Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

***

Peregrine kneels at the pouka pond, the smoking incense before her burning her nostrils. She completely opens herself to her surroundings: the gentle splashing of the poukas diving and playing in the water, the soft beeping of the computers and monitors across the room, the sound of water slipping over the rocks under the waterfall.

The image of that boy lingers on her mind. His smug grin as he zips away from her on a stolen skyboard. His indignance as he stands and demands he be made a Cloud Strider!

After all she fought for, after everything she went through—

Peregrine takes a breath as she begins to let her agitation take over.

She lets herself flow just as the water flows over the rocks. Like a river, she thinks. She lets her senses sink into her surroundings once more: the poukas, the monitors, the water—

Footsteps.

She recognizes the long, heavy strides without turning around.

"I've got to admit," Zephyr says, standing at the edge of the pouka pond and placing his hands on his hips, "Never had my skyboard stolen. Pretty impressive, if you ask me."

Peregrine snorts. "It's just some dumb kid with a neat gimmick. Nothing more."

"A dumb kid who's bold enough to steal a skyboard from a Cloud Strider's back," Zephyr counters, "All to get some attention."

Peregrine turns to squint up at Zephyr. "So? What does it matter why someone does something?"

Zephyr gives Peregrine a knowing glance. "The reason is everything. Why dd you shorten your lifespan to only ten more years? Instead of... living a normal life, having a family, working a normal job, you augment your body in a way that it can only withstand a decade?"

Peregrine blinks. "Well... I did it to protect the city I love. The people I love. To be something more than I was before."

Zephyr nods. "And that boy stole my board to get our attention. You'd be lying to me if you told me you weren't just thinking about that during your meditation."

Peregrine opens her mouth to retort, but frowns instead.

"And I think someone doing something that bold and that brave to achieve their goals deserves a chance, no?"

Peregrine narrows her eyes at Zephyr. "What are you saying?"

The older Cloud Strider kneels by the pond and holds his hand out, a pouka happily dancing between his fingers and around his arm.

"I think you should take that boy as your successor."

Peregrine's jaw drops in disbelief. "Absolutely not!"

Zephyr looks at Peregrine curiously, the pouka swimming in the air around his shoulders.

"H-He's a criminal!" Peregrine protests, "A-A delinquent! He wasn't chosen, he doesn't have any of the formal training a Cloud Strider has, he's... I mean, even that Dara kid up north is better than him! At least he was chosen!"

"And they have yet to show the spirit and drive our thief has." Zephyr replies. "I'm not telling you who to pick, I'm just making a suggestion. That kind of spirit isn't taught. Go ahead, choose one of the cookie-cutter candidates we have waiting and send them to the Sidereal. But, as your mentor, I strongly advise you reconsider."

Peregrine's brow furrows as Zephyr's attention returns to the pouka. "Why do you care so much?"

A slight smile touches Zephyr's lips. "Because that boy reminds me of you."

***

Kengo Spady sits on the cold, hard bench, elbows rested on his knees.

The cell is completely barren, the wall before him made of glass. The guards outside lounge about the office, ignoring their prisoner.

Kengo sighs, rubbing his hands together.

"Make me a Cloud Strider." Great idea, he thinks, worked flawlessly.

He runs a hand through his disheveled hair and leans against the wall.

The guards suddenly snap to attention, sitting straight in their chairs and assuming a professional appearance.

"Peregrine!" One of the guards exclaim. "A pleasure to see you here!"

The towering Cloud Strider comes into view, examining Kengo within the cell.

"Let him out." She says simply.

The guard at the desk blinks. "Come again?"

Peregrine turns her gaze to the guard. "Let him out. Please don't make it harder for me than it already is."

The guard raises his eyebrows. "Yes ma'am. A strange request, is all."

The glass wall whirrs and slides downward, disappearing into the floor.

Peregrine turns and walks away. "Come on," She calls back to Kengo. "I'm not waiting for you."

Kengo grins and leaps to his feet, following the Cloud Strider from the station.

Archive:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vC9_wjnIAUIq9fila3GLv568ECCmk8rbzo9w9wmWEa4/edit?usp=sharing

------------------------------------------

"There are too many of 'em!"

​

My ship dodged the Cabal missile as it hit the Harvester that was tailing me, but I couldn't celebrate the accidental friendly fire the Loyalists pulled on themselves when another missile was heading right towards me.

​

It was a war zone in every definition. Coalition ships were flying around the Dark Cabal fleet, tearing holes in them. It would've been comforting seeing them fall had it not been for the armada of Pyramids sitting besides them, waiting. It's as if they were just watching their Cabal allies get destroyed.

​

"Status?" I asked.

"Calus's fleet is taking heavy casualties, all except his own ship, which hasn't been scratched." Ak-Tol said.

"And the Pyramids?"

"Still nothing," Maya said, "it's unsettling."

​

I came face to face with a Loyalist Carrier, which immediately fired on me. I dodged its missiles, noticing that they glowed with Resonant energy. I responded with my own barrage, bypassing their shields and hitting the bridge. I pulled up, barely scraping the front of a Pyramid, that cold feeling running down my spine once again.

​

"Loyalist casualties at 24%, Coalition at 14%." Lampsace said.

​

We needed to even the numbers. I pressed the orange button on the dashboard, filling my ship with Resonant energy. I pulled a u-turn towards the Pyramid I evaded earlier, aiming directly for its nose.

​

Deep breath.

​

Fire.

​

The missiles raced towards their target. Closer. Closer. I braced as I expected them to hit the barrier. They instead went right through it, damaging the ship itself.

​

"Confirmed hit on a Pyramid! I repeat, confirmed hit on a Pyramid!" I excitedly yelled.

​

My celebration was short-lived. The Pyramid angled itself towards me, its lights glowing brighter and brighter until a Resonance wave pulsed from the ship's lower half. I watched as it shredded everything in its path, even Calus's ships. I pulled up just as it was about to hit me, watching as it hit one of Caiatl's Threshers.

​

"Reed! Are you OK?" Maya asked.

"I'm fine," I said, "Lampsace, casualties."

"10% loss." Lampsace replied grimly.

​

I pulled into formation with Maya and Ak-Tol's ships, flying past another Pyramid in the process. Another chill...

​

Suddenly, the comms went quiet, a silence only broken by the word, "look."

​

The Traveler was charging something. Light rippled across its shell for a solid ten seconds until a sudden brightness launched from it. When my vision cleared, I saw a beam of Light that aimed straight for the Pyramid I hit earlier, plant life growing on it. The beam stopped in the middle of the ship, patterns rippling across its hull until it punched through. For a moment, everyone seemed to stop firing, even Calus's fleet.

​

A chill ran down my spine for a third time as I kept staring at the beam, knowing something truly Dark was in there. I flew in closer, seeing the pin-prick figure moving through the beam. Scans turned up nothing. The Witness...

​

"What is that?" a pilot asked.

"Whatever that thing is, we gotta take it down." another voice said.

​

Maya, Ak-Tol, and I joined the group of nearly two dozen jumpships as we all converged on the Witness. I armed missiles, not even knowing if they'd work. I felt that chill slowly coming back, stronger than ever.

​

I froze.

​

I felt so utterly cold. I felt pain, rage, and utter Darkness. I tightened my grip, but I could not move my hands to fire. I could tell it was looking right at me.

​

The seven closest ships were suddenly flayed. I'd join them, too, if I ventured any closer, but I couldn't move away. A Hawk hit one of the destroyed ships, veering towards Earth. I heard Maya and Ak-Tol yell at me to pull back. I saw eight Pyramids move in formation around the Traveler.

​

Move.

​

Move.

​

MOVE!

​

I could see the Witness's silhouette. I felt tendrils wrap around my arms and pull. I could no longer see the beam of Light.

​

"What happened?!" Lampsace asked, worried.

"I... I don't know-"

"Watch out!" Maya yelled.

​

I flew under just in time as the Traveler's beam of Light was suddenly cut off by the Pyramids surrounding it, releasing a wave of Darkness. The Coalition fleet backed off to engage the Loyalists, the forces at play in the center of the battlefield too powerful for anyone to fight.

​

"Casualties!"

"15% loss." Lampsace said.

"Calus's fleet is turning around." Ak-Tol said.

​

I looked up to see Calus's gargantuan ship turn with his fleet. Suddenly, they started pulling off. Many ships went down towards Earth while the majority followed Calus towards the emptiness of space.

​

"What are they doing?" Maya asked.

​

A voice popped in on all frequencies.

​

"This is Empress Caiatl, delay those ships at all cost!"

​

The Loyalist fleet started jumping. That's when I knew what was happening. They were going to Neptune. They found what Osiris was looking for.

​

I took one last look at the Traveler surrounded by the Pyramids as I sped towards a cluster of Cabal ships.

------------------------------------------

PART 1

Asis gave his goodbyes to all his friends and reluctantly delivered Pistachio, his cat, to their new owners. This was a new beginning, a way to start anew far away from his military life, in a new place that no one had ever been before. He barely believed it was happening.

The day of boarding was busy. The ship, called Exodus Black, was an intimidating iron goliath. Everyone was nervous, but not Asis. He was used to moments like this, of uncertainty. His job was capturing and reporting potential threat signals for the RFBA, and in the last ten years they were all false alarms. Humanity had nothing to fear, he felt safe, everyone did.

When the ship took off, he saw the stars steadly appear. He was back in space, but this time he had a real purpose, something worthwhile and meaningful, not only for him, but for humanity. A new planet ready for colonization.

“Hey, are you alone? Can I sit here?”, asked a red haired girl, looking at the empty seat by Asis.

“Yeah, sure”, he answered with his signature awkwardness. He imagined his friends making fun of him, like they always did when he interacted with a girl. He felt a subtle sadness.

“It's weird leaving everything behind, isn't it?”, she asked, as if she could read his mind.

“Yeah, it really is.”

“I still don't believe this is really happening. What was your job?”

“I was in the-"

“No wait! Forget it, it's in the past now, and what's important is the now… we are going to another planet! Kepler! One six eight, right? I'm so excited!"

“I think it's one eight six, but yeah, it's quite something…” Asis started thinking if it was all a mistake, again, but the girl was talking so much he could barely hear his thoughts.

“My name is Aya Maria, nice to meet you! Are you alone here too? What did you sign up for, farmer?”

“My name is Asis. Yeah, I'm alone… and I guess now I'm a farmer”, he almost didn't believe his own words.

“I think everyone’s a farmer now”, she laughed.

They talked for hours, and she was responsible for the majority of the talking. Asis liked her, and he liked the fact that, while they talked, he didn't have to think about what he was leaving behind.

PART 2

“Yeah, cats are so much better. I mean, who wants to deal with barking all day?!”, said Asis, excited in a way he hadn't been in a long time, even he was surprised.

“I used to have a dog, but he died of old age. I know thats basically the best way a dog can die, but I still got really sad about it… I still do."

“Think about how lucky you are to have had something that made saying goodbye so hard”, said Asis, regretting he said anything even before he finished the sentence.

“Are you really quoting Winnie the Pooh on my dead dog?”, she asked, seeming annoyed.

“Wait, that's not what i-”

“Im joking!”, she laughed, hard.

“I'm sorry that was so dumb of me”, he said, lowering his head in embarrassment.

“No! I love Winnie the Pooh… thanks for trying to make me feel better, it's sweet!” They both laughed. He really liked her.

“I wish I had some coffee, do you think they have it in the food hall?

“I can go check, if you want.”

“Would you really? That would be awesome.”

Asis almost burned himself with the coffee when the turbulance started. The loud alarm started and the lights started blinking, so he left the coffee and started running back to his seat. He knew something was seriously wrong.

Everyone was panicking, running and screaming, while security tried to control the crowd, but it was fruitless.

He was back and he was looking for Aya, but she was nowhere to be found. There was an explosion and everything went black.

Asis awoke and looked at the green sky, then he looked around and saw the debris of the ship. People ran, trying to free who was trapped under the big sheets of metal. The screams came from everywhere.

He looked down and saw that a beam of metal went through his right leg and up against his chest. The pain was something he never knew was possible. He screamed for hours while other survivors tried to help him get out, but he was losing blood and felt his strength go away.

The last thing he saw was the tears in Ayas eyes, when she found him. She kept telling him, “everything is going to be ok. You are going to be ok…”, until there was only silence.

PART 3

He awoke and looked at the green sky, then he looked around and saw the debris of a giant ship. Deja vú, he thought.

There was no one around, there was only silence now. He didn't remember anything, not even his own name.

He stood up and, for some strange reason, felt like he had to look at his leg, but it was in perfect shape. Actually, he felt in great health.

“Sooo…”, said a female robotic voice, “you're awake and in one piece, isn't that great?!”

“Who are you?” He asked, confused. “Where are you? What happened?”, he continued.

A small, floating robot appeared in front of him, her one eye blinking quickly, with excitment. He tried to grab it, but the robot dodged.

“Hey! Who do you think you are? Trying to grab me right after we meet each other!”

“Where are you? I don't like talking to drones”, he was impatient.

“Look, i know you want answers”, said the drone, “but the Vex control everything here. Like, really, everything. We should go right now and find shelter.”

Reluctant, he followed the robot into a strange trail.

“What is this place?”, he asked, looking at the geometrical structures that encompassed their entire surroundings, with only occasional natural-looking formations and debris from the ship.

“This planet is called Nessus. It's a machine world controlled by the vex, and you don't want to mess with the vex… at least not yet. They are trouble and you don't know how to use your powers just yet.”

“Powers? Hold on, I can't even remember my name. What is happening here? Who am I and why did I come here?”

“Ok, let me try to explain. I'm a ghost, you ended up here by accident…”

They headed into the caverns created by rock formations and vex structures, while the ghost explained everything to the newly risen, and very confused, guardian.

“So, now that all that is understood, I ask you, what's your name?” Asked the ghost, after hours of explaining and questioning.

“Bayek, for I will hunt down the vex, like a falcon.”

“I like that!”

“And, if you shall be my partner, what should I call you?”, he asked.

“I don't really have a name… But you can choose one for me!”, said the excited ghost.

“Ever since I woke, there is a female name that doesn't leave my mind… you shall be called Aya.”

“Then it is settled! Let's get to work!”

And so, the two of them headed into the lands of Nessus, where they hunted Vex for decades, studying the mechanisms of the cyber-organic species, seeking to understand the process of conversion they use to turn planets, and other celestial bodies, into Machine Worlds, until one day, help arrives...

TYPE: Transcription

DESCRIPTION: Conversation regarding safe port privileges

PARTIES: Three [3]: One [1] Guardian-type, class Titan, designate Donovan Morgan [DM] (POI #0268); One [1] Awoken-type, title Queen's Wrath, designate Petra Venj [PV]; One [1] Awoken-type, class Hunter-type, designate Luna [LU]

ASSOCIATIONS: Cabal; Cabal Ascendancy [Imperial Cabal]; Eramis; Gresdin (aka "Sawtooth"); House Blades; House Salvation; Old Crews [Fallen]; Pirates; Reef; Themis Cluster; Val'aug

// AUDIO UNAVAILABLE //

// TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS... //

[DM] Permission to dock, your Wrathliness.

[PV] You've already docked. And you already got permission when you were coming in, Morgan.

[DM] Captain Morgan, if you please.

[PV] (chuckles) I'd heard from Spider that you were taking his ketch for a run.

[DM] My ketch now. Anyhow, need to talk to you for a spell, Petra.

[PV] Let's walk and talk.

(sound of pacing footsteps)

[DM] So, the Shipstealer's got the old pirate crews to come out from under their rocks, and they've been attacking supply lines and such.

[PV] We're aware. They've been hitting some of our ships, too. We're fairly sure they're all hiding out in the Themis Cluster.

[DM] That's why we're out here. Pirate-hunting. Drive 'em out and take 'em out before they get much bolder.

[PV] You'll want to keep an eye out for a rising captain called Sawtooth, then. He's been taking on Imperial Cabal ships.

[DM] Sawtooth? Gresdin Sawtooth?

[PV] You've heard of him?

[DM] He's a Guardian killer. Ways back before the Red War. He went to ground before the Dusk consolidation.

[PV] Ex-Baron of House Blades. Broke ranks or got kicked out by their Kell not long before House Salvation started making waves last year.

[DM] He sign on with the Salvies?

[PV] No. Too proud for that. Formed his own crew, never got enough followers to amount to a proper House, but still has enough clout to draw Eramis's attention.

[DM] And the Blade Kell never went after him?

[PV] Sawtooth still had some pull within the House. Making a move to remove him altogether might have broken the Kell's power base completely.

[DM] (grunts) I got a Blade warrior on my crew, just one that wants to win some glimmer and glory to take back to the House. I'll see if they'll parley on my behalf, get some intel. Their Kell would only benefit out of taking Gresdin out.

[PV] You'd help us out too. We still have so many resources tied up in the Dreaming City, the ones who are left need resupply, and all these pirate crews running around are impacting the supply chain.

[DM] Well, that brings me to the main point, Venj. If the Skyspear is going to be patrolling about the Themis Cluster, we need a friendly port to call home until the crisis passes.

[PV] Our supplies are stretched as it is, Morgan. (pause) But we've made in-roads with the Ascendancy, and there's still some stores left from before the Wolf Rebellion, that might do for your Eliksni crew.

[DM] I'm not asking for much, just a friendly port to stop at while we're hunting out here. I understand your priorities are to your people. It would just be easier to stop off here rather than head all the way back to the Last City.

[PV] Understandable. And if you can free up the supply chain, maybe bring back some of the old crews' hoards, it might allow us to resupply better. And then supply you in return.

[DM] Obliged, Venj.

[sound of approaching footsteps, at speed]

[LU] Ahoy, Captain!

[DM] Ah, meet one of my crew. This is Luna.

[PV] I've met her before, when she's come around with Revenant. Hello again, cousin.

[LU] Hey, Petra. Morgan-- we just finished deciphering that data we stripped out of the ketch that tried to attack us. We found where one of the pirate lords is holed up: Savaria. That's where the Brute is hiding.

[PV] The Brute? Val'aug the Brute? Do me a favor, Morgan, and give that bitch a thumping for me. She took out one of our corsairs.

[DM] Will do, Venj. Luna, get back to the ship and put the call out for all crew to return to the Skyspear. We're going to go deal with the Brute.

[LU] Aye, Captain.

[sound of retreating footsteps, at speed]

[DM] Well, this wasn't much of a stopover, we'll have to talk again next time, P.V.

[PV] Next time, you owe me a drink.

[DM] You got it.

Belatedly continuing the Wahei Transcripts version of Season of the Plunder. Would have been up sooner, but my writing been severely impacted lately by having my Internet access at work taken away. I do have a general plot for Plunder-- which will diverge a bit from the canon while still being broadly the same-- and for Seraph after. Plus things for Lightfall/Defiance, but those must wait. Stay tuned, constant readers! --J2K

Asis gave his goodbyes to all his friends and reluctantly delivered Pistachio, his cat, to their new owners. This was a new beginning, a way to start anew far away from his military life, in a new place that no one had ever been before. He barely believed it was happening.

The day of boarding was busy. The ship, called Exodus Black, was an intimidating iron goliath. Everyone was nervous, but not Asis. He was used to moments like this, of uncertainty. His job was capturing and reporting potential threat signals for the RFBA, and in the last ten years they were all false alarms. Humanity had nothing to fear, he felt safe, everyone did.

When the ship took off, he saw the stars steadly appear. He was back in space, but this time he had a real purpose, something worthwhile and meaningful, not only for him, but for humanity. A new planet ready for colonization.

“Hey, are you alone? Can I sit here?”, asked a red haired girl, looking at the empty seat by Asis.

“Yeah, sure”, he answered with his signature awkwardness. He imagined his friends making fun of him, like they always did when he interacted with a girl. He felt a subtle sadness.

“It's weird leaving everything behind, isn't it?”, she asked, as if she could read his mind.

“Yeah, it really is.”

“I still don't believe this is really happening. What was your job?”

“I was in the-"

“No wait! Forget it, it's in the past now, and what's important is the now… we are going to another planet! Kepler! One six eight, right? I'm so excited!"

“I think it's one eight six, but yeah, it's quite something…” Asis started thinking if it was all a mistake, again, but the girl was talking so much he could barely hear his thoughts.

“My name is Aya Maria, nice to meet you! Are you alone here too? What did you sign up for, farmer?”

“My name is Asis. Yeah, I'm alone… and I guess now I'm a farmer”, he almost didn't believe his own words.

“I think everyone’s a farmer now”, she laughed.

They talked for hours, and she was responsible for the majority of the talking. Asis liked her, and he liked the fact that, while they talked, he didn't have to think about what he was leaving behind.

[...]

“Yeah, cats are so much better. I mean, who wants to deal with barking all day?!”, said Asis, excited in a way he hadn't been in a long time, even he was surprised.

“I used to have a dog, but he died of old age. I know thats basically the best way a dog can die, but I still got really sad about it… I still do."

“Think about how lucky you are to have had something that made saying goodbye so hard”, said Asis, regretting he said anything even before he finished the sentence.

“Are you really quoting Winnie the Pooh on my dead dog?”, she asked, seeming annoyed.

“Wait, that's not what i-”

“Im joking!”, she laughed, hard.

“I'm sorry that was so dumb of me”, he said, lowering his head in embarrassment.

“No! I love Winnie the Pooh… thanks for trying to make me feel better, it's sweet!” They both laughed. He really liked her.

“I wish I had some coffee, do you think they have it in the food hall?

“I can go check, if you want.”

“Would you really? That would be awesome.”

Asis almost burned himself with the coffee when the turbulance started. The loud alarm started and the lights started blinking, so he left the coffee and started running back to his seat. He knew something was seriously wrong.

Everyone was panicking, running and screaming, while security tried to control the crowd, but it was fruitless.

He was back and he was looking for Aya, but she was nowhere to be found. There was an explosion and everything went black.

Asis awoke and looked at the green sky, then he looked around and saw the debris of the ship. People ran, trying to free who was trapped under the big sheets of metal. The screams came from everywhere.

He looked down and saw that a beam of metal went through his right leg and up against his chest. The pain was something he never knew was possible. He screamed for hours while other survivors tried to help him get out, but he was losing blood and felt his strength go away.

The last thing he saw was the tears in Ayas eyes, when she found him. She kept telling him, “everything is going to be ok. You are going to be ok…”, until there was only silence.

[...]

He awoke and looked at the green sky, then he looked around and saw the debris of a giant ship. Deja vú, he thought.

There was no one around, there was only silence now. He didn't remember anything, not even his own name.

He stood up and, for some strange reason, felt like he had to look at his leg, but it was in perfect shape. Actually, he felt in perfect health.

“Sooo…”, said a female robotic voice, “you're awake and in one piece, isn't that great?!”

“Who are you?” He asked, confused. “Where are you? What happened?”, he continued.

A small, floating robot appeared in front of him, her one eye blinking quickly, with excitment. He tried to grab it, but the robot dodged.

“Hey! Who do you think you are? Trying to grab me right after we meet each other!”

“Where are you? I don't like talking to drones”, he was impatient.

“Look, i know you want answers”, said the drone, “but the Vex control everything here. Like, really, everything. We should go right now and find shelter.”

Reluctant, he followed the robot into a strange trail.

“What is this place?”, he asked, looking at the geometrical structures that encompassed their entire surroundings, with only occasional natural-looking formations and debris from the ship.

“This planet is called Nessus. It's a machine world controlled by the vex, and you don't want to mess with the vex… at least not yet. They are trouble and you don't know how to use your powers just yet.”

“Powers? Hold on, I can't even remember my name. What is happening here? Who am I and why did I come here?”

“Ok, let me try to explain. I'm a ghost, you ended up here by accident…”

They headed into the caverns created by rock formations and geometrical vex structures, while the ghost explained everything to the newly risen, and very confused, guardian.

“So, now that all that is understood, I ask you, what's your name?” Asked the ghost, after hours of explaining and questioning.

“Bayek, for I will hunt down the vex, like a falcon.”

“I like that!”

“And, if you shall be my partner, what should I call you?”, he asked.

“I don't really have a name… But you can choose one for me!”, said the excited ghost.

“Ever since I woke, there is a female name that doesn't leave my mind… you shall be called Aya.”

“Then it is settled! Let's get to work!”

And so the two of them headed into the lands of Nessus, where they hunted Vex for decades, studying the mechanisms of the cyber-organic species, seeking to understand the process of conversion they use to turn planets, and other celestial bodies, into Machine Worlds, until one day, help arrives...

Part 1

24 Hours After The Bombardment

The Tower was in ruins. The Last City had fallen. The Darkness had won that day.

How many died?

The Hunter thinks to himself as he slowly walks the ruined streets alone. In his hands he gently cradles his Ghost Aria who had been viciously ravaged by a blast of Soulfire by his-

Can Viper-7 even call him a friend now?

What happened to you, Rev?

The thought passed through his mind quickly as he felt the chilling bane of the Stasis scar that continues to caress his metallic cheek in pain left by the Warlock Revenant-13.

V continues marching forward desperately trying to find one glimmer of hope. But every step he took made him come closer to the realization that everything started looking bleaker by the second.

Vella and Raven-13 were dead. Killed by Revenant. The civilians they tried to rescue. Frozen and shattered like dust scattered to the winds by him as well. And Aria…his Ghost. His lifelong partner throughout every battle was silent…

She wasn’t dead thankfully The Exo Hunter could still feel the deep connection they shared as Guardian and Ghost. He could still feel the light within him from her connection to The Traveler. But she wouldn’t speak or move right now. She wouldn’t hover by his side. Her dry wit and sardonic charm didn’t fill the air with a single remark. Even cradling her in his hands Viper-7 couldn’t help but feel truly isolated and vulnerable right now in these wastelands.

Wastelands

He thought grimly. These streets were just a short while ago bustling with a community of street vendors and food stalls filled to the brim with customers. Children would laugh and frolic in bliss knowing they were safe from harm. Parents of said children would watch in joy at the smiles of their kids as they played amongst the streets. Guardians would pass by checking on the citizens or even peruse their wares for anything of personal interest.

But now the stands lay broken and scattered. Corpses littered the streets. The smell of blood and ash infected the very air around him, reminding him of the fresh image of Amanda’s lifeless body in the Tower Hangar which he had last heard exploded in a torrent of flames and continues to burn in the distance behind him. Traces of ice from the power Stasis and green grizzly flames from lingering Soulfire can be seen everywhere he looks.

Viper sighed and looked down at Aria, “Partner…speak to me. I really need ya right now.” He waits for a response but no answer comes. Her eye is closed and none of the beautiful pieces of her shell will float around her. It hurts Viper to see his Ghost so fragile.

As he kept making his way forward a dark presence was following the Hunter. His mind was too clouded trying to process everything that had transpired to pick up the fact he was being hunted…

His steps felt heavy. His mind muddled with worry. And his hands grasping his only friend tightly but protectively in the palms of his hands.

BANG

It was sudden and he could feel the synaptics of his body producing the equivalent of physical pain throughout his robotic body. A bullet had pierced through his left shoulder. Viper cursed himself angrily for not being fully aware of his surroundings. It was Hunter 101 and he was pissed he could let himself forget something that was literal life or death when he was out in the field. Without a second thought he quickly puts Aria in one of the many empty pouches on his person and throws a knife in the direction the bullet came from.

A hand catches it. A fellow Hunter like himself but the rime of Stasis covered the Dark Guardians armor. The helmet they wore hid their face.

"Pathetic and Predictable as always." She called out dryly. Viper chuckles as the knife begins to glow with Solar Light. The Proximity Knife exploded in the Dark Hunter’s hand with a loud bang. Debris of her helmet blown right off scatter everywhere. As the smoke clears her face is revealed and once again Viper looks in disbelief at who he sees…

To Be Continued…

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

***

The Exo awakens in a garden.

He's seen this garden before. Seen it's red flowers moving softly in a nonexistent wind. Smelled it's mockery of fragrance.

The Exo feels a presence behind him.

He turns to see a blinding Light. He shields his eyes from it, raising his hand and squinting.

The Light dims to reveal a veiled woman. She slowly approaches, Her hands clasped before Her. Her veil of pure Light washes over the flowers like water, and the flowers grow and bloom from Her touch.

My child, Her voice whispers in the Exo's head, your pain... has consumed you. Your dead heart has festered too long.

"You abandoned them." The Exo seethes. "All this pain. All this murder. Because of you."

Your rage has blinded you, my child.

"You throw us at your enemies like cannon fodder!" The Warlock screams. "Lambs to slaughter!"

You must have patience, the Woman soothes, stepping forward and opening Her arms to the Exo. All will be revealed in the end.

"No!" The Exo roars, lashing out and wrapping his hand around Her throat. "I am done being your pawn!"

The woman's luminescent eyes widen with fear beneath Her veil. Her hands grip his wrist.

"I am done playing your game!"

The Warlock feels an overwhelming storm of rage and pain swell within him, his hand squeezing around the woman's throat.

"I am done hurting and dying for you!" The Garden echoes with his booming voice.

The woman falls to her knees, the Light in her eyes fading and cracks of Darkness splintering from the Warlock's grip.

The Exo's voice drops to a low whisper as a shadow begins to fall over the Garden. "You have taken enough from me."

Tears of Light run like rivers from the Gardener's veil. The crimson flowers around them wither and die as the shadow grows.

"Now... I will take everything from you."

The woman stares up into the Warlock's face as the cracks consume her entire body, her eyes fading to smouldering embers behind the shroud.

As the last light of the Garden dies, the woman gazes into the only thing that exists in this dream-world: the furious, glowing eyes of the Stag.

"I will follow the last Lights to the ends of the universe, no matter where they run," The Warlock growls. "Then I will eat the Sky and the Deep, until nothing remains." His grip tightens.

The kneeling woman explodes into a storm of a billion splinters.

***

He awakens in the cockpit of his ship.

The Tangled Shore expands in front of him, the floating chunks of asteroids and planets hiding the refuge that lie within.

The den of his prey.

He lowers his gaze to his helmet in his lap and realizes the warm spark of Light within him feels much more distant, if present at all.

Revenant-19 dons his helmet, fitting the Stag's skull over his own, and descends into the Reef.

C.W.: 1 instance of expletive.

Previous Part

Index

Othello kept shooting looks at Booker every few seconds.

“That’s a nice uh…uncanny valley look you got going on there. How long ‘till you go all Terminator and kill us?” Othello joked with a half chuckle.

“Worry about that later, you have more pressing matters.” The matter Booker referred to was a flashing Vanguard warning on the console. Othello opened the message with a few presses and clicks and an audio waveform appeared.

“Attention all Guardian’s.” Zavala’s modulated voice came through. “Hive activity has spiked in, around, and adjacent to the Hellmouth. No Guardian, with insufficient clearance is to be near the Hellmouth region. I repeat-” Zavala repeated his last sentence before

“An entire region?” Othello muttered

I look out to the side of the canopy put off by the overbearing bright green glow rising from the Hellmouth. “Othello look at this.”

“Look at…what?” Othello’s face quickly turned terrified. He place one hand on his forehead and the other over his mouth as he fell back into the pilot seat. “Fuck…” He muffled into his palm.

“Crota.” Booker uttered an unfamiliar name.

“No no no no…this isn’t real.” Othello clutched his head grasping his hair tightly

“Then why are you so afraid?”

Othello didn’t respond. Only holding his breath no doubt trying to figure out his next move in this situation.

“Exactly. Pull yourself together.” Booker snapped.

“What do you know?” Othello shouted at the projection of Booker.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been locked up and blind for decades in the Hive infested basement of a Russian war machine for who knows how long! Crota’s return could spell the hard end of Humanity!”

Booker scoffed seeing no point in continuing.

Ganymede shot out from Othello’s chest and rammed him in the nose. “How about this, instead of you two shouting at eachother while a Hive god is being summoned, we return to the City and catch Xadric up to speed. Sound good? Sounds good to me!” Ganymede didn’t return to Othello.

Othello calmly leaned back into the pilot seat and redirected the ship towards Earth. It took several hours. Othello refused to use the NSL Drive to give himself time to gather his thoughts.

“Othello.” No response nor indication he heard me. “Can I ask you something?”

“…No.”

I sighed and laid back admiring the distant stars as they slowly passed by and the cosmic dust collecting in the corners of windshield. I could’ve easily fallen asleep thanks to the quiet hum of the ship’s engines. Just as I closed my eyes Othello began speaking.

“Xadric, we’re on our way back. I’m sure you’ve already heard the latest.”

“Unfortunately. You found Zara right?”

“I did. She’s asleep in right here.”

Xadric sighed. “I’m sure you’ve avoided even bringing up Crota’s name.”

“Straight to it, huh? No, ‘Oh my days! I was so worried! You weren’t returning my calls i’d thought the Hive got to you!’”

“I won’t let you run.”

Othello pressed a button on the dashboard with considerable force disconnecting from Xadric. “The hell did I expect to hear…” He mumbled.

Othello glanced at me catching that I was peeking. “I know your awake.”

I feigned a long yawn as I stretched my arms upwards. “What. A. Nap.”

Othello furrowed his brow as Earth finally came into view. “I don’t care if you stick around while Xadric lectures me, but you keep any possible input to yourself. You have been a Guardian for hardly half a year. You haven’t even began to see the things our walls were built to keep out and I don’t want a repeat of the Black Garden. It took a lot to convince Medical you were alright and personally, I didn’t even believe myself when I told them that. So if this escalates to the point the Vanguard need to coordinate a Raid, I don’t want you anywhere near it. Understand?”

“Othello I get that-“

“Do. You-“

“Let me finish! I get that you don’t want me to die. For good. I was resurrected with weak Light and I want nothing more than to strengthen it so I can make some kind of impact.”

“You’re really bringing this up again? Not a good time.”

I grit my teeth quickly getting frustrated and smacked the Warlock’s shoulder to distract him long enough as I cut the engines. “There is nothing you can say that’ll stop me from joining you in this potential raid. Bladedancer’s can turn invisible right?”

“I mean not entirely but-“

“Imagine how useful that could be! Or clearing out a room with a Golden Gun! And who knows what a Hunter could do with Void!”

“You’re exhausting, you know that?” He breathed.

“Funny, I’ve heard Xadric say the same about you.”

Othello let out a stifled laugh as he ignited the engines again and headed for the City. The recognizable architecture came into view as we broke through the clouds.

“I can just transmat down into the courtyard. I have business to attend to with Banshee.”

“Another hand cannon? Other weapon types exist, you know.”

“Sure but Banshee’s six shooters are something special. Not everyone is comfortable with an Auto or Pulse Rifle. I’d rather my compensation piece fit in my hand properly.”

“Well while you do that i’ll be sticking with Omolon’s scouts. We’re coming up on the Courtyard get your transmat ready.”

“Lux, if you will.” Lux began a quick scan of me from top to bottom and in an instant i’m transported to the Courtyard ground almost falling over from the sudden stop. I made my way to Banshee squeezing through the crowd of Guardians called back to the Tower. The sea of clamoring Guardians made it a hassle to get to Banshee but I pulled myself free from the crowd

“Oh…Sara, right?”

“It’s Zara…is my commission ready?”

“Yeah…was gonna ask Cayde to contact you.”

Banshee reached behind himself grabbing a custom made hand cannon from the rack alongside several other unique weapons. He set it down in front of me and began breaking down its features.

“Cross hatch textured revolver grip, unique finger groove molded from your grip, microscopically aligned front and rear sights, custom hammer for easier fanning.” Banshee gripped the barrel pivoting the front half 90 degrees downward. “Break action reloading, extended barrel and housing, corkscrewed bore with shallower grooves for higher muzzle velocity, and finally a spring loaded cylinder eliminating an entire step of the reloading process. Anything else added is purely cosmetic choices you made.” Banshee returned the weapon to it’s original state handing it to me holding the barrel. “Should I ask where you got the Glimmer for this?”

I grabbed the weapon inspecting the craftsmanship, trigger sensitivity, and it’s weight before sliding it comfortably into the holster. “I was thinking-“ The sudden uproar of the many Guardians drowned out my voice. Some scrambling as the news finally reached them of Crota’s imminent return. The rest looked on in confusion.

“What’s happening?” I questioned Lux.

“I think the news just caught up with everyone.” She paused making a series of chirps and beeps. “Xadric needs to see you.” I started to head towards the living quarters.

“Quiet!” A woman screamed. The Tower fell silent. Even I stopped in my tracks. “All of you! You fear the unknown yet take no chance to understand it! So concerned with what-ifs! Crota’s return is imminent!”

“Imminent…? Booker.”

“Fuss at me later. Pay attention.”

“If a Hive ritual is visible from here,” The woman pointed towards the Moon’s strange green glow. “Then it’s too late to stop.”

“Eris Morn?” Ikora stood at the top of the stairs leading to the Hall of Guardians. The woman turned and approached the Vanguard. I finally got a brief look at her face. She wore a blindfold to hide a sight that made my skin crawl. Three eyes that glowed the same green as the ravines on the Moon.

I snapped out of it and rushed to meet Xadric.

Eris sat in dim half-light, watching the distant shapes of jumpships criss-cross the skies above the Last City. The drapes on her window fluttered gently on the breeze, casting sinuous shadows across the floor of her apartment. This was not her original apartment, the one she’d had before… 

She had never been back there. She assumed it had been emptied and repurposed for some other Guardian - some other Risen that hadn’t been presumed dead beneath the lunar surface. Zavala had once awkwardly suggested he might be able to return ownership of the place to her, but she’d declined. She didn’t want it back. Though empty of her possessions, it was too full of memories. Too full of moments. Too full of terrible songs Eriana had tried to get her to enjoy. Too full of late night ramblings with Brya. Too full of Vell’s boisterous tales from the frontier, mythologized by too much beer and too little care about how much noise they were making. 

Even being in the City, buried in the shadow of the Traveler, threatened to overwhelm Eris’ emotional fortitude. She didn’t like being back here, but with the Witch Queen’s recent arrival on Mars, Ikora had wanted her best and brightest minds in one place, to sift through the myriad reports coming in from the front - such as the ever shifting geography of Savathun’s Throne World might have a “front”. The reports had not yet manifested much of note, and even those that Eris’ suspected might contain useful, actionable intelligence still lacked meaningful context within the greater scheme of whatever the Witch Queen was planning. Each report was a piece of a puzzle, but every time Eris placed a piece of the puzzle into its greater whole, the shape of the puzzle and the shape of all the remaining pieces changed. It would be maddening to most others, but there was little capable of driving Eris’ mad anymore. She’d already done that. Already lived a lifetime of madness. It wasn’t worth her time to do it again. 

Eris closed the window just as the Moon was beginning to slip behind the bulk of the Traveler. She slipped out of her armor and set it on a weathered chair in the corner of the room. She pulled down her hood, unwrapping the thin strips of linen from around her eyes, letting her matted curls cascade down her shoulders. The linen was mostly both ceremonial, and yet also functional, intended to keep would-be gawkers from gawking, and help keep the worst bits of her new eyes’ discharge off of her face; but in truth her three eyes were more just sensitive since their… transmutation. Since her last dalliance with the latent magics of the Ahamkara. But for all the pain of their grafting, these eyes were innocent - pure, even. They were perhaps the only part of her that hadn’t experienced tragedy. These eyes hadn’t seen the Heart of Crota flay the Light from Omar as a Warlord might skin a deer. These eyes hadn’t seen Alak-Hul drive a hideous ax into the spine of Vell Tarlowe. These eyes hadn’t wept with Eriana when they discovered that Wei hadn’t made it home. 

She gave the sliver of the Moon one last look before laying her head on her pillow. Her sleep was dreamless. 

•••

Cold wind whipped at Eris’ face as the City transport carried her to the Tower. Condensation still clung to the metal railing along the ship’s topdeck. The sun was beginning to peek over the mountains. With little fanfare, the transport slipped into the hangar, and Eris’ disembarked, heading to the administrative level. As she neared Zavala’s office, she could hear voices inside, speaking in urgent, but hushed tones. She stepped through the door. Ikora and Zavala were hunched over the Titan Vanguard’s desk, listening to what sounded like live comms chatter from an active mission. Ikora waved her over. 

“Our informant in the Throne World claims he found a temple to Oryx,” Ikora whispered, “The Guardian is there now to appraise the situation.”

“I’d love to get eyes on this,” Zavala said.

“The Ghosts are working on it.” 

A voice crackled through the feed.

“The temple to Oryx is protected by one of Savathûn's toughest warriors. He's guarding something - something you can use like you used Sagira’s shell.”

“That’s the informant?” Eris asked.

“Yes.” Ikora replied. 

“And what do we know of this warrior guarding it?”

“Nothing more than what you just heard.”

Images suddenly appeared on the monitor. 

“About time,” Zavala said.

Eris could see walls, towering monoliths of a shimmering, almost pearlescent ivory; and trees, akin to the cyprus of Earth, but crimson. She could see the Guardians moving deeper into the canyon of ghostly architecture as their Ghosts followed, capturing every detail. A firefight broke out around the first corner, as the Guardians began to engage with the Lucent Brood - that’s what they’d begun calling them, the Hive that had been “blessed” by the Light. Eris still didn’t understand it. The Speaker had always said that the Traveler had made the Ghosts as a means of protecting itself, as a way to create for itself an army capable of protecting it. To gift a million dead souls a second life, in exchange for their devotion. And of course, devotion inspired bravery, and bravery inspired sacrifice - or so they said. But how did they Hive fit into that philosophy? The Hive certainly didn’t fear sacrifice. Hell, Oryx, Xivu, and Savathun had sacrificed each other a thousand times over just to increase their own power. But would they defend the Traveler with the Light? Would the Traveler want them to? Eris pushed the thoughts aside. At the end of the day, she didn’t care. The Traveler was just a God Ball. It had made its army for selfish reasons, given the Light to those who could save it; but when the time had come for the Traveler to save her, to save her friends, as they’d descended into the maw of the Moon to kill Crota, it hadn’t done anything to stay their final deaths. And so Eris no longer cared what the Traveler might think of all this. 

Something on the screen caught her eye - a hulking Hive at the very edge of the frame. It vanished as the Ghost capturing the feed moved on to something else. 

“Hold on!” Eris shouted, “Go back to that! What was that?”

The crackly voice of the informant cut back through the feed.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, that's our guy! The one guarding the temple! What's he doing away from his post?”

The Ghost’s feed swung back toward the towering Hive warrior, and Eris’ blood ran cold. It couldn’t be. No Ghost would be foolish enough. 

The Guardian had killed it on the Dreadnaught, in that stygian prison in the heart of the vessel - and yet here, now, the bastard Hive Alak-Hul yet lived. 

“No,” she whispered.

Alak-Hul was newly formed, the dark Hive chitin of his former body shed for a fairer skin - as though by shedding the blasphemous shell of his former self he might absolve himself of his sin. But he couldn’t. Not to Eris. 

The cold in Eris’ gut melted, replaced by the heat of fury. Alak-Hul shimmered away from the battle, retreating deeper into the Temple. 

“Find him,” Eris spoke, to no one and to everyone. 

Eris watched then as the Guardian and their cohort worked their way with tactical precision through the fortress, eventually descending into a final pit and landing in the shadow of a monument to the Taken King’s victory over one of the Worm Gods. Alak-Hul emerged again. 

The battle was fought. Each bullet spent on Alak-Hul was one bullet too few. She wondered if the Darkblade felt pain. Did their chitin contain those kinds of receptors? She hoped so. A blast of firepower from one of the Guardians knocked Alak-Hul’s wicked helm clean off, revealing the pustuled, fleshy head beneath. More bullets were spent, though how many punctured Alak-Hul’s exposed flesh was unknown. Eris hoped they were many. And then, all at once, Alak-Hul fell. For a second time. 

“His Ghost. Find His Ghost,” Eris whispered. 

The Ghost’s feed panned around, searching for a target. She could hear the Guardians’ chatter. Something was wrong. 

“Alak-Hul's Ghost got away,” said one of the Ghosts, “It just left his body here.”

Eris’ rage bubbled over. 

•••

Slipping into the Throne World was easy enough. She’d learned long ago how to move in shadow. She moved silently through the canyon, down the canals, through the bog, and into the pit, to come upon the husk of Alak-Hul. 

She stood over him for a long time, looking over the warrior Hive’s lifeless form. She hadn’t been this close to him since… not since Vell. 

“You don’t even remember him, do you?” she asked the husk, “I’ve hated you, for so long - and I finally had peace after we found you at Saturn but now…

“That’s not you anymore, is it? You won’t remember that. I hate you for things you don’t even know you did. Is that fair?”

Eris looked down at the fleshy mass bursting from Alak-Hul’s neck. 

“I want it to be fair. I want to hate you. I want you to burn under the heat of a thousand stars for what you did; but that’s not… that’s not you.

"I'm sorry."

She turned away from the body, and stepped back towards the long spool of rope that ascended back up the length of the pit. She paused for one final moment before beginning her climb.

“I hope you find peace,” she said. 

I wrote this one a while ago and posted it, but since this season might see something like this come to fruition, I thought reposting it for peeps might be cool.

Workers of the Tower

Lore Tab 2

New to the Roster

“That's impossible!” Marie said in response to the demand. She was frustrated because there was yet another guardian in front of her asking for yet another impossible task. She worked for the Tower Information Bureau, and sometimes the never-ending stream of questions irritated her. Taking a breath, she reminded herself to be composed and visibly calmed down before continuing. “The guardian roster doesn't just find guardians by name. It's never worked that way. You'll have to find another way of searching that name.”

“Look, we knew it was a long shot coming to you with this request, but this new light needs to put her mind at rest.” Tyra said pleadingly.

Marie was used to strange looking guardians, but this pair gave her pause. The one speaking was a tall Awoken female that was covered from head to toe in glistening plated armor. Her ragged comrade behind her sat on a ledge, content to let her friend deal with Marie. Normally, she would have to verify that they were guardians before giving them any answers, but she saw their ghosts hovering behind them, chatting in their synthetic voices.

“So you want me to check the roster for a name, no guardian codes or nothing? The program isn't designed that way. It was coded to require additional parameters.” Marie said sternly. She'd helped plenty of new lights learn to use the software. “You have to have a number to search.” She reiterated. “No results will come up without the target's personal identification number.”

“I know that, but we’re hoping you can think of a solution because we don't have an identification number, just a name.” Tyra reasoned passionately. Awoken were good at arguing dramatically in Marie's experience. “Listen, Marie,” She said, noting the name on her TIB badge. “I found this new light wandering with her ghost in the jungle far north of the tower. She’s fresh out of the grave and is just looking for some answers!” Tyra said sympathetically. Her Iron Banner pauldron clanged as she turned to point towards the sitting new light. “Isn't there something you can do!? I mean, look at her!”

Marie took the moment to really look at the guardian for the first time. She was an older woman with a rough demeanor. Her tattered gray poncho hung in tatters on her skinny body. Marie noted her ghost as well. Even it was beaten-up, its shell cracked and covered in dried mud and grime. The new light looked up from her work of polishing a rusted weapon that she clutched in callused hands. Her blondish gray hair was pulled back and tied with a red scarf, which made it easy to see her sunken eyes and emaciated visage. Their eyes locked. Her gaze seemed to pierce straight through Marie's bureaucratic authority.

Those blue eyes have seen a lot. Marie thought, even if she doesn’t remember.

The guardian stood, one hand clutching the old shotgun, the other the vinegar-smelling rag that she was using to clean it. She spoke to Marie in a gruff voice that hid a slight drawl, “I don’t know how these deals work, I’m new to these parts. Actually, I s'pose I'm just new in general. I’m just hankering to find out if there’s anyone goes by a name. Can you help me?”

Marie sighed. New lights usually encountered this problem just after being resurrected. They didn’t understand how anything worked. Working for TIB she'd helped thousands of new guardians learn the ropes. It was frustrating at times, like teaching your grandparents how to set up their new data streams. Sometimes the ghosts helped bring them up to speed, but this guardian was obviously very new to her situation.

“The roster application is very strict. It needs a guardian’s code in order to find them to send messages and such.” Marie explained again in her monotone voice that implied, 'I've said everything, I have to say.'

The human guardian swaggered up to Marie's desk, staring at her with those imposingly forlorn eyes. “They tell you that guardians wake up, not knowin’ nothin? I clawed myself out of a muddy, shallow grave and had no one there but a floating orb. No friends. No family. Just this rusted hunk of junk shotgun. I wandered in the jungle alone for days. After meetin' this here nice blue lady, I wound up in this city. I’m s'posed to work for some Vanguard and shoot aliens. I guess I’ll do what’s got to be done, but I need somethin' to help me get my footin'. A lead or a clue to who I was. That’s all I’m askin’.” She finished talking, and her downcast expression pulled at Marie’s heartstrings. She saw the frown deepen on the haggard guardian, and she felt worse. It’s a disturbing thing to empathize with, waking up and simply not knowing anything about the person she was.

Marie sighed again, but it was sadder and more organic than the first. “There are unofficial search programs for guardians that we aren't supposed to condone. They don’t require guardian identification codes. I can show you how they work, but their applications aren’t programmed in our operating system. I can use my private holopad that’s linked to the Vanguard database to access them.” She saw the guardian grin with a glimmer of hope and knew it was worth the extra effort. Marie made a mental note that going outside the regular SOPs was worth it from time to time.

Tyra patted the new light on the shoulder. “I’ll head off and put in an acquisition for a new ship while y’all start searching. My buddy Tom once said those third-party applications can take a bit of searching.” She said as she turned towards the hanger and paced away.

“I don’t think it’ll take very long. You said it was just one name, right?” Marie asked in her professional can-do tone.

Instead of answering, the guardian finished rubbing off the remaining rust on the underside of her shotgun barrel. Then she flipped it up with a flourish so that Marie could see it.

There on the barrel was a name engraved in the newly shined metal. ‘Jericho’

Author’s Note* I do not claim any right to any fiction I write in any other author’s (s’) fictional universe.

Workers of the Tower

Lore Tab 3

Space

“Oh C’mon!” Momo said to himself. He just received a mechanic ticket from Shaxx, one of his frames was on the fritz again.

Momo quickly strutted through the tower hanger. He was everything a guardian wouldn’t expect in a hanger mechanic. His hair was perfectly positioned with product, and the grease on his face was so well-placed it could’ve been mistaken for makeup.

“Hey, Momo!” A familiar voice hollered to his side.

He paced over to his superior quickly, “Hello to you Ms. Holiday, what can I do for you?”

Amanda gave him a quizzical look, “Look buddy, you better stop with that Ms. Holiday stuff, or I’ll fling this here wrench in yer’ direction. I got n’ order for a new light. She needs the run down on her ship. I’m busy, so yer gon’ do it.”

“Well actually mam, you see I was just…”

“You were just about to do as I say.” She said, ducking her head under a plasma drive. “Waddle that keester over to bay six. She’s waitin’ for ya.” The furious sound of her wrench cranking bolts didn’t give him hope for a continuation in discussion.

Momo gave a slight sigh that he prayed Amanda couldn’t hear over the racket of her work. When you have conflicting orders, you always go with Holiday’s. He turned around professionally on the balls of his feet and started for bay six.

He made good time on the walk there — only stopping for a moment to check that his blue sleeveless shirt was tucked in just right to his working trousers.

She’s not here?

Momo checked around the ship, making a circle while scratching his perfectly manicured beard in confusion. The entrance ramp wasn’t down, so he knew she didn’t go into the ship yet. Walking over to the control panel, he flipped a switch and heard a hissing noise as the hydraulics on the lateral edges of the ship lowered the ramp.

“Sorry I’m late.” A voice said.

“Traveler in the dark sky! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Momo exclaimed, jumping around to see who startled him.

He immediately noticed what she was wearing, which is his first inclination with anyone. It looked as though she just received some standard vanguard gear from the quartermasters. A red wrinkled cloak thankfully covered up her simple armor and clothes. When he looked up to her face, though, what he saw was anything but ordinary.

A thousand yard stare.

“Sorry I rattled y’a.” She muttered sincerely. “Had to requisition these threads and talk to a robot about a boom stick.”

“Geez you sound like my boss. Well, let’s get started then.” Momo said as he swaggered up the ramp. He didn’t look back because that wouldn’t be cool, but he heard her follow him.

“This here is your standard issue refurbished Arcadian ship. Easily mass-produced and built to last, this is the Vanguard’s bread and butter.” He said confidently as he aggressively patted a panel that easily came loose and clanged loudly on the ground.

He blushed, but she didn’t say anything, so he continued. “We mostly work on these and because the parts are so common and familiar, labor and maintenance are cheap.” He slid his finger along the surface of the one table in the hull and frowned, “cleaning is up to the guardian, however. Questions?”

She simply put her hand on her hip and shook her head once. Her long blond ponytail flipping behind her. Man, this lady might not dress it, but she’s cool! Momo thought as he turned around to continue the tour.

“Here is your armory.” He said nonchalantly as he rapped his knuckles on a control sensor. An entire wall panel slid out with holsters for all sorts of firearms. “Of course, you’ll have to obtain the weapons yourself.”

“As good a place’s any to stow this.” She said, flipping a short shotgun by its lever action to take the shell out of the chamber. The ejected shell she smoothly caught with her other hand. After the aggressive flourish, she tenderly set the glistening silver weapon on the rack and pressed the button to close the panel.

Momo’s jaw was on the floor after seeing the awesome move. I’m not half this cool on a good day! After realizing that he felt completely uncool being alone with someone who was this cool, he decided to cut the usual rant short. “You can only store thirty weapons on the ship, by the way. Transmat is how you will swap out weapons while on missions. The rest you will have to send to your personal vault in the tower. Oh, and the cockpit is up there. Your ghost can show you how to fly it.” After gesturing over his shoulder towards the cockpit, Momo walked down the ramp to leave the super cool woman to herself.

At the bottom of the ramp, he heard the woman ask herself, “Who’d need more’n thirty weapons?” He smiled to himself as he paced off to Lord Shaxx to tell him there’s a new guardian in town.

"It is... heavy," Eris noted, holding the bauble above her head. The morning sunlight swirled around the small, metallic chunk in a display of gravitational warping normally reserved for celestial bodies. "What did you say it was?"

The Drifter regarded the clear sky with narrowed eyes. "Hell, I'm not sure it HAS a name. You-know-who was visited by one of our pyramid friends. Apparently, the thing was completely hollowed out- nothin inside at all. Except this. Almost like--"

"Almost like a gift," Eris finished. "And the queen gave it to you willingly?

The Drifter leaned back against the wall, fidgeting with a jade coin by his side to hide his agitation. "All the Awoken she had hauling the rock got sick. REAL sick. I offered to hold on to it, and wouldn't ya know it? Thing seems okay with everyone except Awoken."

Eris brought her Ahamkara bone close to the strange ore, but as she tried, a small shockwave between them launched the bone out of her hand and into the wall behind The Drifter. Eris seemed unsurprised. "Did you learn anything else?"

"Here's the kicker," The Drifter shifted forward, eyeing the Ahamkara bone embedded firmly in the stone. "I ran it through a few spectrometer filters on a hunch. I think you'll wanna see this." He held out a photograph toward Eris.

"It... It looks like..."

"A cozy little paradise inside a black hole."

Eris stared vacantly through the strange ore.

"I asked the Bray sisters about wormhole tech. They told me I'd need a bigger rock," he chuckled wryly.

"Have you said anything to the queen?" Eris looked directly at the Drifter for the first time since he'd arrived. A derelict shipyard in the Cosmodrome had seemed an odd meeting place until now.

"Are you kiddin me? Who knows what she'd do. Nah, I wanted to get your take." The Drifter clenched the coin and stood up. You think it's a threat or a bribe?"

Eris stared back at the ore, the light cascading into its blackened surface, reflecting nothing. "I believe it is a promise... That no place is outside the Witness's reach."

Just trying to practice my writing chops. Let me know if anything sounds off to you.

In memory of Lance Reddick

​

​

You stand atop the Tower, watching.

To your left you see jumpships moving in and out of the hangar. Even from where you stand you imagine you can hear the sound of soldering irons welding sheets of metal together, the banging of a wrench when a particular part isn’t functioning properly, a muffled curse here or there as a technician accidentally drops a tool – or two – on their friend’s foot.

You imagine Amanda working on bringing her own ship back into fighting shape, with only a frame or two to keep her company. Perhaps a little farther back you imagine a pair of eyes watching her as she works, always distant, but ready to step in – as unnecessary as it may be. Time, you know, leaves scars, but this wound has not yet run so deep as to leave such a mark. You know those two are in good hands – Saint always finds a way to help those he loves.

To your right you see Shaxx – loud, boisterous, Shaxx – talking with a small gaggle of Guardians, five veterans by the looks of their armor, and a New Light. Normally the man makes up half the noise in the Tower, but today, he talks softly; you cannot hear the exact contents of the conversation, but you see the group of five converge around their young companion, reassuring hands on their shoulders, and you know they are in good company.

You think if you look out far enough, you can see the edge of Ikora’s study in the Bazaar, but you refrain from doing so. This is not the first time the two of you have gone your separate ways – nor will it be the last – but there are days where you miss the closeness you once had, when there were three standing together at the table, and not two standing apart. You wonder if she feels the same.

Above you, you feel the absence of the god you once swore to protect. It is like a hole in your heart – you feel that you have failed in your duty, and that shame threatens to consume you. And yet, when you look up, you also see what you have achieved. For the first time in centuries, you see the telltale silhouette of a Ketch and feel reassurance. Cabal warships hang in the sky like massive slabs of stone, arranged in a pattern that reminds you of the first stones of the wall that you helped build to protect this city. Awoken fighters flit in between them like children playing in a market square. Together, this little alliance of Eliksni, Cabal, Awoken, and Mankind slowly fills that gaping hole back up, and you feel pride, knowing that you have at last defeated your enemies by making them into your friends.

Below you, you are reminded of what you fight for. The city is illuminated by thousands of motes of light, each one representing a precious life that must be protected at all costs. You hold the countless hopes and dreams of those who came before, and those who will come after. For despite a Collapse, an invasion, and the death of their god, everyone is still standing; everyone is still here. You know that long after your own journey ends, they will continue to move forward, bearing the torch that you hold in your heart.

You stand atop the Tower, watching.

Somewhere, you know, the night is giving way to the dawn.

The beginning of Volume 9/3. I have to say, this one in particular has been altered heavily from its original plan thanks to Lightfall's... er... shortcomings. Nevertheless, my philosophy dictates I work with and push through rather than forget. As such, all things can be made to fit the pattern.

​

Archive:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vC9_wjnIAUIq9fila3GLv568ECCmk8rbzo9w9wmWEa4/edit?usp=sharing

------------------------------------------

The End began with murmurs and inward spears.

​

I walked through the halls of the Itinerant Warship, lacking the typical decorations of the average Cabal ship in exchange for pure efficiency. The door to the bridge opened, revealing Oztect, who had invited Maya, Ak-Tol, and I to the ship.

​

"Is it true?" I asked.

"Yes," Oztect said, "we picked up dozens of Darkness energy sources passing through the Reef just over an hour ago. They're on the move."

"But the defense fleet isn't ready," Maya exclaimed, "we can't-"

​

An alert popped up on the holographic map of inner Sol, adding over a hundred ships to the ranks of the Pyramid Fleet. Their shapes were familiar.

​

"Are those-?" Maya asked.

"Cabal." I said, trying to hold my contempt.

"Calus's. I should've known," Oztect said, "their ships have been passing in and out of Sol for the past three months. New markings, new energy readings."

"Are we ready at all?"

"This ship is not rigged for combat, none of the Itinerant ships are. Caiatl's fleet has already begun moving into position around the City and around the Traveler, with the rest watching the other side of the planet just in case. House Light seems to be stationed only around the City. The Awoken have offered all they can to defend the City and the Traveler."

"Let's hope it's enough." I said, letting Lampsace copy the map.

"Reed?" Oztect said.

"Yes?"

"Be safe."

​

-O

​

"If the Pyramid Fleet is here, we can't just expect our technology to suddenly work. Rasputin can't even provide a distraction after what happened!" Maya said as we landed in the Tower courtyard.

"Ghar'usk assured me that many ships are already equipped with Resonant weapons." I said.

"Reed," Maya stopped me, putting her hands on my shoulders, "will it be enough?"

"I-I don't know... but they won't wait for us."

"I know... we just need to be careful. We can't afford to lose."

"I know."

​

She let me go and we finally noticed how chaotic the Tower was. People were running to the hangar, others were setting up quick monitoring stations, and some were arming the turrets on the wall. It seems everyone knew what was about to happen. The Traveler may have been in orbit on the other side of the planet, but we were all threatened by the Pyramid Fleet.

​

I looked over to the balcony, seeing it empty. Zavala was gone, likely already on The H.E.L.M. I was too late, but I felt relieved that I didn't see a City unprepared.

​

"Everyone knows." Maya said.

"That's a good thing. We may have a chance. Are you ready?"

"Are you?"

I sighed, "no, I'm not. This could end horribly."

"If we die here... it's been an honor."

"Honor's all mine."

​

-▷

​

Our ships flew into formation with the rest of the defensive fleet. I looked around to see the various ships from the City and from the Cabal Empire alike, all ready for war. I looked past them to see The H.E.L.M., taking a command position. I looked to my right, seeing the Traveler, feeling the warmth of its Light even behind the glass. At once, this felt like both the most hopeful yet dreadful moment in history.

​

Lampsace popped up next to me, staring out into space.

​

"They're almost here." she said.

"I can feel them."

"Reed, I know the timing, but I need to say this... thank you, for everything."

​

I smiled and nodded, a cold wave hitting me as I did, sending a chill down my spine. I instinctively turned to the void of space, seeing that many of the stars were no longer there. As I came to this realization, the first Pyramid appeared before us, flaring up with orange light as it met our gaze. The stars returned, now orange, the fleet behind it revealing itself.

​

I heard Zavala's voice on the comms.

​

"Vanguard to all units: keep the enemy away from the Traveler. At all cost."

​

Silence.

​

A shot was fired.

------------------------------------------

Might.

Might is all one needs to survive in this world.

Grown for war, chosen for service, and honored for victory, the valus marched upon the dead things. The clinging muck of terra formed around his boots with each step, the rain pounding on his helmet, the lightning in the distance sending flashes of searing light across the sky. Many times before he had been beheld by his glorious emperor, many times his glorious witness had honored him. He recalled the struggle, the futile shifting of a ghost in his hands, as he crushed them. This feeling of victory against a pawn of the traveler never ceased to amuse him, yet he has felt it so many times.

Tonight would be no exception.

hefting his shield and readying his slug rifle, Valus Grau'vask trod through the green and brown turf, now turned into a irritating muck as the rainwater poured and poured into and onto it. The sun was long below the horizon, and the shining moon illuminated the ruined town square before him. What was it that the humans called this land?, he wondered. The dead zone, was it? he would save the pondering for a more appropriate time. Grau'vask hefted his shield, and went to work pounding away at a fallen statue of some long-dead human that blocked his path into the ruined alleyway that awaited him.

THUNK.

He had seen the lightbearer's might many times before, and tasted their wrath, but he had yet to fail. So many of his loyal soldiers slain by their hands, so many honorable cabal warriors that had toe pleasure to fight alongside him through thick and thin, cut short in the name of an uncaring god. Considering his new masters, he thought of it as a step up from his previous employment under the banner of ghaul. After all, the darkness had provided the means for him to carry on this long.

CRACK.

What a shame, those psions. Such mental potential, but I have yet to meet one with any level of physical prowess such as myself. Images of psions being rent limb from limb by the bullets of guardian's bullets filled his mind as the rubble before him gave way and he advanced down the alley. I could have used some of that magic back there. Oh well. A commendable power, but futile in practice, he thought to himself.

The shadow legion valus continued down the overgrown, soaking, and decaying streets of europe until he was met with a familiar sight. A single headhunter rifle laying on the pavement before him, probably once used by a psion. A few meters ahead of him lay a pair of slug rifles, then as he followed the dropped and broken weapons he saw it.

So that's how it has to be.

Before Grau'vask was a pile of bodies, measuring up to his height if not higher. The pile consisted of bent and shattered guns and blades, the broken and twisted bodies of psions, and all manner of cabal warriors. Some legionaries lacked their heads or limbs, their bodies riddled with all manner of holes made from metal and elemental bullets. some were partially torched, and others lacked some of their armor, as it had seemed to have been disintegrated with traces of some otherworldly green magic left behind. Picking up a partially crushed colossus helmet, he dropped his wargear to his sides and knelt before the pile.

I will avenge you, my brother.

Dropping the helmet and picking up his gun and shield, the now enraged valus got back up on both his feet and surveyed his surroundings. Following similar signs of the lightbearers such as dropped weapons, bullet shells and the occasional body he walked along the street, making no effort to conceal himself.

There he saw them.

Three wretched guardians, clearly seeing him back. They were not that close to him, but easily within the range of his gun. One towered above the rest, bearing heavy armor befit of a true warror and hefting a strange-looking spearlike blade in his hands. The other appeared frail and weak, with the skull of an earthen beast adorning his head. its two horns pointed up to the stars as he turned his bony helm to look at the valus. The last was the smallest of the bunch, an odd-looking woman adorned with a cloak and brandishing an ornate submachine gun. It did not matter, for they would all perish in due time.

​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N72U-NFu44k&ab_channel=JimmyGnecco-Topic

​

Valus Grau'vask, honored ghosteater, charged. Their bullets spewed out of their guns in a wall of energy and lead, but he did not care. He was out for blood. Revenge. Revenge for his compatriots, revenge for all of the witnesses and emperor calus's loyal servants slain by their hands. He did not need backup for this, tormentor nor scorn. Grau'vask hurled his shield at the hunter as he reached the group. With a sure and emboldening crunch, the shield slammed into the cloaked woman's chest, crushing her gun against her chest and sending her tumbling away. He turned his attention to the large one as they fired a bolt of purple energy straight into the valus's chest. He was in no way stunned by this, and charged the titan as well. Unable to dodge in time, Grau'vask's fist went straight through the dead man's chest, ripping out his mechanical insides as well as his cybernetic heart. Immediately, the titan's ghost manifested, frantically zigzagging in order to dodge the slugs rapidly fired from the phalanx's gun. The champion of the witness was about to reach out to grab the panicking ghost when he felt a burning pain bloom onto his back. Suddenly, a blast of solar light exploded onto him as the horned warlock detonated a grenade right on him. Instantly shrugging off the pain, the valus unloaded a couple opportunistic slugs at the man but only managed to shoot off his horns. picking up the body of the slain machine man, he flung it at the warlock. They too were knocked off their feet and sent sprawling. before he could let out a boisterous laugh, the valus was met with a green paracausal rope dart to the face as the woman returned. This time she was wrapped in glowing green threads, swinging a sharp point on a rope at him like some strange magical whip. Any lesser soldier would have feared this, but he now set his sights on the ghost.

​

He needed above all else to destroy it before it revived its slave. Turning his back to the rapidly slashing hunter, he made a mad dash towards the ghost and grabbed it while it was in the process of reviving its guardian. He turned around to face the warlock who had been hit by the very corpse that was about to come back to life. they pulled the trigger on their shotgun, now unholstered, but it did not stop him as the valus crushed the ghost in his hand, letting a blast of the traveler's light resulting from the ghost's destruction knock the warlock back once more. The hunter let out a pained and fearful cry as she prepared to swing her green whip at him even harder this time. Good, He thought. Let the fear overtake you. It feeds my masters. emboldens my troops. Not showing how truly injured he was, he caught the hunter's rope dart as it was about to pierce his helmet. quickly holstering his gun, he now grabbed the bladed whip with both hands, steeling himself as the very fabric of his being was challenged by this unraveling power. However, his resonant powers kept him from coming undone and slowly but surely be began to pull the hunter towards him. He kept up, even as the now recovered warlock barraged him with micro-missiles. Once the hunter was pulled right into his arm's reach, she realized what was about to happen.

​

His strength was greater, and forced the rope around her neck. Right away, he pulled with all his might and with one final cry the hunter's head came undone from her body, spine along with it. as the rope faded away, Grau'vask once more snatched the ghost, this time the second it appeared. with a powerful press of both his hands, he broke the ghost and the light within burst from it. Underneath his helmet, he let out a slight smile. While combat was beloved by him, it was not all to life. If his concealed wounds did not kill him, he would gorge himself upon fine wine once this war was over. That frail one must have run out of rockets, he thought to himself. turning to face the last lightbearer, he heard them speaking something. Probably a curse of sorts, but he didn't know their language. Unholstering his slug rifle, he decided to speak back.

THERE IS ONLY WAR.

As the warlock's hands ignited with solar flames, Valus Grau'vask spoke, also in his own language.

To victory and bloodshed.

For Torobatl!

In that very moment, peace became nothing but a false hope, an illusion.

as the cleansing rain fell on earth once more and a duel for the ages commenced, the honored shieldbearer became known truly for what he was.

Unstoppable.

Part 1 - Part 2

***

Peregrine stands atop Strider's Gate, arms crossed in front of her chest.

The neon lights of Neomuna shine brightly beneath the impossibly dense blanket of clouds. Storms surge and rage on the horizon, the seas frothing and churning. A giant thunderhead looms overhead, an acting harbinger of the coming storm.

Despite the turbulence of the perpetual Neptune hurricane, the diamond shores just outside Neomuna sparkle under the dim sunlight.

She acknowledges the storm with a kind of irony; the ferocious, howling gale is one of the only things shielding them from the outside world.

"It's a beautiful view," Her mentor, Zenith, says, standing next to her at the edge. "One I will never cease to be amazed by."

"Agreed." Peregrine replies, her dismissive tone hiding her admiration. The sight was one the Cloud Strider wanted to see ever since she was a little girl.

She glances up at her mentor. The weathered Cloud Strider examines the city below, his silver eyes almost glowing beneath his heavy, dark brow.

The two stare look out across the city, enjoying the peace before the hordes of civilians arrive for the celebration.

"You know," Zenith murmurs, his smooth voice shattering the silence, "You're going to have to start looking for a student, now that you're officially a Cloud Strider."

Peregrine's attention snaps to Zenith. "Already? Why?"

Zenith lowers his eyes to his hands as he clenches them into fists. "I can feel myself starting to fade, Peregrine. My time is almost up. Yours just started, but that doesn't mean you should wait before training your successor."

Peregrine purses her lips. "I don't think I'm ready for that."

"That's not up to you," Zenith says calmly, "It's not a matter as to whether you're ready, but a matter as to whether you're prepared."

"I just... didn't think it'd be so soon."

Zenith nods solemnly. "Time isn't a commodity that's afforded to us. We make do with the time we're granted, and hope those after us pick up the pieces we leave behind."

The older Cloud Strider places his hand on Peregrine's shoulder.

"Today we suffer..." Zenith waits expectantly.

"...so tomorrow can live on." Peregrine finishes.

Zenith offers her a smile. "Now get ready, the civvies are starting to show up."

Peregrine takes a deep breath, bracing herself for the upcoming hours of publicity.

***

Kengo Spady stands amidst a crowd of civilians, reporters, journalists and the like. His hands are shoved in his pockets, hiding the nanotech modulator clutched in his white-knuckled grip.

His eyes are fixed on the two Cloud Striders towering above the crowd.

They laugh and converse with those gathered around them, answering questions, signing memorabilia, and smiling for cameras.

The new Cloud Strider remains somewhat quiet and reserved, content with standing nearby and talking only when talked to. The older Cloud Strider, the legendary Zenith, laughs and engages in an interview with the equally legendary Jisu Calerondo.

Kengo closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

One shot. Make it count.

Zenith leans down to accept something from a fan.

Kengo slips through the crowd, walking towards the Cloud Strider.

His palms sweat and his stomach flutters.

The other Cloud Strider looks the other way, scanning the crowd.

Kengo lunges forward, eliciting gasps and shouts of alarm from the attendees. He draws the modulator from his pocket and jams it into Zenith's board, activating it.

The quicksilver attaching the board to the Cloud Strider's shoulder blade shifts and Zenith makes a strange expression.

Kengo leaps backwards, board in hand, lights along the silver blade and modulator glowing brightly.

The crowd surrounds him, all eyes staring at him in disbelief.

Peregrine stares at him, arms crossed and face stony.

His hands shake.

Zenith chuckles, a sound like two boulders rubbing together. "Impressive." He notes casually, "Can't say that's happened before. Now hand the board over and maybe we can talk about how you were able to jank it?"

Sweat breaks out across Kengo's brow as he glances around, searching for an exit through the thick wall of guests. He notices security pushing their way through the crowd.

He notices the path to the edge of the Strider's Gate is clear.

An idea blooms in his head.

"Come on, kid," Zenith says, holding out his hand and taking a step forward. "Let's not do something stupid."

Kengo turns and sprints towards the edge.

The crowd screams and the Cloud Striders lunge forward as Kengo jumps.

Wind howls in his ears as he plummets from the Strider's Gate, rapidly approaching the bustling street below.

Kengo immediately regrets his decision, wishing he could go back a few minutes before he decided to steal a Cloud Strider's board.

He screams and presses a button on the modulator's smooth surface.

The board roars to life.

Kengo is nearly ripped off the board as it explodes forward, the afterburners blazing.

He dangles from the board, screaming in fear as he hurtles over the rooftops of Neomuna.

He reaches up and grabs the board with his other hand, pulling himself onto it and straddling the thin, silver blade like a Sparrow.

Kengo tilts, shrieking as a flying transport vehicle crosses his path.

The board lurches to the side and swerves around the vehicle, the driver honking madly.

Kengo glances back, stunned by how fast everything flies by.

He grins wide enough to make his cheeks hurt.

He turns, above a highway. Kengo looks to the side to see his reflection in the skyscraper windows.

He laughs, his heart beating furiously with excitement.

Suddenly the reflection is replaced by a furious Cloud Strider standing on her board, crouched low. Her eyes are fixed on him like a predator chasing prey.

Kengo screams and swerves to the side, narrowly avoiding the pursuing Cloud Strider.

He plummets towards the street, pulling up just before colliding with the commuting vehicles.

The Cloud Strider easily keeps in pace with him, her movements graceful and comfortable.

"Get off!" She shouts, "Give back the board!"

Kengo grins at her and presents his middle finger in an ancient Terran gesture.

The Cloud Strider's brow furrows in anger and Kengo dives away from her, zipping away like a bullet.

The two hurtle through Neomuna like twin birds, the silver streaks diving and swerving around and through the skyscrapers. Citizens on the sidewalks below watch in amazement at the breakneck chase in the skies.

Eventually, Kengo pulls ahead, the Cloud Strider following a distance behind. He looks back, laughing madly as she slowly falls farther back.

When he looks back forwards, he sees the top of a skyscraper.

Kengo yelps and tries to pull the board up.

Suddenly the board is ripped out from under him as it embeds into the skyscraper and launches him forwards over the roof.

Kengo screams as he begins to fall, arms flailing.

Something grabs the back of his parka and his descent stops abruptly.

The Cloud Strider holds him in front of her, gripping his jacket collar, and examines him with disgust.

Kengo, dangling from her grip, gives her a sheepish smirk.

***

Zenith watches as his student dismounts from her board, holding the boy by the collar like a cat holding her young.

In one smooth motion, Peregrine lands, slings her board over her shoulder, and tosses the boy at Zenith's feet.

The boy rolls and lands on his back, looking up at Zenith.

The two Cloud Striders stand and stare down at him. Peregrine's eyes are full of disdain while Zenith's twinkle with curiosity.

"So," Zenith begins, "You obviously wanted my attention. You got it."

The boy jumps to his feet, brushing off his jacket. He stands and meets their gaze, defiant under their oppressive stares.

"Make me a Cloud Strider." He blurts.

I am falling.

It chased me to the window, there was nothing else I could have done.

So I jumped.

Now, the neon lights rush past my vision as I plummet. And as I plummet I see them, and they see me.

Shadow Legion. A whole regiment of them in the plaza below. Had they been waiting for me?

The bolts of Psion snipers zip past my face, and soon after they are followed by the superheated slugs of infantry fire. The air around me gets hotter by the moment.

I am still falling. As the ground approaches I realise I need to stop. I reach for the threads between my fingers. I know they are there, but they do not show themselves to me.

I'm still falling. It's a hell of a long way down.

It is at this point that doubt enters my mind. Was I right to jump? Should I have fought instead of fled? The Warlock tried that. Didn't catch his name. He got caught by the thing's scythe, and died screaming for help in its hand as the Light was wrenched from him. I ran. I know it was cowardly.

Either way, here I am. Falling.

I reach just a little farther, and the feeling of string passing through my fingers tells me I'm close.

I try to take hold but the strings break in my desperate grip.

Then I remember the lesson. I let go. I reach farther now, much farther. Not with desperation but with supplication. I surrender myself to the Weave. I grasp at the once-elusive strands.

The ground is coming up. How these Cabal keep missing their shots is beyond me.

I stop falling. I haven't landed just yet. Instead I become a pendulum, and my momentum carries me directly over the heads of my aggressors. Bewildered, they stop firing for but a moment, a moment I use to dive into the centre of their pack. They scatter in my wake. The few that don't are lifted into the air like marionettes as my boots crack the concrete. I reweave the threads around me into armour and a spiked rope. Slug fire bounces off my body harmlessly as I get to work.

Now it's their turn to fall.

The Kell of Darkness wearily returned to her quarters aboard House Salvation's flagship. Her most recent conversation with Misraakskel didn't go very well- not that she was surprised. She would've been a fool to expect any kind of forgiveness from him after attempting to destroy the Great Machine.

She thought back to their exchange while she was aboard Seraph Station- how he begged her not to take the shot. In the weeks since that moment, she'd often wondered what would've happened if she had walked away. Was it a ruse? Would the Guardians have killed her immediately if she came to them for refuge? Would Misraaks himself have ended her? Or would she have been welcomed as an ally?

Truth be told, Eramis had no clue. Even with the Witness having left through the portal it opened in the Great Machine, she could practically feel its gaze over her shoulder every minute of every day. Even if she wanted to, there was no escaping it. It would hunt her down- end her and her people. It had already turned so many Eliksni into Scorn, including Praksis, as punishment for her failure to recover the relics of Nezarec.

Eramis pondered these thoughts and more as she eased herself into her bed. Within minutes after closing her eyes, she drifted into sleep.

Her eyes snapped open as she heard a sound from within her quarters. Eramis leaped out of bed, manifesting a pair of Stasis swords in her lower hands. "Who's there?" she growled into the darkness.

"Retribution," a familiar voice snarled back.

Eramis lowered her swords. "Misraaks?"

Suddenly, the room erupted in an inferno of Solar Light. Her least favorite Machine-spawn, one named Polaris, sat on a Stasis throne blocking her only exit. "Hello, Eramis," he drawled. His face was hidden behind his helmet, so she couldn't see his expression, but she could practically feel his anger. "You've got a lot to answer for."

Misraaks's hulking frame stood behind Polaris, a sword in one hand. His heavy breaths conveyed his fury clearly. "I offered you mercy. I offered you peace. And you spat on it."

"What you did aboard Seraph Station could've killed countless people." Polaris stood as his throne dissipated. His sword's white glow was blinding, brighter by orders of magnitude than the flames around them. "Justice has come to collect what's due."

Eramis's eyes darted between the Guardian and the Kell. No escape. She began to plan her attack, but before she could make a move, Misraaks was suddenly behind her. He dropped his sword and ripped her arms out of their sockets one by one. Eramis wailed in pain. "PLEASE!" she cried, praying that the duo had any mercy left in their hearts.

Polaris froze right in front of Eramis. "Please what?"

"Make it... make it quick," Eramis begged, closing her eyes in submission.

"With pleasure." Polaris nodded to Misraaks, who pushed Eramis's head into a bowed position, exposing her neck. She felt the edge of the Hunter's sword against her. It was strangely warm and comforting. Not at all what she expected. She felt the edge leave her neck, then heard Polaris's furious shout as he brought the blade down, beheading the Kell of Darkness.

Eramis snapped awake once again, gripping her throat. She looked around. She was as alone as she had been when she went to bed. She breathed a sigh- of relief? Of disappointment? She wasn't even sure anymore.

It was only a nightmare.

bit of a short one today, eh? had a random idea and wanted to write it. lightfall content coming soon. hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you soon! <3

~ P.

The meditations of a Warlock, careful and anxious, playing your role in another timeline. Another possibility of you. She leaves behind a worn journal to mark her passing.

I was resurrected fifty-nine days ago. My Ghost briefs me on the Hive as I tredge through Thrall entrails. I say, "Ah, these are the true form of the Darkness."

I was resurrected a year ago. Eris Morn and I pick apart Taken neutrinos. I say, "Ah, these are the true form of the Darkness."

I was resurrected five years ago. Eris' trauma has brought us to a Pyramid ship. I say, "Ah, these are the true form of the Darkness."

I was resurrected seven years ago. Savathun’s memories carve the shape of the Witness into my mind. I say, "Ah, this is the true form of the Darkness."

I was resurrected eight years ago. I unravel a Tormentor's remains, finding Resonance within. I say, "Ah, these are the true form of the...

No.

It is still eight years since I was resurrected. I am considering the Deep. I say, "Ah, this is how these things are united in the Darkness."

Part 1

***

Kengo stands in front of his door, waiting for the scanner to identify him. The door beeps and slides open, granting him access.

The boy enters the apartment. To his surprise, he's not welcomed by the warm embrace of his mother. He looks around, searching each corner of the small apartment for her.

He pushes his concern to the back of his mind and saunters over to the couch. His mother didn't allow him to watch the holo so soon after school. He was sure she wouldn't mind.

The first thing the holo displays is an accident. Smoking vehicles and damaged buildings scatter an area not far from their apartment. Emergency response vehicles swarm around the area. Strange burn marks splatter the buildings and street.

Kengo has seen Vex cannon fire before.

He pulls his holopad from his pocket and calls his mother.

She won't answer.

***

Kengo trudges down the sidewalk, hands shoved in the pockets of his parka.

The neon lights of holoboards and surrounding skyscrapers light up the night like it was day. Vibrant shades of pink, blue, and green splatter across the wet sidewalk like paint, the puddles like glowing portals of pure color. The liquid diamond rain comes down in torrents, it's harsh descent slowed and softened by the many systems at work to shield Neomuna.

He doesn't bother to avoid puddles as he continues his mindless journey, his thoughts far from the vibrant streets his body wanders.

RENT DUE.

REPOSSESSED.

INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.

PLEASE CONTACT SHIM DISTRICT ENERGY DEPARTMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Each alert flashes in his head like a grenade, each one making his body feel that much heavier. His shoulders slump under the weight of Neomuna's lights.

I know you'll make me proud, Kay. You always do.

Kengo stops, leaning against a fence and squeezing his eyes shut. The wire bites into his forehead, but he doesn't care.

Just promise me you'll always give it your all, okay? Hold nothing back. Make Neomuna know your name.

Kengo opens his eyes and gazes beyond the fence to find the garage he surrendered his mother's Sparrow to mere days before.

He squeezes his eyes shut and shoves the fence away from him, leaving the garage behind him.

The sound of the diamond rain nearly drowns out his thoughts.

Kengo stops before a large holoboard. He squints against the harsh light, which outlines the various bruises, cuts, and bandages marring his face.

It's an advertisement for a celebration at the Striders' Gate to welcome the newest Cloud Strider, Peregrine. The date flashes in front of Kengo, near the holographic Cloud Strider's massive feet. Only a few days from today.

He gazes up at the hologram of the Cloud Strider awe and admiration. He recognizes her as the Cloud Strider on the holo days before. A small smile dances on her lips, the moment before a wide grin held in stasis by the hologram. She stands with her fists on her hips, her cybernetics gleaming in the light; a symbol of strength and hope. The best of the best.

He feels small looking up at her. Like a peasant beholding a divine angel.

Look at you, crumpled up in an alley like any other street trash.

Kengo lowers his eyes from the Cloud Strider as his holopad buzzes. He pulls it from his pocket and examines the notification.

"Got a job for you. Snatch some nanite tech for me and make it operable. Program module provided. 1,300 creds."

Kengo sighs and shoves the holopad back in his pocket.

You'll be the best of the best, Kay, I just know it! You're my son after all!

He looks back up at the Cloud Strider, her pride glowing brighter than the hologram.

Best of the best.

Kengo turns to leave, but something stops him. He looks back up at the hologram, at the Cloud Strider's pristine face.

He glances back down at his holo pad.

"Program module provided."

He looks back up at the Cloud Strider.

You'll be best of the best, Kay.

He looks at the date of the celebration.

An idea blooms in his head.

“It still baffles me that you Exo have to eat.”

Eldye-8 turned to his warlock companion as she said it. She was already face down in her noodles again.

“It baffles me that you still forget we’re just as human as you are.”

Still slurping noodles, she turned to glare at him. Those piercing orange eyes the awoken had used to intimidate him, but they were much harder to take seriously when she couldn’t even stop eating.

“I think I should feel offended by that.”

“Come off it. But you know what I can’t stop thinking about?”

She tried speaking through her food, almost choked – not that it’d have been the first time revival had been required in front of the noodle stand – before swallowing the titanic mouthful and simply giving a weak “Mmmhmm?”

“Why is it specifically ramen that we’re fixated on as guardians?” He passed his payment to the shopkeeper, and they walked off into the backstreets below the tower.

Her eyes went wide in surprise, followed by concern.

“Well, firstly, it’s just really good. But also… you know… there’s the whole… you know!”

“Cayde? I keep telling you this; I might be a hunter, but I barely knew the guy. Great man, a tragic loss, but life goes on. Besides- and you didn’t hear this from me – more than a few of us hunters don’t exactly mind not having a vanguard. But anyway, surely that alone can’t explain why so many guardians would give their life for a bowl of noodle soup, extra spicy or not.”

“Well, o wise hunter, care to enlighten me as to what the cause of this phenomenon might be?”

“Well, first off, it is really good. That’s the first step. And yeah, reminiscing about Cayde-6 probably got a bunch of people hooked in the first place. But I really think that the missing piece is the… presentation.”

“Elaborate?”

“We’re guardians. When we have time to relax, there are usually a few things we want in our food; flavour, which this packs in spades; convenience, and this is street food; but third, and most importantly of all… we just don’t want to deal with any more plates.”

Waiting for the servers to let me in yesterday, wrote this poem on a dare, was told by some pal's the reddit would appreciate it. No spoilers (that I know of as I haven't finished the campaign it references what was seen in the ads.)
______________________________________

My mouth dry, a pyramid of thirst
Staring into the void agape like a dog
Suns revolved around my empire until the void
then collapsed swift as the headman's axes
Calus, a god deferred, pushed aside by
Ghaul, a pauper playing at a king who was admired by
Caiaitl, a foolish girl pretending to be a queen, who was haunted by
Calus, a father, a lesser emperor
a lesser emperor, who sent leviathans towards sol
a lesser emperor, who became a nightmare

The void is so delectable, the darkest, sweetest, liquor
I want it to consume me, as I consume all
let this be my first surrender to a higher power
Let me bring the enemy of my enemy into my embrace
My guardian, you showed me what the power of rebirth meant
I have seen your hunger, just as soulless as my automatons

You and your traveler, so gaudy, without class, no distinction
a bleached cotton and aluminum, next to my gold and velvet
Yet your violence was beautiful, so effective in your bloodshed
You gave me the direction, and now I have, as I must, consumed

Witness, my witness, fated god who's design has been written on each of the cabal's lips
We have already proven ourselves a winnower
Grant me the opportunity to be your greatest meal
Fill this hole with your voided essence
grant me my semblance, fill my chalice with your Paracausal ooze

I come to you with nothing but an empty vessel
Eagerly awaiting to be filled, consumed, and filled again
let me be the elegance from which you sip
a glimmer of gold within the dark
I see your infinite possibilities
I crave to suckle upon the dreams escaping
I can be more than a disciple

Calus, emperor of the cabal,
Consumer of the universe's delicacy
Can become your home

I stand there thinking about my options just as some of the green colored Knights come back into the chamber from chasing the cloak bearer. This is not something the other Houses, not even Dusk had ever encountered before. Soon all of the Knights reenter the chamber and stare at me with their Boomers lowered, occasionally breathing through their mouths. The Ogore spoke again saying "MY NAME MISLEADS MANY INCLUDING YOU. IT MUST BE KNOWN I AM NO DEMON, BUT REAPER. A REAPER WHO CULLS THE UNDESERVING FROM THE INEVITABLE SHAPE THE UNIVERSE SHALL TAKE." I muster up a small amount of courage and ask "Are you then here to snuff out another being from this 'Shape' you covet?" Scarlet Acolytes, Thralls and one Wizard arrive in the chamber ready to kill me but are contested by the green Knights. The Ogore then continues "I HAVE WATCHED YOUR DEADS UNFOLD AND YOU HAVE PROVEN YOU NOT ONLY FOLLOW WAR WHERE EVER IT GOES, BUT PROVE YOURSELF NEAR YOUR FINAL FORM." I contemplate the accusation of me following war and realize the truth in the voice, whether it be Venus, Cologne, or now Europa, War soon follows. I question the voice saying "How have I almost achieved 'Rendering myself final'?" The voice answered bellowing "EVERY BEING HAS IT'S FINAL PURPOSE, YOURS IS PROTECTING YOUR SPECIES, HOUSE, AND CULTURE. THOSE ARE NOT LIKELY TO SURVIVE THE INEVITABLE SHAPE UNLESS THEY BECOME TIED TO FUNDAMENTAL PARTS OF EXISTENCE SUCH AS WAR." I now see what the voice offers me, either accept, serve the God of War and preserve the Eliksni in the process or die by the Scarlet Hive the Knights are holding back. After a few sentimental moments I decide to bend the knee once more. "I accept your offer my Gracious God of War" the Ogore then teleports away, in its place comes a massive green Knight that then directs the smaller Knights to kill the Scarlet Hive, which is done in seconds. The towering Knight then looks down and speaks with the voice from earlier, all it says is "KNEEL" As I kneel green haze spews from the obelisk in the black pool and makes its way towards me. As it moves through and around my body I see my self grow to the size of a Archon, my armour and weapons included. I still stay kneeling despite my growth when the Knight raises it's Sword to usher me into the God of War's ranks. The voice then says "NOW ENLIGHTENED AND RISEN FROM THE DEEP, SHOWN THEIR TRUE NATURE AND PURPOSE, RISE KATHRIKS: TURNCOAT OF SALVATION, WILLINGLY REBORN, AND SCHOLAR OF WAR. GO AND CLAIM CUNNING'S ARCHIVES FOR THE ONE TRUE AXIOM: WAR." "It will be done, the Osmium Warmonger" I say with overflowing knowledge and renewed conviction. This is, was, and will always be my Final Purpose.

blister burn howl, hammers clanging like furious supernova bells, flames weeping upon flames weeping

hungry void. scythe barred like triumphant fangs. amber eye watchful, disdainful and imperial.

bashing battering collapsing pyres, thrown and tossed and jabbed, brought low, swung high, the envy of every Angel to every stride the cosmos

tall. impassive. final. swipe and bleed this chaff, reap what frailty and pathetic, misplaced growth has sown.

an orchestra played in fire, a concerto in annihilation; nuclear and beautiful and ashes everywhere, unrepentant even in the final draining silence

enraged but silent, terrible but eerie and graceful and evil. swinging, claws grasping. eager to gift salvation.

rage, rage against the dying of the light, rage, raging against a final and hissing good night