started to disappear over the horizon. But the Will of Crota paid the shrinking light no mind, their was work to be done, and little time to do it. "How long have I been asleep?" Omnigul asked as the rest of the group exited the caves. "You have been in slumber for 1,000 of this planets years" Xyor said "Long enough for Oryx to build up enough power in order to destroy this world once he has killed his your mates slayer" "I see" The mother wizard was loyal to her mate and had for centuries planned and executed every aspect of Crota's raids and attacks on various worlds of Light. When her spawn invaded this world, she was the commanding general to all their battles, so when she learned that her consort was somehow slain by that creature of light, the one called Celestia, she carried out the final wish of her master: to hide the remainder of their spawn and wait until the day Oryx would send for their awakening. And now that day had come. "So how exactly does Oryx plan to avenge my husband?" Xyor relaid the tale of Oryx's quest for revenge as they made their way back towards the city where the other Hive were, she told her how she fit into his plan for revenge as command of the Spawn of Crota was still her title and she would be instrumental as she knew this world better than Oryx or the other Hive did. "We know the name of the one who killed Crota, a lump of flesh and light called Princess Celestia, do you now of where she is and if she may still be alive?" Omnigul turned around and gave Xyor the closest thing Hive could to a smile. "Oh yes, not only is she still alive, but I know how to hurt her" "Really? How do you know this" "I may have been asleep for centuries, but that does not mean I was ignorant of the world around me" "Do tell" "As a consort of a Hive God I have special "privileges", I can detach my soul from my body the way Crota does with his Oversoul, but I used mine in the way unlike how Crota did to hide from death, no what I did had far more reaching consequences" "And just what did you do?" "Oh, I did a lot of things" It was at this point that Omnigul began to drift back into the past in which she had left a legacy of evil. 1,000 years ago Luna was not happy, in fact she could not smile to save her life. And could one blame her? Despite her indefinite lifespan the Lunar alicorn was still subject to the laws and emotions of a normal pony, things like anger, joy, sorrow...even depression. "I guess no one is coming today" The younger of the royal sisters sat in her Night Court, flanked by two of her personal guard, as per her duties she held her court at nighttime to coincide with her raising the moon, at the same time she would answer any audiences or resolve whatever grivences her pony subjects may have. Unfortunately no one was even awake to make a single complaint, their beds and the dreamscape called to them now. "I probably should have suggested to Celestia that we share the day court, at least it would take some work of her shoulders" Who says you need her permission? Are you not equals with your sister in terms of political power. Luna for a moment thought that she heard someone, however the voice was so low and had little influence that the Princess dismissed it as one of her own thoughts. But for some reason she found the need to answer her own mind. "Yes, I am but we are in this together, whatever decisions we make about the Kingdom have to be agreed by both of us" Luna whispered to herself. Maybe, that what you see it as, but do your subject see it that way? "....What do you mean?" When was the the last time YOU suggested a Law or decision when it came to your shared "Kingdom"? Luna tried to form the words but found she could not force herself to admit it. Exactly, EVERY single New Law the was brought up came from Celestia's mouth, Whenever a choice came regarding Kingdom relations or civil rights, Celestia was the one to suggest them, and do you know why?! "..........." Its because your so called beloved subjects bring all their matters and problems to your sister! They don't want to talk to someone who got her butt handed to her by the demon who razed half the planet, no, they wish to seek the guidance and wisdom of hero of Equestria and the world! Celestia, slayer of Crota, destroyer of Demons! Why would they waste their time with someone as weak and pathetic as smaller fish in basket!? "ENOUGH!" Luna shouted, she had heard just about enough of this voice! "Uhhh....Princess?" Luna immediately calmed down when she realized that she just yelled in front of her own guards. "Is everything alright?" Luna looked at her guards and then at the banner that hung above the doorway to the throne room the one which depicted the crests of the Royal sisters. She noticed that where Celestia's colors shined even at nighttime, her side faded and blended in with the darkness. "Everything is fine Skyshear......you are all dismissed court is adjourned" As Luna said this she waked in fast pace to the door and out of the room leaving a pair of very confused Batpony Guards. Luna slamed the door to her room and leaped into her bed, she put a pillow over her ears, as if a futile attempt to silence the whispering thoughts. You know i'm right, in time they will one day think of the Princess of Equestria they shall say Celestia first every time Luna squeezed the pillow tighter And this ins't just a fact my dear princess, it is the truth, the final truth Omnigul looked to the sky as the Hive fleet descended from the sky, carrying with it the full force of the Hive broods. But all her attention was drawn elsewhere as darkness began to gather in the air, beginning to form a shape of some kind. Until finally the darkness dissipated and in its place was and Echo. An Echo of Oryx. The mother Wizard approached the shadowed image of her King, and bowed before it. "My King" "Omnigul, you are here" "That I am father, now that I am awake what shall we do about the one who killed Crota" "Patience my child, death will come to this Celestia in time, but first she must watch as her world burns" "I see, a wise decision" “The best way to break someone — mentally, physically, emotionally — wait until they’re happy. That is why I let this planet live, love and thrive for so long instead of just attacking immediately . Once something knows the value of a life well lived… THAT’S when you move in for the kill. When shall take everything from this world and these Pokemon who foolishly now call it home, because you can’t take anything from someone who has nothing to lose.” Lu did not like the thought of standing around and doing nothing, he wanted to be out there fighting those aliens and villaisn who dared to try and destroy their new way of life. He wanted to be like his dad and go fight these evil creatures. "Speaking of which, were is dad?" "Hey Lu!" The Riolu turned bright red when a playful Krila tackled him from behind. "Watcha doing?" "L-l-l-Lia! Don't scare me like that!" "Aww, does that mean you don't like my surprises" The Kirla then gave her boyfriend a set of baby eyes that would make even Kyurem himself relent. "N-n-no! That's not its, just I'm was thinking about something" "Oh, like what?" "Well, why are we still in the building when we should be out there fighting aliens and keeping them from eating our brains?" "Big bro said that its too dangerous to go outside since the aliens have the entire place surrounded. Plus We haven't got a sure plan to as to how we fight back" "So we are just suppose to sit here until they decide to bust down the door and kill everyone!? I don't like the idea of that" "Well...I don't either, but if you go out their guns blazing, you'll just get hurt, or worse I might lose you, and you don't want to do that to me do you?" The emphize this Lia laid her head on Lu's shoulder in a way that made him even redder. "Umm Lu?" The Riolu looked up to see General Ag looking down at him, she seem the have a sad face. "Yes?" "There is something I need to tell you, its about your father" "What? What happened to him!?" The Riolu started to get up out of fear, only to be stopped as the Aggron put her hands on his shoulders. "You have been a brave boy, me and the other Generals have seen you come a long way since we moved here, but now I need you to brave a little more" "What's going on? What are you talking about?" "...You father, was fighting the aliens when they first came here, we found him after the battle was over and...." Somehow the Riolu began to tear up, somehow already knowing what she was going to say. "He didn't make it, I'm sorry" The hallways were then filled with the sorrowing cries of a Emanation Pokémon. Verse 1:5 — Needle and Worm My secrets — Carved in my code by Sathona — The right eye vengeance — 1. This year of wild voyaging, these lightning nights and golden days, these forays into ancient wrecks and windblown flights from monsters: these are the happiest times of my life. 2. I want to be a mother not because I want to spawn but because I want a long life. Long enough to make a difference. We have been at sea a year and I am afraid, afraid we will die out here. 3. I know where to find secrets. I know where vast slow things with long memories live. 4. The needle ship... The needle ship — Carved in my code by Sathona — A liar — 1. We salvaged the needle from the Shvubi Maelstrom. I knew it would be there. 2. The needle is a gray ship, as long and slender as hope, as unbreakable as time, and old. Older than death. It tumbled through the maelstrom before our ancestors crashed into the Fundament. This is not a sea-ship, like Aurash’s. It is an artifact of high technology. 3. I know its purpose. I know what happened to the crew. 4. Xi Ro wants to sell the ship at Kaharn Atoll, where species gather. At auction, it would earn us enough wealth to hire mercenaries. We could retake our Osmium Court and send the baby-eating Helium Drinkers screaming into the ocean — 5. — but I told Xi Ro the ship was worthless. 6. Aurash wants to open the ship and see if we can take command of it. I know this is the right thing to do. I know because I asked the worm... The worm — Carved in my code by Sathona — Who should be afraid — 1. It was my father’s familiar. I ripped it from him as we fled. It is a dead white thing, segmented, washed up from the deep sea. 2. It’s dead, but it still speaks to me. It says: listen closely, oh vengeance mine...