Matt leaned on the railing, waiting for Ash to join him. This was gonna be a turning point in her life; a point where maybe she'd find out some definitive answers. He could tell how big a deal this was, and so wasn't worried at how numb she seemed to be to the whole situation; it was just her coping mechanism. Still, it didn't stop him from wishing he could help her more.
For the last two months as defenses had been built up around the City, she'd been working through her issues. Matt had been as helpful as he could, but it had become difficult with her pushing him and Aria away or ignoring any feelings other than distant and professional interactions between the two of them when they came together. He could tell it pained her almost as much as it pained him, but she still managed to keep it up. After what she'd dealt with recently, he didn't really blame her for trying to maintain her vigilance, and he thought back to the events after they'd killed the Black Garden's heart…
- 2 Months Ago, 2 Days After the Black Garden's Destruction -
Aria helped Matt as she, him, and Ash walked into the Vanguards' chambers. The radiance therapy had continued to help Matt over the last two days, but it hadn't healed him completely yet, and he was forced to walk around with a set of plate-like bandages wrapped around his abdomen at all times to keep the broken shards of his ribs from bursting through his stomach. Descending the four steps and moving to the Vanguard's table was a bitch, but he shut his mouth, refusing to even give off any idea of the pain he was feeling, lest they keep him in the infirmary longer. He hated it there, stuck in a bed and treated as though he were some incapable weakling. All he'd been waiting to do was get out of that room, and he wasn't going to ruin any chance of getting out sooner.
The Vanguards stood in their normal positions. This time, instead of standing next to their respective mentors, the three Guardians took up the vacancy between Cayde and Ikora, unconsciously moving to keep themselves together, having bonded so strongly throughout their struggles.
"So," began Zavala, "Do you want to tell us where you've been on and off to for the past week? Only one day have you come back to the Tower, and then you were gone the next. It's been nearly two days since any contact with you three, and suddenly you rush back here, all of you in exhaustive conditions, and he's nearly dead with more injuries than we could count," he said, gesturing at Matt. "Explain."
Aria took a deep breath, ready to talk. Matt wasn't going to, what with pain searing up his chest every time he took a breath, and Ash didn't need to personally retell any of the traumatic experience. "We were contacted a while ago by a mysterious stranger, an Exo woman. She told us things that we needed to tell you, but there hasn't been much time. We decided to do what we could by ourselves, so that if there was a trap set aside for us, nobody else would be caught in the crossfire." The three Vanguards still looked slightly frustrated, but their harsh expressions lessened at hearing that they'd remained out of contact for others' protection.
"She told us of the Darkness's plan, its scheme for the Traveler and humanity's extinction. There were three components, one of which we managed to stop." She passed a moment to indicate herself and her companions. "First was the Spark of the Traveler, stolen long ago by the Darkness's armies, likely the Vex, though possibly the Messenger himself."
Ikora gasped. "So our suspicions were correct! We may not have been alive at the time of the Collapses end, but we had heard rumors and legends of something being taken from the Traveler, responsible for its comatose state."
Aria nodded. "We haven't been able to do anything about that, but we managed to stop the second phase of the plan; the Black Garden's heart that has been siphoning off the Traveler's remaining life for decades, possibly longer. With the help of the Awoken, we-"
Cayde held a hand up. "Wait, what do the Awoken have to do with this?" She faced him.
"They granted us access to the Garden by means of extracting a Gate Lord's eye. Though the Prince was less than helpful, we- or I rather- am in debt to the Queen for her assistance."
He nodded, satisfied with this knowledge. "Alright, I get it now. Continue." She did so.
"Well, we faced down the Black Garden's heart, and lived to tell the tale. Due to this dolt's idea of self-sacrifice-" she pointed vigorously at Matt, "-he managed to get banged up pretty badly before Ash and I came in to assist him. He tried to fight it alone, but obviously he wasn't as prepared as he thought. Still managed to take it on for quite a while, though. Anyway, that's how he became so badly injured."
"And the third phase?" asked Zavala.
"The third phase of the plan is the one to come; the Darkness and the Messenger plan a full scale invasion of the City." None of the Vanguards responded to this, too shocked for words. "The Spark was stolen to keep the Traveler from producing light. The Black Garden siphoned off massive amounts of its remaining light that it still had. And now that the Traveler is vulnerable, the armies of the Darkness will come and destroy it for good unless we begin rallying defenses."
Ikora looked at her, and said, "We'll begin as soon as we conclude this debriefing. Is there anything else we should know?"
Aria bit her lip, but proceeded to say, "Well, yes. We learned that the Messenger wasn't operating alone. At least, not always. The Exo stranger we found was called, 'the Assassin'. She-"
"The Assassin?!" yelled Zavala. "She still lives?!" All three Guardians were stunned by his quite vocal expression.
"Y-yes," stammered Aria.
"Many of our finest commanders and leaders were slaughtered by her long ago, when I was still under the command of the previous Vanguard. What motive would she have to help you?" Though only Zavala expressed his hatred, Cayde and Ikora's expressions appeared to agree with his sentiments.
Aria tried to defend the stranger. "She said something along the lines of her having fought for the wrong side. She spent all of her interactions with us helping our cause, and helping us stop the Darkness. I believe that whoever she used to be, she's changed."
Zavala snarled. "Perhaps, but I still wouldn't trust her. Once a minion of the Darkness, it is very difficult to go back. It corrupts, and twists your soul. It may be possible, but I've never seen any successful examples."
Looking down, Ash shuffled her feet in sad anxiety, after hearing what her mentor had to say. "I suppose, that's why we never heard of the Messenger before. While she mercilessly killed our leaders and was publicized, he stood behind the front lines and had long chats with the Darkness, the coward." Aria ignored his ranting, and continued.
"In addition, we also learned for the first time about 'the Warrior', the third-" Now Ikora raised her voice as well, apparently just as mad as Zavala.
"That scum still lives as well?! Why, never have we encountered such a formidable enemy! If I were to ever meet her, I swear upon the Traveler-"
Aria interrupted her quickly. "She doesn't live anymore! At least, not exactly." Cayde adjusted his hood, akin to scratching his head. "You're gonna have to be a bit more specific than that, Warlock."
She swallowed. "Well you see, she doesn't live as 'the Warrior'. She was awoken by a Ghost with no recollection of her past, and proceeded to join the Traveler's forces as her first action of her new life."
Ikora looked concerned. "But that story sounds remarkably similar to-" Slowly, all three of the Vanguards' gazes turned to Ash, who they now realized was looking rather sad and attempting to avoid their gazes.
Ikora wasted no time, and began to summon void energy. "If you thought a little redemption would save you from our wrath, you were sorely mistaken." Zavala looked conflicted, and Cayde seemed surprised by the sudden shift in the room. Ash on the other hand, looked petrified, and only held her hands up to shield herself, not even thinking of attacking the Warlock. The ball in Ikora's hand grew brighter, and she said, "Good riddance!"
"NO!" Matt jumped in front of Ash, and used himself as a shield between her and the rage-filled Ikora.
"Out of the way, Hunter!" yelled the Vanguard, usually so calm and composed, now looking quite menacing in her fury. Matt paid no mind to either her or the pain in his chest, and slammed his hand on the table.
"I will not! Ash has done nothing wrong! She is not 'the Warrior' which you all hate, and has done nothing in this life except devote herself towards saving the Traveler!"
"That's a foolish gambit!" replied Ikora. "As Zavala said, once a minion of the Darkness, always a minion!" Zavala hung his head in guilt for having doomed his protégé. "What if she has simply been a spy, waiting for the right time to strike?" Ash felt offended and hurt, as every word of Ikora's accusations sliced through her heart like a dagger.
"She's had more than enough opportunity in all these months of her second life to betray us, but she's never done anything of the kind, nor do I think she ever will! Why would she help us kill the Black Garden's heart otherwise?" Matt challenged. Ikora had no words for this, and Cayde unexpectedly jumped in.
"You know, it's not too crazy to believe." Ikora's head snapped towards the Hunter Vanguard.
"If you have something to add, say it!"
Cayde walked slowly towards Ash, trying not to provoke Ikora. "Well, while we Exo's have been gifted with souls like humans by the Traveler, ours don't work the same way. A human's soul is bound to their brain and mind, their genes; they are born with a set personality and traits that are determined by chromosomes and DNA. But Exos' bodies are built without set parameters, and their souls are free of bounds. While the Warrior's soul may have once inhabited the same body, it is the mind and soul of Ash that uses it now." He faced his fellow Exo. "In other words, she's a completely different person. None of what happened due to the Warrior's rampage is her responsibility."
Ikora accepted this information, and the void energy in her hand disappeared. "Very well. But I still do not think this a wise move."
Matt looked at her and said, "I do. I'd trust her with my life." Ash looked at him in surprise, speechless at the powerful and genuine statement he'd given.
Ikora regarded him with disapproving eyes and responded, "Good, because if you're wrong, you may very well pay with just that." She waved her arm at the exit. "Now if you don't mind, we must start building defenses for the City." Not saying anything, the three Guardians exited the chambers of the Vanguard.
- 2 Weeks Later -
Ash walked by herself through the twilight glow of the Tower's courtyard. It was very late, away from the prying eyes of other Guardians and Vendors. She'd come to a decision about what to do, and no one was going to stop her from carrying out her plan tonight.
After word had leaked out about what she used to be- rather, who she used to be- the Tower's occupants had split into two sides over how to react. One, the more frequent and popular opinion, shared Ikora's judgment, and believed that Ash was a potential threat to everyone. They shunned her, treated her with contempt, and she'd heard on more than one occasion plots to rid themselves of her. The fact that plans had already progressed to such an extent chilled her to her core.
The other side was very minor in numbers, and believed what Matt and Cayde had to say. They were under the belief that Ash was a completely different person from the Warrior, and should be treated as such. Failing her being a different person, they upheld that she at least had no memory of what she had ever done, and should be given leniency considering her actions in assisting with the destruction of the Black Garden, and various missions in the ultimate goal of saving the Traveler.
All that was going to end. Ash wasn't going to burden Matt or Aria with having to be associated with her anymore. They insisted that they would stick by her, and that she was family to them, regardless of what anyone else thought. She believed them, but she hated having her misfortune placed upon them as well, and she simply could not have that on her conscience anymore. Not only that, but she'd already told Matt; she couldn't be with them anymore. Even if everything turned out alright, what if the Warrior came back into control? Would she forget all about the bond between her, Aria, and Matt? Would she kill them without hesitation.
She reached her destination; the railing of the Tower. With two hands, she steadily raised herself over the bar and stood on the outer ledge, her only safety line being the railing that she still gripped with her hands. If she was such a large threat, then she couldn't risk her past persona rising up and endangering anyone else. She needed to end any chance of that, and the only way to do that was to end herself. She reasoned that the impact against the ground from this height would likely last less than half a second, and would completely obliterate her before she even registered any pain.
She prepared to let go, but before she could gather the courage, several thoughts crossed her mind. One stuck out above the rest;
Matt.
What would Matt think, finding her crumpled and crushed body at the foot of the tower? Would he live with her death the same way he lived with Sara? That was the thought that shook her to her core, wondering if she was simply repeating the same thing that Sara had done; gaining Matt's friendship, and then leaving him and the world behind.
She thought back to that night when they'd taken a stroll in the dead of night around the city. They'd bonded, laughed. She never felt happier than when she was with him, and who was to say that he didn't feel the same way? After all, that's what best friends were for; they didn't abandon one another. Granted, Sara hadn't had a choice; but Ash did.
Sighing, she stepped back from the ledge, and climbed back over the railing into the safety of the courtyard. She should get back to her room before Whip woke up and started freaking out about where she was-
"Why'd you change your mind? I think you had your decision right the first time."
She looked up to see three Guardians standing before her, strangers to her. Two Hunters and a Titan, all wearing their gear. Evidently, they'd planned for this. They glared at her as she stopped moving, trying to avoid any confrontation.
"I don't want any trouble," she began, holding her hands up to show she meant no harm.
"If you didn't want any trouble, you would have thrown yourself off for all those murders you committed a couple of decades ago." The leader, the Titans, cracked his knuckles. "I almost had a shred of respect for what you were doing, but it looks like we'll have to force you to see reason and give you a little nudge in the right direction."
She raised her fists just in time to block the fist that he'd thrown in her direction. She moved his arm aside, and returned a punch of her own, slamming her hand into his helmet. He took a step back reeling, but a Hunter came to take his place and tackled her to the ground. She tried to resist, but her arms were pinned at her sides. She tried to yell, but the other Hunter brought his hand down on her face, nearly knocking her unconscious and effectively silencing her. She tried to say anything, but only a statical sounding groan escaped her mouth.
"Can't have you calling for help now, can we?" She tried to think clearly and focus, but the more she tried to, the more her thoughts just swam in and out of her currently weak mind, incapacitating her from defending herself. She felt the Titan and a Hunter begin to lift her, and drag her over to the edge. She gave a pathetic kick, trying to fight to the end. She heard a snicker.
Suddenly, the Hunter was grabbed from behind and thrown backwards. The Titan only took a moment to look and see the new threat before a fist slammed into his face once more. Again, he stepped away from Ash, clutching at the front of his helmet and staggering backwards from the trauma. She was dropped, and fell to the ground. She looked up with somewhat blurry vision before her eyes focused on her savior.
Matt stood dressed in his own gear. It was the first time she'd seen him wear it since the Black Garden, he'd spent most of their time back in the infirmary, healing.
The Titan had taken off his helmet to reach his face, and now looked at Matt. It was a human, and he looked quit angry at having been hit in the face twice. He had short buzzed hair, which gave a particularly soldier look about him. "It's you. Look, I don't have any hard feelings against you for that, since I understand that you managed to bond with this monster. Step away now, and we'll even go get a drink once we've dealt with this."
Ash looked at Matt's face, hidden from view by the visor of his helmet. "No. Don't you dare even think about laying a finger on her." She felt grateful, but also ashamed; that Matt had once again come to her aid despite how distantly she'd been treating him lately. Even now, he was still her best friend- but she couldn't say that she'd been doing the same.
The Titan balled up his fists, and said, "Alright then. First you, then we finish the monster."
An arm reached around Matt's throat from behind as one of the Hunters attempted to choke him out in a headlock. "Don't hurt him!" chided the Titan to his accomplices. "He doesn't deserve that, he fights for the Traveler. Only she needs to go." Matt continued to battle the Hunter by jumping onto his back, crushing the air out of his attacker's lungs. He rolled over as they gasped for breath, and slammed his hand into their abdomen, driving all his force directly into their solar plexus, effectively taking them out of the fight.
He then rose up to meet the hand of the other Hunter with a block of his own. Pulling their arm over his shoulder into a vulnerable position, he brought it down and snapped it via hyperextension. The Hunter screamed, and Matt shut him up by delivering a powerful punch to his face. With the second Hunter incapacitated, all that was left was the Titan.
"You can't hold out against me, you know that. You're already weakened from your injuries, and we both know that I'm stronger," reasoned the Titan, still trying to spare Matt a fight. It was true, the Titan was just naturally bigger and stronger than him. But Matt wasn't giving up, and he shook his head.
"That may be, but it doesn't take all my strength to drive a knife through you." He pulled his signature blade from its sheath at his side, and held it up for the Titan to see; wickedly sharp, and nearly a foot long.
The Titan hesitated. "You would honestly risk your life, even take the life of another Guardian, just to protect her?" he asked, gesturing to Ash. He seemed shocked that Matt would betray other Guardians rather than helping them kill Ash.
"Absolutely," Matt responded, "and I still have the chance unless you back off now."
The Titan remained paused only for a moment longer before he moved to gather his friends off the floor, and they walked away towards the infirmary, with one of the Hunters still whimpering from his snapped arm. Matt waited until they were out of sight to collapse on the ground, drawing in breath rapidly. Ash noticed him clutch his rib cage in pain, and he laid down on the ground in a prone position.
"You're not healed yet?" she asked incredulously, her mind starting to make since again.
He shook his head vigorously. "Injuries were… just a bit… severe… if you'll recall…" he mumbled between breaths. She laid down next to him as he shook quietly. She met his gaze as his helmet turned to look at her. The visor did not depolarize, which meant he was actively keeping her from seeing his face.
Her lower lip trembled. "Why would you do something so- so stupid?" She reached out a hand and grabbed his emphatically. "I'm not worth this!"
He took a moment before responding in his broken syntax, interrupted constantly by his labored breathing. "Yes… you absolutely… are…" he muttered. "Best friends… don't abandon… each other… and… I'm not giving… up on you…" His words were both swords and shields; warming her heart with the consolation that he still cared deeply for her despite her distant attitude, and saddening her because she knew now just how much that same distance was hurting him.
"C'mon." She stood up, gripped under his arms, and dragged him back towards his room in the infirmary. A healer came and took him from her as she turned and left Matt to be taken care of. The next few minutes passed in a blur as she thought about what had just taken place. He'd just risked himself for her again, and at what cost? Now it might take him even longer to heal than the original estimate.
She may have decided against killing herself, but that didn't mean she was out of other options.
-X-
The Speaker opened the the door to his inner quarters before Ash could even knock on the door. She'd walked down to his observatory-like area of the Tower, and ascended the staircase to his study, which was next to the entrance of his personal room. She stepped back in surprise for a moment. "How did you-?"
"Please, my dear Ash. I could sense your arrival for some time, the conflicting emotions and warring sides of light within you shone bright like a beacon as you approached."
She decided to ignore his techno-babble, and get straight to the point; "I need to leave."
"Leave?" asked the Speaker. He didn't sound surprised, almost as if he'd been expecting this. "And why might that be?" She sighed deeply. He gestured towards his room. "Please, come inside before we discuss this further." She obliged and entered, the Speaker closing the door behind her. She sat down on a nearby armchair, and he drew another one in position close to hers, taking residence on its cushion.
"Now," he began, "what has brought about this rash line of thinking?" She began to explain, and she told him about her feelings of guilt, the shame she felt, how everyone else now treated her like scum except for a select few, and how she endangered those close to her as long as she was around. She revealed her almost successful suicide attempt, the three Guardians who had assaulted her, and Matt's bravery in defending her, dealing even more damage to himself. The Speaker nodded thoughtfully.
"If life was advertised as difficult, I hardly think most of us would accept its gift. However, here we are with the truth of it, forced to deal with consequences and tragedies that many times, are outside our control." He tilted his head slightly, giving his masked face a thoughtful expression. "It seems that you happen to be dealing with such a situation right now."
She hung her head. "All I want is to leave, to let Matt and Aria lead normal lives that aren't associated with me and the monster I am." The Speaker leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
"What makes you think that you are a monster? The harsh words of others? You have as little knowledge of your past self as we do, perhaps even less so because you weren't even aware of her existence. Who knows? Perhaps, like the Assassin, you were contemplating leaving the Darkness behind?"
He leaned back in his chair. "Remember, your Ghost managed to revive you from the light within your soul. Perhaps there was more good in the Warrior than anyone, even she suspected. Or maybe the Traveler itself infused her with that light because it knew that it had great plans for her. Whatever the case, that light was you, Ash. And without the Darkness of her heart holding you back, your light was able to shine freely without restraint."
Ash sat stunned, having never considered that possibility before. The Speaker patted her shoulder, and stood up. "If you insist on leaving, I will not stop you, but I would highly encourage you to seek strength among friends, and support from those willing to give it to you. Time will allow these old wounds to pass."
- Present Day -
Matt turned at the sound of footsteps dragging him out of his flashback. Walking toward him was Ash, dressed in her undersuit. He himself wore his own black suit underneath some regular clothing which consisted of a jacket and jeans. "You ready for this?" he asked her.
"Are we sure it's her?" asked Ash tentatively.
Matt nodded. "Holliday gave confirmation once her ship had docked. Aria's with her now, keeping her in the hangar. It's time for you to get some answers."
The Stranger had come to visit.
-X-
"I'm telling you," said the Hunter-dressed Exo, "I must speak with Ash and her companions. It is of the utmost-"
Amanda Holliday continued to keep her at bay with her arms crossed across her chest. "Look, I don't recognize you. Maybe you're telling the truth, I don't know. One of them already knows you're here, but until I get confirmation that you're not a threat, you won't be speaking to anyone-"
"Don't worry Amanda," said Ash, coming up from behind the Ship quartermaster. "We've got this one." Holliday was one of the few people who supported Ash and believed she had truly become a new person, separate from the Warrior.
"Alright, but this is your call if things go south." The mechanic walked around Ash and stood behind the three Guardians, as Aria had joined Matt and Ash as soon as she'd seen them enter the hangar. The Vanguards had been notified, and though they were very anxious, they had agreed to halt from blowing the Assassin out of the sky, giving one chance for her to prove herself loyal to the Traveler.
"Thank you. There is little time to explain-" began the Assassin, but Ash cut her off.
"Little time? Well, you could have at least explained who the Warrior was, who I was, Assassin." The other Exo's face looked like she'd just been slapped.
"So," she started cautiously, "you found out. Look, I don't need to explain my actions-"
"Oh, but I think you do." This time, the quip came from Matt. "You've caused a lot of issues here, when you never bothered to tell Ash her past, only for her to discover it from the mouth of the Messenger himself."
The Assassin regarded Ash with sympathy. "I assume the information must have felt like fruit from a poisoned tree."
"You think?" snapped Assassin lowered her head.
"Look, Assassin, don't act like-"
She snapped her head back towards Matt. "Do not call me by that name again. I have not responded to that for… well, a long time. I am not the person I once was." He rolled his eyes. "Okay then, 'stranger', I mean don't act sympathetic unless you're willing to help out a bit here and explain your actions."
She took a deep breath, and faced Ash. "I did not tell you about your history because I saw how happy you were. Even as a fighter for the Darkness, I had loved both you and the Messenger as family. Seeing as the Darkness knows not of love, I began to question myself, and my feelings. Under discreet conditions, I studied humans. I observed them, learning of how emotionally bonded to one another they could become. It reminded me of my own bonds with you and him, and I realized that the Darkness knew no such bonds. Had it wished it, the Darkness would have ordered me to kill you without even knowing of the pain it would have caused. I chose to leave, rather than let myself fall into a dark spiral. When I saw you again after so many years, I had hoped that you, despite having lost your memory, had found your true calling, helping the Traveler and finding a new family, one that cared about you more deeply than the Darkness ever could."
She finished with an air of finality, and none of the Guardians said anything in response. Then she looked at Matt and Ash. "I also know that you managed to find love in your friends, their friendship a beacon of hope to you. It warmed my heart to see you so full of joy and life." The three of them turned to face one another, pain behind their eyes at Ash's earlier decision to separate herself from them, but also memories of happiness, of cherished times together.
"But that's not why I'm here today." She once again donned an expression of seriousness as they Guardians faced her, confused. "I came to warn you. Even with the Black Garden gone, the Darkness has begun making moves, actions that suggest it will move against the Traveler and the City. Soon."
"How soon?" asked Matt.
She grimaced. "Soon enough. I first detected the signs nearly a month ago, and I seemed to have been confirmed when I began tracking different armies' comms. As soon as I realized how close their arrival was, I traveled here to bring the news."
"So, how close is their arrival?" asked Aria, crossing her arms.
A light began winking on Amanda's wrist interface. She brought it up to her eyes so she could look at it. She appeared confused for a moment. "What? But there aren't supposed to be…" Then her eyes widened, and a moment later, an alarm sounded.
"What's going on?" exclaimed Ash in concern. Amanda faced her. "I use this to pick up readings of ships entering the atmosphere, so that the hangar is ready when they dock! And I just got a huge reading, the size of an armada."
The Guardians turned to face the Stranger. "That soon," she finished with a grim expression.
"We need to get geared up now!" yelled Matt, and the trio ran toward the exit of the hangar, followed by the Stranger and Holliday as each of their Ghosts began to transmit their armor onto them. As they left the hallway that led to the courtyard, they looked up at the sky in horror to see a combination of Fallen, Hive, and Cabal ships. They slowly descended into the atmosphere with menace in their approach.
The Vanguards too had rushed out at the sound of the Alarm. Shaxx's gaze led towards the clouds, slightly groaning at the sight of the army. Ikora's mouth was set in a thin line, thinking of ways to win. Zavala and Cayde both seemed to have a stance of battle ready, though the fight was far out of their reach. Guardians of all classes stood in awe, realizing that all their efforts in saving the Traveler had led to this moment. Then Aria noticed something.
"Wait, there's Cabal, Fallen, and Hive ships up there. But the Vex teleport, don't they? So where-" She didn't finish the sentence as several blueish white lights appeared in the center of the courtyard, and began producing clouds of smoke.
"Vex!" yelled Shaxx, and he quickly unstrapped a hand cannon at his side and aimed. The other Vanguards followed suit, as Cayde drew out an auto rifle, and Ikora pulled out a pulse rifle. Zavala only raised his fists, as they were all he needed. Goblins began materializing a moment later, and as quickly as they came, they were shot down. Guardians had come out of their shock, and began opening fire in earnest, fighting to defend their home.
Matt, Ash, and Aria, now fully dressed in their gear, joined the fray, tossing in grenades and firing at the mono-eyed robots wherever they spotted them. The Stranger helped as well, wielding a yellow pulse rifle that had a futuristic look to it, and glowed with sparks of electricity near the barrel. Waves of Vex fell, but they only appeared to keep coming.
Matt wondered why no real resistance came from the Vex until a dark shadow loomed over the courtyard. Turning around, he saw a Cabal ship growing larger as it neared the top of the Tower, and began charging up a large energy cannon on its front. Matt barely had time to yell, "GET DOWN!" before he pulled his teammates to the ground as the turret released and an immense explosion blossomed in the middle of the courtyard. The sound rebounded off of the walls, and glass windows shattered nearly everywhere from the shockwave.
It was a few moments before Matt realized that the sounds of gunfire had been replaced with silence. He slowly lifted his head up to look at the destruction, as did Ash and Aria. The center of the courtyard was a blackened, smoking crater. Fires had sprung up on anything flammable. Bodies of Guardians lay in heaps as they'd been thrown from the epicenter, some of which had actually been blown apart he realized, as he spied the severed arm of a Guardian that looked to have belonged to a Hunter. Other Guardians that had been far away enough from the explosion began standing up, shaking their heads to clear out the ringing in their ears.
Zavala and the other Vanguards stood protected within a Ward of Dawn, weapons still at the ready. Ash turned to see the Stranger tending to Amanda, who now was missing the lower portion of her leg due to a flying piece of debris that had cleaved it off. The Shipwright just sat there staring at the stump as the Stranger tied a tourniquet with a ribbon of fabric that she'd torn off from her cloak. Ash looked around to see other Guardians in the same situation, bleeding from spots in their armor where serious shrapnel had punctured through.
The noise of a transmat sounded, and Ash turned to see the Messenger materialize in the middle of the Crater, flanked by two Cabal legionaries. He turned to gaze at the level of damage he'd caused, and his sight froze on Ash. His metallic face broke into a grin, and then a snarl as he realized the presence of the Stranger behind her.
"So, the traitor joins us! All three of the Darkness's soldiers together again!" he called, in a taunting tone. The Stranger left Holliday near the railing as the Shipwright grimaced from the pain and focused on not passing out.
"I am no soldier of the Darkness," she began saying, her voice full of rage. "I would never allow myself to create such pain as you have inflicted here!"
The Messenger laughed. "Oh that's right, you already had your fair share of events worse than this a few decades ago. Finally had enough Guardian slaying? Developed a sense of morality?" His expression turned dark, knowing. "You can't run away from your past as well as you think you have. It will forever stain your soul, just as much as mine."
The words evidently stung on the Stranger's face, but she replied, "Maybe so." The she turned to Ash. "But at least I know that one of our souls will never again be tainted by the Darkness."
The Messenger growled. "She doesn't know what she's doing! If she had her memory, she'd see that what I'm doing was for us, for the good of all three of us! We were tired of being treated like garbage and slaves, the Darkness gave us a chance to turn that around!" He faced Ash, his eyes full of pleading. "I give you one last chance, reconsider which side you're fighting on! You don't belong with these blind sheep of the light, you are kin to the Darkness!"
He pulled out something from his pocket, and held it up so she could see it. It almost looked like a gem, and it was black, though it glowed with a slightly green aura around it."This is a data crystal I've been given from the Darkness itself, containing memories of who you used to be, who you will always be! Take it!" He then tossed it to her in an upward arc, and time itself seemed to stop as it flew forward, everyone's gaze following its path. After an eternity, it landed in Ash's open hand who had reached out due to instinct, and she began to absorb the contents.
Memories immediately flowed into her from the crystal, not showing her the past as though from a second perspective, but literally forcing her to remember who she'd been. She remembered who she was as the Warrior, all of her years working alongside the Messenger and the Assassin. She felt the throat of a human crush between her fingers as her iron grip squeezed the life from them. She remembered all the lives she'd destroyed, killing Guardians in rampages and mercilessly annihilating- no, not quite mercilessly. She recalled different thoughts as well, thoughts that were dangerously close to mutiny.
She had wondered what all the fighting was for, if revenge was truly worth it. With every death that weighed upon her soul, she felt herself filling up with more and more regret over her actions. A few times, she'd allowed Guardians to get away, sparing them from the usually gruesome fates she'd had in store for them. She'd volunteered to take down the rumored uprising alone, secretly hoping to defect like the Assassin had, and possibly bring over the Messenger once she'd established a secure position. Unfortunately, it had all been a trap, and she'd fought nearly all of them to death before realizing that perhaps she deserved this, that this was her penance coming back at long last for all the wrong she'd done, and she'd allowed them to destroy her.
This all came in an instant, and she now knew who she was; she was the Warrior, defender of the Darkness, and slayer of Guardians. She was no longer Ash. But she didn't much care for how her life had turned out, and realized that Ash was a much better person to be than the Warrior could ever hope to dream. But as long as she, the Warrior existed, Ash could never come back to consciousness.
The Messenger looked at her with anticipation. "Well? Do you remember?" She returned his gaze, and nodded. "I knew it! I knew you would come back!" he yelled gleefully. His shoulders eased up from the tension that had been weighing on them. The Warrior turned behind her to see Ash's friends, Aria and Matt. Their mouths were frozen in an unbelieving expression of pain and loss, as Ash had finally disappeared.
Aria and... Matt? The Warrior looked at him with an expression of shock on her face. Her Matt?! How was he here?! He wasn't supposed to be... she hadn't seen him since...
No... she realized. He wouldn't recognize her, not with how she was now... he only saw the Warrior, or Ash- not who she used to be... and she couldn't tell him either. Not without jeopardizing everything.
They'd both been awoken after centuries of being dead to fight a war that wasn't theirs. But they'd been risen by different sides; sides that couldn't coexist with one another. After everything they'd been through, their future depended on the choices she had in her hands right now. Did she choose her life, or his?
She almost laughed. Didn't she wish that all answers were as simple as that one.
The Messenger motioned to her. "Come, there isn't much time-"
She held up a hand to silence him. "I indeed remember who I am. Ash is no more, for as long as I and my memories remain in control. I also remember you, and all the years of work to the Darkness we carried out, dealing pain and destruction to everyone we came across." The smile began to fade from the Messenger's face.
She glared at him. "I can see now that there is no changing you, your heart is too full of evil to ever be converted. But Ash's isn't."
The Warrior felt every pair of eyes in the courtyard land on her, not believing their ears. "These people have shown more care for me than I could ever hope to repay, except with one action."
The Messenger's eyes widened. "Don't-!"
With her decision made, she crushed the black crystal in her hand, green gas escaping from it. As it disintegrated, the Warrior felt herself begin to die, and her memories fading.
Was it worth it? Was her death worth it? She shook aside the silly question; of course it was. Even just the minor act of seeing him, of knowing he was alive was worth it.
He may not know it, and he may never know of it, but he was what made all the difference; if someone like him were on the side of the light, then it was no question that the light had to be the good side in this war. She couldn't join it, but she could help ensure that it would survive.
Her final thought almost made her laugh; that she was sacrificing her life for herself, but not herself. That Ash would carry on instead of her, and hopefully be the person that the Warrior wished she'd always been able to be...
Her body shook as the Warrior's personality and consciousness left her body violently, and then ceased. When she looked back up, her eyes were the electric blue eyes of Ash, the Guardian. She did not remember her past any longer, nor did she know of the internal struggle that the Warrior had faced only moments before; she was completely oblivious to what had caused the Warrior to sacrifice herself for Ash.
All she knew was that she no longer desired to know of her lost memories; if the Warrior- if she had decided that they weren't worth it, then who was she to argue?
She raised her hand in a rallying cry yelling, "For the Traveler!"
A hundred voices echoed hers, and the many Guardians in the courtyard rushed into the center, jolted out of their motionless state of awe, charging the Messenger and the Cabal legionaries. The Cabal went down easily under all the gunfire, but the Messenger managed to fire off a few rounds of his Thorn, impaling a Titan and Warlock. As they fell, others moved to fill the gaps and he saw that this wasn't a fight he could win. Without another word, he transmatted out of the Tower's courtyard, leaving behind nothing but a blue grid of light.
Guardians began to cheer, and pump their fists in the air. Ash's chest heaved from all the adrenaline within her. She turned to see the Stranger helping Holliday limp across the open space, bringing her towards the infirmary like some of the other people who also walked in that direction. She spun around and began to stumble towards the railing so that she could hold onto something. She gripped it, and held herself there for a moment, allowing herself to gain back her strength. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She looked to see who it was. "Matt? What-" In an instant, he'd gripped her around her waist and pulled her into a hug.
"You came back," he whispered softly, and she could hear the relief in his voice. Unsure of how else to react, she gave into her emotions for once, ignoring her painstaking hours of keeping herself away from him and Aria, and hugged him back tightly.
"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered back, a slight smile on her face. "Like you said; best friends don't abandon each other." She leaned back a bit so that they could see each other face to face. "And I'm not giving up on you." Now he smiled too, and they held one another's gaze like that until they were interrupted by a certain Warlock.
Aria waved her hand from behind them. "Hello?" They both looked at her awkwardly. "I know that it's great we're all back on good terms, but aren't we still in the middle of a war? I don't think that thing's gonna wait for us." She pointed towards the Cabal ship which had still been slowly moving farther away from the Tower, yet continued to face it. Again, Matt saw the cannons on the front charge up, and he realized that there wasn't anyone valuable here to prevent them from firing, the Messenger had already escaped.
It seemed as though as soon as he came to his conclusion, the ship fired two missiles which streaked towards them, and downward. At first, he thought they'd missed, before the missiles impacted and tore through the levels below the courtyard, and immediately the structural support began to collapse. The entire half of the courtyard closest to the railing where the trio of Guardians stood began to angle and crumble away from the other half, sliding towards open air. Matt lost his footing, and reached out to grab something as he, Ash, and Aria began to fall with the debris.
Aria fell over, and began to skid towards the edge of the building. She reached and managed to grab ahold of a section of railing that stuck out. Once she held onto it, her descent stopped, and she watched as two other Guardians flew past her, and sailed off the side towards open air, destined to impact against the ground far below. The thought of falling from this height made her feel faint, and she continued to hold on for dear life.
"Aria! Matt!" coughed Ash, her voice coming from farther above Aria. She glanced up to see the Exo's face poking out behind a large chunk of rock that jutted out of the slope. "I'm here!" called Aria, waiting for Matt's answer. "I'm a bit- busy!" grunted Matt, and it sounded as thought he was below Aria. Still holding onto the railing, she leaned backwards to see where he was. A large metal cable was hooked on the debris, and dangled down into the air. At the end of it was Matt, slightly swinging in the breeze and grasping at his lifeline with all his strength.
"Hold on, I'll get you!" yelled Aria, and she slowly lowered herself by letting her fingers slide down the railing as she crab walked down. She reached the end of possible ground for her to stand on, and she began to raise herself off her feet, extending her hand to grab the cable. She inched, closer, closer… and grabbed it!
She let out a sigh of relief, and used the cable to descend to the next foothold in an almost rock climber fashion. She placed her feet on the side of the building, and held a hand down to Matt, waiting for him to grab it. He began to reach out…
And then the line snapped.