Izuku sat in his study, contemplating all that Riven had told him.

'The Kell of Kells'

According to Riven, it was the 'ultimate title for an Eliksni, the pinnacle of their race, above all others.' When he had asked for an explanation in less poetic terms, she had described to him something that was essentially the same as what most people thought when they said 'King of the World'.

'It basically just meant that they were the 'King of Kings'… Hmm. Actually, 'Leader of Leaders' would probably be a more correct translation.'

He wondered why Hiraks had never mentioned it to him, but then again, Hiraks was incredibly young and probably didn't have any expectations of ever ruling the Eliksni after falling into the Hellmouth.

All this talk of Eliksni had him wanting to see him again, really. If only-

THUD. THUD. THUD.

"Kiddo? You in there?"

The voice was dim, mainly because there were two doors in the way, but Izuku's enhanced senses flicked towards where the front door would be from where he was as Cayde spoke. He moved to the door and opened it, motioning for Cayde to come in. "Good morning, Cayde-6. I'd ask if you slept well, but…"

Cayde chuckled. "No worries about that, Kiddo. Now, I have a question for you. How would you like to participate in a bit of a… hunt that I've got going on?"

Izuku cocked his head to the side, wondering what he could be referring to. Was he talking about Skolas, and the House of Wolves? "That depends, am I not still meant to be 'recovering' from my fight in the Hellmouth?"

Cayde froze for a second, before adjusting to posture back into the relaxed pose he had taken. "Well, I mean, yea, technically. But you heal faster than most, and your 'energy' regens quick, right?"

Izuku nodded slowly. He knew what he meant when he said 'energy' and appreciated his discreteness, at least the attempt at it. Really, anyone that knew he lived in this apartment was someone that probably already knew what he could do.

"You would be correct. I am currently in fighting shape, but I was going to respect the wishes of the Vanguard. Have those wishes changed?"

Cayde laughed, but Izuku could tell it was the awkward kind of laugh he did when he felt guilty. "Uh, well, no. Not exactly? Zavala and Ikora aren't really aware of this offer, but hey, I'm the Hunter Vanguard, so it's not like I need their approval to offer this!"

Izuku raised an eyebrow at the Exo. "Of course not, but, and I mean this as nicely as I can, you're not exactly the most… responsible member of the Vanguard."

He gasped, his hand going over his chest, where a humans heart would be. "Gah! I come here and offer you a spot on my squad, and you insult me so?!"

Izuku just shook his head, a smile appearing on his face. "We both know what I said is valid, Cayde. Now, I would like to accompany you, actually, but I will be telling Zavala and Ikora, Eris, and the Speaker first. I will not permit a misunderstanding of my whereabouts leading to a question of my loyalty.."

Cayde sighed, dropping down a bit. "Fine, fine! We'll tell the others about us sneaking off to hunt Fallen, jeez!"

"Do you think that you're ready to be going out so soon?"

Izuku was sitting on a cushioned bench in a large cylindrical room, with The Speaker sitting next to him, his hands occupied with a puzzle shaped like an Exotic engram. Izuku leaned up against the wall, his new 'hand' tucked into the pockets of a Dead Orbit hoodie.

"I believe that I am, yes."

The Speaker nodded to themselves, and the puzzle they were fiddling with clicked into place. One of the sides popped open, revealing a small purple crystal. He chuckled, putting the solved puzzle on a nearby shelf, and handed the small crystal over to Izuku.

"Then, are you here to ask my permission?"

Izuku cocked his head to the side, not really understanding. "Well, yes? You speak not only for the traveller, but for the lightless as well, and I'm not a guardian. Aren't you in charge of me?"

The Speaker outright laughed at that, catching glances from a few of the people walking by, Guardians or otherwise. Izuku frowned, now a little confused. "My boy, I am not so much in charge as I am respected. I am a political figure, yes, but I am in no way a king or a ruler."

He sighed, shaking his head. Placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder, his head moved slightly, and Izuku could tell that he was likely smiling under his mask. "I have a say in things, just like everyone else on the council, or even the Last City."

Izuku frowned but nodded his head. "Yes, I believe I get it. My… my old world worked similarly, I think. They called it, uh, Denochacy?"

The Speaker chuckled again, patting his shoulder once before removing it. "I believe you are looking for the word 'Democracy'. I know that where you… grew up, as it were, the rules were very different. But strength does not grant the right to command, here. At least, not directly."

He patted Izuku on the back. "So if you want to go, and believe that it is safe for you to do so, then you have my blessing, not my permission."

He then stood up, motioning for Izuku to do the same. "Now, it has been lovely speaking with you, Izuku, but there are a great many things I am required for today, and I must begin my work."

Izuku nodded, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Speaker. I may not be one of the Travellers chosen or even one of the Lightless it protects, but you have treated me well all the same. I will leave you to your duties."

The Speaker nodded back slowly, before turning and greeting a Guardian who had come sprinting up to them and had been dancing just out of earshot for the last few minutes, repeating the same moves over and over again.

Izuku made his way out of The Speaker's area quickly, making sure that his arm was fully covered.

Cayde made eye contact with Zavala as he put his elbows on the table, his fingers interlocking.

"Are you sure, Cayde?"

Both Ikora and Eris sat nearby while Cayde stood at the end of the table, swirling a knife around his finger. "Am I sure the kid can be trusted? Hell yea I am. Look, I get it, he's… odd. And he's not exactly our regular customer, but he's human, and he hates the Hive. How can you still distrust him after Crota?"

Ikora raised her head, sighing. "I hope for the best, of course, but we cannot be sure that his intentions are… entirely pure, Cayde. His actions in the Hellmouth that day might have been crucial to our victory, but we cannot forget that he gained a great deal of power from Crota's defeat, that would be incentive enough."

Eris scoffed, her green crystal glowing brighter for a moment as the woman spoke. "Both of you are fools if that is all that you are basing your suspicions on."

Zavala turned to Eris, narrowing his eyes at her. "Care to elaborate, Eris?"

Cayde flinched slightly at the cold tone in Zavala's voice, looking to Eris, who was sitting up straight, a blank look on her face. "My friends, everyone in that fireteam became stronger because of that fight, the Unthinking One's growth was only noticeable because of his low starting point."

Ikora raised an eyebrow, turning to face Eris completely. "What do you mean by that? Guardians do not work on the same rules that the Hive do."

Cayde frowned. This was a major tangent from him telling them he was taking Izuku out with him, but Eris' words were intriguing. He saw Eris smile at Ikora. "Of course not, but the 'Mighty Hydra's' grew stronger from that fight nonetheless."

"The defeat of an enemy brings many things. The collection of new, more powerful armour, more devastating weapons, and finally, the strengthening of the soul. The Hive has perfected this 'Sword Logic', and the Unthinking One uses it as well, just… modified with his own personal touch."

Eris stood up, stepping away from her chair and looking at Cayde. "But just because they have perfected it does not mean that it does not exist for every other being in the universe. The Darkness' existence makes its logic real, just as the Traveller makes our own."

She rolled her shoulders. "So, friends. If the only reason you suspect the Unthinking One is that he grew stronger from the fight, then yes, you are fools. I am leaving, now. Take care of him, Cayde-6."

Cayde just nodded dumbly as Eris strode out of the room, before turning to glance at Ikora and Zavala, who seemed stunned. He inhaled deeply, and then clapped his hands together, walking back towards the door, shooting finger guns their way in an attempt to dissipate some of the tension in the room.

"Alrighty then! I'll just be… uh, going now, and don't worry! I'll have the kid back in time for dinner!"