Wrath
"Oh! Look who decided to join us!" Cayde yelled out dramatically. Aro and Daniel had rushed in a little after the set time for their meeting after waking late.
It had been a pretty active night for the both of them.
The entire clan was in attendance as well as Lord Shaxx, Shin Malphur, Amanda Holliday and Master Rahool. Aro wasn't under any impression that they were ever told. It must've been after they left.
"Now we can get started. Seal the doors, Remus." Cayde said as Aro and Daniel moved into their teams. Cayde walked past and looked back and forth between the two of them, "Wait…are you two together?"
"Cayde!" Zavala called out angrily.
"What?! Simple question."
"Uh…yeah. We are." Aro answered. He could hear Shino snickering behind him until a look from Zavala silenced him.
Cayde let out a long sigh, reached into his pocket and tossed a bag of Glimmer clear over their heads. Amanda snagged it out of the air, smirking as she put it away.
"Couldn't wait a few more damn weeks…" he grumbled, "Now let's get started. Amanda Holliday and Master Rahool were informed while you all were gone so there's no need to catch anyone up. Aro, you're up."
"Yes sir. The long story short, Gluttony is dead." Aro began, "The object that was giving off the strange feeling was a shard of the Traveler. Gluttony, back when he was Toland, performed a multitude of experiments on himself, regularly using Hive technology. Becoming a Herald caused this to overwhelm him and being connected to the shard kept him under control."
"So when you destroyed the shard, the Darkness overwhelmed him?" Ikora asked.
"I believe so."
"Do you think the other Heralds something like this for each of them?" The Speaker, who had been silent the entire while, turned to her, "If we found and destroyed them, they'd be weakened?"
"I highly doubt it. I believe Gluttony was a special case. And to make it worse, reports from your Ghosts on the fight describe him in his monster form as "erratic" and "feral". None of the words I would use to describe how he has ever fought."
"What are you saying, Master?" Kayla asked.
"I'm saying you fought a weakened Gluttony. I doubt the fight would've gone as well as it did if he had been in control."
"So what you're saying is…" Aro trailed off.
"Yes. I apologize but you got lucky." Ikora finished.
The Speaker shook his head, "Let's not think on that. You are back and Gluttony is dead. We've won this battle and you now have an idea of what you are getting into."
"Speaking of which…" Zavala turned to Daniel, "Did you find out?"
"He has it sir."
"Crona, Aro and Asura are the earliest I've ever seen any Guardian obtain Radiant Light. The battle must have been hard fought."
"There's something different about Aro's" The Speaker said, walking closer, "Something I can't place."
Aro swallowed as the faceless man peered at him for a long time. He then looked above him and said, "Shaxx, we'll need to discuss specific training for Aro and his team. After this."
Shaxx nodded silently.
"Specific training, sir?" Aro asked.
The Speaker started walking back towards the Vanguard, "As a Rank II Guardian, you were eaten. Killed. You then used your Sunsinger abilities to revive yourself, throw massive flames in the face of the beast and then finished Gluttony off with a Radiant Nova Bomb. All abilities more common in much more experienced Guardians."
An image of the scene was brought up on Cayde's personal map, "Look at the size of those flames." Cayde said, pointing to it, "That much power expelled should have left you unconscious. You still managed a massive Radiant Nova Bomb right after. If you're asking why you need training, then you must not realize how insane this feat is."
"Not even I detected this kind of power in you before." Ikora said, "This is something very different."
"Speaking of which, Shino, Mira, May, Katrina, Jessie and Sora." Zavala listed the names, "You will all qualify for the Rank IV Trials in the coming year. Will you be participating?"
"I plan to!" Shino perked up only to be shut down by another look, this time from both Mira and May.
"What he means is, we're still discussing it." Mira said
"As are we." Katrina answered.
"Good. The Rank IV Trials aren't something you should take lightly. Moving on. Kayla, has Rasputin been speaking to you?" Zavala asked.
"Not much. Just muttering to himself in Russian."
"Is it bothering you?" Ikora asked.
"No. I don't hear it unless I focus."
"Father." Crona spoke up.
Zavala paused. Crona was rarely this informal with him unless something was very wrong, "What is it, Crona?" he asked, concerned.
"We…we saw Sloth's face."
"What?" Cayde almost yelled, "How?!"
"He took his helmet off. After I said his name."
Cayde's shoulders fell. Ikora's eyes squeezed shut and Zavala sighed.
"It's him." she finished softly, "It's Andal Brask." Her Ghost moved over to the table and fired a beam of light into one of the plugs. A picture of a red-eyed Andal appeared on screen.
The silence was defeating. Aveline had her face covered and her brother squeezed her shoulder.
"Damn it. Why?" Cayde growled, "Did he say why Crona? Anything at all?!"
"No. Nothing."
"So even Andal Brask is one of them." Ikora muttered, "I almost don't want to know who Envy and Pride are."
Zavala sighed again, "I know some of you loved him. But that isn't the man we knew. If you get the chance to take him down, show no hesitation. Daniel-"
"You don't have to worry about it sir." He said, "Greed is going to die. I'll see to it personally." The hate in his voice was palpable.
A concerned look crossed Zavala's face but only for a second, "Good."
"This is a bit late but Daniel, I am to understand your youngest sister has been selected as a Guardian?" The Speaker asked.
"Yes sir."
"It's a bit early and I'm still trying to figure out why but I have training in mind for her. We'll discuss later."
"That about wraps up everything. One Herald down, six to go. I should be happy right?" Cayde's tone quickly became somber, "Except I'm not. All I can remember is the man I called my friend. Not the monster he died as. And now another person even closer has abandoned us."
Ikora waved her hand over the holographic picture of Gluttony's face, "I hope you found peace, old friend." She said softly to the image right before a large red "X" appeared over it.
She finished under her breath, "Get some rest, you damn fool." Aro could've sworn there was a hint of sadness in her eyes but if it was there, it was quickly gone, replaced by her usual steel gaze.
Aro softly touched the journal in his jacket, remembering all the times she was mentioned. Maybe she should see it too. But not yet.
"Asura?" Aro walked out of his room to see his friends in his usual place on the couch, "I didn't know you were still awake."
"I don't sleep much anymore." he mumbled.
"How are you? I knew it wasn't you who spoke to me on the Moon."
"The same."
Aro frowned. He knew this fight would start taking its toll but Asura wasn't the one he expected to change so quickly. Gone was the Exo was always laughing, making terrible jokes and being the living incarnation of a headache. Not that he could blame him.
"Asura-"
"No. Don't." he interrupted, sitting up, "I know what you're about to say."
"I know how you feel-"
"No you don't, Arochukwu!" Aro was taken back. Asura had never used his full name before.
"We may have done the same things at different times and in different places but you? You have the privilege of forgetting!" Asura buried his head in his hands, "Wrath. His memories. They're starting to come back. Being around the other Heralds. In the Darkness. It's been making him stronger."
"What?" Aro couldn't hide his surprise, "I had no idea."
"I can see the faces again. The Exo who wanted me dead. The planet being taken. The children." Asura's hands squeezed until he started shaking, "The fucking children. I can see them all."
A memory suddenly came to Aro. Wrath(K) helping Asura stand after the fight on the Moon. Had they been talking? Aro wanted to ask but maybe now wasn't the best time bring it up.
"Asura." Aro walked around the couch and squatted to eye level with him, "Look at me."
After some hesitation, Asura looked him in the eye, "You're right. I don't know what you're going through. None of us do. But that won't stop any of us from being here for you. You're my friend. And I'll protect you from anything. Even yourself."
Asura observed him for a long time until his eyes brightened, "Thanks. Thank you. I appreciate it." His tone sounded as if he wasn't sure if he believed him.
"Should I stay the night?"
"No. You and Daniel have been pining after each other for a year. You have lost time to make up for."
"Ass." Aro laughed. He rose to his full height, "You sure?"
"I've got my Ghost. I'll be fine."
"Alright. I'll check on you in the morning."
"That isn't necessary."
"I'm doing it anyway. Night." Aro walked out the door, closing it behind him and leaving Asura in the empty room again.
Asura sighed and started walking towards his room, "Goodnight." he whispered before shutting off the light.
Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Wrath(A) stirred but surprisingly did no more.
Aro shouldn't have been surprised to have another nightmare.
He had started keeping track. He was having them more than regular dreams. Not even sleeping next to someone helped it.
It was the same thing. Always the same goddamned thing. And yet, there was something different about it.
The same pitch blackness. The sea of invisible monsters beneath his feet and the swirling cloud of darkness above his head. What had changed?
There were only six pairs of red eyes. And a new face had been revealed.
Sloth, formerly known as Andal Brask kept a stoic and sad expression, contrasting with everything Aro had heard about the man who people could've sworn was Cayde-6 in Human form. The other three he had known for a while were there. Vell Tarlowe, Kabr and Dredgen Yor. As well as the last two black silhouettes. Heralds without a face.
All their eyes were trained on him showing what seemed like no emotion but emanating a mix of many. Anger, sadness and surprisingly guilt were some of the most prominent.
For the first time in his dreams, Aro started to look around. Before he had been too caught up in his fear to look away from the red eyes. He had no idea what had changed until movement behind him caught his attention.
He turned around and his eyes widened to see Crona standing behind him to his left. He turned again to see Asura to his right. One by one, he started to notice the others. His clan, his friends. The leaders and administrators of the Tower. Even the civilians like Daniel's family and Crona's family who had been caught in the middle. All were staring the Heralds down with the same intensity that the Heralds gave to him.
One face stood out amongst them all.
Toland, looking past him, was the only one to look at him and give a small smile. Aro remembered his last words before they parted.
"No matter how we met or the hell I've put you through, know that I am sorry. For absolutely everything. I'm on your side now. I'll be rooting for you from here."
Aro choked back a relieved sob. He wasn't alone in this anymore. Or maybe he never really was. It just took everything he had been through to see it clearly.
Aro turned back to the Heralds, ready to face them all down and his breath caught in his throat.
Maybe it was just a trick of his own mind. Maybe it was a sign that the dream was destabilizing and that he was waking up.
No. He could tell himself all the excuses he wanted to but it didn't change anything.
There was a seventh pair of red eyes again. This pair seemed to shake and blink, fading in and out of reality, as if it were there and not at the same time.
Aro turned around. Toland was still behind him. He had no idea who that could be. There were never more than seven. His stomach filled with dread and he turned to Asura.
No one was there.
His fear had returned. He frantically searched the crowd behind him, yelling out his name. No one responded. No one even looked at him. He looked back at Crona. Her face was still staring ahead, only now she looked stricken, horrified. Aro turned back towards the Herald slowly, afraid of what he might see.
He was greeted with a large knife brutally slashing down at his face and and a pair of glowing red eyes behind it.
The jolt was enough to send him shooting up in the bed. He gasped loudly, nearly hyperventilating. His face was burning, as if he had actually been hit and he was covered in a cold sweat.
Something moved along his back, causing him to jump slightly.
His actions had woken Daniel up. He sat up without a word and slowly pulled Aro down and closer. It took a while but finally exhausted his nervous energy and fell into a restless sleep, nuzzled in Daniel's chest.
The rest of his night was dreamless; uneventful. He could be thankful for that much.
"Greed." A soft knock on the wall, "It's time."
Greed slowly turned to face Sloth, who couldn't look him in the eye. Greed let out a tired sigh and rose to his feet, following him out. Neither spoke. There wasn't really anything to say.
Greed's whole world had already fallen apart when Joanne died, again when Toland was exiled and a third time when Adrian was killed. Now it was just getting old. Now he couldn't feel anything but the burn of Daniel's words in his head over and over.
"They should've let you die in the streets like the piece of shit you really are."
Greed had to squeeze his eyes shut to keep the tears from falling.
They reached the cavern a minute later where they had been summoned. Wrath stood silently against the stone wall, acknowledging no one. Lust sat atop a small ledge, cleaning blood off his knife. Human blood from a settlement he had been ordered to sack.
"Where is he?" Greed asked.
"So Gluttony is dead. Such an interesting turn of events."
Greed's breath caught in his throat. The others, even Wrath, visibly stiffened.
"Pride." Sloth muttered. No one could see him but Pride's baleful presence filled the area anyway. It was a pressure that made a person want to fall to their knees and beg for their life before he had even lifted a finger.
"Sloth. So they know who you are now." Pride stated more than asked, "You know your former allies. Do you think they will tell your baby sister?"
"She has nothing to do with this!" Sloth responded loudly, "They had better not." He muttered under his breath.
"Where's Envy?" Lust asked, not looking up from his blade.
"Busy and none of your concern." The disembodied voice said. Lust's grip on the blade tightened almost imperceptibly in annoyance.
"Wrath? You have something you want to share?"
The massive Exo stepped forward and spoke in a voice that shook the ground, "Gluttony's death does not have to be a total loss."
"What?" Greed straightened up immediately. Lust stopped working on his knife, eyes turned towards the Exo.
"Elaborate." Pride urged.
"Gluttony is gone and he is not coming back." Wrath continued, "He can't be brought back. But he can be replaced."
"Pride, I thought you could choose only seven of us." Sloth said.
"Pride does not have to do the choosing. One of our predecessors. He is still alive."
"Wait, you mean that Exo Hunter? The one with Aro?" Lust asked disbelieving, "You can't be serious."
"Envy has learned some very interesting information about Asura. The more the Wrath in him stays around the Darkness, the stronger it gets. But it's stagnating because of the Light. Give him a boost and he may be able to take over the Hunter completely."
"Wrath(A) has never shown interest in helping us. Why would he now?"
"I sense your apprehension, Sloth and Greed." Pride's voice echoed, "You wouldn't be hoping this plan fails, would you."
Neither bothered answering. They knew Pride knew the answer anyway.
"His priority is survival. That is the only reason he ever fought against us. But he'll see reason soon enough."
"We'll go with your plan, Wrath." Pride said, "Let them enjoy their victory for now. We'll come for him when the time is right."
Pride's presence disappeared. Greed still felt sick. They beat Gluttony. But there was no way they could survive what Wrath and Pride were planning.
"How could you do this Wrath?" Sloth asked, "How could you help further his plans? How can you be okay with this?!"
He turned towards Greed, "Again, I am sorry for your loss. I will continue to help you protect Eris. For whatever it is worth." he then turned to Sloth, "And if there is anything I've learned over the last several decades, it is that there are some things you cannot fight and other things you cannot change."
Wrath started to walk away. In his deep, rumbling voice, he added, "It'll all start to hurt less. I promise."
That ladies and gentlemen is called foreshadowing.
Book 3 is gonna be fun *starts rubbing hands together*