- Ghost Fragment of [WARNING] ~identify( SIVA. MEM .GH404)
Two more scans and she could move on to the elevated grid. There wasn't really anything new other than the delta to sea level, but at less than 30% of the way through 2^128 scans, even a distinction without a difference could feel like a brand new shell.
"Cassiopeia!"
So numb after months with just her own scans for company. She didn't even pick up on another Ghost being this close. "Obverse? Wait. I'm sorry. You're... Obsidian! Wow, how long has it been?"
"Well, I mean..."
"I know. It's been 6.8 years. It's just an expression."
Obsidian floated closer. "That's okay. It HAS been a while. I guess you haven't found yours yet?"
Cassiopeia projected glumness. "Not yet. But I haven't been looking on Mars for that long, at least! I'm optimistic."
"You should be! I was just at the City last year. A lot more of us are starting to find our Guardians latel— what's that?"
Cassiopeia resolved to run a full-range self-diagnostic before the next grid. Two Ghosts within twenty meters and she didn't sense either one? Something was off.
The new arrival chirped and spoke up. "Hello, you two! I'm glad ~identify(OBSIDIAN)~ to see a friendly face! I haven't been myself lately."
Obsidian looked at Cassiopeia. He read as nervous. She probably did, too.
"I was beneath the Blind Watch for a while. A long ~ SIVA. MEM .GH404~ while. It was fun! There were puzzles. No one was alive down there, though."
Cassiopeia's scan of the new Ghost returned nothing amiss. "Are you okay, friend?"
"I'm great! Something got in me but the Light ~if (LIGHT) then WARNING~ burned it away. It's gone forever, now! ~consume: FAILURE replicate:FAILURE enhance:FAILURE~"
There was silence for a full three seconds. Then Obsidian spoke up, his words coming quickly.
"Well, great to see you again, Cassiopeia! Good luck!" He zipped away.
Cassiopeia watched him disappear into the horizon. "TWO self-diagnostics," she muttered.
Aria walked through the hallway a bit worse for wear, yes, but definitely happy.
She had just taken down the Kell of Kells by herself, with no backup, no support, nothing. There had been all kinds of things thrown at her, like the Vault, time travel, and more Fallen than she cared to see in her lifetime. She loved being part of a team, loved Ash and Matt like family, but it had felt so damn good to accomplish something by herself.
A little bit of that happiness faded as she passed by Ash's room right next to hers, and heard crying within. Not loud crying, more like sniffling, but enough to where Aria was concerned. She went to knock, only to find that the door was unlocked. Cautiously, she entered to see both Matt and Ash sitting on the edge of the bed in some casual clothing, her head resting on his shoulder. They looked up at her upon hearing her footsteps.
"Oh… hi Aria." Ash's voice wavered a bit, though it seemed like she was trying to get herself under control for the Warlock's sake.
She nodded. "Hey Ash." She looked over at Matt. "You two alright?"
He nodded, but tiredly. He seemed drained. "Yeah. We've just had a long day is all. And she tried to nap, but apparently had a nightmare or something."
Aria looked down to see that their hands were intertwined, almost subconsciously. She gave a slight smile. It may have taken forever, but it looked like things had finally panned out. The signs had been obvious for everyone but them, so it was good to see at least something come to fruition.
Ash shook her head. "Not a nightmare, I just… I had a dream, and when I woke up I just felt so sad. Like the happiness had been sucked out of life." She looked like she wanted to say something, but paused. "I can't remember exactly what it was, it seems fuzzy."
The Exo looked up at Aria. "Sorry. Anyway, how did your hunt go? We found out what you've been up to, kicking Fallen ass and all. You win?"
She grinned and began to explain everything. From her summon to the Reef on the same night Crota was killed, to hunting the Wolves through Venus, her temporary alliance with the King Baron, and investigating the Vault of Glass. Matt and Ash listened, intrigued and interested the whole way through. Finally, she came to the part of the citadel.
"…and so I came out of the gravity well, and there's nothing but clouds around me. The next platform is way too far to make it, right? And I'm wondering where the hell I'm supposed to go, when this little blue orb of light appears, and hovers in the air right before a Vex-structure materializes-"
Matt jerked back. "What?"
Aria was taken aback by his reaction, but was even more surprised by some dawn of understanding appear on Ash's face too, which quickly morphed to fear. "What did I say?"
"Did it speak to you? Guide you?" He was very intense here, and she was a bit unsettled by his demeanor.
"Yeah, it did. I tried to touch it and it said something like, 'not yet', and 'we'll meet soon.' Any idea what that's about?"
"I remember my dream." Ash looked from one of her friends to the other. "I was on a mountain, and- I've had this dream before in the infirmary, but this time they weren't there-"
"Who wasn't where?" he asked.
"'The last… the last something or other, Guardian or… I don't know. But they were there in the first dream, and this time there was a blue light. And it spoke to me, talking about them. How they were in pain, and it could stop it." She shook slightly. "It said that it had plans for me, and that I wouldn't be happy when I found out who or what it was."
Matt grimaced, and then turned to Aria. "When I was stranded in the abyss, a blue orb of light appeared and guided me toward the exit. I barely escaped with my life as it is, but without its help I never would have made it out of there. It felt familiar, like I knew it or something. Did it sound like anyone to you?"
Aria nodded, now that he mentioned it. "Yeah, just a bit. Not sure who. I definitely think it sounded female though."
"I agree," voiced Ash.
Matt nodded. "Same here." Then he sighed, and clasped his hands together before looking at them intently.
"Alright, here's what's going to happen. We're going to warn Scorch, Dawn, and Eager about this too. So far, we're the only ones who know about it. But I'm not sure how benevolent this thing is, if it 'has plans' for Ash. I think that it's only been helping us survive because it needs us for something. And whatever it is, I don't like it."
They nodded their agreement, and he acknowledged it with a nod of his own. "Something big is coming. I just hope that we're ready for it."
END OF "TOOTH AND CLAW"
TO BE CONTINUED IN "GUARDIANS NEVER DIE" BOOK 5
"THE TAKEN WAR"
A/N: I told you guys that "Tooth and Claw" would be shorter. But hey, Aria got a bit of the spotlight all to herself, though that's not to say that other characters didn't get their fair share as well!
We now know the origin of the Exos, how they came about, and the mystery behind Clovis Bray. But the story is far from over. Hopefully, none of you have figured out my master plan yet, but I do think that some of you may start putting the pieces together with the hints I've dropped, Ash's memories, the dream sequences, the orb, and this epilogue's Grimoire entry.
It may be a bit before I start on "The Taken War", so just be patient everyone! I have other projects to work on, school to excel in, and life in general to deal with. Thank you all for sticking with me, and here's to hoping you continue to do so! Until the next time,
- Matteoarts