"Hey Wren, wait up!"
Wren and Sisre stopped in the street as Koro bounded up to them. Beorn and Franz exchanged looks and stifled laughter. Koro didn't notice.
"You were pretty amazing in the Crucible," Koro said.
"Oh, thanks. Too bad it was called early," Wren replied.
"I was um…. I was wondering if you have some free time?"
"We were about to—"
"I was hoping I could show you this shop I think you'd like. Since you're into tinkering with stuff."
Wren glanced at Sisre who only shrugged.
"Go ahead," Sisre said. "I'm sure we'll get called soon for whatever is going on with Eris. We'll meet you back at the Tower later if we're not rallied before then."
"Could you bring some food back for me? I don't care what it is."
"We could get something on the way," Koro said. "There's a place near the shop that sells these amazing dumplings. I'm sure you're tired of ramen," he laughed.
"Sure, that sounds good. I'll catch up with you guys later," Wren said. Franz made a kissy face behind Koro's back and Beorn smacked his shoulder, though he was chuckling.
The trio continued on their way while Koro guided Wren toward the west side of the City. The shops became closer together, the sounds and smells thickening as they entered a market district.
"I saw that you put the bird on your gun," he said. "I hope it doesn't throw the balance off or anything."
"No, it's light enough I can hardly tell it's there."
"Ok good. I've never shot a gun before; I wasn't sure if it would hurt anything."
"Really? Huh… one of the first things I did when I woke up was grab a gun and fight my way through Fallen."
"Must have been scary."
"I guess so. I can't remember much of it." She thought back on it and despite it being her first memory, she had little recollection of it. The whole situation was a blur now, likely blocked by adrenaline rush. In fact, the first thing she could remember clearly was coming to the Tower for the first time. Being named by Cayde. Meeting the Speaker. She smirked.
"Sometimes I get these moments when I realize how different your life is than mine," Koro said, shifting to let a cart pass. "The Vanguard does its best to make sure those of us within the City don't have to worry about what happens outside the Wall, and sometimes I forget what's out there. That the world we live in isn't safe."
"I guess you've never been outside of the City then?"
"Nope. Not even once. I've stood on top of the Wall before. I've seen the forest and the mountains, but I've never been out."
"Maybe I could take you some time."
Koro laughed. "No way. I don't have any need for anything out there. Enemies of humanity lurking in every shadow? I'll pass. I'm content here."
"You'd live your whole life inside the City walls and never wonder what's out there?" Wren could hardly believe what she was hearing; that there were people who had no desire to explore the world outside. Perhaps it was the Hunter in her that wanted to tell him he was being ridiculous. That he was wasting his life staying inside the confines of the Wall. She thought of the wisteria covered Deepcourt and the flooded, mangrove city of Kingsport. No snowy peaks of the Shatterhorn range, steep cliffs to the ocean, or craggy depths of the Moon.
"I can go to the library and read about it. That's good enough for me. All I want out of life is to settle down with a wife, maybe a few kids, and the ramen shop. It'll be mine someday, you know? I'll run it with my family and that… well, that sounds perfect to me. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"What do you want for your life?"
"Don't think I have much of an option," she shrugged.
"If you could choose, what would you do?"
"I'd… well, I don't know. I feel too restless being here in the City all the time. I like being out. Doing things. Exploring. I crave it."
"But having a place to call home is nice, right?"
"Sure but I don't think—"
"Here we are!" Koro said, pointing toward a sign that hung low over an old wooden door. He ducked when he entered and Wren followed him into the dark, cramped little shop.
Inside there was barely any room to move. The narrow place was wall to wall and floor to ceiling with all kinds of knickknacks, electronic things she didn't recognize, wires, speakers, metal plating, screws, bolts, springs, gears, and countless items she couldn't quite place. Motes of dust drifted through the sunlight that managed to seep through the dirty windows.
Despite the interior's appearance, Wren smiled. So many things she could play with, toy with, fix or dismantle.
"Hello again, Koro!"
Wren turned to see a short, round man shuffle through the towering piles and shake Koro's hand. He was a few inches shorter than Wren, and so old his smiling face was just a mount of wrinkles with two tiny black eyes behind thick, wire rimmed glasses. If an ancient mole was a person, it would be this man.
"Hi, Markus. I brought a friend."
"I see," Markus said, raising his glasses off his nose. "A Guardian, eh?"
"Yes," Wren replied. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I don't usually see too many Guardians in here so let me say, I appreciate all you do for the City. If there's ever anything you need, let me know and I'll gladly do what I can to see that it's done."
"Thank you, but that's not really necessary."
"No, no, I insist. Now, mind the piles and go find yourself some treasure, hm? Oh, and please don't move anything around if you don't need to." Markus clapped his hands together before shooing them around a corner.
"So what do you think?" Koro asked, taking a few casual strides into the side area where there was a path wide enough for them to walk.
"On the one hand, this place is great. I'm sure I can find the items I need to make my music player portable. Waterproof and shock resistant too. On the other hand, I feel like finding what I'm looking for is going to be difficult."
"No problem. Markus has a photographic memory. He knows every bolt, nut, and screw in this place and exactly where to find it. As long as no one's been messing with his piles, that is."
Wren walked down the path slowly, taking in as much as possible when Kiran appeared beside her.
"Rorick is calling us back to the Tower," he said.
Koro's shoulders dropped.
"I'm sorry," Wren said.
"Don't worry about it. Your life isn't really your own when you're a Guardian."
Wren paused. "Right… I'll catch up with you some other time." She left without another word to him, his goodbye falling on deaf ears. Her life wasn't her own.
"Are you upset with Koro?" Kiran asked as Wren dodged between people, carts, and children playing in the street.
"No. He's right, but I'm not upset with him for it."
Kiran remained quiet until they were out of the thick of the crowds and on a smaller, quieter road headed toward the Tower. From here she could see a sliver of it between the tall buildings that surrounded her.
"Do you wish you weren't a Guardian?" he asked.
"That's complicated. On the one hand, I don't like having to come whenever I'm called. But on the other, living like Koro? I wouldn't be happy with that."
"Most people never leave the City. Koro isn't a special case."
"I think I'd go stir crazy if my whole life was within these walls when there's so much out there," she gestured toward the sky."
"I knew I made the right decision with you being a Hunter," Kiran said, his tone prideful. "I'm glad to have you as my Guardian."
Wren smiled and poked Kiran's shell. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Guardians swarmed around the entrance to the Vanguard command center. They crowded the steps, pushing one another to get a view of the one they call Eris Morn. Rorick and Shaxx stood at the bottom of the stairs, keeping the Guardians at bay. No one but the Vanguard and Cerulean were allowed past that point. Rorick pointed to a Titan in the crowd that when she neared, Wren recognized as Brute. He took Rorick's place and Shaxx called over the crowd to Wren and the Guardian's allowed her to pass.
Some of them muttered and made comments, questioning the Vanguard's decision to call in Cerulean but for as many as were angered by the decision, there were just as many arguing that the fireteam was more than capable of handling it. What they had already accomplished made up for them being relatively new by comparison to other teams.
Everyone else was assembled and with Brute taking Rorick's position keeping the Guardians at bay, he was free to lead them to the Vanguard. This time Cayde was present but he wasn't his normal, silly self. His arms were crossed tight over his chest and his eyes were glued to a map that he had spread out over his side of the table.
Eris Morn stood across from Zavala, hardly peering over her shoulder as Cerulean lined up at the bottom of the steps. Wren's blood ran cold when she saw three glowing green eyes from the darkness of Eris' cowl. Chill bumps formed on her arms as Eris turned to see the team who had been called to assist her. She neared them, walking the line, and Wren realized that Eris brought with her an icy aura.
It was as if she had come in from the snow and brought cold air in on herself. Wren clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing tight as a replacement for stepping away from Eris. Something about her wasn't right, and it wasn't just the way those glowing eyes shone through the old gauze that covered them or the endless black tears that streamed from under the bandages.
"I am Eris," she said at last, creeping along the line again, a strange glowing rock hovering above her palm. "The last of my fireteam. I have returned from the depths of the Moon to ask the Vanguard's help. They have given me you. The Hive wish to awaken Crota, son of Oryx. They see him as a god and he will not stop until he has taken vengeance against Earth. I need your help to stop him before the Hive can summon him."
"We can stop him," Rorick said.
"Do not underestimate Crota. He has taken everything from me and will not hesitate to do the same to you."
"Wren already destroyed his sword," Franz said, jabbing a thumb at Wren. "And that was alone. I'm sure we can handle Crota."
Eris' head snapped around to stare at Franz, then she fully turned and walked up to Wren, staring down at her. "The sword was one thing, the wielder will be another."
"They can handle it, Eris," Zavala said. "Scouts have reported strange Hive presence in Old Russia. We believe that's where Sardon, the Fist of Crota, might be. We're sending you in to find and kill Sardon before he can summon Crota. This is no easy feat, and Eris is right, we can't afford to underestimate the Hive. The information has been sent to your Ghosts and you'll need to leave as soon as possible. Your ships are prepared in the hanger as well as ammo and your weapons. Are there any questions?" When no one replied, Zavala dismissed them.
Wren was happy to have a reason to step away from Eris, who still stared her down. The others in her fireteam were already up the steps when she heard Eris say from behind her. "I hope you're not afraid of the dark."
Wren paused and looked back at her, then glanced up to Cayde, who ground his jaw at the statement but didn't meet Wren's gaze. He knew. But there was nothing that could be done. She turned her back on them and followed her team.
Cerulean touched down in an area known as the Blast, where a fierce battle raged between the Fallen and the Hive. It was typical environment for the Cosmodrone; ruined cement buildings, rusted vehicles, and rebar protruding from nearly everything.
The enemies too were the same as they ever were, easily succumbing to the fireteam that set upon them the moment their boots hit the earth. The only thing that made this scene different than the others, was a shrill scream coming from across the area.
"What the hell was that?" Franz asked.
"I don't know but I'm going to guess it's what we're looking for." Rorick bashed a Dregs head in with the butt of his rifle and stepped over the body. Sisre, get rid of that Servitor, would you?"
"What, you're rocket launcher need a break?" she teased as she set up the shot.
"I'd like to keep my rockets for whatever made that noise."
The scream grew louder as the crossed the compound and a thick black cloud signaled that a Wizard was nearby. But not just any Wizard. This one was larger than the others Wren had seen before, its shroud more elaborate, its head topped with two massive horns.
"Omnigul," Eris said over the comms as the Wizard's cry summoned swarms of Hive. Thrall came at Cerulean from all sides, forcing them onto the top of a nearby building to gain advantage.
Thrall scrambled up the sides only to fall back down into the hoard that climbed up behind them. Rorick readied his rocket launcher as the rest of the team covered him but the rockets didn't appear to do much damage to Omnigul. She screeched at them, ordering more Hive to do her bidding, but she was hardly fazed at all.
One last wave of Cursed Thrall and Omnigul vanished with a cackling laugh. The Cursed Thrall exploded around them, raining bits of bone and flesh before turning to ash and blowing away in the wind.
Rorick led them through an open doorway near where Omnigul had just been and they wound their way through rusty metal halls, slogging through mucky ankle-deep water as Eris spoke to them.
"Sardon is the first of Crota's disciples. He leads Crota's army, which shattered the Moon and claimed it for their master. If Sardon is here, that is a sign that the Hive are preparing to wake Crota's Soul. Beware as you proceed Guardians, Sardon leads a group od Knights called the Blades of Crota. They are powerful guards. Take caution."
As if on cue a Knight emerged from around the corner of the next room, pushing Cerulean back into the muck as they combined their fire against the Blade of Crota. Still the Knight charged them, bringing his sword down in one mighty swipe near Beorn who was lucky enough to get out of the way in time, but the force of the blow knocked him off his feet. The Knight focused on him, attacking with a flurry of sword swipes and stomps that kept Beorn scrambling out of the way, unable to stand or fight back.
When it finally crumbled to ash, its sword rose from the ground and hovered in a beam of light. Beorn approached it, then looked to Rorick for permission. Their leader hesitated, then gave a nod of consent for Beorn the take the relic for himself.
"It won't last long," Beorn said. "I'm going ahead to clear as much as I can before it breaks."
With that he took off in the direction the Blade had come from. The rest of the team followed behind him as he cleared out waves of Thrall and two smaller Knights before the relic crumbled in his grasp. He took up his gun again and eased over to a tunnel that descended into the earth.
"Looks like we've come to the end of the man-made section," Beorn said as Rorick joined him.
Wren stared down into the hole where it veered off to the left and down into darkness. Spikes jutted from the walls, casting a pale glow farther in. At least this time she wasn't alone. There was some comfort in that.
"Fireteam Cerulean," Zavala said over comms, "what is your location?"
"We're closing in on the Grotto," Rorick replied.
"I survived for years in the tunnels of the Moon," Eris said. "Using the shadows as the Hive do. Keep your eyes open Guardians."
The Grotto was a relatively round room with natural stone pillars, metal crates double stacked, and large boulders. More of the strange Hive lighting protruded from the walls, casting deep shadows. In the center of the room, and at its lowest point, was a pool of water and a pulsating orb of Darkness hovering over it. Hive symbols adorned nearly every surface, glowing green like the Darkness that coated the pillars like a moving oil slick.
"Stay back," Rorick said. "I'm going to investigate."
He eased closer to the orb, circling it a few times before attempting to reach out and touch it. He withdrew as if he'd been burned and tried to jump away as the cave trembled and the orb flashed, but his feet only made it a few inches off the ground.
"Rorick!" Sisre called out as a Knight emerged from where the orb had just been. Sardon, the First of Crota held his sword high over Rorick and brought it down on him with a shockwave that knocked Wren to the ground. Beorn and Franz stumbled back, Flak hit his knee, and Sisre had to lean on her rifle to stay standing.
"Kill that son of a bitch!" Sisre demanded and the team did their best to regain their bearing.
Sardon didn't wait. He sprinted up the slope toward them and as he neared Wren felt heavy, as if her legs were turning to stone. She tried to run, firing at Sardon as she did, but soon she was out of breath, the weight too much for her. The others were feeling it as well. Franz panted as he caught up to her, the pair of them shooting as fast as they could manage as Sardon gained on them. The closer he got, the thicker the haze that clouded Wren's vision.
"Move!" Beorn said, pushing Wren out of the way an instant before Sardon's sword struck the ground where she'd been running. The shockwave felt like it was crushing her bones, her innards churning. She gasped for breath and held her Better Devils up, aiming for Sardon's head. Or at least, where she thought his head might be. This close to him, her vision had gone almost entirely black. Paired with the overwhelming pressure of the Darkness, Wren's chest tightened. It was like being underwater with the serpentine fish, on the verge of suffocating.
Sardon's sword rose once more but it didn't fall on Wren. It blazed into ash along with its wielder as Sisre's sniper rifle finally got the best of him. The Darkness faded, her sight returned, and the weight was lifted. Wren let her head fall to the stone floor of the Grotto as she caught her breath.
"That sucked," Franz said.
Wren looked to her left to see Beorn sitting against a crate, his Ghost healing his leg. "Thanks," she said.
"Any time."
"Now that Sardon is dead, return to the surface," Eris said. "There is much to do. The rest of Crota's disciples will not rest until the Earth is ready for their master's return."
"How's Rorick?" Beorn asked.
Wren rolled to her belly and propped up on an elbow. Sisre had brought Rorick back and the pair of them were walking up the slope toward Franz, Wren, and Beorn. Flak followed them, several meters behind.
"That was reckless of me," Rorick said. "How long was I down?"
"Not very," Beorn said as Wren and Franz helped him to stand. "It wasn't as difficult as I was expecting."
"Eris made it out like this was going to be worse than the Black Garden," Wren said.
"This was way easier than that damned Garden," Franz said.
"I'm sure she just wanted us to be wary," Rorick replied. "I don't blame her. Though I'm not aware of all of her story, what I've heard is enough to make anyone squirrely. Let's get back to the surface and see what Zavala has in store for us."