Chapter 9

The Last City on Earth. Mankind's final stand against the Darkness. For centuries it stood as a beacon of hope, the only place where anyone on Earth could live without fear. But for the first time in a long time, the Last City was in a state of panic. Daily life had come screeching to a halt as the announcement of an impending Fallen invasion reached the public.

Monitors all around the city were periodically playing recordings of many famous figures in the City, all of which were ensuring the citizens that they would be safe. But this could only do so much. The streets were quieter, windows were closed, shops were empty. What little movement there was in the streets was usually the Guardians, frames and soldiers that were moving to their stations.

Tower

Hall of Guardians

Niko hung out on the ledge just outside of the Hall of Guardians, leaning against the glass window as he looked into the room. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had left one Zavala in his hotel room this morning and came to the Tower to see another Zavala having a discussion with Shaxx and Saladin. It was crazy how this battle took place decades ago, but Zavala still looked exactly the same. He didn't grow out his hair or a moustache…or even change his armor. You could stand them up right next to each other and no one would be able to tell the difference.

"So have the two of you read the report from Ana Bray's team?" Saladin asked his students as they stood around the center table.

"Yes Commander." Zavala said while Shaxx gave a nod.

"The Kell they engaged was located near the old military fort, Twilight Gap. Based on that I think its safe to assume that they are using that fort as a command center, and the bulk of their forces will probably be coming from that direction as well." Saladin explained as he pointed out this area on the holographic map they had in front of them.

"We can entrust Kei-Wing and the First Pillar Order to that section of the wall then. With their numbers they should be able to handle the increased activity so long as they have support from the gun batteries." Zavala pointed out, getting a nod of agreement from Saladin.

"I don't want too many Guardians lumped into one area. The Fallen are encamped around us. Their attacks could come from any direction at any given time, so we must have Guardians stationed around the full length of the walls." Saladin added before glancing at his remaining student who hadn't been sharing his thoughts during this discussion. Noticing Saladin's gaze, Zavala looked toward Shaxx as well.

"Are you feeling alright Shaxx?" Zavala asked him curiously.

"You must have something on your mind." Saladin noted, getting a nod from Shaxx.

"I want to know, why the Firebreak Order is remaining in the City." Shaxx stated as he looked at his mentor. Saladin had deployed every Titan Order to the walls except for the Firebreak Order, the only one that Shaxx was closely associated with.

"I have a great deal of respect for the Firebreak Order, but their aggression is unnecessary in this battle. Our defense of the City must be flawless, and I'd prefer to know that the troops I have stationed at each sector will stick to the task they have received." Saladin responded, causing Shaxx to curse under his breath.

The Firebreak Order was well known among the Guardians for a variety of reasons. But the biggest one was their hot blooded nature and recklessness. It wasn't enough for them defend their City and survive another day. They wanted to stomp out anything that threatened City. And it was clear that Saladin wanted no part of this while he led the defense of the City.

"At least deploy them as relief." Shaxx suggested. "The Fallen will likely attack in waves from different areas. Use the Firebreak Order as support for when the fighting intensifies."

"I'll consider it." Saladin replied with a nod of approval. The three of them then looked toward the map once again. The battle was approaching.

Northern Perimeter

"There's another Walker Tank approaching. I'm imputing its coordinates, open fire as soon as you can!" A soldier called out to the man that was seat behind the controls of the gun battery.

"Gotcha, we're locking on right now." The gunner replied as the targeting system confirmed that they were ready to fire. "Firing!"

The double barrels from the gun battery shook violently as they ejected a pair of shells that cut through the air as it raced toward its target. The projectiles curved downward, landing straight onto the approaching Walker Tank, exploding on contact. A thick cloud of black smoke enveloped the tank, hiding it from the sight of the soldiers.

"We've got a hit!" The gunner proclaimed, but the tank stepped out of the smoke, continuing its advance toward the walls of the City.

"Negative, it was ineffective. Contact Kei-Wing, the infantry down there needs to concentrate their fire on that tank to expose its core. If it gets any closer we'll be in its firing range!"

It had been two days since the announcement of the Fallen invasion, and late in the afternoon as the sun began to set, the Fallen descended from the north. The Guardians responded immediately, engaging the Fallen within the thick forts that stood just beyond the walls, fighting them to a standstill. With the aid of the artillery fire from the gun batteries on the walls of the City, the Fallen couldn't advance any closer to the walls.

As the first night began, the Fallen retreated, as if they had only been testing the Guardians' defenses. It wouldn't be until the midway through day two that the Fallen would attack again, this time with Walker Tanks assisting their infantry. The forests outside the walls were set ablaze as the fighting intensified.

"Hold your ground Titans, our walls will stand!" Kei-Wing proclaimed as held up the banner of the First Pillar Titan Order. The banner fluttered wildly from the gusts that passed through, likely from some artillery fire detonating nearby.

Hotel

"Shaxx just got deployed." Zavala stated as he hurriedly locked his shoulder pad into place.

"How do you know?" Tobias asked him as he watched Niko and Zavala equip themselves for the battle at hand.

"We managed to tap into the comm lines the Vanguard was using without our Ghosts." Niko explained.

"That and I knew he'd be deployed tonight as well. During the second night of the battle, the Fallen in the north become extremely aggressive, forcing Saladin to call in reinforcements."

"Whoa, things got that bad on this side of the battle?" Niko asked, receiving a nod from Zavala. He had been on the southern tip of the City, watching over a segment of the walls with a few other Hunters. There hadn't been much action down there, but they didn't hear much about what was taking place in other areas during the battle.

"It got very bad at one point. The First Pillar Order lost a lot of good Titans, including Kei-Wing, their leader at the time." Zavala explained. "Shaxx would lead the Firebreak Order around that area for the next two days as a hunting party basically, warding off the Fallen attacks from the north. Skolas may use that as an opportunity to attack, so we'll follow Shaxx for the time being."

"You'll keep us posted, right?" Tobias asked, receiving a nod from the Titan as he donned his helmet.

"Of course we will." Niko added as he jumped to his feet. "And we're off!"

Watching them head off out the hotel room, Tobias found Diana watching them go as well from the entrance to her room.

"I take it you heard their plans?" Tobias asked her as he stepped out into the corridor.

"Yeah, my Ghost filled me on the details." She replied.

"So, umm…what do we now Diana?" Tobias asked her. This caused Diana to look up in thought.

Tobias had been training and learning from them nonstop since he had been declared Undaunted's newest member. Even during this mission, Niko had told her that Tobias had been practicing how to manipulate Void Light in their hotel room when he had nothing else to do.

"You know what Tobias, I think we should just sit back tonight." Diana suggested, causing Tobias to furrow his brow.

"Uh, why would we do that?" He asked her, almost in disbelief. :There's a huge battle happening right outside the City. How can I just sit back?"

"Well I never said it was going to easy." She said to him, giving his shoulder a light tap. "But you have ot rest your body and your mind. That way when it's really time to fight, you'll have all the energy you're going to need."

Tobias pursed his lips in response. That was good point. Even though Guardians were blessed by the Light, they still needed to rest properly.

"Okay then, do you have anything in mind?" Tobias asked her, getting a small smile from her.

"You've been working really hard Tobias, so I think I'll treat you to dinner."

"What do you have in mind?" Tobias asked her as she met his gaze again.

Tobias was seated alone in the lobby of the hotel, leaning back as he looked up in thought. Diana had told him to dress casually, so he was now wearing a pair of jeans, a button up shirt and a jacket since it was rather chilly.

He still couldn't understand how Diana could take him out to dinner with a Fallen invasion taking place at this very moment. He was anxious. He wanted to fight, that was for sure. But as he sat here thinking about it…that was all he ever thought about. From the moment he joined Undaunted, he had done nothing but prepare for his next fight.

Maybe a little treat like this would help him relax, just a bit.

"Tobias, are you ready?" A voice asked him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

As he became focused, he found Diana's Ghost hovering right in front of his face.

"Oh, uh yeah I guess." He replied as her Ghost backed off a bit to give him some space/

"Diana sent me to inform you that she will be down shortly." Ghost added.

"That's no problem, it's not like we're in a rush or anything." Tobias replied as he straightened up in his seat.

"…And also, are you familiar with any part of the Awoken culture?"

"No, not really." Tobias said as he shook his head. He didn't know a thing about the Awoken.

"What are you talking about?" Tobias asked.

"Well first and foremost, the invitation for a meal from an Awoken female means that she is…seeking your hand in marriage according to human customs."

"What?!" Tobias exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. "What do you mean marriage!?"

"A bond of union, between two people. A life commitment. Among the Awoken, the female is often times the one who will, make the move, so to speak." Ghost explained, causing Tobias to narrow his gaze as he looked at the small drone.

"Is this some kind of crazy joke?" Tobias asked skeptically. This was too weird. He barely knew Diana, why would she want to marry him?

"I would never do anything like that. But if you need proof, just wait until you see how she's dressed. She's clearly vying for your attention." Her Ghost said as it motioned to the elevator that opened up, revealing Diana as its only passenger.

She stepped out of the elevator wearing a dazzling black dress that hung over one shoulder with a wrap around her waist that hugger her figure. The dressed came to a stop just above her knees, swaying with every move she made. She wore dark stockings and a pair of flats as she approached him. Her short hair had been pulled back into a small bun with the exception of a few locks that framed her face. She had put on a bit of makeup to cover up the markings on the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks were rosy, her lips were glossy.

'Damn.' Was all Tobias said as he gulped audibly. She looked stunning!

"Oops, now it looks like I overdressed." Diana noted as she sized up Tobias in casual clothing. It was always weird seeing another Guardian in anything besides their armor.

"Wait, how much did that cost?" Tobias asked her as he motioned to her dress. The hotel provided clothing, most of which you had to pay for. The casual clothing that Tobias received was the cheapest, while Diana had clearly shelled out some money for her dress.

"Five thousand glimmer." She replied, causing Tobias' jaw to drop.

"F-F…Five thousand?" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's not a bad price for a rental." Diana replied. Five thousand glimmer was nothing for her. Completing a small task for the Vanguard usually paid twice that amount. "What's the big deal Tobias, is this dress to much?"

Diana spun around as she questioned him, showing off her dazzling appearance to Tobias bit down on his lower lip to stop himself from getting lost in his imagination.

"Uh…no it's not a big deal. You look great." Tobias stated, earning a cherry smile from her.

"Aww, thanks Tobias. You're too nice." She said to him as she began to head toward the exit of the lobby. "Now let's get going since the restaurants will probably be closing early. Not too many people have been going out since the battle started."

"See what I was telling you." Diana's Ghost whispered to him as it hovered beside his ear.

"So what am I supposed to say?" Tobias asked in return.

"Just try not to hurt her. As far as I know, the Awoken females aren't too keen on…rejection."

Tobias felt a shiver run down his spine at the thought of Diana torturing him if he were to turn down her proposal. He barely knew her, so there was no way that he could agree to do this. But look at her right now as she waited for him at the front entrance, Tobias found himself staring at an attractive woman. There was no telling what might happen after tonight.

So much for relaxing…

"Well I think the two of you will be happy to know that you can have any table you want tonight." The hostess said as she motioned to the empty dining area. "I'm sure you've noticed by we haven't had much business he last few days."

"Wow, thank you." Diana said kindly as she pointed out a secluded booth by the windows. "We'll take that one."

"Alright, our waiter will be right with you."

The restaurant was silent as Tobias and Diana ventured over to their table, but thankfully some soft music began to play from the speakers across the room. Diana calmly took a seat before looking up curiously at Tobias. He was still standing, rigid and stiff as a board.

"Are you going to sit down Tobias?" Diana asked him as she motioned to the empty chair opposite her.

"Uh, right." Tobias said as he quickly jumped into his seat. He was distracted by the conversation he had-had with her Ghost. Did Diana really want to marry him of all people? Why would she want to do that? Maybe she wanted something from him. But he had next to nothing. A Proxima Centuri II scout rifle and a full set of Titan armor was all he possessed. Could she have been after…his body?

Tobias shook his head with a snort. He had to think about something else. Get his mind out of the gutter.

"Tobias?" Diana repeated, finally receiving his attention.

"Huh?" He replied, looking up at her.

"I wanted to know what you're going to order." She said for him once again.

"Oh, um, I uh…ummm." Tobias shook his head, a smile forming on his face since he couldn't put together a sentence for her.

"Is something wrong Tobias?" She asked him, leaning forward a bit as she began to examine his face for anything out of the ordinary. Giving his forearm a pinch underneath the table, Tobias took a deep breath as he focused a bit.

"No no, I'm good." He said calmly as he set his sights on the menu in front of him. "Wait, what the heck is…all of this?"

"What do you mean?" Diana asked him as Tobias read through the menu. Not a single dish sounded familiar to him.

"I don't recognize any of this stuff. What happened to a plain burger and fries?"

"A what, and what?" Diana said, confusion evident on her face. "I've never heard of either of those."

"Okay, so the full name is a hamburger. It's made of beef and then cooked on grill. They you add condiments like lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, whatever you want really. And then French fries are really just fried potato." Tobias explained for her.

"Fried potato?" Diana said incredulously. "Potatoes are a luxury in the Reef since we don't have much space for agriculture. But frying them, are you crazy?"

"Me, crazy?" Tobias said as he motioned to himself. "Fine, we'll ask the waiter then."

And right on cue, the waiter approached their table.

"Good evening, thank you dining with us here. Are the two of you ready to order?" He asked them.

"Well before that, I've got a question for you." Tobias began.

"Ask away."

"Do you guys serve hamburgers here?"

The waiter seemed to be caught off guard by this as he gave Tobias an odd look.

"Now there's something I haven't been asked in a long time." The waiter said. "You might not be aware of this, but bovines or cattle went extinct after the Collapse. Hamburgers haven't been made in centuries now."

"Are you serious?" Tobias exclaimed, startled by the news.

"Don't worry though, a wonderful substitute has been developed if you'd like to try it." The waiter suggested.

"Well I've never eaten a bad hamburger, so I guess it's worth a shot." Tobias reasoned as he shrugged his shoulders. "And I'll take a side of fries if that's possible."

"Sure thing. And what about you miss?" The waiter said as he looked toward Diana.

"I'll just have the chef salad." She replied.

"Excellent, I'll be back shortly."

"Thank you." Diana and Tobias said together as the waiter sauntered off into the kitchen, calling out for the chef to get cooking.

"So just out question Tobias, if those cattle things are extinct right now, how'd you know about the, ham-bo-ger?" Diana asked.

"Hamburger." Tobias corrected her, getting a nod of thanks. "And I don't really know. I just remember eating them, that's all."

Diana pursed her lips at this and tilted her head. That was kind of weird. How would Tobias know about something like this…unless, perhaps he was alive during the Golden Age. Basing this off of the fact that he remembered eating hamburgers was a long shot, but she was curious about his past.

"That reminds me, have you remembered anything at all Tobias?" Diana asked him.

Tobias raised his eyebrows a bit. That was a good question. He had been paying much attention to, anything really since they started fighting the Wolves. But he hadn't managed to remember anything new about himself aside from that one hazy memory. Nothing noteworthy.

"Nope, I don't think I have." He replied. In truth though, he didn't feel like talking about himself. He wanted to change the subject. "Say Diana, do mind if I asked you a couple of questions?"

"Well someone's in a questioning mood tonight." Diana noted with a small smirk.

"I'm just a curious person." Tobias retorted.

"Okay then, go right ahead." She said, inviting him to continue.

"What did you do before you became a Guardian?"

This caused Diana to freeze momentarily, the expression on her face becoming neutral.

"Where did that come from?" She asked in return.

"I hope I'm not being rude or anything, I just haven't been able to remember anything about myself. I thought maybe hearing something about you might jog my memory of give it some kind of kick start." Tobias explained with a shrug. Diana sighed softly, a bit disappointed with her reaction. Of course Tobias didn't mean any harm.

"I'm sorry Tobias. I wasn't trying to be defensive or anything. I just don't talk about my past much." Diana explained. "But it couldn't hurt to talk about it."

Tobias seemed to brighten up as he leaned forward, eager to listen to what Diana was going to share with him.

"Before I became a Guardian, I lived in the Reef like most of the Awoken." She began.

She had mentioned the Reef to him before, but Tobias couldn't picture it. But he wasn't going to interrupt.

"I spent the first few years of my life with my family, but at the age of seven I was given to the Techeuns to be raised as a servant of the Queen." Diana continued, receiving a confused look from Tobias.

"Wait, so your parents had to give you up?" Tobias inquired.

"Yes. Although I don't want it to sound the Queen just goes around stealing children. The Awoken have these dormant abilities, which awaken in some of us. Usually they awaken during childhood, and if a child like that is found, they are taken and trained by the Techeuns." Diana explained.

"So what kind of abilities are we talking about here? Like super strength and heat vision?" Tobias asked, getting a chuckle from Diana.

"Nothing like that. We don't really understand these abilities just yet, and no one has seen the full extent of these. But we have foresight." Diana explained.

"Like, you can see into the future?" Tobias clarified.

"I don't want to say that we can see into the future. But we have these visions, and typically they'll line up with something that takes place down the road." Diana explained, receiving an expression of awe from Tobias.

"Whoa, that's pretty awesome." He stated in wonder. "What else can you guys do?"

"I've heard that they began to manipulate Void Light like the Guardians even though they don't have a connection to the Traveler." Diana added, causing Tobias to raise his eyebrows.

"Wait, so you guys can do stuff just like the Guardians?"

"No, it's a big learning process. Before I left the Reef it was something they had just started to practice." Diana said softly.

"Oh, right. So why did you leave if you were supposed to serve the Queen?" Tobias asked as he refocused their discussion. Diana remained silent for a moment as she recalled the events that had led up to the day she was banished.

"So once I completed my training, I was enrolled into the Royal Guard. From that point forward I was servant of the Queen, although I was granted freedom to live my life how I wanted off duty. I was grateful for that since the Techeuns didn't grant us such privileges. For a while…I was happy, until the Reef Wars began." Diana continued, causing Tobias to perk up at the mention of another battle. "In fact, the Reef Wars are taking place right this second. Skolas and the House of Wolves were supposed to be here with the other Fallen Houses, but the Queen attacked them while they were journeying to the Earth."

"Why'd she do that?"

"Back then the Vanguard had approached the Awoken to form an alliance. When the Battle of Twilight Gap broke out, she quickly realized that the House of Wolves was going to aid the Fallen on Earth. It was an act of good will on her part, but she paid with the blood of her people." Diana explained grimly. "I was on board the Amethyst Reef Station when it was attacked by the Wolves. I was nearly killed there and hospitalized for the rest of the war."

"Geez." Tobias cringed at this. "This isn't…where you died, is it?"

"No, I survived. Barely. But my family who was also on that station didn't fare so well. All of them were killed in the massacre." Diana stated almost scornfully. "That wasn't too long after I had joined the Royal Guard, so I was just meeting a lot of them for the first time. And then all of a sudden, they were all gone."

Tobias took note of Diana's hand which she placed on the table. It had been clenched into a tight fist. Glancing up at her face, he could see that her expression had become hard as well.

"I hated the House of Wolves for this. I wanted them all dead. So you would imagine I was happy to hear that we won the Reef Wars. But the Queen shocked everyone by taking in the House of Wolves to serve her. I couldn't believe it, that she could do something like that after they had killed so many of her people." Diana went on as she shook her head. "This part of my life is where I acted like a fool, but I don't regret my actions in the slightest. I couldn't trust the Fallen living the Reef, so I began to attack them. And I was exiled because of this."

"Exiled?" Tobias exclaimed in disbelief, getting a nod from Diana.

"The Queen had already accepted them. She wanted her people to as well, and it was clear that I disappointed her. So I became an example for anyone who didn't trust the Fallen in the Reef." Diana said sharply. "It was almost as if…she trusted the Wolves more than her own people."

"But that turned out to be a big time mistake." Tobias pointed out, getting a nod from Diana.

"I'm sure she regrets that decision now that the Wolves have rebelled against her."

Diana still held a bit of contempt for the Queen. But she would never wish for anything ill against the Awoken. She only wished that the Queen wasn't so thickheaded and had heeded her warning about the Wolves. The Fallen without a Kell are an anarchic group. Diana could only assume that the Queen saw herself as the Kell of the Wolves since their nobility had been decimated during the Reef Wars. But there was no way that the Fallen would kneel before someone that was not of their race.

"So then, how did you die, if you don't mind me asking?" Tobias asked curiously since this was still unanswered.

"It was right after my banishment actually. Was making the trip to Earth, to the Last City actually. But a detachment from the Cabal had been in orbit around Mars, and they shot me down as I was passing. I was crash landed on Mars." Diana explained as Tobias placed his elbows on the table, fully invested in the story. "That's where I died."

She could vividly remember the moments leading up the crash. The control was flashing repeatedly, telling her that various systems in the ship were failing. She was furiously trying to gain some sort of control over her vessel, but to no avail. The surface of Mars grew closer and closer.

"So you just woke up on Mars and you were a Guardian?" He asked.

"…Not exactly." She said with some uncertainty. "There's a blank spot. My Ghost says that it found me an a Cabal war base."

"Dang, in a war base. How the heck did you get out of there?" Tobias exclaimed.

"We had to get off world, and the only ones with ships that we could use were the Cabal. So we hijacked one of their ships and got the hell out of there." Diana explained, causing her Ghost to form beside her.

"I think you're forgetting to mention who heroically guided you through that war base to make sure you didn't get killed again. Not to mention I was also the one who piloted that Cabal Harvester we stole." Her Ghost interjected. Diana raised her hand to push the small drone aside in reply.

"Yeah yeah, same thing." She said, getting a huff from her Ghost.

"It's not. If it weren't for me, you'd still be on Mars, dead most likely." Her Ghost pointed out.

"Fine then, and I also remember that a certain heroic pilot crashed that Cabal Harvester into the ocean when we got to Earth." Diana added as she looked at her Ghost. It looked away in response, vanishing back to where it had been hiding.

"Wow, so that's how you became a Guardian?" Tobias asked as she returned her gaze to him.

"Yup, it was a blessing in disguise."

"How so?"

"I left the Reef looking for a new start. Dying definitely wasn't part of my plan; neither was becoming a Guardian, but hey, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." She said with a small smile.

"Lemonade. I haven't had that in forever either." Tobias noted as he realized they hadn't gotten any drinks.

And once again, their right returned right on cue with their meals. Placing down Diana's salad in front her, and Tobias' plate, Tobias was a bit shocked at what he as looking at.

"Is something wrong?" The waiter asked him, noticing Tobias' expression.

"It's…green." He replied, pointing at his hamburger while he looked up at the waiter. The hamburger meat was green!

"As I was saying earlier, in order to make this substitute, we synthesize the components from what we have available. But I can guarantee you that the taste and texture is exactly the same." The waiter assured him with a warm smile. Tobias raised one eyebrow as he nervously studied the patty.

Green meat…from what he could recall, that was dangerous. But then again, times have changed. And there was no way that this could kill him. Hopefully…

Diana watched with a small snort as Tobias picked up his burger with an unsettled expression and raised it to his mouth to take a bit. It was a small, an exploratory taste, just to see what would happen. He painstakingly chewed for a few moments, and at last he swallowed.

"Hey, not bad." He noted, taking another bite.

"So what can I bring you two to drink?" The waiter asked, pleased that Tobias was enjoying his dinner.

"I'll take a ginger ale, and my friend would like a glass of lemonade." Diana replied, getting nod from their server before he went off to get their drinks.

"So this is a French fry?" Diana asked as she snatched one from Tobias' plate, taking a moment to study it.

"Yeah, how have you never had one?"

"Like I said, potatoes are used very sparingly in the Reef. Frying them is out the question." Diana explained as she tasted it, beginning to frown at it. "Yuck, why is it so salty?"

"That's how they should be." Tobias replied with a chuckle.

"Ugh, you can keep them then." Diana said as she focused on her salad now.

Silence ensued as the two of them ate. Diana ate with her eyes closed, allowing Tobias to study her freely.

He never would've thought that she had been exiled from her home. He could understand the action that she had taken against the Wolves, but to be punished so harshly for it by the Queen. Now it was clear why she seemed to be on edge since they started fighting the Wolves. She had lost everything, including their former life to the Wolves.

Diana must have been out for revenge now. As much as she was wasn't showing it, Tobias could feel it. The malevolence that began to radiate from her whenever she so much as mentioned the Wolves. It was her driving force. He would definitely have to keep an eye on her from this point forward.

"So, can I interest you in dessert now?" Their waiter asked as he collected the plates that held their main course.

"Definitely." Diana replied with a bright smile.

"We have a small selection of sundaes for couples to share if you'd like to try that." The waiter suggested as he took the menu and flipped to the back to show the desserts. At the top was a picture of a bowl of ice cream that was beautifully decorated with all sorts sweets on it.

"Oh, we we're not a couple actu-oh my goodness, that looks amazing!" Diana exclaimed as once she saw the sundae. "We'll have it!"

"Okay then, I'll be back shortly." The waiter said as he left them again.

"Diana, what were you saying just now?" Tobias asked her.

"Oh, I was going to tell him we're not a couple. But there's no way I'm passing on this." She said as she motioned to the dessert they had ordered.

"Wait, so you're not trying to marry me?"

Diana stared at him, completely shell shocked by this question.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Your Ghost, it told me that in the Awoken culture, when a girl asks a guy out, she's trying to marry him." Tobias explained, causing Diana to burst into a fit of laughter, almost falling out of her seat.

"Tobias…this is just dinner. I'm not trying to do anything else to you." She said to him with a smile. "My Ghost is full of crap."

"Yeah, no kidding." Tobias interjected with a huff.

"And sometimes it'll fill people's head with all sorts of garbage." Diana went on. "Do yourself a favor, and take everything it says with a grain of salt."

"Heh, you don't have to tell me twice." Tobias said with a chuckle.

Their sundae arrived, and Diana praised the waiter for how great it looked. Providing each of them with a spoon, the waiter thanked them for coming to their restaurant before leaving the two of them to enjoy their dessert.

"Oh wow, this is awesome." Diana said after having a spoonful. Each of them worked on one side, enjoying every bit of it.

Leaving the spoon his mouth for a moment, Tobias frowned as he watched Diana now. Even though he wouldn't say it out loud, he was a little disappointed that this was dinner and nothing else. What a night though…in fact, he just realized that he hadn't been studying Twilight Gap at all during the last hour or so. He had relaxed quite a bit.

"I'll be right back Tobias, don't finish it without me." She said as she motioned to their dessert.

"Yeah, no problem." He replied a nod as Diana went off to the bathroom.

Once she was inside the facility, her Ghost reappeared, getting a broad grin from Diana.

"You have to tell me where you come up with this stuff." She said to her Ghost, holding her sides as she tried to keep herself from laughing again. "How did you convince him that I wanted to marry him?"

"I can't share my secrets Diana." Her Ghost replied, getting a snort from her. "You could say that it's one of my many talents."

"Oh whatever, I'm just glad we got him to chill out a bit." She said as she raised a hand. "I'd give you a high five but well, you know. Thanks for your help."

"It's never a problem Diana. I aim to please."

Diana and Tobias spent the next two days practicing together. After hearing that Tobias had been working on manipulating Void Light, Diana continued to build up on this with him. Finally, on the fourth night of the battle, Zavala and Niko returned. Shaxx and the Firebreak Order had pressed off the attack from the north, finally forcing the Fallen to retreat from that direction. They were then withdrawn into the City as other Guardians gathered there to maintain control of the area.

Zavala and Niko had been keeping close watch over Shaxx while he was outside of the City, but Skolas was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, the two of them had been drawn into the fighting with how dense the Fallen forces were. The forest was littered with them, so just like Shaxx, they returned from the battle exhausted. And this put Tobias in a bit of a predicament.

He was laying in the center of the bed, Zavala to his left, and Niko on his right. Both of them were out cold, but Tobias was wide awake. Zavala was snoring into one ear, while Niko babbled in his sleep about the Fallen he was fighting. Tobias could tolerate one of these at a time, but he couldn't handle both of these at once.

Diana had taken the night shift for tonight now that Zavala and Niko were back, putting all three of the men in their hotel room at once. And now all of the occupied the bed as well.

'I can't do this!' Tobias said to himself. He was still kicking himself for not asking Diana for her room key before she had left. Now he had no way to enter her room. Or did he?

"For a Warlock to Blink, we enter and exit the Void to travel short distances."

Tobias had gotten the hand of using the Hunter's Blink, but pure speed wouldn't get him through a locked door. Theoretically though, a Warlock Blink would be able to. But he still needed a lot of practice with it. But this was also an emergency!

Slipping out of the bed, Tobias went over to the entrance of their room and opened the door to look across the hall at Diana's room. Visualization is the key. If all of the hotel rooms were the same, then he knew exactly what he had to do. Taking one last look into his own room, Tobias then shut the door and approached the door to Diana's.

"Think of Void Light as a doorway."

Keeping this thought in mind, Tobias shut his eyes and began to summon the Light in front of him. Opening his eyes, Tobias looked at the door in front of him, and a small seam opened down the center of it. Stepping into it, Tobias felt a rush as he entered the Void, a dimension that Diana hadn't really described to him.

Taking a moment to glance around, everything was hazy in every direction he looked. There was nothing noteworthy, like it was an empty room. But keeping Diana's warning in mind, Tobias entered the realm as quickly as he could, stepping out through the second seam that had opened in front of him. He had crossed through, exiting the Void quietly as his portal closed up behind him. Tobias then looked around at the room before curiously opening the entrance to the room.

His room was across the hall. He had done it!

"Yes!" Tobias exclaimed in a whisper after shutting the door. He had actually Blinked into Diana's room. "Man I rock sometimes."

Taking a moment to enjoy the silence that filled this room, Tobias knew for certain that he would have no trouble sleeping here. Quickly diving onto the bed, Tobias found himself a spot that he could sink into before drifting off into sleep.

Diana entered her room with a yawn having completed her rotation. Now she understood why Zavala and Niko were so tired when they came back. Shaxx was one active Guardian, even after returning from two days of non-stop fighting. Diana had traveled all over the City following Shaxx as he met with various Guardians to discuss tactics and update them on the situation. Diana did this all night and well into the morning before Zavala arrived to relieve her.

She couldn't wait to crash on her bed. But her first priority was a quick bath. It wasn't often she had the luxury of a bathtub such as the one in this hotel, and she was going to take advantage of this as much as she could. Removing her Warlock robes in the walkway, Diana stood in nothing but the skintight suit the Guardians wore underneath their armor. Pulling the zipper in front down a good ways, Diana peeled off a bit of it to let out some of heat as she ventured further into her room. Approaching her dresser, Diana began to rummage through it in search of a towel but a groan from her bed gained her attention. Glancing over her shoulder, Diana spotted Tobias curled up on her bed, sound asleep. Her heart practically jumped into her throat.

"T-Tobias!" She hollered, causing his eyes to snap open. He then jumped to his feet on the bed, his arms as if to fight someone. "What are you doing in my room?! How the hell did you even get in here?!"

Tobias only had a moment to get a grasp on his surroundings before his gaze settled on Diana. He then saw that her suit was partially open, revealing more than he needed to see. In response he slapped his hands over his eyes.

"Diana, you're not decent!" Tobias shouted in returned. This caused Diana to look down, realizing that her chest was exposed. "Don't worry, I didn't see anything. And I won't peek either!"

Diana flushed purple at this.

"Just, get out of here!" She roared, pointing at the door.

Tobias took one step with his eyes covered and fell right off the bed with a hard thud. Diana watched as he rose to his feet, using one hand to feel where he was going while the other placed firmly over his eyes.

"Not a word about this, to anyone." Diana said to Tobias who felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn't going to tell anyone to begin with, but now his lips were sealed.

"You, are the two of you alright?" Niko asked curiously as he set down his cola on the table they were seated around. The three of them had gone out for lunch to a small diner, but from the moment they left the hotel, Diana and Tobias failed to contribute to the conversations Niko was trying to spark. "The two of you are acting weird."

Diana blushed a bit, causing Niko to raise an eyebrow as she spotted her purple cheeks. It wasn't often that Diana was embarrassed, and she usually had a comeback for most of his comments. But seeing her remain silent caused a smirk to form on Niko's face. This was an opportunity he would certainly take advantage of.

"You know, now that I think about it, Tobias disappeared last night. I wonder if that has anything to do with it." Niko said as he leaned onto the table. Tobias remained completely stoic, as if this morning had never taken place, but Diana was practically violet. "I get it, the two of you were, busy, huh? She kept you all night didn't she Tobias, right? I heard that the Awoken can-"

Niko became silent as he heard the familiar hum of a fusion rifle charging up. Glancing down, he could see that Diana had the weapon concealed underneath the table, aiming at the Hunter who was seated across from her.

"You so much as say another word, and I'll blast you halfway across the block." She warned him, giving him a threatening stare. Niko pursued his lips in response before giving her a nod. Knowing Diana, she would definitely follow through with that threat regardless of their audience.

The silence between them returned as Diana put away her weapon. This was so awkward.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Diana stated as she rose up, leaving Tobias and Niko at the table. Her trip to the bathroom was short as checked herself in the mirror and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She had regained her composure as she returned to her usual teal color. If Niko found out what happened this morning, she would never hear the end of it. Fortunately, Tobias was tight lipped, so it was up to her if she really wanted to keep this from getting out.

Exiting the bathroom, Diana returned to the table where she could see Tobias and Niko talking animatedly. As she neared them, Niko suddenly gained an expression of disbelief before he howled with laughter. Diana felt her stomach drop at this.

Did Tobias just tell him?!

Arriving at her seat, Niko was silenced almost immediately as he fought to contain his laughter.

"What's so funny?" Diana asked as she looked at each of them, giving them a narrow stare.

"Tobias was just telling me this great story about you." Niko replied as he stifled his laughter. So Tobias did reveal their awkward meeting this morning.

"Oh come Tobias, I thought you could keep a secret." Diana exclaimed as she turned to him.

"Whoa, what are you so upset for?" Niko asked.

"I thought I told you not to tell anyone." Diana said to him, but Tobias remained silent.

"About that? What's the problem? It's happened to me before." Niko pointed out with a grin.

"But you have no shame Niko! There's still a chance that I could end up dating someone in the future." Diana said, leaving Niko dumbfounded.

"Okay, what are you talking about?" Niko asked her, causing Diana to become silent as Tobias looked at her expectantly.

"Uh, what are you talking about?" She asked in return, almost tentatively.

"Tobias was just telling me about how you crashed a Cabal Harvester just to get to Earth. You never told me that." Niko explained as he gave Diana a sly look. "So what are you talking about now?"

"Oh, um…nothing." Diana trailed off as she looked away from him.

"Oh no you don't. You were definitely talking about something, and I want to know!" Niko declared as she rose to his feet, pointing and accusing finger at her.

"It was nothing Niko." Diana insisted, knocking his hand away.

"Tobias, do you know what she's talking about? She can't even look at you, so I know you're involved." Niko said as he directed his attention to his male teammate. But he couldn't get even the slightest reaction from Tobias. His face was completely neutral.

"Nope, I haven't the slightest idea." Tobias replied to Niko's dismay.

"Aww, the two of you are hiding something." Niko said as he shrugged it off. He would find out, eventually.

"Hey guys, check that out." Diana's Ghost said as it formed in the middle of the table. "Things are starting to heat up."

Her Ghost was looking up at the mounted television monitors around the diner, all of which were broadcasting an urgent news report. The scene they were showing was an aerial view showing where a portion of the walls around the City had been destroyed. And the Fallen were flooding into that area.

"Breaking news, we're coming to you live from the northwest sector where the defense line collapsed just moments ago. Citizens in all nearby sectors are to be evacuated immediately. Guardians and soldiers are already on route to the area to contain this as we speak."

From the moment the news anchor had mention that the wall had collapsed, Niko, Diana and Tobias had already left the diner. They didn't have a moment to waste. This was what they had been waiting for. Shaxx's counterattack.

"Ghost, contact Zavala." Diana said to her Ghost as the three of them burst out in the city streets.

"Already on it." It replied as it opened up a private channel between them and the Titan Vanguard.

"Commander, do you copy?" Diana asked.

"Loud and clear Diana. I'm assuming you all are aware that the Fallen have advanced into the City?" He asked in reply.

"Yeah, it's on every TV around here." Niko replied as he looked around the streets. Monitors both big and small were showing the same news report that they had seen in the diner.

"Where's Shaxx?" Tobias asked.

"He's at the Tower currently. His counter attack is about to begin." Zavala replied.

"So what's the plan then?"

"Head directly for the sector that's under attack. Engage the Fallen to give the people evacuating some extra time. We'll meet up from there and begin looking for Skolas." Zavala explained.

"You got it Commander." Diana stated. "We've got our orders boys, let's get moving. Ghost, we need some armor."

"On it!" Her Ghost declared as it summoned her Warlocks robes, placing it directly onto her in a flash. Niko's Ghost did the same for both Niko and Tobias, astonishing the nearby people at the sudden appearance of some Guardians.

"Finally we've got some action." Tobias said eagerly, receiving a nod of agreement from Niko.

"Quick, let's hitch a ride." Niko said as he pointed to the transports above them. There was a station right across the street from them with numerous aircrafts preparing for their departure. It was quite a ways up, but nothing a Guardian couldn't handle. Leaping into the air, they used the side of the building as a boost to make a jump straight to the roof of the transports, landing the roof of one just as it detached from the dock.

The aircraft zipped out into the streets, heading in the general direction that Undaunted was head for. They knew for sure that no transport would take them directly to the sector of the City that was under attack, but if they could use this to shorten their travel time, they would gladly take it. Every moment counted from this point forward.

As the transport rounded a corner, they could see the area that was being stormed by the Fallen. The wall was in shambles, and steadily the surrounding area was going up in spoke as the Fallen pillaged the structures. The transport continued, drawing closer to the area until it finally turned off.

"This is our stop!" Diana called out as the pointed to the low roof a building they were approaching. All three of them fearlessly jumped off the transport, clearing the distance and landing safely on the roof. From there they began to leap from one rooftop to another, charging directly toward the escalating battle.

Feeling his feet touch the ground again, Shaxx looked up to see Consensus Hall looming over him. In an instant his Ghost had warped in him to the large building within the heart of the Last City just as he had requested. He had no time to waste. Things were quickly falling apart on the front lines, and if someone didn't act now, the City would crumble.

"Ghost, open a channel for me with Banshee." Shaxx requested as he dashed into the lobby of the hall, heading straight for the elevators that would take him to the basement levels of the building.

"Yes sir." It replied, quickly following his command. "Here he is."

"Banshee." Shaxx stated, waiting for a response.

"Is that you Cayde?" Banshee responded.

"We don't have time for this Banshee." Shaxx stated as the elevator closed, beginning to drop as it took him below Consensus Hall.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I need access to a particular weapon."

"Is it blue?"

"So you do know what I'm talking about. I want the Thunderlord. All of them." Shaxx stated

"Under any other circumstances I would've said no, but I'm watching the news right now so I'll grant you access. If any of them get damaged though, I'm going to send you the paperwork. It costs big bucks to make these, and the Consensus will wipe my memory banks again if any of these get destroyed." Banshee explained.

"Don't worry; we know how to handle a machine gun."

"You won't be saying that once you've actually used the Thunderlord."

"We'll chat after all of this is over. Have them sent to Consensus Hall, we'll be waiting there." Shaxx stated.

"You've got it."

The channel between the two of them was closed as the elevator opened up in front of Shaxx, revealing a long corridor that led up to a large pair of doors. Racing down the hallway, Shaxx looked at the flame insignia that was imprinted on the doors. The mark of the Firebreak Order.

Stopping in front of the door, he slammed both of his palms into each of them, throwing the doors open so that he could look into the large meeting place of the Firebreak Order. This was old Titan Order, one that was considered to be a radical group by both the Consensus as well as the Vanguard, so they were kept hidden beneath the Consensus Hall. Only in times of peril were they called up.

The large room was dark, lit only by the large monitor on the far wall that displayed the chaos that was taking place within the City. There were dozens of Titans present, all of which were prepared for the fight a head.

"Brethren!" Shaxx roared as they all turned to look at him. "Our time to act is now!"

"This is freakin' crazy!" Niko shouted as he kicked away another Vandal. The sheer number of Fallen was overwhelming as they flooded into the City. He could only assume that the moment the wall collapsed, all of their forces began to funnel themselves into this breach in the Guardian's defenses, making a hard push into the City.

"That's pretty obvious Niko!" Diana hollered in return as she ducked below a swipe from a Dreg, avoiding the electrical blade it was wielding. She then slammed her palm into its torso which sent it flying backward as it was engulfed in Void Light, causing it to explode.

"Watch out!" Tobias called out as he lashed out with his leg at a Vandal that had pounced at Diana from behind. The blow to its head sent it rocketing backward as Tobias landed beside Diana, getting a quick thanks from her as the three of them put their backs together. Drawing their weapons, the three of them began to fire at the horde of Fallen that surrounded them.

They had thrown themselves into the center of the Fallen forces, trying to draw all the attention they could to give anyone that was escaping some extra time. Firing at the Fallen as they closed around them, Undaunted furiously gunned them down.

"I'm empty!" Tobias called out shouted as he stepped back a bit to reload his scout rifle. Niko quickly occupied the spot where Tobias had been, laying down some cover fire with his pulse rifle to keep the Fallen at bay. Two Vandals rushed at them from the direction Niko had been covering, but Tobias was quick to throw down a Vortex grenade to halt their approach.

Removing the empty magazine and slapping in a new one, Tobias quickly shot down the two Vandals as he now took Niko's spot in their little circle.

"Good 'nade Tobias!" Niko called out.

"Thanks for the cover." He replied as he realized that it actually felt like he fit in at the moment.

Back when they were fighting the Wolves on Venus, he didn't really feel like he was fighting with them. It just felt like he was there, taking turns with them as they fought. But now, things felt a little more cohesive, like they were really functioning as a team. Tobias smiled a bit at this thought before noticing that the Fallen had stopped rushing at them.

A Fallen Captain had howled, announcing that their main force had arrived in the City. The three of them looked with wide eyes as the Fallen number seemed to increase tenfold. The streets were tightly packed with them.

"Oh, this is going to be fun." Niko said as the three of them spotted a Walker Tank farther down the street which was marching toward them to take the lead in their attack. On top of this tank was the Fallen Captain who raised its shrapnel launcher to rally the troops around it.

'In the face of overwhelming odds…that's when a hero shines his brightest.'

Tobias felt his blood began to boil. The City was in peril, and here was his chance! The Fallen Captain that had been on top of the tank was suddenly incinerated but a stream of flames. The small embers that remained were swept away by the breeze as all of the Fallen now eyed the trio of Guardians that stood in their path.

Tobias held a flaming pistol which he held up, aimed at where the Captain previously stood.

"Damn, nice shot Tobias!" Diana commented as the firing that surrounded the pistol waned, causing Tobias to frown. He no longer burned himself trying to use Golden Gun, but the most he could squeeze out of it was one shot.

"Yeah, good shot my little one hit wonder!" Niko added with a laugh.

"Oh great." Tobias muttered. Hopefully this nickname wouldn't catch on.

"Guys, focus. We have to do something about that tank. The further it gets in the city, the more damage it'll do." Diana pointed out as the Fallen began to rush forward.

Each of them raised their weapons once again, their fingertips around the triggers as the mobs seemed to become a tidal wave that was going to crash down onto them. But the shell from a rocket launcher came piercing through the air, crashing down onto the front of the enemy forces, stopping their advance for a moment.

The three of them whirled around in search of the source of the rocket, and they were in awe to see what stood behind them. On the rooftops and in the streets, a number of Titans were ready looking down on the Fallen, all of which had a flame insignia somewhere on their armor. The Firebreak Order had arrived. On top of one of the higher buildings was a Shaxx, along with a second Titan who valiantly waved the flag of their Titan Order.

"CHARGE!" Shaxx boomed. And in response, the Titans all gave a shout to the heavens above before they all rushed to engage the Fallen.

The Fallen were bombarded by the Titans, who wasted no time assaulting the Walker Tank. The Fallen foot soldiers only had a moment to realize that their tank had gone down before they were pelted by a sea of blue bullets. Dregs, Vandals and Captains were all gunned down mercilessly by just this single weapon.

"Hah-ha!" This thing is ridiculous!" One of the Titans proclaimed as he held up a large blue machine gun that crackled with electricity. The Thunderlord. "Shaxx always comes through with the best stuff!"

"Come on, let's clear them out of the City!"

"Slaughter every last one of them. If they run, chase them down!"

Diana, Tobias and Niko watched as the Titans came rushing past them, beating back the Fallen with all of their might. Just when it seemed like the Fallen were going to overwhelm them and take the City, Shaxx and the Firebreak Order arrived, mowing down the enemies.

"Come on, let's keep mov-" Diana froze as a familiar Titan ran past her. Time seemed to slow down for her to watch a red faced Exo Titan run pass by her. He had piercing red optics, and antennae protruding from his temples. "I-Iggy?"

Diana took a step forward to chase after him, but someone grabbed onto her forearm to hold her back. Looking back, she discovered that it was Niko holding onto her.

"Niko, didn't you see that?" Diana asked him as she looked forward again in search of the Titan.

"Yeah, I saw him." Niko said.

"It was Iggy. That was Iggy!" Diana said as she tried to rip herself free of Niko's grasp to pursue her lost teammate, but Niko's iron grip held firm.

"That's not the Briggs that we know." Niko stated sternly, causing Diana to stop struggling. He had reminded her that this was the Briggs-6 that took part in the Battle of Twilight Gap. Before he had met either of them.

"But I-" Diana began, but Niko raised a hand to stop he from going any further.

"We can't Diana. There's no telling what could happen if we talk to him." Niko said softly. As much as he wanted to speak to Briggs, they couldn't affect the timeline. And they had a mission to complete. "Come on, let's focus on what we came here to do."

Diana took one last look in the direction her lost companion had run off in, charging into the battle with the other Titans of the Firebreak Order. She took a deep breath, calming herself down before she turned to Niko to give him a nod. Skolas would pay dearly for his crimes. Every last one of them. He wouldn't escape this time.

A/N

I've been having some sleepless nights lately, so I've been writing a lot to make the time pass faster. Good news, I've already written out this arc in its entirety, and I was floored when I checked back and discovered it was well over twenty thousand words. I don't have any cool cliffhangers for it, but believe me it's going to get crazy. Can't wait to post the rest of this. :)

For those of you that are familiar with the lore surrounding the Battle of Twilight Gap, Shaxx fought with Battle Frames during his counterattack. For me though, I felt it made more sense for Shaxx to be leading a radical group of Titans, such as the Firebreak Order, considering the bad blood between him and Saladin. While Saladin was more focused on maintaining the defense of the City, Shaxx took matters into his own hand and made an aggressive move against the Fallen that put him on Saladin's bad side for the direct disobedience. That's just my two cents on the subject and explanation of what I have going on here.

And the 'April Update' is official! Just that Taken shader seems to have kick started the hype train, and I'm already on it! They were slowly losing me, but now I'm right back to my full time Guardian status. Let's hope for the best!