There wasn't much to do at the moment, there was never really much to do. But I'm a Ghost, I have to grow used to it at some point. Floating just above a Guardian's shoulder as they kill and destroy and push back the Darkness. Basically all the fun. What I have to do is be there to revive them, analyze codes, objects, etc, and most importantly, open doors. I would almost kill to open a door just about now, but there's nothing to kill even if I suddenly acquired the ability to kill. I guess that's the one thing the Traveler forgot about when it created us. Oops.
But as I was saying, there's nothing to do because my Guardian is asleep on the floor of a cave. Now I only have two options of time-consuming activities. The whopping choice between analyzing rock minerals (if you can count that as fun) or looking back through old files I saved.
Four years ago that's how I survived, looking through the old files. It's basically just a compilation of information, missions, patrols, and memories. When it got harder to talk with Kabr, almost half a year after getting trapped at the bottom of this horrendous place, I looked through files. It was the memories I loved the most.
Kabr seemed to be so much happier when he was outside the Vault. I could actually see him with other titans, completing their duties, going on missions. Most of the Guardians I recognized but I tried not to think of their names. They didn't remember us, we've been removed from time, forgotten, dead. I can't blame Kabr for it, for being so unhappy in here. I hate it too, in fact I hate it more because I have even less options to keep myself entertained than he does.
It pisses me off sometimes. I'm stuck down here with nobody to talk to. It would be fine if there was something to talk about but there isn't. And it would be even more amazing if the other Ghosts were interesting. They were pretty boring, I've only talked to them once or twice or maybe more considering the fact it's been four years since we were first trapped together.
Nash is Pahanin's Ghost. He's just about as un-talkative as the Hunter himself. I can't even remember what his voice sounds like, that's how little he talks sometimes. He's kind of like me I guess. His Guardian has lost interest in simple conversation so he just stops talking entirely. That's all I really know about him.
Then there's Mira, she's Praedyth's Ghost. I haven't talked with her in awhile but she's the one I've talked with the most. She still has conversations with her Guardian, they always and I mean ALWAYS have something to talk about. Wether it's Vex, fixing his receiver, or some other topic, they're always talking. It is starting to be just a little bit annoying.
When Praedyth was killed by the Minotaur and Mira began to freak out I couldn't help but feel a little glad that he had been killed. I was glad that there'd be peace and quiet for more than a couple of hours. But of course the Warlock had Radiance, fortunately and unfortunately. Which kind of it good because what would she do without Praedyth. A Ghost without a Guardian was such a weird thought to me, like extremely weird. If a Ghost's Guardian dies then it's the Ghost's fault, it's the Ghost who didn't do their job. At least that's what I think.
A small thud sounded from the main room. It was the sound of someone landing on the ledge leading into our cave. Hm, Praedyth of Pahanin? Probably Pahanin, he's been going back and forth for the last few hours.
I floated a little closer to Kabr's sleeping body and listened to the footsteps in the other room. They were louder like Pahanin was carrying something heavy. The footsteps were coming closer. I sighed and prepared my voice to wake Kabr up but what I saw took my voice away. Standing in the hallway of the main room was a titan clad in Vex armor. I looked from the titan back to Kabr. They were exactly the same. What is happening?
I looked back at Kabr then back at the Titan, it was now several steps closer as it walked closer to me.
"Don't come any closer!" I snapped, hoping Kabr would wake up. He had his helmet on so the Vex could be holding him asleep.
The newcomer looked hurt. "What do you mean?"
I was taken aback for a second. That was Kabr's voice...
"Who are you and why do you look like Kabr!"
The Titan took another step forward. "Ghost... Lepus... I'm your Guardian.
Lepus... It knows my name. No. He knows my name. This has to be Kabr! I instinctively drifted closer but stopped myself. I still didn't understand what was going on. A person just walked in that looks and sounds exactly like my Guardian to the point where I don't exactly know who the imposter is. Which wasn't too weird, this was the Vault of Glass.
"That," he pointed at Kabr, or what I had thought to be Kabr. "Is a trick, one of the Vault's tricks."
"How do I know it's you?" I asked and looked back and forth at the two Titans. One who I've had my eye on nonstop for almost four years and the other which just walked in claiming to be my Guardian.
"How?" The Titan raised his hand and held it out for me. "Let me show you?"
I floated closer, I couldn't stop myself. Surely this had to be Kabr, but the other one had to be him too... Maybe they were both him but in different ways. The Vault was a weird place. Wait! I stopped for a moment to look back at the sleeping Kabr.
The other Kabr let out a mechanical hiss and its arm moved so quickly that I didn't realize it had snatched me out of midair before I was trapped between its fingers.
"Stop!" I yelled. "You're going to—"
As the Titan ran back down the hall to the main room I caught sight of the real Kabr, my Guardian, lying asleep on the ground. This was all my fault. I shouldn't have questioned anything!
"Kabr!" I screamed. "Wake up!"
To my surprise the simulation, or whatever it was, lifted me up to its face.
"Sorry," it whispered. "If i don't do this I'll be killed."
"Why," I asked, panicked. "Who is going to kill you?"
It hesitated for a second. "I can't tell you, they might be keeping track of every word I say. It's just too dangerous."
I was silent for a moment as the simulation jumped out of the entrance and hit the ground. The water splashed as it ran through the stream. It was taking me somewhere, which couldn't be good. Anytime some creature of Darkness takes a Ghost anywhere it's usually to kill the Ghost and take its Light. I can safely assume the same is going to happen now.
"Who are you? Since you lied about being Kabr." I asked. I had stopped struggling awhile ago, there's no way I can escape.
"No, I never lied."
"What do you mean?"
The simulation let out a breath. "I just know that I'm him. We're the exact same, except I don't share his Light. Light can't be replicated." The simulation sounded sad. "I know what he knows, that's how I knew your name... I was supposed to kill him too, then kill the Hunter, Pahanin. But I couldn't bring myself to."
"You're a copy sent to kill the one you were copied after." I stated.
"Yes, but I didn't. They simulated him because he's the strongest. If there's someone of equal strength fighting him the Vex know he'll tire out." The simulation's voice quivered. "I'm sorry, I'm just going to bring you to my master's chamber. I don't want to kill anyone."
"Your master?" I asked. "Tell me."
"No, I've already said too much." The simulation abruptly came to a stop to let a Gorgon pass. I looked through the simulation's fingers to see that he was taking me through the Gorgon's Labyrinth.
If this simulation was telling the truth and he really was a simulation of Kabr then this was a whole new side I've never seen of him before. This Kabr was afraid, desperate, weak, pathetic. There were many other words I could add but I chose not to.
"Just his name," I was growing frustrated. "At least tell me his name before you give me as some sort of offering to him."
The simulation continued to walk at a brisk pace, its breath coming out quickly. "Fine," it gave in. "First off, it's not a he, she, or any living thing. It's an it, it's some kind of metallic creature. A cruel metallic creature and the one supreme being that stands above everything, or at least it thinks it stands above everything—"
"Its name!" I snapped as the simulation rambled on. I opened up an empty file and prepared to record this.
The simulation looked left and right, checking to make sure no one was looking. "Atheon." It spoke at once. "Its name is Atheon and it wants you all dead."
"Atheon," I whispered.
The simulation hung its head. "Yes. And I need to take you to it as much as I don't want to. You don't know me but I know you, I remember you. And I... I care about you even though you might not care about me."
"I care about you," I strained to say and it sounded more like an obvious lie.
"You don't have to say that," it said. "I just wanted you to know."
"No, no, I really need you to know too."
Here's my chance!
"I know that you're basically the same as my Guardian, you have all his memories, skills, strength. And most importantly you never asked to be a simulation but the Vex made you into existence."
The simulation mumbled something inaudible.
"May you let me go so we can talk face to face?" I asked calmly, wiggling in its fingers. "You and I are friends right, so you trust me not to run away, do you?"
The simulation hesitated but then he held his fingers back and released me. I floated high up into the air. High enough so I looked in reach but in reality I wasn't.
"Ok, but you can't run away." The simulation said. "We can walk the rest of the way like this."
"You still want to go back?" I asked to try and play with its mind. "You really want to go back to someone—something—that threatened to kill you?"
"Yes?" The simulation sounded confused.
"But you only have me. You didn't kill Kabr or Pahanin like you were supposed to do." I pointed out. "Don't you think your master, Atheon, won't be pleased with you when it discovers this?"
The simulation didn't answer and hung its head.
"I have an idea," I continued. "Come back to the cave with me. It's safe, there's other people you can talk with and the two of us could have a talk."
Now the simulation answered. "No! That's a horrible idea!"
"Ok, ok, calm down. I have another idea."
"What?" The simulation asked. "And it better not be going back to your cave or not going to my master at all, because those are horrible ideas."
"Oh, it's nothing like that." I lied. "I'm feeling a little tired, that's all. I would appreciate it if we could wait here for a little while. Maybe two hours?" Or three if I'm lucky.
"Ghosts get tired?" It asked. "From my memories they don't, they don't require any rest at all, unlike Exos who—"
"Enough!" I snapped. "I'm just... mentally exhausted. I need time to rest. This is undebatable, we're both going to rest!" All the anger I've held in for years upon years was suddenly released. I felt a little guilty for taking it out on the terrified simulation, but then again it did kidnap me.
The simulation paused, surprised at my sudden anger. "I don't know how I feel about it, but... You are going to lose everything soon... That's the only reason I'm letting us rest. We have an hour until we're going to Master, deal?"
I sighed, a deep sigh. "Deal."
I floated further into the air so the simulation couldn't grab me before our time is up. Then I set my internal timer to one hour and began the wait. Oh Kabr, please get here soon. We only have an hour left until everything we are is destroyed...