Howls filled the corridors and holds of the ketch. The bulkheads stank of despair. The Houses were scattered. Everywhere, the Taken King's fingers had reached down and snatched away entire skiffs and ketches. Surely this was a sign, the despondent wretches wept, that the Black Gale would sweep down upon them all with a veil of shadow.
One Baroness stood in the bridge of the ketch as skiffs hurriedly docked within the vast hangar. Nearby, the Archon chanted with his retainers, their words being broadcast on a common frequency to help calm the rabble. Soon the rest of the Barony would march into the bridge, and the Baroness knew what would happen next. Squabbling, bickering, and fighting as they all would clamor for the throne. Their House, which had survived the last Whirlwind, would break like all the rest.
The Kell's spear lay before their throne, where it had been dropped when the King had claimed them. The Baroness looked at it, and reached a decision. She would not allow their noble House to scatter.
One Baroness stood in the bridge of the ketch as skiffs hurriedly docked within the vast hangar. Nearby, the Archon chanted with his retainers, their words being broadcast on a common frequency to help calm the rabble. Soon the rest of the Barony would march into the bridge, and the Baroness knew what would happen next. Squabbling, bickering, and fighting as they all would clamor for the throne. Their House, which had survived the last Whirlwind, would break like all the rest.
The Kell's spear lay before their throne, where it had been dropped when the King had claimed them. The Baroness looked at it, and reached a decision. She would not allow their noble House to scatter.
When the Barons arrived on the bridge, they found a new Kell before her throne. Clutched in one hand was a burning spear, in another pair were the swords of the Kell-That-Was, and the fourth hand was charting a course.
"Hear me, O Barons," the new Kell declared. "To stand against the gale is to scatter before it." The Barons could not deny this. The Kell continued, "So we shall sail before it, until its fury blows out." She raised the spear and pointed it ahead of her as the ketch leapt forward into jumpspace.
The Barons clamored at this, and one rushed toward the new Kell. The Kell intercepted the blade with her own swords, and with a smooth motion of the spear, docked the Baron of one lower limb. Soon, all of the Barony made obeisance to the new Kell, who planted the spear before her.
"Before this mast, this House will stand."
"Hear me, O Barons," the new Kell declared. "To stand against the gale is to scatter before it." The Barons could not deny this. The Kell continued, "So we shall sail before it, until its fury blows out." She raised the spear and pointed it ahead of her as the ketch leapt forward into jumpspace.
The Barons clamored at this, and one rushed toward the new Kell. The Kell intercepted the blade with her own swords, and with a smooth motion of the spear, docked the Baron of one lower limb. Soon, all of the Barony made obeisance to the new Kell, who planted the spear before her.
"Before this mast, this House will stand."
Authority's Mast - Exotic Heavy Weapon - Solar Polearm
"All who stand before the mast, stand in the light of them as holds it." --old Eliksni saying
This polearm, styled similar to a Japanese naginata, stands nears three-meters tall, staff and blade together. The staff is composed of a non-ferrous metal with a golden coating, etched near the ends with Eliksni glyphs. The adamantine blade is half a meter long by itself, polished like silver. A module connects staff and blade, focusing thermal energy into the blade. With each swing or thrust of the blade, it causes a blast of fire to emit from it.
Afterword: If were not obvious, this piece is meant to be set during the events of Destiny: The Taken King, when Oryx (the titular monarch) was Taking various enemies throughout the solar system and twisting them to his service. I imagined this happening to a lesser Fallen House, with them losing their leader and someone else stepping up to fill the void. While I have more pieces like this written, they're still in-progress to some extent.
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