Chapter 2
The Bet
As we made our way to the Vanguard, I took some time to look at the things we were walking towards or past. Just being curious of course, when I took notice of Lord Saladin Forge. The Last of the Iron Lords. I couldn't believe that he was still around after all these years, and it looked like he still had an Iron Wolf. A tall guardian I didn't recognize, but his armor was that of white and orange color with a single horn on one side of his helmet… It makes me realize it's been forever since I've ever seen these people. Not too much farther we made it into the Vanguards little home in the wall. Upon walking in, both Zavala and Ikora notice the three guardians in front of them, then Zavala recognized me.
"What are you doing here?" He said with a hint of anger in his voice, "You left the City long ago, why are you here? You don't belong here."
"Hey pal, long time no see eh?" I chuckled.
"Do you know this guy Zavala?" asked Cayde. Then he turned to me and said, "Seems like y'all must be great friends!"
"Cayde, this man abandoned us during a great time of need, when it was only Me, Saint-14, and Osiris along with a few other unnamed Guardians who first began the City. We fell under attacked by huge forces of the Fallen, and when the dust settled. We have many casualties, but he, he had left the fight. All to search for his past, he is the reason Guardians are forbidden from searching for their past life." Zavala said, the anger in his voice rising.
"Oh, I see, then Guardian, he's got a good question for ya, why are you here?" Cayde said.
"Well, you see, when I see a team worthy of fighting with, I join 'em, and well, I just got this idea, that these guys are gonna be great ya feel?" I said, with a hint of anger and confidence in what I believed.
"Hmm. I don't like this one bit. A Guardian who left his post and abandoned his family. Only to reemerge when things look good for him." Zavala said, with a stern but angered tone of voice, "I don't trust you."
"Zavala, may I offer a suggestion?" Always spoke up.
"Sure, I don't see why not Titan."
"The Mercury Guardians would be willing to take him in, and well, I suppose reform him and watch him to find some trust between us and him." Always started, "We have been looking to expand our Clan and we have a strong group already, but as I said, we are small."
"Zavala, I think that would be a great way for you to find a way to find some trust in this Guardian, and also a way for him to show that he deserves to be allowed to come back to the City." Ikora spoke up.
"Hmm, I suppose I wouldn't be opposed to that." He responded.
"Well there's your answer to that, now what did y'all come in here for?" Asked Cayde.
"Actually, that was it. He said things about being in the City a long long time ago. So, we brought him here."
"Oh, well. Take care then I guess Guardians." Cayde chuckled.
With that, me, Always and Player left the Hall of Vanguards and headed for the Hanger. We noticed that Cayde had left just after us and was almost following us. I split up from Always and Player to go over to an area marked by the Dead Orbit symbol, a group that's been around longer than most other factions out there. Or at least long enough that an old timer like me would recognize. That's when Cayde stopped me.
"Hey, newbie, come over here." He said softly to me, "I wanna talk to you."
"Ite, whatcha want?" I replied.
"See this coin?" He asked as he pulled out a gold coin with two strange looking symbols on either side. "Both sides have targets on them, one has the design of being shot in the bullseye mark, the other, is just a blank target, to represent a missed shot."
"Alright, what does this have to do with me?" I chuckled, slightly annoyed that this is what he wanted to talk to me about.
"Ayt, now that you know that, we'll get back to that in a minute." He began, "Frankly, I have no reason to trust you, or to not trust you, but I want to make a bet with you."
"Oh? A bet you say eh?" I smirked, "Alright, you have my attention."
"So, for the bet, you gotta pick one side of the coin, the hit, or the miss."
"Well Cayde, first you gotta tell me what I get if I win, and what happens if I lose." I chuckled, "I don't make a bet without knowing the risks." I continued while putting a finger to my forehead and smiling.
"Alright, good man, ya know how to make a proper bet." He chuckled, "Alright, so Hit, you prove Zavala wrong by becoming a very reliable soldier to the City, Miss, whether or not you prove him wrong, you come back and work for me."
"You know, this sounds more like an agreement than a bet." I chuckled.
"Maybe it is, maybe it's a challenge." He began, "So, which will it be?"
"Hit or miss? I guess they never miss huh?" I said, almost bursting out in laughter.
"Heh, so hit eh?" Cayde laughed. "Shake my hand." He said as he stuck his hand out to me.
Grabbing his hand and giving it a good shake, I just had a feeling as if I had just signed over my soul to him. The man seemed to have that kind of spiritual presence when making a bet. I heard about it from some Ghosts I've met while they were travelling across the world looking for their chosen.
"So, it looks like we've made our bet then eh?" Cayde laughed as he turned to leave.
"Wait what? You didn't even flip the coin?" I stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulder.
"I mean, I didn't say I was gonna flip the coin, right? I just explained what each side stood for. You made the agreement which bet you'd take." Cayde chuckled, "The bet is that you'll prove Zavala wrong and convince him that you are to be trusted. Heh, looks like you made the agreement, now are you gonna follow through?"
"Well hell, I guess we'll see huh?" I smirked, before letting him go. I just stayed where I was and thought silently to myself. That guy is one of the weirdest people I've ever met throughout my years I the wild. I wonder what his story is. Pushing that thought to the side I turned around and hustled to catch up with Player and Always. When I rounded the corner I noticed them in a heated discussion with a clanless Hunter and Warlock. I could overhear Always saying that the other two guardians should stop being pride filled and just accept the invite. I continued closer to the group.
"Ugh it's another one." The Hunter began, "Tails, let's go." And with that they both turned around and left. Meanwhile Always and Player both turned to face me.
"Where'd you fucking go?" Player said, with a bit of anger in his voice.
"Sorry I got stopped by, uhh, some maintenance dude who just was asking if I was a new guardian." I said. Ew, it felt really weird to refer to myself as a Guardian. After all the years of being just a Titan.
"Well you are one of us now. You aren't one of The Lost anymore." Always spoke up. His tone was much calmer then Players.
"The Lost?" I chuckled, "I almost think that sounds more badass than being a guardian. At least like that it doesn't sound like I'm just some guy who stands around and waits for a fight."
I mean, we all know damn well you don't fight anyway
Shush Sentinel, I just haven't been fighting lately, I'm getting too old for this.
Eli, you LITERALLY don't age, you're theoretically an immortal being. Minus the like. 200 ways you can die. Haha.
Oui, remind me of death one more time and I swear to God, I'll fucking end my own ghost ya dip. And don't say I won't, we both know I will.
"Anyway, since this has been quite the awkward silence, what's your "plan", assuming You have one for the moon anyway." Player asked me.
"Yeah Do you know the way?" Ender said as she and Nikko approached us.
"Fuckin' hell, I thought that died a millennium ago." I said with the most disappointed tone in my voice, guess not huh. I woulda been happier if she had said subscribe to Pewdiepie and TheMercuryGuardians on YouTube but whatever. Anyhow. "I know the fuckin' way."
"Alright so where do we start Forgotten?" Nikko jumped into the conversation.
"Uhm, so uhhh. There's this place. An Array. The Last Array." I said.
Why the hell did you say that like that haha. We're not in a movie Eli
Shut up Sentinel! I was trying to sound cool!
Well you're not, so stop trying
Aren't you supposed to be support me?
Aren't you not supposed to threaten to end your own ghost?
"Anyway, we have to go to the Last Array in the cosmodrome and and secure the Array. Then we enter the codes I have for it, and bada bing bada boom. We're good to go." I doubt it would go so easily. The Hive have planted themselves in and around that Array. They know just as well as I do that it holds the key to having light bearers get to the Moon. They know, that once we activate the Array, Rasputin will show himself. He will begin to activate planetary defense systems, warsats will be online again, and not only on earth, but across the solar system.
"It's not going to be that simple though," My ghost came out and said, "There will be a lot of Hive, and not to mention Fallen too."
"Mhmm, I said, although, I'm sure y'all knew that already."
"I mean, it would still have been nice to know." Player stated, "Also, where the fuck is Yliaster?" He's no where to be found, god damn it."
"I know where he is." Ender said quietly, then quickly bolting off, I'd assume to find Yliaster, but it seems as if no one is ever sure of what she's doing.
"Alright, well, y'all can stay here and wait for Ender, I need to go talk to my old home dawg Arach Jalaal." I said, and quickly took off towards Arach. I'd known the guy since he rose from the dead. He's always believed that Earth was a lost cause, just like me. I mean, that's why he joined Dead Orbit. As to how the hell he got cursed with the Arach title I don't know, but I wanted to find out. As I approached him, he turned and immediately recognized me.
"Ahh, my friend Sparkz!" He began, "It has truly been awhile, I was almost sure that you had perished. But I forget that you'll never fall!"
"Ahaha, Jalaal, it sure has been, but alas, I no longer go by that name my friend." I chuckled, Sparkz had been a nickname given to me due to my love of arc weaponry. Back in a time where the thunderlord was like, a basic weapon everyone could have. Before its design became lost and the current models kept getting destroyed, lost, or damaged beyond repair.
"Ah, so friend, what do you go by these days?" He replied.
"I tell people to refer to me by the name Forgotten," I began, "mainly because I've, uhh, gone down a path forbidden to normal 'guardians' by searching for my past." Technically, that was the truth, but, as me and Sentinel know, I did find my past.
"Did you find anything?" Jalaal asked, "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious to see what's out there for some."
"Uhh, well, I found enough to make me keep fighting is what I'll say," I began, "But hey, Jalaal, I would love to continue speaking, but I need to get some new armor, what does Dead Orbit have to offer?" I was curious as to the looks of Dead Orbit, having seen some of their warriors in the field, I noticed most armor with their logo was black and white, and always was pristine. Besides, I do love myself some black armor.
"Well, you see, I have the first of a new armor set right over here," He says, leading me down into the Tower's bar. Once inside, we came to what would look like a frame covered by a tarp, but after removing the tarp he revealed a shiny new black set of armor. "This my friend is Dead Orbit's Exodus armor. It hasn't even been released to our own Guardians yet, but, I'm willing to give it all to you if you pledge to Dead Orbit.
Taking a good long look at this beautiful black armor set, I agreed to join Dead Orbit and fight under their banner. After putting the armor on I went to go join up with the rest of the guys. The Exodus armor reminded me of an old-time movie with some robot cop thing. To me it was just super badass.
Ender and Yliaster were already back when I got to the group. Everyone was just waiting for me. They were all in high spirits and weren't all too concerned about going to the Moon, or at least that's what it seemed like.
So, what weapon do you want me to pull out for you? Crimson Death?
Yeah Sent, Crimson Death.
Hey y'all, sorry it took so damn long to get this out…it's just uhh, I gotta be in a mood to write, plus with being in college it's a lotta work. Hehe, anyway, I'm trying my own personal writing style in this and even am gonna add in the creation of some weapons from my own mind. Aka the Crimson Death. But thank y'all for sticking around for this! Chapter 3 will. Uhh, probably come in like…May, I'm trying to finish this semester without having to worry about writing another chapter.
-Eli8300
