His Last Life
Summary: Cayde-6 has fought for so many years. Now as his time runs out, he thinks back on his life as a Guardian and how he came to be here at this exact moment.
Soo the feels, right? I hope you guys enjoy this one-shot. Major Spoilers for Destiny 2: Forsaken E3 Trailer and the game itself. Rated T for Character Death.
If they say
Who cares if one more light goes out?
In the sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone's time runs out?
If a moment is all we are
Or quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out?
Well I do
Cayde breathed heavily. He had fought bravely, but it was no good. His Ghost had been shot and was now laying on the ground in thousands of tiny pieces, sparks flying from him. Looking towards the barrel of his favorite weapon, the Ace of Spades, which had been pointed at him, and primed, ready to end his life, Cayde had to chuckle.
"This is how it ends, huh? Better to die in battle then behind a bottle of booze. Always wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. How did I end up here...so many years...very little memories of that time."
Cayde smiled softly as his life began to flash before his optics. He remembered his life before becoming an Exo and a Guardian. Meeting his wife, whose name had been lost to him and time. The birth of his son, "Ace", a nickname, but it was a name and a tangible one at that. His massive debts, becoming an Exo to clear them. Throwing his life away by gambling was one of the biggest regrets he remembered from his time as a human.
He remembered being assigned to work in the Ishtar Collective where his job was to look after Dr. Maya Sundaresh. He wanted to get to know her, but she didn't notice him. Then the Collapse happened...and everything changed.
Being resurrected by his Ghost for the first time was an interesting experience. At first, Cayde wanted nothing to do with him, but he eventually found out that he had the same kind of humor that he did. That made them friends, and partners. Cayde had also found a journal containing Ace's name on his person after being revived and despite not remembering him, Cayde continued to write to him. He and his Ghost fought so many battles together, got their metal behinds handed to them by Shaxx in the Crucible, and lost too many friends to the Darkness.
One such friend was Andal Brask, the Hunter Vanguard before him, and a close friend. The two had a done a bet called the Vanguard Dare, which should Andal lose his life, Cayde would take over as the Hunter Vanguard. Cayde didn't back down from the challenge as he was still very much into gambling. Cayde lost, to his immense regret as Andal was killed at the hands of Taniks, the Scarred. Taking his cloak, Cayde stepped up to be the Hunter Vanguard.
It wasn't until centuries later that he met Shadow-16. An Exo Hunter like him. As a matter of fact, he reminded Cayde of the younger version of himself. So Cayde took him under his wing, and trained him. He remembered one day while he was teaching Shadow how to use his Light in the wildest of ways, he had asked him a question.
"Hey, Cayde? I've been hearing rumors."
"What kind of rumors, kid? If it's something about putting glue into Zavala's chair to stick him to his seat, I didn't do it."
"No…?, It's just... just there are rumors about this place called the Vault of Glass. Everybody says you know all about it."
"...Oh… I don't know all that much to be honest. Mostly what the Archives have about it, I know." he replied. "There's a lot of Vex too. Nothing I couldn't handle. But I can't get out of this Tower long enough to go explore it."
It wasn't long after that that his protégé defeated the Heart of the Black Garden and the Traveler began to heal. And Shadow continued to gain accolades, and reputation. He slaughtered Atheon in the Vault of Glass, defeated Crota, took down Skolas, had him recaptured and put back into the Prison of Elders. He had also killed Taniks after Cayde told him about Andal. Cayde had been afraid to lose him, and yelled at him, but gave him such a hug that he nearly dented Shadow's body plating.
Then Oryx arrived, and Cayde had a brilliant idea. Stupid and dangerous, but brilliant. He had Shadow collected a stealth drive he hid away in a old colony ship in the Cosmodrome to use to get onto the Taken Dreadnaught. He then equipped Eris Morn's ship with it, and Shadow, and his Ghost, Nyte, flew to the Dreadnaught, only for Eris's ship to be blown up. Shadow and Nyte had made it safely on board, and managed to get a transmat point on board as well as disable the weapon that had destroyed almost the entirety of the Awoken fleet. Shadow went on to defeat Oryx, and then stopped the Fallen from using SIVA, an ancient technology, and from destroying the Galaxy with it. Not to mention he became a new-generation Iron Lord. Cayde was almost jealous.
"Never did get that ship replaced for Eris. I hope when she comes back, she doesn't hastle Shadow for it." Cayde mused.
He watched as the Awoken in the front of him placed his finger on the trigger of his gun.
"Not long now," Cayde thought. "Should of figured the Brother of the Queen of the Reef would be in command. I know he hates the Guardians, but never did I think he would stoop this low."
The gun was another thing. He remembered giving it to Shadow to try out.
Shadow pulled the trigger and fired at the target multiple times, hitting a bullseye every single time. Blowing the smoke away from the barrel, he turned to Cayde.
"Not bad, Cayde. It's a pretty sick gun, but it's yours to use. Not mine."
"I figured you'd say that," Cayde replied. "Say, you want to go for a drink?"
And they did. When they got back, Shadow had to leave on a mission. And then all hell broke loose. The Red Legion attacked, and destroyed their home. Cayde had fled to Nessus to find something to defeat Ghaul, the leader of the Red Legion. He met a glitched AI called Failsafe who seemed to be kind and caring at one moment, only to turn around and be a sarcastic hellion. Shadow had found him, his Light restored due to a broken shard of the Traveler that fell off as it sacrificed itself to save humanity. He vaguely recalled telling his plan to Shadow. Something along the lines of "Getting up close and personal with Ghaul, putting a bullet in his head, then maybe eating a sandwich."
Shadow convinced him to abandon the plan after telling him Zavala needed him. He replayed the memory in his mind.
"Zavala has a plan. He needs you, Cayde. He needs us."
"Yes, well," Cayde replied. "Zavala always says he has a plan, but sometimes he just…" He paused. "Wait...Zavala...says he needs me? As in, you heard those exact words coming out of Zavala's mouth?"
"Yes, we did," Nyte replied.
"Please tell me you recorded it!"
Cayde smiled again. Shadow, in fact, did record it, and gave him a copy as soon as they returned home and stopped Ghaul. The Traveler awoke, and Cayde felt he had trained Shadow to the best of possible knowledge. The two remained friends, and drinking buddies. Then it all changed again. They had reports of Fallen activity inside the Asteroid Belt within the outskirts of the Awoken territory. The Awoken had no sensor arrays out that far, but it was patrolled every so often. Regardless, Cayde and Shadow went to the Vestian Outpost to ask permission to investigate the area, which they were granted permission.
When they got there, they began to investigate, only to be ambushed by the eight Scorn Barons. The two fought side by side, but it was no good. Shadow was knocked down and thrown off the Asteroid they were on. Cayde continued to fight, but was subdued, and was disabled. He fell to his knees, oil leaking from his side, his legs non-functioning. The Ace of Spades lay in front of him on the ground. When his Ghost went to heal him, one of the Barons shot their rifle, aiming next to him, clicking angrily.
"He doesn't want me to heal you," he said. "They want you to meet their leader, and the destroyer of all Guardians."
It was at the moment a clink was heard as the Ace of Spades was picked up. His Ghost turned only to be shot dead. And that's how Cayde ended up here. At this moment.
Cayde sighed. It was time.
"Ace….I'm coming home. I'll see you soon."
The gun fired.
Several hours later, a gloved hand appeared on the edge of the asteroid, followed by a helmet with a cracked visor. A blue optic shone brightly through the hole. A black and orange Ghost with a purple eye appeared next to him.
"Shadow, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Nyte..where's Cayde?"
Nyte scanned the area and gasped.
"Oh, no."
Shadow pulled himself over the ledge and saw Cayde's lifeless body. He got to his feet and ran to his side.
"No, no! Cayde, you better not be dead! Wake up!"
Shadow blinked, scanning him with his optics.
"No...Cayde…."
A bullet hole was right between his optics, both of them a dark dark grey. Shadow collapsed onto Cayde's chest, his frame racking with sobs. How he wished he could cry like a normal human being. But no tears fell. Shadow finally stopped sobbing after was seemed like ages.
"Nyte...get my ship...We're going home."
Shadow stood up, and grabbed Cayde's Ghost, wrapping him in a shred of his cloak that he tore off. He then grabbed Cayde's body and carried him into his ship, the Night-Fury. Setting course for Earth, and the Tower, they headed home.
The funeral was short, and sweet. Cayde had been buried next to his pet chicken named Colonel that he gained as a friend during the Red War who sadly died when a stray bullet struck her during a training exercise. His Ghost had been buried with him at the Farm. Shadow stood over his grave, placing flowers on it and a shot of Cayde's favorite alcoholic beverage.
"I miss you, Cayde."
A gentle cough was heard behind him. It was Ikora.
"Cayde gave this to me a couple days ago. He wanted you to have it."
She handed him a box. On top of the box was an envelope.
"Thanks," Shadow replied. He then turned and went into his waiting ship, heading back to the Tower. For the next few days, Shadow stayed in his quarters, not wanting to come out. He still hadn't opened the package either. Then one day, something told him to open it. Going to his tiny table he had tucked in the corner of his room, he opened the envelope. Inside was a letter. He began to read.
"Hey, kid...it's Cayde..If you're reading this, I'm probably dead. I...I just..wanted you to have this...I know you said you didn't want it, but I couldn't help myself. You deserve it. I've taught you everything that I know, and I sometimes wonder if it'll be enough. I'm proud of you, kid. You've done so much for me, and the Last City...You kind of remind me of Ace a little bit. I remember only a bit about him, but he was smart, a bit brash, and basically acted like a little mini-me. You were like the son I should have raised. If Ace is looking out for me somewhere out there, I hope he's proud of his old man. Anyways, I've left you coordinates for my personal stash of engrams and Exotics. The whole works. If I die, I want you to have the Ace of Spades. You never have to use it. Just keep it well-oiled, and clean. That's all I ask. But I know how much you liked it, so I had Banshee copy it. Works just the same, but it's yours. It's a Diamond in the rough. Just like you. Use it well.
I'll see you Starside,
Love, Cayde."
Shadow put the letter down and opened the box. Inside was a hand cannon that was red and black. On the handle was a red diamond.
"An Ace of Diamonds," Shadow murmured. He pulled the gun out, spinning it in his hand. It felt just like the Ace of Spades. Glancing at a photo of him and Cayde on the wall, Shadow stood up, and put on his armor. Tying his holster on, he placed Ace of Diamonds into it, the gun fitting just like a glove. Like it was meant to be there.
Nyte appeared.
"What's going on?"
"We're going to avenge Cayde," Shadow replied, placing his helmet on.
"I'm coming for you, Uldren. And you're gonna pay."
Shadow flipped up his hood, and walked out his quarters, ready to avenge his friend.
Please don't kill me. I hope you guys enjoyed. What was your reactions to Cayde's Death? Let me know in a review!