Chapter 4- Goldmine

The Guardian immediately turned and slammed a fist on the armored door. He hit the door repeatedly the metal reverberating as he did so. The fighting outside raging on the other side of the door. He hopelessly clawed at the bulked door, attempting to get to the other side. Theal watched the man attempting to get to his friend still audibly fighting on the other side. He couldn't feel for the man, not because of some heartless indifference but because when he saw him come back from the dead. He felt a power coming from him, something that felt… off about it. He just clutched his polearm and walked up to him. He planted a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to face him with his eyeless helmet staring into his trio of lights affixed on his frames face. The fighting outside soon quieted down, the sound of melee combat soon replaced with claws pounding the bulkheads. The red Guardian's shoulders slouched at the sound of it. Theal didn't understand how these people returned to life, still, even if he could rise again, he would just be cut down.

He turned to look deeper into the hallways, seeing the aesthetic difference between it and the rest of the factory. "We have to go deeper or face the bugmen with only my Tipedo and your magic." He told the red man.

He just straightens up and restored his resolve. His empty rifle at his chest, he walked on with Theal close behind. As they progress through the building, they saw the condition be far better than the rusting factory seen from the outside. The technology started to also seem to be working better than the bits and bobs he scavenged from the site. There were no door or vents, just long hallways slowly becoming far more elegant as they step forward.

The walk has been quiet for the two. Theal thought it would be better if he tried learning the man's name. "Mister, umm guardian? I don't know who you are but your assistance was greatly appreciated."

The red guardian gave him a glance back in acknowledgment. After a few seconds, he responded. "Yeah, you were a great help too. Names Vulpis, as you heard from my ghost." As he mentions the machine, it popped into view and moved its attachments as a mock salute. " I'm sorry if I'm distant and you don't seem to be around here. Go ahead and ask my ghost any questions you have on the moment. I just want a few moments to myself."

"Understood." Theal responded.

The little floating machine flew to meet him eye to frame helmet. "My guardian is right. You are most certainly not from around here." He covered Theal in scanning light. "I can't get any readings off you and nothing seems to come up when I use your images as reference. Well, either than a few images from Japan history but that isn't relevant. Tell me, who are you?" The sentinel-like machine floated into the Tenno's personal space as he asked.

The ash frame backed up a bit to get some breathing room. "I'm Theal, a Tenno from the Origin system. Do you by chance know where that is?"

The little machine remained stagnant in the air for a split second before answering him. "No, I can't say I do. From the data banks we plundered already from Vex, Fallen, and Cabal, we have no references to the Origin System. I can tell you we are currently in the Sol system." The little ghost seems a little hopeful at the last part.

Theal head started wrapping around the words Sol system. Those words seem so similar but it escaped him. He just answered honestly. "No, I don't remember anything by that name." Theal said defeated.

The little ghosted gave a stare that almost looked like pity but failed due to a lack of facial features. Continued to ask questions about the machine and his friend. The explanation was that they were the guardians of the last are immortal warriors given power and life by the being called the traveler. He got a quick explanation of the four competing factions that control the system. They were all dangerous and all equally complex to understand in one sitting but had two things in common. They all are hostile and bullets worked just fine on them. He would have asked more but a door got in their way.

It was a clean pearl white door with a holographic display to the side. The little ghost got to work and after a few seconds turned to Theal. "Can you use the same trick to open this door?"

Theal couldn't think about it before but why was Orokin technology like Memory ciphers so far away from home. It was possible that there are other systems that could have been colonized before the war but that had slim to no chance. Vulpis turned to regard Theal. "Yeah what is this tech? My ghost is normally good at hacking security, no matter how good it is."

Theal stepped forward and started messing with the controls and while he was working, started talking back. "A memory Cipher works of Oro principles and requires the password to already to be in your memory. I must have a connection with the last one in if I was able to open it." Theal explained to the Two.

The pair looked confused at his explanation. It was the little ghost that asked first. "I think I understood most of it but there is a part that confuses me. What is an Oro?" he asked curiously.

Theal got the third lock done when he answered. "Many different cultures had names for it, Chi, spirit, and Soul are a few examples for it. The simple explanation is that it the reflection you cast on the void."

The Warlock seemed to know the word void and it caused him to be nervous. "Void? Are you talking about the realm that separates the Light from the Darkness?"

Theal got the last lock and the door slid up, revealing a room completely in the dark. He turned to Vulpis with his weapon still gripped in his hands. "I don't know, the Void is a tricky subject for me to explain. All I know that its the reflection of realspace and that all Oro returns to it when their presence is erased from this reality." Theal tried to quickly summarize.

Vulpis took point as he walked through the door and into the dark room. His ghost followed and moved to the nearest console to turn on the lights. He tried to pierce through the dark but gave up and waited for his ghost to turn on the lights. "This conversation is better left off until the tower."

Theal perked up at that. "That's a safe place right?"

"The safest in the system and Home to the best ramen anywhere." he said shouldering his rifle. At that moment the lights flicked on and what Theal saw stuck fear to his very core. It was a room filled to the brim with consoles and a mixture of Orokin technology. On the walls had words painted in red spelling out. 'Bring her back!' In the center was a pillar with the skeleton of a long dead man in golden robs coiled up to is. In the pedestal was a cracked void key spilling energy and next to it was a figure completely covered in shadow.

The man in the wall eyes glowed with white-hot hatred as he stared back at Theal. The Guardian moved to a battle stance but chains appeared out of nowhere and pushed him to the ground. The Little ghost moved to help his master but a rip in realspace burst into life knocking the machine away. While this happens Theal teleported to the creature and had his Tipedo raised up high to strike but his blade only passed through. Vulpis couldn't move in his chins and his ghost couldn't cut through them. Instead, he started to channel his light into him. Using the Travelers might to dissipate the unknown power. It was working and the metal started to fade but then he felt a tug.

The man in the wall used the chains to throw Vulpis into the tear and sent him into the Voids depths and his ghost foolishly followed. Theal tired to follow and save the pair but the was stopped by the same chains. The whole in the void quickly stitched itself back together. Leaving the pair stuck in the hell realm of the Orokin. Theal tried to struggle but these ebony chains felt stronger than the last time he was held in them. He tried getting out of his warframe and fight back but his transference was stuck.

He heard the Man in the wall voice. Not just speaking to him but everywhere, bouncing off the walls, in his head and from his own mouth. "Hey, kiddo. You and your friends still have a debt to pay."