" I'll see you soon ok? I promise, and your dad never breaks his promises."
"Hey Hey! Whats going on my little firecracker! You've gotten pretty big haven't you. The picture your mom sent me..."
"A...!...run for the door! Now!"
"No! NO! SON!!"
"Gua.....dian...Guardian"
A young man slowly roused from his slumber, his vision blurry and his ears ringing. He could faintly make out a white polynomial shape that seemed to be spinning.
"Guardian...Eyes up Guardian"
The man rested his hand on the structure behind him as he staggered to his feet, the voices...or memories slowly fading. His vision began to clear as he took in his surroundings.
He stood on some abandoned highway that looked more akin to a junkyard with all the cars. He brought his hand from earlier up inspecting the dark leather that covered his palm and small flecks of rust from the vehicle.
"Where...where am I?"
His own youthful tenor voice helped him stay grounded as he continued to gain his bearings.
"You've...you've been dead a long time Guardian. I've been looking for you for awhile now, I had almost given up"
The small...robot he realized, spoke. It was a static like voice yet seemed feminine. The man staggered forward slowly getting used to his motor functions as he made his way through the broken rusted automobiles.
"Guardian...why do you call me that? What even are you?"
The man inspected the leather and strange alloy mix on his chest and vambraces feeling the straps. It was peculiar, almost entirely light yet durable.
"Your a guardian. One of few souls the traveler bestowed the power of light onto. As for me, Well Im a ghost. Your ghost to be specific."
The small robot buzzed It's way to his forefront, a single light blue cyber eye looking at him.
"What is...light? And the traveler?"
The dead man climbed up a few rusted steps of an overpass seemingly guided by an unknown purpose.
"Light is...Well It's all around us in a sense. It binds us together. It flows not just in us but also everything the traveler can touch. And The traveler...I'll show you when we get back to the tower"
A cry unlike anything the man had ever heard sounded in the distance. It was akin to a shrill banshees wail echoing through the rusted fragile building.
"Fallen..."
The ghost chirped up, her voice seemingly worried. She quickly buzzed down to his eye level rotating erratically.
" Guardian listen we need to get out of here. We're in fallen territory and they will not like us being here."
A blue horizontal light emitted from the ghosts lens and scanned him up and down to the man's confusion.
"Ok hold still...Your gonna feel a little tingle" Suddenly, the ghost flew into his chest and disappeared into motes of blue light.
The man gave a slight shudder and accidentally knocked a piece of railing loose causing it to fall into the black depths below.
A loud clang resounded through out the building causing more shrieks and wails to be heard.
"Testing...testing can you hear me fine Guardian?" The feminine robots voice clearly sounded in his head.
"Ghost! Get me the hell out of here now!" The man harshly whispered out loud. He could see strange orange lights approaching him from down the tunnel.
The white and yellow shell of his benefactor materialized in front of him once again and quickly scanned their surroundings.
"Ok ok...so needy yeesh. Yknow if you die I can just bring you back...occasionally."
The man glared at the robot and saved the information for later. Suddenly the lights switched on in the building and a metal gate opened next to him.
"Guardian quick get in!"
The man raced inside and stumbled over his own feet falling against a purplish and white crate. Looking up after his fall, the man found himself staring into a strange hovering machine with a single barrel underneath It's orange and red mixes visor. The barrel began to glow a bit blue near the tip, crackling with electricity.
"Guardian listen! That's a fallen Shank! They're droids built by the fallen and they will kill you on sight! Right now your leaning on a weapon cache, if you can maneuver behind the crate, you can open it and grab the gun inside. Now move it"
Without thinking, the man acrobatically (Clumsily as the ghost later reminisced) propelled himself backwards flipping over the crate hitting a small lock in the process.
The cache opened and a soft blue hue emitted showing strange blue cubes and...a rustic revolver. Well really it was more akin to a cannon given It's size and barrel width.
The man reached in and ducked as arcing bolts shot over him scorching the shudders behind him. When he came back up, it was with a snarl and the barrel raised pointing at the Shank.
With a loud bang the Shank jutted backwards as It's propulsor stuttered before it fell into the chasm behind it. A small explosion followed shortly after and a small victorious smile graced the man's lips.
"Not a bad shot for a deadman. Also that stuff in the cache, the blue shiny things. That's Glimmer, think of it like a currency of sorts."
A chuckle escaped the man as he held the smoking barrel up and checking the cylinder. He pulled out the ammo casing seeing 5 more bullets inside before sliding it back in and closing it with a flick.
"I had...no clue that thing was going to fire! Whew, that was lucky uh...ghost"
The small white and gold streaked ghost appeared in front of him and scanned the glimmer before the blue cubes disappeared. She turned around and floated up to his eye level.
"I'm storing this for later use. You can buy stuff back at the tower with it and it helps with some other needy things in the field. Listen I'm charting a path right now through this building and it seems that there is a jumpship in the lower hanger. Arcadia class if my scans are correct "
The guardian blinked at the ghost and gave her a blank look. He opened his mouth as if to formulate words before shutting it slowly.
"I'm going to pretend I understand what you mean by that. What I "can" understand..."
The man spun the revolver in his hand and held it up near his chest with a click and smile.
"Is that I'll likely need to shoot my way out of here. Something I'm confident in."
"Oh are you some sort've badass now? You killed a scout Shank and now you think you can take on a possible Fallen base?" The Ghost chastised the guardian as she floated behind him.
The man laughed and made his way down the catwalk with his gun in hand. The echoes of fallen warriors reverberated off the walls as the man confidently made his way down the hall.
"Im serious guardian...I just found you. It's not guaranteed I can bring you back here and I don't want to lose you after searching so long.." The ghost stopped a few inches from his face, her buzzing light illuminating his features.
The man was lightly tanned with a small stubble of dark hair. His hair was a dark brown with tinges of blonde, the length reaching his upper neck. The last thing the ghost catalogued was his eyes, a stormy blue almost reminiscent of arc energy.
His voice came out as a soft whisper causing her erratic shifting of gears to slow "I ain't going anywhere Angel.. you brought me back, I gotta live or else you'll be pissed"
"Angel hmm..? I think that fits you actually, the whole white and yellow and your righteous feminine anger at me. What do you think?"
The little light flickered briefly before floating ahead of him. "I think I should've forced that guy in the cryopod I found to come back instead..."
A robotic sigh was heard as the ghost disappeared and her voice sounded in his head.
"...I like the name. Its better than my title. So stay alive so you can say it more ok? I'll direct you towards the ship...you worry about kicking ass!"
The man gave a toothy smile and twirled his hand cannon once more "I wont Angel. I promise, and I don't break my promises-"
The man staggered as a rush of images and voices filled his head before quickly leaving. He held onto the wall to avoid falling as his knees briefly buckled and a wave of nausea assaulted him.
"Guardian! Are you ok?"
"...Alex...my name...My name is Alex"
Suddenly a humanoid creature with a shock knife jumped out of a vent, blue looking dribble seeping from its mandible like mouth.
The creature lunged at the now named Alex with its knife raised only to collapse, a bullet hole just above its eye.
"Asshole..." Alex gasped out as he steadied himself, his gun barrel smoking after firing.
"Alex...your name? Thats...I didn't know guardians could recall their memories so quickly after waking"
"Angel, was this some kind of Fallen" He tapped the body with his foot looking for any signs of movement.
It was garbed in some black mesh clothing and a purplish scarf that seemed to almost stick to It's back.
Angel appeared and floated above the fallen warrior scanning it before it dissipated in some dark like matter.
"Good news, this guy had some glimmer and transmat data which means..."
A cylinder appeared in Alex's hand with 6 shots inside. He raised an eyebrow looking at the ammo before looking at the little light.
"Did...did you just turn that things body into ammo?" He asked skeptically, watching the cylinder disappear in motes of blue lights.
"Yes, yes I did. Fear me" The energetic robot spun her parts and spoke with a false threatening voice.
"Noted...so...That thing got a name?" Alex asked as he continued down the corridor.
Angel had already disappeared back into his body when she responded. "That was a Dreg, they're the lowest form of fallen warrior in the species. Think of them like grunts. They can be easy to take down, but enough of them can take down even the strongest of guardians."
"So I've taken down a Shank and a Dreg, anything you can tell me about them? Weaknesses? Or how about that electric shot the Shank tried to kill me with?"
" Shanks have weak armor since they're mainly scouts. The thing it shot at you was an Arc bolt, a high pressurized round of electricity and lead. Basically...it hurts. As for the Dreg, they typically weild shock knifes for close combat and a sidearm capable of shooting arc bolts"
"So if I get hit by an Arc Bolt I not only get electrocuted but die from a bullet. Seems a little...rude dont you think?"
"The fallen have Long since hated humanity, they once wielded the light but it was taken from them. Now they battle the guardians of the last city in hopes to reclaim it. Also you won't technically die. My light grants you a shield of sort, like an outward Aura if you will. When you get shot or stabbed or anything of the sort you'll be protected until the damage done is greater than my shield. It's like getting hit really hard but you won't die" Angel explained in his head. For one who apparently had been searching for a long time she seemed to know a lot.
"So I'm invincible to an extent then?" Alex asked peering down the next hall scanning for enemies. His hunch was correct as he spotted a lone Dreg patrolling near some kind of boiler.
" To an extent yes. However, arc rounds will quickly tear down your shield. If you can avoid taking hits my shield will regenerate. There is a lot to explain especially regarding elemental weapons so let's wait until we get back to the Tower or at least out of here"
Alex nodded and silently approached the Dreg from behind. He flipped his cannon around like a club of sorts intending to bash its head in when Angel stopped him.
"Alex hold on! Let me try something..."
Suddenly his gun disappeared in a shimmering light only to be replaced by a flickering flame. It quickly morphed into a knife with a light red sheen to its blade.
Alex smiled and pulled the Dreg back by its scarf and tripped it over his foot. Holding the startled Dreg by its mesh shirt Alex quickly slammed the blade into its skull. Then as if by some crazy means before his eyes, the fallen warrior disappeared in a flash of flames being burned away leaving nothing behind. Not even his knife.
"What...what just happened Angel.." Alex spoke with a hint of awe and confusion.
"It's a part of why I brought you back Alex. You have the ability to wield light. One of the travelers chosen guardians to defend humanity."
As she spoke another Dreg turned down the hall and saw the kneeling Alex beginning to rise. It released an ear splitting shriek causing him to turn quickly, his hand cannon already forming in his grasp.
Two bangs echoed down the hall as the corpse of the charging Dreg fell, two bullet holes in its chest. Once again it's body dissolved away but this time it's dissolving was accompanied by howls and shrieks.
"Alex we need to move now. That Dreg alerted the others and I'm picking up more Fallen on the way. I'll guide you to the jumpship but you will likely encounter them. Be ready and move quick"
"I trust you Angel, get us the hell outta here!" Alex began sprinting down the hall with his gun at the ready. He had a lot of questions, but no time to get answers. He made his way into an open room and found 3 dregs and one strange looking creature with 4 arms. As soon as the creature saw him it released an almost commanding yelp and fired at Alex. The guardian quickly dived behind a pillar as a large bolt of Arc flew past him.
"Angel what the hell is that thing!" Alex frantically asked as he pulled out his revolver and fired around the pillar. His shot hit an approaching dreg in the shoulder sending it tumbling over a railing.
"That's a Vandal. They're like the sub captains of Dregs and Shanks. There are different versions of Vandals in the Fallen hierarchy. This one is using a Wire Rifle, it's used in long range attacks so your going to have to flush him out and catch him off guard. Focus on the Dregs while I make you something to help and be quick, my radar is picking up reinforcements"
True to Angels statement, a small batch of Dregs and Shanks arrived in the room from a few side panels and quickly approached Alex's position.
The guardian raised his cannon and shot another Dreg running at him, this time the bullet piercing its head and sending it backwards. Alex could hear the buzzing motor of a Shanks thruster to his left and turned firing at its visor.
The Shank jutted backwards exploding sending shrapnel into a nearby dreg impaling it. Of course this want without repercussion.
Alex was thrown backwards and left gasping against the catwalk on his back. He quickly brought his hand to his chest plate and failed to feel the familiar shielding Angel provided him. He brushed off small pieces of molten shards still tingling with arc energy.
"Alex your shields been broken by the Vandals rifle. It'll be a few seconds until it starts to come back. In the mean time.."
Alex rolled to his side and dodged small arc bolts doing his best to make his way to a fallen vending machine. Just as he made his way over his gun disappeared and was replaced by a literal fireball.
The guardian freaked before Angel could say anything and threw it away...right in the cluster of Dregs and Shanks.
A heavy heat filled the space as both the Dregs and Shanks were incinerated. Alex peaked his head out now holding his gun and warily looked around. He saw a flash of white and purple as the Vandal raced away from the explosion and took aim with a snarl.
The bullet impacted its skull and Alex watched in morbid fascination as white misty wisps of energy left its body before dissolving.
Angel appeared over his shoulder as Alex came out of cover and searched the area.
"I was going to tell you to throw the solar grenade at the group of enemies but you uh...grasped that pretty quickly, with such bravery no less" The female robot spoke in amusement.
"You literally but fire in my hands Angel! What did you think I was going to do when I see my hand burning!?" Alex swung his hands out in front of him exasperated by his companion.
"Hey I said I was in the middle of doing something that would help us out and I did. I believe a thank you is in order" The little light smugly spoke as she dissolved the bodies with her scanning.
"Thank you little Angel for putting a bomb in my hand without telling me!" Alex was met with a robotic snicker causing him to sigh in annoyance.
"Are we at least closer to the jumpship Angel?"
"Hehe...Your welcome Alex and yes we are. My scans show it's a few hundred meters to our right.." The animated robot buzzed her way to a control panel Alex was leaning against. After a few seconds of scanning it the lights flickered on and a large metal gate opened across from him.
"Oh before I forget...my scans were able to collect this"
Alex's cannon disappeared and was replaced by a scopes rifle with brown and white accents. It had a short frame and receiver but a long barrel topped with a few jagged edges.
"This is the Vandals rifle. It's an Arc weapon capable of breaking matching energy shields in one shot.." Angel began to explain but was drowned out by a loud roar from past the gate.
"And hopefully...it'll kill whatever made that sound..." Angel warily said as her buzzing ceased and disappeared into Alex.
Alex swung the rifle onto his back and felt it disappear and his cannon reappear in his hand. He smiled as he no longer had to worry about the weight being on his back and held his gun tightly as he quickly raced down the corridors.
After a few silent moments being met only by the thumping of Alex boots on the grated catwalk, our guardian came into a large room lit by a gaping hole in the ceiling.
The sun illuminated the room letting Alex see just what likely caused the massive hole. A large rocket ship was suspended by wires with its nose facing down and large gashes across its hull.
Alex stared in awe as he approached, his ghost coming out and scanning the ship buzzing around. The ship was a dull orange and black with two giant engines on the back and a long narrow head resembling the bowsprit of an old world ship. A small window could be seen where Alex guessed the pilot sat.
He smiled in amusement as he listened to his companion mutter to herself while she frantically flew around the ship.
"Hull seems to be intact...fusion core is at 80% and the manual functions seem to be functional.."
"Angel, what are we looking at" Alex called out her as he rested his hands on his hips looking up at the little light buzzing erratically.
"This is an Arcadia class jumpship. It's old world space ship but it seems to be banged up. The dual thrusters in the back could use a tune up, the external shield breakers are shot, don't even get me started on the Inter terminal that-"
"Angel!...Will it fly" Alex interrupted the fast talking robot as she floated down to his eye level.
"It won't take us to space, but it should get us to the tower, bar any issues along the way"
A large circular manhole cover on the wall rotated gaining the attention of the two. A large figure stepped out and jumped down before roaring at the two.
It's head was covered by a giant white mask with 4 blue visor lights and a black face mask. It had 4 arms much like a Vandal and a purple cape. In its two hand was a gun of sorts with a barrel wider than Angel.
"That's a Fallen captain..Alex we need to leave now! Your not ready for this fight!"
Alex stepped back as the Captain approached with its gun at the ready. A cylinder of blue liquid and circuits on its back shaking slightly as it raised the barrel of its gun at the guardian.
"Angel what's that thing on its back!?" Alex saw the orange light beginning to form in the muzzle and his instincts screamed at him to dodge.
He threw himself behind the ships nose and watched as the metal support beam behind him was blown apart leaving behind scorched jagged edges.
"Dammit! That's the hyperdrive we need!"
Alex heard the robot cuss in his mind as he jumped over a railing onto a platform and quickly ran from the roaring beast.
His hand outstretched and his hand cannon formed in his fingers, the trigger already being pulled as he swung the barrel towards the fallen captain chasing him.
Alex watched in a mix of confusion and horror as the bullet didn't even pierce the air around its armor. The mix quickly turned to full terror as the beast grinned and fired at him.
The shot deviated down and blasted the platform into pieces, the force sending Alex flying across the open area.
He struggled to get up as the captain approached malevolently almost mocking him with a growl.
"It has an absorption shield Alex! You'll have to use your rifle to overload it and shut it off. Your shots will range it after"
"Angel... think you can make me another grenade?"
Just as the captain was a few feet away, it's gun slightly lowered, Alex lunged punching the Captain in the gut.
The captain didn't even budge and smacked the guardian across the field. It laughed in a mix of low mocking growls and mandible clicking until a bright light engulfed it.
Alex had stuck his solar grenade onto the captain with his punch and it engulfed the wailing beast in flames.
Alex shakingly stood holding his ribs with a grin looking at the firestorm in front of him.
His grin dropped and a look of horror replaced his features as the flames dispersed. The captain stood there with a terrifying visage and snarled at the wounded guardian. It's shield was broken but other than that it was unharmed.
Even worse Alex could see the forms of various dregs beginning to rush into the area.
His body ached and his own shield was broken from that swing. Yet, He raised his pistol in defiance and anger at the Captain. He fired a round and watched the bullet impact the beast shoulder making it raise one of its arms to the bullet hole.
A dreg fired an arc round at the man as he threw his protesting body behind a fallen support beam.
"Dammit! They just won't quit! Why can't I get a break! I don't even know what the hell im doing? Much less what I am!" Alex snarled as he pulled at his rifle and shot another dreg scurrying behind a brown window.
"Your a guardian Alex. You are the only thing standing between the dark forces of today and light of tomorrow"
Angels voice rang in his head as he continued to fire round after round at the dregs, the Captain hidden from his sight behind the ship.
"Dammit!" His rifles shots were depleted and for some reason Angel had yet to generate more ammo for him.
"Alex I chose you because the Traveler believed in you. That you could be great, a protector for those who can't do anything. Someone whose able to think on his feet and bring hope when all is lost!"
Her voice seemed to grow louder in his mind as Alex pulled out his cannon and began to fire at the approaching enemies. His feet carried him across the battlefield and his body twisted dodging the Dregs arc bolts.
"You are not just some person anymore Alex. You are someone who can wield the powers of the traveler, of light!
The captain roared as its shield returned and came back from behind the ship pushing its subordinates out the way. Alex fired a round at the beast but it quickly teleported a few meters to his right, the round hitting the shoved dreg instead.
Alex felt...something well up inside him. A small heat began to course through his very veins as he zipped through shots and returned fire at the onslaught of Dregs.
"You have the strength of a Titan but not the frontline prowess. The vanguard does not call out to you for defense when needed. You are not the shield of those in need but the sword of mercy for those who fight or cower"
More and more Dregs filled the area but Alex had long since forgotten the fear. His mind was in a trance as that wellspring of power filled his very soul and propelled him onward to fight. The scorching shots the captain fired were dodged either fully or narrowly with a calculated risk. Every movement had its purpose resulting in the death of another Dreg.
" You are as cunning as a Warlock but you lack the scholarly aptitude. You crave to be in the field where the call for action is high. You don't question the unknown but you thrive in its place. Your strong with a team but deadly alone"
Alex never stopped moving. For each shot a body fell, for each step he placed forward the captain took two back. Only 6 combatants remained and Alex was more focused and in-tune with his body than he could ever recall. The power that refused to falter reached its apex as Alex somersaulted off the body of his recent kill dodging the incoming arc bolts.
"You are the lone wolf who strives for the perfect shot. The one who flows like lightning across a battlefield leaving a storm of chaos behind him. Who draws from the shadows and is the arrowhead of the traveler."
Alex roared and reached his hand out midair as a fiery light engulfed him.
"You are a Hunter"
Alex, wreathed in flames, held a golden flaming hand cannon much like his own. With a snarl he aimed at the remaining dregs and released 5 hellfire like shots dissolving them into a sea of flames.
The captain looked up in pure fear and staggered backwards dropping his rifle. The beast could only watch as Alex landed in front of it with his barrel raised.
The hammer cocked back, but the captain did nothing. It could do nothing.
It did not see a guardian of light wielding the power to inspire hope. The guardian had danced across the field and killed countless of its brethren. It was the most enchanting and terrifying thing the creature had ever seen. This was not a being of light but a bringer of chaos in front of him. The captain would not die angrily on its feet like so many before against a guardian. It fell to its knees begging to see an Angel of mercy.
But met the flaming visage of the devil himself...
The captain dissolved into a sea of flames much like those before him and left Alex alone breathing heavy in the field.
"Angel...what...just-"
"I'll explain on the ship guardian" Her voice cut him off, her amused and light tone gone replaced by a softness he hadn't felt in what seemed to be a lifetime.
"Yea...yea the ship.."
Alex gingerly grabbed the hyperdrive and brought it to the ship stepping over various...many...many corpses of dregs. He hadn't realized how long he had fought..how many he fought.
His body also seemed to think the same as he sat on the ground and a wave a tiredness hit him. The effects of using the flaming gun seemed to drain him more than he thought.
The bodies around him began to dissolve and disperse leaving him and his working companion alone. A few minutes had passed and the hyperdrive next to him disappeared in motes of blue light.
"Angel...we ready to go?" He tiredly asked the little robot. He stumbled to his feet and looked up at the little light floating around.
"Just...about...done!
Suddenly a loud hum began to emit from the back of the ship. Soft glowing blue lights lit up as the engine roared to life. The front of the ship began to pitch upwards as the cables attached were disconnected.
A toothy smile made its way to Alex's face as the ship slowly drifted forward and Angel spoke. From the ships intercom speaker.
"This is the lovely captain Angel speaking. We are just about ready for takeoff. If all flyers today could please stow their belongings in the undercarriage and stand at the ready to be transmatted onto our ship today we can begin boarding shortly."
Alex let out a laugh and looked up with a softer smile at the hovering ship "Hey captain Angel! Mind letting me aboard?"
In a flash of blue light, Alex appeared inside the ship sitting in the cockpit alongside his ghost. "Thanks captain...though warn me next time you do that..made my stomach do all kinds of flips"
"Wimp"
"Just get us out of here already"
The energetic robot lifted slowly hovered the ship upwards gaining height past the opening in the ceiling.
Alex could finally see around him and what he saw shocked him. For miles, all he saw was a mix of rustic buildings and green life of the forest.
"Please keep your hands and feet inside the ship at all times. Buckle your seatbelt, thank your flight attendant, and be sure relax on our smooth journey. And remember, when you choose to fly, fly Angel"
Alex rolled his eyes as the ship began to fly forward and leave the battlefield behind. He leaned back into his chair and relaxed as the hum of the engine brought about a much needed nap.