Journal Entry 01

A month since I've seen the tower. I can still picture it, though. And all those guardians, milling around. I never learned most of their names. Didn't have the time to. Or the desire.

It's safer out here, for me and for them. There's too many bad memories over there, dirty memories. I don't think -…I refuse to be that guardian who goes down in the record books as the one who snapped and massacred half the citizens of the last city. I know the story around Red Death, about the crazy rogue guardian who killed so many. I will never become that.

But I understand why he did it. It's one thing to sit in the tower, do things around the Cosmodrome, in the light, and preach about saving the city and its people. It's another thing to face the Darkness where it breeds, stare into the void, step into the abyss, splatter yourself in the blood of your comrades, and know that there is no saving anyone. Not even yourself. Oh yes, I know why he did it.

My ghost worries about me. I think he's afraid I'll kill myself. I told him he's not allowed to read these entries, but I'm willing to bet he'll do it anyway. Can't keep his virtual hands off anything.

I'm not out here for revenge. I'm out here to rebuild. Therapy, staying in the tower, that would have destroyed me. This is my therapy. I need to be alone for a while. I need to do my job alone, for a while. "You've probably heard all the stories about the wolf by now – none of them are true. You are the wolf." That's what Cayde told me, when I got my Six Coyotes cloak after bringing in those refugees.

I may be alone out here, ghost, but I am the wolf. And the Darkness will fear me before I am done.

Journal Entry 23

Six months, since I've seen the tower in person. I wonder how the Vanguard is doing. I wonder if the city still stands. I wonder if they looked for me when I vanished. I wonder if they think I'm dead.

My ghost has done a good job of dodging all the searching signals and messages they had bombarded us with at first, but we haven't gotten one of those in over a month now. I hope they've given up. But never fear, Vanguard, even way out here I do my duty to the light.

I saw a Hive cruiser two days ago; I stalked it for hours, had ghost intercept as many comms as he could. I learned where it was headed. My ship is faster, less clunky then the less sophisticated Hive cruiser. I made it to the planet surface first, a strange place with heavier gravity. I decided to call it Atlas.

When the Hive landed, I shot them down, one by one, with my sniper. And when that was out of ammo, I used my scout Rifle. The Jade Rabbit had been my faithful companion for years, it didn't fail me in this strange place. The Hive scattered. I hunted them down. They never had a chance.

I think the Hive were looking for something here, a religious relic of some sort. I've decided to look for it myself. That'll give me an excuse to make a good map of the place. And then, when I find the thing, I'll make sure to destroy it and broadcast my handiwork to every Hive ship in the system.

When they come looking for me, on this strange planet, all they'll find waiting for them is a bomb.

Journal Entry 113

Two year anniversary, now. Maybe I'll pay the tower a visit. Then again, maybe not.

The cockpit is getting crowded, filled with maps and various relics and curios to give to the cryptarchs, whenever I see them again. They'll appreciate it.

Not much to write. I don't even know why I keep this journal anymore.

Journal Entry 124

Heading back to the tower now. I saw…The Hive are coming. Worse than they have in years. They must be warned, or the city will fall.

Crota's stench, his soul, pure Darkness, it oozes through space as the ship approaches. The ship is slow, wizards and acolytes constantly singing hymns within. I got as close as I could without alerting them to my presence. My ghost confirmed Crota's essence.

The Hive Prince, he who routed the moon and pushed the Vanguard back to Earth, he's coming back. The city will not survive it this time. Not if someone doesn't warn them. I have to go back. Ghost says we'll be there in three days time. May the dead god speed us.