Epilogue

Eyes up guardian.

Those were the words that started it all. One week ago I was a pile of bones outside of Old Russia. Now, I was at the tower cleaning my sniper rifle before my next mission.

There was an array that needed to be reopened on Earth. Commander Ikora asked me to be on the strike team. I would be meeting my team at dawn. My scout rifle and rocket launcher had already been cleaned. After a few more minutes, my sniper was finished and was leaning against the wall across from my bed.

"Are you ready for tomorrow Apollo?"

I put away my cleaning case and smiled at my ghost, "I'm more worried about the people than the fallen."

The ghost's light shimmered in amusement, "Look, just because you have been asleep for a few hundred years doesn't mean you can't talk to people."

"I sound like a history book."

"I thought you prefered highly intellectual individual."

I chuckled a little at that. It was true though. I find myself referencing things from my time constantly and the only time people remember them is if they were in a textbook. Thankfully, I have been catching back up to how people talk.

"Anyways Casper I think I'm going to head to bed."

"I still don't get that joke."

With another chuckle I crawled into bed and switched off my light, praying the mission would go well tomorrow.

Chapter 1

I arrived at the hangar a few minutes before the meet time. The ships were being prepped for launch as I walked up. A human and an exo were conversing near a sleek black ship. The human turned to me and walked up to shake my hand.

"Aha, You must be our backup! My name's Andrew but you can call me lightning."

I smiled and shook his hand, "That would be me lightning. Commander Ikora sent me along to make sure your fireteam gets through it one piece."

The cloaked exo came up to join us, "Thank the Traveler. I was getting tired of having to carry this crazy titan through missions. My name is Shadow."

I laughed again as lightning grumbled, "Nice to meet you Shadow. Who is the last person of the team?"

"That would be me."

I turned to see the last member of the team walk up and was stopped in my tracks.

She was beautiful.

I could tell by the bond around her arm that she was a warlock. Her battle robes were shorter so they ended about her knees instead of her ankles. They were left open to show an armored chest piece and pants underneath. Her chestnut hair was in a messy bun behind her head and her leftover bangs framed her face. Her face was round with chocolate brown eyes and a small nose. I quickly closed my mouth and responded,

"Well it always is great to have another warlock on the team. My name is Apollo Saint." The girl giggled slightly at the warlock comment,

"I'm finally glad to have some warlock back up. After all, everyone knows warlocks are the master race." I laughed as Shadow made a strange snorting sound and Lightning gave an irritated grunt.

"Obviously. I never caught your name by the way?"

She laughed and I urged myself not to smile too largely, "Mirabelle but you can call me Mira. Now that introductions are done, who's ready for takeoff?"

/

I set my ghost to work on the array's computer. So far, the fireteam has been a great help. They all had their roles down pat and then worked well together already.

Shadow was the overwatch. Anytime there was a big target that was his priority. He also had an uncanny ability to cover everyone's backs. One second he was shooting a fallen captain and the next he was taking out a vandal that was about to hit Lightning in the back.

Speaking of Lightning, the titan is the second craziest fighter I have ever seen (Although for some reason I can't remember the first). He doesn't even use a primary weapon. He uses a shotgun, a fusion rifle, and his fists. Mostly his fists. Once, he engaged a captain in the fisticuffs and when I tried to intervene, Mira stopped me and said "let it happen. It makes him happy." Sure enough, Lightning uppercutted the captain's head clean off with a well placed stormfist.

Finally, Mira was...intriguing. Warlock strength is based off of control and creativity. Control of the elements and then creative ways to use that control. While she never once used solar abilities, she has a mastery over void that is amazing. The only person that she could not surpass was my father who happened to be one of the greatest titans of all time. Mira's role was to eliminate groups of enemies and take out all of the dregs and vandals.

"Alright Apollo we're all set. The array is opening." The large array opened slowly on the outside. Lightning and Mira cheered while Shadow simply smiled as he shouldered his rifle. For some reason, I kept my hand on the trigger as I cautiously stepped outside.

Then, my ears picked up a dangerous sound. Loud screeching signaling incoming hive ships. Immediately, large tracking explosives flew from the cannons. After calling for the fireteam, I bolted toward where the hive were dropping in.

For some reason, the sound of that ship infuriated me. My mind was flashing with images of a temple on the moon and someone that looked like me falling to the ground as a wizard covered him in a poison cloud. I passed the explosives and they started following me. Mira called after me but I kept going. Two wizards spawned right in front of me but I lept over them without looking back. The explosives ran into them and destroyed them before they could raise their hands.

A small group of acolytes opened fire but I activated Radiance to surround myself in solar energy. Extending my arm with my hand pointed towards them, I shot a stream of fire directly into the group and burned them all. Without and hesitation i tossed to solar grenades into the crowd of thralls.

Gunshots rang out behind me as radiance ran out. I turned back to regroup when Mira called out to me,

"Apollo! Knights on your six!"

I instinctively rolled forward just as a sword cut into the ground behind me. In an instant, my scout rifle dematerialized and was replaced by my sniper rifle. Coming out of my roll I pulled up my sniper and delivered two quick shots to the first knights head. My victory was short lived as the second sword came down in a lethal vertical arc so fast I barely had time to raise my sniper to block it. One knee hit the ground as I barely held my ground against the hive beast.

The knight reeled back as Shadow delivered an armor piercing round into one of its eyes. It disintegrated into nothing as more flashes went through my mind. The last time I blocked a sword like that...

The man from earlier had died.

The rage came back just as a large wave of hive landed. A large hallowed knight was leading the charge. This enemy locked as with me just before I let the fire overtake me. Then, my body became the center of a supernova.

My broken sniper rifle was replaced by my shotgun before I even took off, the fire propelling me like a rocket. I performed an explosive shoulder charge on the knight, sending him reeling back. Continuing on I stuck the first wizard with a fusion grenade and unloaded my shotgun into the crowd of acolytes and thralls. The gunshots continued behind me so I knew that my fireteam was cleaning up all the remaining enemies. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was burning the knight before me into oblivion. We locked eyes like two predators fighting for dominance. I threw my shotgun aside as he dropped his sword. With an outraged cry from both of us, we charged.

I delivered a solar punch to his chest that sent him reeling. Before I could follow up with another blow that knight's foot planted firmly on my chest and pushed me back into a wall. Ducking just in time to dodge a fist to the head, my glide activated long enough for me to deliver a solar drop kick to the knights head. He dropped to the ground before screaming in outrage and leaping up. My feet touched the ground right as he lunged for me. It's large hands grabbed me around the neck and lifted me off the ground.

Spots appeared in my vision when the knight tightened his grip. I saw two sniper rounds impact its arm but it had no effect. The sound of a stampede told me that Lightning was charging forward, preparing a shoulder charge. None of this matter. All that I was thinking was how these monsters killed someone very dear to me. Who did they kill? I couldn't take not knowing. I can see his face...and a name.

Hermes. Hermes Saint. My eyes shot open, completely overtaken by fire.

They killed my brother!

My hands grabbed the hands around my neck and I sent all of the fire left through them. The knight screeched as he arms caught fire. Soon, the rest of his body had flames dancing across them. The fire scorched him and burned the very ground he stood on. The beast dropped to one knee in pain. Leaning over, I placed my palm on the back of its head and whispered in its ear,

"Know this spawn of darkness; I am going to go to the moon, find what your kind has taken from me, and then burn that cursed temple to the ground with fire that rivals the sun."

Without another word, I delivered a scorch attack right to the back of the knight's head. Turning back, the entire fireteam was staring at me with varying degrees of astonishment. Shadow's quirked eyebrow and Lightning's hanging jaw I could understand but Mira was looking at me as if I was some kind of god.

"You're THE Apollo." I looked at her confused. Hadn't we already gone through introductions?

"Last time I checked that was my name. Now," Mira went to continue but I held up a hand to stop her, "I'm sure what you're going to say is very important but I'm afraid I have to get to the Speaker to get some answers. I trust you can handle the rest of the mission on your own. Ghost, call in the ship."

Lightning stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder to stop me from leaving, "Woah man what's got you rushing? We should be celebrating after completing a special mission for the vanguard." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I don't have time to explain everything. I'll just tell them I have to go again and go.

"Apollo?" I turned back and saw MIra looking at me in concern. Thankfully, the awe from earlier had passed. My heart was telling me to talk even when I knew I had to get to the speaker as soon as possible. I guess I did owe them an explanation and I might need them for my assault on the moon. Ghost's voice echoed in my head saying the ship was incoming.

"I promise that I'll explain everything after I talk to the Speaker. I might just need your help again."

Before any of them could say another word, Ghost beamed me up to the ship and we were off towards the tower. Towards answers.