Hello everyone and Happy Halloween.

As always, everything that isn't mine belongs with their respective owners. Now on with the story.

Eight days after Keith turned Twelve; 6 years ago

X had reluctantly been given the privilege of watching over Fireteam Volum's kids. Though this wasn't the first time that they had done it, but at least the young ones weren't clinging to his arms and tail nowadays like they did the first time. Though he knew that some people probably thought it was better to spend time with their families to celebrate the Festival of the Lost, or to just do what kids on Earth do this time of year on October 31st, which was to go out in costumes and get candy from neighbors. X didn't exactly see much of a difference nowadays from that Earth holiday and Terra's Festival of the Lost, but he did miss how the festival was originally celebrated for which was to honor loved ones that had passed on, the candy nonsense just made things more difficult for him to go to the marked graves of his comrades in arms and the families they left behind, who eventually passed on as well. He didn't have difficulty honoring his own loved ones, but he knew that it was better to not do it while the kids were with him. They weren't ready to learn about that part of his past.

Luckily though, he and Alex honored her mother before the kids were dropped off here, though he did need to have his old friend "Little John", she always liked to spend time with him even though it took her awhile to like him as a person and not hate him as a Guardian. Which was why she wasn't in the house at the moment, X doesn't want her to cause problems because of her own personal hatreds. Speaking of trouble though.

"Ok, everyone. You better start behaving or I might not tell you one of my famous stories.", said X, who almost had to start yelling seeing as all of the kids were trying to re-enact Fireteam Volum's battle against the Taken King, with Gaia being rigged with some cardboard wings to make her look more like Oryx. There were some others that were playing their parts like Keith acting his father and everyone else acting as their respective parents, 'Besides, I am pretty sure that having Gaia be the Taken King is not a good idea.'

"Ah come on, Uncle Terras. You've been telling us the same stories since we were little. And they aren't exactly as exciting as the Battle against Oryx.", said Keith, whose point was agreed upon by everyone else.

"Is that so, I recall that when I told the story of my fight against the Warlords in the Dark Age, you all had excited looks on your faces.", said X, who had a feeling this was going to go somewhere.

"Yeah, but the Warlords aren't scary. Their just Guardians that thought they were the toughest things around."

"So, its scary that you are after eh.", said X, who placed his hand under his chin where he was thinking, "Maybe…nah forget about."

"Forget about what?"

"Well, I was thinking about telling you the story about the time I…nah, you couldn't handle it. In fact, I doubt that you kids are brave enough to be go through till the end.", said X who had a smile underneath his mask, for he knew that Keith was one of those types to try to prove someone wrong.

"I'm brave enough to go through it till the end! I bet its not even that scary.", said Keith and everyone else wished to join in for they have not heard X tell a scary story before.

"Famous last words. But just to be clear, when your parents start seeing that you're leaving your lights on during bedtime, don't blame me for something you wanted.", said X, who saw that everyone agreed, "Alright, I will get the fire ready, oh and I suggest that you keep Gaia from moving once the story gets going cause you're going to need something to hold onto and I don't want to be seeing people holding onto my tail."

Everyone agreed on that.

X had prepared a campfire and had logs for everyone to sit on. He then began to tell his story.

"Thousands of years ago, before you and your parents were born or in the case of most of them, raised. I was only around 1,000 years old after my resurrection, and I was young, brave, and in the case of most Guardians stupid. I believed that I could do anything, though on that day, I learned that there is always a bigger fish in the ocean. I had come back from the Altean system, a story for another time, and was in the process of returning home to Terra, though I learned it best to check on Earth every once in a while. So, I was heading to Earth through the scenic route. That was when I got a distress signal from a vessel called the RSS Amestris, and being the type of guy I was, I had decided to go investigate it. Though at times I wish I hadn't for that was where I first encountered them."

"Was that the first time you encountered the Hive or was it the Fallen?", said Keith who at the moment wasn't scared of the story, and started to think that this wasn't going to be scary after all.

"The Hive arrived during the Collapse, but they went dormant after they arrived. The Fallen though hadn't arrived as well, until the time of the Fall of Golden Age New London.", said X, "Now where was I? Ah yes, I went to investigate the distress signal."

Keith had believed it was the Fallen or Hive that he was talking about, but then X ruled them out. And it couldn't have been Vex or Cabal…...so what did he encounter?

"Once I arrived at the ship, I found it to be intact. No forced entry from the outside, and no debris that would indicate that a battle had taken place. I then decided to investigate the inside of the ship for I noticed that there were some sources of light inside it. Had I known what I do now, then I would've done the smart thing and left the ship where it was. But like most Guardians, I was young, prideful, and stupid. Once I got inside, the place was dark and the lights weren't on. I had thought about turning my flashlight on, but my instincts told me otherwise. So, I relied on my natural night vision, to be able to see and therefore continue my investigation. The farther I got in, the more I felt like I was being watched, and not by my Ghost, but by something else…something that kept itself so well hidden that I couldn't have been able to see it nor hear it. I had then found the door that led into the Bridge of the ship. But before I could open it, I heard a noise. Which kept me from seeing what could've attacked the ship, for if there were survivors then I could just ask them. I then found the source of the noise and it was an Awoken Paladin and an Awoken Techeun. The Paladin was trying to help the Techeun but then the Techeun began to scream uncontrollably, which lead the Paladin to try and cover her mouth. I thought about letting them know that I was there…but I didn't for my instincts went out of control, and caused me to hide. Dex though notified me that the area had spiked in radiation levels. I then pulled myself to observe what was going on, but the Techeun continued only to then cause blood to pour out of her mouth, eyes and ears. Only a few seconds later the Techeun collapsed and went limp, I had been thinking about it, but she was most likely being attacked psychically or more accurately she was being attacked from another plane of existence, another dimension. The Paladin then thought about moving to another location, but then it happened. Klomp, Klomp, Klomp, Klomp Klomp. I could hear the sound of heavy footsteps upon the metal floor echoing from down the hallway where the Paladin had her back turned from. She froze and looked behind her. I could see her go pale, and that was when I saw a large clawed hand grasp the corner of the hallway and begin to crush it. The Paladin then took a slow step backwards, only to be lifted up by the creature up to its face. It had revealed itself fully into my view, but it moved so quickly that my eyes could not register it. It was tall, taller than anything I had seen at that point. In fact, if I were to guess, I would say that it was as tall as a Hive Knight, maybe taller. But what I do know is that it had two large arms and hands that could easily grab large rocks with just one hand, and it had two smaller arms and hands that were quite capable of grabbing a person's head. Its body made it look somewhat like a Quokyaki because of its double-jointed legs, but while a Quokyaki is a reptile, this creature had a great mane of fur that came from the back of its head all the way down to the back. Its tail was big thick and longer than its body and its head was in the shape of a serpent-like creature or maybe it looked draconic, I wasn't sure. But what I do know is that the Paladin then tried to keep a brave face as she looked into its dark neon glowing blue serpent eyes, it then opened its mouth to reveal dark neon glowing blue teeth, and the Awoken screamed only to get her head chomped and torn off from her shoulders. I then noticed that it had glowing stripe like patterns on its backside and it then went to devour the rest of the Paladin and most likely would devour the Techeun as well after it was done. I then realized that the lights that I saw were these creatures, and I remembered that I left my door open when I got in, so with what willpower I had after witnessing such a display of brutality, and had myself cloaked. I then went for my ship, but that was when I heard heavy footsteps behind me which prompted me to run as fast I could to escape them. I had gotten to my ship and dislodged it from the entrance hatch and promptly went as far as I could away from the RSS Amestris. I then breathed a sigh of relief…only to realize that I wasn't alone. I felt like I was being watched, and against my better judgement, I turned around to find one of the creatures in front of me, though it looked different from the one I saw devouring the Awoken survivors. It then knocked my mask off by the swipe of its claw and then brought its face close to me opening its mouth all the while. I then closed my eyes for I couldn't take it anymore and hoped that what would happen would not be painful…...but then nothing happened. I opened my eyes, and found the creature to have disappeared as if it weren't there at all. I found no trace of it and I even had Dex check the radiation levels to see if there was a change in them, he didn't find a change in them."

X found all of the kids huddling close to Gaia with some of them squeezing her tail as if they were hanging off of a cliff. And he noticed that Keith was shaking uncontrollably, though X decided to make sure that nobody accidently caused Gaia to roar, which after hearing that story would be bad.

"I don't think that it's a good idea to start squeezing Gaia especially around the neck so let's- "

Too late.

"Skkkreeeoooooonnnnnnkkkkkkk!"

The kids then screamed and started running in circles like as if they were chickens with their heads removed. X then grabbed everyone and got them to calm down. He then brought them back to his house after putting out the fire and made everyone some herbal tea to help calm their nerves. And then he was able to get everyone to bed, though Keith had trouble sleeping because of the story and got a bit paranoid. The storm that appeared didn't exactly help either but he has been able to sleep through them before. But when he looked at the window that he was next to, for he insisted on sleeping near the window, he noticed that something seemed off, which when lightning struck, he saw the dark shape of a creature right there and looked away for a second. But then he summoned what courage he had and got close to see if he could see what it was, but then he saw them, dark glowing neon blue eyes appear right in front of him. He almost screamed but his mouth was covered by X signaled him to stay quiet, whom Keith looked at for a moment and then pointed at what he saw. X then turned on his flashlight to find that Gaia was standing on the roof and was looking through the window. X then opened the window to let Gaia in. X then signaled Keith to come with him downstairs.

X then poured some tea for himself and got Keith a glass of warm milk, for X guessed that the glass of milk might work better on Keith. He then sat down in front of Keith who was drinking his glass of milk.

"So, want to tell me what's going on Keith?", said X who was a bit concerned about Keith.

"I-I'm fine. There's no need to worry.", said Keith, who was not actually fine, but tried to be brave in front of his uncle.

"Your shaking hand tells me otherwise."

Keith then noticed that his left hand was shaking, which led him to grab it with his right hand in order to keep it from shaking.

"I…. I just didn't expect what the story would have in it.", said Keith.

"And that would be?", said X, who knew that Keith was trying to avoid talking about something.

"I mean that creature, I thought it was going to be…something else."

"Do you want to know what it was that I encountered all those years ago?"

Keith then nodded.

"They're called the Aphelion. A race of predatory humanoids that have been a bit of problem for the Awoken for some time now, though I have heard that they have been a bit of a problem for the Fae as well. Luckily though, they don't really hunt anything else and rarely leave the borders of the Reef and Tangled Shore. Though I suppose that doesn't help now does it."

"What do you mean?"

X then pointed at Keith's hand again, which lead Keith to hold onto it again.

"Keith, it's ok to be scared. I was terrified after I encounter those things, and it didn't help that I learned that I was just lucky with that encounter."

"But my dad doesn't get scared and neither are the other Guardians."

"So, that's what this is all about.", said X who then thought about how he could help Keith with this, he then remembered what his old friend would tell him back when he was first resurrected and brought into a world that he wasn't even familiar with, "Want to know a secret?"

Keith then nodded.

"Your father and his team are a bunch of scaredy cats."

"Really?"

"You think you kids were the first to hear that story. When I told your father and his team, they couldn't sleep for 500 years without the lights on. And the fact that I was able to get you and your friends to sleep without the lights on, just shows that.", chuckled X.

"But my dad and his team fight the Hive."

"Look, the thing is that the Hive are the least terrifying thing in the universe, in my opinion at least. I would probably keep them in my top ten, but they wouldn't reach my top five. I have seen things that would give even the Hive nightmares for centuries."

"Yeah, but they beat Crota and Oryx."

"The Aphelion would even make those two cower. They are much stronger than anything that Guardians have encountered, and its quite difficult to find something that is tougher than a god."

"What if we end up having to fight the Aphelion?"

"If we do, then I will be the first to join in on that."

"But you said that you were scared of them, you even said that you were terrified of them."

"I did, but that doesn't mean that I won't stand by and watch them kill those that I care about. I won't be cowering behind a corner this time."

"You must be really brave to not be afraid anymore then."

"Who, said that I wasn't afraid anymore? I didn't."

This got Keith to be confused.

"How can you be scared if you're brave?"

"Keith, courage is not the absence of fear itself. Courage is when you learn to overcome your fear in order to do what is right. Everyone has something to be afraid of. Even the heroes of old had their share of fears, but they didn't let those fears control them and prevent them from doing what is right."

"I bet that being able to resurrect helped.", said Keith.

"If you aren't afraid of death, then that isn't bravery that is certainty. But that is probably a conversation for another time.", said X.

"Ok, but what makes fear so important that it can't be gotten rid of, I am sure that I'm not the only person who would rather not be afraid anymore."

"Yes, there are those that believe that they should no longer fear anything, but then again what is fear? For just because you are afraid of something doesn't mean that it should not exist."

"What do you mean? If people are afraid of the Darkness, then isn't it our destiny as Guardians to destroy it. I mean, if that wasn't the case then what would the point be for us to exist."

"Destiny is not something that is taken or given from others. It is a gift that we give unto ourselves. For some go throughout their entire lives waiting in quiet desperation, but never knowing that what feels as a burden that pushes down upon our shoulders is in truth a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is merely the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero."

"So, we are the ones that decide what our destiny is."

"Yes, for the reasons that we became what we are today, is not because of the Traveler. It is because of us, paracausal beings, that can shift reality itself into what leads to our final fate. Death is inevitable, but Fate can always be changed."

"But what if, I am still afraid to do what is right? How can I be what I am meant to be if, I can't do what needs to be done? What if I can't be what I am meant to be? Or how can I…. how can I be expected to save the universe if, I can't save those that I care about?"

X then knelt in front of Keith and put a clawed hand on Keith's shoulder.

"Don't think, Keith. Become. For that is what a hero is, you don't think about the future nor the past, you do what is right in the now. A hero is one who will protect those that need protecting, no matter what form they take. You don't think about your fear, for once you don't think, you will run into the danger without a moment of hesitation."

Keith had a look that gave X the impression that Keith still has doubts about himself, and though X knew that Keith would one day become a great Guardian. X also knew that Keith was probably not the Guardian that he was looking for, but he would do what he could to mentor Keith into going down the right path. The path where the lines between Light and Dark are so very thin.

Keith then noticed that he could see his breath, and also realized that the temperature in the room had dropped a bit.

"Is there something wrong with the thermostat, Uncle Terras? Cause I am starting to feel cold."

Keith noticed that X was looking at his hand.

"Uncle Terras, is there something wrong?"

X then looked at Keith and then went to where the thermostat was, and then pressed one of the buttons on it.

"Its nothing, Keith. I was only remembering something. And well, yeah, the thermostat seems to have been set to a colder temperature for some reason.", said X, who was keeping something secret from Keith, though because of how Keith is trusting with X, he is unable to realize this and so like a person who doesn't question others takes it as it is.

Keith was then told to go back to the room that he was sleeping in with the other boys, though he stopped when X called for him.

"Keith."

"Yes, Uncle Terras.", said Keith, who wondered what X wanted to tell him.

X seemed to hesitate, though he got over it and said, "Remember, don't think. Become, and from there, you will know what your destiny is."

Keith then nodded and went up stairs where he would then return to bed. X was then left alone in the dining room, though the animalistic groan from a certain animal companion showed otherwise.

"What did you think that I was suppose to do? Keith is…. he is not ready for…everything."

Gaia then walked up to him and started to stand on her hind legs and put her claws on X's legs. X then went down on one knee as Gaia got off of his legs, where X began to scratch behind where Gaia would have ears like as if she were just a dog.

"You always did find yourself to be in the right place at the right time, old friend. Or I guess when it came to the Dark Age, you always found yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Gaia then made a noise that was her attempt at agreeing.

X then sighed and got up, he then went to the kitchen and got two bottles out of the fridge. He then began to start walking out of the house, where he was followed by Gaia the Tarrasque. He then stopped at the door and looked at Gaia.

"Let's not keep our guest waiting then."

Gaia gave him an unamused look. But X didn't think it mattered and then opened the front door. He then went at the table at the porch, and sat down. It was then he began to remove his mask, which revealed his face along with those tusk-like teeth that jutted out from his lower lip, and placed it on the table.

All he had to do now was wait. But he didn't need to wait too long though.

"I know your there. Your lucky that Gaia was on the roof as well, otherwise I would've had to make a different excuse besides the fact that Gaia has a habit of eating bioluminescent plants."

If there were anyone else there, then they most likely would've thought that X was talking to some sort of imaginary friend, or from the point of view of a certain Exo, that X had gone mad. But then a glow was shown near X, and the figure revealed itself. X then looked at the creature, and though he probably would never get used to its appearance after what he witnessed all those millennia ago, he was just glad to see her again.

"Maybe you could tell me what you and the other Aphelion have been doing as of late.", said X who offered a bottle to his guest.

The offer was accepted, and the night was spent in discussion between two people that though may not have known one another before that moment, it could be said that they were looking for one another for a very long time without even knowing it.

There are those who believe that fear can be easily overcome, but in truth it is more difficult to do so. Keith had forgotten the words of the one he called Uncle Terras. And for that, it would not be until he encounters a creature that had fit the description of what his uncle had faced long before he was even born, but this creature did not have any parts of it that would glow nor did it have eyes that could be easily seen. But even so, can Keith be able to overcome his fear and do what is right? Only time will tell.

But for now, he will be stalked by an ancient Hunter, who will keep his distance so as to allow Keith to learn and grow. Not as a Guardian, but as a person. Someone who can learn that there is more to the universe than just what lies within the walls of the Last City, that there is more than what lies on his father's property, and that there is more than just the Reef and Tangled Shore. Keith must learn that not everything is black and white, and X knows that where he is currently, will allow him to understand that.

X wasn't there when the Red War happened, when Allen, his team, and their children needed him most. But he was the one that gave Keith a chance to live somewhere without worry of any war, but had Allen known where Keith would've gone, then would he still have gone to X in order to take both of them to Earth where Keith would spend the next six years on. Maybe Allen wouldn't have, but X promised Allen that he would keep an eye on Keith, though should they need X for the Red War, then all they needed to do was ask. X would keep his promise, but at times it would be difficult, cause the kid had a habit for finding himself in trouble when he should know by now that he doesn't need to pick a fight every two seconds. Keith reminded X of Alex, though at least he knew where Keith was.

Though the last time that X saw Keith, as someone who showed himself, was when Keith was going to be put through a foster program, but X gave Keith something that would allow him to learn the truth about who and what his uncle is. The only issue is that he was not permitted to open the cryptoglyph that held so many secrets that could give even the Cryptarchs a life time before taking in everything they just learned. X had also told Keith that no matter what, he is not to give this to anyone nor is he to allow it to leave his side. Keith would do so, and though this was the last time that Keith would see X, X would remain as an observer or in a sense a guardian angel. He would keep an eye on Keith from afar, and though at times he felt like he should interfere, he did not. For Keith needs to learn that the universe is not as what his father sees it, or maybe it is, and everyone just ignores it. But overall, X would be keeping tabs on Keith, though he first aided in the defeat of the Red Legion and the Death of Ghaul. Though imagine his surprise when Keith became a Paladin of Voltron. He was there when Keith began to struggle in understanding others, and he was there when Little Red needed a helping hand, though X would have to be honest with himself. He had lost track of Keith after their first attempt against Zarkon, and so had gone to see if there was anything he needed to do. He discovered a world that was full of Hive, and sought to eliminate this threat before it got out of hand. But then Keith came along and was rescuing Shiro from the Hive that Shiro had stumbled upon. Keith would not know this or maybe he did, but he was not the only Lightbearer on that planet. Luckily though, Keith had never seen X in his Nevermore armor, which was made by X at a point when he began to explore the universe. Which led Keith to just think of it as a hallucination, even if several explosions had occurred as they were leaving the Hive's domain. X then remained notified of Keith and his new team's activities and where they were at all times, by hacking into the Castle of Lions mainframe and leaving a program in it, that would be undetectable to anyone, even if they were a computer genius or in the case of Yorak a Ghost that would check the Castle at times to see if anything is off.

X would then go to the Black Lion and place the same program into it, though modified it to then spread into the other Lions once they have combined into Voltron. X was prepared for any scenario that could cause him to no longer be aware of Keith's location and/or whereabouts, besides he saw potential in this new generation of the Paladins of Voltron, though they would all need to learn and grow in order to be able to truly earn the titles of Defenders of the Universe. For what is coming, the universe will need all the defenders that it needs. No, not the universe, but all realities. For all realities will be affected by what is coming. The Black Fleet has begun its march, and there is nothing that can be done to halt the countdown clock from reaching zero. The Darkness is coming, and this time, it will not stop at the Krein system. It will come for the Sol system next, for it knows of their connection to one another. And nothing in this universe or any universe will stop it from seeking to finish what it started 10,000 years ago, X only hopes that this time, they will be better prepared and that these Paladins may yet be the key to defeating the Black Fleet. X will not rest until he has found those that he believes to be the ones that will end the cycle between Light and Dark, once and for all.

Though maybe Keith might get angry at X for not being the one that raised him, or that Keith had to go through so much. X would probably tell Keith that he convinced Allen to allow Keith to remain on Earth even after the Red War, for Allen didn't want Keith to go through another situation like what happened when the Red War started. X had though told Allen years ago that it was best for Keith to live on Earth, but now Allen sees why X told him that. X won't ask for forgiveness from Keith nor will he give Keith a reason to not be mad at him. For compared to this, X has done much worse things that should have Keith just straight up hate him for, maybe his time with those kids, Shiro, Jaz, Darvah, and the two Alteans will change his views. In the end though, X will have a lot to explain for everything that was put in that cryptoglyph that X made himself.

Well, that was the chapter and though it isn't exactly exclusively a Halloween story, I'll be honest. There isn't exactly a whole lot of Halloween themed stuff in Destiny. But I did what I could and well, I was not expecting the chapter to be so small when writing the Halloween themed stuff. But anyway, I will be taking my break and start working on other projects, though I will also be writing the next chapter as well. And in it, we will return to X as he ventures to the Tangled Shore. But once he arrives there, he will not just be getting the person he was looking for, but will be looking for info on someone else.

Anyway, though, let me know what you think about the chapter (cause I am not sure if I did do well with the Scary story thing), and if you want you can put in some questions along with your reviews of the chapter, and I will see about answering questions that don't end up spoiling what will be happening later on in the story.

So, until then, I will be seeing you guys in the next chapter.