Destiny 2: Putting "Horse" Into "Horsepower"

Chapter 24: A Great Flood

"I'm just glad that Failsafe could give us the coordinates for Io." Taiki-9 says as he, Spe-7 and Suzuka find themselves in their jumpships going warpspeed towards the planet. It's not long before they reach the sacred planet that is Io, and Spe-7 can only look in awe how beautiful the place is.

"This place looks so... Gorgeous... I could run around here for days and never get tired." Spe-7 giggles.

"The traveler never finished working on this place so it's energy burns bright here." Taiki replies. "This place is sacred to us guardians, so it wouldn't be a surprise that Ikora is here. We need to get her back so we can make the vanguard whole again." And with that the trio drop down onto Io where they manage to find Ikora, looking out into the endless valleys in muse.

"I've always come back here ever since my resurrection. This was the last place that the traveler touched." Ikora muses. "I came for answers yet all I have is an empty bowl before me."

"Ikora... Zavala needs you." Taiki begins. "He's forming a resistance."

"But what good is a resistance when you're the only ones that would survive it?" Ikora asks. "Ghaul seems to know that the traveler blessed this site- I've seen Red Legion ships all over the place, trying to find something they will never understand... And knowing the Cabal's mindset they're going to desecrate this place until there's nothing left."

"No... We can't let them destroy this beautiful land!" Spe-7 growls, balling her hands into fists.

"Please, save this place. The traveler gave you a second chance, please make it worth it's time." Ikora says.

"Don't worry, we'll have the Cabal running with tales tucked before you know it." Taiki replies confidently as the trio makes their way down to a Cabal base that has been set up not too far from where they once stood.

"I don't know what they're doing in there, but you must get inside." Ikora says. As the trio closes in though, an explosion forces them to look away as light proceeds to fill their vision.

"What the hell?! What just happened?! I can't see a thing!" Suzuka shouts as Taiki pulls her close and does his best to shield their vision and prevent them from going blind from the sheer brightness. When the light eventually fades out, Spe-7 only sees Suzuka hugging Taiki tight.

"Are you two okay?" Spe-7 asks as Suzuka and Taiki realize just how close they are.

"Oh! Um..." Taiki stutters as he quickly backs away from Suzuka.

"You... Didn't have to do that but thanks!" Suzuka quickly replies.

"What the hell was that burst of light?" Taiki asks.

"That was the traveler's energy!" Ikora replies. "I wanted to do something but without my light and only having one life... I'm afraid to lose it."

"It's not just your life you have to be worried about..." Ghost says. "Ghaul has a star destroyer, and he's aimed it at our sun..."

"Ghaul's basically conquered the whole place... Why destroy something you worked so hard to conquer?" Ikora mumbles. "Maybe the answer lies within that base, see if you can find a way to sneak inside. If there's no other way just go in guns blazing."

"I feel like you picked that one up from Cayde." Taiki chuckles and it works as it elicits a chuckle from Ikora before the comms are cut, allowing Taiki to focus on breaching the base. As the trio heads inside though they notice that the Red Legion there are packing up, as if fleeing from something. The trio merely approaching makes them all the more scared, wildly firing their weapons at them and missing just as wildly.

"I've never seen the Red Legion so scared before, what's going on?" Spe-7 asks. Eventually all of the cabal ships flee from the base, leaving behind one lone phalanx, who's looking at his gun and considering between taking his own life or attempting to engage the three guardians knowing it will surely be suicide.

"I can't help but feel bad for the poor sap, got left behind by his own comrades." Taiki chuckles, but the phalanx doesn't get to say any more as a black orb appears behind it and takes the phalanx through an interdimensional hole that closes up as soon as it's through. Taiki looks absolutely horrified at what he just saw, frozen in one position until Suzuka snaps him out of it.

"Taiki? Are you okay?" Suzuka asks. "What was that?"

"Ikora... Did you see that?" Taiki asks.

"I saw it... But I don't want to believe it..." Ikora replies. "Tread carefully..." And with that Taiki slowly walks forward, weapon out at the ready.

"I've never seen Taiki so scared before... Something's down there..." Suzuka mumbles as she brings out her weapon and they come across a drill.

"Wait... Are they trying to mine the traveler's energy?" Taiki asks. "It's not light if they want to be blessed with it... Let's head further down but carefully." And with that the trio finds themselves deeper in the mines that the Cabal have created. Suddenly, something begins weighing down on the guardians, and  Taiki begins jerking his head to try and find out whatever's nearby.

"Darkness..." Ghost says. "It's close, whatever it is."

"What's close?" Spe-7 asks, but she gets her answer as a rift opens up and a swarm of something emerges from it, making her and Taiki scream.

"What's going on down there?! Report!" Ikora shouts.

"It's the Taken!" Ghost shouts back. "They're here! On Io!"