The Last City, Earth.

The last place that still stood strong after the collapse. The last place that humanity could survive in their solar system, with the dead Traveler floating over their heads. The home of the lightless, the Guardians, and the Vanguard.

"So, I get that Eris was one of your people Ikora, but do we know who the kid is?"

Cayde-6 sat with his feet up on the chair in front of him, spinning his hand cannon, the 'Ace of Spades' as he leaned back on the chair. To his right sat Ikora Rei, the Warlock Vanguard, and to his left sat Zavala, the Titan Vanguard.

Ikora just frowned at him. "Unfortunately, at this moment, we are unsure. The fireteam that we sent down to destroy the Charmsmith's quarters reports that he appeared out of nowhere and saved them by summoning green spikes out of the ground."

"Furthermore, Eris Morn reports seeing traces of other human life in the tunnels during her captivity in the Hellmouth. She believes that this boy might have been down there with her the entire time."

Cayde let out a whistle. "Oh snap, kids been down there for what, six, maybe seven years? How the hell did he survive for so long?"

Zavala huffed. "I believe that it would be fairly safe to assume that this boy is not a guardian. We got some results back recently from some tests that indicate that the Hive have access to a spell or device that can pinpoint our light. If he was a guardian, even a young one, he would have been hunted down almost immediately."

Cayde just shrugged. "So how did the little sucker survive? And how did he summon those spikes if he's not a guardian?

Ikora shook her head. "Do you know of any guardian that has green abilities, Cayde? By now we have to accept that the Travellers light is not the only source of paracausal power in this universe."

Suddenly, the door to the meeting room slammed open, startling the Vanguard, who all dropped into combat stances, except for Cayde, who leaned too far back in his chair and tumbled to the floor. Standing in the doorway, a green crystal illuminating her face, was Eris.

She gave them a small bow, more a dip of her head than anything, and strode into the room. "Greetings, Vanguard," she began, "Ikora summoned me, so here I am."

Cayde let out a sigh as he jumped to his feet, wiping his hand over his forehead. "Woo! Scared the hell outta me there! You ever hear of knocking?"

Eris looked over at him for a moment, and he got his first good glimpse of her face from under her hood. Where her eyes would be, a black cloth sat over 3 small glowing circles, with a small amount of soft green smoke rising into the air.

She gave him another nod. "My apologies. One forgets such things when they have more pressing matters to deal with. I have not announced my arrival anywhere in quite a while."

Zavala raised his hand at Cayde, a silent suggestion for him to drop it. He returned Eris' nod. "Greetings, Eris Morn. It is good to have you back after so long. I am sure that you know why we have asked you here?"

Sitting down, Eris let her crystal float in front of her on the table and she nodded. "Yes, you wish to know about my time in the Hellmouth, and would like for me to give you what I know about the boy that was rescued alongside me."

Cayde nodded. "Yup, got it in one. Gotta say, the kids causing quite the tizzy up here in the tower, rumors all around about how he survived down there. Stories ranging from him being a Human-Hive hybrid to alternate universes."

Eris just glanced over at him, and if there wasn't a piece of cloth in the way, Cayde would have seen her raised eyebrow. She couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "I will begin with what I know for sure, and tell you about my time in the Hellmouth, before moving onto my speculations about the boy."

Eris took a deep breath, steadying herself, before she started to speak.

"It began when Eriana-3 asked for my help…"

Izuku hissed as he felt the light hit his eyes.

Quickly placing his hand over his eyes, he patted himself down with the other hand, noting that he had been stripped of his weapons, and was laying on a bed far comfier than the cot he had crafted for himself.

Finding the scrap of cloth he was looking for, he tied it around his eyes, the cloth just thin enough to see through, but dark enough to block out the painful amount of brightness that was all around him.

He heard someone speaking to him, and was confused at the language they were using. It was an odd mix of languages. It was like someone cobbled together English, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and a dozen other languages together with duct tape and string.

But after mastering the complexities of the hive tongue, it seemed simple to Izuku.

"Greetings child, welcome to the Tower. You have been asleep for quite a while."

He looked to his right to see someone wearing long robes and a white mask. The man gave him a small bow. "My name is The Speaker, Mouth of the Traveller."

Izuku nodded back to the man as he stretched out his shoulders, grimacing when his right arm flared up with pain again. "Izuku Midoriya, sir. If we're doing titles, I guess the Hive used to call me 'The Unthinking One."

Izuku couldn't see it, but the Speaker was giving him a curious look. "And pray tell, why would that be?"

Izuku just smiled for a moment, looking down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched them. "A story for when the rest of your leaders come to visit, or when they summon me. I think they are called… The Vanguard?"

The speaker nodded. "Correct, Mr. Midoriya. If you would follow me, the Vanguard should be ready to see you soon."

Izuku put his hand together in a praying motion and nodded, following the man.

"Thank you, I look forward to meeting them."

Ikora looked down, saddened, and humbled by her friend's story.

She gave the woman a deep bow, a hand over her heart. "I must express my deepest apologies Eris, for not finding you sooner."

Eris looked like she was about to argue when Cayde spoke up. "Ikora, it's not your fault. Everyone that went down there that day was marked KIA. You had no reason to think that she might have needed rescue."

He turned to Eris. "On that note: I can see why they call it the Hellmouth. That whole story sounded like a horror movie from before the collapse."

Eris nodded. "You are correct with your observation, Cayde-6. The Hellmouth is not a place for the weak, or the faint of heart. Which brings me to my next point…"

Zavala put his hands together, resting his elbows on the table. "We must discuss what we will be doing with the child, now that he has shown off an unknown power. We must figure out how he obtained such abilities."

Eris shook her head. "No, Zavala, his abilities are not unknown, merely rare and nigh unprecedented. There has only been one other human to use such powers, and he fell to the Hive's corruption. I fear this child may have suffered similarly."

Ikora's eyes widened as she realized who Eris was talking about. "Please tell me you aren't talking about Dredgen Yor! Are you saying that this child wields Hive Magic?!"

Cayde and Zavala seemed to panic slightly at that statement, before there was a knock at the door. They looked over in surprise to see the speaker enter the room.

He bowed to the vanguard. "Pardon the intrusion, Guardians, Eris. While your theory that he wields Hive Magic may be true, I can confirm that this boy is anything but corrupted. He is polite, seems extraordinarily genuine, and in fact, has requested to see you, as he is awake."

Zavala nodded to the Speaker. "That is good. We wish to talk to the boy as well, there is much we need to discuss. Please send him in."

The Speaker nodded and leaned back through the doorway. You may enter, Mr. Midoriya"

Cayde had to stifle a giggle when he saw Izuku with the same cloth-covered eyes that Eris had, knowing that it would be disrespectful. Also Ikora would be sad with him and that was sort of like disappointing your mother.

The boy bowed deeply to the group, giving a small smile.

"Greetings, Vanguard, I've been wanting to meet you and your people for a very long time…"

Next chapter: Izuku and the Vanguard discuss their futures