Chapter 8

This was now the second time Tobias found himself riding on a Sparrow, seated behind the driver while he held onto their waist. The team was current zipping in between the thick tree trunks that filled the mountainside they were descending. Each of them were skillfully using the side thrusters of their Sparrows to narrowly avoid crashing. All Tobias knew right now though was that he definitely wanted a Sparrow for himself.

"Commander, do you know where Shaxx is right this second?" Niko asked curiously, testing Zavala's knowledge of this time period.

"Right now I'm under the impression that Ana Bray's team hasn't returned with a report that the Fallen are gathering, which would mean that Shaxx and I are probably training with Lord Saladin outside the City." Zavala replied without a second thought. The coming battle would be a costly one, one that Zavala would remember vividly. And after reflecting on the losses, Zavala spent a great deal of time studying it to further improve the City's defenses.

"Do you know where I was right this second?" Niko asked with a small grin as he glanced back at Zavala for just a moment.

"No one cares Niko." Diana stated flatly.

"Well I wanna know." Niko shot back.

"Hey wait a second." Tobias said, receiving everyone's attention. "We went back in time, so doesn't that mean there's like, a copy of each of us here right now?

"That is correct Guardian." Zavala's Ghost said as it appeared beside the Guardian it was partnered with.

"So if they meet each other, won't that like, destroy time or something to that effect?" Tobias continued, earning a moment of thought from the group.

"I have a bit of speculation that might answer your question Guardian." Zavala's Ghost began. "First and foremost I believe we have entered a temporal loop."

"A what?" Niko asked.

"To keep it short, it's a loop in time." Zavala's Ghost replied. "The Battle of Twilight Gap is an event that stands on its own in history. But because Skolas returned to the past in order to alter history, this battle has been caught in a loop because the history that follows could change."

"So the life we lived up until this point will change if Skolas succeeds here?" Diana clarified.

"Worse. If Skolas succeeds, the victor of this battle will certainly be the Fallen. And if they win, humanity will be wiped off the face of the planet." Ghost stated sullenly. "But, if we were to stop him, history would play out as it's supposed to. The Guardians win at Twilight Gap, the Reef Wars would proceed as they're supposed to and Skolas would return in the future in the to try and change it, and this whole mess starts all over again."

"Whoa, that's trippy." Niko muttered.

"Tell me about." Tobias added. It was tough trying to wrap his head around all this new information.

"So killing Skolas is our only option." Diana concluded, receiving nod form Zavala's Ghost.

"Sounds like it." Niko said.

"But wait, you didn't answer my question. Will time blow up if they meet each other?" Tobias asked.

"We should hope it doesn't." Zavala's Ghost stated.

"Well if my memory is correct, I never met my future self during this battle, so I can only assume that we completed this mission without meeting ourselves from this time." Zavala pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true, I didn't meet a future Niko either. I'm pretty sure I'd remember meeting someone as good looking as myself." Niko noted, getting a collective sigh from the group.

The Last City

South Residential District

Getting into the City was far too easy. The guards stationed at the entrance to the wall didn't even question them. They looked at the team up and down and welcome them in. It was easy to identify them as Guardians, but Zavala couldn't believe that they didn't even verify with the Tower about a team of returning Guardians.

Zavala clicked his tongue as they entered humanity's last sanctuary. He was glad that he had gone out of his way to tighten up security around the wall when he became Vanguard Commander. This was one reason why the losses from Twilight Gap were so high. The defense of the City wasn't taken seriously by everyone.

They were still overconfident from their victory at the Battle of Six Fronts.

"What's the matter Commander?" Niko asked in response, noticing Zavala's irritation.

"I've looked over this battle countless times, and I could tell that we got caught by surprise by the Fallen because we were arrogant at the time. But to see it for myself…" Zavala trailed off as they approached a large elevator that could take hundreds of people at a time.

"Hey, a win is a win." Niko reasoned, although this didn't sit well with Zavala. They had won this battle, but the losses were so great. So many young Guardians sacrificed themselves. Losses that could've been avoided if they were better prepared. And the worst part was that they had time to prepare for this as well.

The elevator doors opened up for them to step in, revealing that it was open on the other side for them to look at the grand take a look at the grand metropolis that they would be protecting. Skyscrapers so tall that it appeared as though they could touch the Traveler. Hovering transports zoomed by above the crowded streets below.

Tobias marveled audibly as they arrived at the ground level where the elevator came to a stop, allowing them to step off. Even though the citizens were constantly moving, many of them who noticed the team of four took the time to wave to them, giving a shout of thanks for their efforts.

"Niko, do you have any extra cloaks?" Zavala asked the Hunter.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Niko asked in return.

"I would prefer if we don't stand out. I don't want to do anything that could disrupt the time loop."

"Good call." Niko said with a nod as his Ghost summoned three cloaks for him to hand out to the rest of the team.

"Why do you have so many New Monarchy cloaks?" Diana asked as she donned the cloak, raising the hood over her head. All three of them were wearing the signature red and white of New Monarchy with the insignia of the faction located somewhere on it.

"I like the red and white. I've been told I look good in it." Niko shot back with a grin.

"Whatever." Diana said as she shook her head.

"I can dig this." Tobias noted as he spun around, watching the cloak flutter a bit before dropped back down. He felt more heroic with a cloak, if that made any sense.

"These will have to do. Our priority right now is finding Shaxx." Zavala pointed out, refocusing the group.

"And then what? Are we going to stalk him?" Niko asked curiously, causing Zavala to deadpan before he raised the hood over his head.

"Let's get moving." Zavala said as motioned for them to follow him. Traveling through the City, Tobias was in awe. The hustle and bustle of the people. There were markets and stores and homes everywhere. There was a station on every street for people to exit the aircrafts and journey down to the ground below. The New Monarchy cloaks they wore still drew some attention, but nearly as much as when there gear had openly stated that they were with the Vanguard.

"Why can't we just have our Ghost's teleport us to where we're going?" Niko asked Zavala.

"Any kind of activity from our Ghosts especially will gain the attention of the Ghosts that actually belong to this period of time. It's better not to take any risks that could affect the outcome of this battle." Zavala replied as the group entered a station, using the escalators to get to the upper levels where multiple transports were getting ready to depart.

"Aww man. I hate flying around in the public transports." Niko said with a groan.

"Why's that?" Tobias asked.

Not even a minute later, Tobias found himself pressed against the window a small aircraft that only had a few seats, all of which were occupied when they entered. They had no choice but to stand, and with the sheer number of people that were using this transport, they were all tightly packed together.

"See what I mean?" Niko said as he struggled to move about. "No elbow room whatsoever."

"Destination, District 15. This transport is now departing." A monotone voice announced for them as the doors shut. They began to rise for a few moments before they swung out into the busy airway, weaving through traffic as they raced toward one of the most densely populated areas of the City.

Soon enough they arrived at the station and they quickly made the journey down to streets were they could see attractions, restaurants, hotels, bars all over the place.

"Our first objective is to find a place of lodging to rest." Zavala said, getting nod from his team members.

"There's a few affordable hotels in this area." Diana's Ghost pointed out.

"That's a good start. Once we have a base, we'll starting find Shaxx and monitor him in rotating shifts." Zavala explained. "Let's get to work."

"Why can't I have my own room?" Tobias exclaimed as he, Diana and Zavala came to a stop in front of the room Zavala had rented for himself and Tobias.

"Because you have no glimmer." Diana stated.

"Come on guys, I'll pay you back when we get back to our time." Tobias replied.

"We have limited funds Tobias and we don't actually know how long we'll be here for. The last thing we should do is waste money renting separate rooms." Zavala explained as he swiped the key card and entered the room.

"Wait, we have to share this room with Niko too?" Tobias asked, receiving a nod from Zavala before they looked at their hotel room.

There was only one king sized bed.

Diana burst into a fit of laughter as she gave them a wave, wishing them luck as she went off to her room.

"Well then, I'll take the night watches." Zavala stated. He could sleep during the day while the rest of them were busy.

"Not cool!" Tobias shouted as he realized he would have to figure this out with Niko now.

It was dark out when Niko arrived at the hotel they were staying at while Zavala left to follow Shaxx.

"What are you doing Tobias?" Niko asked as he watched Tobias place a line of tap down the center of the bed.

"This is my half, that's yours." Tobias stated, getting a chuckle from Niko.

"Tobias, I'm not going to do anything to you in your sleep, you know, besides put your hand in a cup of water." Niko said, causing Tobias to frown. "But that's beside the point, I won't do anything to you. You have my word as a Hunter."

Tobias only gave him a narrow stare in response. Hunters specialized in deception, didn't they? Tobias shrugged off the thought as he began to removed his armor and garments. It was then that Tobias realized this was the first time in days that he had taken off his clothes. And boy did he need a shower.

Niko hopped onto the bed and flipped on the television monitor in search of something to watch while Tobias disappeared into the bathroom. There wasn't much to watch though. There were no sports games to watch, and he didn't really feel like watching a movie. Soon enough though, he settled on the news. It was kind of funny watching the news since he could actually remember this news report.

After some time Tobias finally exited the shower with nothing but a towel around his waist, and Niko saw something that immediately drew his attention.

"Tobias, what the heck are those?" Niko asked him. The two small markings on Tobias' face were actually just the beginning of a massive line work that traveled throughout his body. On his back seemed to be the centerpiece of it all as everything met up into a large circle with several small designs making up the middle of it. It was a masterpiece that none of them had seen since it had been hidden underneath his armor.

"These?" Tobias asked as he motioned to the artwork on his body. "I don't know, I thought everyone had something like this."

"It's usually limited to our face. But this just looks sick!" Niko exclaimed.

"Thanks." Tobias said as he changed into the t-shirt and shorts that were in the chrome colored dresser.

"Send your suit down to the laundry; they'll clean it for you." Niko said as he motioned to the laundry chute. "Just put a tag on it with our room number and you'll get it back by the morning."

"Awesome." Tobias said, because his suit smelled terrible. But that's what happens when you spend over a week on the battlefield.

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay now." Niko said as he shut off the television and laid back on the bed.

"Yeah, I got the early shift with Diana." Tobias said. He didn't actually know what to do on a stake out, so Diana agreed to show him the ropes during her shift in the morning, and then he would take over for the afternoon.

"Alright, good night." Niko said as Tobias slipped under the covers on his side of the bed.

"Good night." Tobias replied as he got comfortable before taking a deep breath. He finally had some time to relax. From the moment he had woken up that morning to take part in a Crucible match, things had been moving so quickly. He joined Undaunted and they began training him to fight the House of Wolves. Before he knew it, he was in the heat of battle, fighting Wolf Barons in the Cosmodrome Wall. Then he made a straight shot to Venus to actually fight Skolas, Kell of the Wolves. It's been a crazy week for him.

But he couldn't deny that he was having fun. The action was nonstop. And even though it was slow, he was getting stronger.

The silence in the room was broken by a prudent sound from Niko's rear end.

"Niko, what was that?"

"Sorry."

City Perimeter

Twilight Gap

Skolas remained silent, his eyes sharp as he approached the military base that was nestled into the mountainside. He was alone now. No allies.

But the thought didn't even cross his mind. All he could think about was the prophecy from the House of Rain. The legend that a Fallen warrior would rise one day and unite the Fallen Houses, restore them to the glory they previously held and lead them to reclaim the Great Machine. He would be the one to complete the prophecy. To lead the Fallen to the promised land.

He would become the Kell of Kells.

Upon being freed from the Prison of Elders, Skolas learned what took place at Twilight Gap and how the Fallen had been devastated by Shaxx and the Guardians when victory seemed so close. Skolas had met with a few members of the Wolves who had thoroughly researched what took place in Twilight Gap, and what he learned from them he would put into action now.

The House of Winter, Devils and Kings had gathered together. If he could take them over, he could certainly lead them to victory in the Battle of Twilight Gap.

But only one person stood in his way.

The Kell of the Kings.

This Kell was deceitful and cunning. After all, the Kell of the Kings had managed to convince three different Houses to band together for this attack.

Killing him was out of the question, and gaining his trust would prove to be challenge. But the latter was more likely to happen.

Skolas gave himself a small nod as now stood at the entrance to the fort where a pair of Barons stood before him. They had unsheathed their swords as he approached, but they soon recognized him and separated, allowing him to enter the base. Entering the base, Skolas looked around, spotting Vandals and Captains in the rafters above that were watching him.

Their numbers dwindled as he looked at the corridor to his right. That must have been were the Kell was residing. Heading up the corridor, Skolas soon found himself coming out into an open area where he could see the Kell of the Kings standing alone, observing the Traveler that rested in the distance.

"So the reports were true. Skolas has indeed arrived."

"I wasn't going to let an opportunity like this slip by. That pitiful race has sat in the graces of the Great Machine for far too long." Skolas replied, speaking in his native tongue. "It's time to reclaim what is rightfully ours."

"My attendants informed me that you arrived alone. Where is Virixas, your Kell."

Skolas blinked, letting that settle in for a moment before he remembered that he gone back in time. He had been Kell of the Wolves for decades, but as of this very moment in time, Virixas was still alive and recognized as the Kell of the Wolves.

"I lost contact with them traveling through the asteroid belt. We met some opposition that is likely keeping the rest of them busy."

"I see, that explains your wounds. But what use are you to me then?"

"What?" Skolas asked sharply, leering at the back of the Kell that stood before him. The Kell of the Kings hadn't even turned around to face him. They were equals yet the Kell acted as though he was greater than Skolas.

"The goal was to unleash the full might of the Eliksni and reclaim the Great Machine. Without the Wolves, your presence here is meaningless."

"Alone I can provide more than anything my House could give you. Their support was just a bonus."

"And what do you possess that could possibly be worth more than the power of an entire House?" The Kell of Kings inquired.

"I've spent a great deal of time studying the warriors that protect the Great Machine. If you allow me to lead this force, I'm certain that I could defeat them."

The Kell of the Kings glanced back at Skolas for just a moment before returning its gaze to the Traveler. Skolas' arrival was odd.

Virixas had said that they had engaged the Awoken in the asteroid belt. So how did Skolas get here if none of the other Wolves' nobility was still locked in combat? Something was off. The Kell would definitely be keeping a close eye on Skolas.

"Your reputation precedes you Skolas." The Kell said after a short pause. "Virixas often said you were headstrong. But I have a request."

The sky had grown dark as Skolas left the military base moving at a comfortable pace. The Kell of the Kings had given him a task.

There was band of Hunters that had been snooping around the fort that the Fallen had been using as a base, and Skolas had been given the order to eliminate them. It was likely that they would be the ones to report to the City of the coming Fallen invasion, so taking care of this small matter was of the utmost importance.

But this was also an important opportunity.

He needed to get rid of the Kell of Kings. And using the Guardians would probably be the quickest way to remove this obstacle.

If Skolas could get the Guardians to send a force to come hunt down the Kell of the Kings, he could then assume control of the Fallen House. And winning the Battle of Twilight Gap would be no trouble.

All he would have to do is allow these Hunters to escape and give their report to the other Guardians. Surely if they reported the presence of a Kell if would cause them to act.

Skolas perked up a bit, sensing the presence of a small group not too far from him. This was probably the group he was looking for.

Ana Bray found herself seated around a small campfire with two of her close companions surrounding the flames as well. They had ventured beyond the protective walls of the City once again for a routine check on the enemies that surrounded their home. But what they found this time around had their hearts racing.

"I've never seen so much Fallen at once." Ana said in bewilderment.

"And it's not just one House. I've seen at least three different banners."

"Are they teaming up to attack us?"

"It seems likely. The Fallen never struck me as organized, but it looks like I was wrong." Ana stated. "The City needs to know what's happening out here. If the Fallen are going to attack, we have to warn them at least."

"Right."

"Ana, what do you want me to do?" A young female voice asked through a private channel for the team.

"Carmen, I want you to stay and keep an ongoing report about their movements. If they begin to act, the City has to know." Ana replied.

"You got it." She replied.

The pair of Hunters with Ana perked up as their heads snapped to look in the same direction.

"What's the matter?" Ana asked as she noticed that the two of them were reaching for their weapons.

"Something's coming." They replied. Ana furrowed her brow as she peered into the surrounding forest. They had gone a considerable distance from the Fallen stronghold, why would they come all the way out here? The duo drew their weapons as some heavy and fast paced footsteps came racing toward them.

"Here it comes!" Both of them jumped to their feet, readying their weapons, but they were completely unprepared for the enemy that burst out from in between the trees.

Skolas roared as he rushed straight for the pair of Hunter that stood between him and Ana Bray. Neither of them could react quickly enough to the fast moving Kell, being knocked away with ease by Skolas who went straight for Ana.

Ana though, responded to Skolas much quicker than her teammates. Using Blink, she evaded Skolas' initial attack, putting some distance between them as she summoned a hand cannon and drew one of the tanto blades she had on her.

"What's a Kell doing here?!"

"We can't stay here, it'll kill us!"

Ana bit down on her lower lip. They didn't have many options. They were only a scout team, sent out to investigate. Fighting a Fallen Kell was the last thing they planned on doing.

"Scatter!" Ana hollered as she took a few pot shots at Skolas to draw his attention. The pair of Hunters that had been accompanying her activated their cloaking, vanishing into the night.

With Skolas' complete attention, Ana raised her weapons in preparation for whatever the Kell was going to throw at her. Skolas gave a low growl before he charged at Ana once again, raising all of his arms to attack. For such a large beast, Ana was astounded by how quickly Skolas could move. But something felt off about this Kell as she dodged his straightforward attack once again.

Skolas was unarmed. He was alone. And he seemed to be injured as well. Ana couldn't think of an answer as to why a Fallen Kell would act alone while he was injured and weaponless. It didn't make any sense. But this might have been an opportunity. If she could kill this Kell, it was very possible that this approaching invasion could be stomped out before it could take place.

Jumping backward to take some distance from Skolas again, she studied him quickly once again. He was breathing heavily, clearly favoring his right side which happened to be the side that didn't have a massive horn protruding from his back. Was he injured in an earlier battle?

Ana shook her head. She didn't have time to worry about any of this. She had a chance here and she wasn't going to let it go to waste. Skolas charged at her once again, but Ana had already seen this move twice now. It was nothing she couldn't avoid. Unlike the past few times, she only stepped to the side, barely leaving the path of Skolas' attack, but leaving herself in position to strike as he passed by her. Raising the tanto that she held, Ana slammed the point of the blade into the open wound where Skolas' second horn previously was. The blade pierced right through his flesh, gaining a roar of pain from Skolas as he came skidding to a halt.

Collapsing to his hands and knees, Skolas was shocked by the immense pain. It was even worse than when Niko had severed his horn. Invulnerability would be great right now, but he couldn't even summon the Servitors that gave him that power. He was on his own right now.

Ana approached Skolas who was writhing in pain with low growls. She had to end this now. Drawing another tanto from sheath that was strapped to her thigh, Ana ignited the blade with Arc energy. Her weapon extended in length as she came up beside Skolas who was still taller than her even when he was bent over. But she had a clear view of his neck. This would be the end of this Kell.

Ana raised the tanto over her head, prepared to drop it onto Skolas' neck, but Skolas looked toward her. Ana froze as their gaze met. The eyes of the Kell were sharp and intense, and as Ana stared into his eyes, she could feel the malice that was radiating from Skolas. He was far from dead.

Ana began to lean backward, attempting to get some distance from Skolas, but she wasn't quick enough. He lashed out at her with one of his arms, catching her off guard. With a gasp Ana was sent sailing directly into a nearby trunk which she crashed into before sinking to the ground. The tables had been turned almost instantly as Skolas now stood over Ana, glaring down at her menacingly.

"I think it's time for some Golden Gun~!" A new voice shouted, causing both Ana and Skolas to look up for the source. Up in the air, they could see a silhouette of a Hunter that threw one hand up above their head, igniting their pistol which shined brilliantly in the night.

'Carmen.' Ana said with a sigh of relief. Even though Carmen had disobeyed her orders, she was glad to see her. Carmen fired her Golden Gun just once at Skolas, nailing him right in the face which gained a roar from him as he quickly began moving to avoid being hit again.

"Ana, run!" Carmen shouted as she used her remaining two shots to keep Skolas moving. Taking notice of her chance to escape, Ana quickly darted off into the woods to meet with Carmen as she fell back down into the thick cover of the trees.

Skolas came to a halt once the flaming shots came to an end as he realized that his target had gotten away from him. This didn't bother him though. Those Hunters would report the presence of a Kell leading this massive gathering of Fallen.

Ana had failed to defeat him, but her report of him being weak would certainly attract the Guardians. And he would lead them right to the Kell of the Kings.

Ripping the tanto out of his back, Skolas tossed the weapon aside with a grimace. The first thing he needed was some ether.

Two Vandals wearing cloaks with the symbol of the Kings dropped down from the tree cover, earning Skolas' attention.

"What are you doing? You can't let them escape!" One of them howled at him.

"If you let them get back to their fortress they'll be ready for our attack!" The other added.

But Skolas only glared at them in response. So the Kell of the Kings had sent spies to watch over him. Skolas appeared behind the two Vandals, snatching them up from the ground by their necks.

"That's part of my plan." Skolas sneered as he crushed their necks. Both of them went limp in his hands before he tossed them aside just like the tanto he had removed from his back.

The City would be aware of the Fallen presence soon enough, and the Battle of Twilight Gap would begin. All he had to do now was wait for the Guardians to attack.

The Last City

Consensus Hall

The famous landmark stood near the center of the City, and was the site where some of the most controversial discussions took place. Within the building was a large room that everyone entered from the top, and it descended down into the ground. Seats spiraled downward for an audience. At the very bottom of the room was where the faction leaders met to speak.

The Speaker was present as well, seated on a small balcony part way down.

"I've never been here before." Niko noted as the team of four were seated together, looking up at the holographic monitors that were projected up at the center of the room for the audience to see who was speaking down below.

"You were never missing much." Zavala said in response. As important as these meetings were, he preferred to listen to a recording rather than attend. It felt like a waste of time just sitting here when he could be doing something else.

"Seems like it. Nothing's happening." Tobias pointed out. They had found there seats about a half an hour ago, but the actual meeting had yet to begin.

"It'll start soon." Zavala replied as the Speaker finally called for everyone's attention.

"Just a few hours ago on a private channel, a team of Hunters reported an increase in Fallen activity beyond the walls of our City. This scale of the activity is comparable to when the Fallen first arrived in the Cosmodrome. According to the report, we face threat of a massive Fallen invasion."

The room became deathly silent as the focus now shifted from the Speaker down to the factions leaders down below.

"This isn't the first time the Fallen have attempted to attack us. We've prevailed against them before at the Battle of Six Fronts, and we'll do so again." A middle man wearing a purple, red and yellow robe asked. He was clearly a representative of the Future War Cult.

"But at what cost?" A younger man asked in return. He was dressed in black and white with the insignia of Dead Orbit on the back of his cloak.

"The cost isn't even something we should think about. We've been surrounded by our enemies since the City was established." The FWC representative said as he folded his arms. "Running from our enemies will get us nowhere."

"I couldn't agree more." A strong voice stated, drawing their attention. One of the few Guardians in attendance rose from their seat. It was Shaxx. "It's time we pressed the offensive against our enemies, especially with them camped around our city."

"Now is not the time to charge blindly at our enemy." Another burly voice stated. It was another Titan that was just as tall as Shaxx, although he was recognized by everyone in the audience. Saladin Forge. "Our highest priority right now is defending the City. All of our available resources should be directed toward this effort. If we gather ourselves together and defend the walls just like at Six Fronts, we will come away victorious once again."

"This isn't the same as the Six Fronts. The team of Hunters led by Ana Bray confirmed that the presence of a Fallen Kell. The Fallen will surely be more organized than they were at Six Fronts." Shaxx reasoned. "Removing that Kell should be our first move."

"Sending Guardians out to fight a Kell will displace them from where they should be. Protecting the walls. As long as these walls stand, we will not perish." Saladin stated much to the dismay of Shaxx.

"I agree wholeheartedly with Lord Saladin." A young man representing New Monarchy said. "The City must stand."

A number of the other faction leaders gave a nod of agreement.

"I propose that we place Lord Saladin in charge of the City's defenses for this impending attack." The New Monarchy representative continued.

"Are all in agreement?" The Speaker asked from his balcony as he looked down at those beneath him. Many hands rose among the representatives. "Is anyone against this motion?"

Shaxx remained silent as he looked toward his mentor. He dared not to oppose him in such a public place, but he couldn't stand the thought of waiting for this invasion when they had an opportunity to possibly cripple the enemy before this battle even began.

Shaxx sat back down as he exhaled. There was no use right now. As much respect as he had for Saladin Forge, Shaxx had to admit that the man was hardheaded and firmly rooted in the past.

"Excellent, then the motion has been approved. Saladin Forge will take the vacant seat of Vanguard Commander during the course of this battle." The Speaker stated.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure that our City stands." Saladin added.

Up in the stands, the four man team lead by Zavala had been quietly listening, but this new bit of information called for them to leave Consensus Hall immediately. The presence of a Fallen Kell.

"The Kell they were talking about, that has to be Skolas." Diana said group exited the building.

"I'll bet it is." Tobias added.

"So what are we waiting for? If we move out now and take care of him, the whole loop thing should work out how it's supposed too. This is our chance." Niko pointed out as the three of them looked toward Zavala who had yet to say anything.

Zavala returned their stares with silence before he sighed.

"We can't act right now, for the exact same reason the Guardians now won't go after him. The sheer number of Fallen that had amassed together at this point, it'd be suicide to send a team in there and cause a ruckus looking for Skolas." Zavala explained.

"Commander, we can handle it. We just came from Venus where Skolas was spitting out Fallen from the House of Wolves like there was no tomorrow." Diana tried to reason with him.

"That was just one Fallen House Diana. The House of Winter, Devils and Kings are present. There are millions of Fallen surrounding the City. Their nobility must be highly protected, especially after Ana Bray's team was exposed." Zavala replied, silencing the team. He could tell that they didn't quite understand the magnitude of this battle.

"What if we to get some help from the Guardians here?" Diana suggested, causing Zavala to shake his head.

"Let me put it like this Diana. This battle is a turning point for the City, and the Guardians that protect it. The Battle of Twilight Gap exposes the Guardians, showing us just how weak we really are." Zavala said sternly.

"What do you mean by that?" Tobias asked.

"The number of truly skilled Guardians that exist right now is astonishingly low. Many Guardians at this point have been teaching themselves through trial and error. They weren't ready for this battle, which is why we lost so many Guardians. This is why the Crucible was created. To train Guardians properly to ensure that when they go out to the battlefield, they are well prepared for almost any situation." Zavala explained. "No matter what we do right now, the Guardians at this time aren't prepared enough to form a strike team to go after Skolas."

"So you're telling us we have to wait?" Diana clarified.

"Yes. Skolas will have to act eventually. And when he does, we'll be ready and waiting." Zavala said as he gave her a nod of assurance.

A/N

So now we've really broken off from how the story line in HoW went. We've heard the Fallen speak in some rough language in game, so I figured rather just bold their discussions than leave you guys trying to figure out what they might have said through grunts and what not.

I'd like to ask for opinions on my temporal loop concept since they've gone back in time. Does it make sense to you guys? It does to me but I wrote it so I want to know if I'm confusing anyone.

So until next time Guardians :)