CHAPTER 6
- SUNDOWN -
2 Days. Passed without signs. John was at the tower. Awaiting the news. His date. He wanted to know what was going on. John looked around.
Yet he stayed put. Not to look worried or impatient. Looking through his inventory again. John noticed the weapon. This week was the legendary Exotic.
The rapid shooting weapon of hands. The speed of Gods. The hand cannon. Last Word. Speaker walked towards him. John bowed to him. In respect.
Both over looked the view towards the white glowing moon. The massive planet being. The Traveler.
" Xur. Your different from what I have seen over the years" said The Speaker
" Hmm? Oh That .Well The Nine have will" said John
" The Nine. You will is not your own?" asked The Speaker
" Nooope. I have no will. The Nine took that the moment I was born. I have no power over my choices" said John Xur
Xur walked on from the speaker. Walking his feet. People continued about there own business. His mind was busy with wondering. The roaming on about his journey.
Things Carol had told him. The reasons he yelled at her. He thought. He was wrong. He knew he had to do something right. He didn't want to leave her angered.
Disappointed. Even Luke must have thought of him as a fucked up Xur. Now more than ever. They probably wouldn't even allow him to say one word.
John reached the end of the walk way. Passing the area of the New Monarchy Faction. His gaze turned towards the lower civilian city.
The Last Human settlement on Earth. The Traveler was high above the heavens as usual. John looked up. Wondering what he could do. What he wanted to do.
What he hoped to do. He had wondered about it before. The word humans use. To end one thing. Suicide. He hated this way of the Xurs.
Yet he was born into it. Molded by it. Shown by it. His entire life. He had a childhood. But not the kind that children would have.
Toys , Loving parents , Caring teachers , Friends , Uncles , Aunties , Brothers , Sisters, even girlfriends. Nothing of that. Only traveling. Meeting. Gathering.
Stealing. Searching. Discovering. Hunting. Surviving. John's hands touched the steel rail. Holding it tightly within his grip. Wind blew passed his long cloak.
His hoodie moved. John's eyes closed. As he thought to himself.
- FLASH BACK 3 -
John tossed a rock across the river. The clean glimmering fresh cold river. Its essence glowed with the ever lasting light of the orange blue sunset.
John was now 15 Years Old. On his own Journey into the life of a young Training Xur. His trails list was long. He felt the entire weight of the Nine.
On his shoulders. Never ending. His eyes stared down at the ground. His Xur rookie boots were worn out. Battered. Ruined.
Yet he had to keep selling and meet his list. He knew they would do what they must. Suddenly a pebble flew passed him. Slamming into the cold water. It splashed.
John looked back towards the thrower. Noticing her. A distant traveler. Another looking like an Xur. She was also a trainee. John was surprised seeing another.
Another of his own people. Even in this kind of area. She walked by to him. Her hands touched themselves. Puzzling. Moving with rapid fingers in shyness.
She wondered about it. John was nervous. A girl asking him something other than ridiculous questions.
" Can I ask you about it?" she said
" About it? Sorry about what?" asked John with a wondering lost face
" How? How do you toss the pebble across the lake without it breaking the surface?" she asked passionately
" Without? Oh?-Ugh..Umm. Well it's -Its like this" said John
John grabbed another pebble and made it skip. She wondered with such a puzzled look. John showed her. Taught her. She was laughing as they both tried it.
" Are you also a Training Xur?" he asked
" Yes. I'm nearly halfway with my Trails. What about you?" she asked
" Me?! Oh. Yeah?! Somewhat nearly getting halfway" said John stupidly
" Hahaha. Your a terrible Lair John" she said
" Thanks . I'll take that as a complement" said John looking at her
" I'm sorry but. You Haven't told me your name still?" he asked
" A woman shouldn't have to give more than what she has already given , Dear John" she said with a laugh
She looked beyond the mountains. Eyeing the sunset. Knowing her time was closing soon. She had to get to the next town. The next town over. She stretched.
John placed his drink down. His canteen of cold refreshed water. His legs were crossed. His body was up right. His eyes looked beyond the water. The cold river.
Towards the distant horizon. The skies. He knew this was a great moment.
" You believe in the Nine" he asked
Her eyes didn't blink as he asked. The kind of question many have on there minds.
" The Nine...In honesty I believe in the service we provide" she said
Reaching to her drink. John's eyes noticed her thin like arm. Ever so lightly touching the canteen. The blackening canteen of white and darkened steel.
" Do you really? I witnessed my Father. All my life. Devoting himself to the Nine. To family. To doing this service" said John
Taking her sip. Thirsting for her drink. She looked towards the distant orange sky. Made by the glowing sunset.
" He must have been a devoted Xur" she said
" Oh yes. He believed in this world. This kind of thing. He knew I was next in line. To continue his work as much all of us are doing" said John
" You don't Believe in the Nine do you John?" she asked
"...In some ways I do..In others..."stopped John
" In others?" she asked
" I hate the Nine. I see death. I see no hope. I just don't see what people see in doing this" said John
" It's best you find the answer for yourself, instead of me filling you with nonsense you'd hate to hear" she said
"Thanks for the break. Enjoy , finishing your trails" she said
Standing back up to her feet. She grabbed her Xur Backpack. She burped and excused herself. John stood up rapidly standing. Facing her. Wanting to know more.
She looked at him. She smiled. Thanking him for the short meal. The courtesy. The kindness. She waved good-bye. John rushed to her.
She stopped and looked at him. She tossed an unusual strange coin into his hands. John looked into it's very core essence. Seeing the labels of " A.L. " .
Looking back at her. She smiled to him.
" When you become. More. Understanding the Nine. The ways of an Xur. Find me. Tell me all about your Journey , John" she said
" But?! How?! I don't even know your name!" he yelled
- Flashback ends-
Opening his eyes. John felt the breeze end. His timer had gone off. His eyes were tired. His body was asking to move. He wanted to yell. Wanted to just jump off.
He hated this. Coming every week. Only to see some faces happy. Others disappointed. Some lucky enough to yell. He wanted to see them all scream for him.
But like every week. they always leave him behind. John turned back seeing other young looking Guardians. All happy with new items. All screaming and jumping.
Holding hands. He was felt disgusted. He began to want to just leave. His timer continued. Beeping , beeping. Beeping. John looked away. His eyes were closed.
Taking a few steps back from the steel end rail. John took one step forward. Until he opened his eyes. Being stopped.
" Well. Good thing you looked. Otherwise.." said Cayde-6 looking back
Cayde smiled. Looking back and waving his right arm. Looking like a silly Exo robot with a joke in his right hand. Waving his arm over the rail.
" Cayde, out of my way" said John Xur
Cayde looked down at his hand. Looking at the flower. The red , pink flourished flower. Called " Rusdi ". John looked at him. His glowing eyes followed him.
" Come on, Man what's your deal? I mean normally..." said Cayde tossing one flower pedal in mid air
" I'm late to go home." said John
" Noooope! Your late for something else" said Cayde tossing the flower into his face
" What the-"
" No. Normally You'd be gone ahead of time. Normally you'd be done a minute earlier" said Cayde walking around John
" Something is eating away at you. Something you can't shake off. Something that Normally I'd say " Fuck it" . "Let's flow with Glow" said Cayde
Cayde moved his arms in the robot dance moves. John looked lost at Cayde.
" I don't have time for your stupidity" said John walking passed Cayde
John jumped onto the steel end rail. Looking forward. His black endless warlock like cloak flapped. Cayde stopped. Looking forward. His hands touching each other.
In the form of a triangle. Cayde's eyes looked passed the tree's. The Holiday decorations. The festival songs at the far distance. John stood up. Like if he was batman.
Guardian of the city. John stood up his arms down at his sides. His gaze looking beyond the rail. Closer towards the endless fall.
" She's missing , John" said Cayde-6
" Missing?! How-"
" I am A Hunter. I know about the missions. I know about my Guardians. It's a Vanguard thing. She was lost in a mission. Sent with her team" said Cayde
John's eyes glowed from yellow. To the ever changing glow of white. His eyes looked towards the fall.
" She went to the moon. She was sent there to stop a bunch of Growing Hive. They were stirring up something with Crota's remains" said Cayde
John's mind showed. Images. Moving rapidly. Showing what Crota once was. With a solid body. A very self powerful being. Wizards. Thrall. Ogres. Knights.
" Why Tell Me This...Why not your Fellow Vanguard's...Why not your other Guardians... " whispered John
" Because. She meant something to you. More than what you'd say in a normal chat. I know what your feeling Xur" he said looking at him
" You have no idea, Cayde" said John
" Oh? I don't? Well Then. Zavala and Ikora canceled the reports and the rescue operation if there was any at all" said Cayde
" We need solid evidence , and we need it fast" said Cayde
" I'm No Guardian Cayde-"
" I'm asking you...Not as a Guardian..As A Friend..As A Person In Need..." said Cayde
Cayde looked at John. Feeling a sudden change. The tone in John's voice. His glowing eyes. His stance. His body. All changed within seconds.
Cayde needed to see this. Wanted to see this. Was hoping to ask. Yet was afraid to. Wondered if the Speaker would say or object to this.
John looked away from him. For a second. Hearing an echoing voice of his father's words. The Honest Words. The kind that he carried with him. Every sale.
Every mission. Every Journey. Everywhere.
John leaped forward.
Cayde-6 rushed to look. To see. To find out.
John went into a long free fall motion.
Ahead of him. A glowing black ruptured portal.
Teared through thin air. Opening another dimension within it's every existence.
" Damn. I can't wait to see what he can do. I hope he doesn't get fired for doing this" said Cayde-6 with a shocked face