This story has not been beta'd.
The ghost shell was fragile and empty. It's light completely gone, and its shell cracked and broken after being cast aside for a time. The Guardian held it in their palm, brows pinched with worry and thoughts brewing steadily.
A light-embodied Ghost appeared not moments afterwards and it's light now dimly lit the cavern and hovered by their Guardian closely.
This war is all there is for you.
What else do you have? You walk among mortals and immortals, a creature lost in time. Your only purpose is the struggle.
The dead Ghosts encryption has many meanings as the Guardian clenches it's worn, cracked shell in her hand.
"Another dead end and only another riddle. All these Ghosts have been ripped for information and this is all we have to show for it."
Ghost loomed by close, it's mannerisms reflecting much of the same internal struggle as their Guardian.
"Guardian, you were special. I searched for you far and wide. You possessed power and intellect that many before you and lay before you do not. Warlock and Awoken. Special and unique," Ghost's light dimmed and its voice echoed quietly, equivalent to a whisper. "The last of the Traveler's light was used to bring you back."
The Warlock gripped harder on the ghost shell, the hairline cracks spread further for a moment before their grip lessened.
"Why do I not remember like the other Guardians do? It doesn't lie, nor have the others."
Guardian Kassia was brought to life in the wastelands of Old Earth, Russia, reborn as an Awoken with exceedingly rare and powerful Warlock abilities that allowed her to escape the Fallen Hunters and equally ravenous Fallen Captain a time ago. She is different from many of the others Warlocks. She is strong and courageous, one of the vanguard's best. Ghost has heard all the proclamations before.
A Guardian is a bearer of light that stands to protect the Traveler and the Last City, many of which recollect their past lives and thrive in bartering and socializing in and out of the tower's walls. Guardian Kassia on the other hand… having been brought with such effort, the Traveler perhaps could not afford to grant her memories of the past.
Ghosts do not feel guilt. They are one in the same, and understand how the Traveler uses these specially gifted bearers of light to fulfil their purpose, but their Guardian equally as curious and naïve only adds to what Ghost vaguely thinks is perhaps that feeling of understanding and grief for their charge that clutches vainly to the dead Ghost in their grasp.
There is bravery and knowledge in their Guardian, as are familiar traits with most Guardians, but being brought under the circumstances that she has; she is lost. This much, Ghost knows.
Truthfully, her resolve is strong and firm, even at times it least expects. It is perhaps why the Traveler urged it so strongly to select her amongst the rest, but being brought in a life with nothing but emptiness and profound confusion in comparison to her brother's in arms… There are no words it can spare to make sense of Kassia's thoughts.
Does it seem unfair?
Ghost disagrees, but the Guardian is conflicted.
She has seen many Guardians perish under her fireteam and so many names litter the scripts and walls of Bannerfall, but the life of a Guardian is not forgiving and they must continue to fight.
The Last City just below the Traveler is their purpose. Guardians, including Kassia, are fed dreams that one day their efforts will restore light beyond the galaxy edge as it were in the days of old. Ghost has often seen Kassia dream to one day live to see The Golden Age rise anew just as the tales and legends once spoke of unrivaled peace and fruitful expansion. It is a righteous reason to continue the battle but with each Ghost dead and lightless, Ghost can only guess how it affects the Warlock.
"The reports say this is the final Ghost within this area of Darkness and this…" She holds the ghost shell aloft and it gently starts to float. Her gaze is glued to the floor where Elsinki young bones litter the floor with filth.
Hive are truly vile creatures, she thinks.
"I've failed."
Her eyes; such a vibrant shade of blue that outshines even the light blue of her face and marking look grieved and pained for just a moment, before it vanishes. Her expression is stoic and her small nostrils flare as she takes a deep breath before turning to Ghost.
It's glowing Optic shining through even the darkest depth of the hive burrows, stays close enough that it's light provides warmth to Guardian Kassia's face though her helmet visor. It is a comfort that the Guardian is very thankful to have despite how non-vocal she is about her emotions. Ghost thinks it understands.
As if she owes an explanation; her voice is soft.
"I'm sorry I couldn't rescue this Ghost in time."
To be brought back into this, the end of days, the long dwindling exhalation of an ancient corpse? You were once at peace. Now you are a dead husk charged with war. Do you remember anything of freedom?
Her Ghost says nothing, having already removed the necessary information from said Ghost shell and relayed it to the nearest comm buoy for the Tower Vanguards. Already, they've replied with a mission success and immediate return for the next possible quest, no doubt for another return to Earth's moon.
The dead Ghost dissipates leaving a faint glimmer of light that is consumed quickly in the unforgiving plague of darkness. The Guardian assumes position as their gun molds back into their arms and the Warlock's grip holds the gun comfortingly and strokes the trigger of Red Death.
Ghost knows the Guardian does not require simplicities such as comfort for her grief from it all things when she is on a mission. Perhaps she will speak more once she's had her time. It's time to set their charge to work.
"Let's get you out of here Guardian. Hazmat should be available once we've exited the burial." Said Ghost.
High pitched groans and screeches could be heard echoing through the chamber halls with eerie green gunk in the corners of the cathedral seeming to glow as the oncoming horde of Hive tail in on their current position. Ghost blinked away following a familiar feeling of cool washing down the Warlock's spine as her companion linked with her neural system. Not a moment after, a wizard screamed. The shrewd wizard's witch cries rattled the chandelier above and within moments, the HUD's radar blinked red with multiple enemies incoming. Guardian Kassia raised their pulse rifle at the ready with void energy thrumming beneath her translucent skin.
Fight on then, The war IS everything.
The first of the wretched thralls came clawing around the corner. their sickly pale and grotesque bodies fall rapidly as their corpses collectively fall at the corridors entrance. The Guardian wastes no time aiming precision shots that end with their heads in a sticky splatter. More awful groaning is heard as cursed thralls shuffle out of the inky darkness, clutching their skulls in agony in between the horde of ravenous lesser thralls. The Guardian switches aim to their slow moving forms instead for more satisfying results that then explode the masses of enemies in more muck and bone slinters.
She grits her teeth in disgust at the death before her, but as she wields such a wicked weapon, a part of her yearns for the carnage. Red Death's darker forces soothe and the frayed ends of her fragile consciousness as each shot builds to her own life force. By then, the fight isn't coming from a single corridor when in fact it rampages from the dark depths below, and from the walls. Thralls leap the gaps and crawl the scaffolding to reach the Guardian as they blindly hunger for the light Kassia yields.
The fight rages on as more and more of the Hive collective drop at the Guardian's feet with embers of void sizzling on decayed skin, and bullet holes riddled in every skull. Time does not register as Kassia continues to load her rifle time and time again.
Her Ghost is ever so helpful in calling her flank and pulling in what little light remains in her enemies that drop plentiful Orbs of Light. The excess light makes her senses tingle and hone in much sharper until the edges blur and the surmounting death is her entire vision. Her heart pounds in adrenalin and the void powers she possesses flows like a river from her chest to her limbs. it's dark magic aura pulses with vigor.
"Guardian! It's one of the high witch priests. Look alive!" Ghost exclaims.
The large figure of the wizard looms overhead and a dusk of toxic smoke shrouding her form from her crowned disfigured head, to the frayed ends of her tattered robes. A slitting scream saturated with spit and evil emits from her mouth as her clawed hands pull and weave devastatingly dangerous bolts of arc energy that is lobbed in the Guardian's direction. Guardian Kassia takes a deep breath and lunges as the space between reality and the void allow her to reach a new bound as she blinks across the foyer onto a broken, unsteady beam. The elements never surprised even the greenest of Guardian's as her feet found purchase on the beam. The wizard turned around quickly, her yells increasingly agitated as the Guardian disturbing her sacred grounds made space between them. Her wicked hands began to pull forth another barrage of arc energy to end the Guardian. Kassia shot a few quick bursts of her pulse rifle at the wizard when a familiar aura of void energy glowed ominously around the wizard.
Ghost chimed into her HUD, "The wizard has a void shield! You super energy is at full capacity Guardian at the ready a single blow should suffice."
Time slowed to a crawl as the void energy consumed every crevice of reality around the Guardian. Her chest tightened, breath slowing to an entire stop as she was suspended mid-air with her dominant arm reared back. Her collective light materialized into her hand as it became a void bomb of impressive dark magic and with a flourish, Guardian Kassia let the energy go. It gave a loud 'WOOSH!' upon release as the lance concentration behind the volley caused the void bomb to spiral with surprising accuracy and speed to the wicked witch.
The wizard stopped her attack and held her hands in an attempt to block the massive energy barreling toward her, but before she could hope to escape, the void energy made contact and immediately consumed the wizard entirely. Her scream choked mid-way through and the dark magic finally blinked away into the never-ending realm beyond.
Guardian Kassia dropped to the lower foyer, now that her ability no longer allowed her to stay animated mid-air and let out a grunt as she bared the impact from the fall. She grudgingly got off the floor with a rough push and let the weight of Red Death hang at her side. The feeling of Ghosts' coolness left her spine as she looked at her companion that let off a small trill of what would be mistaken for excitement.
"Excellent work Guardian. The path is clear, so let's get you home."
Kassia's blue eyes twinkled beneath her helmet visor knowingly as Ghost joined her side, floating lightly with its Guardian as the duo made their way out to the open expanse of the moon.
Stars littered the atmosphere-less skies and the Warlock looked up in awe for a few short moments and basked in the unusual sounds of silence. The adrenalin running through her blood lessened and finally she could feel Red Death's tendrils of the unknown leave her conscious. Almost unknowingly, she let out a deep breath and let her previous grievances go now that the battle had ended.
Ghost took a few moments to create a beacon that blipped once firmly placed and its little chassis bobbed akin to a nod before blinking away to bring forth a large, sleek ship.
"Aye Guardian. Transmat's ready."
With a blink, Guardian Kassia was pulled from the surface of the moon and into the cockpit of the ship. Finally, within the safe confines of her spacecraft the Ghost finally removed her helmet with a fizzle of light and her blue features all took on the glow of the small little light in front of her. Not exactly a smile, but a fond look the Ghost recognized immediately, Kassia bowed her head gently. It was a sign of trust between them.
Ghost's light scanned her over and it let off a trill of little beeps only just barely discernible over the hum of the ship's engine, deeming its charge as good to go after the minor conflict in the cave.
It's small, fin-like appendages nudged at her head to bring her attention up and long lashes lifted to reveal blue eyes to meet its equally blue optic.
"We are our choices, Guardian. You've got an adventure ahead of you and it's too soon to be second guessing ourselves. I've already said it, but the Traveler made me choose you for a reason. I would hate to find a reason to regret it when you're already making leaps and bounds we've so desperately been trying to make for seasons in so little time." Said Ghost.
Guardian Kassia leaned back into the pilot's chair and looked beyond her Ghost. Dark blue, wispy locks fanned in her face every so often from the recycled air within the ship but so deep in thought she could not find herself to brush away the stubborn strands.
"Perhaps you are correct, but it doesn't mean I should forget the failures."
Her field of focus zoomed in on her Ghost again who funnily enough looked as if it's fins were sagging in disappointment.
"And I never said you should, but a lot of people believe in you and your efforts Guardian, and we've got a lot left to go before we really start taking back for the sake of Light and the Traveler. Nobody said it would be easy we're making progress," It said.
It's optimism never failed to make Guardian Kassia see past her stubborn thoughts and fondly, she brushed the pads of her fingertips against Ghost's shells. The pair say nothing more, and even though Ghost swears neither of them are capable of much conviction, it takes the gesture as a thank you, and its shell floating so close allows the Guardian to perceive the act as your welcome.
Consider the choices before you.
- Dead Ghost chassis encryption.
I haven't written in almost two years, so any and all criticism is greatly appreciated. Thank you.