I don't know how long it's been since that… Thing… left us alone. I haven't really moved from my spot on the floor either. I can feel my legs cramping and my butt going numb, but I don't really care. All that matters to me is Ghost right now, still sitting quietly in the palms of my hands. Dents littering his surface from where I squeezed him, with cracks being in more severe places of his shell. He looks up at me warily, and I wonder if he thinks that I plan to break him. I hold him closely to my chest, guilt creeping up on me.

"Hey, everything is going to be okay Ghost," I whisper gingerly, "I'm sure the Vanguard has noticed our disappearance by now and are looking for us."

All that I got in return was silence, nothing but a distrustful look of doubt from my ghost. My shoulders slumped a little, discouraged by the lack of anything from Ghost.

"Guardian? Guardian? Are you there?"

"Ikora? Yes I'm here!" I cry, hopping to my feet.

"Are you alright?" Ikora asked worriedly.

"We're a little banged up, but alright," I answer looking down at the still silent Ghost.

"We should be close enough to find you if we're able to communicate, so send me your coordinates,"

"Sounds good, will do," I affirmed, "Ghost? Do you mind sending Ikora our coordinates please?"

"Do you really think that's Ikora coming to 'rescue' us?" Ghost spits angrily, "You must be really stupid to fall for that thing's trick again!"

"But Ghost, it wouldn't even matter if we did send our coordinates because that thing already knows where we are. So why would it ask for our coordinates?" I counter.

"To play you for a fool more than before!" Ghost floats away from me, "God, you're so stupid!"

"Ghost I don't think it would cause any harm in doing so," I say softly.

Ghost sighs and turns towards me, "I think I've made a mistake."

"A mistake?" I blink in confusion, "What do you mean by mistake?"

"Guardian?! Our radar has picked up multiple enemies moving onto your location! Be careful while we come to get you," Ikora warns, concern leaking into her voice.

"Understood Ikora, don't worry we'll be fine," I say, catching Ghost sending me a 'look'.

"Are you ready Ghost?" I unholster the hand cannon on my hip, making sure that it's fully loaded.

"Don't you understand? This is all a trick," Ghost floats in front of my face, "I never sent Ikora our coordinates so how could she possibly know that there's multiple, hostile organisms coming our way?"

"I don't know, Ghost… We've been here for who knows how long and I just want to leave this place and even if it is a trick then maybe it can be a clue on how to get out of here," I rub my face, my eyes feeling heavy.

"That desperation could get us into trouble, you know."

"I don't know what to say Ghost," I say, my voice raising slightly, "I don't know what to do! I don't know where we are! And I don't even know how much trouble we are actually in!"

Ghost just looks at me, that same blank look that he seems to always be sending me these days. Then the sound of hissing quickly brought me attention, pointing my gun at the direction of the sound. I look around the long, empty hallways, before slowly lowering my weapon.

"This doesn't make any sense!" I yell, throwing the gun away from me, "I know I heard something and now there's nothing?! There's no possible way for something to hide in these god forsaken hallways there is no cover!"

I fall to the floor, listening to the echoes of my yells reflect off of the walls until it once again returns to silence. That very same silence that has been present since I've been left here, and now… It feels like it's mocking me. This place can have peace and calmness, but ever since I got here I can feel my mind coming undone and the fact that these damn hallways that all look the exact same can have what I so desperately want… No… NEED, isn't fair!

I pound my fists against the floor, void light flickering in my clasped hands. I want to do some damage, whether it be towards this damn floor or my own hands. Call it self destructive if you want, but the pain that comes with it only makes me feel alive. Right now, I need that familiar adrenaline that I always feel when I'm fighting something. I can vaguely hear something, but the high-pitched ringing in my ears drowning any words that could be comprehended.

"Astralis!"

My head snapped up at the familiar name, yet a feeling of strangeness settled in my chest. I look around, Cabal surrounds me. There's a Psion cowering in the corner and several Legionaries lying in bloody heaps on the floor. I look down at my hands, my knuckles are bent in awkwards shapes with blood staining the fabric of my gauntlets. That's when it hits me, that name… No one calls me that unless…

I spring from the table I was sitting on and grab the shaking Psion, "Where is Dusklight?!"

All I got in return was a whimper in return. I grew even more angry at the defiance of such a fragile creature.

"Dammit, I won't say it again! Where is my Ghost?!" I raise my voice more, glaring as hard as I could muster.

"Guardian! Please put the Doctor down gently."

I turn towards the person addressing me, and I see Crow. If he's here, then he must know where Dusklight could be! I drop the Psion and I grab Crow, pulling him into a hug.

"Crow! I haven't seen you in awhile!" I say, leaving out the fact that I haven't really seen him since Savathun gave him his memories of Uldren Sov, "So are you here to help me interrogate this Psion where my ghost could be?"

Crow looks away, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his neck, "Um…"

"Speaking of which, how did I get here anyways?" I interrupted, "Did Ikora come get me and we got ransacked or something?"

"Guardian, you've been unconscious since the battle with Xivu Arath and Savathun escaping," My ghost says coming out from behind Crow, "We brought you here because Empress Caiatl was the closest readily available person to help you."

I listen to Dusklight explain what has happened so far, and I've never been more confused in my life… Well, second life. What happened to the hallways? The Thing? Was this another trick? There was nothing that would only knock me unconscious and also wouldn't harm my Ghost. In fact it wouldn't even make sense to not kill me if I was that vulnerable then go after my ghost so I wouldn't be coming back.

"Guardian? Are you alright?" Crow asks, but he sounds so distant.

Everything is spinning, and my heart is beating faster and faster with each hitch in breath. I gasp for air, yet it doesn't feel like I can breathe. My head starts to hurt, as my vision gets blurry. I need something to ground myself, I need Dusklight. I look for him, stumbling over my feet and falling. I can feel someone touching me, I can't tell who but I assume it's Crow. I try to push myself away, I want my Ghost, I need him right now. I need to apologize for hurting him, I need him close right now. I'm quite sure that Crow is saying something, but everything sounds like white noise in my ears. I stumble away from him, looking for my ghost even though the edges of my vision are starting to go black.

"Hey, I'm here Astralis," I turn towards the sound of Dusklight.

I hold my hands up to gently cup his shell and bring him closer to me.

"There's no need to cry, I'm here and I'm not about to leave," Dusklight nuzzled my cheek.

I hadn't even realised that I was crying, but now I can feel the tears slipping down my cheeks. I chuckle at my own ignorance, although to everyone else it probably sounded like wheezing.

"Dusklight I-I…" I stutter, nervous he reacts similarly as before, "I'm sorry for hurting you and cracking your shell."

"What do you mean? I'm perfectly fine," Dusklight asks, a slight tilt in his shell, "Besides, I know you would never hurt me; especially to the point of cracking my shell."

I look at him closely, inspecting him for the large cracks I know I inflicted upon him when that Thing was controlling him. But no, his shell was pristine, no signs of added stress, only a couple of light scratches here and there. Was it a dream? A nightmare haunting me? Perhaps, a trick from that Thing? I don't know what's going on, but I don't have the greatest feeling about this and all of this confusion.

Somewhere in the deep reaches of space sat a being that can only be described as resembling the Hive, smiling at the display of the Guardian holding her ghost.

"Wonderful, everything is going according to plan…"

With an ominous laugh, she stood and walked away from the throne that was decorated in blood.