After my conversation with Raylin...I could feel myself calm a bit more. This whole thing with her and Zula...now that I'm thinking of it rationally, I kinda see how it's not as bad as I thought. Yet, I digress. When I walk back out to the courtyard to see Kry, he seemed to be quite satisfied with himself today. I then walk over and pat his back as I get close.
"What's with that smirk of yours? You get another hug from Myata?" I ask slyly. He jumped at first as I patted his back, but then he chuckles.
"I'll never tell. Now what do you want?" He asks as he looked at me. I chuckle a bit more and shrug.
"Oh I don't know...just got some exotic items you may be interested in." I speak slyly still, hearing an audible click in his head.
"Exotic? Give me one!" He says quickly, I swear, I thought he just started begging. I chuckle and bring out Mida Multi Tool.
"You mean this?" I ask, waving it in front of him. His eyes literally lit up as he saw it, nodding. I couldn't help but chuckle, tossing the gun into his hands. "Go ahead man, you earned it this time."
He smiles before laying a hand on my shoulder. "Dude, you are a saint." I chuckle and smile as he then up and runs towards his quarters. I nod to myself before starting to think of where Zula might be. I quickly made my way to the infirmary to see if she was still there, however, she wasn't. I knew I'd have to wait for her somewhere if I didn't want to go to her room...jeez...well, I don't have to go in there I guess, so I can stay out of it. I quickly start moving, and after some searching, find her room.
Just being by the door was giving me anxiety, stuff goes on here that I couldn't imagine happening while involving me. I take a deep breath before knocking on it, getting an immediate answer.
"Who is it?..." I hear Zula, slightly quieter than I'd expect.
"It's me, Drake." I say loud enough for her. For a moment, there was silence, then her voice was heard again.
"Can you come in?" She asked. It didn't sound like she was nervous, so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, hearing her ask that, I felt my hand shake a bit.
"W-what for?" I ask cautiously, actually a bit scared.
"I need your help with a problem…" She says almost immediately. I calm my breathing before entering, as the door swung open, I was too nervous to even feel the door. However, I realized I was worried for the wrong reason.
"So this is Drake…..my name, is Mara Sov." The hologram of another Awoken spoke to me as the door closed behind me. That name….the queen of the Awoken?! "So I see Zula has her eyes on a Titan...quite strange, well, for her at least." I gulped a bit more as I'm being addressed by her.
"Uh...well….w-why was I called here?" I ask nervously. I could see Zula was staying silent, seeming to be trying to hide. Mara just seemed to laugh at my confusion.
"I needed to see the man that Zula was wanting." She snickered a bit. Now that comment seemed to cause Zula to jump into the conversation.
"Aunt Mara!" She yelled in annoyance, bringing a small chuckle from Mara.
"Oh, am I embarrassing you?" I blush a bit more as they go back and forth. So….Zula's aunt is...the queen? Does that make Zula an actual princess? Why can't I get a break?
"Anyway, I'd like if you, Drake, could accompany my niece here to the Reef. I need to discuss something with you about your mission…" Mara said with a serious tone, opposite of the one she had only moments before.
I nod slowly, knowing I couldn't exactly deny a request for a council with the Awoken Queen, but it's only going to be more stressful with me and Zula being alone. Yet...seeing Zula being this nervous about it..I kinda wanted to help.
"Alright, I'll come with her." I say with a smile. Mara nodded in what seemed to be respect.
"I expect you two within a few hours." And with that, the hologram turned off. Zula sighed in relief, allowing me to sigh as well. Is it bad I didn't want to look up still?
"Drake...thanks...I'm sorry to get you involved." Zula said with a sigh. I smile a bit as my breathing evened out.
"It's ok...I didn't know you were royalty." I say a bit cautious. She nods slowly, looking away.
"I wanted to leave that past behind...I haven't even told Myata or Raylin about it…" She says quietly. Seeing her like this was almost heart wrenching. I nod at her, thinking.
"I won't push you for details on why you left it….but I'm honored to be of need to a princess." I say with a chuckle and a playful bow. I could hear her laugh a bit. I look at her, her blush clear as day.
"Oh wow, don't start that." She says with a bright smile.
"Why? Don't like me calling you princess?" I smile slyly. It's strange, almost an hour before, I was close to dying of an anxiety attack or something over this...now...I'm comfortable with it.
She blushes deeply and chuckles a bit. I decide to stop there. "You're impossible." She chuckles more before grabbing her gun and sheathing it, but before it is, I speak up.
"Actually, I think a hand cannon like this is needed if things hit the fan in the Reef." I say as I hold out Thorn. She looked over in confusion before her eyes widen at the sight of the gun. I couldn't help but chuckle at her expression as I walk over to hand it to her.
"Wait..this is for me?" She asks as she slowly took it from my hand. I nod and smile a bit before thinking of something to say.
"Yea...and I'm not giving it to you because you're a thorn in my side...but so we can be a thorn in someone else's." I say with a grin. I could see her blush only get worse, the thought of the hole I was digging runs through my mind. Then I see her nod and sheath Thorn with a smile.
"Let's do this, my Titan friend." She says confidently as she walks past me to the door. I turn to follow, but in a moment, I turn and look up above her bed, you know, out of curiosity...low and behold...was the picture, with only me and her visible. I gulp a bit and blushed deeply at the sight, yet, I stayed calm. Maybe I should think of this kind of attention as praise, just for the time being. I look over to the dresser...but I didn't think twice before running out of the room after her.
Within moments, we snuck away from the rest of the team, set on our journey to the Reef. I was nervous, I have to admit that. First, I'm going to the Reef, not every guardian is welcomed there. Second, I'm actually meeting the Queen, that's rare enough, but being called to meet her is like one in a million. And third...is that I'm meeting Zula's family, awkward to the max here.
"You sure about this Drake?" I hear her ask from her ship. I smile and respond.
"Yea, I am, I here to help anyway." I say with a relaxed tone. Moments later, we were entering an area that had the shade of purple, and wreckage everywhere. I took a breath as followed Zula though the debris, making sure not to get hit by anything. It was a strange place to be. Then a large ship came into view...the Reef itself.
I was about to gulp myself until I could hear an audible gulp from Zula over the comms. That wasn't relieving…I have to admit. As we flew closer, I could see the hangar, seeing all these Awoken roam around it, a couple bots here and there. We were directed to land and all the normal stuff. We then both got out, looking at each other before following one of the other Awoken. Just looking around was enough to show me the ominous feeling that set over the Reef, something wasn't right. We followed the Awoken to a large door before they stopped us.
"The Queen would like to test you two." Is all she said before the surrounding Awoken pulled weapons on us. Me and Zula jumped a bit, but we were already moving. We both ducked under the Awoken's first shots as we pulled out our own weapons. Seeing our reaction time was enough to stun them long enough for us to fire back at them. Once one of them had taken a shot, they put their gun away to signal they were defeated. This was really a test...but me and Zula weren't holding back. As one was defeated, another Awoken would step forward, taking another shot. Me and Zula were in sync, probably due to the crucible matches we've done, but it was astonishing how we covered each other's back here.
It felt like a normal fight, so I used my armor as a shield to take shots for the both of us here and there, but as the fight was slowly diminishing, I heard a loud voice echo over the opening of the door.
"Cease fire!" The sound of Mara Sov's voice echoed around the hangar, causing the entire force of Awoken halt and stand at attention. Me and Zula kept our guns trained on the Awoken around us as we stood up straight. "I'm happy to see you made it alive." She says as she walked out of the door. I was ready to say something, but Zula beat me to it.
"What the hell?! Why did you have them attack us?!" She yells out loud. I quickly joined in her anger.
"Yea, what's this all about?!" I growl out. Mara only shook her head.
"That was a Vex tactic...wait till an enemy is in an open area...then swarm them from all fronts…" She spoke as if it was common knowledge. Me and Zula paused for a moment, realizing what kind of test it was. "It's comforting to know that the both of you are able to combat that scenario." She spoke more uplifting this time. Zula sighed and sheathed Thorn, I slowly follow her lead as we are led into the throne room.
"Mara...why did you call me here?" Zula asks calmly. Mara nodded and turned to us as she sat down in her throne.
"I have information that may be vital to you….and your 'friend' Drake's future intentions." She made a large emphasis on the word friend there, but overall, I was now curious. Me and Zula looked at each other before looking back at her.
"In what your Tower calls the Vault of Glass….the shield that you, Drake, have heard about...that is the key to your victory...so remember that. Once you have claimed victory….you'll be able to
liberate all of your fallen comrades from it's darkness." She spoke cryptically, filling with me with wonder. "And lastly...an iron will is needed for you and each of your teammates...for Atheon will not show mercy." I nod slowly and sigh a bit. However, Zula was a bit off that.
"That's it?! That's all you had to tell us?" She asks a bit agitated. Mara grinned and chuckled a bit.
"What? I can't see any other family besides my brother? Besides, he gets too overprotective." She spoke jokingly. "Plus I wanted to see what Drake was to you, and vice versa." She moved her gaze to me with a grin, making me uncomfortable again. "He was willing to take a couple shots for you...to protect you...so I hereby make him an honorary noble of my court, that way if I call you back….he must follow." She spoke mischievously. I'm guessing she isn't this upfront when her brother is around.
Just hearing that was enough to make me more uncomfortable, yet, slightly honored….then turning to see Zula blushing again...well, back to awkward for me.
A few hours later….
Me and Zula, I guess we both have had enough for today. The other four were worried about us, but they didn't push the topic when they saw we looked exhausted. They went off in pairs to do missions as me and Zula sat at one of the shops, half passed out, and just sitting at a table.
"So…." She says with a tired tone. I was feeling the same way.
"Yea?..." I say, half heartedly. To make a long story short...after our little meeting with the Queen, she got all crazy with how I was going to "court" Zula. I basically had to play a one sided twenty questions with her...and dear god….she would not stop. Then she went at Zula, trying to get her opinion on me, no matter how dark it was, so I had to get out of there quickly. So yea...met the family…..yay…
"Sorry about that whole trip…." She says, putting her head down. "...And how much of a bother my aunt is."
"It's fine...we survived anyway." I say with a chuckle, earning one from her as well.
"I'm glad I left that whole royalty scene behind…" She says with a relieved sigh before sitting up. I then smiled a bit mischievously.
"It could've been worse, she could've had the others set up a wedding for us right there." Why the hell am I ok with this now? I may never know my mind. I chuckle a bit, trying to hide my contemplation of my sanity. Yet, that one sentence got Zula's face to turn a deep blue as she blushed, covering her face to hide. I blushed slightly as she spoke up.
"Y-you are just trying to break me now huh?" She asks nervously. I blush a bit more and chuckle as I rub the back of my neck.
"Sorry, I'm going a bit too far, ain't I?" I closed my eyes during my chuckle. I felt like there was someone other than her that was watching me though, feeling menacing, but besides that matter, me having my eyes closed for a few seconds...another mistake. I need to realize how fast Hunters are, because I remembered that, when I opened my eyes in surprise as Zula got close to mine...pulling away and leaving me with that arc feeling on my face again. I'm left stunned yet again as Zula runs away in embarrassment.
"What the fuck…..?" I ask myself as I lay my head on the table. Again, I never get a break. My thoughts are interrupted by a voice I've started despising since I first heard it.
"Oh, you're getting stunned just by them kissing you? I'd leave them stunned after a full night with them." The Titan that challenged us to our crucible match said with a snicker. Just hearing his voice was enough to invigorate me. I stood up quickly to get in his face.
"You want to go? Because I'll beat you into the damned concrete here and now!" I say with a low growl in my tone. I'm completely done with this day, and I'm not afraid to take it all out on him. He chuckled with that stupid grin of his.
"Oh, and I thought you would be tired out with a full day with her." He snickered once again, trying to provoke me. He then grinned largely. "Fist fight, me and you, courtyard, now!" He said in a challenging way. My only response was a growl, and me punching the wall, leaving a crack in the wall of the Tower. Within moments, we stood on opposite ends of the courtyard, and people gathering around us. I could sense that the rest of my team returned...now in the crowds...Zula joining them, I guess she calmed down enough to come back...but now seeing me in this situation.
"KICK HIS ASS DRAKE, SHOW HIM WHAT WE HAVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR FINAL CRUCIBLE BATTLE, BRING HIM TO HIS FUCKING KNEES!" Myata shouted a bit too excited to witness this beat down. The crowd around us soon began cheering and taking sides and bets on who would win, I think I even see Cayde on my side...betting already on me. I couldn't help but grin at the support I was getting.
I knew that the first strike could decide the rest of our fight, so I needed to make sure I landed a good hit. Then all at once, me and him started sprinting towards one another. The cheering getting louder as we got closer. Then in almost the same speed, we both swung our fists at each other, connecting our fists left a major effect though...his charged with arc energy, and mine with void, the connection of the strikes, and how fast they were going, only added to the blast that emitted from the contact, blasting air in all directions, also me and him to our ends of the courtyard.
Even after I landed, I could hear some of the wind still blowing, hearing the bystanders yelp and scream in surprise, trying to stay on the ground. In the commotion, I take the initiative and get back up, running over to him as he was just getting up. I leap over and land a punch to his head, knocking his helmet clean off to reveal a blond head, but I was not in the mood. He kept trying to get up to swing at me, but I would add another punch to his face, until I would not stop. I knew I won now...but I was already venting, punching him over and over, I only stopped when I heard the sound of a nova bomb being charged, then a sharp blast hitting me, propelling me over the edge of the tower.
I looked down below as I fell, I couldn't move, nothing...I heard the screaming and yelling behind me as I fell...I remember my gear showing up on my body before making contact with the ground...then darkness...