CHAPTER 7
PRISON OF ELDERS
THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT
Seja lowered her weapon. A Ghost just died? Seja felt a strange mix of emotions. She wasn't exactly a Guardian anymore, but she could still do everything a Guardian could. And most of the people she knew were Guardians as well.
And there was another Guardian at the prison that she knew.
Cayde.
"A Guardian just died?" Ira asked.
"A Ghost," Seja replied, "but whoever's Ghost that was they'll probably die if we don't get to them soon."
"That Ghost died all the way on deck zero in the supermax wing," Green added, "there's no way we'll get there in time."
"We can't just do nothing," said Seja.
"There's nothing we can do," Shur said, resting a hand on Seja's shoulder, "even if we were going there before that Ghost died we wouldn't be there by now."
Seja sat back down with her back against the wall. She put her hands up to her face. She had never experienced the death of another Guardian, even if she wasn't there in person. Especially when it was someone that she knew, at least she thought it was. She knew that the famous unnamed Guardian responsible for the ends of the Taken War, SIVA Crisis, and Red War was at the prison too, but she knew that they wouldn't die from a prison break.
But she wasn't sure Cayde could've gotten killed from a prison break either. He may have not acted like it, but he was a legend. Cayde was powerful, and could handle even the most dangerous of enemies without going down even once.
Seja just didn't know what to think at all, and so she just closed her eyes and sighed.
"Seja?" Shur asked.
"Fine," Seja replied, bringing her hands back down.
"You sure?"
"Just… I've never experienced the death of another Guardian. Never in all of my life."
"I didn't know Guardians could die," Ira added.
"Only if their Ghost is dead," Seja said, looking up at Green.
"Well yeah, I know that now."
"We just have to get out of here," Shur suggested.
"Then let's go back to the ship."
Seja stood back up and Green disappeared. Her two companions followed her back to the landing pads where her ship was supposed to be waiting, but it was gone.
"Uh," Shur started, "figure the Eliksni stole it?"
"Looks like we're staying here just a bit longer," Seja said.
The three turned around and went back through the prison in search of another landing pad.
HUNTERSHIP KRENTHAR-FEL
SYSTEM EDGE, SOL SYSTEM
"Brothers and sisters," Faltris began, "Kaephis and Sevis Prime have appointed me as the Archon of this House after the death of our beloved Rhetiks. With the help of my associate, we will hunt down his killer, and avenge him."
The Eliksni below Faltris began to cheer. Hundreds if not thousands of Eliksni from the House of Hunters were below her, all hungering to avenge the death of the House's previous Archon.
Faltris was the mother of Rhetiks, and the Archon before Rhetiks, Eskar, was his father. They have been members of the House ever since the aftermath of the Whirlwind. And Faltris did not plan to fail.
If Faltris failed, she would be shamed, but she would still hold the rank of Archon. For her, shame was worse than demotion.
She also wouldn't reveal the identity of her associate. Not many would accept it, but sometimes working with the enemy was the only way to defeat them.
Faltris spoke again once the noise died down.
"Our target, as you expected, is a Guardian," Faltris shouted to the crowd, "Guardians have not stopped us in the past. And he won't be able to stand the full might of our House."
They cheered once more.
"To battle!" Faltris shouted once more, "for Rhetiks!"
The Eliksni began to spread apart and board Skiffs. When each Skiff was full it teleported out of the hangar, and there were hundreds of them.
A wave washed over Huntership Krenthar-Fel and revealed it to the galaxy at the edge of the system. The once cloaked, ship, a massive upgraded Ketch that was four times the size of a normal Ketch flew forward as Skiffs shot out of the space around it.
PRISON OF ELDERS
THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT
The three Awoken made it out of another airlock after fighting back through the Scorn-infested prison. As they made it out to the landing pad they saw multiple Skiffs and Awoken fighters docked.
"Take the first one on our right," Seja ordered, "I'll watch our backs."
Shur nodded and she and Ira ran up to the closest Awoken fighter. They found the entrance and went inside, it was completely empty. There weren't even chairs. Shur went to turn it on and nothing happened.
"Ship's busted ma'am," Shur called Seja.
"Try the next one," Seja ordered, "no activity out here so far."
The two Awoken climbed back out of the ship and walked to the next ship. No luck once more. They kept going through until they got to the seventh ship, which was a Skiff.
"Hey Seja?" Shur called, "know how to fly a Skiff?"
"Not as well as a Galliot but we might as well," Seja said, "I'm coming back."
Seja came running down the steps to the landing pad. Once Ira and Shur saw her they entered the Skiff through the troop bay at the back. Seja followed and they all sat down in the cockpit.
"Here goes nothing," Seja said under her breath just loud enough for Shur to hear.
The Skiff's thrusters activated and it rose into the purple Reef sky. The deep hum of the engines was heard inside the cockpit as well as outside.
"Where are we even supposed to go?" asked Ira.
"I'm going to continue to try and reach Petra," Seja said, "you two just hang out in the troop bay because I know you've been dying for some time alone ever since this started."
The two gave Seja a friendly smile and disappeared into the troop bay while Seja flew the ship.
In the distance she was able to spot pieces of the Tangled Shore, and Skiffs were frantically buzzing about the connected islands. Looks like the Scorn are spreading pretty fast.
Seja turned the Skiff's radio on and began searching for a signal from Petra. Suddenly, the radio pinged from somewhere in the Tangled Shore. Bingo. She hit the answer button on the console and heard Petra's voice.
"Who is calling me right now?" Petra asked. She talked quickly and quietly.
"Boss, it's Seja," Seja responded.
"Oh! I'm so relieved to hear your voice. After you three stopped responding I thought you were all dead. I can't say the same about Cayde though…"
Her voice trailed off.
"He's the one who died," Seja solemnly said.
"Yes," Petra confirmed, "the universe is a whole lot darker now that one of its brightest lights are gone. I miss him."
"I know, so do I. I didn't spend much time being a Guardian, but after the time I spent with him I considered him a friend. A good friend at that."
"As much as I'd like to we mustn't dwell on his death. Our old friend, Prince Uldren, has invaded the Shore with the Scorn. Once more they're wreaking havoc, and once more they've forced the Spider into hiding. The other Guardian who was at the prison is here in the Shore now, I'm going to meet with them in Spider's safehouse, come to me once they're gone."
"I will."
"One more thing: are Ira and Shur alright?"
"Yeah, they're fine. They're um, with each other in the troop bay. Together. Just the two of them. Doing uh, things."
"I see. Let them take their time."
"Right."
Seja steered the Skiff towards Thieves' Landing where she was told the Spider's Safehouse was and put her helmet back on.
THE WILDS
EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH
Gariks stepped aboard the Skiff and Hegiks followed. In the troop bay stood Misraaks, flanked by three Guardians, one of each class.
"Holy shit, Gariks!?" exclaimed a Guardian, a Titan.
"Have we met?" Gariks asked.
"You don't remember me? Oh wait."
The Titan pulled his helmet off his head. He was an Exo, his head was white with a red stripe going down the middle. His eyes and mouth were red as well.
"Heft!" Gariks smiled when he saw Heft's face and Gariks wrapped all four of his arms around the Titan, lifting him up in the air.
"Have you met?" Misraaks asked after clearing his throat.
"Heft here was almost killed in the Tangled Shore over a year ago," Gariks explained, "I'm the reason he's still here now. He's the reason I'm here now."
"Then I see we have both already done our first share to help the Guardians."
Misraaks stepped back behind the other two Guardians and introduced them.
"Jack and Steven," Misraaks said.
"I have fought alongside Jack," Gariks said, "have not heard of Steven."
"I'm gonna be honest I do not recognize you," Jack said.
"I have grown since the baron hunt. I do not blame you."
"Oh! The Scorn baron hunt!"
Jack and Steven took their helmets off and Jack smiled.
"Steven is one of my 'newer' friends," Jack explained.
Steven simply nodded and held out his hand as well as Jack and Misraaks. He shook all three of their hands at once.
"So this is the team we're working with for now," said Misraaks, "I still have other contacts around the system, some still hiding with the House of Dusk."
"How did you know about Eramis and her plans so quickly?" Gariks asked.
"Eramis was one of the first out of the prison. She stole an Awoken fighter and immediately headed here to Earth. I had more contacts within the prison, and they tell me about Eramis's 'obsession' with the House of Devils. It's pretty safe to assume that rebuilding them is her ultimate goal."
"The Devils hunted our people all the way until the House of Dusk formed," Jack said, "they were dangerous, and even became a threat to the entire system when they found SIVA."
"I am aware of their history," said Gariks, "I worked close with them before Dusk was formed."
"What house did you belong to?"
"Kings."
"And why did you leave Dusk?"
"A group of Guardians, including Heft, saved me from a terrible life."
Gariks rested a hand on Heft's shoulder.
"I mean, it was nothing," Heft said with a smile, casually shrugging.
"Anyways, back to our mission," said Misraaks, "we do not know where Eramis is. Not yet anyway, but I believe I know where we can find out. I have a mole in their ranks, they know where one of Eramis's commanders is. That's our first target."
BAZAAR
THE TOWER, THE LAST CITY
"So yeah they one seven games in a row," Drifter said to the crowd of Guardians around him, "I ain't even gonna lie brothers and sisters, I do not recommend messing with them. One'a them even has the most powerful fusion rifle I've ever seen."
John's team has started to gain lots of recognition even since their first match of Gambit. They were the first to win seven games in a row, and the only to win every game they played. Lots of Guardians were hungering to try and beat them, but Drifter assured them they wouldn't.
"They're gonna go down," said a massive Titan.
But then a familiar face showed up in a crowd.
"No we're not," it said.
It was Joseph, who was much bigger than the Titan who spoke out.
"No, you're not," the Titan agreed and started backing away.
"Like I said," Drifter continued, "you don't want to go messing with them. They could kill you even outside of Gambit."
The Guardians all looked at each other.
"I'm not saying they would," Drifter added, "just that they could."
Drifter leaned back next to the bank that was in his tiny little room.
"Good news is they're taking a break," Drifter said, "so now y'all can keep playing, go get me those motes."
The group nodded and left, but Joseph was still there.
"What can I do for you brotha'?" Drifter smiled.
"You seem like you've got a good ear to the ground," Joseph started, "I'm looking for a Warlock named Jack. Looks and sounds like me, but no one knows where he is. Zavala said his mission is classified."
"Looks and sounds like you huh? You got a brother brotha'?"
"Yeah."
"I can tell you he's been spotted in the Cosmodrome. Working with two other Guardians and two Fallen. Strange, I thought you folks and the Fallen were mortal enemies."
"We're supposed to be, but I've meet some nice ones. And by some I mean like two. Also how do you know he's in the Cosmodrome?"
"I got buddies all over the system brotha'. Whether they like me or not they still work with me so long as I pay them enough."
"I'll head out then," Joseph turned away, "thanks. Brotha'."
A massive grin filled Drifter's face.
"Be seein' you brotha'," he waved as Joseph left.
Then another Guardian came in as Joseph left. A Guardian he recognized. A Guardian everyone recognized unless they were literally just resurrected. Before the Guardian came back to the tower word of Cayde's death spread like a bush fire. He decided to put on his usual charm and speak to the infamous god slayer.
"I can't tell if that look in your eye is determination or rage," he said upon seeing the Guardian approach, "word is you and Cayde had a pretty good partnership. That's rare. From what I could tell, that guy preferred to work alone."
The Guardian leaned on the wall across from Drifter, they seemed to be listening. And they seemed interested.
"Maybe he liked how you pulped a Hive god or two," Drifter continued, "I know that's why I like you. Listen, don't let his death weigh on you. Somewhere out there someone's got a bullet with your name on it. Same for him, same for me. Nothin' we can do. So go out on your terms. With a gun in your hand and loot in your pockets. Haha! Only way to live. The Derelict's always in orbit if you wanna… vent."
The Guardian nodded.
"Cayde's death has gotten me," they said, "once I kill every last person involved with is death I may come back. I've heard quite a bit about you, and you are very interesting. See you at the end of this."
"See you Guardian," Drifter said as they turned around and left.
If I get Saladin's own Young Wolf in on Gambit, he thought, then every Guardians gonna follow. And that is good for business.
Drifter stopped leaning on his table and turned towards the bank, but it wasn't there. What? He thought, tilting his head. He then turned around to look behind him and he was suddenly in a dark area. His feet felt wet and he looked down to see he was suddenly standing in water.
"You cannot sway the Young Wolf so easily," a voice said.
"What makes you think that?" Drifter asked, "I know what's goin' on in this tower. I know the Vanguard ain't gonna help them avenge Cayde."
"So you will use the fact that you are opposite the Vanguard to sway them?"
"Of course I will, aren't you supposed to be smart?"
"Do not insult the Nine."
"So long as you don't kill me then fine."
"We have always found you interesting Dredgen," the voice continued.
"Drifter," he reminded the disembodied voice.
"We would not take action to kill you. But we can take your whole operation away. We know you do not want that."
He heard the sound of a metal ding above him and something fell from the sky. He reached up and caught it in his hand, keeping his fingers over it so he couldn't see what it was.
"Gambit will not last as long as you would like," the voice said, "or as long as we would like. You must step up the game. The Guardians will not truly be prepared for another collapse unless they experience it themselves."
Taken rifts started forming all around him. He turned around and each rift dropped a large Taken being.
One looked like Nokris, disowned son of the Taken King Oryx.
One was Taniks the Scarred, slayer of Vanguards.
One was Atheon, Time's Conflux, a supreme leader of the Vex on Venus.
One was Valus Ta'aurc, commander of the Cabal Siege Dancers.
And there was one more. Oryx, the Taken King himself.
But then the black and white Taken goo covering their bodies began to dissolve, and they all looked like themselves but with on key difference. They each faintly glowed red. Fog began to fill Drifter's vision and something appeared in the sky. It looked like the Moon.
Drifter opened his hand to see what was in it. It was a jade coin, the same that he uses in his Gambit matches. On the face of the coin was an outline of the Traveler, and it slowly broke apart and floated away.
And then the noise of the beings around him and the water he was standing him abruptly stopped. Everything was black. He blinked once and he was back in his room in the bazaar, the Guardian was still walking away. Not a second had passed in the real world.
Drifter had thought about what the voice of the Nine told him. The Guardians will not truly be prepared for another collapse unless they experience it themselves. Then he called on every Gambit regular that he knew.