Radio silence continued until they were well into the system and even then, all Wren got was a drop location from Zavala and a place to meet deep in the City. No word on Cayde or how the mission was going. Part of Wren hoped that no news was good news, but knowing Zavala, he wouldn't tell her if something was wrong. If something had happened with Cayde. It would make her too unpredictable.

The ship crested the nearby mountains, and the City came into view. Pulsing orange light encircled the Traveler, emanating from the device that encircled it. Whatever that thing was, had to be what blocked the Light from the Guardians. Take that thing off, and everything would return to normal.

She had to hold onto that.

"Do you think Rorick and Franz stayed in the Farm with Sisre?" Wren asked.

"We both know the answer to that. But you have to focus on the task at hand. The City is crawling with Cabal."

"I can maneuver around their shots."

"Don't both. It's not our ship anyway. If they shoot it down, it'll give us some cover. They'll think we're dead and won't come for us."

"You want me to crash this thing?"

"No, I want you to let me get us shot down."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not. Hold on!"

A blast rocked the ship and the ship lurched to the right, toward a building that Kiran transmatted her on top of. She wasn't ready and stumbled, clutching the Skyburner's before she could hit her knees. Cabal lights flashed across the area and Wren scrambled to the edge of the building and dropped over the ledge before the light scanned the area, landing on the ship that was ablaze in an alley.

"Sugarbird?" Cayde's panicked voice echoed through the comms. "Was that you? I'm comin' to get you."

"No, don't. I'm fine. We ditched the ship."

"Good," Zavala cut in. "Ikora and I are headed to the rally point. Cayde is already there and should remain in position. We cannot fail here."

"We'll use the Vex teleporter to jump to the Traveler, if we make it there," Ikora said.

"Welcome back, Guardian. This is your old friend Hawthorne. Glad you could join the party. Red Legion's using these energy barriers to funnel us into kill boxes. I can hack into the grid and knock it down for short stretches. Standby."

Wren gradually dropped to the City floor where she could more easily hide from the ships flying overhead. Why were they doing this? Putting lives at risk? They should have let her do it herself! Now Cayde was deep into the City, ready to jump to the Traveler. She could imagine him there, fighting with that same fluid ferocity she'd seen in the Crucible. He couldn't die. He couldn't.

Skyburner's in hand Wren fought through the patrol that scoured the City floor. Roads and alleys had been reduced to dirt and rubble. Piles of items had been pulled from shops and homes and burned, the fires burning bright in the darkness. Ash streaked the bricks and stone of what remained. Shops she'd frequented were dark and quiet, devoid of life and the loss settled deep in her chest.

She found what Hawthorne had been referring to; a barrier sectioning off parts of the City. A few Guardians in a fireteam came from the opposite direction, nodding to her as they continued on to clear the sector.

"Alright, power's down," Hawthorne said. "Get through fast in case the Red Legion has anyone on hand to turn it back on."

The barrier flickered and failed and Wren raced through. "I just saw a fireteam in this area. Can you get them out?"

"We'll handle it. You just keep moving."

"Fine. I'm flagging the location of a turret," Wren said. Maybe they could get that thing down before it took out one of their own ships. If she could reduce the loss, she'd do whatever it took. "I'm through the barrier."

"We're almost to the rally point," Zavala said.

"Cayde, is that teleporter up?" Ikora asked.

"Yea—ow! Son of a bitch," Cayde replied, the sound of gunfire coming through his comm. "Yeah it's almost up."

"Never send a Cayde to do a Hawthorne's job," Hawthorne teased.

"I heard that, poncho."

He was close.

Wren peered around a corner where she could hear Cabal yelling at one another then a moment later an anti-aircraft turret opened fire on a ship that flew too close to the tops of the buildings. She charged out, opening fire with the Skyburner's. The rounds punched through armor and shields, distracting the turret operator enough for the ship overhead to escape range.

"Tagging another turret but I'm blocked again," Wren said.

"Lemme grab your coordinates," Hawthorne said.

Back to the barrier, Wren defended her position against the Cabal that dared to charge her. When the barrier dropped, she turned tail and ran. On the other side she leapt across to a balcony carved with intricate designs and dripping with ivy, as if it was the last beautiful thing to remain in the City. Here the ground level dropped significantly.

Wren hardly slowed as she ran through the little marketplace the balcony had led to, trusting the Skyburner's Oath to decimate any Legionary she came across. So close. She was so close.

"Cayde! We're seeing a squad of Red Legion flanking your position. What's your status?" Zavala asked.

"Dammit! Next time you get to fix Vex tech while being shot at!" Cayde snapped back, the sound of gunfire growing louder on his end.

"Keep your head down Cayde, we're almost there!" Ikora assured.

"I'm almost there!" Wren shouted, unleashing grenades on some Phalanx that dared to block her path. She jumped over them when they dropped to protect themselves and the blast from her grenade launched her forward.

"Don't you worry about me, kid. You keep safe and get here in one piece," Cayde said, as if he wasn't the one at risk here.

Wren wove through areas of the City that were foreign to her. Stairwells and narrow alleys, lush gardens and once beautiful courtyards now marred by rubble. If not for Kiran, she'd be hopelessly lost but it also didn't feel like she was getting any closer to getting to Cayde. It was like a nightmare where the floor sucked at her boots and every step only took her farther from him.

"We're at the rally point but Cayde is still wrestling with the teleporter," Zavala said.

"I can either work on this thing or shoot, not both! They just shot off my arm," Cayde snapped back.

Traveler help them.

"We need that teleporter up and running!" Ikora said. "We can't hold this position for long!"

"Wren, we need you here, now!" Zavala said.

"I'm going as fast as I can," Wren assured, boosting up to platforms, scrambling ever higher across balconies and fire escapes, over rooftops and chimneys. Higher and higher, the ground so far below her she couldn't see it through the smoke.

"Wren?" Kiran said. "I think Ghaul found a way to drain its Light. How else could this have happened? If we can't stop him and he takes the Light for good?"

"I know, I know."

She reached a point where she wasn't sure how to proceed, slowing her down. There was only one building close enough but it was a bit of a jump. She took several steps back and a memory flashed through her mind of Cayde helping her up onto the ledge when they went to find the secret way to the roof of the Tower. Running as fast as she could she jumped, dropping into a roll on the landing. The back of her helmet slammed into the floor and for a moment she saw stars.

"Ikora, Cayde…" Zavala began, "if something happens and we don't make it out of this, I want you to know that I have never been prouder to be a part of this fireteam."

"If we do die, at least it will be under the shadow of the Traveler, old friend," Ikora replied.

Wren braced herself on her elbows and despite her head still swimming, she stood and started to run.

"We're about to die and you're still making speeches?" Cayde said.

"You're not going to die," Wren said. Demanded. "You're not! I'm almost there just hang on."

"You know I will, kid. I'm waitin'."

She crossed a narrow catwalk between buildings, shooting out a small turret before it could turn to her all the way. The walkways and platforms were close to the walls here, dropping to nothing but she didn't slow to test how sturdy they were. She couldn't.

High and higher Wren climbed, running through a rooftop garden, beyond hanging wisteria which took her back to a time where she and Cayde had gone treasure hunting. Why had she wasted so much time!

One more rooftop and she found them! The Skyburner's ripped through the backs of Legionaries that she didn't even bother to kill. Let them bleed to death. They deserved nothing better. She jumped over their writhing bodies and up the steps, past corpses of those they were holding off.

When she turned the corner she saw Zavala, thrown back by a Legionary like a rag doll. The Cabal raised a weapon to strike him but Ikora was faster, shooting a Solar weapon into the Legionary's back. The wound erupted into flame and the Cabal lurched forward onto its belly.

Ikora stumbled and fell to one knee, using her weapon to brace herself. Zavala sat against a planter, shaded by ragged trees, holding his stomach. Both of them were injured and coated with soot but Wren went to Cayde.

"We can't make the jump," Zavala said between strained breaths. "It's up to you now, Wren."

She took a knee in front of Cayde, who began to activate the teleporter for her. He was pained but trying his best to hide it.

"Cayde—"

"I told you not to worry about me. But you… you better come back. This ain't over yet."

"I will. I'll come back."

He held out his hand, pinkie out. "Promise."

The last promise she made… "I can't—"

"Promise me."

She hooked her pinkie in his and he pulled her hand in and kissed it.

"Now get outta here, Sugarbird. You can do this."

Wren was reluctant to let his hand go but she had no choice. This was it. She gave him a curt nod and stepped into the light emitted from the teleporter.

The other side was not the Traveler. She froze, confused.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Ghaul's command ship," Zavala replied. "It's the closest to the Traveler that we could get you."

"Wait, you put her on his ship?" Cayde's irritation was no longer hidden. "Why the hell would you do that? I have to get through this damn teleporter! Why the hell isn't it working? Stupid Vex piece of—"

"Cayde, she is the only one who can do this. Be brave, Wren. We're counting on you."

"I'm so sorry kid. I didn't know."

"I'll be fine," Wren said, trying to reassure him despite the sinking feeling in her gut.

But why? She knew it would come down to this. Just… maybe not yet? One more mission? One more step on the way to defeating the Red Legion.

Her first step was hurried, toward a closed door with flashing lights, but a rattling growl stopped her. Woah… what was that? She eased forward, until the doors slid open and revealed the source of the rattling. Several War Beasts lay curled up, sleeping on the floor between her and the only other exit. Great, Cayde put her in a damn supply closet joined with a napping place for these scaled, razor coated beasts.

A grenade wouldn't be enough to take them all out and she didn't want to alert the whole ship just yet. The deeper she could get into the ship before they started locking down sections, the better. She holstered the Better Devils, sure to tuck the bird in so the chain wouldn't jingle. Cloak was gathered under one arm and she held her breath as she began to tiptoe through the pile of sleeping War Beasts.

"I'm keepin' up with you, kid."

Wren jumped at Cayde's voice. A beast at her feet stirred and Wren's heart leapt into her throat. It rolled over and a razor sword from its back dug into the back of her calf. She winced and Kiran quietly explained her situation.

"Okay, okay, you got this. Nice and easy," Cayde said.

She continued on, barely breathing until she reached the door on the other side. The second it slid closed she covered Kiran who hacked the door and sealed it behind them.

"Shouldn't have to worry about those," Kiran said. "I think you should keep to the vents and access points until you reach the outer hallway. I'll show you the way."

Wren moved into an access hatch, winding through the tunnels, over snaking wires, until she came to the hall Kiran mentioned. Cabal systems were so big, they hardly bothered putting doors on areas like this so when she came to the end, she kept low on all fours as she peered into the hall. No Cabal.

"Go left," Kiran said.

To their right the wall was entirely glass, giving a full view of the Traveler, shimmering orange in the smoke the billowed from the City.

"I can see the Traveler," Kiran said. "We're getting close, Commander."

"Good. Head up, Guardian. The whole City is behind you."

She found a console at the top of the hall and held out a hand for Kiran. "Lock down all the doors except a straight shot between me and Ghaul," she instructed. "Don't set off any alarm, just tag it as required maintenance or something. Make up something good."

"Will do."

Wren watched out the window as Cabal ships opened fire on the City below. There were several battles still raging below. It wouldn't end until Ghaul was gone and the Legion would be shut down. For a time anyway.

"Done," Kiran said. "Go ahead and take that elevator to the top."

The Skyburner's was heavy in her hand as the elevator slowly lifted her to open air. Wind whipped through her cloak and black smoke passed her. When it did, she saw the Traveler, up close and personal and her breath caught in her throat. The scope of it was intense.

Before her a catwalk sloped down toward what might have been a landing pad. On the other side was a raised platform with a whirlwind of flames. Somehow she knew it was connected to all this. She moved toward it, Skyburner's at the ready.

The pillar of fire looked… off. It was thick, black almost with crackling red around the edges. Was it even fire at all? The flames roared louder as she neared, then Ghaul spoke to her from within.

"Fitting that your Traveler would send you here to face me once more," he said.

She stopped at the bottom of the ramp, watching as the flames swirled and vanished, leaving Ghaul burning with Solar energy. Slowly he stood as the fire licked across his armor.

"Look upon me," he demanded. "Dominus of the Red Legion. Annihilator of suns. Razer of a thousand worlds! Slayer of Gods and Conqueror of the Light! I am Ghaul!" he yelled. "And I have become legend!"

Wren took a step back as Ghaul reached for a Solar sword which he drew and pointed at her. It was too late to run. She never should have gotten up close. The Skyburner's lurched in her grasp but the rounds didn't seem to bother Ghaul much, despite having punched holes through lesser Cabal's armor. She threw a grenade and, in the smoke, she rolled out of the way, dropping to a lower level where she could hear Cabal banging on the doors that Kiran sealed.

Wouldn't take long before they figured it out and she'd be overrun by them and Ghaul. Time wasn't with her, that much was obvious and she couldn't afford to be conservative in her fighting. Hiding would only do so much.

A gust of wind brought in more smoke and Wren used it to hide herself, leaving behind the flashes of Solar energy released from Ghaul's sword to take a better position farther away from him. The Skyburner's could make up for the distance well enough. At least until she could get a chance at a weak spot for Golden Gun.

Finding Ghaul in the smoke and clouds was easy enough. He never stopped talking. Taunts and bragging were dead give aways, adding to the slight rumble to the ground when he walked that made him easy to pinpoint. Wren was able to open fire on him without being able to see him well though he wasn't sure how much good she was doing.

The Skyburner's rounds slammed into his armor, making a distinct sound and she knew she could degrade his armor over time but the yelling and banging from behind the doors spoke to the ticking clock she was slowly losing control of.

"Aim for his head!" Kiran directed. "He's not wearing a helmet."

"I can't even see him clearly, much less hit his head. Let me handle this!"

The flame sword launched a blazing blast at her through the fog, cutting through like butter. Ghaul laughed as Wren ducked, the flames searing across the side of her helmet and right shoulder. She dropped the Skyburner's as the wound was cauterized. She cried out and grabbed the shoulder as Ghaul approached, taking his time. Of course he'd want to savor the moment. He was no better than a braggart with abandonment issues.

She feigned fear, but the pain was real enough. She tried to pull herself away from him, shuffling with her boots while pulling left-handed.

"Please, let me go," she said.

Ghaul chuckled. "Pathetic. This is the best the Traveler could offer from—"

BANG!
The Golden Gun shot flared from her hands but Ghaul was too close. The shot shattered the throat guard on his armor and made him stagger backward. He roared in anger and when he pulled his hand away from his face she could see burns across his right eye.

Wren tucked her arm close, rolled to grab the Skyburner's, and ran.

"He's retreating?" Kiran said.

Wren looked over her shoulder to see that Ghaul, still enraged, had boosted high over the platform and back toward the place where he had been surrounded by flame. This time the pillar that surrounded him was purple, like Void energy.

"He's swapping energy?" Wren breathed as she dropped behind a small barricade.

"This place is directing the Traveler's Light," Kiran said as he began to heal Wren. "There's a plate over there that I can feel is strong with Light. Maybe it's some sort of overflow? You should be able to stand in it and instantly recharge your Golden Gun."

"Are you sure? Once of catching myself on fire is enough." She rolled her shoulder and reloaded the scout rifle.

"Absolutely sure. It's safe. But you have to go. The Cabal have been working through my blocks from the outside in. When they get through? It's going to be all of them at once."

"I'm here with you, Sugarbird. You can do this."

She'd forgotten Cayde was there.

"Wren, stay focused," Kiran reminded and Wren snapped back to action.

She ran toward the plate Kiran pointed out, white light seeping from the vents. They warmed her. Soft sparking under her armor brought an odd sort of comfort. She knew this feeling. Known it since the beginning of this life… she had to get it back for them. For everyone.

Being shot had outraged Ghaul. He bellowed his need for more power from within the swirling pillar of Void energy that surrounded him. Objects nearby were pulled in by it, shrouding the base with smoke and debris.

A ship overhead dropped a few Psions and Legionaries before speeding off. If they couldn't get anyone in the ship to aid their leader, they'd bring them in other ways. Between them she could see flashes of Ghaul's body in the pillar. He was glowing so brightly she couldn't tell any part of him. He was simply, light.

The Skyburner's shredded through the lesser Cabal, dropping them as Wren held her ground far from Ghaul. She wouldn't be able to get another shot off on him like before. He was arrogant but not stupid. He'd not be caught the same way twice.

Wren kept her distance but she noticed that the Cabal had begun to forcibly open the doors. The one below the right platform was in the process of being wedged open but only enough so far for a few Psions to squeeze through. She shot them as they came through but Ghaul's roar from within the pillar signaled his return.

The instant she saw him, she opened fire with the Skyburner's, but it felt futile. The rounds buried in his armor but they didn't seem to slow him down in the least. All she could do was keep her head down and keep sinking those rounds into him, hoping for the best. She wanted to call out for help. Tell Cayde she was in too deep, but what could he do? He was missing an arm, Lightless, and with no way to get to her.

Ghaul drew closer, floating high and sending out flashes of Void energy from his sword.

"This isn't getting me anywhere," she said.

"Just keep shooting!" Kiran replied. "I think I see a crack forming in his chest armor. Focus there if you can."

Kiran was right. A few more shots and a chunk of Ghaul's armor fell to the ground and he clamped a meaty palm over it. Wren took the chance to sprint toward him, Golden Gun at the ready. Though he'd kept some distance through their battle, he openly took a swing at her as she neared, swiping against her shoulder hard enough to knock her off balance. The first shot missed, the second hit his armor, but the third seared into the flesh exposed by the gaping hole.

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, squeezing hard. Her joints popped, pain radiating from her spine and ribs where he crushed her against shredded armor. His massive head was barely a foot away, glaring red eyes expressing joy through their pain. Crushing her would bring him much pleasure and when she cried out he laughed, the sound coming out as a gurgling rumble.

The Skyburner's was stuck tight to her side, but her right hand landed on the Better Devils and the familiar feel of its grip filled her palm. She wrangled it free as she gasped for breath, each exhale restricting the next inhale. He could crush her, but he wanted to play first. Fine. She'd play.

Wren gritted her teeth and forced her hand up, burying the muzzle of the Better Devils against what she hoped was the Golden Gun charred wound in his chest. She pulled the trigger as fast as she could. The first blast caught him off guard and his arms loosened. The second and third he roared and dropped her. The fourth and fifth, well, she didn't know where they landed or if they hit him at all.

She hit her back as a couple of Psions rushed her. Air scorched into her lungs and she clutched her ribs while she rolled to fire on the Prions. The Better Devils unloaded into them and Ghaul limped back to his platform, blood pooling under his feet. Sheer rage kept him moving now and once he was back in the stream of pure Light? He'd regain some strength, at the very least.

"Get back to that overflow plate," Kiran instructed.

"I'm tired," Wren gasped, dragging herself over to the plate.

"I know, but this is almost over. You've almost won!"

"Hey, kid, I opened comms to check on you. It's lookin' dicey up there. What's goin' on?"

Wren collapsed to her back on the plate, letting the Light wash over her as Ghaul recharged in his own pillar toward the other end of the platform. She took the opportunity to reload both weapons, doing so with her eyes closed.

"He's gaining power," she said. "Solar and Void and… I think this time he'll have all three."

"Son of a –"

"It's okay." Wren sat up and forced herself to her knees, head spinning. "His armor is heavily damaged, and I know I got some shots off on him. He was bleeding when he went back to soak in more Light. Maybe I can get close enough again to kill him for good but I don't have much time left. I don't know what'll happen if he gets all three."

"I don't either but look… Sugarbird… I…"

"What?"

"Zavala is forcing us to fall back. The Vanguard is retreating to the edge of the City to regroup."

"Get somewhere safe. I know you don't want to, but you need to. Just go."

Silence.

"Remember you promised, kid."

She knew what he meant but still the promise she made to Franz flashed in her mind first. What were her promises worth?

"I know."

"You better. Contact me as soon as you can."

"I will."

With that, he was gone but hearing him gave her one more push to get onto her feet. Ghaul couldn't win. No matter the cost.

Ghaul didn't get close the next time. He not only kept distance, but he stayed in the air as much as possible, only launching energy at her as fast as he could from a distance. The strange thing was that his energy type kept changing. First he blazed with Solar, then blue sparks would snake across his armor, then Void would swirl around him.

He struggled.

Wren was able to outmaneuver his attacks, even with every step sending shockwaves through her ribs. They were both bad off, but he was worse. Blood trickled from his feet to the ground as he flew around and the moment he had to set down he hit one knee and growled, slamming a fist to the ground. He was furious, snorting and huffing like a bull while struggling to stand and Wren took the chance to unload the Golden Gun on him.

The screeching sound of metal doors being ripped off hinges mixed with Ghaul's pained anger. The Cabal had broken free. They were converging on her location, blocking her off from Ghaul as he retreated back to his platform. Of course, they would come for her. She drew the Skyburner's and started punching holes in the Cabal with every shot, slowly stepping back away from them. No way she'd let Ghaul step back into that pillar of Light. She tried to peer between the Cabal, who were circling her, blocking her in.

A blinding light shot up from where Ghaul had been and the whole group turned to see their leader fall to the floor. Light rose from him like liquid gold, splashing and swirling up into massive golden wings that spread out before the Traveler.

Ghaul's form emerged from the liquid form and turned to the Traveler.

"Kid?!"

Wren tried to answer but her heart had nearly stopped in her chest. The Skyburner's went slack in her hands. How could she possibly hope to win? Even the Cabal were in awe of their leader; not sure if they should celebrate or run.

"You gotta get out of there!"

"I… I can't…. I—"

"Traveler!" Ghaul's form bellowed, shaking the ship. "Can you see me now? I am immortal! I am a god!"

He turned to glare down at Wren and the Cabal around her rounded on her, weapons drawn.

"You have failed," he said, the orange glow from the Traveler dying behind him. "Witness the dawning of a new age!"

Wind whipped across the hull of the ship and it trembled with the force. Wren struggled to stay on her feet, as did the Psions, but the heavier Cabal drew the circle tighter.

"What's that?" Kiran asked but Wren had already noticed blue light sparking across the Traveler's surface. A cable that encircled it snapped and Ghaul turned to see the light spreading, breaking away more cables.

Wren shielded her eyes when the Traveler's Light grew brighter, piercing holes through Ghaul's liquid Light form.

"You do see me," Ghaul said, reaching toward the Traveler as it ripped him apart.

This didn't stop the Cabal. All at once they opened fire, Wren in the center of their ring. Pain came from everywhere, like hot knifes in every part of her body. The explosion and shockwave rocked the City and sent the ship on a freefall, hurdling toward the ground.

Her attackers slid across the ships hull as it tilted forward dangerously, sending the whole group across the surface. Wren had nothing left to hold on with. Her vision grew hazy even as he own blood left a thick mark across the platform. All around she could head the sounds of panicked Cabal as they fell overboard, but she couldn't feel that same fear.

"Sugarbird, if you can hear me, I'm coming for you! I'm coming!"