"Guardian, on your feet" those were the words I woke up to. The words apparently having been spoken from a strange little drone floating in front of me. Also who's "guardian" it can't be me or I don't think it is, because I don't know quite who I am. I was dreaming for a long time... or maybe no time at all. I remember a stone tower and a crypt and a stench that would make machines weep but nothing else.
But that doesn't matter right now, the drone looks as if it's trying to dance but why? As I stand I see I'm in a hall? With towering shelves and another level with even more shelves that reached the ceiling and all the shelves were full of books. Similar in height so as to appear semiuniform but all varying in sizes, colors, and text on the spine. That was when I heard the sound of approaching footsteps, couple pairs of them.
The drone has stopped dancing and has materialized next to me, "guardian, grab the gun and get ready. Hostiles approaching from that end of the hall". Realizing I do, in fact, have a gun lying at my feet, my first thought is why is there a gun here? By this time the hostiles have entered the hall and approached me with their weapons firing. I was surprised to say the very very least.
Nonetheless, I pulled up the muzzle of my pistol and opened up. Two hunched over humanoid looking creatures with glowing eyes fell to the ground, limbs going limp and heads flying back. Then a third approached, this one has 4 arms and a bladed staff of some sort? Doesn't matter I think as i shoot and miss.
Maybe it does matter? It's stabbed me. It matters. I bring my gun up to the stabbing creature's temple and empty the magazine into the head and then down the neck, then into the remnants of the torso. I don't see this monster making any comebacks unless it can regrow a head which seems doubtful as the neck and part of the body aren't there anymore.
As I stand here in surprise, surveying the carnage I wrought and moment of calm, I collect my thoughts, some ammo, and attempt to repair the wound. There's wires cut and oil leaking out of me and I'm of the opinion my innards must remain innards and not outards. The the drone materializes again and shines a light on my wound and it starts to heal. Odd.
I ask "What are you?" It replies "It talks!!! Hello! I'm Ghost! I've awoken you with the hopes you might be my guardian and together we can fight the darkness!!! But first we must escape this library. Odd place to find an Exo, on Venus I mean. Not sure what you were trying to find here but I don't think you did".
I respond to this with "The hell'd you say? What's a guardian? What's the darkness? What's an exo? And why is it surprising about an Exo being in a library?". The Ghost doesn't seem phased by any of this, he simply replies "Head home now, answer questions later. Ready your weapon and follow my directions, I'll lead us out and to safety but first we need a ride to get to safety.
"Fine" I reply, "anything I can know right now?". The ghost says "Yes guardian!! You have abilities that will help us escape this place! You have a throwing knife and a grenade. They regenerate with time so don't worry about those tricks being one offs!". "Cheery twat, aren't you?"
The ghost falls slightly and dims it's lights for a moment before recovering "I've returned you from death and given you abilities and a second chance at existence!! And I get "cherry twat"!!???!! We shall discuss your lack of courtesy once we have reached safety!". I don't respond to this, due to the fact that most of everything I want revolves around reaching this apparent safety.
"You mentioned a ride, what're we riding out of here?" The ghost looks puzzled for a moment, or as puzzled as a faceless and bodiless machine can look perplexed, and says "A ship of course!". "Of course, how silly of me, when do we set sail captain? Also where's our ocean?". The ghost appears to be frustrated by this response and I watch as the blue light grows in intensity for a moment before the ghost grows still in the air, turns around, and announces "follow me guardian."
And then mutters "Why a hunter? I'd have happily taken a warlock or even a loud titan! But this!! The most churlish hunter I might have ever encountered! And I've only known you for a matter of minutes!!!" She shouts at me from across the library, I struggle to keep up because I walk and she simply floats,not inhibited by the overturned tables and shelves and simply hovering over the piles of books and chairs as I sprint around the piles of refuse.
After the ghost's game of catch-up, we're outside, and I'm shocked by the terrain! There's a statue of a winged woman and a few hundred feet beyond that, a cliff that drops suddenly to the ocean for what seems like hundreds of feet. "Was I correct in assuming we'll be traveling by a naval vessel?" I asked shocked that my sarcasm might be correct. Ghost replies "No, we will attempt to find a spacefaring type of ship. And hopefully gain passage to earth and the last city. If we're lucky we can hitch a ride with another guardian on a quest out here!!".
I glance around hoping to find a ride and one was flying right in our direction, "like that guy?" I ask, ghost spins around and says "NOPE, THAT'S A BAD GUY!!" And I watch as the ship drops more of the things that stabbed me earlier and a black orb with what appears to be a glowing purple eye. "Is that orb a cousin of yours?" Apparently not entertained by the jokes the ghost disappeared, leaving me to deal with the incoming fire from the ship and ghost's cousin.