?

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he opened his eyes. Though an eternity seemed like an exaggeration, he truly had no idea how long he had been there. Moreover, he also had no idea where he was. He felt a sense of floating, but besides that he saw nothing, heard nothing, and felt nothing. Needless to say however, he wasn't bored, this endless expanse of eternity was somewhat comforting, and if he knew any other form of existence he had no recollection. In fact, as far as he could recall, he hardly remembered ever opening his eyes, as that brought a sense of consciousness, not the thoughtlessness that he was used to. But this time something felt different, as if someone, or something was trying to pull him from the void. As he glanced around the darkness he saw something: A light. He tried to reach for it, but his arms refused to move. The light was floating over him now, seemingly contemplating him. "Could it be?" A voice said, "There you are". The light then expanded, and as it did came memories, a name, his name? But it was gone before he could grasp it. As he felt himself rushing back to the mortal coil he grasped one memory that didn't leave, another name: The Traveler.

Old Russia, Earth, 500 ATC

"Guardian? Guardian?" A voice asked, "Eyes up Guardian.". He opened his eyes, slowly taking in his surroundings. For a moment his location escaped him, but like as flash it came to him: Old Russia. "Ugh," He mumbled, "What happened?"

"Well you see..." The voice began, but trailed off. The voice belonged to a ball, to the new Guardian's immense surprise, whizzing back and forth in front of him with a single blue eye. The eye was alive with intelligence, regarding the Guardian with curiosity.

"Well you see," The ball began again, "I'm a Ghost, actually, I'm your Ghost. But for all I know you've been dead for a very long time, so you're going to see a lot of things you don't understand so just trust me." The Guardian nodded mutely, The word Ghost was familiar to him, he couldn't quite put his finger on it but it seemed somewhat comforting. It seemed like the Ghost had more to say, but before he could a deep, guttural scream pierced the air.

"A Fallen war cry!" The Ghost exclaimed, buzzing in the air rapidly, " I got to get you to The City, come on lets go, there's no time to explain!" The Ghost vanished in a flash, it's voice resonating in the Guardians head, "I'm still here, run towards the wall, quick as you can." Numerous questions remained in the Guardians head, but he decided that if he somehow managed to make it to this City, all of his questions would be answered, and if not...He would be dead anyway.

The Guardian went in a full out sprint towards the wall, taking no notice to the rusted cars or the numerous human skeletons. Running through a maintenance door, the Guardian quickly closed the door behind him, shutting off the Fallen screams and leaving only silence. "Alright," Ghost said, appearing above the Guardians head as a light source, I need to find you a weapon before the Fallen find us." The Guardian's run slowed to a walk, quietly moving forward as the sound of Fallen clicks echoed all around them. Ducking under a partially opened gate, the Ghosts light illuminated a black rifle. The Guardian picked it up, "A Khvostov 7G-02? 25 round magazine," He whistled appreciatively, "Cracked red dot sight? I haven't seen one of this since..."

"What was that?

"Nothing..."

The guardian blinked in confusion, how did he know that? For the briefest of moments he felt like he remembered something, but it was gone before he knew it. Continuing his walk through the dark halls, the Guardian preemptively chambered a round, aware that the hissing of the Fallen was growing louder and louder. Turning a corner, two Fallen jumped from the ceiling in front of him. With a cry they sprung at the Guardian, but he was quicker, firing a burst into one's brain he quickly grabbed the other by the throat. Struggling fiercely, the alien looked at the Guardian with obvious hate, paying no heed, The guardian emptied the rest of his magazine into it's skull before letting it's body drop to the floor.

"Don't worry about ammo," The Ghost said, "I can take your fallen enemies ammo and synth it to match your weapon." Opening his palm, the Guardian saw a magazine materialize and fall into his hand. The guardian felt a grin slowly creep across his face, "I don't know who or what I was, But I can tell that this was something I was good at."

"The indiscriminate slaughter of life?"

"Well when you put it that way you make me seem like a psychopath."

Reloading his rifle, the Guardian continued down the hall, a path of the unknown but he was ready to take it full on and...

"Um, excuse me," The AI's voice resounded around his head, "I hate to interrupt what is no doubt a very deep and emotional tirade, but I think you need a name."

"You interrupted me for that?"

"Well yes...How does Bill sound?"

"Nope"

"Tyler?

"Nope"

...

About 30 minutes later.

"Tyrone?"

"NOOO!"

"Ishmael?"

The Guardian let out a sigh of suppressed frustration, "Jeez, are you just looking through a database of names?"

"Yes actually, how did you know?"

The guardian shook his head in disbelief, "Just a guess." The pair had made their way through the Cosmodrome bit by bit, killing Fallen as they went. The Guardian, to his immense pleasure, had found a shotgun, but had quickly used all his ammo, his complaints went ignored by his Ghost, who claimed that special ammo took longer to synthesize. "So what exactly are we looking for again?" The Guardian asked, as he made his way down yet another hallway.

"You ask that now?" The Ghost sighed, "I'm tracking a ship we can use to fly out of here. In fact, there should be a usable one right around the corner." The Ghost was right, but surrounding the ship was numerous Fallen. Quickly diving for cover, The Guardian managed to avoid the first volley of energy shots from the Fallen, but he could barely poke his head out and get a shot off before the next shots would send him back into cover.

"Can you do anything besides be a sarcastic ball of light?"The Guardian asked, "I can revive you if you die" His companion replied. The guardian rolled his eyes and quickly glanced over the wall he was hiding behind. His potshots had had some success, as the majority of the Fallen now lay dead. But remaining were one Vandal and a very large Captain, both spread far enough away where he couldn't take one without the other shooting him. "Alright, I need you out here Ghost."

Quickly appearing in his hand the AI looked at the Guardian with confusion, "Whatever would you need me for."

"So you chose me to revive right? So that means we're stuck together, and that means we have to trust each other right?"

"Uh yes..."

"Okay" The guardian said, grabbing the Ghost with his hand, "Then I just need you to trust me."

Sprinting out from cover, The guardian charged out from cover, screaming wildly as he ran towards the Captain. With a quick and powerful flick of his wrist he threw the Ghost towards the Vandal, hoping only that he didn't miss, he threw himself on top of the Captain. The Fallen leader was strong, but the Guardian refused back down, throwing punch after punch, exchanging blow after blow with the Captain, who for every blow the guardian connected with, the Captain would connect with four others just as fast.

Sending the Captain to the floor with a kick, The guardian removed his helmet before jumping on top of the alien, bashing it's head in with his helmet. And just like that it was over, nothing left but the Guardians heavy breathing. He let out a groan, the flimsy armor he had been revived with had not held up well, he could tell he had cracked at least two ribs. And glancing down at his stomach he could see blood oozing out of a hole in his armor, no doubt some of the Fallens shots had found their mark.

He stumbled over to the Vandal and noted with grim satisfaction that his throw had found it's mark. The Fallen was dead, it's heart pierced by a metal ball, and said metal ball was trying to pull itself out of the Vandals chest cavity. The guardian picked it up gingerly, wiping off a bit of blood that was covering it's eye.

"Don't ever do that again," Was the Ghosts only comment. The Guardian began to laugh, but was cut off by profuse coughing, which ended with him spitting up blood, "You'll heal," The Ghost said, "The power of the Light tends to heal you Guardians quite quickly, but i wouldn't strain yourself, "Whatever," The Guardian moaned, putting back on his bloodied helmet, "Just get me out of here." And so off they went, the new Guardian and his Ghost, unaware as they flew from the Cosmodrome that they were being watched. Watched by a Stranger whose metallic eyes gleamed with memories of long forgotten wars, and wars still yet to come.