"So this is the Tower?" I ask in awe. Guardians were everywhere, meandering about the hub area. Conversations flew about on the wind like feathers, I could reach out and watch them drift through my fingertips. Guardians were clustered around a vendor to my right, some cheering and others cursing beneath their breaths. The vendor, an awoken male in a hooded robe, looked extremely pleased as he held crystalline glowing dodecahedrons in his hands. A little further an Exo male stood before racks of guns, lining the walls. He seemed to be lazily conversing with a small female Human Guardian, pointing to different parts of a nasty looking shotgun. To my left, a concrete booth displayed a glowing holo-board, boasting a large Emberverse logo. Within another compartment in the same building, a droid speaking to a handful of Guardians, handing packages about and fretting slightly. My glowing eyes can barely handle all of it, devouring everything like a pair of starved animals. Banners of red and blue were hung above pillars crested with ivy and budding flowers, staggering the stairs. I reach out to touch one, gloved fingers running over the rough surface.
"Well go on, you aren't planning to stand there all day, are you?" Ghost mocks, appearing briefly in a brilliant flash of light. I roll my eyes and bound up the stairs, approaching the stairwell that descends to where I assume the Vanguard reside. After taking the steps two at a time, I pause to look at the large crest that is chiseled into the wall. Each motif of the classes joined together on a shield, surrounded by circle, which I assume represents the Traveller. Nodding slightly, I resume my trek, taking the left passage. I look to my right, seeing a strange woman hunched over a glowing orb, muttering strange phrases. I pause on the staircase, observing the little station she's constructed, a large cauldron overflowing with green light and an eerie looking skull on stacks of books.
"That's Eris Morn. She was captured by the Hive a long while back, losing her Ghost. She's… she's a little strange," Ghost whispers, floating slightly behind me. Her head snaps up, turning to look at me. I take a step back, releasing the handrail in surprise. Three glowing eyes shrouded by bandages stared at me, black trails of tears flowing down her pale face.
"A new Guardian approaches," Eris' voice is strangely strong, not like the whispery muttering we heard before.
"S-Sorry for disturbing you. I just got here and, uh, I'm still getting used to e-everything," I stutter, rubbing the back of my neck abashedly. Eris cocks her head to the side, reaching out slightly with one of her hands. I look at Ghost, motioning slightly with my eyes. He just bobs up and down, in what I assume is a shrug. I assume a lot of stuff.
"The Light is different around you Guardian. More powerful, yet… more primal. Your Light is not pure and white like the others who surround us. You have greys in you… like the Darkness has seen your power and tried to take it. But you made the Darkness your own, became one with the Grey, and it fled," she hums, coming closer to the railway. My back is against the wall now, not sure if I should be confused or scared. From what I've heard, the Darkness is not something I want to have any part of, even if it high tailed it out of there.
"Ugh, thank you?" I respond, inching towards the bottom of the stairs, ready to run. Eris nods, and I swear I almost heard her chuckling beneath her breath.
"You will return Guardian," Eris just bobs her head and goes back to muttering to her orb. I sneak a glance at Ghost again, who is rotating around his center again, probably slightly uncomfortable. I don't blame him. I nod again, clearing my head, before continuing down the hall.
"That's Lord Shaax, he runs the Crucible. The Crucible is where Guardians who have a little time go to hone their skills against one another and get rewards," Ghost informs. Lord Shaax gives me a nod from where he stands. I give a small wave, hoping I don't look too scrawny compared to his robust figure. I reached the end of the hall to be greeted by a long table with three figures nose deep in different documents.
"Introducing Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard, Cayde-6, the Hunter Vanguard and Commander Zavala, the Titan Vanguard," Ghost announced formally… and loudly for that matter. The Awoken male, Human female and Exo male all turned to look at me, eyes bright and staring. After a moment of awkward staring and me squirming under their gaze, the Exo spoke up, the orange glow in the back of his throat blooming.
"Well, c'mon then. We don't bite… often," he jokes. The Awoken male, Commander Zavala by the looks of it, groans and rubs his eyes. I robotically walk down the steps and toward the table.
"So you're the new Warlock your Ghost has been telling us about," Ikora Rey said. "Your one of mine then. Welcome to the Tower."
"Thanks. Uh, Ghost?" I mutter, looking to Ghost for help. People are hard to talk to, especially since… you know… I've been dead for a while. Ghost just sighs and floats forward, rolling its eye at me as it passes.
"Before you assign us any missions, we have a question for you Ikora," Ghost sighs.
"Go on," Ikora responds.
"Have there ever been any cases where a Guardian or Warlock could wield a Light Power immediately after being resurrected for the first time?" Ghost inquires. Ikora raises an eyebrow, curious.
"What makes you ask?" Ikora asks.
"No Guardian in history has been able to use a Light Power after being resurrected for the first time," Cayde-6 assured. Ghost and I shared a curious glance.
"What about a Guardian who can use both Darkness and Light together? Like in a sort of… uh, Grey?" This time I spoke, quoting Eris Morn. The Vanguard shared a worried glance.
"You know what, never mind," Ghost quickly butted in, laughing nervously. Commander Zavala and Ikora Rey nod slowly and go back reading through their documents. I notice Cayde-6 waving me over subtly. Slowly, I walk over, careful not to disturb the two working.
"Hey, I, uh, never got your name," Cayde-6 requested. I'm slightly taken aback. Everyone has just called me Guardian, never really asking for a name. What is my name?
"Uh, I don't have one. Or if I did, I don't remember," I told Cayde-6. This surprised him.
"You don't remember your name? Well… that's all right I suppose. Just make one up. For you," Cayde-6 shrugged. I thought for a second. What describes me? I finally settle on something… melancholy I guess describes it. On reflection, it feels right, as if that were my previous name or I'd been called it before.
"Valence. My name is Valence," I affirm. It feels good, a tingly feeling.
"Valence, eh? I'll just call you Vee. I'm Cayde-6, but everyone calls me Cayde," Cayde introduces, sticking out his hand. I grab it and give it a firm shake, the pla-steel plating of his face bending into a grin.
"Nice to meet you Cayde," I respond, mirroring his grin.
"If you two boyfriends are done, I need to talk to my Guardian," Ghost drawls, whirring about. I roll my eyes and excuse myself, exiting the hall.
"What is it, you sarcastic twit?" I snap, slightly annoyed at Ghost for being such a jerk when I've just made the first friend since I died. Ghost floats about, snickering.
"Well, we need a Warp Drive if you want to get anywhere further than Earth. The Cosmodrome is the only place I know where we might find one," Ghost informs, his tone still slightly snarky. I nod and begin to summon my ship.
"What are we waiting for? Let's get that Warp Drive!" I exclaim, disappearing in a shimmering silvery light.