Grant gestured to them. "Follow me, then. Winona, watch closely. You and I are the class known as Titans. I will demonstrate our fighting style."

Winona hurried to follow behind Grant, watching him in awe as he lifted a fist that crackled with electricity.

Shaw fell into step beside Jayesh. "Thanks," he said in a low voice. "For … for helping avenge my team."

"It's the least I can do," Jayesh said. "We can't afford to lose Guardians right now."

"I know," Shaw said. "It's my fault. The Vanguard will probably suspend me from duty while an inquiry is opened. The Cormorant Blade will be all over me."

"Duty first," Jayesh replied. "Accidents happen. The Hive butcher Guardians all the time. But I'd rather face them than Taken."

"I don't like Taken," Shaw replied. "I hear the Dreaming City is overrun with them. Hey, uh, what'd you say your name was?"

"Jayesh Khatri."

Shaw nodded. "Shaw Han. Been a Guardian long?"

"Not quite ten years, now," Jayesh replied. "I resurrected shortly before the Red War."

"I resurrected when the City was being built," Shaw said. "Been around a while. Cas was in my Hunter training class. We met Maeve during Six Fronts, been a team ever since. I can't believe they're gone."

"I'm sorry," Jayesh murmured.

Shaw shook his head. "Me, too. I don't know what I'll do now. We had this huge Dawning party planned. Now I get to tell all our friends that they're dead."

Jayesh felt so badly for him, and nothing could make it better. All he could think to say was, "We'll avenge them."

Shaw nodded. "It's all we can do. That and hold a memorial service. I sure wish we had a Hunter Vanguard to handle things like that."

They lapsed into silence. Grant signaled a halt, and Nell scouted ahead, wrapping herself in Void Light and vanishing into the shadows. After a while, she returned. "Hive ahead, down in some basement thing. You can smell them miles away. Keep your helmet filters on."

"Any sign of the witch?" Jayesh asked.

"Yeah, she's down there," Nell said. "Lots of Darkness, too. Be careful."

"Right," said Shaw, turning to Winona. "Big fight coming up. You'll get scared, but tamp it down and focus on the next shot. Run out of ammo, we can pass you synth. You ready?"

Winona saluted. "Aye aye, sir."

They crept onward, across a cold, windy courtyard and down a hill. In the side of a building, they found a huge Hive construct like a black spindle that appeared to have dropped out of orbit and sliced into a building. A well-trodden opening at its base showed where the Hive ran in and out. The Guardians ducked inside and followed the path into the ruins.

The Hive had built a lair beneath the building in what had once been a sub basement. Now it was a room filled with black piles of Hive muck. An oval-shaped warp gate stood at the far end of the room, shimmering like a mirror that reflected nothing. Navota floated in front of this gate, chanting to something in the far side. She resembled a woman flying in a long dress, except her head was crowned with a pair of curved horns. Bone armor covered her arms and torso, leaving her robe to fly free. Nobody knew if Hive witches had feet or legs. Her screechy voice grated on their ears. Around the witch crawled thralls, digging in the muck or grooming each other. They were supervised by ten acolytes, all armed with Hive boomers, and a Knight with a bone sword and shield. All were vaguely humanoid, except for the skeletal bodies and three glowing eyes.

"Pretty small force," Grant whispered to the team. "I'll deal with the little ones. Nell, clean up the acolytes. We'll focus fire on the Knight and save Navota for last. She'll attack us, so keep her distracted."

"I'll do it," Winona said, gripping her rifle. "She deserves a taste of her own medicine."

"Not alone," Shaw said grimly. "Not this time."

"Right," Jayesh said, drawing Lumina and gripping it in both hands. "I'll handle healing. Go."

Grant leaped into the air and burst into a crackling ball of lightning. He flashed across the room and impacted in the middle of the thralls and acolytes. Bodies flew in every direction, colliding with walls and rubble. The Hive shrieked and turned on them in rage and hatred. The light in the room seemed to darken. When Jayesh fired orbs of healing Light from Lumina, they lit the room with a blinding white flash.

This attracted Navota's attention. As a predator that fed upon Light, the warlock's power drew her like a hyena to a wounded zebra. She swooped toward him and began to chant in her abyssal tongue, weaving the syllables into an incantation.

Jayesh had encountered this before. He drew on his Sunsinger power and began to sing over her in that unknown language that sprang from deep inside him. The words rippled and flowed, alive with cheerful courage. Flames licked over his robes and outlined wings at his shoulders. His voice disrupted Navota's chant. She shrieked in rage, trying to stun him with sheer noise. She drew closer and closer, her scream rising in pitch, her three eyes fixed on the warlock in burning, ferocious hatred.

Lightheadedness struck Jayesh and his song faltered. As was his habit, he reached for the Traveler for extra Light. I fight for you, Traveler!

But there was no answer.

The devastating silence weakened his resolve. His song fell silent. Then Navota was on him, tearing the Light out of him with her claws. It felt exactly like she was reaching through his armor and tearing strips of flesh off his body from neck to groin. He screamed and fired wildly at her with Lumina until the magazine was empty. The witch dodged from side to side, only taking one round. The pain made her angrier. She grabbed Jayesh by the front of his robe and hauled him into the air, still tearing the Light out of him with her free hand. Jayesh screamed and thrashed. Blackness began to envelop his senses.

Gunfire spoke from all corners of the room. Navota's hold slipped. Her screaming hymn changed to shrieks of pain. Jayesh fell to the floor and remembered nothing else.

Jayesh slowly came to with the wind whipping his cheeks. It was cold and it hurt. He wanted to put his helmet back on.

"He's coming around," said a voice nearby.

"Jay, don't you dare die on us," another voice said. "We're not losing you to a Hive Witch."

"She didn't take all his Light," said Phoenix, so close he was almost in Jayesh's left ear. "Just … most of it."

The cold had eaten its way through his whole body. He felt stiff and frozen, and his insides hurt in a way he'd never felt before. He opened his eyes and saw Phoenix, floating a few inches away, his blue digital eye peering anxiously at him.

"Hi," Jayesh whispered.

"Hi," the Ghost replied. He touched Jayesh's nose with his cold shell, which stung with cold, but was meant kindly. Then he turned to the others who were gathered around. "He's awake."

Jayesh looked up at the sea of faces grouped around him. "Did we kill the witch?"

"Yep," Nell said. "You distracted Navota until we could blast her to pieces. Smooth move, using yourself as bait. You planned that, right?"

"Right," Jayesh grunted, struggling to sit up. "Totally planned." He could barely move. Grant caught him with an arm behind his back and helped him sit up. Jayesh was acutely aware of Shaw and Winona watching, and tried to conceal the shivers that were beginning to set in. He had to be tough, walk this off. He wasn't hurt, was he? Having Light torn out shouldn't have incapacitated him. Much. He tried to stand, but his treacherous legs gave out and he sank back to the ground.

Grant hauled him to his feet like a parent with a toddler and supported him. The Titan bent his head and muttered, "You're badly hurt. Take it easy."

"They'll think I'm a weakling," Jayesh muttered. Standing up made his head swim. The sunlight blinded him. The cold gnawed at his whole body, and his very Light felt wounded and bleeding. Why did this have to happen in front of strangers? Embarrassment was worse than the pain.

"Sparrows, I think," said Shaw. "Winona, ride with me. We'll see about getting you back to the City."

The group summoned their sparrows. Shaw and Winona drove off. Jayesh couldn't have stayed on a sparrow in his current state, so Grant put him on his own and held him as he drove. Jayesh doubled up, holding his middle, and gave himself up to shakes so bad he thought his teeth would crack. At that moment, he wanted Kari so badly that he could have cried. He wanted to feel her warm arms around him, feel the electrical touch of her healing rift, hear her voice telling him that he would be all right.

But Kari was far away, and Jayesh had his team to think of. Like it or not, he was the team leader, and he couldn't make decisions if he was a whimpering pile of mush. So he fought the shakes, gritted his teeth, and straightened up, pushing through the pain and weakness.

"Phoenix, I need heals. Loads of heals."

His Ghost's healing Light flowed through him, followed immediately by cold. It was like taking a warm shower on a chilly morning-it started warm at his head and was cold by the time it reached his ankles.

"Sorry," Phoenix said in his head. "You need time to recover. I can't even lend you a supercharge. It's like your Light levels are in the negative."

"Negative Light," Jayesh thought in resignation. "What's that make me now? Darkness?"

"More like Void," Phoenix replied. "If you want to switch from Sunsinger to Voidwalker, now's your chance. I hear you can eat your grenades. They're grape-flavored."

Jayesh tried not to laugh, because it hurt.

They traveled back toward their jumpships, detouring only to escort Shaw Han and Winona to Shaw's ship. They agreed to meet in the Tower for a joint report, and parted. Jayesh was too happy to climb into his cockpit and set course for the Last City.

Once they were in the air, he dug out a hot pack of synthetic coffee and drank it slowly, cupping the warm container in both hands. Phoenix watched him closely, occasionally sweeping him with a scan to monitor his biosigns.

After a while, the Ghost said, "You're looking better, bit by bit. It could have been a lot worse. You could be dead."

"And you'd be hunting a new Guardian," Jayesh replied.

Phoenix half turned away, his eye downcast. "I don't know," he murmured. "Nobody could ever replace you."

"Hey," Jayesh said, reaching out to turn the Ghost toward him. "I pulled through. Two other Guardians didn't. I have that on my conscience more than anything. Could we have saved them?"

They talked it over and compiled an after-mission report. Maybe they could have rescued the other fireteam if they'd had any idea that they would split up and be picked off by an abnormally strong Hive Witch. The whole mission was unexpectedly difficult and dangerous. Zavala would undoubtedly be displeased and disappointed.

As they neared the Last City, Jayesh said, "So, do you think I'm related to Shaw?"

"You could be," Phoenix said thoughtfully. "I'd have to compare genetics with his Ghost to be sure. You sure look alike."

"What's his record like?" Jayesh asked. "He mentioned Six Fronts, which was the first time the Fallen tried to take the City."

"Let me look up his public record," Phoenix replied. His shell spun as he bounced his query through a satellite to contact City servers. "Hm, interesting. Shaw's a veteran of hundreds of strikes. Nightfall strikes, too-the really nasty ones without field support. He and his team had really good combat ratings. He'll be destroyed without them. Brother or not, might want to offer him some support."

"I will," Jayesh said, sipping his coffee. "What else?"

Phoenix chuckled. "Oh wow. The great combat rating is balanced by a horrible conduct rating. He's been reprimanded multiple times for illegal sparrow racing on City streets."

"What, really?" Jayesh laughed once and stopped, because it hurt.

"I guess he's not as straight-laced as he makes out," Phoenix said. "Or maybe he's professional in the field and nowhere else. He is a Hunter, after all."

"Surprise, surprise." Jayesh watched the sea crawling by below. "What a festive Dawning this will be. No Kari, no kids, just me, my team, and this guy mourning his dead friends. Absolutely jolly."

"Aren't we going to visit Acotango?" Phoenix asked.

Jayesh nodded. "I can schedule a visit, now. I thought this assignment was going to be to Europa. And … you know."

Phoenix did. Jayesh expected to die out there on that icy, Darkness-infested moon. But they'd had a reprieve, and he'd get to see his family one or two more times before that happened. Every minute he could steal with them was increasingly precious.

Neither of them spoke for a while. Jayesh reached up to stroke his Ghost's shell. "Did Navota hurt you?"

"A little," Phoenix admitted. "I mean, she couldn't reach me directly. But by tearing out your Light, she was taking mine, too. She'd have had me in another minute."

Jayesh tried to call a little Light to his fingertips, but none came. Unable to comfort his Ghost that way, he lifted him out of the air and tucked him into the crook of his arm. "I'm sorry, little light. That's what I get for trying to sing down a Hive Witch."

"She was the first one you couldn't beat," Phoenix said. "You beat Besurith, on the moon."

"I did," said Jayesh. "But that was before the Traveler closed up. Without it backing me up … Europa's the end of the line, Phoenix. I can't face Darkness alone. We won't come back."

"Don't say that," Phoenix whispered. "We've come through lots of bad situations."

"Not without the Traveler," said Jayesh. He drew a deep breath and forced a smile. "What say we make this as happy a Dawning as we can? Just you and me, like old times."

"Like old times," said Phoenix. But he heard the tears behind the smile, and his own heart wept in response.

The Tower was ablaze with Dawning decorations when they returned. A team of warlocks had conjured up a delicate tree of white, frosty leaves, like a weeping willow. It glowed softly night and day. Strings of lights had been strung across the courtyards, lanterns lined the walkways, and lotus-shaped fire pits stood here and there. People warmed themselves at them as they went about their tasks. The sky was gray and heavy with oncoming snow.

Jayesh had Phoenix take lots of pictures and send them to Neko, Kari's Ghost. Then he met up with Nell, Grant, Shaw, and Winona, and they delivered their report.

Zavala was unhappy with them, all right. He didn't raise his voice, but that somehow made it worse. First he chewed out Shaw for his carelessness and rushed scan. Then he chewed out Jayesh for not making every effort to join up their fireteams sooner. Jayesh took the reprimand with his head up and eyes firmly on his commander, but inside he was cold, tired, and disheartened.

Once Zavala dismissed them with the news that they were all subject to an inquiry, Jayesh couldn't face his team or Shaw. He crept home and locked himself into his empty apartment. There he took a long, hot shower, trying to wash away the guilt and shame, and trying to warm that Lightless place inside him. Then he crawled into bed and buried himself under the covers.

Phoenix landed on the pillow beside his head. "Kari replied. She sent lots of snapshots in return."

"Show me," Jayesh said. He lay there and watched as Phoenix displayed a slideshow. Kari had taken the kids outdoors to play in the snow. Lots of shots of Connor and Stephanie throwing snowballs, laughing, building a snowman, their brightly colored coats and caps contrasting with the white.

Then Kari added pictures of herself and her pregnant belly. "I just reached six months, and the doctor says everything is fine. But oh, Jay, this is so hard. I might have to deliver the baby without you. I cry a lot. Please come see us before they send you to Europa. I need to see you at least one more time."

Phoenix ended the slideshow. Jayesh picked him up in silence and cuddled him in his arms, as if he was the new child that Jayesh would probably never see. The Ghost's heart broke for his Guardian.

Jayesh cried for a while in silence, then went deeply to sleep, still holding Phoenix. Phoenix didn't mind. He contacted Hadrian and Sentry, Nell and Grant's Ghosts, and told them everything through the Light network.

"Poor Jayesh," Sentry said compassionately. "Grant is terrified, but he's not going to miss the birth of a child."

"Nell is depressed," Hadrian said. "She hides it, but she is. She's scared of Zavala at the best of times, and getting punished has crushed her. She says she's never leaving the apartment again."

"Is it all right if I add Shaw's Ghost, Lance, to the call?"

"Sure," Phoenix replied, listening to his Guardian's deep breathing.

A new voice came online-a soft-spoken male voice. "Hello," said Lance. "Nice to talk to you all."

"Our Guardians are very down," said Phoenix. "How's yours?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid," said Lance. "He's grieving, and being in trouble with the Vanguard doesn't help. At least that new Guardian, Winona, is doing well. She's checking into her new quarters right now."

"I wish we could cheer them up," Hadrian said softly. "I mean, it's the Dawning. It's the time when those who sat in Darkness saw a great Light, a time of grace and peace."

"Maybe we could remind our Guardians of that," Phoenix said. "Let's encourage them to help others. Plenty of people have it worse than we do. The City is on the edge of panic as it is."

The Ghosts assented to this. They signed off with the goal of finding someone for their Guardians to help. Phoenix already knew who he would recommend to Jayesh.