Yes, I know it's been a while since I've given you guys a chapter (sorry!) Due to situations beyond my control, I was unable to type it up. But it's here! But due to other situations beyond my control, I might be able to make another chapter next weekend... Yay
After reaching the Tower, Asdon and Jun had warned the Speaker of the Tomb ship they had encountered, then explained what they had found on Venus. The Maelstrom greatly worried the Speaker, and he told the duo that he had felt its energy, that wave of pure Darkness after it had been destroyed. For their troubles, the Speaker gave each of them a commendation to visit the Gunsmith.
When they took the commendation to the Gunsmith, he offered them a choice of weapons. Jun took a Galahad-E auto rifle, but Asdon couldn't find anything to replace his current loadout. Jun told him to take a weapon anyways, then showed Asdon how to dismember the weapon into its Light components to obtain Glimmer, a key currency for Guardians. Asdon found this process very interesting, but also somewhat wasteful. He knew that his own race's Houses were never really that cooperative, but he had expected the last vestiges of Humanity's warriors to share their remaining weapons freely, instead of selling them to each other and breaking them down for a few Glimmer.
Jun showed Asdon around the rest of the Tower plaza, as they hadn't had the time when they were there last time. The duo visited Xandor-44-90, the robotic Bounty Tracker, where Jun requested a bounty for patrol missions on the Moon. Then they visited the Cryptarch, who would decrypt something called "engrams," which were condensed packets of Light which could be assembled into weapons or armor.
Next Asdon had followed Jun to visit the Shipwright. Asdon didn't have anywhere enough Glimmer to afford a new jumpship, so Jun offered to fly him around. Finally, Jun took Asdon to see the Vanguards, the most elite Guardians of each of the three main Guardian classes: Titan, Hunter, and Warlock. Asdon thought that they were very similar to the Barons and Captains of his House. After that introducing himself (although not taking off his helmet) Asdon talked a short while to Kia, the Hunter Vanguard, asking for advice on Hunter abilities and tactics. Then, finally, Jun showed Asdon his living quarters: a surprisingly large space near the lower end of the Tower, with a separate bedroom, bathroom, and small kitchen. Now it was time for a well deserved rest.
Asdon woke up the next morning, groggily got out of bed, and began the process of putting on his armor, before dropping his helmet in surprise as he realized something miraculous. He had gone a whole day without Ether! It was impossible for the Fallen to go this long without Ether, just as Humans can't go without food for a long period of time. But despite nearly thirty hours (Human time) without a single drop of Ether, Asdon felt perfectly fine. No shedding skin, no blurry vision, and just to be sure, Asdon held out his hand. No, no shakes.
Asdon pondered this miraculous discovery for a few more minutes, then continued to put on the rest of his armor. He walked calmly to one of the Tower's many elevators, making sure to conceal his extra arms. He rose to the Tower's plaza, then called Jun up. The Risen patiently waited for Jun, even lazily kicking around a strangely-patterned ball near the stairs to the plaza's small second floor.
Jun exited the elevator, quickly spotted the now-familiar Risen, and calmly walked over, dodging the other Guardians running around, going about their own business. "So, what's on the schedule for today?" the Human asked. He looked the Risen up and down, appearing no different from the other Guardians. In the heat of battle, the Human hadn't had the time to think about their differences.
A Fallen. No matter what Asdon said, Jun would still think of him as a Fallen. But despite this, after the battle on Venus, Jun could no longer think of Asdon as one of them. Asdon had held Jun's life in his hands- all four of them- but Asdon had done it. When he had destroyed those Harpies; shot that scrambler out of the air. He had helped Jun on multiple occasions. Maybe not saved him, but he could no longer think of Asdon as one of those killers, thirsty for Human blood.
Jun's revere was broken as Asdon shrugged (making sure that his second-arm's shrug didn't dislodge their position under his cloak). "I do not know. Does the Speaker have any more requests for us?"
Jun shook his head, his unhelmeted hair flying as the wind blew it around. "No, not this time. We should just go to the message board; it should have any outstanding missions they need completed." Jun led Asdon to the message board, right next to Xandor, who greeted them warmly. Asdon was still amazed that the Humans could make such life-like artificial intelligence.
"OK," started Jun, "so... It looks like there's a patrol spot available on the Moon. How about that?"
"No." said Asdon flatly. He wasn't ready to face his former House. Not yet.
Jun nodded, understanding the Risen's dilemma. "OK... Hey, the Crucible is having a special event. Wanna try that out?"
Asdon looked sideways at Jun. "What is the 'Crucible?'"
"The Crucible is an arena, used for us to train and test our abilities, and is sometimes even considered a sport, at least to let people know we're still out there, fighting for them. Sound like fun?"
Asdon thought about it for a few seconds, then said, "No. It would be too hard to try to hide my... Certain problem." finished the Risen, casting a glance in the direction of the Bounty Collector a few feet to his left.
"True, true... OK, here's a simple one: patrol mars and collect twenty pounds of Relic Iron. It's incredibly dense, so we should only have to find a few deposits to complete the mission. The pay's not much, but it's a start."
Asdon nodded. "Then-"
Asdon was cut off as a lone figure calmly walked towards the duo. It was the Speaker. "Good, you two are still here. It has occurred to me that after this mission, which you have completed with the highest level of skill possible- despite your many issues with this recent pairing- I believe that it is time for you to officially become part of our Guardian standing. Jun, you have gone over this before. On that note, I would like to express my condolences about your last Fireteam. Let the Traveler's light receive them well.
"But, as Guardians," the Speaker continued, "you are expected to act as a team. To work together to beat back the Darkness, to defend each other in the Darkest times. Speak to your Vanguards, they will assign you to a Fireteam."
Jun and Asdon bowed as the Speaker finished, Then descended the stairs to visit the Vanguards. The duo passed the Crucible Quartermasters, then a few civilian contractors, then visited the Vanguards. The Vanguards, the epitome of the Guardian fighters, the most veteran of the veterans, the toughest of the tough, the most experienced of the Guardians.
Asdon walked over to Cayde-6, the Hunter Vanguard, while Jun strode over to Commander Zavala, the Titan. "The Speaker told us to come to you for a Fireteam assignment."
Zavala nodded. "Yes, we have heard. Surprisingly, we do not have many Fireteams accepting new members... But, we do have one open position: Fireteam Sentium, "The Traveler's Vengeance." Their leader is training in the sparring area right now, area 5B."
Jun nodded back. "What does he look like?"
Zavala chuckled. "Trust me, you'll know when you see him."
After a swift ride on the elevator, Asdon and Jun arrived a few dozen floors below the Tower Plaza. This level stored the many armories, the shooting range, and the sparring arenas, for hand-to-hand combat training. The duo quickly found 5B, and they spent a few moments watching the spectacle inside.
Five Guardians were brawling in the arena. Two Humans, an Exo, and an even an Awoken fought side by side, fighting a single Human in the center. One of the strangest looking Guardians Asdon had ever seen, the Human was wearing a cloak of jet black material that seemed to absorb light, while the hood and sleeves were outlined in glowing red lines of fire. No helmet adorned his head, letting his long, grayish-black hair fly loose as he twisted from side to side, dodging blows and expertly countering with his own. Old scars were roped over his skin, almost as gray as the Awoken he was currently fighting, and while his left eye was completely white with blindness, e blocked punches and chops that he couldn't have possibly seen with his right eye.
"Well," said Jun, "I think it's fair to say that he's the one we're looking for."
Asdon merely nodded, amazed by the display the veteran warrior presented, countering as one uppercut passed by his chin, then using its own force to flip the offending Guardian into his comrade. He blocked another blow, this one thrown by the Awoken, attempting to hit his stomach, and twisted the gray arm, sending the light humanoid flying into a wall.
The Exo jackhammered forward with a punch of his own, but miraculously, the Human grabbed the overwhelmingly strong machine's arm before the punch could land, then flipped over the Exo's head, landing between it and the last remaining Human. He then sidestepped the Human's next blow, allowing it to crunch into the Exo's back. While the Human swore, shaking his injured hand, the Sentium's leader slammed his palm into the man's face. Now only the Exo remained. The living machine slammed his back into the Human, but he just twisted around, grabbing the Exo's shoulder, and used the momentum to throw the heavy Exo to the ground. Sentium's leader, placed his black leather boot onto the Exo's neck, squeezing until the machine said, "I yield." Red eyes burning in its robotic, spiked skull.
The man held out a hand and the Exo took it, albeit reluctantly. The four combatants faced Sentium's leader, then bowed. They knew they were defeated. The four left, but the Human stayed, wiping his face with a towel and rubbing his shoulder where the Exo had left a bruise. He finally noticed Jun and Asdon looking at him. The Human walked over to the duo, and said, "What do you need?" In a rough voice, like he had swallowed a few nails.
Jun cleared his throat. "We're looking for the leader of Fireteam Sentium."
The Human nodded. "I'm him. The name is Daniel Shade, but you can call me Shade. You are?"
"I'm Jun, and this is Asdon. We were told to come to you. We're the new members of your Fireteam."
"What Fireteam?" Shade snorted. "You're it. Sentium hasn't had a new member in months." His face suddenly became grim. "The others are all dead."
"Oh." Was all Jun could say.
OK, I know the ending is kind of anticlimactic, But I just wanted to get it out there... It's been too long since I've updated.