[A few hours earlier, The Vestian Outpost]
Located deep within the heart of the asteroid belt, the reef was the domain of the awoken and a gateway to their pocket universe.
A race born during the first collapse, descended from the humans who tried to flee from the darkness. Originating from Exodus Green, a colony ship caught between the darkness and the Traveler's counterattack.
The awoken were immortal creations from the collision of paracausal powers, possessing strange magic that infused light and dark. Under the rule of their queen and Kell of the house of wolves Mara Sov, they thrived at the edge of the Sol system.
However, today was peculiar, beyond the reef's sunward side, through the Vestian web, in the heart of the reef, was the queen's throne.
A flurry of steps could be heard hastily ascending the flightpath as a squad of Queens Guards rushed towards the throne room, led by the awoken prince, Uldren Sov.
Uldren hastily fidgeted with his transponder, a frown lingered on his face as he reached the gate to the throne. His steps halted, as he held up an open palm.
The Queen's Guards stopped abruptly, and nodded, briskly positioning themselves around the throne room, standing as sentries.
Uldren inched closer towards the gate, his hands creeped closer, but just before he pushed it in, a melodious voice resounded, and doors seemed to open by an invisible force.
A woman with platinum blond hair and bright turquoise eyes sat on the throne as she looked towards Uldren, she smiled.
"Welcome, brother." Mara spoke, her arms folded over each other, a chirpy little ahamkara nestled in her palm as it playfully nipped her fingers.
Mara flicked her wrist and rubbed the Ahamkara playfully, but there was a slight wariness in her eyes as she glanced at the creature. She knew the Ahamkara's potential, it was a seductive power.
But the Ahamkara never granted perfect wishes, Mara knew, that nothing was ever truly free.
Uldren glanced at the Ahamkara, his face stiffened. Despite being the one who had delivered the ahamkara to Mara, he was still unsure whether his decision would bring glory, or ruin, to the awoken.
He sighed, "There's an urgent transmission from earth. They request for our aid." He used his transponder to replay the transmission, as Ikorra's figure appeared on a hologram.
Mara slightly leaned forward, her eyes fixated on the warlock vanguard. The message played, as Ikorra described the Ahamkara threat, and the last city's request for aid.
Uldren's face scrunched up as he understood the Vanguard's request. He was furious.
After understanding the Ahamkara's powers, Uldren had painstakingly searched for a young docile Ahamkara, and presented it to his sister, as a way to help the awoken prosper. Finding the one in itself had been a miracle.
'They want to take away our hope?' Uldren's mind raced as his face turned grim.
Before he could utter a word, Mara had finished contemplating, and answered.
"Agree to it."
Uldren couldn't believe those words, as utter confusion reflected on his face.
"Sister, what does this mean? The Ahamkara were supposed to help us build our dream. If we abandon that hope, we won't ever accomplish it." Uldren crept closer, pleading, his eyes fixated on the ahamkara.
Mara glanced at Uldren, with slight annoyance as she continued.
"Brother, do you wish to question my decisions?" She retorted.
As the one true queen of the awoken, Mara Sov held the entire reef in the palm of her hands. Her magical abilities alone were top-class even compared to the warlocks of the city. Uldren Sov as the spymaster of the awoken didn't dare question his queen.
Uldren hesitated facing Mara's cold eyes, but nevertheless. He insisted.
"No sister, I don't dare. But you said the Ahamkara's are our future, how can we let the light -bearer's steal it away." He replied, barely a whisper.
Mara's eyes narrowed as she held up the Ahamkara in her palm. Her eyes peering into the cosmic creature of mysterious origins.
"They are indeed our future, brother. But you misunderstand. The awoken don't need the Ahamkara, we only need an Ahamkara. The Techeun witches have studied these wishing abilities. As long as we hold one, that is all we need." Mara explained, as the Ahamkara crawled around her palm.
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Mara's gaze turned cold, her eyes glistened.
"If the guardians want to do the awoken a favor and wipe out the rest of the Ahamkara, it is only natural that we should help." A faint smile crept up on her lips.
"Send them Vestian weaponry, accompanied with a squad of Corsairs. We will help the guardians hunt down all the Ahamkara." Mara ordered, glancing at the corner of the room.
At her words, two Eliksni captains donning blue garments emerged from the shadows, standing beside her throne.
They shared a glance as one briskly retreated to the shadows once more, while the other stood beside Uldren, intending to pass on the queen's order to the rest of the outpost.
The awoken prince finally understood the plan as realization struck him, "Don't worry sister, I will see to this completely. We will help the guardians wipe out every single Ahamkara, down to the last one."
He bowed slightly, excusing himself from the room as the Eliksni captain followed him.
As he exited the room, the Queen's Guards stood at attention, Uldren gestured forwards as the group marched the prince through the Vestian outpost, gathering caches of weaponry and squads of Corsairs to be sent to the last city.
However, back in the throne room, Mara silently scrutinized the odd creature resting in her palms. As if carefully studying a specimen, Mara flicked her wrist, as the Ahamkara was wrapped in a bubble of awoken energy, silently floating in the room.
Mara knew that despite it's beastly appearance, the Ahamkara could understand her well. Possessing intelligence on par with most advanced civilizations.
It was then, that she finally spoke to it.
"Who are you?" She whispered in her mind.
As the Ahamkara wrapped around her fingers, it shuddered hearing her thoughts.
It's numerous eyes matching the queen's gaze, the Ahamkara ghastly responded, with a single word.
~Riven~
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[Somewhere in Orbit, Jumpship]
"So, what you're saying is, there's a system that helps you level up, with missions and guidelines? Like some sort of game? Hmmm." Obsidian narrowed his eye, as he began simulating his thoughts.
Void sighed as he reassured Obsidian for the fifth time,
"Yes, yes, I am telling you it's not like a game, it really reflects how strong I am."
"And there's a store now?"
Void scratched his cheek as he elaborated,
"Well yeah, sometimes the system gets an update. As I continued to grow stronger, so do it's abilities."
"I understand. but then..." Obsidian contemplated for a few seconds as fully digested the information.
"What's your main mission?" Obsidian prompted.
"Huh?" Void was caught off guard.
" You said it gives you missions right? What's the main one." Obsidian prompted again.
Void glanced at his screen, looking at the mission he hadn't visited in a long time.
-----------------------------
{Legendary Guardian System}
Main Story Quest:
-> Become Legend (0/1):
The light calls for aid, become the herald of change needed in the world, push back the darkness and defend the Traveler."
Rewards: x1 {Unknown}, x1 {Unknown}, +10000 Legend Points, +10 million Glimmer.
------------------------------
Void smirked slightly as he answered, "To defend the Traveler."
"That's....You're a guardian, so it makes sense." Obsidian finally began to accept what Void was rambling on about.
He quickly scanned Void's body one more time and shot another question,
"Your vitals have improved massively compared to when I first found you. But how strong are you now? According to your 'system' anyway." Obsidian chirped, not accepting that the system was more knowledgeable than him.
"'You mean my level?" Void replied.
He immediately moved to his status screen, something he hadn't done in a long while.
---------------------------
{Legendary Guardian System}
Name: Void Blade
Class: Hunter
Level: 37
Light Level: 80
Subclass: Nightstalker Shadowfiend (Lv 2/10) (Variant)
Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level)
[Weapons]:
Primary: True Prophecy *( Hand Cannon)
Secondary: Grimm Citizen III (Auto Rifle)
Heavy: Radegast's Fury (Rocket Launcher)
[Gear]:
Helmet: Ghost Angel (80 LL)
Grips: Jackknife 2.1 (78 LL)
Chest: Sanction Six (82 LL)
Strides: Scarlight Boots (85 LL)
Class Item: Ghost Angel Cloak (70 LL)
* = 6% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies
=======================
Combat Perks: (9 Unlocked)
~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight.
~Sixth Sense: As a hunter, you're able to sense danger a fraction of a second before it occurs.
~ Dagger mastery: As a skilled blade master you're able to masterfully wield daggers whether it is in long or short range encounters.
~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy.
~Acrobats Dodge: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries.
~Advanced Agility: You move fast guardian!
~Triple Jump: Jump twice in the air using an intermediate mastery of light.
~Gilded Blade: Your melee attacks have a chance to trigger Void singe on champion enemies
~Void Sense: Your glare pierces through the enemies, revealing their weaknesses, highlighting critical spots.
[Passive Perks]: (1 unlocked)
~ Crafting Lv. 3/10
Remarks: If you tried really hard, just maybe, you might turn a sheet of metal into a thin chest plate.
----------------------------------------------------
"Level 37. Hmm, for comparison, a fallen captain is typically around level 40." Void answered.
Obsidian thought for a second as he observed Void's figure again,
"My readings do show that you have a high vitality, comparable to Fallen captains. But I can't evaluate your abilities that accurately. I suppose the system is something useful indeed." He reluctantly admitted.
As the discussion on the system ended, the main terminal lit up with the re-entry prompt, indicating that they were orbiting above the city.
Void took his seat, and the jumpship shot through the atmosphere, towards the hangar's docks.
Within a few seconds, they were inches away from the hangar and Void slammed the sonic disruptors, slowing the ship down to a halt.
The auto dock triggered as the jumpship gently floated to the designated parking spot and Void transmatted out.
Usually, he would run out to the top and spend his time in the courtyard, but today was different.
Void was here for a big purchase, and who better to ask than the resident shipwright?
His eyes drifted until he spotted Amanda, as she tinkered with another jumpship docked nearby.
Obsidian followed along as Void made his way to her, eager to check out the new catalogue.
It wasn't long before Amanda took action and went into full salesman mode, as she happily showed Void the catalogue of ships for sale in the hangar. Naturally, these included some old junk ships, some brand new prototypes and the classics.
Void was definitely aiming for something special as he pointed Amanda towards the prototypes and began browsing.