Shadow Price

[RECORDED VIA [REDACTED] SURVEILLANCE NET: TS-04, [REDACTED]]

HLS: Come, hatchlings. Hear the story of the Ether-blood Lightbearer. The one who wields Ethraaks's blades. She wandered a troubled Shore with vengeance in her heart, searching for the one who had wronged her: the devil-turned-spiderling, Driksys. Food and Ether we shared. The House of Light once again found peace with a Guardian, yes?

HLS: We know of Driksys. One who always thirsted for power, cursed machines, Dark flows of energy, it made no difference. This time, he sought power through Cabal; Legion-rumors of vile splinters from Europa filled his mind with temptations.

HLS: Cabal roamed the Shore, battering against one another in displays of might. Like the Kells of old, they fought for the claim to supremacy… to serve Caiatl of the dead-world fleet. Driksys saw many Kells come and go. Driksys understood fragile loyalties. Understood importance of strength seen. Driksys offered Legion use of his ring for their challenges, and from Cabal blood, he drew profit.

HLS: I stood with Driksys before the House of Light. This one saw him weave truthless words to collect promises. Contacts on Europa. Introductions. Shipments. Brought to Spider, entire ring would have died… many Eliksni lose. When the Ether-blood Lightbearer spoke Driksys's name, we imagined another way forward. She did not wish harm on innocent Eliksni, only the Fallen fiend: Driksys… and so this House granted shimmer-cloak to conceal, and passage to find her prey.

HLS: Old friends traded for information, access, codes. Driksys oversaw new ring, made for Cabal battle-trials. Challengers from across the Reef fought to lead the Shore's Cabal. The Lightbearer withheld her rage and made her way beneath the stands. To the overlook, where Driksys watched a champion preparing for challengers… in the ring below.

HLS: Trihn, the Lightbearer, drew blades of Ethraaks and burst into the overlook. To confront Driksys, her heart full with vengeance, her mind set on war. But he was not alone. An emissary of the new empress had come to see the challenges. Receiving this emissary, Cabal Blood Guard. The Lightbearer charged Driksys, and a savage battle ensued.

HLS: She was thrown from the overlook, into the ring of challengers… before a great Cabal Gladiator who spoke to her. The Lightbearer, unbeknownst to her, had issued a challenge by entering his ring. If she did not fight, all Cabal would descend upon her. Her victory must be earned with strength and blade alone. No other weapons. No other powers. A proving she accepted to again clear a path to her prey.

HLS: The Gladiator bellowed laughter at the small Awoken Lightbearer. Their blades met, and over many clashes her speed proved superior to the Cabal's might. The blades of Ethraaks are strong—sliced through Cabal armor, left blood and oil in their wake.

HLS: She had found victory, but as her Ghost tended to her wounds, Driksys-coward fled to safety through transmat. Though, all was not lost. The Lightbearer's battle had drawn eyes of the emissary, who lavished praise on her for her prowess, and issued an invitation to speak with Cabal Empress herself. When the Lightbearer returns to us, the House of Light will be ready to assist her in hunting Driksys again.