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Chapter Warning/Tags/Kinks-Language, Smidgen of sexual content if you squint.


Chapter 8-Mood Changes


The smell of fresh leaves. Light, cool breeze. Star high in the sky, illuminating everything. Expanse of ground dusted with snow, glittering in the starlight. Beautiful.

Movement far ahead. Small clearing, perfect location. Everything is viewable, they are viewable. He… is viewable.

Watching, always watching. Learning everything. His form: tall, taller and larger, broader through the chest. Four arms, four eyes. Beautiful, light blue eyes. He is covered in armor, covered in technology. Strange helm, strange facemask. His movements: strong, fast. Running, jumping, climbing. Stealthy. His behavior: in command of others. Directing, leading.

I need to know more. About them, all of them. What is it?

Ghost explains. Fallen… Origin unknown. Desires unknown. Needs partially known. Characteristics partially known.

Vandal… Yes, she liked him. She wanted him. Seeing him, watching him. Her body was hot. Yes, yes. I want him. Wait—

—Ghost is saying something. Curiosity. Much curiosity. Captain?

"Don't even think about it. Captains are way more dangerous than vandals and highly intelligent as well. They are not so instinctual and driven by need like your knight, which means they will not be so easily manipulated." Highly intelligentMost before were not so intelligent. Instinctual, yes. Always, instinctual. Perhaps, intelligent is better, is necessary. But it will be harder as Ghost indicates…

I must try. This is my last chance. Please?

Ghost is unhappy, but still it helps. It explains the fallen. Listening. So much to hear, so much to learn. One word resounds… Servitor?

Similar to Ghost. Living, sentient machine. Fascinating, but more. I must see one, I must meet one but… Later, there would be time.

Archons… Kells… Captains… Massive creatures. Intelligent. Dominating. Vicious. Stirring in response, abdomen, groin. Want. Arousal. Desire. Every word sounded… good. I want it, I want them.

Vandal first. Acceptance was necessary before all else. Captain next, if necessary. Perhaps, perhaps it will finally shatter.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you are doing this?" Everything stopped, she stopped.

Ghost is upset, saddened, frustrated.

For a moment, for Ghost, her mission could wait. She went to it. She wanted to tell it, she would tell it, but not now. Ghost will only worry more. After, when it was all over, she would explain. Ghost will be angry… but it was better that way. If Ghost knew… it would be devastated. Still, it might be. If this time, her last chance, was a failure. It will be alone. It was unfair to Ghost, she was unfair to Ghost. No. I will not fail.

Arm raises, palm up, open. An invitation. Ghost settles within. Light flares minutely. Good feeling.

Yes.

A word, a true word this time, in her own voice. She felt herself say it. Ghost was thrilled. She was thrilled. She wanted to say more, she could feel the words, Ghost would be so—a sound, a weapon. Wait! What was I trying? Moments before. There had been something.

Thinking. Thinking so hard…

It was gone. She lost it. She couldn't remember…

A second passes. A slight scraping. Another second, two shots fire. An unrecognizable sound. Ghost is looking, searching for source. Waiting. It will explain. Ghost returns. It knows. Another shot. Ghost is not speaking. It is thinking. Returning. Watching, waiting. Nothing.

Where? More watching, more waiting. Still nothing. Frustration. Where?

"There are three guardians in the area, two set up high in the cliffs for sniping and one making for the Fallen right now."

Guardian. That word again, that feeling. They were something wrong. Now, they were something deadly. Guardian. They interfered. Three shots, three fallen. They were dead, he was… dead. I will have to start again. So little time left. No more interference. I will kill them.

Turning. Ghost is staring, but says nothing. Standing. Hand opens, light comes. Power. Raw, beautiful power from the void. Ghost feels the connection, the drain. It is hesitant, but still says nothing. More and more. Walking. More and more. Passing Ghost, until—it is ready. One more step. In position. Body tenses, fingers clenching. The last pull—

"You… can't."

Stopping. The power swirls, still ready. Turning toward Ghost. I don't understand.

"You can't kill a guardian," it repeats.

She must. Ghost doesn't understand. It wasn't Ghost's fault. It was hers.

Body tenses. Intending to turn. "Stop."

Stopping. Ghost… commands? How strange. Perhaps—the light pulls hard. Flashing, wanting to be used or set free. Pushing at it, settling it again. No distractions, no interruptions. I must do this.

"No, you don't. We will find another vandal. There are hundreds more, if not thousands," Ghost argues strongly. More strongly than ever before.

It does not understand.

"Yes, because you won't tell me anything." Ghost does not back down. Arguing? Guardians… are important to Ghost.

She looked at it. Ghost stared back. She didn't want to fight, but she must.

Ghost… another true word. It flinches in surprise. Ghost, I mus—a sound. A scent. Movement to the right.

Moving. Looking, seeing. He… is alive and… watching me. Staring right back. He glances down. Eyes following his to… my palm. The void. Swirling, pulsing, waiting. Eyes find his again.

Looks at Ghost, smiling. Sends reassurance, acceptance. Body spins rapidly, simultaneously lifting into the air. Guardians are viewable. Palm flashes outward toward them. A sharp thrust of will.

She unleashed the void.

Ghost zooms passed, trying to see. It is worried, agitated, confused. It turns back. "But I thought—"

Calming, soothing. Aimed low. Distraction.

"What?" Ghost returns, looking. Realization. "You just wanted the explosion, to save your vandal. The hunter is returning to investigate." Pauses. "You know, you could have just said something beforehand unless… you were fucking with me on purpose." Ghost is annoyed, but amused.

Smiling.

"Uh-huh. Do you know how hard it is to keep up with you and your mood changes?" More smiling. "Anyways, as much awe as I am in that you were able to have that good of aim from this far away, we may have just given ourselves away."

Smile fades. Yes, we must go.

"Yeah, but now they will be curious as to what happened. We won't be able to hide forever."


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