Chapter 18
Flagship
Bridge
The fireteam of Warlocks that Diana and Tobias were temporarily members of now stood before the Warlock Vanguard herself. They all stood up straight, remaining silent as Ikora quietly observing them for several moments. All but one of these Warlocks were eager to demonstrate the results of their mission into the Nexus.
"So who would like to go first?" Ikora asked them, and Axel immediately separated himself from the lineup, a smirk on his mechanical face.
Summoning Arc Light, Axel raised on his hands to look at it as sparks of electricity began to crackle from his palm. Closing his hand into a fist, his entire hand became engulfed in a blue electrical field that quickly expanded to surround his body. Now thrusting both his hands downward, Axel began to levitate as he spun around, showing off his successful activation of Stormtrance.
"Excellent work Warlock." Ikora stated, a smile of pride on her face as she gave him a nod of approval.
The others went on to demonstrate that they could do the same, all of them earning a comment of praise before Ikora. But when they arrived at Tobias, Ikora dismissed everyone else so that she could speak with him privately.
"I had a feeling it would come to this." Ikora stated now, breaking the silence in the room,
"What? Do you mean you knew I couldn't become a Stormcaller?" Tobias inquired.
"Well, I knew you couldn't become one through one meditation." Ikora clarified.
"But why was everyone else able to?"
"It's quite simple actually. None of the other Warlocks contain a source of kinetic energy within them." Ikora explained. "According to the reports both Briggs-6 and Niko left for you, your ability to channel Arc Light is rather…poor."
Tobias shrunk a bit, recalling his training with his two teammates in the past. He still hadn't gotten much better at channeling larger quantities Arc Light, and once again his inability to do so was rearing its little head.
"As I said, you now have a source of kinetic energy within you, the core of the Conductive Mind." Ikora pointed out to him. "Everyone else only needed to learn how to draw out Arc Light from their surroundings in order to use it. You on the other hand, now have Arc Light at your beck and call from the core you possess. What you need to learn however, is how to restrain the flow of energy from the core to stop the overloads I'm sure you've been experiencing."
"Restraint? Why would I need to learn restraint for though?" Tobias asked her.
"Remember, a Conductive Mind powers thousands of Vex units at a time. The type of power you could unleash at once from this core…" Ikora trailed off.
She wasn't really sure what would happen if Tobias didn't restrain himself when drawing out Arc Light from the core.
"There's so much I'd like to understand about you Tobias, but right now we have more important matters to settle. Such as the Hive God that has taken our home from us." Ikora said as she refocused their discussion. "It seems very likely that you and Undaunted will be tasked with killing Oryx, so it's imperative that you become stronger before we return to Earth."
"There's no need to tell me that." Tobias stated, his expression becoming stern. "Oryx has taken more from me than you know. I want nothing more than to make sure he can never take anything from anyone again."
"Whatever Oryx has done to you, channel that anger into strength. You'll need everything you can get to defeat this monster." Ikora stated. "For now though, you and I will meditate together so that you can understand how to put the core of the Conductive Mind to use."
"So what's the plan?" Tobias asked as the two of them stood in one of the vacant hanger bays.
"In order to figure out what we're working with, I want you to replicate what you did on Venus. You have to understand what to do with this energy source within you if you're going to be able to use it properly." Ikora explained to him.
"So…just do what I did on Venus." Tobias repeated, nodding his head. "I can do that."
Taking a few steps away from Ikora, Tobias placed himself at the center of the hanger and took a deep breath. He then shut his eyes, envisioning the core of the Conductive Mind once again, and he found himself standing in front of it. It sparked and sputtered above him as he looked at it, so Tobias raised a hand toward it, drawing out the power it contained.
Ikora took a step back, astonished as Tobias gained a blue electrical field, just like the other Warlocks. But it quickly began to expand in size, blinding her as it became too bright for her to even look at. A gust of wind blew out from Tobias, sweeping Ikora off her feet and throwing her against the wall of the room as the whole room was drowned in the light from him. After a few moments though, it died down as Tobias crumbled to the ground, which allowed Ikora to give a sigh of relief as she slid down to her feet.
But upon touching the floor, she stumbled to her left as the whole ship seemed to turn sideways.
"Switch to auxiliary power!" She heard Zavala bark over the comms.
"It's going be at least a few minutes Commander." One of the operators replied. "Most of the ship's systems have gone offline."
"Did something hit us?" Zavala inquired.
"Can't be, nothing was coming up on our sensors."
"All Guardians, take precautionary actions. Report to the nearest hanger bay and expect opposition." Zavala declared.
"That, will be unnecessary!" Ikora barked over the comms before panic could spread across the entire flag ship. "Guardians, there are no enemies. It was one of our own that is responsible for this power outage. He meant no harm by it."
Glancing at Tobias who laid unconscious on the ground, Ikora couldn't help but marvel at the fearsome power contained with the core of the Conductive Mind. He knocked out the power across the entire ship. But with such power, she was certain that Tobias would be able to topple over the Taken King.
Tobias had no idea he would be in for the most grueling four weeks of his life training alongside Ikora. The Warlock Vanguard was no stranger to hard work, and she made certain that Tobias adopted this same mentality. Being physically tired was one thing. But mental exhaustion was a whole different animal. Trying to tame the Storm within him was more tiring than any of the sessions he had-had with Briggs, not to mention Ikora slave driver!
For hours on end, she had Tobias traverse his mindscape, studying the core of the Conductive Mind intently as he experimented with the flow of energy from it. It was like learning how to drive a car. He had to learn the limits of what he could do. And it took a lot of willpower to try time and again to control the Storm. This task had become far greater than he had imagined, but Tobias was up for the challenge.
Ikora did give him many opportunities to rest, but this times wasn't wasted either. She used this as a chance to further Tobias' knowledge as a Voidwalker. She taught him various ways on how to shape the Void Light. Diana had already taught him this, but after watching Ikora it became evident that every Voidwalker had their own style in the way they shaped and used Void Light. It was like their own signature.
And after a full month of meditation with Ikora, Tobias finally had a breakthrough.
"I…fixed it." Tobias stated suddenly, gaining the attention of Ikora who sat alongside him. Exhaling, the Void Light that had been circling around her dissipated, allowing her to take note of the smile on Tobias' face.
It had taken some time, a long time in fact, but he had found and addressed the source of his problem. The reason the power from the core was so uncontrolled, was that he had broken the pipeline that controlled the flow. There was a valve he had opened the very first time he tried to access the core, but he had opened it all the way and the whole pipe shattered. Ikora explained to him that he would have to repair this pipeline, and in doing so, it would give him greater control over the Arc Light he would be summoning.
Finding the pieces of the pipeline around his mindscape, Tobias repaired it completely, and smiled with pride at his accomplishment. But now the final test remained.
"Excellent. Now that you have a measure of control, try and enter Stormtrance again." She stated, eager to see if his hard work was finally coming to fruition.
Rising to his feet, Tobias took a moment to find his balance. He felt drained now, but there was a small smile of satisfaction on his face. He might actually be able to become a Stormcaller now.
"Here we go." He said, closing his eyes once again. Returning to the core of the Conductive Mind within him, Tobias looked up at the pipeline that he had restored; glad to see that it had remained. All of his effort had paid off. Approaching the value that hung just above the ground, Tobias began to turn it. He only opened it about halfway, but the sudden rush of Arc Light was incredible.
The winds roared to life around him, just like the first time he had attempted this back on Venus. But this time they moved at his command. Raising his arms, the tempest began to close up around him, being gathered into his open hands. Taking control of the Storm, his hands became blue as they began to crackle with electricity that soon covered his whole body. Tobias looked down at his hands, inspecting the blue energy sparkled around them. Then he took another breath, returning to Ikora now.
Opening his eyes, Tobias found himself hovering above the floor. He was floating, bathing the room in a brilliant blue light.
"Superb." Ikora noted as she circled around him. "I think it's clear that all of your meditation has paid off."
Tobias grinned in response, before he rose higher into the air. He was eager to begin experimenting with Arc Light. He had never been able to use it in such a manner. Arc Blade confined this power into the weapon he was using. But with Stormtrance, he was using Arc Light as a weapon of his imagination. Thrusting out his arms, the electricity began to extend from Tobias' hands, dancing around him as he spun.
Ikora raised her eyebrows at this. All of the destructive potential of a Striker, was being wielded like a scalpel through his training as a Bladedancer. The training Tobias had done since his arrival at the Tower was showing. He was going to be a truly amazing Guardian.
But suddenly, the Arc Light around Tobias disappeared, along with his ability to levitate which sent him plummeting to the floor. Hitting the floor with a hard thud, Ikora winced at the impact, but Tobias didn't seem to be bothered by it as he rose up immediately.
"What the heck?" Tobias said as rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't summon any Arc Light from the core.
"What's the matter?" Ikora asked him curiously.
"The core…turned black." He replied. "I think it's empty."
Empty?
Ikora placed her thumb against her chin, drifting into deep thought now. The Conductive Mind recharged Vex units across the system, but obviously they didn't develop this power naturally. The reports she had read about them stated that they gathered at electrical storms on Mars. This was likely the place that they recharged their cores to continue supplying power to the Vex.
And this probably meant that Tobias would have to do the same.
"Are you serious?" Tobias exclaimed after Ikora shared her thoughts with him.
"You can't draw out any more power from it, can you?" She asked him in return. Tobias frowned a bit.
"Nope." He said, shaking his head. "So I can't be a Stormcaller if the Core is empty?"
"That seems to be the case."
"And to recharge it, I have to go to Mars?"
"It's the only location we have access to that these electrical storms take place. And with the Dreadnaught lying in our path to Mars, I highly doubt you'll be able to go there for the time being." Ikora explained to him, earning a deep sigh from Tobias.
"Crap." Tobias muttered as this information sunk in. He had been working tirelessly to become a Stormcaller, but after all of this, he would have to make this power an afterthought now that he couldn't use it.
And not only that, but Zavala had recently left with the Titans to head down to Mercury to undertake the trial to become Sunbreakers. All of his new avenues were becoming dead ends.
"So what do I do now?" Tobias asked himself softly. It had been almost a month since he had last practiced with Carmen, but going back to the basics with her was likely the only option he had at this point.
"I wouldn't think to hard Tobias. All ends are beginnings." Ikora stated as she motioned to the entrance of the hanger they were in. A pair of Hunters stood there, Niko and Carmen.
Getting back on his feet, Tobias gave them a wave as they joined him and Ikora.
"Long time no see guys." Tobias said to them.
"Yeah, it's been a while hasn't it." Niko noted as he and Tobias bumped fists as a greeting. He couldn't help but look down at Carmen though was practically shaking as she looked up at Niko expectantly.
"What brings you down here?" Tobias asked as he returned his gaze to Niko.
"Well I actually I just finished my-" Niko began, but Carmen interrupted him.
"Niko is officially a Nightstalker, and Cayde gave anyone who completed the training permission to share the sub-class with anyone they want to." Carmen exclaimed before motioning to herself and Tobias. "And that means us!"
Tobias snorted at Carmen's energy, glad that she was so excited about this.
"Awesome, what's it like being a Nightstalker?" Tobias asked.
"It's freakin' awesome." Niko replied, giving him a grin. "I'm telling you man, you're going to love it."
"So what are we waiting for then, let's get started." Carmen hollered now that they had gotten Tobias on board for the training as well.
"We're heading up to one of the hanger bays on the upper deck." Niko said his Ghost shared the location with Tobias' Ghost. "You can meet us there since that munchkin over there is going to blow a fuse if I make her wait any longer."
"What'd you call me?!" Carmen exclaimed, causing Tobias to stifle a laugh.
"Yeah, I'll be there soon." Tobias stated, waving to them as they left.
Now that the pair of Hunters had left them, Tobias turned back to Ikora who raised her brow at him.
"So that's it, my training is just over?" He asked, raising his shoulders.
"As a Stormcaller, perhaps." She replied. "But you're training as a Guardian will always go on."
Tobias gave a nod of agreement.
"Yeah, I suppose. Thanks for putting up with me." He said, giving her a two fingered salute before heading out as well. Ikora was right, his training would continue indefinitely, and boy did he have a lot to do.
Upper Deck
Hanger Bay
"Holy crap." Carmen said softly as she and Tobias stared at Niko in awe. The tall Hunter stood proudly with a smirk on his face, arms outstretched as he looked at them.
"I take it you guys like what you saw." Niko said to them.
"That bow and arrow thing is awesome!" Carmen shouted as she mimicked what Niko had done when using the Shadowshot.
"No way, the shadow step thing is where it's at!" Tobias exclaimed as the two of them went back and forth for a few moments.
"Teach me everything!" Carmen barked at Niko, eager to begin.
"Geez, I'm going to. Just chill out a bit." Niko said, motioning for her to tone it down just a bit. "So here's the first thing you'll want to know."
Niko raised one hand, showing them his empty palm. Then he closed his hand, and for a brief moment they could see a flash of purple light shine through the openings between his fingers. He opened up his hand once again, showing them a small orb that seemed to be filled with a green smoke. Skillfully he tossed it up, and positioned his index finger for it to land perfectly on the tip of his nail.
"This is your new best friend, the smoke bomb." Niko begin with a grin. "There are two types that you can use. One is used to trap your enemies; the other is an escape method. All you to do is-"
Niko threw the small orb at Carmen and Tobias which erupted when it hit the floor, releasing a large cloud of dark green gas. A moment passed before the two of them burst out from the smoke, coughing, hacking and cursing at Niko who laughed.
"Pretty cool, right?" Niko asked, receiving a glare from the two of them.
"Pretty cool my ass!" Carmen shouted as she whipped out one of her throwing knives from the holster on her bicep. But in response, Niko summoned a second smoke bomb which he threw at his own feet. A plume of white smoke rose from the floor concealing Niko from sight, but once it cleared away, he was gone.
"Whoa, where'd he go?" Tobias asked as they looked around the room for their instructor. There wasn't even a trace of Niko. Feeling something tap his shoulder, Tobias whirled around quickly to discover that now Niko stood behind, wearing a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"What do you think of that one?" He asked them. "The second various I talked about, grants you invisibility for a short period of time. Look how easy it was for me to sneak up on you guys."
"Oh man, this just keeps getting better." Tobias said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. This sub-class just kept getting better, and Tobias was going to master this one and put it to use.
"Wow Tobias, I'm honestly pretty impressed." Niko said to Tobias who lowered the purple bow he held, admiring the small vortex that had been left behind from using Shadowshot.
Niko could recall when he had first started training Tobias that Diana had mentioned that he was natural at using Void Light. And it showed with the quick progress he made understanding the Nightstalker sub-class. What had taken Hunters under Cayde's tutelage two months to learn, Tobias understood in days.
"This crap is stupid!" Carmen shouted as she threw her bow to the ground and kicked it away.
Like most of the other Hunters, Carmen didn't have a natural affinity to Void Light. It was something she had never used before, and she struggled to use it. She was accustomed to empowering her weapons with Arc or Solar Light. But to use the Shadowshot, she had to create a bow entirely of Void Light, as well as the arrows she would be shooting. It was a lot to get the hang of, and watching Tobias make quick work of it only added to her frustration.
"Carmen, do you want a hand?" Tobias offered her. Carmen raised one hand, summoning a new bow before she glanced at Tobias.
"No." She stated sternly, determined to get a handle on this by herself. Tobias raised his eyebrows at this before looking back at Niko who motioned for him to leave her alone. Carmen was still very young, full of pride, and a Hunter. It was no surprise that she didn't want anyone's help.
"So I heard we're just a few days out from the Reef." Tobias said to Niko as he positioned himself beside his instructor as the two of them watched Carmen practice at the center of the hanger.
"Man, I hope we get another audience with the Queen." Niko said, looking up as he recalled the image of Mara Sov. Tobias rolled his eyes in response.
"Has the Vanguard come up with a plan to fight Oryx?" Tobias asked. Ikora had told him that he and fireteam Undaunted would likely be the ones to be tasked with killing Oryx. The question was how they were going to pull off such a feat?
"I haven't heard anything yet, but I'm sure the Vanguard is working on something. We just have to keep doing what we're going. Sharpen our skills, so that the next time we have to rumble, we'll hit Oryx so hard he won't know what hit him." Niko said, giving Tobias a grin which he returned.
Asteroid Belt
The Reef
10 Hygiea
The journey to the Reef took four months. Four long months, but the all of the remainder Guardians and their Traveler had finally arrived at their destination.
The domain of the Awoken was now their home since the Earth had been lost to Oryx. But even though they had been accepted into the home of the Awoken, mankind wasn't received with open arms. They were outsiders after all, desperate for a haven.
The asteroid 10 Hygiea had been hollowed out by the Awoken long ago, and converted into an enormous settlement for their people. But under the direction of the Queen, all of the people living here were to find residence elsewhere in the Reef for them to accommodate the humans. There was ample space for everyone, but there was so much for them to get used to. The rations they had brought with them from Earth were almost done, and unlike Earth, there wasn't an endless amount of land to grow crops.
It was much colder out here as well considering their new distance from the sun, not that they could see it living in an asteroid. And artificial light didn't feel the same as sunlight.
But as difficult as it might have been to adapt, this didn't stop mankind from working. They had to make the best of their current situation, quietly hoping that one day in the near future, they would be able to return to their home planet.
4 Vesta
Vestian Web
Palace
Mara Sov was seated on her throne, one leg crossed over the other as she observed a gathering that she never would've imagined taking place before her. The Guardians and the Awoken were working together no in face of a threat greater than anything this part of the galaxy had ever seen.
Leaning back, Mara looked down her nose at the Guardians as the Paladins led them up to the base of her throne. She immediately recognized the only woman among them, Ikora Rey, respected by her peers and feared on the battlefield. Then she looked toward the Awoken man that stood at the front of the group. Commander Zavala. While she didn't show it, she was pleased to see her people rising up in position outside of the Reef.
Then her gaze settled on the Speaker. He was certainly a mysterious man. None of their spies in the Last City had seen his face, or even knew his name. Mara wasn't quite sure what to think of this man, but his presence was somewhat disturbing. It didn't feel the same as the Guardians, yet it was just as powerful. She couldn't really explain it, but something felt off about that man.
The two remaining members of the group, Cayde and Eris, Mara didn't have a chance to study as her attention was drawn to Ikora.
"Your Grace." Ikroa said as stepped forward along with Eris, bowing respectfully to the Queen. Zavala and the Speaker also addressed her, kneeling down as well. But when it was Cayde's turn, the Hunter Vanguard took a hold of the edges of his cloak as though it were a dress and curtseyed before the Queen. Uldren wrinkled his nose upon seeing this.
"You will address the Queen with proper respect." Uldren sneered at Cayde who smirked at him with response. "You should be grateful that she accepted you into our realm."
"I seem to remember there being a deal in place between us." Cayde pointed out as he motioned to both parties that were present. "We, the ever so heroic Guardians, protect you, from Oryx. And we, get to live on one of your fancy space rocks."
"Rocks?!" Uldren hissed at Cayde's comment, beginning to step down from his spot beside the throne. "Each of these rocks is a utopia!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever puts a smile on your face." Cayde replied off handily as he stepped over to Zavala. "Although, it doesn't look like much would do that, am I right Zavala?"
Zavala in turn, stared at him in a deadpan.
"Brother, enough." Mara stated as Uldren had taken another step toward Cayde, closing any distance between them as he glared holes into the Hunter. Uldren's hand was on the sidearm that was strapped to his waist, and he was clearly tempted to put it to use.
"Cayde, we have more pressing matters to attend to." Zavala added, motioning for him to set things straight with Uldren. Cayde turned back to Uldren now, tilting his head a bit. Cayde raised a hand, and slapped the shoulder of the prince, causing Uldren to inhale sharply, his glare darkening. But Cayde then stepped back, motioning for him to return to his position beside Mara.
"Right. Our biggest concern being, what can we do to defeat Oryx?" Ikora said, addressing the issue at hand. "During our journey here, we discussed quite a few plans, but all of them lead down a path of uncertainty. We need something full proof."
"What had you considered so far?" Mara inquired as she straightened up in her seat, becoming invested in the discussion.
"Through my studies of Toland's notes from the World's Grave, I found a recording of an event when Oryx was defeated by the Traveler's Light." Eris explained to them. "Our goal is to replicate that, but deliver the killing blow to Oryx this time."
"And how do you know that this is possible?" Uldren asked her, folding his arms in front of her.
"We don't." Ikora revealed to them. "According to Eris, the Traveler is incapable of doing this for us due to the Hive being in possession of a shard of it, and they are also using it to drain the Traveler of its power. So until this issue is addressed, our only plan is still a dead end."
"So this is what you intend to gamble on? Your broken god?" Uldren asked them.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Cayde asked in return, giving him a narrow stare. Uldren remained silent for a few moments, closing his eyes as he stifled a laugh. Then he looked at them all with a straight face.
"We had a feeling you would turn to your Traveler. Our libraries said you would." Uldren stated, surprising them.
"How did you…come to that?" Ikora asked as Uldren once again came down from beside his sister, walking through the group of the Guardians.
"We have a bit of information that I'm sure you all would like to see." Uldren said as he invited them to follow him.
Origin Libraries
The massive Awoken archive was truly and incredible sight to behold. There were various sections, each of them dedicated to a variety of subjects, but at the central area of the library was a tall chamber which was recognized by the public for its thorough history of the Awoken, from their conception during the Collapse, to the Guardians most recent success against the House of Wolves. Everything was there.
But at the center of the chamber was an elevator that was always under the watch of a pair of Paladins. Only those with the proper clearance could use this elevator which connected to the small room where everything that Osiris had recorded was held. His teachings, his discoveries, his thoughts and opinions. It was a wealth of information and knowledge.
Stepping out from the elevator, the group that had gathered before Queen Mara Sov with the exception of Cayde, now stood in the dimly lit room, the only light source being the information hub at the against the wall of the room. Glancing around, the Guardians quickly took note that on each of the walls, the symbol of an open eye had been etched into them. The same symbol that had been on Vance's garments.
"Osiris' followers created this to retain what he had discovered after he disappeared." Uldren explained to them as he guided them over to the hub that functioned as a database for everything in the room.
The Speaker felt rather unsettled knowing that, in order to defeat Oryx, the Vanguard was turning to Osiris. Even though they weren't contacting this Warlock directly, relying on information that Osiris had gathered still made him feel uneasy. There was a reason Osiris had been exiled.
"Oh man, just when I thought this place couldn't get any cooler!" A loud voice exclaimed, causing the group to glance back at the only entrance to the room. Stepping out from the elevator was the members of fireteam Undaunted, though they lacked Tobias, but in his place was Cayde.
"Who called them?" Uldren inquired as he studied the three Guardians that approached them.
"Well considering these guys are likely going to be the ones to get all the big missions that are coming up, I figured it'd be a good idea for them to get familiar with all of this stuff too." Cayde explained, scratching the back of his neck.
"I didn't give them clearance." Uldren noted. The Paladins above wouldn't have allowed any of them to enter this sanctum without authorization.
"Oh right, you can have this back now." Cayde said as pulled out the badge that was shaped like the sigil of the Awoken Royal Guard. Uldren quickly raised a hand to his shoulder, searching for his badge that was always pinned to his shoulder pad. That badge granted him full access to any area within the Reef, although with his status as the Awoken Prince, he would've been allowed to go wherever he pleased.
"When did you?" Uldren began, but Cayde raised a finger to silence him.
"A good Hunter never reveals his tricks." Cayde responded, causing Uldren to bite down on his lower lip. He then snatched his badge from Cayde and returned it to its usual location.
"Where is Tobias?" Ikora asked as they all stood together now.
"He had some, private, business to attend to." Niko explained with a small chuckle. "He won't be joining us."
"Private business my ass." Carmen muttered, aware of what Tobias was actually up to. Diana gave her a nudge with her elbow and a shush, causing Ikora to raise an eyebrow. What could possibly be more important than the threat of Oryx?
"Alright Guardians, here is the first entry from Osiris regarding Oryx and the Hive." Uldren said out loud, gaining everyone's attention. "According to the date, this passage was about his findings on the arrival of the Hive."
The hub began to project a hologram of nothing but a flat line, but it became crooked and pointy as Osiris cleared his throat, moving in response to his voice.
"There is much about the Darkness that we don't understand, such as, what is truly the Darkness?" Osiris began. "The Fallen never struck me as a truly evil force, but they have been the prevalent force on the Earth since the Collapse. But now, I believe that we have really had our first encounter with the Darkness."
Everyone was completely silent now, waiting as the recording continued.
"These creatures that have been referred to as the Hive. The malice you can feel emanating from them, it's not the same presence you feel from the Fallen. You can truly feel the Darkness within these beings…it smothers your Light." Osiris went on. "And when they invaded Earth, we quickly realized that these were indeed a true threat to our survival. Their first attack has become recognized as the Battle of Burning Lake, where we did prevail over them. But the Consensus has given out an order for the Guardians to carry out a counterattack against, to squash whatever forces they have on the Moon. However, this is an enemy that we have never encountered in our history following the establishment of the Last City."
Ikora gave a small nod of agreement. Any and every Warlock knew that in order defeat an enemy, possessing an understanding of them would give you a vital advantage. This was one of the most basic, and widely taught tactics among Warlocks.
The recording came to an end, but the hub quickly located the next entry to follow up from where Osiris had left off.
"It took a great effort on my part to delay the counterattack that the Consensus had ordered. Fortunately, I had others who agreed with me, such as Shaxx. If not for their assistance, I wouldn't have had an opportunity to come to the Moon. I've been up here for roughly three weeks now, and once again, I wasn't the only one who thought it would be a good idea to research the Hive." Osiris explained to them. "Toland has been here since we first encountered the Hive on Earth. He traced them up to Earth's Moon, and has been following them closely ever since. Together now, we've been studying them and sharing our findings. What we've found though, could be the end of the Light."
The Guardians seemed to lean forward a bit, anxious to hear where this was going.
"The Hive have been preparing an invasion force to lay waste to the Earth. The Battle of Burning Lake wasn't even a fraction of what they've been preparing on the Moon. But that is just the beginning. One of their gods is among them on the Moon."
"That has to Crota." Ikora suggested, getting a nod from Zavala. Both of them could recall that the Guardians effort to eliminate the Hive on the Moon had been stomped out by Crota, going down in the history books as the Great Disaster. The Moon had been declared off limits after this event.
"I must admit that Toland is a very brave man. He has fearlessly ventured down in their necropolis beneath the surface numerous times to study the Hive Arcana. Through his studies, he has confirmed for me that the god among them is one of their Big Three that rests at the top of their hierarchy. This one is known as Oryx."
"Oryx?" Zavala said as he looked toward Ikora. "We didn't have any recordings of Oryx's presence within the Moon."
Ikora shushed the Titan Vanguard though. She didn't want to miss anything from this point forward.
"If I had to be honest, initially I wasn't sure what to do to fight such a foe. We had prevailed against the foot soldiers of the Hive, but what could we do in the face of one of their gods?" Osiris asked himself. "But one of my close associates, a special Guardian that goes by the name of Tobias, rid me of my sense of despair. He shared with me that he had been alive during the Collapse, and that he had been there to witness the Traveler unleash a power that forced Oryx to retreat. There is a way to defeat Oryx."
The Speaker remained silent at this, recalling Tobias' close association with Osiris. He always had a feeling that Osiris was responsible for Tobias' disappearance.
"Tobias even requested that he be the one to face Oryx. I wouldn't dear put such a task on a single person, but Tobias is different from other Guardians. He possesses the Radiant Light, or you could say that he contains the source of the Light. His body is a Vessel for the Light, similar to the role the Traveler previously had." Osiris explained. "The power Tobias' holds, is unimaginable. He has yet to truly delve into himself, but he seems to be certain that he can replicate what the Traveler had done to Oryx. But…the Light fluctuates around him…almost as if it's being drained from him. I fear that this could ultimately sway the outcome of his upcoming battle with Oryx."
This entry ended, and a new one opened up, and everyone could hear a noticeable difference if Osiris' tone. He was distraught. Something must have happened.
"It has been nearly two weeks since Tobias journeyed into the Moon, and not a soul has heard from him since. Toland has been able to confirm that Tobias did fight Oryx, to a standstill in fact. He dealt a great blow to Oryx that forced him to flee. I feel as though, this would have been his absolute victory if not for the hindrance he carries. Tobias' whereabouts are still unknown, and I now know that Oryx will return one day. He was defeated not once, but twice by the Light. He will return with a vengeance."
This recording came to an end, and there wasn't any to follow, allowing the Guardians to sort through this information.
"So Ikora, what do you gather from this?" The Speaker asked, causing all eyes to turn to the Warlock Vanguard. Ikora took a moment to return the Speaker's gaze as she folded her arms in front of her chest, deep in though.
"It seems as though, our hope lies with Tobias." She stated.
"How do you figure that?" Carmen asked.
"If what Osiris said is true, the super weapon that we envisioned the Traveler using, is now resting within Tobias." Ikora explained to them. "Tobias tried to replicate, and it seems as though he found some success since he did force Oryx to retreat."
"I've seen Tobias in combat myself. I understand that he has a special role among the Guardians, but he has yet to do anything that would make me believe he could take down Oryx." Uldren commented.
"Osiris also said that Tobias hasn't delved too deep into this power he has. Based on that, there is potential for him to reach new heights." Ikora pointed out to Uldren.
"I agree." Zavala spoke up. He could clearly remember when Tobias engaged Skolas, displaying combinations that Zavala didn't think were possible. Tobias was not to be taken lightly.
"I still have my doubts." Uldren stated.
"You shouldn't underestimate these Guardians brother." Mara added, speaking for the first time since they arrived at the Origin Libraries. "You seem to forget that it was these warriors that scattered those treacherous Wolves."
Uldren exhaled as he turned back to the hub. It wasn't often his sister would vouch for a foreigner, but in such a case, he knew it was best not to speak against it.
"And it seems you're not taking into account that Osiris is handicapped as well. Commander Zavala showed us that Tobias is capable of fighting a Fallen Kell to a standstill despite this. Just imagine what he could be capable of if we find a way to remove it." The Speaker said to the group.
This caused everyone to become quiet as they took a moment to think about this. What was Tobias truly capable of?
Ikora though, gave the Speaker a narrow stare. The suspicions she had about this man were quickly piling up. It was clear that he knew more than he was willing to admit…
10 Hygiea
Tobias felt his chest become tight as he caught a glimpse of Trisha out of the corner of his eye. She was smiling vibrantly, and this was enough to distract him momentarily, causing him to fall behind the tempo the two of them had been playing too.
"Hah, I knew I'd getcha." Trisha exclaimed as she leaned back with a sigh of relief, lifting her fingers from the piano keys in front of them. They had been playing on a grand piano that had been placed next to the balcony of Trisha's apartment that had been left behind by whoever had lived here previously. "I'm a bit surprised though Tobias, I didn't think you of all people would know how to play piano."
"Neither did I." Tobias noted, shocked with himself as well.
When Tobias had first arrived at her home earlier, he found Trisha serenading Cody on this marvelous instrument. Tobias watched as she sang to Cody, slowly leaning back and forth, swaying to the song. Trisha had been playing by herself until she popped an innocent question. 'Have you ever played the piano Tobias?'
Inviting him to sit beside her on the small bench, she showed him a few of the basics, naming a key here and there for him. But as they began to play, Tobias' hands just began to move on their own. As Trisha played the melody, Tobias complimented her perfectly with the harmony. It was like he was an expert, but as far as Tobias could recall, he had never played the piano before. And yet, here he was keeping pace with Trisha was a pianist back on Earth.
"You know, I never really though Guardians did stuff like this Tobias." Trisha said to him as their eyes met. "I always thought of you all as soldiers. I didn't really think you all had a personal life."
Tobias though couldn't hear a word she was saying. There was something about this woman that was driving him crazy!
He knew her from somewhere. His hear fluttered every time she smiled. And when they played the piano, it felt as though he had done this hundreds, if not thousands of times with her, but there was no way that this was possible. So why did he feel like this…?
"Hello~, earth to Tobias?" Trisha said, waving a hand in front of his face.
"Huh?" Tobias exclaimed in response to being snapped out of his thoughts.
"Are you okay?" She asked him, curious as to where his mind had drifted to.
"Uh, sorry, I just got distracted." He replied.
"By what?" She pressed, leaning toward him a bit. Tobias looked away from her, in search of an answer.
"What about Cody? How well does he play?" Tobias asked her, glancing out on the balcony where the small body had been seated, listening to them play. Upon hearing his name being called, he jumped to his feet and came in to know what was happening.
"Oh, he's not too big a fan of the piano." Trisha admitted, smiling at her son.
"My hands are still too small." Cody replied as he climbed onto the bench now as well, wedging himself between them.
"Don't worry sweetie, when you get bigger it'll get easier." Trisha assured him, placing a small kiss on Cody's forehead.
Tobias inhaled sharply at the sight of this, his chest becoming so tight that it hurt! Why was this woman tugging at his heart so easily? He just couldn't figure out the reason. But it made him determined…to protect her.
Smiling at them, Tobias rose from the bench and stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked the street below. He could see the people of Earth doing whatever they could to adjust to their new lifestyle in the Reef. There were complaints, cases of homesickness, and thoughts of what was left behind for Oryx's horde. Everyone wanted to go back home.
Tobias wanted to help everyone. To see all of them return to their home.
He was going to do everything he could to make that happen.
"So Carmen, do you know why I contacted you?" Saladin asked the teenager that walked alongside him. The two of them were currently traveling down the corridor of an apartment building.
"Well I thought you wanted to talk, but I guess not now." Carmen replied as she looked away from Saladin. There had been nothing but silence between them since they had met earlier.
Saladin gave her a small glance, hoping to make eye contact with her, but she was looking the other way. She had been so kind to him when they were reunited, but now she was becoming edgy around him again. It was like when he had been training her as a Guardian. The two of them were always at odds, and it looked like they were returning to that status again.
"Mmm, actually, I didn't want to spoil anything for you." Saladin admitted, but this didn't get any sort of reaction from her. Arriving at the door they had been searching for, apartment B26, Saladin knocked on the door frame.
There was a moment of silence for the door slid open, revealing an attractive young woman. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with short brown locks and long eyelashes. Carmen almost felt like she was looking in a mirror that made her look a little more mature, and slightly taller. This young woman stared at Carmen for a few moments, tilting her head a bit. Saladin smirked a bit as the two stared at each other, and then he cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, looking toward Saladin, but her gaze quickly returned to Carmen. "I just uh, you…you look a lot like me! I thought I was going crazy for a second."
"You're telling me." Carmen muttered.
"So, you must be Maria, correct?" Saladin asked her. Finally she looked up at him and maintained eye contact.
"Yeah, that's right." She replied tentatively. "Can I help you?"
"We're from the Vanguard. One of our associates contacted you about a day ago to arrange a meeting for us with you and your mother." Saladin explained to her, causing her expression to lighten up at this.
"Oh crap, that completely slipped my mind." She exclaimed, palming her forehead. She then moved aside, motioning for them to step in. "Come on in."
"Thank you." Saladin said, although he could only raise an eyebrow as Maria left them to go further into the apartment.
"Jefa, we have visitors!" Maria barked into one of the doorways, causing Carmen and Saladin to share a confused glance.
"What'd I tell you about calling me that!?" Another voice shouted in a return. As Saladin and Carmen came further into the apartment, an older, probably in her fifties stepped out of the doorway, shooting Maria a glare. "How old are you chica? Address me with some respect."
Maria motioned to the Saladin and Carmen who were standing in the doorway, causing the woman to look toward them. Her expression softened at the sight of Saladin, but as her gaze came to Carmen, she froze. Then she gasped softly, dropping the data pad she held. Were her eyes deceiving her?
The curly brown hair, dark eyes and round face.
"I-I don't believe it." She said in a whisper as she approached Carmen. Reaching out as she drew closer, the woman placed a hand on Carmen's shoulder and used her other hand to caress her cheek, as if to check to see if she was real person.
Carmen was bit unnerved by the sudden contact between them, leaning backward a bit. But she was quickly trapped in hug from this woman who held her tightly. This prompted Carmen to starting questioning everything as she looked toward Saladin.
"What's going on?" She asked him.
"Mom, what the heck are you doing?" Maria exclaimed, confusion evident on her face. She was just as lost as Carmen was. Her mother was never so friendly with strangers. And her confusion only increased as her mother stepped back from Carmen, revealing the tears that were traveling down her cheeks.
"Seriously, what's the matter with you?" Carmen asked her as Carmen took a small step backward, unsure of what to expect.
"You don't…remember me, do you?" She asked Carmen, becoming a bit distraught when Carmen shook her head. "I'm your mother, Victoria."
Everyone remained silent for a moment as Carmen donned a neutral expression, letting this all sink in.
"How could you…?" Carmen began as she looked up.
"Carmen, hurry!" Her mother hollered to her from the back entrance of the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, a small girl in her arms.
Carmen still vividly remembered the day the Fallen had attacked the small settlement she lived in during her early childhood. She could recall her mother's face as she desperately screamed to get Carmen to leave the house with her. This was that same woman standing before her now. This was her mother.
"M…Mom?" Carmen said softly. That one word made her mother's heart rejoice as she embraced Carmen once again.
"Oh, my baby, I thought I'd never see you again!" Victoria exclaimed as she hugged Carmen even tighter this time, shaking her a bit as well.
"Wait a second, so this is my sister!?" Maria shouted over the commotion, gaining the attention of Carmen and Victoria. "But I thought you said she died with dad?"
"I thought she had too, but…this is her. I just know it." Victoria said before looked toward Saladin. Obvious this man knew the answer.
"So is this why you brought me here?" Carmen asked as all eyes were the large Titan.
"Yes. And you were right Victoria, this is your daughter." Saladin stated, causing Victoria to smile warmly as she looked toward Carmen once again, taking in an eyeful of her daughter. She had grown quite a bit since she had last seen her, but just looking at Carmen made it feel like she was looking at a seventeen year old version of both Maria, and herself.
The reunion between the three of them went forward without a hitch as Carmen and Maria began to speak to each other animatedly, getting to know each other. As the two of them became engrossed in their conversation, Saladin and Victoria went into one of the rooms to have a private discussion there.
They stood in silence for a few moments, allowing Saladin to scan the room slowly. Quickly though, his eyes settled on a heavy machine gun that was resting in the corner of the room. A small smirk formed on his face as he realized that Victoria still couldn't part ways with this weapon.
"So, can you explain what happened for me?" Victoria asked him.
"Explain what?"
"How my daughter got here? Why is she so young? What happened to her?" Victoria showered him with questions, all of which she wanted to be answered.
"Okay, slow down for a moment. And we'll start from the beginning." Saladin said as he motioned for her to calm down. "She returned to the Last City above two weeks ago. I spoke with her Ghost privately, and apparently they had been traveling through time."
"So…that's why she disappeared after the Battle of Twilight Gap?" Victoria asked him, receiving a nod from Saladin.
"She trained with me until she turned seventeen, which was just before the Battle of Twilight Gap. Near the end of the battle, she had been tracking a fireteam that went through a time portal, and she followed them." Saladin explained to her. "But she is back now, safe and sound."
"She's so young? Did she stop aging at some point?" Victoria asked him, arriving at the true subject of their conversation. Carmen was her first born child, yet she was younger than her sister Maria.
Saladin sighed at this. He knew their conversation was headed in this direction.
"No, she hasn't stopped aging."
"But she's been gone for almost twenty three years. She should be almost thirty yet she's seventeen!" Victoria pointed out to him.
"As I said, she traveled to the future. She came from Twilight Gap, to this point in time. What might have been just a few minutes to her was...years for the rest of us." Saladin explained, reminding Victoria of how Carmen had come back to them.
"So then, with all of that time, have you all found a way to cure our condition?" Victoria asked him now, straight faced.
"Even with all of the time we've had to study the Light, we may have to accept that not everyone can be immortal like the Guardians." Saladin stated, causing Victoria to shake her head in disappointment. "I know this hurts, but even after centuries of studying the Traveler, and the Light, there's still so much we don't know."
"How long does we have then?"
"There's no timetable. Not to mention Carmen is the outlier here. Unlike you and Maria, her Light is in use thanks to her Ghost. She's in excellent condition right now, so we can only assume the best. But if her condition ever starts to deteriorate, that is when her time is beginning to run out." Saladin explained to her. Victoria drew a deep breath, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. No matter how much she didn't want to accept her, the death of both her and her children were inevitable.
Returning to the living room, they found the two girls still chatting happily. Victoria felt her chest become tight at the sight of both her daughters in the same room, laughing with each other as they spoke. She had thought that she would never see a scene like this. Feeling selfish though, Victoria became determined to see this scene all the time.
"And just so you know Carmen, when you're calling mom, you have to call her jefa." Maria informed Carmen who furrowed her brow.
"What does that mean?" She asked.
"It means boss lady."
"Why would you call her that?"
"Believe me, once you get to know our mom, you'll know why." Maria said with a laugh.
"Maria, stop filling her head with crap." Victoria said to Maria who stuck her tongue out at her mother. Victoria then went over to Carmen, taking a seat beside her on the sofa. "So Carmen, when are you going to move in with us?"
"Why would I do that?" Carmen asked her in return. Victoria blinked a few times at her response, clearly caught off guard.
"Don't you want to live with us?" Maria jumped in.
"I can't do that. I'm a Guardian. My first and only priority is to protect humanity, and preserve the Light." Carmen said, and then she added off handily. "And if I become a legend in the process I'm not going to complain."
"But you don't have to do that." Victoria said as she shook her head. "You can come live with us Carmen, and relax every day, do normal stuff, that isn't dangerous."
"I'm sorry mom, but I can't do this. I've heard from so many people that no one from Earth is happy living in the Reef. And I already heard you don't like it here either." Carmen pointed out, causing Victoria to glance at Maria who looked away from her. "Now I'll bet that I'd be really happy living with the two of you, but…that's pointless if we're living here. We're not home. Our home is on Earth, and right now, I want to do everything in my power to bring you guys back to it."
Victoria leaned back into the sofa, exhaling at this.
"This chica is so stubborn. But I guess you got that from me." Victoria noted before she looked back at Carmen. "I know you've got a fire inside you, that wants to do great things. I won't you hold you back. But just remember, when you get into trouble, I've got your back."
"Yeah, and make that double for me." Maria added as she and Victoria embraced Carmen together.
Origin Libraries
Diana stood alone in the sanctum that had been dedicated to Osiris with in the Awoken library. She was the only one to remain once the meeting between the Guardians and the Awoken had come to a close.
After hearing Osiris' thoughts on the Hive, Diana couldn't deny that she was curious to see what else she could learn from this man. And this room had an incredible wealth of knowledge, but Diana quickly discovered just how controversial this man was. He was just like Toland, seeking to gain a better understand of the Darkness, which ultimately led to his own demise.
But as she delved further into these databanks, she reached a subject that she began engrossed in.
Osiris' theories on this battle between the Light and the Darkness.
"The Light and the Darkness. They're polar opposites. One represents good, while the other is evil. For comparison's sake, they're like oil and vinegar. They will always oppose one another, never combining." Osiris explained as Diana listened on. "I'm beginning to believe that this conflict, is more than simply a war between these two forces and their ideals, but actually a battle that must take place to maintain balance in the universe, a battle that will remain balanced despite any other influences."
Diana took a moment to think about this. And she quickly could see how his theory applied to their current situation.
As the Guardians grew stronger, the Darkness did as well.
"I would never hear the end of it if I made such a comparison in front of the Vanguard…but if we were to compare ourselves as Guardians, to the Darkness. You would consider beings such as the Hive and the Vex to be manifestations of the Darkness. We as Guardians, are spawns of the Light." Osiris went on. "The Darkness creates powerful beings, such as Oryx and Crota, while the Guardians grow stronger to topple them, continuing this cycle. But this leaves to me to wonder, the Traveler, and now Tobias, function as the Vessel for the Light. The only logical conclusion is that there must be some equivalent that exists for the Darkness. I fear the thought of there being a creation of the Darkness born to be Tobias' equivalent."
"I thought I'd find you here." A voice called out, causing Diana to blink several times. Pausing the recording, she then turned around to the entrance of the sanctum, discovering that it was Petra who had disturbed her. "What are you doing down here Diana?"
"The information the Vanguard kept on Osiris is off limits to us. I figured while I was here, I might as well see what I can learn from him." Diana explained as she turned to face Petra now.
"Hmm, well I'm glad you're making the best use of our facilities. It really is a shame the Vanguard deny you all from a mind as great as Osiris'." Petra said pointedly, causing Diana to snort.
"If you're trying to find fault with them to get me to come back, that's not going to work." Diana stated. "The Vanguard has their reasons for cutting Osiris loose, and I'm going to respect that decision."
"Eh, it was worth a shot." Petra replied, giving Diana a small smile. "So I'll get straight to my point now. Have you made a decision yet Diana?"
Diana sighed deeply at this, taking a moment to study Petra's expression. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her cousin, but she had already made up her mind.
"I'm not coming back. I've already found a home, and people that I love. I can't abandon them." Diana stated firmly. Petra stared deep into Diana's eyes, searching for the slightest bit of doubt. But there wasn't even a sliver. This caused Petra to smile warmly, pleased with Diana's response.
"Good for you Diana." Petra said. "I'm glad to see that you have committed to a decision. Being indecisive right now won't cut it with the enemy we're all facing."
Diana gave her a nod of agreement. Their true fight with Oryx was approaching. Second guessing yourself could be the end of someone's life…or even your own.
A/N
So this was a loaded chapter, but I'm using it all as build up for the upcoming battles, because it'll be total chaos starting at the next chapter. This is the last chapter I have dedicated to build up, so don't say I didn't warn you. Wish our heroes luck because from this point forward, they're going to be at war. And wish me a little luck trying to write all of this.
This was the first chapter where I really delved into the lore and events that occurred before the canon. I tried to fill some of the holes surrounding Tobias' encounter with Oryx, and give you some insight into his life before the chapter one. But for the sake of making sure everything is clear, I'll just run it all by you briefly here.
-At the end of the Collapse, Oryx is beaten back by the Traveler who makes the ultimate sacrifice to force him away from Earth. Oryx retreats to Earth's Moon to rest, and instructs the Hive to begin molding the Moon into a breeding ground for him to construct an army, a force to crush what remained on of the Light on Earth. The process of hollowing out the Moon to create a breeding ground would take centuries, time which Oryx would spend recovering from his battle with the Traveler. When his army is finally completed, a portion of them goes down to Earth to establish a beachhead, this being recognized as the Battle of Burning Lake.
The Vanguard successfully push back this small invasion force, and in their arrogance, call for a full scale assault on the Moon to destroy the Hive. But Osiris and Shaxx demand that they delay any retaliation so that the Hive can be studied. Osiris and Toland would discover that Oryx is leading this force from within Earth's Moon, and they quickly understand that Oryx must be defeated before they could launch such an attack against the Hive. Tobias is tasked with killing Oryx. Their clash would ultimately force Oryx to leave Earth's Moon now in search of a new means to combat the Light, but Tobias would disappear after this. Under Oryx's command, Crota would oversee the destruction of the Guardians. With Tobias missing, the Vanguard proceeds with their counterattack in hope that they would find him as they fought of the Hive, but this would only to lead the Great Disaster on the Moon where thousands of Guardians fell to Crota's sword. The events proceed as they did in the Destiny canon from here.-
That was just to clear up anything for anyone that might have needed it. As always, thanks for reading and I hope to see you all next time.