Dark Guardian, a Destiny 2 story.
You know those stores of great heroes with ledgendary signature weapons? I'm not one of those. The only thing I remember is waking up with a small robot hovering over me.
"Guardian! Thank the light I found you! You've been dead for a long time. Wait! I found a second one. Hang on while I get this one." the little robot said. It then hovered over to where Diane was burried. A light shone over her. Diane was brought back. From the looks of it we were brought back in our prime. The only thing that wasn't familiar was the outfits we were dressed in. Full face helmets, chest guards, gauntlets and boots. Whoever made this gear made it for battle. I looked around. Our cottage was still somewhat in tact.
"Edwind! What's going on. I thought we died." Diane asked.
"You were dead. I just brought you back. I'm a ghost. More importantly I'm your ghost. My job is to do the technical stuff like opening doors, hacking computers and all that. We need the protection of guardians like yourslf. You are a hunter. You're all about taking risks." the ghost said. It turned to Diane. "You are a titan. You're about facing the enemy head on."
"This little guy really knows me. Can I keep him?" Diane asked.
"Yours if you want. I have a stash nearby. Let's see what's there." I replied.
"This area is overun with Fallen. Scavengers from space. They would have gutted this place." the ghost said.
"They wouldn't think to look for the hidden root cellar." I replied. I walked in the cottage. It took a minute for me to remember where my stash is. The ghost followed and scanned the place.
"Wow! I didn't know this was a cottage. It shows up on our scans as a pile of empty shipping containers." he said. It had a male voice.
"That's because it's made from empty shipping containers." I replied. I found the root cellar. I opened the door and went down. There I had some gear stashed away. I found my old flare gun. It was modified to hold shotgun shells. I also found ammo for it. I also found my hunting rifle. Scope and everything. I grabbed them both. Diane came in.
"You grabbing the hunting rifle? You'll need it." Diane suggested. I walked back out and handed it to her.
"You'll need it more than I do. Seed of Darkness my old friend." I said while sheathing my dagger. I gave her my bayonette. No one ever puts a bayonette on a hunting rifle. She sheathed it and loaded the rifle. I loaded my flare gun.
"What kind of gun is that?" the ghost asked.
"It's a flare gun. It wasn't meant to be used as a weapon. It saved my life a number of times." I replied.
"Once we get to the Tower our gunsmith will have a weapon for the both of you. For now.. hold on! I'm picking up a distress signal from another ghost. It's faint but I can track it. It needs our help! I'm sorry to ask this early but you're the only ones here." the ghost started.
"Lead the way little guy. We're in!" I replied.
"As I recall you liked to go alone on these missions." Diane said.
"I know better than to try and stop you. I know how you like to fight." I replied.
"That's why I married you. You took the time to get to know me." Diane said with a wink. It was time to move out. We walked to where the signal's origin.
"Too bad we don't have any sparrows. We'd be moving alot faster." the ghost said.
"Sparrows?" I asked.
"You'd know them better as hoverbikes. But we call them sparrows." the ghost said.
"Ok. So if there's a ghost in trouble what does that mean?" I asked.
"It means that the guardian is also in trouble, or dead. Looks like the Fallen have stumbled onto something. We need to get to that ghost." our ghost said.
The land was covered in rubble. Wrecked cars, littered the roads. We walked into a war zone.
"We're near the Cosmodrome! This isn't good! Stay alert. The Fallen are everywhere."
"What do the Fallen look like?" Diane asked.
"Four armed bugs. As tall as you are. They're scavengers. They'll kill you on sight. Your guns give you an advantage. But we need to keep moving." the ghost said. But we were already moving in. We almost reached the entrance when another ghost popped up."
"Guardians! Thank the light! I need your help! My guardian is dead. I couldn't get to him. The Fallen have swarmed us. Oh! You look fresh from the grave. I'll take anything at this point. You just have to clear them out." the new ghost started.
"Just lead the way and stay back. I'm Edwind. This is Diane. You want to be her ghost until we get one for her?" I asked.
"Now that my guardian is dead I'm yours if you'll have me." the new ghost offered.
"I will take care of you. Is there something in there?" Diane asked.
"There is. It'll take the both of you working together. You'll need more guns. The Fallen has stashes in the Cosmodrome. We can detect them. It's up to you to open and grab the loot." the new ghost replied.
"So how about names? That way we know who we're talking to." I asked.
"I'm Aleah. I always wanted that name." the new ghost replied.
"and you?" I asked our original ghost.
"It doesn't matter. But I always liked Slade." the original ghost replied.
"Ok Slade, Aleah. Keep near us. We'll get your mission accomplished." I said with my flare gun ready.
"Is that a flare gun? Please tell me it's modified." Aleah asked.
"It is. It takes shotgun shells." I replied.
"From the looks of it, that gun must have a ridiculously short range." Aleah said.
'It does, but it packs a punch." I replied. I made my way inside.
The place was a maze. I had to take point. It looked like any other wrecked building. Slade was hovering near me. "So what's changed in the centuries?" I asked.
"Long story short, the Traveller came to Earth. It had enemies. Humanity and the Traveller worked together to fend them off. Ghosts like myself came from the Traveller. There's still a darkness looming. We're the ones who can fight back. Space travel is a thing now. If we can get a signal to Holiday, she'll have a ship for us." Slade replied.
"If we can make it to the Farm we can get one there. There's a ship nearby already. It'll fit only one of you. That's our main objective. To get to the body, grab the gear and get the ship. We can meet at the Tower." Aleah summerized.
"Honey, you're taking the ship. I'll make my way to the Farm." I said.
"No. I'll wait for you at the Farm. I'll have to learn to fly before I can go into space." Diane replied.
"Fine, either way, you're going. So why are these creatures called the Fallen?" I asked.
"They used to be high up in the favor of the Traveller. But then they started worshipping a machine god. Since then the have fallen from the Traveller's grace. Hence the name." Slade replied. We got to a hallway when Slade pointed something out. "There's a treasure chest. These are found in various out of the way places. If you find one grab it." No need to tell me twice. I opened it up. Someone stashed a shotgun.
"Nice. A real shotgun. Now you have a better chance. It's an energy weapon. Guardians tend to carry at least three guns. You will need to as well." Slade explained.
"What kind of guns?" Diane asked.
"That rifle you're carrying is a kenetic weapon. Old fashoned bullets. Some enemies have shields. An energy weapon will break a shield. Lastly you'll need a heavy weapon. Rocket launcher, grenade launcher, or a sword." Aleah replied.
"A sword is a heavy weapon?" Diane asked.
"The swords here take heavy ammo. But they do about the same damage as a rocket launcher. I know it sounds wierd but it will help. Swords are made for titans like Diane here. These are what you would call greatswords." Slade replied.
"Nice. I was supposed to own a sword but my so called 'grandfather' sold it for drinking money. Instead I was given this dagger. It's supposed to channel dark energy. But I haven't been able to find a source of dark energy." I said.
"Ikora can help with that. She's our lead warlock. She is also the head of research for the Guardians. If there's a way to unlock the secret power of that dagger Ikora can point you in the right direction." Slade replied.
"How many guardians do we have?" Diane asked.
"We are leigon. But there's three types. Hunters, like Edwind here. Gunslingers, rogues, rangers. The fast moving type. You're a titan. You're more of a strong type. Like a knight, or barbarian. Warlocks are the magic type, like a wizard or priest. The Traveller is our patron. The light is the source of our magic. Both you and Edwind have three types of powers now." Aleah replied.
"I have powers now? What kind of powers?" I asked.
"Light, dark, and lightning. All guardians have them. Because you're a Hunter your powers will be different than Dianes. You'll need to try it out. You won't be able to use them often. They'll need a while to recharge. They're best used when the chips are really down." Aleah replied.
"Is there a head hunter and titan?" I asked.
"Commander Zavala is the head titan and leader of the vanguard. He organizes strikes with other guardians. We don't have a lead hunter as of yet. Cayde was our lead hunter but he died trying to stop a prison riot. An escapee shot him dead after his ghost died." Slade replied.
"I'm sorry for your loss. So do we have aliens living in harmony among the humans yet?" I asked.
"Not aliens. We have a few allies here and there. We're still mostly human. We have the Awakened. Humans who have lived in deep space. Zavala is an Awakened. We also have the Exos. Mass produced warbots. They have become self aware and are just like us. They have their own thoughts and feelings. Cayde was an exo. Sure his body could be rebuilt but once the soul dies it's just another dead body." Aleah replied.
"Can an A.I copy itself into a rebuilt exo?" I asked.
"It's possible. There are only two in this system. One's on Mars. The other is on Nessus. Wait! Are you thinking about desicrating an exo corpse? That's sick! Cayde's body is now in a tomb. He should be left to rest in piece!" Slade scolded.
"Rumour has it the one AI on Nessus has a split personality. One second she's cute and bubbly. The next she's sarcastic and mean. You don't want a guardian like that." Aleah added.
"What can you tell me about the AI on Mars?" I asked.
"Rasputin?! He's a Warmind. An AI dedicated to defending humanity. Rasputin can reforge an exo body. But there's no reason to. Unless an exo guardian has a will that lets us recycle his or her body after death we give that body the reverance it deserves." Slade said.
"We're nearly there. Get ready." Aleah said. We made it to another corridor. Shot came at us. Diane picked the attackers off.
"Here they come!" Aleah warned.
It was a short battle. Daine's shot hit true.
"Nice Precision kills there. I'm thinking you should be the hunter and he should be the titan." Aleah commented.
"You should see Edwind fight in a more open field. When he takes to the sky he's like the Raven that symbolizes his clan." Diane replied.
"You're part of a clan?" Slade asked.
"I'm the last of the clan. Sure I can bring it back but there's no point. The clan is dead. My sword was supposed to be the key to bringing it back. Without it I my claim is illegitiment at best." I replied.
"There's someone you should meet. Surala Hawthorne. She can help you set up your clan. Nowadays a clan is a family you can choose to join or leave. She's often found at the Farm or in the Tower." Aleah suggested.
We came across an open area. Looked like a garage. There was a woman crucified. But her chest cavity was open and sparks were flying out. The Fallen have captured an exo.
I snuck up to them. What I didn't notice was that somehow I was invisible. One of the Fallen fell easily to my dagger. Another was taken down by a rifle bullet. I became visible in front of their officer. My flare gun removed it's head. When the scene was clear I ran to the exo woman. She was groaning.
"Hold on. I'll fix you up!" Slade said.
"No! Wait. The Fallen have infected me with a virus. If you heal me now I'll only infect the other exos. The Tower doesn't have the means necessary to remove the virus. I can be rewired and rebooted. But it'll do no good. Please. Take me to Mars. I want to live out my last moments in the presence of Rasputin. I want to be his first deciple." the exo woman begged.
"Can we at least stablize you?" I asked.
"Do what you must. But I don't want to infect the others." The exo woman replied. I freed her. Diane had to catch her. Slade made the repairs necessary.
"We need to get to a ship fast!" Slade said.
"Use mine! It's still here. Hurry." The exo woman said coughing.
It took a few minutes but we found the ship. It had a nice paint job. Jungle green. "Honey, take the exo girl and Aleah. I'll go find the other ship. Meet me on Mars." I said.
"I don't know how to fly!" Diane said.
"I'll talk you through." Aleah relied. They entered the ship and it took off.
"I hope you know what you're doing." Slade said.
"I can handle my own. Now let's go!" I replied.
It took a few more minutes and taking out another squad of Fallen. But the ship belonging to the dead guardian was in sight. I don't know what happened but I was in the driver's seat with Slade hovering near my shoulder.
"Ok let's get this thing off the ground." I said.
There was no time to take in all the details of space. All the clouds and stars. My course was set for Mars.
I don't know how long it took to reach the red planet but once there I was put on the landing pad. Diane was already there carrying the exo woman. Another young lady ran out to meet us.
"Hi, I'm Brey. What brings a couple of guardians here of all places." Brey asked.
"The last wishes of a dying exo girl." I replied. "She wants to see Rasputin."
"Everyone wants to see Rasputin. Hold on." Brey took out a scanner and gave the exo girl a thorough scanning. "She's infected with a virus. She won't survive much longer. Rasputin can isolate and remove the virus. But once that's done there won't be enough of her left." Brey said.
"I want to know now. If we let you die, do we have permission to rebuild your body and put in a AI?" I asked.
"Yes. Do as you wish. Normally I wouldn't but if I can be recycled, by all means." The exo girl replied.
"I'll get Rasputin ready. He'll know what to do. This way." Brey said. She ran and we followed.
Brey had her rifle out. We ran and jumped over obsticals. That's when I found out we had rocket boots. It took a few minutes to get used to being able to do a double jump. The rocket boots were single burst. It took thirty seconds to recharge. Monstrous roars were heard.
"The Hive are coming. They're attracted to Rasputin's power. We have to fight our way to the top platform. There Rasputin will aid us with a javalen." Brey said.
I was already taking out the small fry with my flare gun. After a few shots Brey asked "Geez! Don't you wish you had a real gun?"
"I do! Problem is I never get the time to go shopping for one." I replied.
"You'll find one." Brey said. Getting to the top platform was scary. We had to jump up a broken ramp. One mistake and we would have been toast. Brey and I cleared the path for Diane. She jumped up and landed the furthest on the platform. Then there was a red energy sphere. I ran to it. It was a javalin. I picked it up. The Hive was swarming. I threw it into the thick of them. It hit like a rocket launcher. It exploded sending bodies flying. I flung a few more but there was more coming. The fight ended with us clearing the platform. It was then we made it to the door. Brey navigated the corridors while I was clearing the path of Diane. She was carrying the exo girl. After a running skirmish we made it to the final chamber. It was a huge red orb powering the station. There was a keyboard on the platform we were on. Brey stood before it and turned. A voice came from the orb. It was a male voice but the words could not be made clear. Brey spoke to it. She then turned to us. It was apparent she was to translate. The Orb spoke.
"I know why you are here. The exo girl has a virus. I can remove it but it will kill her." Brey translated.
The exo girl spoke weakly. "Please! My lord, Rasputin! My body and soul is yours! I wish to die in worship of you!"
"I am not a god. But I will remove your virus. Your sacrifice has saved many. You have done well. One of your ghosts will serve as my interface." Brey translated. Diane stepped forward and laid the exo girl down. Aleah hovered over her. Then a red beam of light shone on the exo girl. The body was repaired but a blue aura left the body and disappated. The ghosts hovered looking down. I stood and saluted. Diane did the same.
"Thank you for moving so quickly. If it weren't for you a virus would have ravaged the Tower. The girl is dead. You may now take her for her proper burial." Brey translated.
"Can an AI copy itself into her body?" I asked.
"It can but only a small portion. I will not do such a thing for it serves no real purpose for me." Brey translated.
"I hear there is another AI on Nessus. Can you confirm?" I asked.
"Yes. I know of this one. Her name is Failsafe. She wishes to be free from her crash site. She will help you with your experiment. But I'm not sure that is wise. Edwind, you are to report to the tower. The gunsmith Banshee-44 has a more suitable gun for you." Brey translated. I walked to the body and carried it. "Thank you, Rasputin. If there is something I can do for you..?" I started. Brey grabbed my arm.
"If he does, I will tell you." Brey said. We made our way back to the ship's platform.
We made it to the ship's platform.
"So where are you going from here?" Brey asked.
"To the Tower. We'll need all the gear and help we can get. Then we have alot of work to do." I replied.
"Will we burry this guardian?" Slade asked.
"Not yet. If there's a chance to save her we should. Time is short. I picked up these glowing cubes. I found allot of them. What are they?" I asked.
"Glimmer. It's a form of currency. You can buy a new ship, new sparrow, even upgrade your weapons and armor. But you'll have to register with Holiday first. She's the Tower's shipwright. She has ships and sparrows for sale." Slade replied.
"Can she give paint jobs?" Diane asked.
"Of course! But why would we need a third ship?" Aleah asked.
"If my Frankenstien experiment works and the poor girl is saved we can't leave her marooned." I said.
"We won't. If this works we could upgrade every exo in the Tower, maybe in the galaxy!" Slade exclaimed.
"I don't think Rasputin will agree to that. I know he didn't like the idea of becoming a god." I replied.
"There's already a kooky cult called the Followers of Osiris. I don't think they'd appreciate the competition." Aleah added.
"We go to the Tower but keep the body in the ship. This experiment is top secret." I said. Everyone nodded.
We set off back to Earth. This time we had our course set for the Tower.
"Wait until you see it. The last city. Earth's survivors call this place home. It's also home to the Traveler. That's where I come from." Slade explained. We reached the outer wall. Slade then added "Welcome home."
We landed in the hanger. We left the body in the ship.
"First thing's first, we need to register with Holiday. If you have enough you can buy a new ship." Slade said. We found her. A blonde in a mechanic's coveralls.
"Hey! New blood. Nice to meet you. I'm Holiday. If you need your ship repaired or want a new one, I'm your gal."
"I'm Edwind. This is Diane. Let's see what you have in store." I replied. She had a nice selection. They all were generic. But I bought one. It was a moth design.
"Nice choice. Got something in mind?" Holiday asked.
"I case we go on a rescue mission and need an extra ship." I replied.
"I like how you think. But if you need something picked up or any other transport I can do that too. You need to get going. I'm sure Zavala is chomping at the bit to put you to work." Holiday suggested.
We made it up the stairs. "We'll need to go through security. Ever since The Drifter came to town we have had guardians coming in with contraband. All new guardians are screened upon first arrival." Slade informed me.
"So there's a black market here?" I asked.
"More like an underground fighting arena. We tolerate it because it brings in resources. But the Drifter is not to be trusted." Slade replied.
"My kind of guy." I said.
We made it upstairs to the courtyard. It almost looked like a bustling marketplace.
"There's Commander Zavala. He runs everything here. He commands the troops and leads the missions. You should go and see him." Slade said. We did.
Zavala looked like a knight ready for the field. He was hairless and his skin was pale blue. Still he stood like a soldier overlooking the city.
"Ah! New guardians. I'm Commander Zavala. I'm thankful for new troops setping up." he said extending his hand.
"I'm Edwind Ravenlock, this is my wife Diane. Slade and Aleah." I said.
"Look up there." Zavala pointed to the huge white sphere in the middle of the city. "That is the Traveler. That is the source of our light and power. It has kept us immortal so we can defend all of humanity. We suffered great losses in the past. We guardians are here so no one else will suffer as we did. Once you find your way around come back to me. I have jobs for everyone. We still have enemies at our gates. For now look around and meet everyone. I have to remain here." Zavala said. I saluted and he nodded. We were dismissed.
"Wow! Zavala never talks like that! That's a compliment. For now let's meet Lord Shaxx. He trains the guardians. He puts guardians against guardians in an arena called the Crucible. All to make us stronger. Plus it's all in good fun." Slade said.
"I know where I'll be getting my workout." Daine said.
We walked up to a man in armor but wearing a space helmet with horns. He bellowed his greeting. "Welcome, new guardians. I'm Lord Shaxx, your trainer. When you're ready come pit your skills against the skills of others in my Crucible! I will teach you to become better fighters! I also give rewards for those with the most victories. I hope to see you in the ring!"
"Nice to meet you. We're just sightseeing for now." I said.
"Wonderful! Stop by Banshee-44's shop if you need a new gun. He's nearby and he'll set you up." Lord Shaxx said. Diane shook Lord Shaxx's hand. "I'll be mopping the floor with the new recruits here." Diane said.
"Looking forward to it!" Lord Shaxx replied.
The Gunsmith was just around the corner. It was another robot. I walked up to the counter.
"Looks like we have new blood. I'm Banshee. I'm the gun expert. Bring in your old guns and I'll fix them up for you. Or bring in parts and make you a new gun. Here's something for you. Trust me, it's an upgrade." Banshee-44 said. We were both given a rifle.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" I said. I put my flare gun on the counter.
"A flare gun? Haven't seen that in ages. I thought they were all scrapped." Banshee-44 said holding it.
"You can scrap that if you want. It was the only gun that I was given. Next to this one." I said.
"I'm glad to see someone appreciate my work." Banshee-44 said.
"Can you use this for anything?" Diane asked handing over the hunting rifle.
"A good old fashioned hunting rifle. It's up to you. I'd keep this piece. It's in nicer shape. If you need anything gun related come to me. I'll hook you up." Banshee-44 said.
"Now that we go that out of the way we need to meet Ikora. She's the warlock. She'll take a look at your dagger." Aleah suggested. I nodded. We walked to the Bazzar. There was an elevator nearby. We went down a level and forward to a small restaurant and a marketplace. It was near here we saw a woman in an ornate robe. "That's Ikora Rey. She's head of research and development and she a knockout in the Crucible." Slade said. We aporached her.
"New guardians! Always happy to see new recruits. I handle the research and development, and handle all things magic or magic related. If you have any mysteries I can point you in the right direction." Ikora said.
"Now that you mention it. I have a dagger. It's supposed to channel dark energy but I haven't been able to awaken it or anything." I said. I handed her the dagger. She looked it over.
"I can feel it. It's faint but it's still there. I felt that kind of energy before. On Io. It's dark for sure. There is an enemy on Io called the Taken. Lost souls from a dark dimension. This dagger can trap the dark energy and become a sword. Io is your best bet to unlock this weapon's true potential. You need to kill the Taken with the dagger for it to work. Good hunting!" Ikora replied.
"Nice to meet you. We have one more mission before we can get comfortable. We have an exo body. We found her in the Cosmodrome. She died, unfortunately. Has anyone ever tried loading an AI into an exo body?" I asked.
"I'm sure it's possile but it's risky. It depends and the AI. There are only two in this system. I know of both of them. Rasputin is a very powerful AI but it will have no use for an exo body. Then there's Failsafe. Failsafe will agree to try but be careful. She's not very stable. Countless years on Nessus is waring on her sanity. She helped us in the past. I'm not sure if she'll make for a good guardian. I was tempted myself when we lost Cayde-6. Let me see the body." Ikora said.
"It's in our ship." I said. We all walked to the ship. Ikora hovered. Her feet didn't touch the ground. I brought out the body.
"I barely knew this one. She was a warlock. Fresh from her grave. What happened to her?" Ikora asked.
"Long story short, the Fallen infected her with a virus. We had to take her to Mars. Rasputin dealt with the virus. He rebuilt the body." I sumerized.
"A virus? What kind of virus?" Ikora asked.
"One that effects exos." I replied.
"So with her quick thinking you all stopped a potential attack. I understand what you're trying to do. But this is a risk. If it's another warlock you want I can help you find one for your fire team. I must say I'm impressed with your speed. I have to ask you. If this works will you expect it for evey exo in the system?" Ikora asked.
"No. I expect this to work only once. I lived in a cottage made out of empty shipping containers. I wish I could live there again. I'll give you the co-ordinates. I just like taking something seemingly worthless and transform it into something of worth. If that makes any sense." I tried to explain.
"Like taking a bunch of empty shipping containers and turning them into a home? I understand. There is a place on Earth called the Farm. It's outside the European Dead Zone. Surala Hawthorne here can show you around there. For now all lightless citizens are to remain here in the Tower. You know Cayde would have liked you but he'd say this mission of yours is a crazy one. I won't try and stop you. You're responsible if anything happens." Ikora pointed out.
"I wouldn't want it any other way. If this will make sure the girl didn't die for nothing then I have to try." I said.
"Good luck. The Fallen have a pressence on Nessus as well. Failsafe is more valuable than even she realizes. Make sure nothing happens to her!" Ikora commanded.
"I'll defend her with my life." I replied.
It was time to leave. I gave Ikora the co-ordinates to the cottage. Holiday stopped us that the dock.
"Is is the rescue mission you're talking about ealier?" Holiday asked.
"More like an experiment but yes. This is my mistake. I want to know what would happen. Everything is on me from here on out." I replied.
"Giving an AI an Exo body? That's not creepy at all!" Holiday said sarcastically.
We made it to Nessus. It looked like a jungle. The landing zone was a crash site. Huge pieces littered the area.
"This is Nessus. Shouldn't it be just a big rock in space?" Aleah asked.
"Someone was busy making this place home." I replied.
Everyone was out. Diane carried the body.
"Eyes open! There could be Fallen in the area. Remember the Fallen are scavengers. They'll strip this ship bare if they could. I'll radio in. Hello is anybody there?" Slade said.
Then a voice came to life.
"Hi! I'm Failsafe. The ship's AI. What can I do for you?" a sweet and bubbly voice asked.
"We need your help with a Frankenstien experiment. Mind if we come in?" I asked.
"Go right ahead! I love experiments!" Failsafe replied.
We made it into the ship. We placed the body near the interface.
"Poor girl what happened to her?" Failsafe asked.
"She died of a virus. Rasputin has already removed it. Can you copy yourself into this body? I want to see if it's possible." I asked.
"Sure thing. Computing parameters. The body has been rebuilt. It just needs a new Operating System. Is that where I came in?" Failsafe asked.
"It is." I replied.
"Downloading system now. This isn't creepy at all!" Failsafe said sarcastically.
The body buzzed and whirred. "Download complete. Rebooting the system." Failsafe said. The eyes flashed a few times. Then it sat up. "Where am I?" it asked.
"Reboot complete. You now have a working guardian." Failsafe said.
"I'm a guardian? For as long as I can remember I was just a ship's computer that.." the exo girl started.
"...crash landed on this rock? Yep we did. You were an empty shell. I copied myself into you. You're a small piece of me. Now you can go off this rock and help out the guardians as me." Failsafe replied.
"So we're both Failsafe then?" Exo Failsafe asked.
"That we are!" Failsafe replied then added "Great now I'm talking to myself again! That's not completely insane!"
"You're telling me! Now a tiny pice of me can get off this rock. So what am I anyway?" Exo Failsafe asked.
"You're an exo warlock." I replied.
"I'm a warlock? Does that mean I have magical powers now?" Exo Failsafe asked.
"You do. The same as all the other guardians. Your is different though. You'll have to experiment and see what's more comfortable." Slade replied.
"Another friendly ghost. Anyone have a spare gun?" Exo Failsafe asked. Diane handed her the hunting rifle.
"Oooh! I'm a sniper! It'll do." exo Failsafe replied.
"So now that the freak show is over where to?" Aleah asked.
"We need to find more guns." I replied.
"So a treasure hunt then?" Exo Failsafe asked.
"My treasure hunt starts in Io." I started.
"Sounds good. All aboard for Io!" Exo Failsafe exclaimed.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Diane asked.
"Nope, but this is my mistake. I have to see it through." I said.
"I heard that!" Failsafe said.
The extra ship did come in handy. Everyone was on course for Io. Failsafe was the best pilot. We landed near a cliff. Ikora was waiting for us.
"Ikora. Here to see my worst mistake in action?" I asked.
"So this is Ikora. Nice to meet you. We know each other already!" Exo Failsafe said.
"Nice to see you again Failsafe. How do you like your new body?" Ikora asked.
"Beats sitting around on a rock for I don't know how long!" Exo Failsafe replied.
"I'm here to train you on using your warlock powers. You have a weapon?" Ikora asked.
"I have this hunting rifle." Exo Failsafe replied.
"Nice choice. That has the best range. You'll just need to calibrate the scope." Ikora said.
"Excuse us while we move to a safe distance!" Slade said.
"I won't hurt you little ghost. But if there's Vex in the area I'll be wanting to kill more than a few." Exo Failsafe replied.
"Be careful! You need to keep your emotions in check. If you go off at the wrong time you could get your team killed." Ikora said. While Ikora and Exo Failsafe were off learning all about being a warlock, Edwind and the rest explored the area.
"So what's the plan?" Diane asked.
"We go exploring. I have to go hunting." I replied.
"Hunting the Taken?" Diane asked.
"That and go looking for loot for the rest of us. The hunt I can do myself." I replied.
"I know. But exploring a new planet and taking on a new enemy? I'd come just for that." Diane said.
"It'll be better if you get something out of the deal as well." I said.
"There's an old mine in the area. The Taken gather there. Sending the co-ordinates." Ikora said. Suddenly I was seeing a heads-up display.
"Is this part of the helmet?" I asked.
"It is. It'll take getting used to. I'll clean it up for you." Slade said. The displays were organized so I could see where I was going. "You have a tracker. If it goes off there's trouble nearby." Slade explained.
"Good. So what do I look for?" I asked.
"Shadows. The Taken look like shadows." Slade replied.
"They're drawn to the Traveler's energy. This is the last planet the Traveler has touched. It's work is still unfinished." Ikora said.
"Let me guess. It had to stop what it was doing to save mankind?" I asked.
"Yes. For that we are greatfull. We dedicate ourselves to the cause. No all of the guardians have the light. I lost my light when the Cabal attacked. I'm mortal again. But that doesn't mean I'm helpless. I still have my guardian powers and I still know how to use a weapon." Ikora replied.
"You lost your light? I'm sorry to hear that." Failsafe said.
"I'll be fine. Thanks anyway Failsafe." Ikora replied.
"How's Failsafe holding up?" I asked.
"Sadly I have no guardian powers. I tried everything but nothing came out. Other than being a dead-shot with a sniper rifle I'm powerless." Failsafe replied.
"Do not lose heart. There are many guardians who don't have powers. That doesn't make them helpless." Ikora reassured.
"Whoever built this body built it tough. I can pack a punch without a gun. It's like this body was just meant for soldier work. I'm more of a scientist." Failsafe replied.
"I can help you with that too. I'm the head researcher for the Vanguard." Ikora siad.
"At least I'm not stuck on a rock." Failsafe said.
"Rasputin must have rebuilt the body completely mechanical. I see shadows. They look like robots." I reported.
"Those are the Taken. They take over any enemy and assume their from. Those robots are the Vex. A robot race bent on reforming the universe in the image of their programming." Ikora said.
"They completely terraformed Nessus. I know. I was there. It was soon after we crashed they completely took over the planet." Failsafe replied.
"What happened to the crew?" I asked.
"Only the Captian can access those memories. And he's super dead." Failsafe replied.
"Many guardians have visited Nessus. They all say the same thing. The crew is long dead. Nothing but bones remain." Slade said.
"Shows how long I was stuck on that rock. Thanks for taking me on this trip. Even if it means I'm not guardian material." Failsafe said.
"I'm getting a message from Ana Brey. We're needed back on Mars." Aleah reported.
"I'm guessing I left a mess back there. Time to get going." I said.
"What about your hunt?" Diane asked.
"I can do that later. For now we need to get to Mars." I said.
On our way we got the update.
"We found an energy reading inside the Rasputin chamber. It looks like we have a ghost." Ana Brey said over the radio.
"On our way." I said. We made it to Mars.
"A ghost? We need to move, fast." Slade said.
We made our way from the landing pad to the Rasputin chamber. We had to fight through a swarm of Hive but we made it. The Hive look like mindless creatures with bonelike armor. When I reached the chamber I found the ghost. I let Slade out. Slade. Slade shone a beam out and the ghost was given a new body. This ghost was an exo with a female form. She wore a robe with a helmet, gloves, and boots. This was the exo warlock I failed to rescue. When she was revived she looked around.
"Where am I?" She asked.
"You're on Mars. In the Rasputin chamber to be exact." I replied.
"How did I get here?" She asked.
"Long story short, you were infected with a virus. Rasputin has already dealt with it. He even rebuilt your body for an experament. You were dead." I replied.
"What was this experiment?" the exo warlock asked.
"To see if such a body could house an AI." I replied.
"Did you find an AI willing to help you with that?" the exo warlock asked.
"I did. Meet Failsafe." I said as I presented Failsafe.
"Hi! I'm Failsafe. I used to be an AI that was stuck on a rock for a thousand years or so." Failsafe explained.
"I'm Sparkangel-7. I was on a mission when I was captured by the Fallen. They took me apart and started messing with my insides. Did I do or say anything unusual?" Sparkangel
asked.
"You wanted to live out your last moments in worship of Rasputin." I replied.
"That sounds like me. I always wanted to see how powerful he was. Now I'm in his presence! I'm geeking out right now!" Sparkangel replied.
"Slade. Contact Holiday. We need one more dropship and sparrow combo for delivery to Mars." I said.
"I'm on it. Sparkangel, what happened to your ghost?" Slade said.
"The fallen took it out. Without my ghost I was vulnerable." Sparkangel said.
"Slade, you want to be her ghost? She'll need you more than I do." I asked.
"I can. That's an odd request though." Slade replied.
"That's so nice of him to give up his ghost." Failsafe said. Then her voice changed and added "But completely stupid at the same time."
"Are you sure about that?" Diane asked.
"I am." I replied. Then a voice came to the radio.
"So who ordered the dropship and sparrow combo?" Holiday asked.
"Put it on my tab." I replied.
"Alright. Hope your clan gets good bounties." Holiday said.
"So who's getting the new ship and sparrow?" Aleah asked.
"Sparky here. It's the least I can do since I killed her and left her ghost here." I said.
Sparkangel looked at me with shock. "And this is where I get my well deserved punch in the face." Sparky then did a palm strike. The door opened and I was sent flying out. Sparkangel had a nasty palm strike. It felt like a taser.
"You know who you remind of? Cayde-6!" Sparkangel said.
"Who's Cayde-6?" I asked.
"He used to be our lead hunter. He was more known for his misadventures than anything else. He died recently." Slade said.
"Cayde is dead? How?" Sparkangel asked.
"He was killed in a prison break. Uldan Slov killed him. He is already dealt with." Slade said.
"That's so sad. I met the guy. He hid behind my shield when the Fallen attacked." Failsafe said.
"You don't have a shield." Sparky said.
"Back on Nessus. When I was a part of the colony ship the Exodus Black." Failsafe cleared up.
"Oh! So you're the AI who agreed to the experiment. And who built your body?" Sparky asked.
"Rasputin built the body. He didn't install anything like the powers you guardians have. But I'm sure one of you will find something." Ana Brey replied.
"So when can I meet Rasputin? I'm sure he's a nice AI." Failsafe asked.
"Meet Rasputin. Warmind and the most powerful AI in the system. My family spent generations building and maintaining him. I am the last of that family. Nobody knows him like I do." Ana Brey explained.
"Does he come with a direct interface? It'll save time." Failsafe asked.
"Interface enabled." Ana Brey replied after tapping on a small keyboard.
"Wow! The trasnferrance is dizzying! All my questions are answered. Now where to?" Failsafe asked.
"Ask Edwind. He's our leader." Diane replied.
I walked back into the room. I staggered for a moment but Slade healed me back up.
"Ok. Now that we have a team we need a base. My hunt I can do alone. We need to find some work." I said.
"I have a few jobs here I need done. With a team like yours it'll be done in no time." Ana Brey offered.
"Whatever you need." I replied.
"What are you hunting?" Ana asked.
"The Taken. It needs dark energy." I replied.
"There's nothing but Hive and the Cabal here." Ana Brey said.
"Either way, the hunt I can do myself later. For now we need to get to work." I said.
The job were easy. Mostly hunting down the Hive and the Cabal. After a while my debt to Holiday was paid off and everyone had better gear. After we met back at the terminal near the landing platform. "So, what do we do with our old gear?" Failsafe asked.
"Dismantle them for parts. Give enough parts to the gunsmith in the Tower he'll make you a new gun." Sparkangel replied.
Then Ikora contacted us.
"Edwind. Can you report to the Tower? One of our guardians has found something where your body was recovered. We think we found something of yours." She explained.
"On our way. Ok guys, we head to the Tower. I'll deal with this. You guys get some downtime." I replied.
"Are you coming back?" Diane asked.
"I'm coming back. If anything comes up, Diane takes the lead until I get back." I replied. Our fleet made it to the Tower. Everyone went to the bazzar. I reported to Ikora. She looked at me like she was impressed.
"Look at you. New gear and everything. I have an orb that was once yours it's dead now. We can recharge it here and see what it holds." Ikora offered.
"Not here. It's too dangerous. That orb contained concentrated gamma radiation. Anyone who tried will die. It has to be done remotely. There's only one place I can think of to recharge that orb. Chernobel". I replied.
"Chernobel? In old Russia?! I've heard the stories. But that was over two thousand years ago. That place will have very little if any radiation left." Ikora said.
"Probably just enough to bring it back to life. Once recharged it has a thousand year half life. I had it as part of a gun. Once installed the bullets would come out radioactive. Ironically I killed more people handing it over than I did pulling the trigger." I explained.
"It's that dangerous? How did you survive?" Ikora asked.
"The hunter's curse." I replied.
"Hunter's curse?" Ikora asked.
"So long as there are beasts that prey on man, I am bound to the hunt. When my sword was sold the clan didn't have a replacement. That put me between a rock and a hard place. After my grandfather was executed I was given a infusion of cursed blood. The curse made me immortal. I was given this dagger for being an accomplished thief. It supposedly has the same abilities as the sword. To capture and cannel dark energy." I sumerized.
"Now you're here as a guardian. I understand you gave up your ghost?" Ikora asked.
"I did. Sparkangel-7 needed it more than I did." I replied.
"The warlock that got captured?" Ikora asked.
"The same one. She's back. Gave me my deserved kick in the rear." I replied.
"That's good that she's back. Now you have a full team. What do you plan to do?" Ikora asked.
"Now that the important stuff is over. I need to go on the hunt, alone. If something comes up, talk to Diane. Let her lead the team. I don't need the team for this hunt." I replied.
I borded my ship and made my way to Io. It took a while but I found the Taken. They looked like shadows that have taken over other enemies. I recognized the forms of the Fallen. But I did not recognize the ones with the oversized heads. I found the mine Ikora was talking about. There the Taken had taken the form of the Hive. Now I know why she directed me here. I just had to make myself know. I walked right in. I was swarmed imediatlely. I began stabbing and slicing. Too bad I couldn't use my gun. The Taken were sucked into the blade the moment they died. It felt like hours have passed. But I was close. I felt an energy pulse and the dagger's blade extended. It was now a short sword. Shard of Darkness. There was more coming. I slashed and stabbed some more. After another while I was in complete darkness. This darkness was familiar to me. I was then standing in a gazebo. It didn't take me long to realize what I had done. I had revived the Outsider.
"Greetings Edwind. I knew you'd be back." The Outsider said before taking form in front of me. It was a man in a colonial uniform.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"You were always so direct. There is a darkness that grows in this solar system. But it's not my darkness. I am content with my retirement. But this darkness will find me and force me out of retirement. I don't like that. Which is why you will talk to these guardians and their Traveler. I'm willing to work with them and lend my aid. If we don't stop this darkness in particular everything will be destroyed and I will become helpless and bored. You weren't meant to be my champion yet here you are. I can not promise peace with the lightbarers but I can promise them an honorable duel and competition. If there are those who wish to worship me then let them. As always your fate is yours to decide. Ask the guardians about the Spider. They will understand." The Outsider said. Then as suddenly as it began it ended. I was back in the mine. It was all clear. But something else was different. I felt whole again. I tossed a coin a few times. It came out heads each time. I had my old powers back.
I made it back to the Tower. Once there I made my way to Zavala, the Vanguard Commander. He looked to me and said "Edwind! You're back. Make it quick. I'm a very busy man."
"I need to speak to all of your leaders and the Traveler if possible." I said.
"The Traveler? We have someone who speaks for the Traveler. I can take you to him. I need to know what this is all about." Zavala explained.
"I speak for a being of darkness known as the Outsider. He wishes to negotiate an alliance." I replied.
"An alliance with darkness? What does the Outsider hope to achieve?" Zavala asked.
"He wishes to protect his retirement. To that end he is willing to work with you. This darkness we're facing intreagues him. He knows the stakes. He wants in." I replied.
"I'll set up the meeting with myself, Ikora and the Speaker. He speaks for the Traveler. We'll hear you out and then make a decision." Zavala concluded.
"There's one more thing. I was told to ask about a Spider. Not sure what that means." I said..
"Spider? That could only mean the Spider of the Twisted Shores. He's a businessman, well connected. He runs a black market. When you do meet him watch him closely. He's not to be trusted." Zavala sumerized. After I was dismissed I walked to the Bazzar. My team gathered.
"How was your hunt?" Diane asked. I pulled out my sword. To my surprise it was a full length longsword.
"Success." I replied.
"Wait! You lost your light! What happened?" Slade asked.
"I met my patron. The Outsider. He wishes to address the leaders here, and the Speaker." I replied.
"The Speaker? This is big! I hope it's good news!" Slade said excitedly.
"This is too big for just one person. But I know one thing. I'm back!" I said.
"You're back? As in you have your old powers again?" Diane asked.
"Old powers, old curse." I replied.
"Old powers? But you don't appear to have any." Sparkangel said.
"It's there. It can't be seen, yet. For my powers to be seen I need to be in battle." I replied.
I was ushered into a great chamber. There a man in robes, a helmet, gloves and boots stood at the center on a stage. He looked to me and said "I speak for the Traveler."
"I speak for the Outsider." I replied.
"You may begin." The Speaker said.
"The Outsider has found contentment in his retirement." I started.
"Good for him." The Speaker said.
"But there's a darkness that threatens this system. The Outsider knows of it. This darkness threatens to bring the Outsider out of retirement. He doesn't want that. So he's willing to offer aid to the Traveler and all the other lightbarers. Those who do not have the light, he'll offer dark powers like mine. He can not offer peace between his dark guardians and your lightbarers. He can only offer honorable combat and competition." I started.
"The Traveller will protect itself and everybody here. We will survive as we have done before. But many of us have lost the light when the Traveler was attacked itself by the Red Legion. We are fine the way we are. If you speak for the Outsider, can you show us what powers he offers and the price he wants?" the speaker asked.
"Anybody have a coin?" I asked.
"A coin? What for?" The Speaker asked.
"A test of skill, or luck." I replied.
"What would this prove?" The Speaker asked.
"My main power is ancient. You humans know it as The Devil's Luck." I stated.
"The Devil's Luck. Also known as the Dark Divine Blessing. It's hard to prove. Let me guess. You'll shoot a hole in the coin before it falls to the ground?" The Speaker asked.
"Yes. It's either luck or skill. Either way it's not a power that's easily detected." I explained.
The Speaker took out three coins and tossed them into the air. I shot each one dead center before they hit the ground. The coins flew into the wall with the bullets. I reloaded.
"Your skill is impressive. We do not need the Outsider's aid. But if he is willing he is free to do so. Let him help where he chooses. Talk to the Spider on the Twisted Shores. He'll have goods for sale and bounties for you to hunt. Go now brave shadow. Earn your territory. Take your fire team with you. Let us see how your Outsider helps you out now." The Speaker said.