Destiny: The Legendary Hunter

[Writers-Ablood]

Habibi!! How long until this reaches the same amount as webnovel?

Click to shrink...

Probably a few days. I don't upload too fast here because I don't wanna overwhelm the readers. Still, its like 3-5 chapters a day. I don't mind dumping it all here but not sure if all the readers are ok with it.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

--

[Main hall, Colony Ship]

"He's gone, they're definitely taking him somewhere else." Bandit scoffed, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, after what he did, I'd do the same." Void chimed in, he too could feel Toland's presence disappear into the distance.

"Talk about accountability." Cory chuckled.

"Like it or not, he's a warlock. They need his knowledge. they won't just sit back and throw him to the wolves." Levi sighed.

"So, what now?" Void glanced at Levi. They didn't have much of a plan to confront Toland. But being deprived of the chance was not something they were prepared for.

A second later, Ikorra, Cayde and Zavala walked through the main door.

Levi frowned, "We play nice."

--

[Earth, Mumbai Push]

Nestled within the jungle-choked towers of tattered Mumbai, hidden beneath the slithering tangled vines was a small cave entrance that descended towards the depth of the city.

Hive runes marked its entrance, engraved on its mossy rock floor. At its base was a chamber full of old scrolls, books and journals.

As a Jumpship flew above Mumbai and shot away, Toland appeared at the cave's mouth, warping towards the base of his hideout.

His ghost, Guren, revealed itself.

"You've finally found it, the Deathsong of Ir Yût" Guren mused, suddenly it turned sour, "If not for their ignorance, we could've witnessed it."

"We'll get another chance. I am sure of it." Toland replied, he grabbed a Journal and sketched the runes he had seen on the altar.

The summoning words of Ir Yût, it was incalculably precious. But soon Toland frowned. Though he had found the summoning phrase, the altar had been broken by the hunters.

Ir Yût, the hive wizard was no pushover. Without sacrifices, he couldn't possibly summon her. There had to be another way. A way to call upon the Deathsong.

Toland's attention suddenly turned towards the war effort. It had picked up pace in the last few weeks. He doubted they'd let him contribute to it now that he'd slipped up.

"Guren, is the city fully supporting the war?" He curiously inquired.

The city had sent its plans to every guardian available in the city. Toland would make full use of their naivety.

"The plans outline a full assault. Their war campaign won't end here." Guren scanned through the records.

His lips wrinkled into a wry smile, "Let's learn how to benefit from their ignorance. We need to bide our time."

--

[Main Hall, Colony Ship]

"We'll be cutting down the exploration. The Hive are far too mysterious and dangerous." Ikorra spoke back into the circle of Nightstalkers.

"What about the ambush plans?" Levi questioned.

"Our hands are tied." Ikorra pressed her lips in a line, "We can't put you in danger to find the Hive's base. It's all far too risky."

"You should be happy you're not scurrying around in their tunnels anymore." Cayde chimed in.

Zavala sighed, "Trying to start a war without knowing their source, it's almost impossible."

"I don't suppose you're just gonna sit back and allow that." Bandit could smell the fickle words the Vanguard were laying down.

"No. The City will resort to conventional methods. It'll take us a while, but we'll survey the entire moon with ships once we're ready." Zavala responded.

"We'll need some skilled pilots. You guys got any experience?" Cayde smiled.

Immediately, the Nightstalkers shifted their eyes around. They weren't at all interested in making any deals with the devil.

Unexpectedly, Void raised his hand, causing the room to abruptly pause.

"Err, listen kid, I know you're ready for it. But you've got no piloting experience. They'll shoot you down like a duck" Cayde brushed him off.

"I'm not stupid, I know that much. But I've got another idea." Void spoke up, the gears turned in his head.

All eyes turned to him as he held his words. Void thought it through, and knew that it was a plausible choice.

"You can't locate the base because there's no way to trace the Hive accurately."

"Right, and?" Ikorra urged him to continue.

His lips curved into a smile, "But you can trace light can't you?"

"Wouldn't be that hard." Cayde nodded.

"In that case, we don't have to trace the Hive, just trace the light." Void pointed to the mission recording.

"More specifically, my light on that Ogre a few minutes ago."

The idea was odd, and not entirely practical. Yet Void was entirely certain it would work.

"Your light signature wouldn't last that long." Zavala replied.

Void held up his blade, "It's a special sword. The traces don't vanish as easily."

"Why that Ogre? For all we know it could be going back to some place entirely unrelated." Ikorra inquired.

The reality was that Void knew that the 'Might of Crota' was an Ogre created by Crota. If anything, he was sure to visit Hellmouth, what it considered home.

Void shot a glance at the screen once more, "Can't really say but."

"It's just a hunch."

The Vanguard shared a few quick glances. Finally Ikorra connected her transponder to a new line.

"Asher, can you trace his light signature? Check last coordinates for a lead."

"On it." Asher replied and immediately got to work. The main hall's screen shifted as he switched to a gps locator for the Ogre.

"We're sending the colony drones as trackers. It'll be traced easily, but that's our only option right now." Asher spoke up.

"That's fine, a few drones are worth the price." Zavala agreed.

Moments later, the drones shot towards the lunar surface, programmed to follow the Ogre.

--

[Lunar Surface]

A few hours had passed since the Ogre faced Void and his fireteam. He had remained on site in case those fools ever decided to come back.

Unfortunately his instincts determined that wouldn't happen. Disgruntled the Ogre waddled away.

He'd decided to check again for their presence, but it wasn't the main priority. The Ogre knew his master was busy. Only a few weeks stood between a tribute ceremony for the Worm gods.

He shuddered, despite being a mindless husk of flesh, the Ogre was fully aware of its creator's powers.

Minutes later, he decided to rush back to Hellmouth. Eerily every few miles he felt a few flies hovering just beyond his senses. Alas, their meagre aura was not worth its attention.

Yes, he would only focus on the stronger opponents. That was his purpose. For he, was the Might of Crota.

The Ogre began trudging the final stretch. It neared an illusory barrier, crossing through effortlessly. It was a curtain that veiled Hellmouth from the outer world.

Unbeknownst to it, the meagre flies had also crossed over.

--

 

[Writers-Ablood]

--

Beyond the illusory veil, fiendish winds swept the lunar plains. The Hive fortress situated within an ocean of storms marked their keep.

It guarded a crudely dug crater that stretched for miles towards the lunar core. The crater itself served as an inverted fortress to the Hive's brood.

A wicked and cruel smog festered within the crater, obscuring any light from piercing inside. All that was left was darkness.

The Vanguard's drones surveyed Hellmouth, transmitting live data back to the colony ship.

On the other side, the Vanguard had finally realized how deep the Hive infestation truly was. Hellmouth was an enigma, completely obscured by surface scans and only visible within distance.

An evil magic that could dissuade the eyes and senses- the Hive's veil was deceitful, and effective.

"How many are there?" Ikorra sucked in a breath, her eyes glued to the screen.

Asher paused and took in a deep breath. Finally, he spoke.

"I don't know."

The ship went eerily quiet as all eyes fell on Hellmouth. The cradle of the despot, Crota the hive prince.

Hellmouth seemed cursed- barren and destitute. Festering cruelty and wickedness, stripped from every grace in the world. Void's eyes widened as he witnessed it all- He felt, that If there truly was evil in this world, that would be its cause.

The Guardians had fought many wars in the dark ages; trying to conquer the gift of the Traveler. But no one, was ready for the war that was about to come.

They could feel it, that it was bigger than everything they stood for. Bigger than just them. As if the universe itself had thrown its burdens upon their shoulders.

Now more than ever. They needed to succeed.

Suddenly the Vanguard's comms rang. All forces were now enroute to the lunar orbit. It had begun.

"Mark that location, we'll setup camp nearby and plan out our assault" Zavala commanded.

"Got it." Asher replied

Zavala glanced back at the Nightstalkers, "For now, we'll need some more reconnaissance and scouting, I think I can count on you guys for that."

Asher pulled back his drones-lingering beside Hellmouth wasn't wise. Hive wizards were far more perceptive than some Ogre, and he wasn't willing to be found.

"We know the drill, we'll map out the camping spots." Levi nodded.

Just then, Zavala's wrist buzzed as he spared it a glance.

"Good, your captain will take the lead. Godspeed guardians."

As the Vanguard turned their focus towards guiding their armada, the Nightstalkers unceremoniously transmatted out and raced to meet up with the rest of their team.

--

"Do you four read? Status?" Tevis broke the radio silence as four Jumpships zipped through Colony ship's hangar.

"Copy, we'll meet you at lunar orbit." Void answered.

"Brief me at rendezvous, we'll meet soon." Tevis swiftly disconnected the call.

"You know, I thought we'd get a bit of rest after all that. But we're really gonna go down there again?" Bandit languidly groaned.

"Yeah, well there's no tea parties at war, princess." Cory rolled his eyes.

"What did you say?" Bandit barked back.

Cory being an imbecile, kept chirping up, "Hmm?"

Enraged, Bandit couldn't help but scoff "That's what I thought."

"Let's hope you do that more often." Cory nodded and briskly disconnected from the call, manging to evade the record breaking slurs Bandit immediately recited from memory.

--

[A few minutes later]

"So we've got eyes on their base?" Tevis leaned back in his cockpit, mentally tallying up all he had heard.

"Something of the sorts. No clue on the numbers, but the Vanguard wasn't excited by the revelation, so I can't assume its good." Void chimed.

"They'll probably release the word soon." Levi added on.

Tevis tapped the ships dashboard as he saw the new coordinates being passed to his team, his eyes narrowed.

"Good job, all of you." He paused and glanced at the new orders, "Look's like we've got our work cut out for us."

The Nightstalkers buzzed about the orbit for a few minutes, and suddenly their ships flared and shot towards the dreadful surface.

Their squad of fifteen, split into three groups, each targeting to scout out one crucial perimeter of their so called "camp" position.

Cory, Bandit, Levi, Void and Tevis chose to scout from the campsite closest to the Hive's illusory veils, a distance of only ten kilometres.

But due to the odd and misshaped lunar terrain, their line of sight wasn't entirely uninterrupted. In fact, it could be said that the Hive wouldn't be aware of them until they decided to strike.

Tevis squinted, looking towards the Hellmouth, a faint light gathered around his eyes. Seconds later, dark lines filled his face.

"I'll be damned, those crafty bastards. I can't see a thing." No matter how hard he tried, after a while it was all but a blur.

Yet he knew his sight had betrayed him, because in his bones, he could feel the chill and dread seeping through the Hive's forsaken fortress.

Though, unlike the others, Void didn't find it difficult to see the veil. In fact, for him, it was more so a pellucid curtain- translucently clear.

"What's the status on the follow up?" Tevis dusted off his hands.

"Titans will be here to setup a wall. We've scoured the place, turned every goddamn rock inside out. We're safe." Levi answered.

Tevis shook his head, "Or.... that's what they want us to think."

"Find some high-ground for our squad. We'll need it when the war breaks loose."

Void had surveyed the map and outlined many spots already. He knew why Tevis had asked for it.

"I've saw a few spots. We'll check em out as fast as possible" He answered.

The reasoning was simple, Nightstalkers weren't the damage dealers. They weren't the frontliners. But one thing was for sure. Their abilities allowed them to be control freaks on the battlefield.

Reinforcing any side as they please, weaving in and out of battle. Not to mention their Shadowshots that served as their attack and defence- A cataclysmic blast that chained down enemies with tendrils.

A Nightstalkers greatest asset was their ability to remain unseen. High ground would allow them to abuse all their abilities to the max.

"Good. One last thing, tell the Vanguard we'll need some hard hitting firepower." Tevis nodded.

Tevis shot one last glance to the veil, "Trying to fight the Hive in their own illusion is a death sentence. Whatever that thing is, we'll blast it to kingdom come."

==

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[An unknown time later]

As noxious winds swept hellmouth, a harsh and terrible gale flooded its eroded valleys. Dust scattered and the ground trembled, like an ocean at storm.

None knew whether it was dusk or dawn. Because the fractured horizon mirrored the lunar surface- bleak and tearing at the seams, lit ablaze with green fire.

But the fire was, uncanny. Its virescent embers seemed to eat away at the light, only leaving behind a grim and wretched chill that seeped into one's bones.

The guardians had finished all their preparations. Thousands had gathered to weather the storm.

Every able faction in the city, had taken a stand.

The Nightstalkers, Arc striders, Gunslingers, Titans, The Warlock Orders, The Crucible, The Praxic Fire, Dead Orbit, New Monarchy and the Future War Cult and thousands of other guardians.

Void wrapped up his duties and rushed back to the squad.

Tevis looked towards the veil, "Is it done?"

"We're on track. Everything is ready." Void nodded.

The squad shared a few glances, no words were spoken. A silence seemed to stir, and the last few sparks of solace, fizzled out.

It was time.

"Calling all units, we're ready to strike." Tevis connected to the main channel.

Shaxx immediately answered, "Crucible squads on standby, we'll lead the front charge."

Eriana chimed in, "We'll back you up."

"This is Dead Orbit, we'll join the charge."

"New Monarchy, ready"

"Future War Cult, affirmative."

As hundreds flooded the channel with their responses, one last reply came.

Zavala joined in, "All Vanguard personnel will join the front lines, may the light be with us, guardians."

Tevis looked to Void as the two locked eyes. Both nodded and Void's transponder shifted to a different line.

"Cayde, you copy?" Void squinted as he tried to spot the man in the eye of the storm, merely a few hundred meters away from the veil.

"Positive, planted explosives on the perimeter, standby." Cayde's finger rested on the trigger, he raised a hand, an entire squad of bombardiers took aim with rocket launchers on their shoulders.

Void heaved in a breath, "Light em up."

Cayde's lips curled to a smile, his hand dropped.

Rockets rained on the veil, hundreds of explosive mines triggered. In an instant, the veil erupted, a radiant ball of energy spread and thundering shockwaves shot outwards.

With the Hive's stronghold no longer obscured by their magic, they were vulnerable. The explosion rang tremors deep within their underground necropolis.

Hoards of thralls rushed to the surface, ambushed by thousands of guardians.

The fiendish fire in the sky flared, as a harsh wind blew causing the smoke and dust to settle.

and then, there was war.

--

A legion of guardians charged, using the eruption to mask their ambush. Countless thralls were met by a hail of bullets raining on them.

There it was, the monumental clash of light and dark. Guardians razed the hive armies to the ground, establishing an early foothold in the gruesome war.

However, lead and light were not a complete answer to the Hive.

Shaxx mowed through several thralls with his burning hammers, suddenly an icy chill crept up his spine, then the light in his veins seized and clotted.

The ground cracked- fissures leading to the Hive necropolis appeared.

A hundred Hive knights marched from within, their obsidian blades forged and cultivated in death itself. A malefic aura emanated from them, staining all that was present with darkness.

"Wipe them out!" He roared swinging his sol hammer, only to be met with the Knight's impervious black shield. But as he tried to swing once more, it was too late.

The moment his hammer had connected, a dark power stripped him of his connection to the Traveler.

Shaxx felt his heart sink, faced with an impervious and invincible enemy, his light served him no longer.

The Hive knight could sense his dread. Immediately, its black shield crumbled and the knight swung its hexed blade overhead.

Shaxx grit his teeth and blocked at the last instant, the sheer force of the blow brought him to his knees. But the fight wasn't over.

As the entire frontline was overwhelmed with the knights. The Nightstalkers hadn't sat idle.

"Shoot!"

What seemed to be a mirage ripped through the horizon and tore through the storm. For a moment, the battlefield was struck with awe, as all witnessed the cataclysmic Shadowshots falling from the sky.

The devouring light erupted, eating away at the dark. Chains and tethers sprouted and slithered towards their enemies.

Tides had turned, with the Knights bound, their stripped light had returned. Shaxx summoned his hammers once more, with a burning vengeance.

He struck and cleaved through one Knight, leading his squad to gain more ground.

As the momentum shifted, the Arc striders weaved in through the gaps in their assault, led by Sai Mota, using their lightning they ruthlessly tore through the Hive ranks.

The warlocks were not far behind, as the Hive struggled to find a foothold. Several void warlocks rose to the skies, fury festering in their hearts.

Their energy's converged, resulting in one massive Novabomb hurling through the Hive's forces, crushing and eating away at any unfortunate within its path.

With the Hive on retreat, the guardians seemed at a certain advantage. However, despite the ambush, repelling the Knights and thralls had consumed most of their light.

Though with the Traveler's grace, they could recover it in mere instants, for some peculiar reason, that connection seemed severed.

As a bout of weakness gripped the guardians, they too strategized a retreat while leaving behind scouts for the Hive.

And so, the first day of the lunar war was over, light and dark had clashed, but nothing had prevailed. Shax and the Vanguard had rallied back their elites within their camps, determined to strike back with more ferocity.

However, none were wiser to what the future held. Everything was up to fate. Or rather, as it would have been- Alas, a certain Nightstalker was prowling the battlefield as a scout.

Pacing around the marred lunar field, Void was struck with an idea. Though he knew he couldn't win the war alone, he could definitely cut back their losses.

==

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Void gripped his sword, he could feel Zamyr's presence stirring within. He knew why- The Hive's corrupted souls were a perfect solution to the blade's hunger.

''Ease up, we won't be on the side lines much longer.'' He continued to whisper and the sword relented.

Taking determined steps, Void prowled the frontlines, his thoughts racing in his mind.

"You know if the others saw you talking to your sword, they'd label you crazy." Levi chuckled, his figure flickering beside Void.

"Maybe they'd finally label you a creep for sneaking up on people." Void brushed off his arm and continued walking.

"Can't blame a guy for being good at his job" Levi shrugged.

The two walked along the edge of hellmouth, with the storm still raging on, one couldn't easily step outside the Hive's fortress.

Hence, after securing ground, the guardians had managed to setup several shabby war camps deep into the Hive fortress. Though they weren't much, it was a blessing for fireteams always on the move.

"It's not looking so good." Void stopped and turned to look towards the Hive tunnels leading deep into the earth.

Levi nodded. His eyes traced the scarred ground, mere hours earlier, a massive skirmish had taken place, with the guardians struggling to maintain ground.

"Wars never do."

Void heaved a breath and sighed, "You know what I meant."

"I do." Levi paused, he raised a brow, "so what's the big plan with you loitering around the outskirts? We've got plenty of scouts already."

Void's eyes narrowed, "I'll transfer to the frontlines, join up with the crucible squads. It'll be better use of me."

Levi smirked, "Well aren't you the genius to figure that one out. A step too slow though."

Void shot him a questioning glance, Levi continued walking as he kicked a rock forwards.

"Don't give me that look. I knew you'd eventually come up with an excuse to leave." Levi shook his head.

"Lucky for you, I sniffed that out." He smiled, "I told the Captain we didn't need a lousy archer in our setup and In his infinite wisdom, he agreed. Guess you're starting on the front lines tomorrow."

"Lousy archer?" Void grimaced.

"I'd apologize, but have you seen your aim? Besides, I needed strong words to convince the higher ups. You should be thanking me." Levi waved him off.

"Someone ever tell you that you're bit of a stalker?" Void's face twitched.

"Like I said, good at my job." Levi smiled back.

==

[Vanguard War Camp]

With the war underway, all guardians within the high-brass had gathered in the Vanguard's camp.

The air was stifling and the mood was sour. The reality of war had shown its bleak colours, and the consequences of losing were far more than they could afford.

With one foot in the war effort, the guardians couldn't afford to withdraw. A retreat would likely trigger a massive chase, exposing the city's weakness to the Hive.

Ikorra, Zavala, Cayde and the Speaker sat quietly across the various squad leaders and elites. A dreadful silence hung in the room.

Naturally, the one to break the mould, was Shaxx.

The warlord held enough renown to garner respect and fear, and he used it well.

"The Hive that we face now, are not the ones we know of. Their powers are unheard of, almost as if they were a different species altogether."

Shaxx's words echoed, everyone present had no choice but to agree.

They themselves had seen these inexplicable powers. For what the hive were using, was darkness- An ancient and unknown enemy that had somehow returned.

None knew why the Hive were capable of wielding it. Most of all, none knew it had returned.

But the signs were present. The only one to faintly link them, was the Speaker. Yet despite his knowledge, even he would fail to understand how the Hive wielded such ancient power.

Humanity was clueless.

"What do you suggest?" Zavala leaned towards the table, engrossed in thought.

Shaxx paused, contemplating each word, "Their swords hold extraordinary power. Each cut bleeds light from our veins. That power is dangerous, its not something we can handle."

"Lord Shaxx, if you're suggesting a retreat, it'd be far too foolish. We're in too deep. A retreat now, would just be inviting danger to our doorstep." Lakshmi interrupted.

Though she held a point of her own, her incentives lay in the city utilizing more of her soldiers- An opportunity the Future War Cult was not willing to give up.

"I agree, this isn't a fight we can simply turn away from." Jalaal quipped.

"We also feel the same, we can't be turning our backs now." Hideo chimed in.

The room fell silent. With the Hive on the backfoot many wanted to push further into hellmouth, while some felt it was far too dangerous to fight the hive within their wretched domain.

The war council was divided.

--

[Lunar Orbit]

A stealth Jumpship zipped through space as it tunnelled towards the Lunar Orbit. Reaching its outer perimeter, the ship's thrusters sputtered out.

Its momentum carried it forwards, the ship glided towards the lunar boundary, eventually coming to a stop.

Toland's keen eyes surveyed through all vanguard channels, collecting all information he could.

"Looks like the first encounter was a tough one." He mused.

Guren skimmed through the combat logs summarizing everything, "They're planning the next move."

"What's the sentiment?" Toland's eyes narrowed.

"Hesitation." Guren floated to his side, "they are not prepared."

Toland nodded, "What's the analytical outcome?"

"Assuming a constant level of aggression from both sides." Guren paused, "they won't last another two days."

"Seems the plan is shaping up nicely." Toland chuckled, his eyes trained on the Hive runes carved within his journal.

"Soon."

==

 

[TheLibrarianOfWorlds]

Mmm peak

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Mmm peak

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Thanks!

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[Hellmouth]

As night turned to day, the fractured horizon remained unchanged- ablaze with wretched viridian flames.

A hundred fireteams marched towards the tunnels, determined to push back the hive and infiltrate their home. This time, Void had chosen to accompany the crucible squads.

Warrod, Amos, Edith, Jason and Shaxx. The one's he knew were all present.

"We'll march to the front and charge in, if its only thralls, then we break through the tide and claim new ground." Shaxx briefed his squads.

Void nodded, and then chimed in "The Hive aren't stupid, I reckon they'll bring in the big guns today. Keep on your toes."

The Crucible squads nodded, Void was among the first to survey the Hive on the moon, his advice wouldn't fall on deaf ears.

"That's why you're here? To match the big guns?" Warrod chuckled.

Void smirked, "Well someone's gotta take the heat, and we both know its not those two" He gestured towards Jason and Edith.

"I heard that." Jason coughed while Edith rolled her eyes.

"Good, since you're already paying attention, I'll give you a tip. If you hear my sword, then duck." Void shrugged.

"What if I don't?" Amos raised his brows.

"Let's just say you'd be head under heels for me." Void passed the squad, standing towards the front.

All fireteams had marched towards the tunnel entrances. Facing the tunnels that stretched deep towards the necropolis, a shudder ran through those present.

A howling wind swept up carrying a foul stench of rotten bones. Fear gripped the hearts of those present, halting their march.

As the air grew heavier, the ground trembled and stifling pressure choked their ranks.

"This feeling." Void's eyes narrowed as a familiar sensation abruptly washed over him.

He immediately signalled Shaxx to be cautious, but those around him followed it too, suddenly all eyes and ears fell on void.

But the tremors continued to shake the ground, nearing the surface as the seconds ticked down.

"Hive Ogres! Watch their eyes!" Void barked.

As if his words had manifested, a dreadful quake shook the ground, the scattered tunnels seemed to shake and crumble, and the Ogres rushed to the surface.

The Ogres shrill cries resonated, instantly rupturing any ear that dared to listen. Their shrieks had summoned the winds themselves, and a tempestuous gale swept the battlefield.

An army of thralls flooded the surface. Hell had broken loose.

Streaks of blood trickled down their faces, pooling at the ground, thousands were maimed, and countless were brought to their knees.

A spell of weakness seized the guardians, their minds were disarrayed and hearts sunken. The thralls leapt towards the enfeebled and the Ogres gathered their fiendish fire.

All hope seemed to be crushed and splintered.

-Click-

Void unsheathed his blade, his light violently flaring. He shot forwards, and swung.

A crushing strike cleaved through the air, and struck the Hive, tearing them apart. It instantly erupted, the shockwave of energy hurled everyone back and cleared the field for a brief moment of respite.

Flung backwards, Void flipped in the air and dug his feet into the dirt, sliding to a stop.

"Now!"

Shaxx conjured his flaming hammers and pounced towards the fight, he hurled one hammer as it collided with one Ogre, bursting out in a flaming eruption.

The few seconds Void had bought were enough for everyone to regain their footing, immediately the guardians were back to their full assault.

But as the Hive realized their fatal tactic had failed, more thralls hatched and rushed towards the fight.

As the guardians met the Hive in a fierce and bloody battle, Hive Knights and Wizards emerged from fissures. But this time, the guardians were prepared.

A group of warlocks channelled untamed lightning through the light. As thunder clouded the horizon, they aimed towards the Wizards. The thunder coursed through them, and a bolt threatened to strike the fissures.

But just as it did, the Knights summoned their impenetrable stygian shields. Light and Dark collided, and a quake radiated through the lunar surface.

The Hunters weren't far behind, zipping past the shields, in an instant they whipped around and struck with their Golden Gun. The radiant bullets tore through the Knights, burning them alive.

As the Knights fell, the Ogres entered a frenzy, fire danced in their eyes.

Fearing the worst, the shield titans erected domes to safe guard as many as they could.

As the fiendish fire spilled, the Ogre's fire poured out, striking the domes with full force. No side could give up, and the struggle of power continued.

But as Void found his footing, he gripped his sword and zoomed past the front-lines, facing the Ogre's alone.

A faint coat of light masked his presence. Suddenly he appeared, with a spectral aura converging at the edge of his blade. The Ogre's sensed him, but it was too late.

Void danced within the battlefield, carving his devouring light into the Ogre's with relentless strikes. His gilded blade had singed their rotten flesh, eating through it.

The sudden strikes disrupted the Ogres, their fire weakened. Grasping the opportunity, Ikorra led a squad of warlocks, each conjuring a Nova Bomb with their palms.

The Nova bombs hurled through the horizon, but a hundred necrotic chains slithered in from emerging fissures, wrapping around the bombs. An ensuing eruption seemed imminent, but the chains seemed to contain the energy.

Though their tactic had failed, Void didn't stop, and rushed in once more. Because he knew what was next.

Just as he had thought, cataclysmic Shadowshots tore through the horizon's seam, crashing towards the Wizards.

The arrows collapsed into an eruption, eating away at the Wizards. Devouring tethers struck through them, chaining them to the ground, sapping their magic.

Void emerged like a wraith, ready to reap his souls. Before the wizards could continue their magic, he swiped with his blade and cleaved them in half.

With all the Hive he had reaped, his sword emanated a faint ghastly gleam.

'I am close' Void knew there wasn't much left before he could unleash Zamyr's power.

As the ferocious battle continued, the guardians rained bullets on the Hive, matching blow for blow.

Rockets struck the Hive like hail, and swept the field of thralls. But the Ogres still stood. The necrotic magic sewed their flesh together forcing them to writhe in agony.

Void looked to dash in, but then, the world halted.

Like a puppet without strings, Void found himself unable to move. His eyes widened, and his heart raced.

Something was wrong.

Then, memories of Praedyth flashed in his mind, and a strange force seemed to burn through them. His memories began to crumble, erasing themselves as if they had never existed.

Void struggled, but he couldn't counter it on his own. It was only then, that his sword shuddered- As if summoned.

Zamyr's presence stirred, overwhelming whatever had overtaken him. The Ahamkara's will shielded Void from the world and the sensation passed.

Time flowed once more. But Void was certain, he had lost something.

Something he couldn't recall.

==

 

[Writers-Ablood]

==

Void faltered taking a knee, his blade dug into the soil, a ghastly aura emanated from its edge.

"You awake?" He heaved a breath. The battle against the Ogre's raged on.

~Reunited at last, O brother mine~ Zamyr's gravelly and jubilant voice resounded within his mind

"That feeling earlier, was it the Vault?" Void's mind raced, he scrambled to connect the dots, immediately searching for what he had lost.

~Indeed, the Templar sought to rewrite your memories~ Zamyr scoffed, to it the Templar was but a child tugging at the strings of time, hoping to unwind its fabric.

The memories of Kabr's fireteam flooded his mind. Pahanin, Kabr and Praedyth. Void's eyes narrowed. He recalled meeting the titan and hunter, but Praedyth....his mere existence eluded his mind.

He couldn't wrap his thoughts around it. To him, only a reflection of the warlock was left behind, etched in his memory.

Void grit his teeth, 'So they're already deep in the vault.'

He'd hoped that Kabr wouldn't rush into Venus, but it was all in vain. With the war, there was no way Void could help.

"Can you help them? The one's in the vault" As a last resort, Void whispered in his mind.

Perhaps...Zamyr could still make a difference.

The wish dragon paused, seemingly perturbed at the request. It's consciousness faded for a second, but then it replied.

~Their fates are their own, while yours is intertwined with mine.~

Void nodded, for a moment it weighed on his mind. Whatever the conclusion, he vowed to take revenge.

Void got to his feet, "Whatever happens, don't let the Templar erase my memories."

~Fear not O brother mine, I will shield you~ Zamyr chuckled.

With a swift flick, Void cleaned his blade, a thin aura coated his figure.

"Hope you're ready, its time you pull your weight." Void angled the blade towards the Ogres.

His feet dug into the ground, and his light erupted. With both hands gripping the hilt of his sword, Void raised the blade overhead.

"Rip them apart."

Instantly, he shot forwards with an explosive step, his figure flickered.

~As you wish~

The blade quivered, a harrowing energy wove into the sword. Almost as if fate itself had sharpened its edge.

Feeling the weight of his blade rise, Void darted, treading on air with a thin coat of light on his heels. He swung, and a ferocious slice cut through the wind, like a whisper eating away at the world.

Those who saw it that day would go on to describe it as dreadful. A horrifying sword strike that gnawed at the seams of reality- A frightening power able rend the untouchable.

Tearing through the field, it struck an Ogre, rending spirit from flesh. An attack that aimed at the very core of the Ogre.

And so began the legend of the Ghost Sword.

With the Ogre cleaved in two, its bones shook. But no magic could save it now, with a final shriek, its gargantuan body began to melt away. Stripped of its soul, the Ogre was a mere pile of bones and flesh.

As it withered, the battle intensified, guardians and Knights rushed to the front. A ruthless bloodbath ensued. With one less Ogre to hold the onslaught, new Wizards emerged.

With their hymns and chants, they summoned an army of Knights to turn the tides. But the guardians weren't far behind in terms of reinforcement.

Wei Ning hurled a Knight away, charging towards the front. A thunderous roar resounded and she surged with lightning, leaping towards the skies. A squad of arc titans rallied behind her.

Up above as lightning danced and thunder cackled, the titans gathered their light. Like falling stars, they shot towards the Hive.

With a thunderclap erupting above them, the Hive erected their shields. Then, it all came crashing down.

The guardians hid within their domes as a lightning flash razed the battlefield. The air trembled, and the ground charred black, shockwaves tore through the dirt and shattered the lunar surface.

Void squinted, the massive eruption had almost engulfed him. He looked back, the others felt the same. It was far too difficult for guardians to fight as an army. They were was just not enough space.

As the tremors died down, both sides were doggedly hanging on. But the Hive were in dire straits. Their armies were slaughtered, and only one of the two Ogre's had survived the thunderous assault.

Yet, they didn't back down.

A stifling fear choked the guardians. They had fought tooth and nail, hundreds had perished trying to slaughter their champions. Now they had razed one army to the ground and yet, the Hive persisted.

They showed neither fear nor remorse. All they held was a strong desire to fight.

As the guardians emerged from their domes, gathering towards the front, they held their breaths.

The Hive had already began raising a new army. A million thralls clawed their way out from hellmouth, with a cohort of Wizards weaving their rituals and then a legion of Knights marched through the gates.

A harrowing thought gripped those present. How long could they fight?

The enemy boasted an infinite legion of mindless thralls, cunning wizards and frightening Knights.

How long could they fight on? How long could they struggle against them?

It didn't take long for such thoughts to bloom within their minds. As darkness choked the lunar surface, their light dimmed.

With the Traveler's grace stripped from them, the guardians couldn't fight for long. It seemed, their light wasn't bright enough to illuminate the dark.

Was this the end? Or perhaps, the beginning of something grim?

Void watched with the Hive with bated breaths. How long could he fight for?

A familiar sensation jolted through him. An ominous presence watched him, the world had stopped.

'The Vault' Void's face darkened, had the Templar acted again?

"Zamyr" He cried out out, a phantasmal Ahamkara appeared, wrapping around his shoulders like a serpent.

Before the Templar could overpower him Zamyr's will gripped the fabric of time.

Templar's overwhelming authority contested it, but the Ahamkara held it in no regard, it simply commanded the world to concede. As long as it concerned its own soul, none could go against its desires, its wishes.

With its wishful intercession, time broke free from the vault and disobeyed Templar, breaking its control.

As the sensation passed, the world resumed.

But the Ahamkara grew restless. Void felt it too. With the Hive standing on their feet, fickle fate was no longer on their side.

As if it recognized the moment, the Ahamkara cautioned Void, its voice sullen.

~Be careful! It is near, O brother mine~ Zamyr shivered.

Void felt the urgency in its voice, "What is?"

~Death~

 

[Writers-Ablood]

==

Void shuddered sensing the overwhelming presence underneath Hellmouth.

The fractured horizon flared brighter, vermillion embers gnawing away at its seams. Signifying the beginning of something macabre.

His heart pounded.

-Badump-

Void froze.

All guardians turned pale as a foul and wicked aura gripped the battlefield paralyzing every soul present.

The Hive wizards seemed frantic, their magic trembled. Whereas the Knights and thralls stood tall and roared recognizing the presence.

Their fanatical and shrill cries choked the guardian's spirits. They could feel it too. The power of the overwhelming and tyrannical entity ascending through the necropolis.

He was coming. Crota, the eater of hope.

~Retreat Now!~ Zamyr cried out.

Void snapped out of his trance, instantly scattering a dozen remote smoke mines across the field. His eyes frantically darted around

"Lord Shaxx! Order the retreat! There's no time!" Void barked, his voice drowned out by a vile and fiendish roar.

A bout of weakness took over the guardians. Void could feel his light being sapped away.

To his despair, the next instant, archaic Hive runes shimmered. A darkness loomed over the horizon, and no light reached the moon's surface. As if banished by a higher power.

The ground quaked and the lunar surface fractured. A wicked viridian fire poured out of hellmouth. Then, a thunderous roar reverberated. Wielding his heretical sword in hand, his figure set ablaze by a fiendish flame.

Crota, the Hive's Ascendant Prince, emerged from the abyss.

Facing the World-breaker, their souls shuddered and fear overwhelmed them. His presence alone felt suffocating but as he gripped his sword, the guardians felt an excruciating pressure weighing on their chests.

Crota's Sword Logic carried a tyrannical will. Having seen it themselves, they knew it was too late.

Void's heart raced.

The Guardians, no, humanity itself would lose. He couldn't let it happen. But Crota's sword logic was too strong.

'I can't clash with it head on. I need to restrain him.' Void's face stiffened. Memories flashed in his mind and his eyes widened.

There was one way, no perhaps it was the only way.

'System, open card store: Tevis.'

-------

{Tevis Larsen's Abilities}

1. Shadow Shot Max Mastery: Deadfall (500,000 D)
2.Phantom Step (200,000 D)
3. Onyx Blades (600,000 D)

*Only abilities experienced by the user can be bought.

------

'Purchase two Shadowshots'

He clenched his fists, a fervent violet light burned within, curving around his palms to form his bow.

Void's light erupted. His target was simple, to break whatever spell Crota had managed to overwhelm them with, he only had one chance. So he would use his strongest card from the start.

'Use them both' Void immediately consumed the two cards.

The sudden surge of aura startled those around him. They couldn't understand how Void had the power to continue.

As Void pulled the string back, light condensed into a dark arrow. But when the cards got used, the Shadowshot warped into something dreadful.

Onyx chains wrapped around Void's arm, his light compacted into a devouring nova at the arrows tip. Void felt an immense weight tugging at his fingertips.

But the Hive prince immediately perceived the sudden influx of light, his eyes turned murky black. He raised his sword, with a taunting grin. His gaze wandered the battlefield, who dared to face him?

Crota's soul weighed on Void, and as the Hive prince wielded his blade, it was now or never.

'Zamyr!' Void beckoned.

The Ahamkara wove its soul into the arrow, lacing it with its lethal presence. Void hoped to catch the Hive prince off guard, but the tactic proved to be a mistake.

An instant after the Ahamkara's interference, Crota's eyes snapped to Void and his gaze settled. The Hive prince flashed a cynical grin.

'Did he sense Zamyr!' Void's heart skipped a beat. With the arrow's surging power slowly eating away at his grip, Void's gaze hardened, he could afford no mistakes.

Despite Void's overwhelming light, Crota didn't seek to dodge, he sought to destroy. A ruinous darkness covered his crystalline blade. His face contorted with a maddening shriek.

With a swift flick of his wrist, the Hive prince raised his sword. Without wasting a second, Crota swung. His terrifying might was at full display.

Faster than sound, his sword strike cleaved the lunar surface, tearing towards Void. Facing impending doom, Void released the Shadowshot.

A dreadful Onyx arrow cut through the air, instantly colliding against the surging sword strike. Light and dark rushed to the devour the other, but their collision which should have resulted in a turbulent eruption simply fizzled out.

'He matched that power with one swing?' Void's eyes widened, Crota's power... it was far more frightening than he could imagine.

Crota and Void locked eyes once more. He could feel that the Hive prince was curious about Ahamkara's power. Something the prince had never seen before.

'He wants it' Void's eyes narrowed, his breath quickened. Void glanced around, whatever spell Crota had used was broken. The guardians were no longer bound by darkness.

The first to move were a group of elite titans. It was pure instinct.

"Protect the others!"

Those were the only words Void heard, and chaos ensued. Twelve titans rushed towards Crota, seeking to slow him down.

But the Hive were not so easily stopped. Crota's roar shook his army. Thralls and Knights leapt towards the front. It was an all out war with nothing to spare. In mere moments, a cataclysmic disaster had engulfed Hellmouth.

Shaxx watched as Crota reaped the light from one titan after another. No matter what they did, he was simply too strong.

The Hive prince marched towards the centre, with each step he took, a hundred souls perished. With each swing, he reaped their light, devouring it to strengthen his own soul.

As Crota marched, hundreds rushed in with only one goal, to buy time.

Shaxx stood, facing the destruction, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth. His hammer burned ever brighter, just as he was about to charge in, a hand clasped his shoulder.

"Lord Shaxx! We must retreat, its not possible without you!" Void pulled the titan back.

Shaxx let go of his grudge, his duty was far more important than revenge. The city needed him.

"I will gather the Vanguard, get the team and maintain a defence line!" Shaxx barked, rushing towards Zavala's direction.

Void bolted through the chaos, with a snap of his fingers, all remote smoke mines detonated creating a fog barrier.

"Run through the smoke! Now!" Void bellowed, a purple fog swiftly spread across the field aiding in their retreat.

His eyes lingered at the ones who'd chosen to fight Crota, a bitter gleam flashed in his eyes.

Across the battlefield, Shaxx charged towards the south line, towards Ikorra. But with their powers restored, the Vanguard was already retaliating in full force.

Ikorra flew towards the sky, lightning danced on her fingers. As she channelled her light, a bright thunderstorm engulfed the battlefield, smiting the Hive's army. Zavala took the exact opposite approach, conjuring a titanic shielding dome. As all hell broke loose, he sought to defend what was left.

Unlike them, Cayde chose to embrace the chaos altogether. His squad of bombardiers and rocketeers refused to back down. Aiming at the Hive prince and his Knights, they constantly shot out explosives.

Shaxx rushed inside Zavala's barrier, helping carry the injured towards safety, "Call the retreat. We've got no time to waste!"

"Zavala, do it! Tell the warlocks to rush to the back!" Ikorra continued channelling her lightning.

Zavala grit his teeth, holding the barrier steady with both hands. "All guardians, this is Vanguard Commander. Ordering a full retreat now! Warlocks, get to the back! Everyone else, cover the retreat! The City needs us to survive, we cannot fail here!"

The sudden command sent waves of guardians to the back. Though they Knights and thralls were on their tail, with the aid of the spreading fog, their retreat was obscured.

But the threat wasn't over.

In the minutes that had passed, hundreds had lost their lives to Crota. The world-breaker was far too vicious of an enemy. He marched ahead, ruthlessly massacring any ill fated to stand in his way.

Mowing through hundreds of light-bearers, Crota drew on their souls to replenish his sword logic. The strange power he consumed from them, it was enticing. The Hive prince had decided that he would not let a single soul escape.

Yet, as Crota took another step forward, a lightning bolt came thundering down. From within, came a fierce warrior. She single-handedly pushed back the Knights.

A jade cong on her wrist reverberated as she punched out, her strikes erupting with lightning. Finally, she faced the world-breaker. Her eyes carried an unbridled rage.

Crota could feel the purity of her soul, that was exactly what he was looking for. A suitable target to devour. He sauntered towards her as she spoke words he didn't care to comprehend.

"I challenge you." Wei Ning barked, her voice leaden. She couldn't allow more to be destroyed.

Away from the battle, Void despaired as he spotted Crota approaching Wei Ning. He knew exactly what was to come. It wasn't something he could allow to happen. He immediately dashed towards her.

But then, an ominous sensation pricked his sixth sense. Void shuddered.

----

[Lunar Horizon]

As the grim battle raged on, a stealth jumpship quietly soared above the Ocean of Storms.

Toland quietly surveyed the battle, "Hundreds dead, I guess you were right."

"My analysis is never wrong" Guren nodded.

"I suppose its time we join the fray." Toland caressed his runic journal. An eerie and wretched power rested within it.

"Where will it happen?" Guren mused.

Toland looked on the battlefield, his eyes glimmering as he spotted a few familiar faces. He hummed a peculiar melody.

"How about we finish where we left off?" His eyes burned with a wretched gleam.

===

 

[Writers-Ablood]

---

Void flickered, shooting towards Wei with frightening speed. A terrifying omen weighed on his heart, akin to an augury of doom. His thoughts raced.

'Is it Crota?' Void's face darkened, an uncertainty stirred in his chest. His figure materialized, gripping his blade, Void stood beside Wei.

"Get back, this isn't your fight." Wei noticed his presence and snapped with a sharp glare.

"It's not yours either. Join the retreat, there's still time." Void pleaded, his eyes lingered on the Hive prince.

Crota sauntered towards them, dragging along his heretical sabre. Viridian flames danced around the blade as it dug into the lunar surface.

"I can't do that."

Wei's light surged, a jolt danced around her fingers and lightning coiled around her arms. She punched, and a turbulent storm thundered towards the Hive prince.

Crota roared, and with a savage strike, crushed the lightning. Facing his flames, the storm trembled. Raw power coursed through her veins, and Wei charged by hurling another cyclone towards him.

Void unsheathed his sword and immediately poured his light into the blade.

A second later, Crota broke through the tempest, thrusting his dreadful sabre towards Wei. But just as it grazed her, a lilac light flickered and Void's blade parried his own.

As their swords clashed, Crota easily overpowered the hunter, flinging him away. Void dug his blade into the ground, barely grinding to a halt, "We can't win!" he barked.

"I know." Wei charged again, her fists collided with Crota's crystalline Sabre. With shear strength, she forced the Hive prince half a step back. But as the viridian flames flared, Wei felt her light being burned away.

Void instantly clicked his wrist, his comms connecting to the Nightstalker's private channel. "Code red, if you've got spare hands, shoot this way."

The comms buzzed, and a strained voice replied, "You bastard, we're fully booked, but I'll cut you a deal. Sit tight." Levi spoke through panting breaths.

The Hive prince acted with frightening speed, thrusting his dreadful Sabre forwards. But moments before it reached Wei, a lilac light flickered, Void's blade clashed with the heretical sabre.

Before Crota could pull back, Wei jostled with lightning and threw another punch- Thunder roared and a storm struck the Hive prince, but he did not falter. With a savage swing, Crota flung Wei backwards. Instantly, he raised his sabre, slamming it above Void's head.

Void grit his teeth and sliced above to parry, but as sword and sabre clashed, a terrifying force came crashing down, forcing him to his knees. Void's arms shook as he desperately gripped the hilt of sword.

Crota's viridian flames danced over Void ready to burn his soul to cinders. Void spat out blood and struggled to escape, but Crota's sabre easily pushed him down.

Tearing through the skies, a Shadowshot flew towards Crota. Sensing its corrosive light, Crota redirected his fire above. Pillars of flame slithered and collided with the it swallowing it whole.

At that instant, Crota lost sight of Void and the latter's figure scattered into haze. The Shadowshot's unstable energy erupted with a bright flash, pushing everything back.

Shockwaves scattered and Void flickered beside Wei. He was battered and bruised, with a necrotic energy eating away at his strength.

"Are you planning to die here? Leave!" Wei barked stumbling to her feet, Crota's sabre had dug into her skin, leaving her panting for breaths.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Void stayed down, hoping to gather his strength. His eyes darted around the battlefield. The smokescreens he placed had lingered, allowing the retreating guardians time to recoup.

Just ahead of the retreat, the frontline was filled with hundreds that faced the army to buy time. But with the rejuvenated Hive army fiercely attacking them, their frontline would soon crumble.

Yet in this situation, keeping Crota occupied for a few minutes was the most he could ever do for the city. He knew Wei could not bear that burden alone.

Then, a cold shiver ran down his spine. Void's eyes widened and he yanked Wei down.

"Duck!"

A vicious gale swept across, tearing through the dust clouds. Crota had just cleaved through the eruption. Void's eyes narrowed, "He's not playing around anymore."

He could sense Crota's patience growing thin. Right now, brewing within the prince's malefic soul, Void could see it , a terrifying desire to kill.

Void shakily got to his feet. "Don't let that blade touch you. " His eyes were glued to Crota's sabre. The viridian flames retreated from Crota's figure and wickedly danced around his blade.

Wei pursed her lips, observing Void's courage, she was flustered. A young guardian was giving it his all, just to survive. So why had she lost hope? No, she couldn't afford to let him down.

She tapped her communicator twice and the Praxic Fire's channel lit up. Wei looked ahead, Crota's malevolent killing intent had condensed into the world. The Hive prince lifted his sabre.

That was all she saw.

Crota took a step forward. A single step, that left everything in ruin. Immediately appearing ahead, his sabre loomed above their heads. He swung and a fiendish storm descended towards them, ripping the horizon apart.

Void jerked forwards, preparing to swing but Wei threw him to the side. Her Jade Cong trembled with lightning as her fist collided head on with the sabre.

Necrotic flames ate away at her arms but she refused to let go. With each passing second, Wei struggled under the sabre's weight, her feet dug into the soil.

"Reinforcements will come in a bit, we just need... to hold him back." Wei panted, her fingers gripped the sabre's edge.

Void writhed in pain, a necrotic rot gripped his soul. Watching Wei struggle to hold back Crota's blade, Void came to a dreadful realization. He couldn't muster even a single ounce of light.

'Zamyr, is this the end you saw?' A strange thought bloomed in Void's mind. With a swift flick, Void discarded his sheath. If this was the end, he'd go down fighting.

~Do it now. Use it.~ The Ahamkara's whispers echoed and the ring stirred awake.

Void grabbed the fragment hanging around his neck. As if possessed, its crude markings shimmered. The fragment began eating away at the necrotic flames and a bright light pulsed from its core, momentarily stunning Crota.

[Traveler's Blessing activated! Time remaining: 30 seconds]

The sudden burst of light chased away the dark, filling Void and Wei with brimming light.

Facing the light, his wretched soul shivered. Crota's presence faltered, for the first time, his overbearing sword logic faced an entity it could not devour, a light it could not extinguish.

Wei's strength returned, and lightning danced to her tune. The sabre bounced off her figure as a thunderbolt erupted from within her. Immense light flowed through her as she shot towards the Hive prince.

Crota condensed a malefic ball of energy in his palm, with a flick of his wrist, the energy burst forth, colliding with Wei head on, it forced her to her knees.

[Time remaining: 29 seconds]

Void raised his sword overhead, its edge lined with a sharp lilac light.

-Clank-

A crushing strike violently cleaved through the air clashing with Crota's sabre, just as his sword strike was devoured by the sabre, Void flickered ahead.

Overpowering Crota's energy, Wei rose to her feet, charging towards him. Crota immediately raised his hand, and a malefic and fiery hail rained upon them. Void weaved through them, zipping towards the prince while Wei summoned a storm to smite the Hive prince.

Their swords clashed again. Without his tyrannical presence, Crota could not suppress the light. This time, Void's light had reached him, barely grazing his skin. Then, Wei's thunder struck and a pillar of lightning engulfed him.

But they knew it wasn't enough. Despite his suppressed powers, Crota was no weakling. Wrestling through the storm, he unleashed his sword logic, erasing the very concept of lightning.

Once again, the Hive prince had merely suffered a graze.

[Time remaining: 28 seconds]

Void summoned Zamyr's will and clashed against the sabre again, but despite the Ahamkara's power, Crota's sword logic could not be overturned. When their blades clashed again, Void was thrown back.

Taking advantage of the gap, Wei darted, lightning coiled around her arms. She threw hundreds of punches as uncountable shockwaves collided with Crota, each managing to stall him just a little.

[Time remaining: 27 seconds]

Void's eyes widened as he felt a familiar aura, he turned to spot a thunderbolt racing towards him. An instant later, Sai mota appeared. The two only shared a glance, but she had already grasped the situation.

Without a word, Sai Mota had joined the fray. Her lethal arc daggers barely chipping away the prince's crystalline skin.

As Void, Sai and Wei clashed with the eater of hope, the Hive prince fought with a mad frenzy, managing to dominate the three guardians.

[Time remaining: 26 seconds]

But then, a flaming meteor came crashing down and Eriana emerged with fiery wings, her flame bolstered their strength further. She joined the three in trying to suppress Crota, her fire dyed the horizon a golden hue.

As a song of fire resounded in the battlefield, four guardians raced against time to stop the world-breaker. Each second more precious than the last. Giving it his all, only one message lingered in front of Void's eyes.

[Time remaining: 25 seconds]

===

 

[Writers-Ablood]

----

[Time remaining: 25 seconds]

Four guardians raced to stall the worldbreaker, but the Hive prince had realized their intentions.

He roared, fire pouring from his blade as he swung. Crota's sabre cleaved through stone and space, tearing the lunar surface apart. His wicked viridian embers danced, twisting into a turbulent tempest that erupted forwards.

Then the winds howled, corrupted with Crota's Oversoul. It howled and trembled with the voices of devoured worlds, all eventually condensing into a tide.

[Time remaining: 24 seconds]

The timer ticked but the world had slowed down. Void's light flared.

He could see it, he could see everything. The ruinous emerald fire eating away at the ground, the monstrous tides storming towards him, and Crota's Oversoul that burned bright, akin to a corrupted star in a malignant sky.

Void tensed, a frightening pressure erupted from within him. At this instant, every fibre in his being was trying its hardest to push his body past the limit.

His heart pounded and blood rushed his veins. Gripping his blade, Void drew in a sharp breath.

'There's no time'

His eyes settled on the Hive prince, as if aware, the gears of time turned ever so slightly. He could see the approaching tide.

'Faster, I need to be faster'

His feet dug into the ground. A faint azure glow shimmered in his eyes. Void flickered.

'Faster than I've ever been.'

He exploded forward, racing against time itself. His form vanished, the afterimage of his light streaking azure and lilac across the battlefield.

-Clink-

Void swung. A wave of azure light traced his blade, his sword met the tempest head-on. But he felt it instantly. He knew the difference between him and a Hive prince.

A crushing pressure followed, if he crumbled now, Crota's Oversoul would swallow everything whole. As the world weighed on his shoulders, Void grit his teeth.

He would not fail here.

[Time remaining: 23 seconds]

"Watch your back!" Sai barked, arcs jolted through her. She tugged on lightning and raced towards the tide. Right at that instant, the skies rumbled, and Wei raised her fist coalescing the turbulent clouds into a quivering star.

The titan bellowed, beckoning thunder, and the star descended, wrapping around her wrist. Wei clenched her fist, a storm cloud swirled around her arm.

"Move now!" Wei bellowed, her voice a storm itself as she hurled the quivering star into the tide. The impact was blinding, a flash of thunder and light.

Void's hands trembled, the lightning seemed to affect him. As the storm thundered closer, he dragged his sword across the tide, gathering light into himself and flickered away.

Like an eruption, the corrupted winds clashed with the thunderstorm. But it wasn't over. Sai sped up, flicking her wrist and dragging lightning into her palms. With a swift leap the huntress fashioned lightning into a staff, spinning it in the air.

Sai twirled the staff in her arms, and aimed towards the heart of the tide. Her light surged, her grip tightened. The next instant, she flung the staff, it shot towards the erupting tides, piercing through them.

A malevolent maelstrom of thunder and fire broke out, scorching and scarring the barren moon dust. As the tremors settled a crater emerged, carved into the lunar surface.

Beyond it, wisps of fog merged and spat Void out to the ground. Panting, he struggled to his feet, his eyes glued to the battlefield searching for Crota. The battle wasn't over– It couldn't be.

Embers sparked beside him, an instant later, they scattered to reveal Eriana. Her flaming wings a soothing warmth. The warlock waved her hand and a healing rift surged open.

"Be careful," she said softly, her voice steady despite the crumbling world around her. The words were simple, but the weight behind them gave Void pause. He nodded, drawing strength from her presence.

[Time remaining: 19 Seconds]

Void hurriedly glanced at the timer, "He won't be like this for long. 19 seconds before Crota regains his powers."

Hundreds of questions raced in her mind, but for now, Eriana chose to trust the young hunter before him. Whatever the cause, they could not waste this opportunity.

"Zavala's ordered the retreat, the backline is secured." Eriana confirmed.

Here gaze shifted to the battlefield. Behind her, titans held the Hive army at bay while warlocks gathered at the edge of the field, their portals beginning to shimmer with light. Hope flickered in her eyes.

"I understand." Void heaved a breath, stumbling forwards. His hands quivered, a jolt arced between his fingers. A subtle reaction that didn't go unseen.

Eriana stuttered, she was sure of what she'd seen, "Void, your light…"

"I know." Void crept closer to the crater, his aura flickered, shifting between lilac and blue.

He sensed Sai and Wei's light, relieved that they were ready to continue. But where was Crota?

Had he retreated? No that wasn't possible, Void turned towards the sky. The corrupted star flashed bright, tendrils of necrotic fire flared in the horizon.

Above it all, a lone Sabre hung in the sky and it juddered.

[Time remaining: 17 seconds]

"Get ready" Void said, his voice steeling. Sai and Wei appeared beside him, their lights burning fiercely. Together, they turned their eyes skyward.

A seam of the world became undone, and Crota emerged from its gaping maw, brimming with power. The Hive prince raised his hand, and his blade answered. Just then, Crota flicked his hand down.

The Sabre shook, plunging towards the surface. As the calamitous blade descended towards them, Sai and Wei shot towards the sky, channeling their light they raced to deflect it.

Void saw the sabre falling towards them. His hands shimmering with arcs slowly brushing his blade as he sheathed it. A faint memory of Pahanin's technique flashed in his mind, soon mixing with his own imagination.

He could do it. No, he had to do it.

-Clink-

[New Subclass Unlocked! : Bladedancer]

Void's light shifted, a brilliant blue overtaking him, he looked up and swung, racing towards the sky like a thunderbolt as he appeared beside Sai and Wei. The three thunderbolts seemed to merge as they clashed with the prince's sabre

As thunder once again clashed against the Oversoul, the horizon tore at its seams.

[Time remaining: 16 seconds]

----

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Lightning danced across the sky, scattering light like shards of a shattered blue star. Thunder cracked, its deafening roar seemed to tear at the fiery seams of the horizon.

A tremor shook the battlefield, blue lightning flashed and Crota's crystalline sabre was blasted from the air, its cries reverberating as it powerlessly slunk back to its master's hands.

The clouds trembled and thunder struck the ground in a violent arc, spitting Void, Sai, and Wei onto the moon's battered surface. An instant later, Eriana's fire enveloped them, her healing warmth a fleeting respite.

[Time remaining: 16 seconds]

A storm brewed above, Sai raised her hand and beckoned. A bolt struck her palm and the huntress gripped the searing arc, molding it into a staff. Her cold eyes gauged Void, an imperceptible sense of disbelief and awe present in her gaze.

Words jumbled in her throat, followed by a sudden spell of unease. As if the storm within her mirrored the one above.

Her instincts screamed.

A jolt ran through her. Sai jerked to the right and Crota's sabre whistled past. Its burning edge slicing inches away from her neck. Her figure surged with lightning, Sai flickered. Her gaze darting till she spotted the Hive prince. With a swift flick of her wrist, the huntress hurled the staff and it exploded forwards.

Like a bolt of fury.

But even as her attack surged, the sabre that had missed her began to tremble. Like a puppet on unseen strings, and when a malevolent will tugged, it turned.

[Time Remaining: 15 Seconds]

Void drew in a breath, his lungs burned. His eyes flared a blue sheen. His mind focused, and the world froze.

He saw the instant the sabre's trajectory twisted, its burning edge turning towards Sai. A dark power radiated from it, wanting to pierce through her.

As each moment stretched to an eternity, the sabre blazed a viridian trail tearing through the air.

The timer ticked. [Time Remaining: 14 Seconds]

Void tried to move, at least he willed his body to obey, but it refused. Muscles convulsed in pain, his legs screamed in protest. The sabre loomed in front him, its searing edges so close he could feel the embers boil his skin as it glided past.

[Warning!: Status Condition (Lightning Overdraft) User is overwhelmed by lightning!]

[Warning!: Status Condition (Lightning Overdraft)]

His heart sunk, panic pounded in his chest, his body trembled under its own weight, and that's when he realized it. Unbeknownst to him, his light had pushed him too far.

'Move!' Void screamed internally.

Then a jolt flashed, like a crack of thunder and a brilliant blue shot past him.

'Wei!'

Her hand caught the edge of the sabre, Wei gripped it with all her strength. Sparks erupted as her Cong clashed against the Viridian fire. For an instant, the blade grinded to a halt.

But then its fire flared.

Wei's fingers cracked and crumbled, the metal on her gauntlets melted away. Lightning coursed through her veins, barely shielding her.

"Not today!" Wei growled.

[Time remaining: 13 Seconds]

As her knees buckled, Wei's light surged like a tempest. She drove her other fist into the flat edge of the sabre, the sheer force of her blow sent shockwaves rippling outwards. Yet the sabre didn't shatter.

Violently struggling in her grasp, the sabre burned through her fingers, eating away at her flesh as if alive, and as her light faltered for an instant, it wrenched free flinging her into the ground.

Crota loomed in the distance. Stretching from his Oversoul, tendrils of corrupted energy wrapped around Sai's staff, suspending it as it dissolved. The hive prince raised his hand, and the sabre flew to him with a sickening hum.

[Time remaining: 12 Seconds]

Crota's form began to blur, the edges of his figure melting into tendrils of shadow that slithered across the ground. The air chilled, a low hum of malevolence accompanying his vanishing act

The battlefield twisted, an unnatural darkness flooded above, staining the lunar skies, akin to ink on a dry canvas. Crota apparated, his towering figure punctuated by the eerie sea of darkness gathering below his feet.

When the four guardians raised their heads, the shrill cries of wailing souls within the dark tide echoed in their ears.

[Time remaining: 11 Seconds]

The Hive prince lowered his hand, blood curdling screams resounded, and an ocean of black came crashing down.

Eriana watched as an overwhelming darkness descended on them. Faint embers fizzled around her robe. Her fiery wings flared, and her frail arms weakly reached towards the horizon. She channelled her light.

Nestled in her palms, embers sputtered, giving life to fire.

A fire that formed into ferocious red serpents that rose from the barren ground, slithering as they shot towards the horizon. The serpents grew tall, straightening into radiant pillars that held back the dark.

With a sea of darkness weighing on her shoulders, the warlock barked.

"I can't hold it for long, scatter!"

[Time Remaining: 10 Seconds]

Her command was absolute. Sai darted left, arcs of lightning trailing her movements as she sought cover. Wei bolted, her fists glowing faintly as she prepared to strike again. Void stumbled, his body screaming in protest, but he forced himself to keep moving, adrenaline surging through his veins.

[Warning!: Status Condition (Lightning Overdraft)]

Void witnessed Eriana's flame struggling to hold back the dark, but with his own light working against him, he felt powerless. Void watched as the dark sea threatened to consume him, its tides wrestling against Eriana's fire.

'Powerless...' The word struck him. Void chuckled. It was true, he was powerless. Facing the strongest enemy he'd ever encountered, at the most critical junction, and just when he needed himself the most. He had fallen short.

A bitter pang resonated in his chest. 'So what if he lacked power?'

Was he supposed to roll over and accept his fate? No. That wasn't it. If all he needed was power, he would just borrow it.

'System, claim the roulette ticket'

[Claiming 1x Store Roulette Ticket]

....

[Spinning the wheel !]

A transparent blue screen popped to his right, at its centre was a large wheel. At each spoke, was a name, etched in bright light, brandishing its own hue. As the wheel spun, Void waited with bated breaths.

[Time Remaining: 9 Seconds]

The wheel slowly grinded to a halt, its pointer clicking along the spokes. When it finally came to a stop.

[Obtained 1x Character Card (Sai Mota) Lightning Waltz : For one minute, a coat of lightning envelopes you, Blade dancer abilities are enhanced ! ]

'Use it'

A crackle of thunder resounded, the card on the screen shattered into arcs and combined with his body. Lightning surged in his veins. He looked up, Eriana's pillars were beginning to crumble. The warlock was brought to her knees, her fire flickered.

Void stepped forward.

***

Eriana felt the weight of the world crashing down on her, and as Crota's dark tides consumed her fire, she felt inexplicable fear. Her breaths quickened, she forced her light to burn brighter, but she knew it was futile.

She watched in horror as her pillars buckled, and the dark horizon moved to swallow her. Thoughts raced in her mind. 'Sai and Wei, they've taken cover.' She was sure they'd continue the fight. But as she recalled Void being unable to move, she could only hope he'd made it out.

The dark sea was inches above her, she could hear the wretched and vile screams resonating from within. Any moment, and it would consume her too. Perhaps she would be among the forlorn souls fated to be trapped within Crota's blighted shadows.

But she'd played her part. In the end, that was all that mattered.

[Time remaining: 8 Seconds]

Lightning crackled, a blue spectre raced towards her.

Eriana turned with an anxious gaze. 'Sai?' Had the huntress come back to try and save her?. She panicked, her lips parted, she had to warn her to escape!

'No, it's not her. Then...it couldn't be!'

Void shot towards her, squeezing every ounce of light in his veins. Just as the dark enveloped her, Void dashed in, tore through the tides, and grabbed the warlock.

Before Eriana could even comprehend what happened, Void slung her over his shoulder, and darted. But the tides seemed to collapse around them. Eriana could not see a way out, she tried to summon her fire, but her light was too weak.

Then she heard it.

"Zamyr! Push it back!" Void barked.

[Time remaining: 7 Seconds]

The dark tides rushed towards them from all sides. But then, a ghastly presence seeped into Void's light. Unlike anything Eriana had seen before.

She recognized it, that phantasmal force.

As the tides closed in, Eriana saw an Ahamkara's claw rest on Void's shoulder. The spectral wish dragon coiled around Void's back, rearing its head towards Crota. At that instant, a clash of true transcendents took place.

The wish dragon displayed its might, expending the souls its blade had claimed to wrestle the forces of the world against the hive prince. Crota's shadows withered, reeling back to their master's embrace, much to the prince's surprise.

As all came to an end, Void's sword stirred.

~I have done what I can, we shall meet again. O Brother mine.~

Zamyr vanished.

[Time remaining: 6 Seconds]

Void and Eriana heaved in heavy breaths. Crota still flew over them, but the Hive prince seemed oddly consumed by his own shadow. Perhaps, unable to understand what had happened.

"Calling all forces! We've secured our Retreat! Portals are up, main ground forces have retreated! Pull back now!" Ikorra's voice buzzed on the common channel,

Instantly, Void and the others were filled with vigour. Leaving the Hive prince flabbergasted, the four guardians bolted towards the backlines.

With the portals in sight everyone sighed in relief. A squad of warlocks led by Ikorra was rushing everyone in. All tertiary squads had pulled back from the frontier. At a glance, Void could see the Nightstalkers were further away, still posted up on sentry.

Seeing as they had managed to hold back Crota, the other squads had ensured the Hive's armies failed in sabotaging their retreat.

This was the end, he'd made it. He'd single handed changed the course of the timeline.

He had succeeded.

***

In a Jumpship teetering above the ocean of storms, Toland hummed a grim melody. His gaze locked on to a peculiar Nightstalker. He'd seen the new guardian perform miracles. The hunter had pushed back the dark, and wrestled against the Hive ascendant. Toland knew of what Crota really was, and he was in awe.

'How did he do it?' The old warlock chuckled.

Now, as Void rushed towards the retreat. Toland felt bemused. His fingers caressed the journal in his hands, slowly flipping to another page. He'd watched as the war slowly came to an end, and Toland had loved every moment of it. What he'd learned from the Hive, was nothing less than a treasure.

Now, perhaps it was finally time to use it. One last puzzle, that the war would help him solve. Though he had expected far more casualties. This much, was still acceptable. The warlock fingers traced the runes he'd carved into his Journal.

Toland spoke. Not word, nor phrase. Neither eye or ear could perceive it.

And then, the runes glowed.

===

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Toland spoke. No words. No sound. Neither eye nor ear could perceive it. Then the runes glowed.

A cold gale swept across the barren plains, and an eerie thrum reverberated—low, resonant, inescapable, rooting them in place.

Void faltered. He was inches from the portal when a gelid chill slithered up his spine. The hymn echoed. Soft at first, then rising—spindly notes threading through bone, weaving into mind.

It beckoned.

A viridian brume rolled over the horizon, stitching the fractures in space like an old wound. Ghastly reflections stirred within.

Void's sixth sense screamed. His hand shot to his blade. But the sword, stripped of its souls, robbed of its voice was nothing more than a dull fang against the mysterious Hive magic.

It was too late.

Everything stalled.

The air folded. The world paused. And then they came. A cohort of Hive Wizards descended. Their robes burned with fiendish fire, their voices humming a wretched melody—a song that peeled the soul itself.

Their wretched melody swelled, layering over itself in discordant echoes, and the air hitched, choking every heart with an unseen pressure. Void's vision blurred, he saw as the cohort of hive wizards, pale and ghastly, stretched open their mouths.

A fiendish hue engulfed the world, their voice grew louder, and then life began to unravel, akin to a frayed string stretched thin. The death song, had begun.

Void's vision blurred. The song was not heard—it was felt, etched into marrow, slithering through the gaps between ones thoughts.

Mercy, was not in its nature. The death song, It was not a weapon—it was an extinction event, an antithesis to the symphony of life itself. As its echoes cascaded down the lunar plains, even the wretched Hive army reeled.

No soul could survive oblivion.

The Guardians staggered.

Some screamed. Others whispered incoherently. Many simply dropped to their knees. Their Light frayed at the edges, worn thin by sound alone. Their bodies convulsed as the Deathsong's magic coiled around their cores like a serpent tightening its grip.

Void dropped to his knees, and strained against it—every breath a battle.

All around him, the trance deepened. Guardians stood frozen, glazed eyes wide and unseeing. The light in their chests flickered.

Watching it all from above, Crota loomed over the Horizon. The Deathsong reverberated, its echoes rushing past him. The Hive prince watched, impassive. The fight was ending. Whatever miracle the Guardians had hoped to bring, it had withered.

Crota's eyes dimmed. The battle bored him now.

With a ripple of darkness, his figure flickered—and vanished.

The battlefield was left to the song.

----

As it all came crumbling down. One spark cut through its oppressive haze.

A rich violet light flared, shimmering against the Deathsong. Defying the melody of death itself, Ikorra stepped forward. Eyes ablaze with unrestrained vigour. Her light couldn't overpower the song. At most, it was akin to lighting a torch within a blizzard.

Perhaps futile. But its warmth could not be suppressed.

"You will not take us."

Ikorra's Light swelled as she spoke, as it spread, one by one guardians broke free from their trance. As warlocks that followed her voice began to weave counter-spells, within seconds, thousands of guardians were freed.

The trance fractured. But the Deathsong continued, oblivion could not be stopped. With no choice left, the warlocks immediately summoned portals leading back to the colony ship.

"Heed my words, retreat now!" Ikorra barked, wielding her light she managed to keep them all lucid.

As guardians retreated in droves, Void got back up, his eyes darted beyond the ridge as he spotted them. The Nightstalkers.

Too far from Ikorra's light, and still within the song's grasp. He could see it, they were fading. Void glanced at his status.

[Lightning Waltz: (40 Seconds Remaining)]

His lightning card was still active. It was his only lifeline. He clenched his fists, and a brilliant coat of lightning enveloped him it wasn't enough to completely suppress the song, but with Ikorra's light still in his system he would be fine. As he stepped forward, a sudden voice caught his attention.

Just behind him, a portal flared, the others were calling him back. He took one look at them, but didn't hesitate.

Void shot towards the ridge.

----

Darkness bled into the corners of Tevis's vision.

He staggered, one hand braced against the rugged lunar canyon, the other clutched his bow, its shine dimming with each breath. As the song coiled tighter, his eyes burned. He could feel it, deep within him, his soul was struggling to keep up.

He looked around, Levi knelt beside him, venomous fangs sinking into his spirit. Bandit, flat on his back, his lips parted as he echoed a silent scream. Cory stood tall, but his body began to rot, slowly crumbling to dust.

The song wasn't just a trance, it wasn't just a melody. It was something far more sinister, akin to drowning in open air.

Tevis wrestled against an overwhelming darkness fighting to pollute his soul. Each breath he took was a herculean effort, and as the song clouded his spirit, he felt himself beginning to blur.

But something in him said, it wasn't his time.

'No, not yet.'

Call it instinct, but Tevis listened. He couldn't fall, not now. He grit his teeth, searching for the last embers, searching for himself. If he was to go, he wouldn't die kneeling.

Then, something tore across the field. From beyond the ridge, past the veil of viridian brume.

A blue spectre.

It was fast, desperate, but most of all, familiar.

Darting through the viridian brume, the spectre left a ghost trail behind him, almost as he himself was a mirage.

Tevis blinked once, his mind was in a haze, and then realization struck him.

"Void..." It was the faintest whisper, perhaps barely a murmur compared to the song that threatened to consume them. But the moment he uttered the word, there was hope, as if life itself clung to him.

He was coming.

The others saw it too. They stirred faintly, their souls clung to the moment and thin cracks formed in their trance.

He bolted across the canyon, arc flaring beneath his feet, light surging around his frame. A healing grenade glinted in his palm.

He skidded beside Tevis, grabbed his shoulder—eyes locking for just an instant.

And then the Light surged.

It hit like lightning. Tevis gasped, clarity flooding his veins. As Void turned, the grenade burst—waves of healing light rolling over the Nightstalkers.

The trance shattered.

As light finally coursed through their veins, the Nightstalkers got to their feet and the squad assembled. They were bruised and battered, no words were spoken yet, but one thing was clear. Their hunt wasn't over.

All eyes shifted to the Deathsingers looming above their heads.

Void's hand hovered over his blade, an arc jolted through his palm as he unsheathed the sword. There was no ghastly presence, no Ahamkara to rely on. For a moment, it was just him, and he would make it count.

A blue sheen spread across its edge.

"You dog, you had me worried." Levi chuckled, a dark bow manifesting in his hand.

"Where's the backup?" Bandit heaved, playing with his daggers.

Void raised his sword, "Retreating. It's just us."

"For now." Tevis's eyes narrowed as he triggered his distress signal.

"Fighting to survive, not a bad way to go out." Cory limped, clutching an ashen arm, his light was back, but the song had succeeded in poisoning his body.

Void stomped, and with a flash of light, he jolted upwards. As his blade reached the wizards, two Shadowshots cut past him, restraining the Deathsinger. With a vicious stab Void tore one, and swiped towards the next.

But the Deathsong reacted, a sonic boom erupted flinging Void backwards. Void tumbled, and Cory kicked off, a shadowy tendril replacing his lost arm, it wrapped around Void's ankle swinging him back up.

Void raised his sword and cleaved downwards, but the next verse of the song surged.

The blade's edge struck air, met with an unseen barrier and its backlash cracked the sky shooting Void down again.

Crashing into the canyon's wall, Void dug his blade into the rock as he continued to fall. Arc light flickered, and a dust storm kicked up around him.

Falling to the floor, he gasped, the wind knocked out of him.

The Deathsong still surged—thick, suffocating. His Light crackled faintly, but he felt it... fraying. Flickering. Failing.

The Deathsinger he had killed had simply rewoven its existence.

Their light wasn't enough to kill what was dead, he needed something more. Something stronger.

As the wizards wailed, the song's suppression struck them all, pushing them into the ground

Void grit his teeth. Then, he remembered. A last resort. A weapon not of Light… but of fire. Of war. Sheathing his blade, Void pulled a rustic javelin from his inventory.

{ Using Valkyrie Prototype }

The air around him shimmered. As he channelled his strength, and the Valkyrie prototyp synchronized with his visor.

---

" WARNING: Valkyrie Prototype CORE UNSTABLE. "

"DETONATION IMMINENT!""IGNITION AUTHORIZED.""GLORY TO THE WARMIND."

---

He held it with both hands and rose slowly.

"What the hell is that?" Levi asked, stepping back.

The Deathsingers shrieked again, and the next verse echoed, threatening to rupture the sky. Cory flinched—his shadow tendril recoiled. Bandit cursed under his breath.

The javelin lit up—crimson at first, then golden, a miniature sun in his hand. Sparks trailed behind him as he marched straight into the cohort of wizards.

"Cover me."

He didn't wait.

He ran.

The Deathsong reached its peak, a vortex of banshee screams and psionic pressure. A sonic wave slammed toward him. Void thrusted forward, the Valkyrie flaring. Plasma met corruption.

The javelin held, but barely. Hive magic pushed back, gnawing at the weapon's core. Another verse. Another shriek. Another wave.

Void was struck again—lifted, hurled—yet he kept moving, kept swinging. Every blow a shockwave, every step a defiance.

The Valkyrie was incomplete. A prototype, barely stable. It sparked violently now, overloading. Still, he fought. Strike after strike.

Tevis's communicator shimmered, and Ikorra sheared through the viridian brume. Watching as Void contested the Deathsong, she created one final portal to the colony ship.

"Go!" She urged.

The Nightstalkers obeyed. One by one they limped or sprinted toward it. Tevis hesitated, but even he knew—they were spent.

"Void!" Ikorra called.

He turned, just in time to see the others disappear. The Deathsong erupted with another verse.

He parried. Barely. The Valkyrie flared—unstable now, whining with pressure. The wave launched him into the air.

Ikorra raised her hand—her eyes blazing with command.

With a crack of Light, she snatched him mid-air with telekinesis, yanking him toward her.

As Void flew toward the portal—he made one final choice.

He hurled the Valkyrie behind him.

The javelin spun once—then detonated and the portal snapped shut.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

The moon burned. Not with fire, but with song.

As the Deathsong reached its final crescendo, a terrifying sonic wave tore through the lunar crust. Its devastating tremors faintly lingered in the hearts of the guardians as they watched from the colony ships.

On the lunar surface, hive magic flooded like a dark tide of ichor staining everything in its path. Everyone watched, as only ash and dust remained.

Inside the ships, battered and weary guardians slumped against the walls, falling flat on the floor. For a moment, there was silence. Many heaved short ragged breaths, while others blankly stared at their feet, lost in thought, as if still in a trance.

Some remained hopeful, glad that they had survived a war. But some were distraught, their sunken eyes wandered, stopping at each sullen face, praying they'd recognize a soul or two.

But as the minutes passed, a grim and mortifying reality settled in. That perhaps those not present, would never be seen again.

Moments later, the thrusters flared, and one by one the colony ships broke away from the ruined moon, routing back to earth. Their engines glowed against a backdrop of ash.

It was a long, quiet and bleak ride back home.

---

[ Earth, Tower]

The colony ships docked at the hangar, and as the gates fell open. Hundreds of guardians dragged themselves out. Among them were those that silently wailed, those that doggedly checked for other survivors, those that hung their heads low, and those that looked to the skies, basked in light of the Traveler, and questioned everything they had ever known.

No one spoke, there was nothing to say.

When the people of the City saw what had become of their heroes—those once hailed as humanity's champions, beings of courage, of fire, of Light—they were shaken.

The Tower, once alive with motion and chatter, fell still. For the first time in a long while… there was no hustle, no bustle.

Only silence.

Only sorrow.

The last bastion of humanity grieved and there was no one left to guide them through it.

Soon, the crowds dispersed. The Guardians carried out their wounded—hundreds poisoned by the Deathsong, their bodies rotting from the inside out, their spirits barely holding on. Every squad converged, tending to the injured with desperate urgency.

Tevis stood to watch as his squad was carried off, almost everyone was in critical shape. But during all this, only Bandit had noticed that Void was nowhere to be seen.

The day bled into night.

Survivors gathered in dim-lit circles. They spoke names, shared stories, passed around weapons and trinkets left behind—tokens to commemorate those they feared they'd forget.

The city was choked with a hollow silence, and through it, grief became its only solace.

---

As the city mourned, Void walked alone—his cloak brushing against crumbling stone, his steps muted in the back alleys.

He wandered in silence, until the noise of the Tower faded behind him, and all that remained was the wind. Eventually, he found himself at the city's edge.

Whatever had happened… it was strange. Unsettlingly strange.

His instincts itched with unease. He could feel it crawling beneath his skin, whispering something he hadn't yet pieced together. He focused—and then, it came rushing back.

He recalled how he ran from Crota. His body remembered each step, each breath, each glance he spared. He recalled the chill just as he was inches away from the portal.

That chill—he'd felt it before. It begged the question, what had truly transpired?

Void furrowed his brow.

If the Hive planned to use the Deathsingers, why bother chasing them down? Why send an army at all?

Most of all, if that was their plan, why did Crota appear? Void knew that the timeline was in disarray. He had already expected something new on the moon. In fact, his very presence was an element no one considered. So why had it gone this way? Why, was it exactly when he had let his guard down?

That was the problem. It was too precise.

These questions loomed in his mind. But slowly, as he unearthed the cause, Void paused.

What he had arrived at, was an unsettling and unnerving answer. An answer he wasn't prepared to face.

He had experienced that chill once before, and now only one name came to mind.

'Toland.'

The old warlock was crazy and obsessed, but Void did not think he was willing to go this far. At least, not at this scale. Even in the original timeline, Toland was the core for every Hive discovery. Without his journals and knowledge, the City would know nothing.

But if it was, as he thought. Void grit his teeth. He turned to glance back at the City—its lights dim under the Traveler's watchful eye.

Then his timeline was utterly twisted, and he had no choice but to set it straight. Void clutched his sword and made up his mind.

"Obsidian," he said lowly. "Where does the City store its old records?"

The Ghost blinked into view, humming softly. "Records are stored by timeline. Depending on the era, you're looking at either the Warlock archives or the Vanguard's personal logs."

"Recent operatives. Decommissioned personnel. Start there."

"The Vanguard quarter, then. But it's locked down."

"Can you get in?"

Obsidian pulsed. "With all eyes on the Courtyard? Won't be a problem."

"Good."

Void turned from the city's edge. As he stepped forward, he vanished into shadow.

---

[Vanguard Quarters]

Buried deep within the Tower's labyrinth, the Vanguard's personal floor was less an office and more a bunker. Reinforced walls. Surveillance arrays humming in every shadow. Under normal conditions, it was impenetrable.

But the Lunar War had cracked more than just the Moon.

Void prowled through the corridor, little more than a shimmer. A green laser gate loomed ahead, pulsing faintly. His form flickered, fading near invisible as Obsidian spliced the field—just enough of a hiccup to let him slip past undetected.

The door to the main chamber whirred open with a low groan.

Inside, a vast conference hall stretched before him. One side anchored by a holo-interface. The other: the city's primary control console, its presence like a silent sentinel.

Void's gaze narrowed.

He approached the console without a sound, Obsidian hovering in sync. A soft chime echoed as the Ghost interfaced, blinking in low pulses as encryption dissolved. Lines of names bled across the screen—thousands, maybe more.

But Void's search was precise.

Toland.

He found the file buried beneath decommissioned tags and restricted keys. As he accessed it, the console projected lines of text, diagrams, field notes—enough to fill a lifetime. More than a lifetime.

Research spanning centuries. Patterns drawn in madness. Obsessions inked in secrecy. Encounters with the Hive that felt too intentional. Too rehearsed.

None of it mattered. Not now.

Not until the entries shifted—highlighted data flagged from the time of Toland's exile. Final communications. Classified sites. Probable hideouts.

Void leaned in. He tapped for extraction—and the screen blinked red.

"Obsidian." His brows furrowed.

"Already on it." The ghost replied, "System's not corrupted, its just that the data seems to have recently been taken off grid."

Void's brow twitched. "How recently?"

"No timestamps. Whoever scrubbed it used the Central console. No logs left behind."

Void clenched his jaw. "Backups?"

Obsidian nodded, "But it would take hours to scour the City's backup archives for such a small file. In that period, security will be back to normal."

With his last lead lost, Void felt frustrated. A bitter rage built up within him, he should have seen it coming.

But then—movement.

Void jerked around, only to find a ripple in the shadows.

Across the table, a figure emerged from within like ink from a bottle. "Looking for something?"

"Bandit?" Void froze, a few seconds passed as he stared Bandit down, neither said another word. A sullen silence, akin to a frayed wire, stretched between them. Finally, Void heaved a sigh.

"If you know what I'm doing, don't try to stop me." Void shook his head, ready to leave the room.

Bandit let out a dry chuckle, the kind that sounded like it hurt more than it healed. Perhaps the war still lingered behind his eyes. He glanced at Void, his dour gaze lingering for just a few seconds till he finally looked away.

"Stop you?" His clenched his fist then shuffled his fingers, an encrypted data disc appeared in his hand.

"You seem to have the wrong idea." He replied. With a flick of his wrist he tossed the disc, it flipped and landed on Void's palm.

"Take it." Bandit turned to leave, but then he paused half-turned, silhouetted against the soft blue glow of the holo-console. "We both know what needs to be done."

"But don't forget....you're not alone."

Their eyes met. Then there was silence, but also a mutual weight. A trust built upon unspoken words. A belief cemented by what they had experienced.

Void nodded.

Moments later, a lone Jumpship subtly took off from the hangar, broke through the clouds and vanished into the horizon.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[Mumbai Push]

In a grotto beneath the overgrown quagmire of Mumbai, nestled within the heart of its concrete labyrinthine, Toland traipsed about—A long and winding trail of archaic scrolls swirled behind him, dancing as he flicked his wrist.

The cave stirred in rhythm with his steps. Crudely carved Hive runes glowed, etched in mid air by the swirling scrolls.

"Such agony." Toland mumbled, not to himself but to the cave, "Such power."

He paused before an altar of bones, Toland snapped his fingers and the Hive runes pulsed. Then, his hand hovered over a grimoire, and the book trembled, as if reluctant to be chosen.

"I heard it." He spoke, his voice low, quivering with veneration. "The Deathsong, it was more than just a symphony."

His eyes narrowed, the gears turned in his head as more grimoires were summoned to the altar. "It was an ode to power. A poem for the ascendants. Despite being immortals, we were weak. We could not bare to comprehend its beauty."

Toland's hand shook as he etched his memory onto the grimoires. Then, he raised both arms, and the pages scattered, violently swarming around him.

As he stood at the centre, Toland caressed the altar, and it pulsed. His eyes widened with awe, as he saw a faint thread connecting each page.

"I see...." The pages seemed to converge as the verses of the song reconnected. When Toland read it, he understood that he had finally unearthed the true essence of the song.

"An invitation, to shed mortality, to embrace power, true power. To live, and die by the logic of the sword."

As reality dawned on him, Toland stepped back in reverence, soaking it all in. Then his ghost, Guren appeared by his side.

"Have you figured it out?"

The old warlock chuckled, "Yes, yes. Soon, I will join their ranks Guren. The ranks of those with true power."

Guren nodded, "I am with you. My only regret is that I might not live to see you triumph", the ghost was aware that if Toland embraced what he sought, the warlock's soul would no longer be bound to his light.

Toland didn't answer. He was already staring past him, toward the mouth of the tunnel.

Something shifted.

"Incoming." Guren's eye pulsed.

"Heading here?" Toland asked, though he already knew.

"Yes. Trajectory's direct. It's not a scouting pass."

"How many are there?"

"Just one ship." Guren replied, "Shall I engage defences?"

Toland paused, he waved as the all Grimoires returned to their shelves and the Hive runes turned to dust.

"No need." The old warlock had already guessed who it was. The fact that he was coming alone, represented a lucrative opportunity. A chance to add on to his experimental collection.

"If the city wanted us gone, we'd no longer have our light. But if its him, perhaps we stand to benefit from his arrogance." Toland smiled.

--

[Surface of the Quagmire, Mumbai Push]

A lone Jumpship zoomed through the moss covered spires, its thrusters flared and steam coiled into the monsoon air as the ship landed softly.

Void transmatted out with Obsidian flickered beside him.

Then a faint tremor ran through the ground.

"You felt that?" Obsidian shifted, scanning the perimeter.

Void nodded and placed his palms on the ground, he tensed as his eyes turned azure to observe the flow of energy, "We're close."

"I'll try tracking traces of light-"

"No. He's not trying to hide." Void's eyes narrowed, he could see it. Traces of Hive magic lingered in the air, in the distance was a collection of illusions and traps crafted solely to lure and confuse victims.

But Void could see through all the smoke and mirrors. Despite placing a plethora of traps, Toland hadn't tried to mask his presence.

'Rather..' As he walked, his skin stung from faint waves of magic almost akin to a lullaby, 'Almost as if he wants to be found.'

Void looked towards the source of the berceuse, a grotto hidden behind lush jungle vines, surrounded by spalled concrete towers. Void took a step forward, and vanished.

---

[Inside the Grotto]

Void's figure reappeared in the mouth of the cave, stitching together from splintered shadows.

As he went deeper, Void paused.

'The air...'

It was still and heavy, far too heavy. Laced with a scent of ash, bones and something older, something sinister.

Void stepped forward, his boots crunched against the mossy floor. The cavern's walls were soft to the touch, tracing his fingers along he could feel the remnants of crude carvings almost akin to scars on a mutilated corpse.

Faint whispers reminiscent of the song echoed.

Venturing deeper into the cave, something shifted, Void's sixth sense flared.

Deftly jerking to the right, Void dodged a spike shooting from the wall. Suddenly, the walls began to melt, Hive runes glowed faintly. Countless tendrils emerged from the ground, shooting towards Void's body.

Void flickered, weaving through the maze of tendrils, he swiped his blade across the runes and sliced through them. The tendrils burned to ash as the runes broke. His blade stirred eating away at the weak magic.

He sheathed his blade and sauntered into the dark, unfazed by whatever lay ahead. After all, a Nightstalker proved lethal in the shadows.

Clearing traps one after the other, Void moved till the walls pulsed with green veins stretched thin across the rock. He heard the lullaby again, the further he went, the louder it got. Each step closer stung, but it didn't deter him.

Void could feel the thudding in his bones as the waves reverberated against the silent cavern. Then, he slowed his steps. His senses sharpened.

There were no more traps, no more illusions, just him and stillness. But it was dense, moving through it was akin to wading deep waters.

Void could see a faint seam in the rocks, 'This must be the end.'

Determined, he scattered into shadows, reappearing on the other side. Then he saw him.

Toland.

The warlock sat on a stone pedestal, holding an archaic grimoire as he recited from it. His voice quivered as he reached the crescendo, but then their eyes met, and Toland smiled.

The lullaby stopped, the runes froze and the grimoire flew from his hand. A low hum reverberated into the ground, and the cavern fell silent, as if it had finally stopped trembling.

"You recognize these verses, don't you?" Toland chuckled.

Void didn't answer.

"Ah! Perhaps not, you were too busy trying to fight it. How unfortunate." Toland heaved a sigh as he lightly tapped his forehead and laughed.

Slowly, his voice dropped lower, and he continued. "So what brings you here?"

Void's voice was cold, "You triggered it didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Toland was calm, then his smile faded. " Maybe you're still jaded from the war. I did hear about the casualties, I was entirely heartbroken."

Void's fingers curled into a fist. He stepped closer.

"Hundreds lost their lives. You crippled their mind, body and spirit. Is that all you wish to say?"

"All I did was study the Hive. Relentlessly, not from Orbit, not from safety, but from within. I stood where they stood. I saw what they saw. Now, I understand what they do. Is that what you accuse me for?" Toland's voice softened as he sounded wistful.

"You'll pay for this."

A silence followed.

Then, Void walked forward. The shadows behind him surged violently as he launched forward, blade already unsheathed. Toland raised his hand—runes flared to life coiling into a dark tide.

Void swiped his sword, shearing through it. He jolted to the side, flickering above Toland, sword covered in arc as he cleaved downward. But Toland raised his arm, and the soft cavern rock stirred to life.

Pillars emerged from underneath him, shielding the blow. The next second, Toland flicked his wrist, the walls slammed into Void.

The Nightstalker swung, crushing the walls to pieces. Instantly, Toland clasped his hands together, and the rubble shot back at Void.

He flickered, darting and weaving through a storm of rocks. His foot planted into the ground, and Void shot forward, his blade at Toland's neck. But just before he cut through, Toland swiped, and the ceiling came crashing down, forcing Void to flicker away.

Before the Dust settled, Void vanished in a flicker of shadowstep.

Toland cleared the room, the cavern lit with sickly runelight as he raised both hands and summoned a storm of crackling symbols. They whirled like knives and descended but there was no sign of Void.

The Nightstalker prowled in the dark, shooting forward he reappeared behind Toland with a swipe of his sword. But the warlock warped away, as Void's foot touched the ground a glyph triggered that lashed out like a spiderweb, ensnaring Void's foot and burying him into the rock.

Runes flared to life, encasing Void in a prison of psionic glyphs. With Void in his grasp, Toland sneered.

"Predictable."

Void struggled, but the glyph's tightened. There was no escape.

"You were always so interesting, always so mysterious. But your arrogance brought you here." Toland chuckled.

"Guren." Toland spoke, "Void, you had potential. Alas, I suppose you'll be more use to me now."

Light pulsed and his Ghost appeared beside him, "Begin preparation for extraction. We'll need to leave soon."

"Running away already?" Void scorned.

Toland raised a brow, "Getting restless? Your anger won't get you anywhere now. You shouldn't have come alone."

Void's lips curled into a smile, "That's the thing, I was never alone."

Unbeknownst to Toland, he had committed a grave mistake in front of a hunter. A ripple surged across the cave—quiet at first, like a heartbeat in the dark. Then the shadows shivered.

Toland blinked. "What—?"

A blur erupted from behind Guren, Bandit plunged an onyx dagger into the Ghost's core. Sparks flickered, and with a soft crack, its shell fell apart.

"No!" Toland scrambled, but before he could react, Void twisted, the blades on his armor shearing through the glyphs with ease.

He leapt, slamming Toland with a kick, flinging the warlock into the wall with a thud.

Panting, Toland slumped. His hands shook, blood trickling from his mouth. Without his Ghost, without the Light—he was mortal. Weak. Defenseless.

Void stood over him, blade drawn, pulse steady.

"Didn't I tell you? You'll pay for this."

Toland coughed, "So you know how to act. Quite the scheming weasel."

Void leaned closer, his foot crushing Toland's hand, "Your anger is meaningless. It's your own arrogance that brought you here."

But Toland wasn't shaken, "You think this is victory? You lost the moment you came here."

Before Void could reply, Bandit spoke up, "Void—we've got incoming. City ships. Looks like Praxic. He tipped them off."

Toland grinned weakly. "The moment we started the fight, I sent a partial recording. Now that you've done this, they won't let you go Void. You don't understand, in their eyes, you've just committed the greatest sin."

A long silence followed.

Then Void turned to Bandit. "Get out of here."

Bandit hesitated. "Void—"

"Now."

Bandit reluctantly vanished into shadow.

Void turned back to Toland. "You sent out a message," he said coldly. "So here's mine."

He drove the blade through Toland's heart. The warlock gasped. Then fell silent.

As Void stepped back, the shadows receded. But the silence didn't last. Moments later, a golden flare of Light cracked and split the roof of the grotto. The Praxic Fire was here.

Boots hit the ground. Aunor stood before him, flanked by warlocks and titans, their weapons drawn.

She looked down at the body, then up at Void, and then to the broken ghost shell beside his feet. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Void.....What have you done."

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[ Tower, Last City]

Engines roared low and a ship descended into the Hangar, its thrusters sputtered as it landed hard.

The hatch flung open.

Void stepped out, arms locked in magnetic restraints, his blade confiscated. His cloak dragged along like a receding shadow.

He didn't struggle.

Surrounding him in tight formation were four fully armed Praxic Fire guardians, the grim reality of the situation cast a dark pall on their faces. The escort marched across the hangar, towards the Praxic Fire's isolation cells.

But as they walked through the Courtyard, the Tower paused. All those that had gathered to mourn were perplexed. Their eyes shifted between the Praxic Fire and Void. The crowds shifted as the Guardians got to their feet, murmurs spread amongst them.

Their small circles combined into a wave that approached the escorting officers. The moment they saw Void in restraints, their eyes burned with rage. To the survivors, Void had single-handedly flipped the tides of war.

He was among the ones who had risked their lives against Crota for the possibility of retreat. The ones who stood at the forefront. The ones who had fought tooth and nail came hell or dark tides.

There no was doubt in their hearts, he was a hero.

As the Praxic Fire realised the shifting sentiments, Aunor rushed the escort team towards the elevators. But she was too late.

The crowds surged forward.

Voices rose and names were called. Some in disbelief, some in range, and others in defiance.

"Let him go!"

"You dog bastards!"

"Do you know who that is?"

A young arc strider lunged from the side, darting through the crowds, he leapt across with his dagger aimed at the magnetic restraints. Two Praxic guards flickered, slamming him down mid-air.

As he hit the ground hard, the Hunter grunted. "You owe him your lives, you dogs!" he barked.

At his words, the Praxic guards flinched. Shame settled in their silence.

Then, the crowd's voice rose—angry, confused, rising like a wave.

Aunor stepped forward, her coat sweeping behind her as she raised a hand. Her voice cut through the noise like a blade through cloth.

"Stand down!" she thundered.

"By the old City accords, Void is under arrest. A Consensus trial will be conducted. Any Guardian who interferes will be charged as an accomplice."

The crowd faltered.

"This matter," she continued, eyes scanning the gathered Guardians, "is sealed under Vanguard authority."

With that, she turned, and the escort resumed its march toward the gate.

Void walked on, undisturbed. His steps were quiet, steady. Not a single glance back. As the sun crested the horizon, his shadow stretched ahead of him—long, dark, and unyielding.

At the gates, the elevator doors slid open with a low hiss. Aunor stepped inside. Two guards flanked Void. The others formed a protective wall.

Aunor turned to glance at the dispersing crowd. Then she looked at Void—his face was blank, his gaze unreadable. He entered the lift without a word.

As the doors sealed shut, the hangar began to clear. But the image lingered—burned into the minds of those who had watched it unfold. Today would not be forgotten.

---

[Praxic Fire, Isolation Cells]

Underneath the Courtyard, the escort walked down a dark corridor, dim lit by neon blue strips. Each wall intricately armed with sensors and turrets.

Void's footsteps echoed softly. He glanced around, only to find empty cells lining the halls. The escort stopped in front of a solid tungsten door.

The heavy door hissed open, revealing a small isolation cell lined with stone. He silently stepped inside, and raised his hands.

Aunor shot him a glance, reached out, and swiped a key over his restraints. The magnetic binds unlocked and fell to the floor.

"You made this harder than it needed to be." She said quietly, "You could've told us what happened."

Void finally flashed a smirk, glancing over his shoulder, "Would you have listened?"

Aunor frowned and pursed her lips, "Your weapons will be confiscated until the trial."

She turned to leave, "Do you have anything else to declare?"

But Void didn't answer.

The door slid shut, and two guards remained at its perimeter.

The last thing Void heard were the gears turning as the place was locked inside out.

---

[Vanguard Quarters]

Screens flickered, and the lights dimmed. The air in the Tower had changed. It was tense, almost at the verge of breaking.

Aunor stood before the Holo table, her Ghost replayed a video the Praxic Fire had received.

Zavala leaned over the table and his jaw tightened. Ikorra frowned and crossed her arms. Cayde leaned back, one boot on the table.

Then the hologram flared to life.

Toland's voice echoed.

"So what brings you here?"

Void's reply was sharp, "You triggered it didn't you?"

The old warlock frowned and his smile faded, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The Vanguard watched as their conversation continued, the tensions rose. But then Void walked up, his fingers curled into a fist.

What happened next was a blur. All they saw was shadowy figure surging towards Toland with a blade, as the battle began the feed ended.

Aunor stepped forward.

"That's all we received from Toland."

Zavala's eyes didn't move from the hologram, "And after?"

Aunor's eyes narrowed, "Void refused to cooperate. He denies nothing, but offers nothing either."

"He's hiding something?" Ikorra retorted, "But why?" The warlock fell silent and contemplated.

"Was it revenge? For what Toland did during the scouting mission?" Ikorra frowned.

Zavala shook his head, "No. He's not that reckless. He wouldn't act for just that reason."

"Maybe he found more." Cayde muttered and sat up. "I've heard about his work. I know the missions he took, what he achieved. In fact, we all do."

"He's neither a blood crazed killed, nor a madman. He's a hunter. One that doesn't move without a purpose."

He paused.

Cayde heaved a sigh as he tapped the table, "Toland wasn't exactly a saint."

Ikorra's brows furrowed, "You're saying it was premeditated?"

"I am saying there's a story we don't know."

Zavala looked between the two with a stiff face, "Then we find the rest."

The titan pressed a button on his wrist, "Summon the Consensus."

-----

[Praxic Fire, Control Room]

The shadows trembled, they were afraid.

As the officers looked around, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Yet they could feel something closing in. Something, dangerous.

The gates stirred, then an onyx shadow burst into the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tevis barked, "You arrest my guardian, march him through the Courtyard and throw him in lockdown?"

A gale rushed through the room as all stood on guard.

"Stand down Tevis, do you know where you are?" Aunor pointed her gun at him.

"I do." His voice turned low. Tevis turned towards Eriana, Sai and Wei. The three guardians were injured and still recovering from the war.

Tevis scoffed. "I know that he risked his life to save your people. Yet you repay him with a trial? What grand crime did he commit?"

Aunor clenched her jaw, " Whatever he did, its under the Vanguard's jurisdiction."

"Still keeping your secrets? I can find it out myself." Tevis turned to leave.

"He killed him." Aunor spat out, "Toland, that freak. He's gone."

The words struck Tevis, the hunter paused.

"You don't mean?"

"Forever, no coming back."

Tevis looked over his shoulder, "Proof?"

"Saw his shattered ghost and his dead body with my own eyes. Your guardian stabbed him through the heart. That enough for you?" The warlock lowered her weapon.

"He's not one to kill in cold blood." Tevis shook his head, "Where did you put him?"

----

[Isolation Cells]

Soft footsteps echoed as a figure walked across the hall. When he reached the last cell, two guards raised their hand.

The man tossed a green token in the air and flickered closer, "F*ck off."

The guards paused, inspecting the token with great caution. A minute later the two moved further down the hall.

Inside his Isolated cell, Void sensed the man's arrival.

"Didn't think you'd be the first to visit." He chuckled lightly.

Levi coughed and wheezed, as if a disease clung to his lungs, "You dog, this is what happens when you do stupid shi* without me."

"For someone on death's door, you're as arrogant as ever." Void sighed, "The song really did do a number on you."

"And you're as big of a dumbass as I remember." Levi leaned closer to the door, he could faintly make out Void's calm breaths.

"You're taking it better than I expected." He nodded.

"Of course. But how'd you get in here? Thought the place was on lockdown." Void shrugged lazily.

"Captain got a token from the Praxic for visits. Though he's a bit busy with the shi* storm you cooked up."

"Can't be helped, I knew it'd create some waves." Void replied, he wasn't remorseful for what he'd done.

Levi paused, "Thanks, for what you did for us."

"I didn't do it just for you." Void retorted.

"I know." Levi smiled, but then he pressed his lips together. "Your trials been decided."

"Gotta hand it to them, they made quite a swift decision"

Levi held back a cough as he bit his cheek, "Don't get your hopes up, trial is in a few days. They're waiting for the city to settle down. War hit us hard, you know it."

Then, Levi glanced towards the guards, making sure he wasn't being heard. He leaned closer to the door, and spoke in a faint whisper, "So what's the plan? You breaking out? Need a distraction?"

Void paused, the gears turned in his head, "No, not yet anyway. I need some time. Tell the captain to stretch the trial. I need to think this through."

Levi nodded, then he whistled to the guards and the two shuffled back into place. As the Nightstalker left, the hall once again fell silent.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Days passed.

Within the isolation cell, Void waited calmly. His arms rested on his knees, as he braced his back against the wall. His eyes were dull, lost in thought.

The faint humming of the Tower's power grid was his only companion. He didn't count time in seconds, minutes our hours but pulses. As each pulse passed, his thoughts raced. It wasn't exaggeration to say that Void had replayed his actions a hundred times.

He wasn't remorseful but disappointed. Toland's existence, though a wicked and fickle one still supported the City's efforts in the future. Without someone like him, the City would never uncover the Hive's secrets.

Reality was bitter. He'd killed Toland in cold blood, and the warlock had earned his death. Yet after his demise, Void's thoughts couldn't help but spiral. He felt uneasy, burdened with the knowledge of the future, he knew Toland's role.

He grimaced.

He had shattered the timeline with his own hands. And still, he suspected it might not matter at all. The timeline already showed deviations—as if reality itself were a fractured mirror, his presence among its shards. Perhaps he had become that very deviation. All he could do now was adapt.

"It doesn't matter," he thought. "I stopped the massacre on the Moon. The timeline had to shift."

His role had saved Wei Ning, prevented the legendary six-man fireteam from raiding Hellmouth, and spared Eriana and Sai the need for relentless vengeance. Eris would not be captured by the Hive, and Toland would never become the Shattered.

Void looked up. A flicker of uncertain hope shone in his eyes—a stubborn glimmer that nothing was set in stone. The future terrified him, yet his defiant resolve had grown. From this moment on, he would forge his own path.

His fingers curled into a fist, and the shadows in the cell trembled in sympathy. With a thud, Void slammed his fist into the wall, shaking the floor beneath him.

The cell door rattled as guards hesitantly forced it open, weapons trained on him. "What are you doing?!" one barked.

Void remained unmoved—his voice a low murmur in the dark as their eyes met. The guards recoiled, shame flickering in their gaze.

Void dusted off his hand and said, "Tell the Nightstalker Captain to pay me a visit."

A guard hesitated. "W-what? That's impossible—Aunor has strict orders against additional visitations."

"It wasn't a request," Void replied coldly.

----

[Consensus Hall]

The main hall was dim, the light drawn inward, focused on the projection at the centre. A grainy replay flickered in front of the Vanguard and the assembled representatives.

The video showed Void entering the cavern, confronting Toland.

It showed their voices rise, their Light clash.

Then it cut.

The moment the battle broke out, the feed ruptured.

A hushed murmur rippled through the chamber.

"Why hasn't he spoken for himself?" one of the Factions asked.

"Because he doesn't trust us," A warlock spoke, he looked to the side and his eyes narrowed. "Maybe he's right not to."

A Titan from the Praxic order spoke then. "Void executed a warlock without authorization. That's the law."

"But Toland wasn't just a warlock," someone else cut in. "He was a rogue scholar obsessed with Hive death rituals. If the City had paid more attention to his experiments, he wouldn't even be alive."

"So you say that the City holds the right to execute anyone whose values don't align?" A warlock scoffed.

"Please, Toland wasn't a saint. As far as I'm concerned, he probably deserved it. Besides, punishing a war hero right now would just be foolish." A hunter chimed in.

"Do merits overshadow faults? Since when is there a pardon for murder just because he performed his duty as a guardian?" A titan spoke up.

"So what? You'd rather he be punished for upholding the values of the light? The Light is a power bestowed upon us, whoever cannot honour it must face consequences." Another titan barked.

Ikorra watched, arms crossed. She said nothing, but her thoughts moved quickly. She had seen the same cracks, the same missing pieces. The same strangeness in the Choir's behavior before the strike.

Cayde's voice cut through the tension, "Toland played with things no one should have. Void may have broken protocol—but maybe protocol needed breaking."

Zavala didn't respond. His eyes remained on the projection, jaw set.

Reluctantly, the Consensus called for the final trial to proceed. The chamber fell quiet.

----

[A Few Hours Later]

Tevis leaned casually against the door. "Heard you asked for me? Gave the boys quite a scare."

Void simply shrugged. "I was polite."

Tevis nodded slowly. "We've got good company trying to stretch out your trial. Shaxx and the Crucible are on our side too—probably earning you a day or two. But Consensus wants to get to the bottom of this."

He paused, then muttered, "So do I. What really happened…" His eyes narrowed.

"You deserve an answer, and so does everyone else," Void replied. He tapped his transponder, and a blob of light shimmered inside the isolation cell. In its glow, Obsidian materialized.

"Show it to him."

Obsidian's eye pulsed, and the video began to play. Tevis had seen the cut from Toland's ghost before, but Void had kept the full footage.

As the images flickered across the cell's dim light, it was clear: Toland had been planning all along. He feigned ignorance until the moment Void attacked—almost as if he'd expected it.

Void paused.

"Toland was there. He was watching, listening."

"I had Obsidian scan the books you saw floating around," Void said. "He etched the Song into its pages—carved an understanding of Hive magic into his core. At the cost of a thousand lives."

He paused, the memory tasted bitter.

"There's only one way he could've done that."

Tevis's jaw tightened. "You don't mean…"

"He's done it before," Void scoffed. "Back during the first scouting mission. Claimed it was a mistake. They tossed him out for it." His voice hardened. "But he never stopped. He perfected it. And when we let our guard down—he struck."

Tevis's hand curled into a fist. "Whatever you did… it was right. If I'd known—maybe I would've done the same.

"With this much evidence, you should be able to convince the Consensus. Why haven't you said anything?"

Void let out a long breath, leaning back against the cold wall. He raised a knuckle and tapped lightly on the steel plate behind him.

"When I first came in, I wanted to. No—I was eager to."

"Was?" Tevis arched a brow.

Void closed his eyes, voice low. "Things changed. Being in here… alone with my thoughts for days—it forced me to face some things. Harsh truths. I know what needs to be done now. Even if I don't like it."

A grimace twitched across his face.

Tevis studied him silently. Then shook his head. "Forging your own path, huh? Guess it was about time you entered your rebellious phase."

"Yeah, well—not everyone's a relic from the Dark Age," Void muttered.

The Nightstalker chuckled. "Easy there. But if you're so sure… what's the holdup? You scared?"

Void didn't answer at first. His gaze drifted upward.

"No," he said at last. "Not scared. Just… hesitant."

Tevis nodded, the humour fading from his features. "Big step."

"It is."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I've got most of it worked out. But I need a favour." Void looked him in the eye. "I need to talk to Ikorra."

Tevis paused. "That's… tricky. But I'll make it happen."

"What's the plan, exactly?"

Void's eyes sharpened. "It's not that complicated."

---

The guards straightened as Ikorra approached, her presence enough to silence the corridor.

With a simple flick of her hand, the cell door hissed open.

She stepped inside, her gaze sharp and unreadable. The door sealed shut behind her.

"I heard you wanted to talk," she said.

Void remained seated on the stone bench, his arms resting on his knees. "Since you actually showed up," he replied, "looks like I'm not the only one."

Ikorra studied him, unmoving. "You're… a strange one, Void. If I sifted through every Guardian I've met, every fighter, every fool, every legend — I still wouldn't find another like you."

She folded her arms.

"You're gifted. Exceptionally so. Even Osiris was unable to see through the Hive like you do. But that makes you… volatile."

Void nodded, unflinching. "I know. Isn't that why you've been watching me?"

Ikorra's eyes narrowed slightly—just enough to betray her surprise.

Ikorra took a slow breath, then stepped deeper into the cell. "How long have you known?"

Void didn't look up. "Long enough."

She studied him, her expression unreadable. "Not even the Hidden knew you'd caught on."

Ikorra's silence spoke volumes.

"You weren't just observing," he said. "You were evaluating. Waiting to see what I'd become."

Ikorra's voice came quieter now. "I was trying to protect the City."

"I know," Void said. He looked up, eyes steady. "So was I"

Ikorra's eyes hardened. "But you killed a Guardian. Destroyed a Ghost. You crossed a line no one was meant to."

"Spare me your Ideals" Void grimaced, " He wasn't a Guardian anymore. Just a monster that followed his wretched desires in the name of knowledge."

A silence hung between them.

kora studied him. "You really believe it was justice."

"I believe," Void said, stepping forward, "that if we rely only on the City's laws to protect us from what's out there… we'll die in silence."

She said nothing.

"Why tell me all this?" Ikorra questioned.

Void paused, "Because I plan to leave."

"So you are running."

"No." He shook his head. "I'm not running. I'm choosing. I chose when I ended Toland. And I'd choose it again."

He tapped his wrist, and a holo-file appeared — the missing footage. The pieces Toland cut, buried, reshaped.

As she scanned her communicator, Ikorra recognized the missing pieces from Toland's video.

"This…" she murmured, "this could exonerate you. This could prove what really happened."

Void didn't speak.

"With this much evidence," Ikorra said, almost accusingly, "you could sway the Consensus. The Vanguard would stand with you. We could quiet the dissenters."

Still, Void said nothing.

Ikorra stepped closer, lowering her voice, her tone rough around the edges now.

"Why leave?" she asked. "Why walk away when you could finally be seen for what you are?"

Void's fingers tapped against the slab. Slow. Measured. Then—

"I'm not leaving because I'm guilty. I'm leaving because I'm finally free of it. "

Then he looked right at her, or perhaps through her, Ikorra couldn't tell, for the first time, Ikorra felt like the weight in his eyes mirrored her own.

"At first, I thought I needed the City to defend humanity. That I had to follow its rules. But now I see… the City serves its own survival. It chooses comfort. Order. Delay."

His voice quieted further.

"Toland was a rot. He used the laws you serve to shield himself. He bent your hesitation into his armour."

His shadow seeming longer now, darker against the floor.

"I killed Toland." He was unfazed, "I killed him, because he chose to gamble with the lives of thousands. I killed him, because I knew the city wouldn't. I hold no guilt Ikorra and if it happens again, I won't hesitate."

Ikorra looked at him for a long while.

She asked, finally.

"What do you need me to do?"

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[Consensus Hall]
The room was draped in silence.

Sunlight filtered in through the stained glass, painting the room red. Then, every eye in the chamber turned as the heavy doors rattled.

Void walked in, flanked by two Praxic Fire guards, restrained with magnetic cuffs. His eyes darted across the room, scanning every face present. Eventually, his gaze settled on the light cage at the centre- He could see his blade encased within.

Whispers rippled through the Consensus, some shifted in their seats with unease, others were stiff-backed but wary. Zavala sat like an iron statue, his expression unreadable, beside him was Ikorra, her arms rested on the table as she watched Void's every move.

Cayde sat a few inches away from the Vanguard, teetering on the edge of mixing in with the Hunter squads. His eyes followed Void while he stood waiting to be called.
Eventually the whispers died down, and The Speaker emerged from his room. He scanned the crowd, faintly pausing at Void and then he walked to the centre of the hall.
"Is everyone present in this room?" His voice echoed, the speaker looked to Zavala who nodded, "Then let us begin this Consensus trial."

"What are the charges against the accused?"

Aunor stood from her seat and approached the centre, with a swipe of her hand Toland's video played, "From the video we have reasonable proof that Void attacked Toland. The old warlock sent out a distress call to the Praxic Fire."

The crowd listened with bated breaths.

Then, Aunor frowned, "But when we reached, all we found were a shattered ghost and the warlocks body. Void's sword was lodged in Toland's chest. We have six eye witnesses". Six Praxic Fire guardians stood at her call, and then sat back down. Everyone in the hall had acknowledged their presence.

The Speaker's eyes narrowed, he nodded and gestured Aunor to be seated.

"What of the accused? What do you have to say?" He looked to Void.

Before Void could speak, Shaxx stood up. A murmur spread through the room, the air tensed. Then, Tevis stood at this side. It wasn't long before countless guardians did the same. They all looked towards the Speaker.

"Shaxx, Tevis. I can hear your discontent" The Speaker's voice was light as he faced the two senior guardians.

The warlord crossed his arms, "Before the trial goes any further, there is something I must say. It is, of utmost importance."

Several guards had surrounded Shaxx, but the Speaker waved them off and invited the warlord to the centre, "Please, voice your thoughts."

Shaxx eased up, but his voice seemed troubled. He spoke low, "When the war was at its worst, when everything seemed to go wrong. When the mighty had fallen, when our champions were slain and...when the sky came crumbling down."

Shaxx paused.
His eyes drifted to Void, the hunter flashed him a faint smile.

"When we were at our lowest. Void was the sole reason we kept going. He risked his life against the Hive to secure our retreat. Without him, many of us would not be standing here."

The room fell silent, a sombre lull gripped the hearts of those seated.

"Perhaps...even I wouldn't." Shaxx spoke, his voice coming to a rest.

Tevis chimed in, "I can say the same. And I know many of you would too". He looked at the guardians in the hall.

"I understand. To deny Void his achievements would be unfair. The City is undoubtedly indebted to him." The Speaker continued, "But the matter at hand, remains unchanged. The shattering of Toland's ghost, and his murder remain unexplained."

The Speaker directed Shaxx and Tevis to their seats, "The trial will continue. Before we discuss further, does the accused wish to address the room?"

Void sauntered forward. He moved, like a shadow given shape. The magnetic cuffs around his wrists hummed. His footsteps were measured, deliberate. As he walked to the centre of the room, the sunlight simply brushed past him, as if he was a phantom.

He was unfazed, his gaze was unreadable, and his spirit unbreakable. He walked as if he was the one to deliver judgement.
He stopped. Looked at the Speaker. Then at the Vanguard. Then at all of them.
Without a word, he jerked his arms apart—crack—the cuffs split and hit the ground.

The room froze.

A surge of energy pushed outward, just enough to make people flinch.

Void raised his hands slowly.

Instantly, a dozen guards drew their weapons, Hunters rose with their guns in hand, Warlocks tensed, ready to blast the hall to kingdom come. Cold sweat ran down their spines.

"Thank you all, for gathering at such a short notice." Void rubbed his wrists.

Ikorra sighed, and then raised her hand. The room seemed to settle.

Void chuckled, "Please, sit down, I have no intention of hurting any of you, for now."

His words caused some to smirk, others recalled Toland's video and shuddered and some simply felt a lump in their throat.

"Continue your talk Void. Don't keep us waiting." The Speaker calmly reminded.

"Of course" Void paused. He glanced around, addressing everyone in the room.

"I killed Toland. That much is true."

Murmurs ran through the chamber, Zavala frowned, Shaxx stood motionless.

Void looked towards the static field, his blade shimmered inside. He could feel it calling to him.

Then, a warlock from the crowd stood and huffed, "So you admit your crime? Is that all?"

Void's eyes turned dark, his voice was low. "Crime?" He raised a hand, and Obsidian played the full video. The holographic footage lit up the dim room.
It showed everything.

How Toland had taunted him, how Toland had hummed the Deathsong. Void gestured, countless holographic pictures spread across the room. Scans of Toland's Hive Journals. His research, his thoughts. His experiments.

The Consensus was gripped with a horrifying silence. What was all this? They had known Toland was an outlier. They had known he was obsessed. But what they saw was beyond obsession— It was akin to worship.

The silence echoed. No one spoke a word.

Then Void continued, "I did not act out of hatred," he said, "Toland stabbed the City in the back. He was the one who triggered the Hive Ritual in the war."
Void's voice was leaden, no one present could question his words.

"What I did, was necessary." Void grit his teeth, " To leave Toland alive would be a disgrace to those who perished."

"What I did, was right, it was justice." Void stopped.

A Titan rose, "Toland was a sinner, but even those can be redeemed. The City could have used him. There are not many Guardians, and we need every soul. Every light, and his is forever lost."

Another spoke up, "Toland was... twisted. But he had knowledge we needed. His death closed doors we can't reopen."

"Toland was a criminal. But who gave you the right to execute him?" A Warlock spoke up, "We could have imprisoned him, utilized his knowledge for the City for us. Centuries of knowledge on the Hive is now lost!"

"You asked—who gave me the right?" He raised a hand. The room dimmed. Shadows stretched. The stained glass flickered, as if light itself hesitated.
The static field cracked. Then shattered.

His blade leapt to his hand, dark and gleaming.

"It's not who gave me the right." Void's voice dropped. "It's who's going to take it from me."

The blade pulsed once.A phantasmal Ahamkara roared to life, its translucent form coiling around his shoulders—horned, grinning, ancient.
Void shifted his stance.

Then—bang!

Smokescreens erupted across the rafters. Grenades hissed as they dropped, blooming into thick violet plumes that swallowed the chamber. Not Vanguard-grade. These were custom.

Shouts rang out. Weapons lifted. A Praxic Titan charged through the haze.

Too slow.

Void flickered.

His cloak whipped behind him like a living shadow. The sword in his hand caught the light for a split-second—just enough to blind.

Clink.

A crushing arc cut through the air and dropped the Titan flat. One strike. Not dead—just out cold.

Void turned. Through the fog, he saw them. Ikora. Zavala. Cayde. Watching. Silent.

'That level of tactic won't work on them,' he thought.He smirked.

Ikora narrowed her eyes—but nodded. Void returned the gesture.

Then, slowly, he raised the blade high overhead—both hands steady. He drew a breath, deep and sharp.

'Zamyr' The name echoed in his skull like a drumbeat.

The sword trembled in his grip. Toland's soul, now devoured, stirred within.

"Cleave."

Void swung.

A harrowing force screamed out—soundless, but deafening. The blade tore at the seams of reality itself. Shadows buckled. The Light recoiled.
The room split down the centre, stone and steel groaning in protest. Every Guardian felt it. Like being chewed on by something that should not exist.
When the smoke cleared—Void was gone.

The Hall stood scarred and hollow, its centre gouged open like a wound.

Far above, a rogue ship screamed to life—blasting from the Hangar, streaking across the Horizon. The City forces scrambled. Jumpships rose from their docks. Pursuit was immediate. Ruthless. But he was already gone.

And the Consensus—shaken, scattered, uncertain—reached a single, quiet verdict.

Void was to be exiled. No pardon. No return. The City stirred. The factions fractured.
And somewhere, far beyond the walls, a new legend was born. A day marked in fire. A name written in shadow.
---
[Lunar Base, SkyWatch]
As day bled into night, the fires burned low. Clusters of Guardians circled the flames, their armor dimmed, voices soft.

"Wait—so who was in the ship?" Levi asked, brow arched.

The Nightstalkers and the Crucible squad leaned in, eager for the answer. They'd been wondering the same thing since the news broke.
Void just chuckled.

Ikora's face flashed in his mind, and for a moment, the smoke seemed to twist into her silhouette. But no matter how much they pressed him, all he said was, "A magician never reveals his tricks."

Eventually, the crowd gave up, their curiosity turning elsewhere. Meanwhile, high above, the City still hunted the rogue Jumpship.

But down here?

The Nightstalkers carved out one final night. A quiet send-off. Just for him. As the fire crackled and the moon crept higher, the question everyone held finally slipped out.

"Where will you go now?" Bandit asked, unable to help himself.

Void tilted his head, thinking. "Got places to be. Things to explore."

There was a glint in his eyes now—untamed, alive. "I think I'll go to the Reef."

Tevis rubbed his eyes, sighing dramatically. "They grow up so fast."

Laughter erupted around the fire. It was a deep and shared laugh, one you could never forget.

One by one, they drifted off. Armor clinking. Ghosts blinking. Night settling in.

Eventually, Void stood alone.

He looked out toward the distant shimmer of the City, just barely visible beyond the curve of the Traveler. Quietly, he raised his hand. His Jumpship blinked into the sky above him, its engines pulsing low.

He stared for one last second. Not back. Just… long enough.

And then he transmatted up. With a soft hum, the ship angled toward the stars and shot towards them.

 

[Kukulkan]

I hope we get an interlude from the perspective of a player one day. The lore and hype on Void would probably be on the same level as the Man with the Golden Gun. People would be speculating if he's gonna show up during a story expansion, wether or not he's starting to be active in the city again, etc.

 

[Tel Janin Aman]

Good read, I feel bad for Void though, no longer part of the Warlock masterrace

 

[Writers-Ablood]

The stars stretched out ahead like a quiet road. In the cockpit of the aging Jumpship, Void sat reclined, one boot kicked up on the console. The hum of the thrusters was the only sound—calm, steady, almost peaceful.

He exhaled slowly, eyes flicking back through the viewport behind him.

The City was gone from view. The Nightstalkers, the Consensus, the chase—it all felt distant now. Like it happened in another lifetime. A few months ago, he'd clawed his way out of the Cosmodrome, Ghost at his side, barely understanding what he was.

Now? It had all changed. He was fugitive. A man carving his own path in the galaxy.

Then, the system's screen blinked.

[Checking Pre-requisites]

[Initializing]

[...]

[Host has survived 'The Great Disaster' !]

[Unlocking Live World Stage!]

Void leaned forward, brows pulling together. "That's new."

[Initializing administrator systems....The World will be open for Player Guardians!]

"…What?"

A low hum rolled through the ship as new diagnostics scrolled across the screen. Strange symbols. Lines of code. A part of the system he'd never seen before.

[Initializing administrator systems...][The world will soon open for Player Guardians.]

Void froze. "Wait—players?"

He blinked, eyes scanning the readout again. The idea had always been there, buried in the back of his mind. This place wasn't just a world—it was a game. But he'd been alone in it for so long, he'd stopped thinking about the others. Players. Real people.

[Quest-Giver and NPC Framework unlocked.]

He let out a short laugh. "So what, I'm a quest marker now?"

Still... if this was real—if people were really coming—then everything was about to change.

Destiny players only responded to two things, loot... and loot. He needed to get lots of it.

[Calculation.....Beta Test will conclude in two weeks. World will be live in 30 Days! Be prepared for the awakening.]

Instantly, a wave of nostalgia rushed through him. Awakening. He knew what that was. He'd gone through it himself. The game would thrust you into the Cosmodrome wilds and let the player find their way back to the city.

Void remembered his own beginning. Where each dreg felt like a boss fight. Nights passed him as he feared for his life. A gentle smile rolled on his lips.

He'd come far. And whatever was coming next? He wasn't going to sit on the side lines.

The screen pulsed again.

[World Trailer ready. Watch now?]

Void hesitated. Then smirked, tapping the button.

"Let's see what we're getting into."

The screen flickered, and the trailer began to play.

----

{ Trailer: Become Legend // Year 1}

Darkness.

Then, Ikorra's voice echoed like a faint whisper, a candle in the dark.

"First, there was light" She spoke.

The screen shifted as the dark receded into the corners, revealing the Last City and the Tower below the Traveler. Then, the dark crawled back in as the scene shifted towards the dark horizon.

The moon's curvature blotted out the sun, an eerie sound echoed.

"But we weren't alone. Ancient enemies appeared, chasing the gifts we'd received. To bear the light came at a cost, and now we faced ruin."

A Jumpship cruised along the lunar horizon. A fireteam of three guardians stepped on the moon, and a ghost's voice resounded.

{Careful guardian, dying here is much more likely.}

Then, a hunter retorted, "I'd say so. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't wanna live here."

"Enough talk." A warlock replied.

The titan did not speak.

Their fireteam marched across the lunar battlefield, and earth hung in the horizon behind them. They walked until the gates of Hellmouth were before them. The titan cocked his gun.

"Knock knock." The warlock chuckled.

The titan smirked, a Gjallarhorn rested on his shoulders, "Who's there" He answered. Rockets fired, and the gate was crushed to dust. A Hive army rushed to the surface.

"That's a party." The warlock, rolled her eyes.

"Music?" The hunter smiled, "Something... classical?"

The three nodded, and the fight ensued.

Scenes shifted as the fireteam toured the jungles of Venus on their sparrows. Fought wars on the jagged canyons of mars, and leapt towards the abyss on earth's plague lands.

Then, the screen turned dark.

"To wield the Light," Ikorra whispers, "is to understand its weight."

A ripple crosses the screen like a scar. The corners blacken and she takes a breath.

"Some seek power."

"Some long for purpose."

"And some... they choose to break the balance. To tip the scales—no matter the cost."

The screen burns to white, then collapses into ruin.

A battlefield—scorched, abandoned. Smoke trails into the skies.

Void stands alone at its edge, sword in hand. His cloak tears in the wind.

The air shimmers. Something coils around him—massive, translucent. A phantasmal Ahamkara, its form shifting, impossible to pin down. Its laughter creeps along the air like a haunting echo.

Void's voice cuts through the silence, low and steady.

"Zamyr."

The creature roars—soundless and deafening all at once.

The world shatters like glass.

A single line fades in at the end.

"We need you Guardian. Greatness Awaits."

---

Void rubbed his chin, he never expected that he'd be a mystery addition to the trailer. Then again, perhaps he really had tipped the scales of the world.

His console blinked, Void looked ahead, the Reef wasn't far. He'd made it to the first hub. But of course, the reef wasn't exactly his first destination.

"Obsidian, navigate to the Tangled Shore, avoid the Awoken patrols." Void spoke up.

Obsidian's eye pulsed, "I've gotten the coordinates from the City's archive. Which landing zone?"

Void's eyes lit up, "Thieves' Landing."

Obsidian was puzzled, "Are you sure? Area's quite active with fallen squads. There's mention of a crime syndicate."

"Don't worry about that. It's time we start a little something of our own, don't you think?" Void smirked.

Obsidian's eye narrowed, "Right....I assume this has nothing to do with the aforementioned syndicate?"

"Don't sweat the small stuff." Void brushed him off and Obsidian continued the navigation.

Then, his wrist buzzed. Pulsing like a tracker. Void tensed, looking at the chip in his transponder. He recognized the chip, after all he was the one to put it in.

But since it lit up, it could only mean one thing. The Vault of Glass fireteam was alive...or at least one of them was.

"Obsidian, once we land, send exact coordinates to the GPS chip from Pahanin." Void's jaw tightened.

"Affimrative." Obsidian paused, "There's a Jumpship already en route towards us, I've sent our landing dock details."

Void nodded.

----

[Tangled Shore- Thieves Landing]

The dock sizzled with static discharge as the old Jumpship touched down, its hull scarred with blaster marks and the signs of a Vex assault. Void stood still on the landing platform, cloak dancing in the dry wind, eyes narrowed beneath his hood. Obsidian hovered quietly beside him, light dimmed to a soft orange.

The ramp hissed open.

Pahanin stepped out—slower than he used to, shoulders hunched beneath worn-out armor, his cloak torn and heavy with grit. Terror lingered in his eyes until he found Void.

"Void," he breathed, a half-smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Pahanin immediately jolted towards him, and they met in the middle of the platform. He put his hand on Void's shoulder— and held firm, but lingered for a second longer than necessary, like he needed to make sure Void was real.

Almost as if he thought this was all, an illusion.

The moment passed, and Pahanin heaved heavy breaths, almost faltering to his knees. Void immediately stood him up.

"What happened Void...What is going on." Pahanin spoke with a broken voice, "The City's empty, the guardians, they're all missing. Everything, is wrong."

Pahanin paused, his voice turned lower, "They don't recognize me. No one does." Then his eyes drifted to Void, his hand still lingered on Void's shoulder and the hunter squeezed tighter. Afraid that Void would slip away.

"You know who I am...right?" Pahanin asked with an unease gripping his voice, he searched Void's eyes for recognition.

"I do. I remember... I remember everything." Void reassured him and Pahanin heaved a sigh of relief. He sat down on the landing pad.

"What happened."

Void pursed his lips, "The City went ahead with a lunar war. But we lost. The Hive were too strong." Void continued, "The war ravaged us, hundreds lost their light. But its over now."

Pahanin glanced at him, and swallowed hard, "Feels like I stepped into the wrong world. Everything is in shambles. I..."

There was a tremble in his voice, and then it died down.

"You're here now. That's what matters." Void placed a hand on his shoulder.

Pahanin's faced seemed to regain colour as he nodded.

Then Void asked, "How did you escape the vault?"

Pahanin stiffened, his body jerked, almost as if he was afraid he'd gone back.

"It's...hard to explain." His voice lowered. "Something opened. I don't know why. Or how. I just—walked out. Like something let me go. Like it was...done with me."

Void nodded and studied him with a complex gaze. He hesitated then spoke.

"What about...Kabr?"

Pahanin paused, "....We lost him. I...I watched it happen. He's gone." His voice turned to a whisper.

"And Praedyth?" Void continued.

Pahanin blinked, entirely puzzled. He seemed to speak, but the next instant, he forgot his own words. A few seconds passed and the hunter stayed quiet. Then with a whisper he asked.

"Who's that?" Pahanin paused, "Should....Should I know him?" He asked.

Void's brow twitched, his heart tinged with regret, but he masked it quickly.

"No, its no one." He said softly, "It doesn't matter now."

Pahanin nodded.

==

 

[Writers-Ablood]

The landing pad buzzed with static as skiffs sailed through. Void watched, as the trails of the ships disappeared into deep space, a resonant hum filled the space around him.

Beside him, Pahanin stood quietly. The tremors had stopped—the frantic, shallow breaths now deep and even. He seemed grounded, for now. But Void furrowed his brow. The Vault had left marks that ran deeper than flesh.

Then, Pahanin brought his hands closer to his chest, and stared into the sea of shifting stars.

He spoke, "Why come here? To the shore. This place, it reeks of Fallen."

"Well, I had something to do". Void leaned on a railing, "and a damn good reason to do it."

Pahanin raised a brow, his gaze was unreadable, "what would that be?"

Void sighed, "You saw it, didn't you? The City's changed. Neither you nor I recognize it anymore."

He paused, and a stillness passed over them. As the stars pulsed, a hum echoed, akin to a heartbeat.

"It's time I made something of my own," Void said finally. He looked out over the Tangled Shore, eyes tracing its jagged silhouettes and flickering lights. "No better place to start."

Pahanin nodded, sparing the shore a glance.

"What about you? What now?" Void asked.

"I don't know" Pahanin muttered, "I feel lost. It's a strange feeling, as if the world's left me behind."

Void tapped a gloved finger against the railing. Thoughtfully. Measured. "Then join me," he said. "I need help. Someone like you? You're exactly what I need."

Pahanin hesitated. His lips parted, then closed. He didn't speak, only stared—haunted by memory, weighed by something unspoken. But Void could see it—the resolve flickering beneath the wreckage.

"I…" Pahanin began, glancing back at the stars. "Are you sure?"

"Well, considering you and I both can't go back. We need a stronghold." Void nodded, "No better place than the shore, we can lay low."

A sullen silence hung between the two.

Eventually. Pahanin nodded, "Alright."

"Alright," he said. "I'll head back to Earth. Gather my tools. We'll need space if we're setting up for real."

"Leave it to me, I'll get right on it." Void smirked.

As Pahanin got to his feet, his Jumpship roared to life. But then he turned back, his gaze lingered.

"Maybe lay low for a while. Just—make sure you're here when I'm back, alright?" He muttered.

Void flashed a faint smile, "I'm not planning on dying this early", then he turned to the horizon and spoke softly, "Can't die till I pay back the vault."

Pahanin's face lit up, the two locked eyes and a faint hope seemed to bloom in his eyes. The hunter transmatted to his ship, its thrusters flickered and the Jumpship warped away.

Void stood there long after it disappeared, arms crossed, gaze fixed on nothing.

The Tangled Shore stretched before him like a graveyard. And yet, it breathed. In the darkness between wrecks, cliffs and floating asteroids, life squirmed. Fallen life.

Void pulled his hood lower, and disappeared from the platform.

----

[Thieves Landing, Tangled Shore]

The tangled shore was a drifting graveyard, stitched and given form through asteroids and shipwrecks. It lingered beyond the Awoken Reef. A handspan away from the Queen's influence.

It was lawless.

And thieves landing was its rotting heart. A port carved from hulking warships with hundreds of landing pads joined at the edges, welded from rock and rust. The air was thick. Ether fumes polluted the horizon, masking the scent of dying engines and centuries old grease.

Fallen skiffs descended in slow rotations, their engines humming in staccato bursts. They offloaded crates, bartered for scrap, weapons, slaves, and glimmer. The rules were unwritten but understood—power governed all. Betrayal wasn't a question. It was tradition.

Void watched from a nest of girders and vent shafts above the main thoroughfare, cloaked in silence. His gaze followed the movement of every patrol, every deal, every unsheathed blade. Crews barked in guttural Eliksni, their guttural speech sharpened with tension. A few wore modified helmets that translated their words into clipped, accented English. Others simply didn't bother.

The Fallen crews were intermixed with rogue awoken, and human mercenaries. Void wasn't surprised, he'd half expected to see a guardian or two in their mix, after all, glimmer was the great unifier of races.

Void flickered, moving from shadow to shadow, observing everything that took place.

Then he saw them.

A crew of Fallen broke away from the crowd, their formation tight and practiced. They cut through the congestion of traders and loiterers, heading toward an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the landing zone. Their armour was polished, their weapons military-grade. They weren't common pirates.

Void's eyes narrowed. There it was—on the leader's shoulder: a crude white insignia, etched in haste but clear enough to be recognized.

Void stood, his silhouette dissolving into the dim air.

He vanished.

------

[Old Warehouse]

The interior was stripped and skeletal—support beams exposed like ribs, walls corroded with age. Metal creaked overhead, and dim amber lights flickered with unstable voltage. The Fallen crew moved quickly, unloading crates with practiced efficiency. Each container hissed as it opened, revealing neatly stacked munitions, ether canisters, and data caches wrapped in alloy mesh.

They were in a rush. Every gesture, every grunt was laced with urgency.

Void clung to the rafters above, motionless. He tracked the rhythm of their work—their breath, the low clicks of their jaws, the flex of talons around crate handles. He mapped their routines with mechanical precision.

Minutes passed.

The crew took a brief pause. Ether flared from their masks as they inhaled, basking in their harvest. Then came the low murmurs of chatter—Eliksni dialect, tense and sharp.

Void dropped silently onto a catwalk overlooking the floor, crouched like a predator.

He counted seven of them. Lightly armoured, but well-armed.

And from what he could tell, this wasn't just a trade hub. This warehouse was a relay. A waypoint.

'Spider's already expanding business. That sleazy bastard.' Void chuckled to himself.

There was only one reason Void deemed it necessary to keep tabs on spider's crew, his was the only syndicate vulnerable to outside collusion. And if all went according to his plan, Spider's syndicate would become his stepping stone.

A moment later, the chatter stopped.

The warehouse pulsed with unseen currents—the hum of distant engines, the whisper of boots against steel. Ether flared in small bursts, casting fleeting glows against rusted walls.

Finally, a communicator rang, and he heard a familiar voice.

A gravelly Eliksni rambled about the standard of his loot.

"…loot quality is substandard," the Eliksni grumbled, dragging syllables like a merchant tasting bad wine. "If I wanted trash, I'd trade with House Devil. Clean it up before my buyers arrive."

Void's eyes narrowed, 'That's Spider alright. Couldn't forget that voice if I wanted to.'

The crews stood at attention, the communicator pulsed again, and finally it died.

With their orders in place, the crews seemed ready to depart. Unfortunately for them Void had decided they wouldn't be leaving with any loot.

Void dropped from the catwalk, emerging from the shadows like a wraith. As the crew performed their final checks, so had Void.

'Let's keep it old fashioned.'

Void flicked his wrist, equipping a sidearm from his inventory. He trained the iron sights on the ether tanks.

He whistled.

A sharp, rising note that sliced through the air.

The warehouse froze.

Fallen heads turned, mandibles twitching. Weapons lifted.

But it was too late, Void squeezed the trigger. The muzzle flash was blinding.

The ether tanks erupted, ripping through crates and torsos alike. Shockwaves slammed into metal walls, vapor curling through seams. One Vandal was thrown into a girder. Another screeched before his mask shattered under debris.

Void stepped over bodies, weaving through flickering flames and hissing vents till he reached the centre of the room.

A Vandal lunged through the haze, crackling arc-blade raised—Void ducked low and fired once. The Vandal dropped, spine severed.

"That wraps it up," he muttered, exhaling slowly.

He stepped through the smouldering wreckage, boots crunching over glass and scorched metal, until he spotted it—a communicator, half-buried under debris, still flickering.

"Obsidian," Void called, twirling his sidearm once before holstering it, "copy the codes. Prep a message."

With a sharp hiss of static, his Ghost materialized—eye glowing cold blue.

"Roger. What do you want to say?"

Void didn't answer immediately. He strode to a nearby crate, pried it open, and pulled out a grenade. With practiced ease, he nestled it inside the pile of remaining loot, then took a few steps back.

"Tell him…" Void raised his weapon, lining up the shot. "I'll be paying a visit soon."

Obsidian hovered slightly higher. "That's it?"

Void smirked. "He's not dumb. He'll get the message."

He fired.

The crate detonated with a thunderous blast, fire blooming outward as shrapnel and ether canisters ignited. In the chaos, Void vanished into the smoke, leaving behind only a blinking communicator in the centre of the scorched floor.

A few hours later, the Tangled Shore roared to life. Patrols doubled. Alarms blared.

And in the heart of the lawless frontier, the House of Spider stirred.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

The Tangled Shore was in unrest. The Eliksni Patrols had doubled. Squads of Fallen patrolled the streets, rifles half raised, jaws clicking low and sharp. Every nook and cranny of the shore somehow felt tighter.

Almost as if the Shore itself was holding a breath.

As this measured chaos ensued, Thieves Landing operated the same, unaffected. A Jumpship approached the docks, its thrusters flared lightly as it docked on the furthest landing pad.

Moments later, a spectre flickered into the shadows.

Pahanin moved through the back alleys of the Thieves Landing with practice silence, like a wraith. He kept to the shadows, slipping in between crates, crawling through scaffolding and blending into the smoke.

He'd noticed the tighter patrols, but going unnoticed for Pahanin was child's play. He was practically born for it.

A certain restlessness tugged at his heart. It was quite odd to see the Fallen in such urgency.

'What exactly happened?'

His eyes drifted to the crowds of mercenaries chattering away. Their hushed voices scraped against his senses, like a faint whisper. He flickered closer.

Pahanin silently leaned against the rafters hanging over the crowd. Their mumbling continued.

'A warehouse razed, crews wiped and not a single crate recovered.'

Pahanin's eyes narrowed, it seemed some idiot had poked the hornets nest. With "Spiders" name being whispered that often, it wasn't hard to guess who'd been hit.

A soft sigh escaped his lips.

The situation in Tangled Shore wasn't stable, the Fallen's daily territorial squabbles was not something he was prepared to deal with. Perhaps he'd have to urge Void to find a quieter place.

He shook his head.

Then, his communicator buzzed.

'Speak of the devil.'

A location ping appeared on his radar, Pahanin took a moment to decode the message, and the next instant, he vanished.

-

The place Void had marked was barely a structure anymore—an abandoned shell half-buried in scrap and reinforced steel plating. No guards. No obvious traps. But knowing Void, that didn't mean it was unprotected.

Pahanin tapped a knuckle three times on the side panel, paused, then tapped twice more.

A hiss. The entrance slid open just enough to let him in.

Inside, the warehouse was dimly lit but alive—stripped-down parts laid in rows, generator cords snaking across the floor, the metallic tang of soldering smoke in the air. A small forge glowed in one corner. Everything was functional, nothing ornamental.

In the middle of it all stood Void, back turned, sleeves rolled to the elbow, assembling a receiver with clinical precision.

"You've been busy," Pahanin said, stepping in and sealing the door behind him.

Void chuckled but didn't turn. "You made it through. I was starting to think those new patrols got you."

"A hundred years too early for that." Pahanin pulled back his hood, "Still I would've appreciated a heads up."

Void shrugged "Can't do much, the climates quite volatile, and I was busy setting this up."

Pahanin glanced over the makeshift workshop and subtly frowned. "Shore's on edge though. Something about the Spider being hit. Quite the job. No survivors. Heard there was even a message left behind."

"Really?" Void said, slotting the receiver into place with a dull click, "First I'm hearing of it."

Pahanin raised a brow, he walked past a bench covered in stripped weapon cores, his frown deepened, "What exactly have you been doing then?"

Void paused, cleared his throat and carefully placed the receiver onto the table, "Uh.... you know like you asked, laying low."

Pahanin stared at him for a moment longer, then sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. He walked back to the workbench and peeked underneath.

"Is that so?"

He tossed a broken Fallen armour plate towards Void.

Void caught it, smirking. "Careful. That's a collector's piece."

"I should've known." Pahanin ran a hand over his face. "It was you."

Void turned fully now, grinning. "Busted."

"You stirred up half the Shore." Pahanin gestured broadly. "You call that laying low?"

Void placed the plate down gently, then waved a hand at the rest of the room. "I call it long-term planning. Spider's just... an investment."

"Funny way to describe a turf war."

"It's not a war. Yet."

Void walked over to a crate and popped it open, revealing stacks of frame components. Sleek. Untraceable. "This workshop's phase one. Small-scale production. Clean weapons. Reliable output. Stuff any warlord or drifter would kill to get their hands on."

Pahanin folded his arms, gaze narrowing. "And who exactly are we selling to?"

"You can't sell to the Fallen. Not here."

Void paused, voice dropping low. "But that's not the market I'm aiming for."

"Does it matter?" he added, before Pahanin could press further. "We build. We wait. When the time's right, they'll come to us."

Pahanin didn't answer at first.

Then, with a tired exhale, he said, "It does matter. If I'm helping you make them, I'd like to know who's pulling the trigger."

Void tilted his head. "Then trust me. The market's coming. And when it does—it'll be ours."

A beat of silence passed.

Pahanin's lips twitched into something between a sigh and a smirk. "I miss the days when my plans involved less of you."

Void grinned. "I don't."

-

[A few hours earlier, Spider's Den]

Spider sat in his throne of scrap and velvet, rings glinting under sickly light. Ether hissed from tubes behind him as he studied the fractured communicator left behind in the rubble of his last shipment.

A voice could be heard, it was faint- crackled and warped but the message was unmistakable.

"I'll pay a visit soon."

Spider stared at the message. Not the words, but the tone.

Familiar. Yet unknown.

"Someone who knows me," he growled, mandibles twitching. "But that can't be. No one alive would dare."

A Dreg stumbled in, panting.

"Speak," Spider rasped.

"Shipment's stolen… gone. The one bound for Ceres gate. No one left alive. Just… stripped. And this."

The Dreg held out a data pad. It displayed one sentence:

"We'll meet again. Soon."

Spider hissed, rising from his perch. "They're toying with me now."

He looked at his guards. "Arm the crews. Increase the patrols. I want this ghost found."

He stared long into the dark, mind churning, searching memory for a name. But it didn't come.

'Who could it be?'

--

[Old Chicago – Forgotten Bunker]

The light in the room was soft—too soft. It spilled in through the iron gates, like it was afraid to disturb the man standing at the centre.

He didn't move, just stood there basking between dark and the shuffling light. One hand clasped behind his back, the other gently rested on the iron grips of his hand cannon holstered to his side.

He wore old leathers, scorched from battles long past and stitched to form. His boots were caked with dust from too many worlds.

A faint breeze stirred the hem of his coat, the bunker's gate eased open.

He caught the sound of approaching footsteps. Deliberate. Unhurried. Another man emerged from long winding staircase—hood low, coat dark, face as weathered as the Ghost he cradled in one hand.

"You came," Shin said without turning.

"Of course. I've got news." Callum Sol replied, stopping a few paces behind him.

Callum stepped forward and extended a data pad, "Latest from Aunor and her Praxic hounds. You're not gonna like it."

Shin finally turned. Eyes like smouldering coals swept over the device before settling on Callum.

"I never do," he muttered, taking it.

Then, he scanned the screen, reading Void's exile report. Mission transcripts. Audio logs. Body count.

Shin frowned, "How recent is this?"

"Few days, maybe a week. Seems like Vanguard tried their best to kill the noise. Quite hard to get my hands on that one", Callum leaned against a wall.

"But that's not important. Look at his victim." Callum's arms crossed.

Shin's eyes narrowed as he saw the name, "Toland?"

Callum nodded, "That weasel got called for the war, they say he was caught dabbling in hive magic on the moon. That's when your guy connected the dots. Killed him in his own hideout."

Shin flicked to the next page, images of Void standing over Toland's body and the warlock's shattered ghost could be seen beneath his feet.

"Interesting." Shin turned his head again, slower this time. "That's not quite like him."

"He did what we would've. Just faster." Callum chimed in.

Shin nodded slowly, but then his eyes met Callum's, "Your point? I don't suppose you're here for chatter."

"We need him." Callum pushed off the wall, "the Light's been bleeding for years. We don't need saints. We need shadows that strike first."

Shin stared at the images for a long time. His eyes scrutinizing Void's gaze.

"Depends," he said.

"On what?"

"On whether he's angry… or just finally found something he's willing to burn for."

Callum smirked. "Then let's find your phantom and ask."

"No. It's not time yet." Shin tossed back the data pad, "For now, just observe. Find out his next moves and bide your time. When time comes, I'll collect him myself."

---

 

[Tel Janin Aman]

Shadow Hunter Money gang, selling guardians preem quality loot at affordable prices

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Shadow Hunter Money gang, selling guardians preem quality loot at affordable prices

Click to shrink...

Yessirrrr, you already know he's givin em discounts

 

[Tel Janin Aman]

Yessirrrr, you already know he's givin em discounts

Click to shrink...

"Ascendant Shards? Who do I look like, Xur? I want that sweet sweet Glimmer Guardian, gotta roll that gatcha!

 

[Writers-Ablood]

-

[Thieves Landing, Abandoned Workshop]

Smoke coiled from the forge's vents, curling in thick ribbons that clung to the ceiling like ghosts. The flames inside snapped and hissed, eating through metal without pause. Nearby, scavenged Fallen plating—chest rigs, pauldrons, rebreathers—lay in uneven stacks, still marked with scorch and blood, like trophies waiting for purpose.

Pahanin stood over a workbench, sleeves rolled, hammer striking steel with practiced rhythm. Sparks flared with each blow.

"So," he said, not looking up, "what's the endgame here? We've been gutting gear for days."

Void fed more pieces to the cauldron sitting on the forge, melting down their pile of Fallen scraps, "Just a temporary job, we'll need these short term."

"Right." Pahanin struck again, the hammer slipping against the grain. "And Spider? You planning something, or just stalling for heat?"

Void didn't answer immediately. He closed the intake and wiped the ash from his palms.

"Spider's more than just an investment. If anything, he's our lifeline on the shore. In shorter terms, he's leverage."

Pahanin glanced at him, silent.

Void gestured to the half-forged armour lining the table, "The Shore's the biggest black market in the system. Glimmer moves here without names, without ledgers. If you want to build something... it starts here."

Void walked towards the workbench, "But this place runs on rules. Old ones. Spoken in grit and gunmetal. Doesn't matter how clean your gear is. If you don't learn those rules, they'll strip you for parts."

"Whether we like it or not, the Fallen have been trading on the shore for decades. Smuggler crews, Syndicates, you name it they have it. Every crew, every syndicate—smugglers, pirates, scrappers—they all follow the same code, even if they don't admit it."

"On the shore, profit and loss are the same side of the coin." Void grinned.

Pahanin's grip on the hammer slipped, "What?"

"You saying the trade's just a shell game?" Pahanin frowned.

Void chuckled, and nodded once.

"Two sides to every coin here—profit, and loss. But the trick on the Shore is knowing they're the same side. The house always wins. Because the house is the syndicate."

He tossed a melted chunk of plating onto the table, "Prices change. Stock shifts. Supply vanishes. Not because of scarcity. Because someone decided it was time to tighten the leash. One crew's shortage is another's surplus. It's not trade. It's theatre."

"No Vanguard. No Tower. No laws but theirs." Pahanin muttered.

"Everyone knows the Shore's just a front, a monopoly for the Syndicates to trade their stolen goods. Hell, the House of Devils is their biggest trader. The Syndicates might not like each other, but they still cooperate to make sure the Shore stays in their hands. If we put up shop here, they'll starve us before we know it."

Pahanin paused, one eyebrow raised. "So Spider's part of the monopoly?"

Void's gaze didn't shift, "somewhat."

"He is the monopoly," Void replied. "At least on this half of the Shore."

"Then why hit him?" Pahanin asked, hammer paused mid-air. "If we need him, why not talk? Cut turf, split margins."

Void shook his head slowly, "Because talk means compromise. And compromise with Spider just means letting him pull the strings."

"Trust me, he's the type to bleed us dry the first cycle, double-cross us the next."

A silence settled. Then Void looked at him fully.

"We don't need terms. We need dominance. No whispers. No lines blurred. The Shore has to remember one thing."

Pahanin tilted his head. "What's that?"

"That we're not here to share."

He set the hammer down. "And if he doesn't like the terms?"

Void looked up, tone even. "Then he gets the same message the rest of the Shore will."

Pahanin turned from the bench, wiping his hands, "Bold for just two people."

Void smiled, "We won't be, I've got a plan."

He stood, tossed a battered set of Fallen leg armour to Pahanin."Help me rebuild these. We've got a few days before the next strike. Paint them black. Heavy. Make sure they don't look like anything Fallen would wear."

Pahanin caught the armour, frowning. "You're building an army."

Void turned back to the forge. "Not quite."

Then over his shoulder, voice low: "Let's just say I'm building a shadow."

--

[Spider's Base]

A few days had passed. The Shore had gone quiet.

Crews moved slower. Chatter thinned. Even the air felt lighter—emptied of tension, like a storm had passed.

Most of Spider's enforcers believed it was over. No more bodies. No leads. No attacks. They'd swept the Shore end to end, flipped every corner of Thieves' Landing—and came up empty.

The consensus? The ghost had blinked. Maybe the patrols worked. Maybe the mercenaries did their job. Whatever it was, the threat had passed.

But Spider knew better.

He'd lived too long, dealt too deep. No one hit a smuggling line with that kind of precision—twice—and simply vanished. Whoever this was, they weren't opportunists. They were professionals. Patient. Surgical.

And they weren't working alone.

To strike like that required more than firepower. It took intelligence—inside knowledge. Trade routes, shipment codes, rotation patterns. His rotations. Perhaps someone had bled information.

Which meant the real game hadn't started yet.

So Spider made his move.

"Bay Four," he rasped to his quartermaster. "Prep the crates. Five-man escort. Full loadout."

The crew nodded and moved.

Then he added, "Fill them with detcord. Every crate. Link them all to a trigger—remote-detonated."

Low, guttural Eliksni chatter echoed in the chamber. Spider waved them off.

From his throne, he watched the crates get hauled out under torchlight. He beckoned another quartermaster, tossed him a short-range communicator.

His grip tightened on the throne's armrest.

"If they show—anything at all—you draw them in. Make them feel safe. Then you light the whole thing up."

He rubbed his brow, tension crawling into his breath.

"Leave nothing alive."

The Eliksni quartermaster clicked his jaws in acknowledgement and vanished into the gloom.

Spider sat back.

'Let's see how clever these ghosts are when they're ash'

The bunker gate opened, revealing a sky of fractured stars. The squad disappeared into the dark, their shadows bleeding into the void behind them.

As the gate sealed shut, the hinges hissed.

But somewhere, in the far corner of the dark——a ripple stirred. Subtle. Silent.

And watching.

--

[Thieves Landing, Docks]

The stars above the Shore glittered like cold eyes. The shipment was underway. The air smelled of ozone and old oil, salt clinging to every breath like a warning.

Five Fallen enforcers in rust-red armour moved through the lot, weapons drawn and visors active. The crates were bulky, sealed with biometric locks. Inside: nothing but coiled death. Detcord.

Enough to level half the dock. A trigger was rigged into the squad captain's belt—one twitch of the claw, and everything vanished in fire.

Spider's voice buzzed faintly in the captain's earpiece. "Keep formation. Watch the roofs. They must be watching you."

The Eliksni hissed acknowledgement. They were veterans—scars on their hides, kill tallies painted in blood—but even they were quiet tonight. Their strides were slow. Precise. Deliberate.

The kind of movement that came from instinct, not discipline.

Something was wrong. That was certain.

The squad reached the loading gantry. Lights hummed. Shadows stretched long behind cargo pylons. One enforcer knelt beside the crate and opened a maintenance panel. The others spread out, scanning.

That's when the wind changed.

A faint breeze swept across the dock. No sand. No scent. Just a chill.

The Fallen captain straightened. His Jaw clicked, tightening.

Another beside him trained his finger on the trigger. A shudder ran through him.

They looked around. The distant clanking of Thieves' Landing had stopped. No grinding winches. No hollering from smugglers. Even the seabirds were gone. It was unnatural. The kind of silence that settled over a battlefield seconds before the killing started.

"Is it clear?" Spider growled. But only his voice echoed.

No one answered, as if tongue tied. But they could feel it, any word spoken was certain death.

The Spider continued rambling on the comms channel, but after a while there was nothing but faint static.

The Fallen captain scanned the skyline—scopes sweeping towers, cranes, and ruined rooftops. His claw hovered near the trigger. Ether clouded his visor.

Then—

A clang.

Subtle. Soft. Behind a container. A scrap of metal tipping over.

All five spun in unison, rifles aimed. Nothing. Just a rusted loading arm and a flickering lantern.

One clicked his mandibles, unsettled. They crept forward.

Another clink. This one sharper. To their left. A glint of motion—gone in a blink.

The squad opened fire. Purple bolts streaked through the dark. Sparks flew. The loader exploded in a burst of flame. Silence followed, thick and unbroken.

Nothing.

The squad regrouped. Their steps now shuffled. Jittery. They turned in circles, tracking every corner, every rooftop.

"Who's there?" Spider barked again, "What do you see?"

Then a Dreg spun wildly—his rifle shaking.

thk. His hand hesitantly traced his comms, he replied, "Just shadows, ghosts. Nothing else."

A sharp, wet noise. His voice cut off.

"Keep. Looking." Spider grumbled.

The squad followed, scanning the surroundings. But as the Dreg approached a dark corner.

He slipped.

The entire Squad jerked, their eyes darted to him.

He was gone. Not just dead—gone. No body. No scream. Just a smear of blue blood across the surface and a single clawed gauntlet lying on the floor.

"Regroup!" the captain barked. His claw rested on his belt, ready to detonate—

But his eyes wandered. Where were they? Who were they?

Before he could even say another word, something moved in the shadows.

He barely turned at blinding speed. The remaining three fired in all directions, blind and panicked.

But their shots found nothing. Shadows moved between bolts. Something leapt from the catwalk, passed through the beam of a spotlight—and vanished.

Another dropped next, his leg severed cleanly, dragged screaming into a side hatch.

As the gunfire echoed over the comms, Spider felt his blood boil. He barked in Eliksni.

"DO IT. DO IT NOW. DETONATE"

His gravelly voice reverberated, but the Captain was paralyzed with fear. With only two left with him, the Fallen captain was shaken.

He backed up slowly, shuddering. His rifle sights illuminating the dark docks. Then he saw an outline ahead of him.

There were two. Humans. Or rather, phantoms. His finger tapped the trigger, bullets rang out. But the phantoms seemed to weave through.

With one claw on the detonator the Captain continued firing. He barked over the comms, "Targets spotted."

"Blow them up. NOW!" Spider roared.

The captain roared in Eliksni, then slammed his claw on the detonator.

Light swallowed the world.

A thunderous eruption consumed the dockyard—crates, gantries, walkways, and flame. Shockwaves shattered windows across Thieves' Landing. A towering fireball lit the sky, reflected in the eyes of those watching from rooftops and alleys. The tremor rolled outward like a titan's heartbeat.

Then came silence again.

Spider leaned forward on his throne, breath shallow, mandibles flaring. "Report…" he rasped.

Nothing.

He sat back. Slowly. Thoughtfully.

"…It's done."

But the moment he exhaled, something shifted.

--

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[Spider's Base]

Spider shuddered.

A sound echoed faintly from the halls behind his chamber.

Footsteps.

Measured. Soft. Too soft to be his guards. He turned aghast. "What—"

A scream cut through the air. Then another. Gunfire erupted. Brief. Too brief. He rose as four figures flickered into the chamber.

His guards were down. They hadn't even drawn their guns.

Spider's claw slid toward a hidden trigger beside his throne.

But then—

A whisper came from behind him and the shadows twisted.

"Don't."

Feeling the cold edge of a blade on his neck, he froze. Spider's mandibles twitched.

The presence behind him was close. He didn't dare turn.

It was too late.

Spider's eyes darted, carefully examining each and everyone present, trying to recognize the them. But nothing came to mind. To him, these four figures were simply unknown people.

"So? What'll it be? Glimmer? Resources? What is it that you want." He grumbled.

Then, a fifth human approached him. The one before him was clad in black—light armour, scarred plating, no markings. He walked with a phantom's gait, unarmed and unhurried.

Spider's eyes flicked between the one ahead… and the blade behind.

He swallowed dryly. "We can always talk."

The man didn't flinch. Didn't nod.

Behind him, the blade stayed where it was. Close. Absolute.

Then the voice came again. Calm. Inevitable.

"We will." He paused, "but if the terms don't please us…"

The blade from behind pressed in, just enough to let him feel it cut. A drop of ether ran down Spider's cheek.

"Well...I'm sure you understand."

-

[The Last City – Vanguard Hall]

The lights in the hall were dim. A soft hum of arc-energy generators echoed faintly beneath the floor. The walls of the war room were draped in hundreds of projection maps—flickering overlays of Earth's surface, lunar regions, and the scattered remains of human outposts across the system. Some blinked red. Some had gone dark altogether.

Zavala stood at the head of the strategy table, his arms locked behind his back, jaw clenched tight. The silence between the Vanguard was not one of peace—but the kind forged under the pressure of attrition.

"We're losing ground," Ikorra said, voice crisp, yet edged with weariness. "The Cosmodrome's fallen quiet. No patrols, no scouting fireteams. Nightstalkers say the Fallen move freely now."

She paused, "If we don't stop them soon, they'll scrap most of the Cosmodrome. The tech buried in the desert isn't something we can just hand over. We can't risk a six fronts again."

Cayde exhaled sharply and leaned against the console. "Hell of a twist."

He stood in silence and tapped his holster, "Used to be we fought to push them back. Now we fight just to keep what's ours from being picked clean."

"The squads don't look too good either. Too many members lost. Not enough scouts to cover ground." Cayde spoke with a low voice, "We can't fight this losing battle."

Zavala didn't look at him. "We're not fighting," he said bitterly. "We're reacting. And it's killing us."

Ikorra nodded. "And the Vex… they've shifted formations. Orbiting Earth. Coordinated. Calculated. But still no pattern we can identify. Not yet."

She brought up a wireframe of Nessus. Entire regions blinked out—static-laced.

"No contact for weeks. No reports. Fireteams sent in haven't returned."

"And Mars?" Zavala asked.

"Ashfields are stirring," Ikora answered. "Solar anomalies. Cabal signals, faint but repeating. Might be a false lead—might be a precursor."

"Either way," Zavala muttered, "we don't have the manpower to push back the Cabal legions. We have to spread our forces, pick our battles there on the frontier."

Cayde slammed his knife into the table, blade biting the metal.

"There's nothing to pick big blue. We're down thousands maybe more. Greenhorns don't know the difference between Hive and Vex. What good is defending Mars if Earth falls? What good is guarding stars we can't reach? The system is falling apart!"

"People are losing faith", Cayde scoffed, "Heck, at this point I am too."

Zavala turned to him, eyes cold and a leaden voice. "So we abandon the others?"

Cayde's eyes met his, and he hesitated. "I don't know."

The silence that followed wasn't passive—it was hollow. Heavy. Like a breath held just before collapse.

Ikorra lowered her gaze. "We've left too many behind already. Mercury. Titan. Io. We've spent every last light trying to reclaim the stars. Maybe it's time we turned inward."

Zavala sighed, "It took us centuries to reach the stars. Thousands of guardians gave it their all. Are we just supposed to throw it all away?"

"No. We're not abandoning them. But we need to choose survival. Earth first. It always starts with Earth"

This time, another silence took over the room. It felt short, like a quick breath.

Then they, all felt it.

A presence stirred in the room.

It came not as sound, but as stillness—an ancient quiet that parted their storm of thoughts like a blade through fog. A sense of ease spread washed over them.

The Speaker stepped forward from the shadows near the far window, and looked towards the horizon, where the Traveler loomed above them like a moon locked in eternal watch.

His white robes shimmered with the faintest glint of Light, but in his eyes was something strange. Distant. New.

"You all speak of dwindling numbers," he said, softly, "It's true. Now we are less in numbers."

Three pairs of eyes turned toward him.

"You measure victory by boots on the ground. Fireteams. Weapons. Territories. And yet…"

He paused, lifting his gaze slowly from the Traveler and turning to them. He chuckled softly.

"…Do you not feel it?"

Cayde furrowed his brow. "Feel what, exactly?"

The Speaker nodded, then exhaled—slow, deliberate. As though he were breathing in something only he could sense. As though he was breathing in a new life.

"There is movement within the Traveler. A tremor beneath its song. It hums again, like it did before the first resurrection. Like it did when the Light chose its first champions."

Zavala stood, voice quivering, "You mean? New guardians."

"No. Not this time, this time its more than that," the Speaker replied. "I can see it… a great potential. I can see Legends."

Ikorra's lips pressed into a line, she hesitantly asked, "Is it a new generation?"

The Speaker nodded, slowly. "They will not be forged in Golden Age memory or the City's glory—but in fire and war. They will not inherit peace, but a mission."

He stopped and turned to them, the room now utterly silent. Even the arc-hum of the machinery seemed to still.

"They will rise not for territory, or fame. But because they must. Because the dark will not end until it is burned out."

Cayde's smirk, usually ready to cut through tension, was absent. He stared down at the floor, then up at the Speaker.

"And if they fail?" he asked, quieter than usual. "What then?"

The Speaker tilted his head toward the Traveler. He lingered in the silence, as though listening for something just beneath the hum. The light cast across his mask flickered like starlight on still water.

"Then perhaps," he whispered, "we end with them."

The words hit like a hammer blow. Final. Unflinching.

Zavala said nothing, fists clenched at his sides. The years weighed heavily upon him—fights he could no longer lead, friends buried, victories soured.

"The last generation of Guardians," she said. "Is it finally coming?"

No one answered.

Not Cayde, whose fingers rested nervously on the hilt of his blade.

Not Zavala, whose silence now seemed carved from stone.

Even the Speaker closed his mouth, the air around him stilling.

They all gazed upward.

Each of them stared up toward the massive, floating sphere in the sky. Above them, the Traveler pulsed. Faint. Rhythmic. Alive.

As it glowed, hope bloomed in their hearts, like a single ember in a sea of ash.

And beside the Traveler, its shadow lingered.

Above them, the Traveler loomed in the dusk sky. Its body scarred, but whole. Its light dim, but pulsing.

A quiet thrum. A heartbeat. Alive.

And in that moment, something stirred within them—a flicker.

A single ember caught in a sea of ash.

Hope.

And yet—beside the Traveler, its shadow stretched long and thin. As if something waited behind the light.

"Maybe so," the Speaker murmured. His voice drifted like a forgotten verse. His eyes stayed fixed on the shadows reflected by the Traveler's light.

A memory shimmered—brief, bright, and gone.

Then he turned to face the Vanguard.

"Maybe," he said, more certain now, "it's already here."

The Vanguard stiffened.

Something passed between them. A silent reckoning. A weight not just of duty—but of destiny.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[The Tangled Shore – Spider's Den]

The base buzzed with low chatter and the clink of Ether tanks. Spider sat heavily in his throne, his bulk shadowed by the warm orange glow of archaic monitors. Void stood before him, silent, composed.

"Recall all your squads," Void said simply. "We've got a lot to discuss."

Spider hissed, his mechanical arm twitching. "And what would that be? What is it that you really want? Surely, you didn't massacre my people on a whim? What exactly is your grand plan?"

Void stepped forward, shadows clinging to his boots. "Watch your tone Spider. There's more than one syndicate on the Shore."

Spider eyed the four men surrounding him, he grumbled and chose to stay quiet.

Void dropped a hologram disk onto the table. It flared to life—designs of modified weapon frames, exotic parts, sleek armour mods, and automated forges.

"A workshop," Void said. "We build premium gear and weapons. Bespoke. Customized. High-impact."

Spider studied the display. Calculations ran behind his eyes. Profits. Risks. Power. He leaned in, one eye narrowing. "And you think there's a market for this? Not enough buyers in the Shore."

Void's voice lowered. "The buyers aren't your concern. The Shore only needs to play its part. Is that understood?"

He nodded—slowly, grudgingly. "Fine. How might I be of service."

Void turned away, already walking. "Your syndicate will cover the costs. The Workshops need machines, droids, the usual. Plus the ground effort and deliveries. I am sure you're aware."

Spider's mandibles twitched, "And in return?"

Void stopped, "I don't suppose your life suffices?"

Pahanin's blade dug deeper into his skin, but Spider sniggered.

"Please. I wasn't born yesterday." He raised his hand and wiped his cheek, then continued with a jeer. "Your schemes, they bore me. I know your laws, human. I've studied your people and I won't be fooled."

"I think you'll find me quite willing to forego those laws." Void retorted, his hand caressed the grip of a revolver.

"Maybe so" Spider's eyes gleamed, "If that was your only objective. Let's not be shy here...friend. If you truly wanted me dead, I'd be gone. But you need me, don't you?"

Void stayed silent.

"After all, isn't there more than one syndicate on the Shore?"

Spider shuffled on his throne, waiting for a response, but an eerie silence echoed in the room. Void's eyes looked him up and down.

"Interesting. You're not as dumb as you look." Void chuckled, his laughter was odd, as if a shadow had wheezed. Then he was solemn, " You're right. I do need you. For now."

Spider eased up, and chuckled as drops of sweat trailed down his face, "Of course, that's splendid. Don't we all like some Quid Pro Quo."

"Now, what do I get in return?" Spider rubbed his fingers, "I was thinking a percentage of the profits. Perhaps, 20%. Add on a few crates of weapons here and there?"

Void tapped his holster, as if deep in thought, "Let's not cross the line Spider. The market's gonna come, and it'll be huge. 20% is far too much."

"What number were you thinking?" Spider's eye twitched.

"3% on all profits. I'll add in free weapons for your squads. Maybe a discount on armours."

Spider frowned, "My life maybe in your hands, but that doesn't mean I am willing to work for scraps", He spread his arms, "This is my house, my kingdom. My Shore."

Void nudged the disc towards him, "You've seen the designs. You've done the calculations. Don't think I am stupid Spider. I know your ways. But even you don't know what's coming."

"Soon, there'll be thousands every day. More Glimmer than you can imagine. You'll be drowning in loot." Void spoke in a low voice.

Spider paused, gauging Void's words. As a lifelong trader, he could discern lies from truth. Now, more than ever, he knew the shadow in front of him was speaking the truth.

"Fine," Spider muttered. "Six percent. Not a mote less. And I want favors. Quiet favors. Your kind are good at things that disappear in the night."

Void nodded, "You have my word", he waved Pahanin off and the hunter sheathed his blade. The three spectres gathered beside him and flickered away.

Only Pahanin and Void remained, they walked to the exit.

Spider called out, "Wait. What should I call you?"

Pahanin had already flickered out, leaving only Void behind. Void turned, and paused. Then he spoke, "Call me Viper. I'm the only one you need to know."

"I see, Viper. I'll remember that." Spider curled his fingers and chuckled, eyeing Void.

But as Void was about to leave, he stopped.

"Spider," he said without looking back, voice suddenly colder, "if betrayal ever crosses your mind…"

A silence stretched.

"…look at your shadow first."

Something ghastly peeled away from Void's body, like a phantom. For a moment, it felt as though something else—something older—had grinned at Spider from beneath that armour.

Then Void vanished.

Spider's laugh died in his throat. His den felt colder.

-

[The Tangled Shore – Forgotten Workshop]

The rusted doors groaned open, revealing a cavernous chamber carved deep into the jagged rock. Dust and oil hung in the stagnant air, mingling with the ghostly hum of old tech waiting to be awakened. The place hadn't seen life in years—only echoes.

Void stepped through first, his pace unhurried, silent. Behind him, the squad of figures filed in, their footsteps hollow on the metal grate. Then, as if on cue, each one stopped mid-stride.

A breath passed.

Then the shadows unravelled.

One by one, the false figures dissolved into black smoke, their armour clattering to the floor with a heavy metallic thud—helmets, gauntlets, plating, all hollow. Empty. Illusion peeled away, leaving only Pahanin standing at Void's side.

Pahanin stretched his arms with a languid sigh, as if shedding a weight. Then he looked at the scattered armour, and chuckled, half in disbelief.

"Well," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Guess I've been underusing my toolkit."

Void turned, glancing at the pile of discarded gear before fixing his eyes on the Hunter. "You've always had the clones. Just never used them like this."

"Never thought to," Pahanin admitted.

Void smirked, "If Spider knew it was just the two of us, he'd have laughed us out of his throne room."

"Agreed." Pahanin walked towards the workbench.

"How'd you even come up with such a technique?" Void asked, stepping past him.

"It was nothing much." Pahanin recalled his early days, "I liked to work on gadgets. But never got time to tidy up. Kabr lost it a few times with me. So I figured I needed a few extra hands around."

Void didn't respond and nodded.

He stared at the flickering diagnostic display as it came to life with a pulse of old light. Wiping the dust off the screen, Void continued, "I want you to bring this place back online. Basic weapon frames first. Scrap-grade mods. Nothing too flashy. Get the syndicate to funnel us salvage through the side routes."

"Simple and scalable. Got it," Pahanin nodded, already mentally sketching schematics. "Any particular reason?"

"We'll probably need to flesh out our network soon." Void answered.

Then a soft ping echoed through his mind—subtle, familiar. His system window flickered open.

--

New Quest Received: A Guardian Rises

Objectives: Help new Guardians reach the City!

Rewards: +20 Reputation [Players].

Remarks: First impression is the last impression. Don't be late!

--

Void's eyes narrowed.

The players were coming.

Fledgling Guardians, newly risen. Confused, disoriented. Trudging through the Cosmodrome outskirts till they found a half-broken jumpships, only to fend off a fallen squad alone.

He could already imagine all their hardships. A single tear welled up in his eye.

He, as their predecessor, had a duty. 'How could I sit back and enjoy while my custome- "Fellow Guardians" have to fight for their survival?'

No Void instantly shook his head. He had to help them. Of course, that wasn't all.

Somewhere out there, The Exo Stranger was watching.

She didn't appear by accident. She appeared at crossroads—when the right people started walking the wrong roads. She wouldn't intervene directly, not yet. She never did. Not until she saw something in them worth stepping forward for.

But she would be watching.

And if there was anyone in this broken world who could help Void thread the needle through time's tangle, it was her. Not because she guessed the future.

Because she'd lived it. Dozens of it. And survived. She was seer that had run many loops.

Void exhaled slowly, locking the quest window away in the corner of his HUD.

He had to guide the new players, but ultimately? He had to act accordingly, to draw her out.

Because the fate of this world wasn't going to change on power alone.

"Pahanin," Void spoke up.

"Yeah?" the Hunter replied, elbow-deep in a pile of broken servos.

"I want at least a few prototype weapons ready as soon as possible. Clean builds. Stuff that'll help with basic recon or grunt-level fights."

Pahanin raised an eyebrow. "You planning to start handing out freebies now?"

Void turned to him, smiling faintly. "Consider it samples."

He stepped forward, resting a hand on the cold steel laying on the workbench.

"For some, early customers."