"James…I hate to say it, but..." David sighed as the two of them continued to wander through the city. "We're lost. You'd think the people here would've put in a signpost or a public map of the city, but no. Just our luck."

"Well, at least we haven't been stopped by anyone." James replied, as they entered a large plaza with a fountain in the center. "I mean, look at us. At least we're not wearing our combat gear. We'd stick out for sure if we did."

David had to agree with that observation. The two Guardians, after sneaking into the city, had realized that their regular armor, in this case, the Crucible-issue Titan Ursus Tactical armor, or Vanguard-issue Hunter Kali-GNT rig they each favored, would make the task of gathering information far more difficult. Plus, it was a Vanguard custom in the Last City to not wear their combat armor.

As such, once they found a hidden alley inside the city walls, the two of them quickly changed into their civilian wear. It was an improvement, and they wouldn't stick out as they previously did. Especially since David, like many Titans, dwarfed James in physical stature.

However, their anxiety was gradually abated as they walked through the streets. It seemed that no one seemed to notice them in particular, or at least gave them a second glance. The humans here were concerned primarily with their daily lives, and not with gazing at two strangely-clad visitors. However, as they sat down at a pair of benches near the fountain to rest, their Ghosts spoke over their internal comms.

"Well, so far, there's no sign of any technology we'd be familiar with. Or industrialized tech at all." Parker said. "I mean, I doubt that this planet has any basic mechanical industry, or machinery of any kind such as firearms. So this isn't likely a lost Golden Age Colony."

"And they're discussing stuff like the weather and other personal matters." Evs added. "Not a single word about our location in space, what planet we are on, or anything that could be useful in getting us home."

"Speaking of…" David asked. "How's things back at the Stellar Silverback?"

"We've got a steady stream of power going." Rainea said over the radio. "Communication is coming on as we speak, and we're doing repairs on the engines. We're not spaceworthy yet, but we can fly in the atmosphere for now."

"Good news." James said, standing up. "Let's get a move on...ah, Crap!"

David looked up to see James had bumped into a younger girl of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a hooded brown jacket, dark blue pants, and work boots, along with a sturdy leather bag.

A bag that now had a large tear in its side due to James's gauntlets catching on a seam.

"Oh, it's fine, don't worry!" The girl replied politely as James helped her pick up the spilled contents, which consisted of herbs in paper cylinders, a couple of glass jars, and other medicinal accoutrements. Luckily, nothing seemed damaged. "It's not your fault, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Same for me." James replied. "Here, let me see your bag. I might be able to fix it."

"Sure, I suppose." the girl replied. She handed James the bag, and after turning around, James tore off a piece of his Cloak and wrapped it around the bag. Evs stitched it together using a simple application of the Light, and presented it back.

"Thank you very much.'' The girl said as she looked it over, satisfied and relieved. "So, I guess I should introduce myself?"

"We'll go first." David said, standing up. "I'm David Paulson, this is James Mendoza."

"I'm Shirayuki." the girl replied. "It's nice to meet you both. So, what are you doing here in Wistal?"

"Trying to get some directions, for one." David said, sitting back down. "We're part of a combined group of six, and we ended up lost in the forest nearby. So, this city is called Wistal?"

"It is, and you're currently in Clarines Kingdom." Shirayuki added. "Tanbarun is to the southeast, across the Medis River. You must've come a long way to get lost like you did."

"You could say that." James nodded. "Though your friend over there seems a little suspicious of us, or is that just me?"

"Oh, that's Obi for you." Shirayuki replied as the boy in question approached, wearing some rogue's leather and a black shirt and pants. "He's my bodyguard, and a messenger for a close friend….though he's quite protective of me for good reason."

"I see." David said. "I guess you overheard us talking?"

"Most of it." Obi shrugged. "Mistress, we should get moving. They're expecting us back at the palace by noon."

"That's right!" Shirayuki said, pulling out a pocket watch. "We should get going. It was nice meeting you both!"

"Actually…" James said, making the two pause. "If you don't mind, we'd like to come along. A palace means local leadership, and I'd bet whoever's there might be interested in hearing about where we come from."

"I'd take you up on that."

The four of them turned to see a second boy of Shirayuki's age, with ashen white hair, navy eyes identical to David's, and a handsome, rugged air approach, a sword at his waist. He waved as he came up, and James could see the crest on his sword matched the flags they had seen flying on the walls of Wistal.

"Zen!" Shirayuki said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed some fresh air." Zen replied. "I'd hate to be stuck in my office doing paperwork on a day like this."

"You sound like a friend of ours." James chuckled. "You're in charge around here, right?"

"Indeed." Zen replied, before he quietly added. "I'm Zen Wisteria, Second Prince of Clarines."

"James Mendoza, that's David Paulson." James said, shaking Zen's hand. "If you don't mind, we've got a helluva story to tell you."

"And I'll listen." Zen smirked. "Let's head to the palace. I'll lead the way."

"Nice place." David said as they passed through the Gate of Poets, after Zen spoke with the two Guards stationed there to let the two strangers through. "Certainly shows how far we are from home."

"And where exactly is home to you?" Zen asked as they approached the keep.

"It's complicated. We'll explain in detail once we get somewhere private." James said. "All we ask is that you keep an open mind. Most of what we're gonna tell you is completely unbelievable, but it's the truth."

"That just makes it more interesting to me." Zen chuckled. "So...may I ask what the waist-sash is for, David?"

"Oh, it's not exactly called a waist sash." David said, looking down at his Titan Mark, the Season of Ages XVII. "It's called a Titan Mark. A symbol of the Class I belong to."

"Class?" Obi asked.

"I belong to a class of people like us, called Titans." David explained. "Titans enjoy being the wall that our enemies break against. We are steadfast, strong, and unstoppable. The Titan Mark, however it appears, is a symbol of that commitment."

"And for Hunters like me…" James added. "The cloak is our class item of choice. Hunters specialize in striking down foes with speed and ferocity. The Titans have their home in the Walls of our City back home. The Hunters belong out in the wilds, where our enemies roam, so we can strike at their heart."

"And then, there's the Warlocks." James finished as they entered a conference room, before sitting down. "Warlocks specialize in mastering battle through knowledge. Where we come from, Warlocks are known to unravel impossible mysteries and strive to know all there is. That knowledge serves them well in battle."

"Are all your people warriors?" Zen asked.

"No. Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters are special. We were selected to wield the powers of the being that chose us." David said. "Here, let me show you."

And with that, he stood up and summoned an orb of Void Light in his hand. As Shirayuki, Obi, and Zen stared in awe at the purplish-black, coursing energy, David breathed out as he dissipated it.

"What kind of power is that?" Zen asked, dumbstruck.

"The power of the Light." Parker said, as he and Evs appeared next to their respective Guardian, stunning the three even more. "I see you've met our partners."

"What are you?" Obi asked, his jaw slack. "And what do you mean by partner?"

"My name's Parker. This is Evs." the Titan's Ghost said. "We are Ghosts, born of the Traveler. And in case you're wondering, we Ghosts chose who is worthy of wielding the Light, the power that the Traveler bestows upon the Guardians."

"We'll start from the beginning." Evs said, as he projected a map of the Sol System onto the table. "Nearly two thousand years ago, on the planet Mars...Humanity would meet the entity known as the Traveler, and thus, begin the Golden Age..."