Man, it's so sad Joe Blackburn died of ligma. The Overloads got him. RIP king. On the real, sad to see him go. He's been a real one. Wishing the best for you, Joe, and here's hoping Tyson Green proves up to the task. As another aside; to all the Warlocks who voted evil wizard for Festival of the Lost, you're a disgrace to the robes.

Nah I'm just messing, we eat good either way.

Chapter 4: Storms and Stories

"Do not fear to ride the lightning, for it wishes you no harm." - Ikora Rey instructing a Warlock initiate

The sound of Royal's boots clacking on the floor tiles bounced across the walls. The morning was still early, and most Guardians in the barracks were asleep. One Hunter passed him by, likely heading out on an early-morning patrol.

Reaching Luz's room, he pried open the door in preparation to wake her up. He expected to see her in an amusing tangle of limbs and bedsheets, snoring away into the night. He was not expecting the two to come face-to-face. Royal stepped back in surprise as Luz bounced on her heels.

"Boo!" She said with a smirk, proud of having caught him unawares for once. Royal's gaze passed over her. She was already fully geared and prepared for the day ahead. Noticing his wandering eye, she stood at attention. "Got the jump on you, didn't I?"

Royal let out an impressed hum before gesturing for her to join him. There was a long day ahead of them. Royal had plans to help her through an issue she had been having. After a short flight, they arrived at the cliff overlooking the Traveler. Royal knelt before the colossal sphere. Beside him, Luz fell into a similar meditation stance. He had elected to try a new approach. His 'tough love' method may not have been the best.

"Today, we will strengthen your connection to the Light," Royal said, his optics powered off to avoid unnecessary distractions. "And to do that, we must find your tether. That is the only thing that matters."

"My what?"

"The thing which anchors you," Royal elaborated. "Your tether binds you to reality and the Traveler."

"What's your tether?" Luz asked. Royal gestured to the distant outline of the city. It lit up the night, daggers of artificial light piercing the dark sky.

"That is my tether. Humanity. Our species, our people. I would do anything in my power to protect them." Luz looked at her hands, bolts crackling between them.

"So I need to find what I value most?" She asked. Royal nodded.

"Malek's tether is his work. He is driven to see the job done. Others may be driven to snag as much loot as possible or kill the biggest beast."

Luz scratched her head. "That doesn't sound very altruistic."

Royal shrugged in response, "It's not. But the reason they're here doesn't matter. What matters is that they're here." He reached down, scooping up a handful of dirt. He held his hand out, letting the dirt blow away in the wind. "Focus. Can you hear the gentle howl of the winds? Feel the biting cold sink its fangs into your skin? Smell the dew in the early morning air?" Luz took a second to concentrate, closing her eyes and letting the wind wash over her. Her hair flowed in the breeze, its length once again reminding Royal of just how much he had missed out on. She was a fully grown woman now. Had she gotten married and had children of her own? What other memories had she lost?

"I can," she said, eyes still closed. "I can feel it all."

"None of those matter," Royal said, lightly bopping her on the forehead. "I just told you the only thing that matters is your tether. Look within. Do you have any idea what it might be?"

Luz pursed her lips as she rubbed her forehead. "I managed to cook up a storm in the city a few days ago. Do you think that may have been it?"

"Try to recall what you felt in that moment," Royal instructed. "Draw from your emotions and desires." Luz closed her eyes and began to gather her memory.

"There was a young girl," she said hesitantly. "I felt this urge to protect her. To make her happy." One of her eyes creaked open. "Do you think it might be the same as yours?" Royal set a hand on his chin as he thought.

"Perhaps, but that could mean dozens of things," he said. "Try looking a little deeper." Luz placed her hands together as she sought to remember. The same desire to protect was still there, but it felt more specific now. Something bubbled up when she pictured that young girl and her family. A longing for something she had lost, something she didn't even know she had lost.

"Luz!" Royal's voice pulled her from her internal searching. She looked down at him in confusion, wondering why he was shouting. Then she realized that she was literally looking down at him. She was floating at least a dozen feet in the air, with lightning shooting from her feet and connecting her to the ground. She panicked, flailing as she flipped upside down.

"You did it!" Royal cheered. "You found your tether!"

"That's great; how do I lose it?" She shouted back. Royal frowned and let out a concerned 'Huh.'

"Didn't think we'd get this far this quickly," he said. "The most important thing to do is stay calm." She took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. "Good. Now, slowly start to lower yourself." Luz complied and began her descent. Unfortunately, she forgot about the 'slowly' part. Still upside down, she dropped like a rock. She hit the ground and collapsed, groaning in pain. Royal winced and knelt beside her. His hands swept outward, pushing a rift of healing Light to envelop his pupil. Thanking him, she sat up and rubbed her head.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Royal said, slapping Luz on the back. "I knew you'd get it. Didn't think it would be that fast, though."

"Was I flying?" She asked incredulously. Royal made a so-so gesture with his hand.

"It's more of a glide," he said. "Proper flight is a difficult skill that requires an attunement to Solar Light." Luz held up her hand and unleashed a surge of lightning. She recoiled in surprise, only for Royal to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked back to the storm and brought it under control. Bolts of Arc energy rolled over her entire body, amplifying her body and flooding her with energy. She stood up and bounced a little on her feet, hardly able to contain herself as she eyed up the cliff. She set off in a dead sprint, Arc Light coursing through every fiber of her being, and leaped off the edge. Lightning trailed from her body as she briefly fell. Light curled around her legs, and she began to glide.

Luz laughed as she flew through the air. Royal watched from the cliff edge, applauding with a slight smile. She flipped head over heels and offered two upside-down thumbs-ups. Realizing something, Royal began to speak up.

"You might want to get back here before—" Without warning, the Light coiled around Luz's legs receded. She had a brief second of surprise before falling like a thunderbolt, screaming all the way. Royal grimaced. "—that happens."

"Hey, at least this time, it wasn't your fault," Lancer commented. Royal shooed him off before dropping down the cliffside. He slowed his fall as he reached the bottom, where Aurora was already reviving Luz. She shot up, still mid-scream. As the situation dawned, her screams faded, and that familiar haunted look returned to her eyes.

"I told you, gliding is not flight," Royal said gently. "You only get a little time in the air to ensure you don't accidentally strain something or burn yourself up. It's like a built-in safety mechanism."

"Burn yourself up?" Luz questioned, coming out of her gloom.

"Using too much Light at once is like trying to cram untested ammo into a rifle," he said, recalling something Eda had tried to pull a long time ago. "Sure, it might fire once, but it's not gonna be in a good sort afterward. You'll be fine if you get some rest and don't strain yourself. Your Light is like a muscle; it needs exercise and rest to strengthen."

Luz held out her hand, summoning forth a few jagged lines of electricity. "Have you ever burned yourself up?"

Royal nodded with a chuckle, "Once or twice, but my brother once struck the Vex Domain so hard he-" His voice died as he realized what he was saying. His expression fell instantly, and his posture shifted to one of uncertainty.

"I didn't know you had a brother," Luz said. "Where is he?"

"Hopefully, he's far from here," Royal said. Not terribly impressed with that answer, Luz propped an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Sighing, Royal sat beside her. "Alright, fine. You have a right to know. It's a long story, dreadfully boring, and rather poorly written, to be honest-"

"You're rambling," Lancer said. Royal cleared his throat, a gesture that ultimately did little physically but did help him refocus.

"Right. It started during my time in the Vex Domain." He told her the tale of his disappearance, encounter with his siblings and escape to the Demon Realm. He carefully skirted around specifics regarding his wayward brother, the Outcast, another version of himself from across timelines. Outcast had been driven to something between madness and enlightenment by drawing power from dozens, if not hundreds, of Vex Minds. On top of that, he had personally slain his siblings whenever they tried to stand against him.

Royal skimmed over that part of his history, wanting to avoid the topic as much as possible. Instead, he regaled Luz with the tales of his misadventures on the Isles, how he met Eda and the rest of the 'Bad Girl Coven' as she insisted on calling them—he still had the shirt she had given him tucked away somewhere—and his conflict with both the Emperor's Coven and the Vex. He also spoke of her contributions, everything she had learned, the people she had met, and the world she had saved. She listened with rapt attention, absorbing everything he said with a blank expression. Lancer helped by providing a few quick comments or holographic images when appropriate. Luz audibly cooed when she saw King, the only reaction she showed during the story. Royal finished with his departure, ending with him tracking down her grave for one final goodbye.

"You saved an entire world," Luz said, her voice soft as she processed everything. Royal frowned and shook his head.

"We saved the Demon Realm," he corrected, stressing the 'we' intensely. "Many legends were forged then. I am but a single part of the story." Luz didn't seem to know what to think, looking conflicted. She considered telling Royal about the items she had been buried with but decided against them for now.

"That's enough story time," Royal said, standing up. He offered a hand to help Luz up, which she accepted. "We're not finished here yet. You've got an attunement to Arc; now we must refine it."

"What about Solar and Void?" Luz questioned.

"Those will likely be more difficult for you," Royal replied. "Since you have a strong connection with Arc, you must forge a connection to the other elements through rigorous meditation and practice. It took me a week before I connected to Solar Light and even longer to get the others."

"So what I'm hearing is that I'm doing better than you?" Luz asked coyly. Lancer and Aurora both giggled as Royal flicked her forehead again.

"Don't get testy with me," he said with mock offense. "Don't forget, I didn't have a teacher. Now, to work." He curled his fingers around the air, molding the sparks into a ball of condensed Arc Light. He held the grenade out, letting it crackle and hum as bolts snapped at everything around it. "See how I mold the Light? Now you try."

Luz placed her hands together and began to concentrate. Lightning pooled in her palms, though it was chaotic and random. Her brow furrowed, and she stuck out her tongue as she focused. Eventually, the Light stabilized, and Luz held a semi-stable grenade forged of pure Arc Light in her hand.

"Good job," Royal said before gesturing to a small cluster of rocks not too far away. "Now, give it a throw." Luz complied, bringing her arm back and sending the cluster of Arc energy flying through the air. It landed with a loud crack, sending out waves of rolling electrical energy that kicked up small dust clouds.

"First try!" She cheered. Royal congratulated her before instructing her to watch closely. He took his grenade and began to consume it, absorbing the Light back into himself. Once it vanished, a small blue orb appeared, hovering over his shoulder. Without a target, the Arc Soul remained dormant before fading away. Together, the two continued to practice. Luz pushed herself harder and harder, trying to impress her teacher. She could send out lashes of electricity, fling balls of compressed lightning, and was making progress on some more complicated techniques. So far, she had not managed to form a connection to either Void or Solar Light. Though it certainly wasn't for lack of trying.

She struck the air with an open palm, trying to send a fireball. She tried a few more times without producing so much as a pathetic puff of smoke. Royal and Lancer watched from the side. The Exo rested atop a boulder, more content to watch than direct. Growing frustrated with her lack of progress, Luz let out a frustrated groan.

"Alright," Royal said, checking the time, "that's enough for now. Don't want to wear you out completely."

"I feel fine," Luz said, bouncing on her heels as lightning continued rolling over her body. "Let's keep going."

"We've been going all day, and you're almost at your limit," Royal said. "We're calling it here."

"Come on, I feel like I could run back to the city right now."

"How much longer do you think she'll last?" Royal asked as he turned to his Ghost. Lancer thought about it briefly before doing the closest thing he could to a shrug.

"I give her fifteen seconds."

"I give her five."

"What are you two talking abo-" In an instant, the coil of energy within her snapped. She had pushed her Light too far. Exhaustion overtook her, and she dropped like a pendulum with its wire severed. Every muscle ached as she lay on the ground. Royal crouched beside her, an 'I told you so' look on his face.

"Burnout?" She asked with a strained voice. Royal nodded and manifested a healing grenade in his hand.

"This is why it's important to learn your limits," he instructed, pressing the soothing orb into her stomach. Groggily, she sat up and flexed her arms to shake the exhaustion out. Luz looked within herself and felt her Light bunched up like a tight ball.

"We'll call it for today," Royal said. "We can get you back to the Tower for some rest." Luz took a second to pat herself down. She stopped and looked down at her plain robes, the smooth fabric clutched between her fingers.

"Actually, I may have another idea."

"I must admit, this is not what I had in mind," Royal said. Luz smirked as he inspected the armor designs she and Eido had drafted. She hadn't told him about her new friend, wary of his potential reaction. Malek reached over and picked up the sketches, passing over them with a curious eye. Luz had dragged her mentor to the armory, where they had managed to snag Malek's attention for at least a few minutes. A few other Guardians mingled around, working on their own armor sets. Since most were reasonably experienced, Malek was content to let them be. He didn't technically run the armory, acting more as an unofficial overseer to ensure rookie Guardians didn't accidentally mash their fingers into mulch. The overseer, an Exo named Ada-1, had recently produced new fabrication machines that could forge Guardian's new armor in mere minutes. As such, Malek hung around during his free time to offer assistance. It didn't hurt that he had worked closely with the Black Armory since he helped stop the scourge of Insurrection Prime.

"You can't deny that it's got style," the Titan mused. Royal placed a hand on his chin as Luz puffed out her chest.

"Let it never be said that I don't have exquisite taste," she said proudly. Royal and Malek shared a glance.

"Those are words," Royal said, a teasing edge slipping into his voice. "I don't know if they're the ones I'd use." Luz narrowed her eyes at him as Malek chuckled.

"I'm sure this will be interesting, but I have some work to take care of. I trust you know your way around the forge?" He asked. Royal nodded; he had spent enough time operating on his armor to be more than qualified. Malek punched both Warlocks on the shoulder and set off, leaving the two to nurse their now-bruised joints.

"If he ever offers you a fist bump, run the other way," Royal muttered. Luz quickly voiced her agreement as the two secured a station to work at. The machines on standby would fabricate the armor pieces once they had Luz's measurements. Royal would help her with the onboard systems. It would be a good learning opportunity for her.

She stepped up to the machine as it whirred to life and began to circle her. It scanned her dimensions as Royal pressed a few buttons on the keypad. Once the design was finished, they set to work on the armor systems. Luz was shown how her HUD worked, how the motion tracker functioned, and even how it could measure shield strength. Eventually, the conversation moved away from the task at hand as Luz grew more comfortable with her tools, and they began to discuss other matters.

They batted around a few topics like Luz prying more into the specifics of her history on the Isles and Royal elaborating on the paracausal nature of the Light. A debate was sparked between Royal and Lancer as their interpretations clashed. Lancer viewed the Light as a benevolent force beyond the control of any single being, even the Traveler.

On the other hand, Royal pictured it more as power bestowed by the Traveler to be wielded as the Guardians saw fit, but only so long as they enacted its will. Luz found it quite illuminating despite only understanding half the terms and theories they slung around. Eventually, that conversation wrapped up, and they silently returned to work. Royal was wrapped up in his task while Luz fidgeted awkwardly.

"So, why do you hate the Eliksni?" The question slipped out before she could stop herself. Royal froze and looked up at her, his face flickering between confusion, apprehension, and guarded neutrality.

"What brings this on?" He asked. His tone was calm, but Luz could tell she was treading into a minefield.

"I was visiting the city on my day off and… picked up on some things," she lied, hoping he didn't notice her eyes darting briefly. "And it got me thinking about what you said on the Moon."

"I've already said everything I wanted to say there," he said tersely, hoping to end the conversation there. Luz did not pick up on that.

"Right, right. But what about House Light? They haven't caused us any harm; all they want is to survive, just like us."

"Just like us," Royal scoffed. "Tell that to all the innocent Lightless people the Fallen butchered during the Dark Ages. Where was Mithrax and his House then?" His hands had fallen still, his tools lying abandoned and unacknowledged as he continued his tirade. "They can claim that they never raised arms against us. They can put on a nice act and appeal to our compassion. They can even say we are kindred spirits after the Whirlwind devastated their home. But none of that changes the irrefutable truth of the matter." His voice, which was already bitter, was now filled with venom and spite. "Humanity did not go to Riis. Humanity did not tear their homeworld apart. Humanity did not hunt them down, one by one, and rip their children to pieces in front of the parents. Do not be fooled by their niceties." Fire rolled up his arms, likely without him knowing he was doing it. Embers dripped off him like liquid, hatred so potent it could physically burn.

Luz didn't know what to say to all of that. True, most Eliksni outside of the city were hostile. But Luz took that as desperation from a race that had lost everything save the will to fight for their survival. And her interactions with House Light had been anything but what Royal described. She couldn't picture Eido willingly harming anyone. She may be a bit awkward and incredibly eager, but she was the furthest thing from evil.

"What if you're wrong?" She pressed. "What if they can change?"

"Show me an alien who can change for the better, and I will show you an alien who has thoroughly deceived you," Royal spat.

"They're people, and they deserve a chance," Luz objected despite Aurora's desperate signaling to drop it. Royal stared at her for a second, and Luz was worried that she may have gone too far. Instead, he deflated, seeming more sorrowful than angry.

"You're young and don't know what you're talking about," he said. "You will learn, either by my words or their blades." Luz opened her mouth to argue, only for Royal to cut her off with a stern look. "I do not wish to continue this conversation." He turned back to the armor where the fabrication was complete. He picked up a few helmet pieces and raised them to the light. Giving an approving nod, he began to insert some of the components they had been working on. He welded the pieces he had been working on, including various small circuit boards, a little device with a blinking light, and a few other knick-knacks. Luz watched, the air between them a bit strained. The final piece clicked into place, with Royal detailing what each did and demonstrating how to operate on them. Once they were secure, he placed the disparate sections together and used his Solar Light to weld the seams.

"Normally, I'd have you do this yourself," he said. "But there will be time for that later." His fingers carefully traced the metal, superheating it with nothing but his will as fuel. Glowing traces were left in his wake, a brilliant and blinding display. Once it was finished, he lowered the helmet into a deep pool of water. A vicious hiss escaped the pool like a snake preparing to lash out at a threat. The sizzling stopped, and he lifted the helmet from the water, setting it on the table before Luz. Steam lifted from the armor piece as she grinned. It came out perfectly.

The helmet was styled in the image of a mighty dragon. Long spikes trailed off the back of the head, and the mouth of the fearsome creature was open, preparing to breathe death upon whoever stood before it. Fangs protruded from the mouth, perfectly framing the bright visor. Seeing her reaction, Royal gave a smile of his own. Their earlier quarrel faded into the background, lingering but momentarily forgotten.

"Should be safe to wear," Royal said. "What are you waiting for? Slip it on." He gestured to the dormant piece of armor, and Luz obliged. Her fingers curled around it and easily slipped it onto her head. It fit like a gauntlet. There was a brief second of obscuration as Aurora brought the internal systems online.

"How do I look?" She asked, striking a heroic pose.

"It's beautiful," Aurora said.

"Very bold. Very you," Lancer chimed in. Royal hummed in agreement.

"We'll get the rest of the armor finished. Then comes the best part." Tugging off her new helmet, Luz propped an eyebrow at him. He merely assured her that she would be informed shortly. The rest of the armor was quick work. It followed her helmet's organic design, with elegantly curved plating and flowing robes. Once it was finished and she had tried it on, Royal took her aside. They entered a small side room. When Luz inquired about its purpose, Royal informed her that this was where they would add a splash of color.

"I get to paint it?" Luz asked, her eyes wide and eager.

"Not quite," Royal said, tapping on a wall-mounted screen. He pointed to a pedestal for her to stand on. An unseen machine scanned her armor, replicating a perfect three-dimensional hologram. At his insistence, she stepped up to the screen he was typing at. A display of colors met her, with a few sliders to alter hue and gradient. She began to fiddle with it, watching how the colors on her armor preview changed.

"It's not exactly art and crafts, but it'll work," Royal said. Luz continued to flip through the options, experimenting to find the perfect colors for her new set. Aurora shooed Royal outside; Luz wanted this to be a surprise. After several minutes of grueling work, she had something she was proud of.

She flung the door open, catching Royal in the middle of sharpening his Dawnblade. The flaming sword vanished as he looked at her finalized set. Most of the armor was a deep purple, with dashes of abyssal black and lighter hues swirling to accent the design. Royal whistled, impressed by what she had made.

"Should've figured you'd go for something like this," he said. "Tomorrow, we put it to use."

"What do you have in mind?" Luz asked. Rather than answer, Royal shared a look with Lancer. The two began to chuckle, a dark and menacing undertone seeping into their laughter. Luz felt her stomach drop as dread settled in. That could not be a good sign.

Luz screamed and dove for the ground as a spray of Void rounds tore the stone behind her to shreds. She covered her head as shards rained down on her new armor. Royal had decided that the best way to test her new skills was through live-fire exercises. And since she still hadn't grappled with her own immortality, Royal wanted to keep her away from the frontlines until that was sorted out. Seeking to kill two thralls with one grenade, he did the next best thing: sign her up for a Crucible match. Fortunately, one match was still available before the day's end. She had initially been excited, chatting with Eido over text about her excitement. Now that she was there, her opinions had soured considerably. So far, she had been shot to pieces, incinerated, blown up, electrified, stabbed, disintegrated, and straight up beaten to death. Each death lasted only a few seconds before she was flung back into combat, giving her no time to process what had just happened.

Luz peered over her cover before being forced back down by suppressing fire. Pooling Light in one hand and hefting her scout rifle in the other, she prepared to make her move. She flung her flashbang grenade toward the opposing Guardians. It detonated with a sharp crack and a bright flash, disorienting her foes. She brought her scout rifle to bear and—with only the slightest hesitation—pulled the trigger. Arc rounds bounced off a Titan's armor as he was in the middle of deploying a barricade. The wall was raised, saving the Titan from death. Fortunately, Luz had bought herself enough time to escape. She slipped past the enemy Guardians and ducked down a lane as they raced past in hot pursuit. She watched their pings on her motion tracker fade before slumping against the wall and sighing.

"Alright, I think I'm safe now." Those words had barely left her mouth when a Hunter clad in matte black everything slid around the corner, already charging a Solar fusion rifle. Luz had only a split-second to react as the bolts flew toward her, shrieking, "Luz! You fool!" The bolts tore through her chest, causing her to drop as the Hunter moved on.

Outside the match, Royal watched his apprentice's progress on a monitor. Dozens of civilians and a handful of Guardians crowded around him, producing a dull droning of chatter. The Warlock winced as Luz was gunned down.

"She definitely takes after you," Lancer said. Royal muttered something to himself, wondering if this had been the right call. Luz needed to learn, and—short of grabbing her by the ankles and throwing her into the Vex Domain—this was the best way he could think to do it.

In the match, Luz's boots hit the ground as she was revived. One of her teammates rushed past, smacking her on the back and shouting, "Come on, Blueberry, we're getting mauled out there!" He took off down a lane, vanishing into the maelstrom of gunfire. Luz sighed and readied her shotgun.

She pushed into battle, moving cautiously to avoid dying again. She could hear the distinct sound of flames as a Warlock flung lashes of starlight from their blazing sword. By the sounds of it, they were getting closer. She ducked behind a wall as they flew overhead, incinerating one of her teammates the instant they turned the corner. Their super ended, letting them touch the ground. Luz reached down and palmed a small pebble as the Warlock pulled a sword off their back. She threw the rock past the Warlock, drawing their attention away from her as it clattered on the ground. They slipped into a tail guard, the sword tip pointing toward the ground behind them. Luz grinned, lightning already channeling through her hands. She flung them outward and sent a ball of compressed electricity into their blade. The weapon functioned as a lightning rod, letting the Arc Light course straight down the edge and into the Warlock.

The Warlock lit up like a tree during the Dawning, spasming as their muscles began to contract. Luz pumped her fist as they fell, their Ghost already pulling them away. She was elated, glad to be on the board finally. Her celebration was cut short when a small, dark blue gem fell past her. It landed between her feet and erupted into several massive crystalline pillars. Luz found herself entrapped, frozen solid by the crystal. A strange energy radiated from the crystals, something she had never felt before. Unable to do anything else, she glanced up just in time to see the Hunter from earlier diving toward her. They slammed into the crystals and shattered them. Fragments as cold as the vacuum of space tore through her body, instantly shredding her innards. The last thing she saw before everything went dark was the Hunter manifesting a shuriken made of the same icy material and throwing it hard enough to behead one of her teammates.

A question was bursting from her lips as Aurora brought her back. "What was that?" Her Ghost fidgeted and gave a few hesitant beeps.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on the match?" Aurora asked. "Your team still needs-"

"I've seen enough; I'm calling this one," the announcer said over the radio. Luz glanced at the score before wincing. Ninety-three to twenty. A glance at the scoreboard made her already dour mood sink lower. She was the worst in the match, with exactly one kill and well over two dozen deaths.

It wasn't long before she stood beside her teammates at the post-match review. The Crucible Handler, an imposing Titan named Lord Shaxx, offered critique on their performance and how they could improve. She drowned him out, trying to ignore the glares her teammates were shooting her way. Her mind drifted to those strange crystals the Hunter had used. They felt similar to her Light but also different in some way she couldn't grasp. A brief period of meditation revealed nothing. Perhaps she could ask Royal about it.

She was pulled from her inner monologue when the towering form of Shaxx entered her line of sight. The Titan loomed over her. It was only now that she realized just how large he was. And that his helmet was a horn short.

"As for you, Luz," he said, his voice like a stern teacher's. "That was one of the worst displays I've seen in a long time." She shrank inward, rubbing her arm as she felt a dozen pairs of eyes on her. "Your tactical sense is nonexistent, your control over your Light is minimal, and your ability to coordinate with your team is so poor it's asking for pensions from the Consensus." Embarrassed, Luz looked down only for Shaxx to continue. "But, I saw the spark of potential there. You showed quick thinking and the ability to think creatively, both crucial skills for a Warlock to develop. Why, you remind me of another Warlock the first time he stepped into my Crucible." Surprised by his unexpected compliment, Luz looked up. She began to ask who he was referring to, only for Shaxx to clap his hands together loudly and dismiss them. He had work to do and would not be held up. The other Guardians shoved past her, and Luz cursed her short stature again. She slumped back into the courtyard of the Tower where Royal was waiting for her. He took one look at her face and nodded.

"Yeah, my first match didn't go very well either," he said, patting her back. "I'm fairly certain all of my teammates wanted to drive a knife into my side when the score was called."

"Right," she said, trying to cheer up, "what else do you have planned for today?"

"Oh, I had a riveting routine of weapon drills and meditation in mind," he said. "But after that, I think we should turn in. It's getting late anyway."

"It's been quite the day," Luz said. Royal nodded noncommittally, prompting Luz to continue. "I mean, I finally got a grasp on my Light, we built me a set of armor, and I got completely served in the Crucible. I'd say I'm well on my way to becoming a proper legend."

Royal chuckled softly, "If only it were so easy."

"I'm going to head to the library," she said. "See you tomorrow." Royal bid farewell before disappearing into the halls of the Tower barracks. Luz watched him go before setting off. It didn't take long for her to get to the library. Another Warlock was browsing the shelves, though they paid her little mind.

"Aurora, I want to find everything we have on those weird crystals that Hunter was using," she said, summoning her Ghost from transmat. The small machine beeped nervously.

"Are you sure?"

"Royal says that I must arm myself with knowledge," Luz said, spreading her arms. "That's what I'm here to do." The Ghost accepted her request, though she was clearly uneasy about it. The two split up and began to browse. Documents were scarce, and most of the ones they did find were heavily restricted. Eventually, they combined the meager results they had accrued. Luz flipped through what little they had.

"Stasis," she muttered. "A boon of the Black Fleet. The physical manifestation of absolute zero. Guardians wielding the Darkness." She browsed some official statements from the Vanguard that neither condemned nor endorsed the power. It was little more than political jargon that allowed them to dance around the issue. Another document tied the source of Stasis to a Pyramid ship on Europa.

The pieces clicked into place for her. Now she understood why Europa was restricted. Some further research revealed a few scraps of information about the frozen moon. It was home to a failed colony and the birthplace of the Exo's. It was also the location of Riis-Reborn, the largest Eliksni settlement in Sol. The settlement was under the reign of House Salvation. Their Kell, Eramis, had attempted to wield Stasis against the Guardians, only for the power to backfire on her, sealing the Eliksni within a frozen tomb. Hundreds of Guardians had flocked to the pyramid and sought to wield the Dark power under the tutelage of someone simply calling herself the Exo Stranger.

"Aurora, can you save these?" Luz asked. Her Ghost complied as Luz packed up. Perhaps she would be able to look further into this tomorrow.

Outcast stumbled through the Vex Domain. He moved without direction, thousands of voices screaming within the confines of his consciousness. His gaze drifted across the digital realm before him, not focusing on any one detail in particular. The pain grew overbearing, and he fell to his knees.

"Renegade," he said, holding out his hand. "What's our bearing?" Nothing appeared in his palm, a painful reminder of his actions. He balled his hand into a fist and, with a violent scream, struck the ground. The Vex Domain shook from his blow, and the ground he was on cracked. He could remember what his Ghost's shell felt like between his fingers, hear her cries as he crushed her core. His only connection to the Light was dead by his hands.

"No, no, no, no, no," he muttered, "Renegade!" He clawed at the ground as though he could dig her shell out of the data he knelt on. "What have I done?"

"What you needed to do," he snapped. "She didn't understand. It was only a matter of time before she turned on us."

"She was our friend," he argued back. "She raised, cared for, and was with us through everything. And we-"

"She made us a slave to a dead god!" He roared. "She got what was coming to her." Sensing his division, the Minds within him tried to tear him apart from within. Drawing strength from all his siblings that he had slain, he quelled the writhing Minds and continued, bitterly arguing with himself all the way.

And here it is, Luz's own Guardian design. Here it is should you be interested.

Head: Skybreaker Hood, Shader: Byzantium Lotus

Arms: Skybreaker Gloves, Shader Byzantium Lotus

Chest: Anthemic Invocation Tabbard, Shader: Golden Age Wine

Legs: Anthemic Invocation Boots, Shader: Byzantium Lotus

Bond: Candescent Bond (Unkindled), Shader: Melchizedek Bramble

Aurora still uses the Generalist Shell

As you may be able to tell, I went for a draconic theme for Luz's design. I thought it might fit her love of fantasy and tie into Stringbean being a reptile-ish being. I chose a predominantly purple color scheme to kinda tie her post-timeskip design together with Royal. I spent a lot of time tweaking and altering the design, as well as consulting friends to see if it fit. I may continue to fiddle with it going forward, but for now, this is it.

Elthreee: hell yeah, guardian Luz is badass, all my homies hate Marq. i love seeing Eiso, my favorite eliksni other than Misraaks and Taniks, very good chapter as always. also, very unserious question, but will Luz meet the some weird messed up form of Taniks, like Taniks with a steel chair?

It's funny you should say that cause one of my clanmates is called Taniks With a Steel Chair on Destiny, so now that's all I can picture. Maybe when I bring back the end segments, though I'm thinking of changing them up.

davisjustus99: Ah yes. Savathûn worming her little tricks. And Royal falling for another dark trick. He's more naïve than a newborn. "Stalin had no need of heros." Reznov, Call of Duty Black Ops

The machinations of the Witch Queen are an enigma. I'm having some fun with her and possessed Osiris.

hornig3: Of course Edio is the first friend Luz makes! So cute. Surprised we didn't hear the Saint story but i suppose you're saving that for a more gut wrenching moment. And that moment with Osiris... oh you cruel bastard, you knew what you where doing with that manipulation! Royal is going to be so pissed by the end of this season!

I remember saying a while ago that I had plans involving little Crabcakes. This is it. I decided to trim out the Saint story for a few reasons. While yes, it is very good, it made the scene drag on a lot for a character who isn't really relevant to what was going on. And oh boy, do I love some dramatic irony.