Hey guys, this is a really short chapter I know. But I only put it in to shamelessly promote myself. There is a comic on my DeviantArt that this goes with: art/Nightstalker-s-Dream-ONE-567368636
Just paste and go. This is a direct sequel to the chapter 'The Search' as well. Hope you like!
The Tower was always a buzz with activity, 24 earth hours a day. It was no surprise to anyone there, or in the city that Guardians would keep unusual hours. There were aliens to destroy, Darkness to repel, and a lost Golden Age to find after all.
But that is not to say that it was impossible to find a quiet space to decompress amongst the rabble. One such room was one were the Guardian known as Loreley could often be found. It was located just under the shiplot; just a small lounge where Guardians and people who worked in the Tower would come. Listen to music, read books, or just talk.
She did have a habit however, of throwing knives into the map that hung near one couch. Ikora had gotten on her case more than a few times about it, like that would stop her. A Gunslinger by nature, she would stab the knives into places she had been. Not every place, no just the ones that had shed just a little more light on the past; hers to be precise.
Although now forced to wear the title of Nightstalker, as they were becoming fewer and fewer active in the field, throwing knives were just part of who she was. But hey, it wasn't difficult to pick up the Void; the aiming of a shot, the thrill that the Gunslinger lived for was basically the same with a bow. And she was even beginning to see the potential of smoke grenades over her throwing knives that she missed so.
And yet no, she was still a Gunslinger deep down. And that was how she would remember who she was… before. All Guardians had been soldiers in the long dead war, and they were always awoken with their same combat skills in place.
She leaned over the coffee table, near her bottle of Absinthe, the real stuff too, not that lime green shit. It was difficult to find these days, but someone down in the city below used their old family recepie to make an excellent brew.
Loreley had just recently returned to the tower after several months of M.I.A. She had grown weary of her search coming up fruitless on the long, winding road. All she had to show for it now were a few dead Ghosts she had been sitting there for hours trying to decrypt. Mental exhaustion won out over her mind now, and she placed her head down on the table and let sleep take over.
It was only a few moments later that a charismatic and familiar voice was heard to her immediate side.
"Long day Hunter?"
She blunk her blurry eyes up at him. Looking on through one weary green eye, there was another Guardian; another Hunter in fact, looking down fondly at her. He wasn't particularly tall, but he had a kind face with strong features. His eyes were the same brown as his hair; they were also warm and inviting. Everything about this stranger rang bells in her memory… but she could not place from where.
"You sound so familiar…" She looked at the Ghost next to his shoulder; its shell also seemed familiar.
"But, I've never seen you before." She concluded meekly.
She was too tired to try and figure this out anyways.
But no, she was asleep. When did she fall asleep? The strange and familiar Hunter looked on down at Loreley. It looked as though she had been sleep there for hours.
"Yeah, you rest up." He nodded.
Taking steps towards the seat opposite to her, Cayde-6 the Hunter Vanguard sat before her. The Exo wondered for a moment when she had wandered back in. It was always like her to come and go, he should know it was the biggest trait all Hunters shared. He chuckled trying not to be jealous of her. He raised his hand up, speaking as if she could hear.
"Cause' I got some bets, riding on what crazy thing you're gonna kill next."
He then swooshed his hand to the side, like an implied shrug. Of course it was nothing personal; Loreley just had a history of hunting 'big game'.
"So, you'll be better with a steady hand…"
He laughed to himself. The room was quiet again, except her breathing. His face plates contorted to something along the lines of a smile.
"Glad you're back, Lore." He whispered.