Chapter three.

The Last Light.

There was something different.

Something in this world was not like they knew it to be. The way that they had made it through years of careful planning and plotting, keeping the Guardians at distance and watching them through their hidden agents.

They would have to change that.

"Seek out this difference. Study it, watch it and if it proves to become a problem for our plans, remove it by any means."

"Understood."

"This ship is awesome!" Bing chimed happily, "So much space and so clean and shiny! Can I have a new shell like this? Please?"

"It's a ship, Bing not a Ghost Shell." Rose chuckled. "But it is pretty awesome," she added following Arielle's flight path. "So, is the Reef always like that? It seems pretty empty to me until we got to the Prison."

~ "The Queen hates too many people in one place, too easy for an attack to wipe them out, only her finest and most loyal are allowed to stay with her constantly," ~ Arielle explained.

~ "So why is Variks there?" ~ Vakarian asked.

"Because he is loyal to her and he will fight for her." Rose stated. "The Variks in my world defended the ship the Queen used to escape with Petra and the Queens Guard until Prince Uldren ordered them off the Reef and as far away from danger as they could get."

~ "And because Variks has other uses." ~ Arielle added. ~ "No one else can tell us what the Fallen are saying on Comms, and he helps with hunts." ~

~ "Still don't trust him." ~ Wrex stated. ~ "He's only loyal so long as the Queen offers him safety and allows the House Judgement Banner to live on, if she ever throws him out, he'll turn on her." ~

"The Queen needs someone who speaks Fallen. How else would she know if her prisoners are plotting to over throw her without him?" Rose said.

~ "She has a point, now hush. We're almost home." ~ Arielle stated as they reached the Last City.

Bing looked out of the window and clicked a little. "It looks so bright even when it's getting dark." He said, noticing the white light given off by the Traveler that bathed the City in bright and calm light.

Rose smiled and looked at the Traveler and the City below it, "It's safe here, that's why." She said.

~ "You better hurry and get in here." ~ Vlad stated over their comm links. ~ "Things are getting very heavy," ~ he added.

"Are we in trouble?" Rose asked.

~ "No, but with the report Lindor and her team gave, I don't think you'll be getting such a nice reception for the Vanguard this time, Zavala mentioned that they need more information from you and Eris is pacing in her corner." ~ Vlad stated. ~ "Be ready for a tough ride." ~

"Alright." Rose nodded as they pulled into the docks.

It was quiet in the docks, save a few late working drones, likely Holiday was in bed at this hour or busy elsewhere and so they left the dock without incident, passing where Master Rahool should have been only to find him missing.

"This isn't good." Arielle said.

"Where is everyone?" Rose asked.

"Inside." Arielle nodded towards the doors, the only source of light on the usually bright plaza. "Zavala must have called a gathering, everyone from Master Rahool to the Speaker will be in the Hall of Guardians."

"Sounds very important," Bing said, floating closer to Rose for ome comfort, though his shell gave off a frightened clicking as he huddled by her. "And a little scary."

"We're safe here Bing, the Zavala here isn't going to snatch you out of the air like the one we knew would." Rose assured, taking Bing in her hands in the same way Arielle had seen Eris holding her orb, holding Bing close to her so she could protect him from any grabbing hands. "Now no one can take you away."

"Thanks Rose." Bing seemed to smile as they continued to walk down the steps to the Hall of Guardians.

"They are here." Eris Morns voice stated, breaking the silence that had filled the Tower since their arrival and Rose reminded herself this wasn't her world when all eyes in the room were suddenly upon her and her Ghost.

"Come." Zavala said, "There is much we all need to hear and say." He added.

"Bing, could you come with us please." Zavala's Ghost called from the gathering of Ghosts behind Zavala, though Watson, Wiccan, Atriums and Ferrum were still beside their respectful Guardians.

"I'm staying with Rose." Bing stated, practically overflowing with worry and fear.

"Bing," the larger Ghost began only to stop as Vakarian and Wrex moved in front of Rose and Bing, both flaring their shells and acting as a visual block between the other Ghosts and Bing. "What's gotten into you two?"

"Let him stay." Sovereign stated joining Wrex and Vakarian. "This isn't really a matter just for Guardians." He added.

"He has a point." Atriums stated from her place over Shaxx's shoulder. "Let the little one stay with his Hunter."

"Agreed." Watson stated and the two Ghosts glared at one another.

There was a silence until something drew every Ghost to look at Eris's orb before returning to their respective Guardians.

"Thank you." Bing said softly.

"What's going on?" Arielle asked as Rose gently rubbed the joints of Bing's shell to help calm him. "You haven't called a Gathering since before Crota's defeat."

"There is something we must talk about and somethings that must answered directly." Ikora said, though just the tone of her voice told Arielle something was wrong.

"I'm listening." Rose said and everyone noticed her shoulders sank down and her body language spoke of someone trying to make themselves very small from fear.

Ikora nodded, her grim expression softened somewhat. "We have been given a report by the fireteam led by Lindor from her latest mission into the Vault of Glass. From her report we have gathered that the Vex you fought were not from this world, but yours and that same area you were found in, is no longer accessible."

"What do you mean?" Vlad asked in confusion. "We walked right in there, just take a left at the fourth spire you find instead of a right and then keep taking lefts until you reach a very big pit, go down and boom, that's where we found her."

"There is now a very big and very solid wall in the way at the fourth spire." Lindor stated as she and her team arrived. "Terrik tried to run though it and bounced off. Twice."

"So, the way Rose and Bing came here is sealed?" Orion asked. "Or locked off?"

"In a way, from what we can gather." Lindor nodded handing out data pads. "These are the readings we got, compared to the readings Sovereign was able to give us when they went in. Notice anything different?"

Rose looked at the readings and shook her head. "No. They look the same." She said. "Exactly the same."

"They are." Terrik said. "By our readings, no one should have been able to get into that room because it shouldn't have been there. It was a pocket of time, if you hadn't gotten out you would have likely been erased or lost in time."

"Lucky we were there," Orion said then went silent as Arielle looked at him.

"So, what does that mean in the long run for us?" Rose asked still gently petting Bing. "Can't we get back to our time?"

The room suddenly went silent and Rose felt her chest constrict as her stomach turned.

"It may be difficult for you to get home at this time." Zavala nodded at last. "With all the information you have given us, plus new information from Lindor's team and the Queen of the Awoken, we have reason to believe that for now you would be safer and of more tactical value here, with us in our world." He said, trying to keep the conversation away from the darker issue they would have to face.

Judging by how Rose tensed at his words, he should have phrased that better, however before he could correct himself, Arielle put a hand to Rose's shoulder and Zavala felt the same heated yellow glare Orion was subjected too on him.

"She isn't a pawn of war." Arielle growled and lightning danced along the coils of her gauntlets, daring anyone to say anything against her.

"What Zavala means," Cayde stepped in raising a hand in defense, "Is that while Rose was not on the Tower very long and has no way to tell us everything we need to know, she could tell us where in her time the largest danger zones are, who or what rules them and how, if possible to kill them." He said, using a more casual tone and Rose's stiffness faded somewhat.

Rose nodded but said nothing.

Ikora cleared her throat softly, "Perhaps we should start with the most recent development?" She suggested.

"Honest answer." Vlad stated suddenly and looked at Cayde. "Hunter to Hunter, what's happened?"

"Vlad-"

"Something followed us." Rose's voice cut in, trying to think of anything that could cause the Vanguard to worry, but the explanation she herself suggested caused something sick to settle in her still turning stomach. "Something from my world came here too."

"We believe so." Ikora nodded.

"Something came through… but where?" Bing asked looking around. "We didn't see anything. And all the Vex in that pit were killed."

"It didn't come through on Venus." Ikora said.

"Then where?" Orion asked.

"In the Reef. That's the only reason the outpost would move, the only reason the Queen would be worried." Rose said looking at Arielle. "That's why she wanted to talk to you, isn't it?" she asked and Arielle nodded.

Eris spoke up, her voice steady and empty of emotion, though her eyes were focused on Rose. "A large Tai Raven was able to break past the Prince's defenses and attack the Outpost, causing massive damage. When chased, the lone Raven joined a group of twelve and while the attacker was caught and killed, the others retreated beyond the Awoken's boundaries." She explained. "The Queen and Prince now plan to burn the Raven, but first they wish to hear what your world's method was for disposing of the Ravens."

Rose shuddered. "How large is the Raven they killed?"

"According to the reports, it's the same size as a Fallen Skiff." Ikora said reading off the file.

"They have to bleed the Raven first, cutting down into the neck and hang the bird upside down so it bleeds out, leave it for at least six hours, then burn only the blood, the carcass with decay on its own after a few days, so best to get rid of it elsewhere, far away from the Reef where no one will be hurt if it is found by another flock of Ravens."

"How do you know that?" Shaxx asked, though nodded to Zavala to affirm what she was saying was true.

"Because that's how we dealt with them on Venus," Rose said, "Bleed the Raven and burn the blood then when the fires goes out, gather the ashes and spread them around the boundaries of your territory it keeps other Ravens away. If you just burn the body they come circling, looking for any eggs and even cannibalizing the carcass." She added.

"If you only burn the blood, then scatter the ashes from that burning along the boundaries of your territory, Tai Ravens understand that as a boundary and will not cross it unless in large flocks or in the company of an Emperor because they think you are a threat to them, thankfully we didn't have any Emperor Ravens in our world." Bing said. "At least, not anywhere near the planets."

Eris nodded. "I see." She said, and heard the softest of 'hums' from her comm link on the Queen's end.

"We think and given the Raven in the Reef incident we know, that somehow creatures from your world are coming here and with only our own limited information on how your enemies behave and act, we thought it best to talk again with you and formulate a plan of action to stop this world ending up like your own." Zavala stated.

"Zavala." Ikora and Cayde hissed.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"He means that we need your help and any information you can offer would be more than helpful." Cayde said glaring at Zavala for good measure.

"Don't give me that, what else has happened?" Arielle asked, "You wouldn't call a Gathering just for her to agree to help us." She added.

"Arielle." Ikora began in a tone that made Arielle stop, when she looked at Lindor, the other Warlock bowed and shook her head.

There was silence and then Eris looked at Ikora, "She must know."

"Know what?" Rose asked. "What aren't you tell me? What's happened?"

"Alright." Cayde huffed a small sigh. "The Awoken Queen was able to pull some information from a Vex the Prince's Crows were able to capture. Though that, we were able to give Lindor's team an edge and an opening into a Vex Over mind. This Mind was, well, not of our world." He began and the table map lit up slowly, showing a familiar camp site that made Rose's chest feel tight suddenly.

"That's the Blacksnake camp." She said.

"We have not watched the footage recovered. But from what The Queen was kind enough to share from the Vex," he paused and managed to look at Rose, "It is not good."

There was a pause and Rose realized he was waiting for her to object or approve.

"Rose?" Bing asked.

Rose tightened her hold on him ever so slightly and nodded, "Play it."

Bing looked at the images that began to play, watching in horror as the Vex marched on the Blacksnake camp they had been in only a day before, shots taking down the shields and make shift barricades around the camp as the Hunters fired back.

~ "Fall back! Fall back!" Someone yelled over an intercepted Comm channel, "We gotta go!"

"God damn it! Rose answer me!" Ace yelled into the comm channel. "Rose!?"

"Ace! Get out of there!" J-Cey yelled. "Ace!"

"Rose?! Fuck!" Ace yelled again before the image flickered and showed a Minotaur breaking down the last of the barricade and destroying what was left of the camp. "Fire in the hole!" Ace yelled as bullets ripping through her armour before the screen erupted with fire and smoke. ~

Cayde mercifully paused the images, giving Rose time to process what she had just seen.

"They should've left." Rose said, shaking her head and looking away from the images. "Never stay in one place, never wait longer than six hours-damn it she taught me that. Why didn't they move?"

"She made them wait for you, as any teammate should." Vlad said, it was meant to be comforting but he could see the shakes starting in Rose's shoulders. "Hunter loyalty runs deep Rose, you know it and so do we." He added.

"There is more." Cayde broke in. "But it uh, gets uglier." He added looking at Rose, she knew his words held an unspoken pardon. He was letting her chose whether to stay and watch more, or leave and see the rest in her own time.

Slowly she nodded and looked back at the paused images.

Cayde allowed the images to continue playing.

Over and over, the Vex killed without pause or mercy as Hunter after Hunter fell and Ghosts, helpless and frantic to save their Guardians were snatched up by Tai Ravens and crushed, or shot down by Vex, one by one the Hunters were slaughtered and the planet darkened and changed until there were no Hunters left and Venus became a dark, empty, hollow husk of itself.

Darkness had claimed Venus.

The images switched and Lindor covered her mouth to keep the content of her stomach down at the images of lifeless bodies, unarmed and innocent civilians scattered around the ruins of the Ship Serenity a wreck and crashed on the Moon, the bodies were being torn and ravaged by Thrall as Knights and Acolytes tore into the wreckage of the ship.

"Wretched monsters." Eris growled, seeing the slaughtered bodies of Lord Shaxx and Saladin, their Ghosts in small fragmented parts beside them.

The Moon was lost.

The images moved again to show what Rose knew were the broken remains of what had once been the Cosmadrone, over run with Fallen House of Devils, their numbers overwhelming and clearly the now dominating race on Earth as they surrounded the Tower and made what Rose knew was their last push to get into the Tower.

They made it inside and Rose knew without being told what that meant.

"My god." Ikora breathed in shock and horror as Warlocks and Titans were thrown from the Tower and others were beaten and butchered by the Fallen.

~ "For the Reef!" ~

"Mara Sov." Arielle gasped and Rose had to look away as she heard the Queen of her world gave a finally battle cry and the sound of gunfire echoed around the room.

Petra echoed her Queen's cry, twisting and turning with her knife, taking off Fallen heads and arms, ripping into throats and chests with all that remained of her strength alongside her fellow Awoken.

Variks stood before the Queen, his staff bloody with the blood of his own kind, as he blocked their attempts to reach her, cursing in his native tongue as the surviving Warlocks and Titans charged from their Tower, Lightning and Fire dancing and mixing in a deadly cocktail taking down some of the Fallen and buying them time to set up defenses to fight back.

It wasn't enough and in the following moments, Rose saw her Queen fall, Petra beheaded and Variks, still fighting to protect the Queen's fallen body, stood over her, snatching up the fallen guns of Guardians and Awoken alike and using them to bring down as many as he could before a bullet to the head took him down.

Wrex and Vakarian ducked their Shells in shame.

Lightning flared up Arielle's arms as the memories of the slaughter of the Awoken at the hands of the House of Wolves entered her mind; looking at these Fallen in the recordings, they were bigger, far more aggressive and clearly far bolder. If they dared enter this world, Arielle would seek revenge and her righteous fury would deal out retribution in spades.

Zavala was next, standing proud and tall even against all odds, using his whole body as shield and weapon, brutally fighting as behind him, Cayde and Ikora evacuated Holiday, the Speaker and the few remaining Ghosts and Guardians.

The image grew fuzzy as Bing twisted away from them as he watched the image of Zavala's Ghost being crushed in the hands of the House of Devil's Kell, he knew what would happen now.

~ "Zavala come on!" Ikora yelled, "Zavala!"

"Get out of here!" The Titan Vanguard ordered. "Get the Speaker out!"

"Zavala!"

"GO!" Zavala snarled.

"Everyone hang on!" Cayde yelled, as the ship fired up its engines. ~

The death of Zavala wasn't seen, but the bloody mess that was left, was enough to assure anyone who saw it that the Titan Vanguard was dead.

No sooner was the ship airborne was it swarmed by Tai Ravens.

~ "Pull up Cayde! Pull up!" Ikora yelled taking shots at the Ravens.

"I'm trying!" the Exo yelled sweeping and swerving to try and avoid the Ravens and get a clear pathway up into the open Sky. "Oh shit!" he bellowed as an ear splitting scream echoed over the image. ~

"Omnigul." Eris hissed and her grip on her stone tightened.

"And her brood." Orion said.

The ship crashed heavily into the rotten and Hive controlled Jovian Complex and in seconds the ship was covered in Thrall, Acolytes and Knights trying to break in, hungry for the light in the ship.

~ "Ok. Plan F!" Cayde yelled dropping a grenade as he rushed to the back of the ship, snatching the air behind his shoulder as Ikora brought her arms up to her chest.

"Guardians to the end." Ikora said. "Give them hell!" ~

"Plan F?" Zavala asked, turning his attention to Cayde.

"Final." Rose, Vlad, Cayde and Zaragosa chorused. "The last act of our lives."

~ "Let 'em have it!" Cayde ordered as he let the Void arrows fly from his bow seconds after the grenade exploded. ~

Eris looked at Rose as the images continued to play out, watching as she clutched Bing close, sheltering him from the images she was seeing, Eris could see the tears that were barely held back as the images grew worse and worse, the Guardians and Vanguard she had known from the Tower only a few days ago now, slaughtered and killed with apparent ease despite their valiant attempts to hold on to the rapidly fading light.

In what felt like only minutes, Ikora and Cayde-6 were the last lights standing between Omnigul and the Speaker, who had been backed into a deep alcove.

~ "Come on, bitch!" Ikora snarled, lightning dancing over her body as she and Omnigul fought in the air, the Warlock putting her very heart into the fight, snapping part of the Wizard's crown with one powerful punch before the Wizard's hand grabbed her throat.

"Ikora!" Cayde yelled in anger as he fired arrow after arrow at the Wizard and her brood as they charged him. "Ikora!?"

"Stay alive Cayde!" Ikora yelled in a strangled cry as her body was suddenly engulfed in poison.

"Ikora! Fuck!" Cayde snarled drawing back another arrow and letting it fly. "Ideas Sir?"

"Just one. Allow me to have your Ghost a moment." The Speaker said.

"Watson," Cayde nodded and fired another arrow, hitting Omnigul's shield and growled as it bounced off. "Better be quick." He added.

"What do you need me to do Speaker?" Watson asked.

"Carry what little Light is left from us and find new hope." The Speaker said softly.

Watson nodded. "I will do all I can." He assured as the Speaker held him in his hands and for a few seconds, the area was filled with Light, forcing Omnigul to scream in frustration.

"Get gone Watson!" Cayde's voice yelled as a slightly rusting hand placed something into the joints of his shell before Watson rushed forwards and away, shooting passed the stunned and blinded Hive and out of the small opening into the dark, lonely sky, rushing away from the bloody and pained screams of the Speaker and his own Guardian. ~

Realization suddenly clicked that what they were watching, was a mixture of information from the Vex themselves and from the captured Ghosts scavenged after the fighting. There was a sad bleeping sound and all eyes were drawn to the small Ghost in Rose's arms and then to the tears that had slipped down Rose's face despite her continued attempts to keep them back.

Watson, bless his light had flown as far and as fast as he could avoiding the Tai Ravens until at last, he reached the Reef and began to scan the area, searching for something that would lead him to safety, ducking and weaving to avid the grabbing hands of the House of Wolves until he flew from the Reef to Mars searching the forgotten and blackened buildings that had been Cabal bases and finding only the rotting corpses and broken shells of Guardians and Ghosts scattered around, from Mars he went to the Moon, searching for anything that would get him somewhere safe.

He found nothing and weak, tired, low of energy of his own and slow from the cold of Space, he reached Venus.

That was where he was chased by Vex Harpies and rushed to find some kind of safety deep in the Vault of Glass, only to be snatched from the air and a Vex Over mind forced a data link on him, enough to rip information away from him before he pulled free and continued to run, turning and twisting until something sucked him upwards and smashed harshly into a solid wall , a clear crack in his optical feed, he tried to make it to the safety of a ledge before he collapsed onto his side.

~ "Sor-r-r-r-r-rry Cayd-d-d-d-d-de… I f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-failed…" ~

The feed went dark and the images stopped.

"We can't go home." Bing bleeped sadly, shaking even as Rose gently petted his shell. "Everything… Everyone is gone."

Rose was silent, head bowed as she pet her Ghost, trying to sooth him despite her own tears.

"That's enough." Cayde-6 stated firmly.

"Cayde." Zavala started.

"No, Zavala." Ikora cut in, "There will be time for questions later." She added.

"But we-" Shaxx began to say.

"Enough is enough." The Speaker stated calmly but also firmly, before turning to Arielle, "Please, take them and let them rest. If we need more, we shall ask for it later," he said.

"Yes Speaker." Arielle nodded and gently lead Rose away.

"This Gathering is over. Until the Hunter is ready we do not press her for information." The Speaker added as he turned and headed back to his chambers to meditate on all he had seen and hope the Traveler would share his wisdom with him.

Silently, those gathered excused themselves and slowly the Hall of Guardians emptied until only the Vanguard were left in their respective places, along with Orion and Vlad.

"Vlad," Cayde began. "She's gonna need a Hunter if she's gonna get through this."

"I'll do what I can." Vlad nodded.

"Good." The Hunter Vanguard stated.

"Better make up with Wrex, Orion," Zavala stated, "We are going to need unity to defeat this darkness."

"Yes sir." Orion said.

"Very good."

Ikora glance towards Eris, who was slowly making her way outside, one hand petting her orb. For Eris to seek the light of the Traveler for comfort truly meant she had been unnerved by what she had witnessed in the fallen Ghost's memory.

The question now was if they would survive this new Darkness, or if they, like Rose's world, would also fall.

The Throne room was silent.

The Queen's eyes were closed, Variks clutched his staff in his hands and his head bowed in silence. Petra stood shaking in what could either be rage or some other emotion while the Prince looked on in shock at the space the feed had been playing.

None of them had expected what they had seen through Eris's feed. Blood and death yes, but not the way it had been for this Hunter's now lost and ruined world.

"My Lady," Petra at last said breaking the silence. "Your orders?" she asked.

"I have none to give." The Queen stated opening her eyes. "For now, return to your posts, tell no one of what we have seen, I must think on it in more detail."

"Yes My Lady." Petra said and after a deep bow she stiffly made her way out of the throne room.

"Go to your station Variks, study all you can of the Fallen in this Hunter's world, tell me all and everything you find." The Queen added and the Fallen Vandal nodded, bowing as Petra had before him.

"Of course My Queen, My Kell." He said before making his way out.

Uldren waited for the door to close before he turned and knelt before his Queen, "What do you make it my Queen?" he asked.

"The images are troubling, but they ring true with what we have from the Vex and her knowledge of the Tai Ravens is honest. I do not think she realized until now just how lost her world was or that maybe something could have followed her." His Queen stated. "And if the few images we saw are correct, then perhaps our defenses should be increased?"

"I shall put every available solider and guard to work and ensure my Crows are ready for anything." He assured.

"Then we are settled, for now." She said, "But we shall continue to watch this Hunter. Something tells me she will be interesting."

"As you wish, My Queen." He said bowing his head.

Orion found Arielle stood under the shelter of a canopy on the Traveler's Walk, nodding to Lord Saladin as he stood by the gates in the shelter it offered from the sudden torrential rains and Thunderstorm over the Last City. Most Guardians, wisely were settled inside their rooms or in the lounges they shared, waiting out the terrible weather.

Even Xür had moved himself inside the Tower rather than in his place by across from the Speaker, yet Orion could see one Hunter stood out in the rain, alone and lost in her own storm as the wind pulled and twisted her cloak behind her and rain soaked her to the bone.

"Poor kid." He said and really what more could he say? He didn't know how to comfort her, how could you comfort someone who had just watched the world they'd known fall to Darkness and those she had known destroyed and consumed. "How do we help her?" he asked.

"I don't know." Arielle admitted, "We've faced so much in our time, had so many victories, but I have no idea how we face this."

They lapsed into silence again, watching as Rose stood, apparently unable to feel the cold or rain that lashed at her and despite the howling winds and thunder that roared overhead, they could hear the chocked and desperate sobs coming from Rose.

"Where's Vlad?" Arielle asked.

"In the shadows likely." Orion said. "He said he'd watch Rose until she comes in. Where are the Ghosts?" he asked.

"Inside, Bing's with Rose." Arielle said then looked up, spotting the familiar Exo Hunter across from them, crouched out of the rain and wind, watching Rose. "Maybe we should stay, just to be sure?"

"If that's what you want to do," Orion nodded, "but I think this time, what she needs is another Hunter." He added, "We all know loss and pain, but neither of us is a Hunter, we can't begin to understand the bonds between their kinds, just as they can't fully understand ours. We're good for support and while we make a good team and good listeners, I think this is something only another Hunter can help her with."

"And if you're wrong?" Arielle asked looking at him.

"Punch me and tell me you told me so?" Orion offered with a small shrug.

Arielle smiled, "I'll hold you too that." Her yellow eyes drifted back to Rose for a moment before she nodded. "Alright, let's go inside," she agreed and followed Orion back indoors.

Lord Saladin watched them leave and then respectfully turned his back towards the walk.

Rose just stood there, trying so hard to keep the emotions in, trying to keep it locked away, repeating over and over in her mind what she had been told in those few times she'd been in front of the Commander of her world. Guardians did not cry. They did not mourn their losses. They did not show emotion. Guardians were the last line of warriors and could not afford to show weakness.

But it hurt, it hurt so very much, everything she had known, everything she had come to understand and live by, gone, taken and destroyed by the Darkness. Her Mentors, her friends, her teammates, all of them gone. Consumed and defeated in minutes despite all their efforts and time put into planning for such an attack.

It hurt so much.

"There is no shame in tears." Vlad stated from behind her and Rose turned to face him, having not heard him arrive.

"What?" She asked, voice horse and broken.

"There is no shame in tears." He said again and stood beside her. "No one would hold it against you."

Rose shook her head. "Guardians don't cry. Guardians don't show weakness in mourning."

"Weakness?" Vlad asked, moving to stand before her, offering some protection from the howling winds and rain, "You just watched the end of your world, your friends and mentors; if mourning them is weakness, then how are you to remember them? How are you to celebrate their lives, their deeds and efforts if you do not mourn their lives and loss?"

"I-I don't know," Rose said, shaking and sniffling. "I never asked and I never thou-thought that I would be," She stopped clenching her fists tightly as she tried to stop the tears that still fell. "I…" She stopped as Vlad put his hands on her shoulders and for a moment, there was silence between them.

"I won't tell anyone." Vlad assured as he tugged Rose closer to him, putting one hand to the back of her head and put his free arm around her back. "Hunter's vow." He added.

It broke what was left of the crumbling walls Rose was trying to keep up, as everything came flooding out, the tears and questions Vlad couldn't answer came out in a storm of emotion so wild and so ferocious that the storm around them seemed minuscule in comparison.

Vlad stood with her, one arm around her back while the other covered the back of her head, a stance most Hunters used to comfort their own, a secure and comfortable embrace to offer silent assurance and protection.

He wouldn't tell anyone about her state, not even Cayde-6 would hear about this, he would keep his vow and tell no one how she clung to his armour like a child, how she begged for some kind of answer to why all this had happened, why she had been spared where the rest of her world had been consumed, why had so many innocent lives been lost while she had been safe in this world.

He couldn't answer the questions, but he stored them away in his memory banks just in case he could answer them at a later date, all the while, he stood there in the rain with her, the only witness to her break down, save the wind and rain.

At some point her knees got so weak from sobs that she couldn't stand and the sobs had become sniffles and broken hiccups, that was when he had lifted her up and carried her inside, kicking the door to Arielle's room and offered a silent nod as he was allowed in and gently set Rose down on the pulled out bed.

Bing materialized a few seconds later and dropped himself next to Rose's head, his little Shell shaking and twitching as he rested next to her, his optical ball dull and flickering as Vlad gently placed a blanket over Rose and then folded a pillow case in half and put it over the little Ghost.

"What do we do Vlad?" Orion asked.

"For now," the Exo said, "We let her recover from this and then, we help her get through what's to come."

"And if it gets too much?" Arielle asked.

"I don't think Cayde or Ikora will mind if we beat a few heads in for being rude towards Rose." Orion said. "Zavala might make a fuss, but then again, he makes a fuss if his part of the table is a mess." He added.

Arielle and Vlad smiled.

Somewhere in the shadows, hidden on the surface of Callisto, something shifted and slowly tore itself open and from within, came wave after wave of a familiar dark blue cloaked Fallen Dregs, Vandals and Several Captains took their places watching for any attacks that could come before four Ketches were escorted through by a large number of Fallen Skiffs.

Each flew the House Banner of Wolves.

Form his Ketch, the Kell opened his comm channel.

~ {"Come Wolves of the Eliksni, Virixas, Kell of Wolves summons you."} ~

"WHAT?!"

All eyes turned to Variks as the Fallen vender's outright scream of shock and horror had cut through the outpost like a knife.

"Variks what is it?" Petra asked ripping the cloth from the door to find Variks looking horrified beneath his helmet and chain mail vail, the staff forgotten on the floor as the Vandal braced himself against his table for support.

~ {"Follow these coordinates and report to Skolas, Parixas and Irxis for further orders."} ~ Variks heard and began to shake, quickly typing on his comm monitor and muttering to himself in his own native tongue.

"Variks? Variks what's wrong? What was that on the comms?" Petra asked as she watched Variks move swiftly, checking, copying and rechecking the device as if trying to find some kind of flaw or mistake in the programming only the grow more frantic as he found nothing. "Variks!?"

"We must inform the Queen!" Variks hissed, grabbing up his staff in one hand while clutching he comm monitor tightly. "The Wolves of the Hunter's world have come here!"

"How many of them?" Petra asked.

"All of them! Skolas. Parixas. Irxis. Virixis Kell of Wolves." He growled in what Petra had come to understand was urgency, Variks was truly worried and he was also afraid, truly afraid of what he had heard and that fear only grew as the device in his hand spoke again. "He summons the Fallen."

They had barely survived the Reef Wars before and if the House of Wolves was back at full strength-the Awoken would be heading to war against the Fallen once more. A war they had only won because of Variks and the Queen's brilliant strategizing.

Petra nodded and turned on her heel, "Make a hole!" she yelled and soldiers and guards moved aside as she and Variks raced towards the Throne room.

"How is she?" Orion asked from his seat at the table, quietly setting out breakfast plates.

"She's been restless all night." Vlad admitted from his spot next to Rose, having sat beside her since he'd brought her into the room Sovereign, Vakarian and Wrex all quietly trading codes and information between themselves as Arielle made breakfast.

"Let her sleep." The Warlock said, "She needs it."

"I'm awake…" a small voice chimed in as Bing slowly floated up and twisted his shell panelling a few times as he did.

"How you feeling little guy?" Vlad asked, offering his hand to the Ghost and Bing landed with a soft sighed.

"Lousy. And scared." Bing admitted, "What's gonna happen to us now? We can't go home and-and the Ravens have already found a way through what if the Fallen or the Hive do too? What's gonna happen?" he asked.

"We don't know, but you won't be cast out." Vlad assured. "Cayde would never allow it and neither will we." He added.

"We can stay here?" Bing asked. "Even though we brought trouble?"

"You didn't bring trouble at all." Arielle assured, "You couldn't have known that the Vex were screwing with interdimensional travel in your world, and there is no way you could have known if anything might follow you here. And if anyone says that you did they are dead wrong and I'll deal with them personally."

"We will deal with them." Orion corrected. "No one is gonna make any friend of ours uncomfortable. And if they do, they will be in or a whole world of hurt." He added.

"So… you won't let anyone send us away?" Bing asked.

"Not so long as we have bullets, Super energy and a Ghost." Vlad chuckled. "No one will ever take you or Rose away, nor will we let them send you away."

Bing gave a happy bleeping sound and for the first time since landing the night before and Arielle smiled at the little Ghost.

"Rose is waking up." Bing said suddenly and true to his words, Rose began to stir slightly and the still damp hair clung to her red slightly reddened face as she stiffly moved to sit up slowly, groaning as her shoulders and arms ached.

"Ow..." she groaned. "I'm stiff."

Vlad chuckled. "Nothing a hot shower won't cure." He assured.

"Ok," Rose said wincing as she tried to get up, "Oh, ow…"

Arielle smiled and moved to help Rose stand up while Orion took her place in the kitchen making breakfast. "Come on, let's get you ready for the day."

"Morning."

Ikora and Zavala looked up as Cadye-6 came into the room and both blinked. The Exo looked as if he had not recharged in his hour off, if anything he looked like he had run himself into the ground with work.

"Did you have your oil?" Ikora asked.

"Nope." Cayde stated. "I was distracted."

"He isn't the only one who looks in need of rest and refreshments." Lord Saladin stated as he came down the steps, carrying a tray of cups with something Ikora had been craving all morning. "One large straight black coffee for Ikora, no cream or sugar. One large extra strong tea with two sugars and one cream, plus one extra tea bag for added strength for Zavala. And for Cayde a large oil."

"Where is Lord Shaxx?" Zavala asked.

"He has already downed seven large white coffees and two caffeine pills. He has been sent to bed by orders of his Ghost." Lord Saladin stated. "This situation has gotten us all rather, stressed." He added placing three portable recharge docks on the table and almost instantly Watson and Wiccan drifted down and settled on the docks for a much needed recharge while Zavala's Ghost remained hovering over his shoulder.

"No kidding." Ikora said ripping the lid off her cup and taking a long drink, neither Cayde-6 nor Zavala questioned it as they two were taking what Saladin would later call synchronized pulls of their own drinks.

"Thank you Saladin." Cayde said with a nod of the head. "Now, what do we do with this information from last night?" He added, looking over their map and the aptly dubbed 'Rose Map' that had made in an attempt to plan for attacks from anything that came through to their world from Rose's.

"As for our own safety, perhaps we are best sending some Guardians to the empty Towers along the Wall and have them fortify as many as we can." Ikora said. "We have already reclaimed three of the original six, with the other three back in our control we could not only increase the living space, but also allow for larger training and teaching grounds."

"A good plan, but perhaps it would be better to do this by other means to avoid the Civilians in the City becoming fearful?" Zavala offered.

"What do you plan?" Cayde asked.

"Send out the Future War Cult, Dead Orbit and The New Monarchy, their numbers have grown and they each need a place of their own to continue to develop." Zavala stated. "Three groups, three towers."

"Three former Titan Towers." Saladin stated.

"We cannot stay in the past, Saladin." Ikora said, "The Zavala of Rose's world was keeping to his ways despite the rapidly falling hope and you saw it. We need more diversity." She added.

"What are you thinking?" Cayde asked.

"Six Towers is more than enough for all Guardians of all kinds. If we are to reclaim all six, then we make it a rule, no one kind of Guardian dominates them. Warlocks, Hunters and Titans lives together and they maintain a balance of races and Guardians, fire teams, ships and those of us like Lord Saladin, Lord Shaxx and the Clans move between them in a rota. Like we do now." Ikora explained. "We may need to spare a few days for repairs and rebuilding in the old Towers, but it can be done."

"Agreed." Zavala nodded.

"I'm sure Holiday will be happy with it, she's running out of room to store everyone's ships as it is." Cayde added.

"What of the other groups?" Lord Shaxx asked as he sluggishly came down the stairs.

"I thought you were in bed." Saladin said in good nature.

"He refuses to sleep." Atriums stated in a defeated huff before falling onto Shaxx's shoulder where he had added a recharge dock for her. "Recharge you oversized tennis ball." She added with a pointed glare at Zavala's Ghost.

"I am fine." Zavala's Ghost stated with a growl.

"Recharge dock. Now." Watson said from his place on the docks Saladin had brought it. "Or I'll forget I promised not to tell anyone your real name."

"You will not tell anyone!" Zavala's Ghost stated.

"Recharge." Zavala said. "Or I will." He added and reluctantly his Ghost drifted into the recharge dock that had been brought for him and huffed.

The meeting went on, plans and ideas tossed around the table, Eris taking a place near Ikora while the Titan Lords stayed at the opposite end of the table from Zavala, Lakshmi-2 seemed to just appear and took a place beside Cayde, while Arach Jalaal and Executor Hideo arrived separately and stood at opposite sides of the table.

"Maybe if we," Watson began after a while of plans and ideas being thrown around then shook his shell in a no fashion. "No, not this soon, forget I said anything." He added.

"What is it Watson?" Cayde asked refusing to drop the idea his Ghost had.

"It's just, if the Watson from Rose's world came in through Venus, could his shell still be there? Maybe the light within him could help Rose or even us in some way?" He offered.

"You mean to send Rose to Venus?" Ikora asked, "It may be useful, but I would not ask her to go alone."

"Then we send a team with her," Zavala said. "Arielle, Orion and Vlad have already claimed her as a part of their team and with their teachings Rose will no doubt soon be on par with them."

"Then we send her in when she is on par with them not before." Cayde stated. "She's been through enough in the last few days, anymore and I doubt even an Exo's mind would be sane."

"Agreed." Ikora nodded.

Eris suddenly looked up and went very stiff.

"Feel better?" Orion asked as Rose helped wash the breakfast plates up.

"Yea, not so stiff anymore." She admitted. "Though I still can't believe what's happened. Or that I survived it just because the Vex technology glitched." She said.

"What makes you think that's the only reason you survived?" Vlad asked.

"Because that is the only thing that makes sense," Rose said. "I'm nothing special, so the Vex didn't just pick me out of some list of people to drag out of my world and drop in here and they don't have a habit of helping anyone but themselves so their technology must have glitched in order for me to get here." She added.

"Well, she does have a point." Vakarian said, "But I have never known Vex technology to 'glitch' without a reason."

"What do you mean?" Bing asked.

"Vex technology is highly prized, even the Cabal of all races studies it." Vakarian said, "And we struggle sometimes to hack it so we can progress into the Vault of Glass, since the door closes and reseals every few days." He added.

"If we have better shells we could just break the door down." Wrex said.

"Oh! I forgot." Rose said and searched the pockets on her belt. "Where did I put it?"

"Put what?" Arielle asked.

"I found a Ghost Shell in the Prison, it's too big for Bing but it might be useful for Wrex." Rose said and smiled, pulling the small round ball like shell from her belt pouch. "Here you go."

"Gimme! Gimme!" Wrex demanded circling Rose and the purple ball like shell. "Arielle get me that! Quick! I wanna test fly it!" he said landing on a recharge dock as his shell started to twitch and open, releasing his inner core. "Quick."

"Slow down, Wrex." Arielle chuckled while taking the new shell from Rose. "This is a Prime Shell, so it might give you a bit of a jolt." She warned while carefully twisting the shell open and held it out. "In you go."

"Yes!" Wrex cheered and with a slight burst of light, his Core moved from his old shell and into the waiting space inside the Prime shell.

Wrex gave a small buzz and then the purple ball like shell hovered up and made a small series of bleeps and clicks as his systems adjusted to the new shell. "How's it feel?" Vakarian asked.

"Lighter, much better spaced and less squashed." Wrex said then gave a happy thrill as the perfect ball shell extended several spikes. "I'm keeping this shell!"

"Suits you Wrex." Arielle chuckled. "Don't you think so Orion?"

"Well, it certainly proves what I said about you liking things that are sharp and painful." Orion stated.

"And you don't?" Wrex asked and the two seemed to glare at each other.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry I called you a hunk of junk with no use on the field." Orion huffed and offered his hand out to Wrex, who flopped into the waiting palm. "Forgive me?"

"Forgiven, but if you ever let me get that logged down with useless data again I'll tell Arielle where you hide your ammo stashes and I'll tell Lindor where the chocolate is." Wrex affirmed.

"Finally." Vakarian stated and Sovereign chuckled.

"So, what shall we do today?" Rose asked.

"First stop the Bounty Board. Then hunting." Vlad smiled, "Arielle took you everywhere yesterday but for today, I think we'll all head out for the Cosmodrome and take down a few Devils."

"That would be nice." Rose smiled.

"In that case." Orion chuckled looking at Vlad. "Last one to the bounty board gets first round of drinks tonight!" he said and took off out the door.

"Oh no! You are not beating me Titan!" Vlad laughed chasing Orion.

"Oh boy." Arielle chuckled as she and Rose followed the boys at a much slower pace with their Ghosts. "Here we go again."

A shadow fell over the Plaza and all eyes turned upwards with confusion and wonder as a familiar purple and yellow Hildan Seeker, winged by two more classical blue Hildan Seekers came around in a steady and clear heading to land over the Travelers walk.

"Whoa!" Orion yelped skidding to a stop.

"Arielle! Get over here quick!" Vlad yelled.

Arielle and Rose arrived seconds later. "Oh, not good." Wrex said. "I don' think we are going Bounty hunting today." He added.

"Stay close." Arielle said to Rose and moved forwards watching as Petra, closely followed by two Queen's Guards, both carrying what looked like Data pads and other important items, jumped the railing and all but swung herself down the stairs, heading towards the Hall of Guardians.

"This is bad." Rose said. "Isn't it?"

"Very bad." Arielle said. "Come on." She added leading them down the stairs after Petra and her guards.

"The House of Wolves?" Ikora asked in horror. "Where?!"

"On the Jupiter moon of Callisto. The Prince's crows confirmed it less than an hour ago, they are gathering more Fallen and even without adding numbers to their ranks the house of Wolves is already enough to wipe out not only The Reef but also Earth." Petra explained, "We believe they are from the same world as the Hunter, Rose." She added.

"How can you be sure?" Zavala asked and Petra waved one of the guard's forwards and they handed Zavala one of the data pads they had while the other bean to download everything else they had into the War Table's data banks.

"Footage from the Crows." Petra said as he watched the footage, handing the pad to Cayde after he had seen enough to convince him while he searched out the map he needed on the table. "Variks is already working on jamming their signals and causing as much disruption as he can, but it will not buy us much time. They will strike and they will kill."

"What do you need?" Ikora asked.

"Nothing from you." Petra said and turned to Arielle and her team. "Arielle, The Queen of the Reef calls on you once again to be her sword. Will you answer?"

"I will!" Arielle didn't even hesitate. "And so will my team," she added.

"What about Rose?" Orion asked.

"The Queen has called on her, as well." Petra nodded, looking at Rose, "Will you answer the Queen's call?"

"I will." Rose nodded.

"Then we leave at once." Petra said as the Queen's Guards finished their tasks.