"I've learned of a power beyond anything any other guardian has at their disposal," Sola declared. Katake stopped flipping his knife and looked up at his Trials teammate.

"Is it what you pulled out in that match Saint ended early?" he asked.

"The Vanguard have grown weak," the warlock snapped. She began to pace across their camp nestled deep within a cave they had cleared of Hive months earlier. "They demonize this power. Their dogmatic devotion to the Light will fail them in their war."

"You think we need more than the Light?"

"I know we do," Sola answered. "I want you to come with me to Europa. You can have this power for yourself."

"What about Crimiq?"

"In typical Titan fashion, he's licking the boots of the Vanguard and refused to grow with us toward greatness."

"He's a good man," Katake argued as he stood.

"But fears how much better he could be!" Sola countered. "Come with me."

Katake paused and considered the offer. He slipped his knife into the sheath along his calf and raised his palm.

"Josseo," he called. A Ghost housed in a red and white ball styled shell materialised a few inches above the hunter's hand. "What do you think?"

"I don't know..." Josseo said hesitantly. "I wouldn't want to go against what the Traveller's gifted to you."

"The Traveller, The Last City, and Guardians alike will fall if only the Light is used," Sola claimed. "Katake, I've known you for almost a century now. I trust you understand the threat humanity faces, and what is required to ensure its survival."

"Yeah, you're right," Katake concluded. "Let's go to Europa! I'll notify the Vanguard."

"No! Do you really think they will sanction this? It's their poor judgement and obsession with the Light that drove us to gain this power."

"O-okay? Sure, that makes sense. Josseo, prepare transmat to my ship."

Katake's ghost dissolved without a word. A moment later, the hunter found himself seated comfortably within his AX19 Spindle Demon jumpship.

"I think you're right," Josseo said nervously. "Something's not right. Can I at least ping the Vanguard to let them know where we're going? Not what we're doing."

"Sure, Josseo. Thanks," Katake said. "Minimal info. If they ask, tell them we're blowing off steam with skiing or something."

"Ghost," Sola said coldly. "Transmat to ship."

The warlock's sight faded briefly and returned to see the cockpit of her Vienna Singer jumpship from around her. She flipped switches and pushed buttons around the dashboard of the ship before gradually pushing the engine throttle forward.

"Send the co-ordinates over," the warlock ordered before opening a channel between the two ships. "You get those?"

"Yup!" Katake said eagerly. "Hang on; aren't these right next to some kind of anomaly recently?"

"What do you think brought us the power?" Sola teased and severed the connection. She accelerated the ship skyward until reaching the edge of the atmosphere with Katake following closely behind. As the void of space enveloped the ships, the lightspeed drives were engaged and space warped around them.

"Vanguard pinged," Josseo said softly from over its hunter's shoulder.

The ships dropped out of hyperspace to see the icy moon below. Sola guided the descent to a frozen basin south of Cadmus Ridge. Dread began to brew deep within Katake as the structures protruding from the ice came into focus.

"Is that a pyramid ship?" he questioned in disbelief. A comms channel was hastily opened. "Sola, the Darkness is evil and can't be controlled, can it?"

"Control is exactly what it affords us," she clarified. "If the Witness comes to Sol, we must wield its own weapons against it. I have had but a taste of what can be offered, with you by my side, we can both be emboldened with abilities untold. Land by the ridge before the steps and I will show you."

"Are we safe here?" Katake asked.

"So long as we do not try to fight, no harm will come to us. They assured me."

"They?" The connection was severed again.

"The plasma cannons are still operational, right?" Sola asked her ghost. Its brightly classic shell twitched as it answered.

"They were serviced when we stopped by the Reef, but they should be working fine. Why?"

"Run a diagnostic anyway. Just taking precautions."

Katake circled around above the open space and set down a few dozen feet away from Sola's ship. She stood beneath the hull of her ship watching her fireteammate land.

"I always forget how nice your ship is, Katake," Sola said as the hunter appeared from a beam of swirling silver particles.

"It's the closest I could get to something like those from the Dreaming City fly," the hunter smiled. He turned around to admire his Kestrel-class ship as he walked backward toward Sola. "

"A couple of mounted weapons would really bring it all together."

"That's another thing the Vanguard seem to not like; Guardian ships with guns. Find the sense in that!" Sola laughed.

"When we leave here, stop by the Reef. If you're short on glimmer, I would bet some Trials spectator would happily pay a pretty price for that Exile's Curse of yours."

"I couldn't," the hunter admitted as he faced Sola again just a couple feet away. "This fusion rifle saved my ass in the crucible more times than I could count. I'd rather do a favour or two to make up the difference. If it's alright with you, let's get this over with - I'm starting to feel uneasy being so close to that."

Sola walked off the short cliff that sat at the foot of the steps that rose along the side of the exposed pyramid. An octagonal shard ominously hovered above the platform at the top of the stairs; orange and red streaks of energy slowly radiated from it. The warlock jumped and glided upward, landing graciously. She took steps forward and knelt before the shard.

"I have brought another to receive your gift, as you instructed," Sola said hopefully. Katake jogged up the steps as Josseo briefly materialised behind him. "I'm seriously doubting we should be here without someone from the Vanguard."

"You can take a backseat if you're scared," Katake huffed. "We can convince them later it's fine and there's nothing to fear."

"You know I can see your stress levels rising, right?" Josseo said. "You're scared too."

"Only because we don't know everything. I trust Sola on this. She may have lost it a bit, but her values haven't changed." As the hunter reached the last couple of steps, his ghost vanished into a dissipating cloud of Light.

Muddled voices flooded into the guardians' minds. Sola ushered Katake forward. He cautiously approached with his hand cocked backward, ready to draw his fusion rifle. Once he stood next to Sola, a clear sentence was heard from within their mind.

"This one does not open himself to us." Sola looked up at Katake with a restrained snarl.

"You mustn't fight them," she pleaded. She stood and whipped her hand forward, maintaining a slight bend in her elbow. Ice formed around her wrist and hand. Ferocious claws grew out from the frozen formation; each digit measuring almost two feet with four knuckles spanning their length. She allowed it to melt all at once before grabbing Katake's shoulder firmly. "This is a fraction of what we can achieve. But I need you to accept so that I may grow stronger."

Katake could feel a sense of desperation emanating from the warlock as the voices grew louder and louder.

"I'm sorry. I can't," he said, allowing his head to bow.

"Only the strongest will prevail." The voice echoed in Sola's mind. Furious, she summoned her icy claws as she reached for Katake's chest. A choked gasp was forced out from the hunter's lungs.

"Sola!" Josseo exclaimed as he reappeared. "Why?"

"Only the strongest will prevail," she repeated. She spun Katake and herself around and threw him down the steps. Josseo rushed down to resurrect his guardian.

"Ghost; transmat to ship," Sola commanded. She quickly began the launch sequence.

Katake breathed deeply as Josseo brought him back and quickly transported him into this ship.

"I knew we shouldn't have come!" Josseo said. "I'll get us out of here. I can't reach the Vanguard yet." The jumpship roared to life and immediately lifted into the air. Its nose was sharply tilted upward and to the left, flying over the rear of Sola's ship.

"Ready the cannons," she said. She pulled back on her flight stick, rolled to reorientate herself, and rushed to catch up to Katake. Her fingers wrapped around the custom trigger and squeezed. Rods of plasma, accelerated by the alternating electromagnetic fields, shot out toward the lightly armoured ship.

"Those guns aren't just for show?" Josseo panicked.

"We got this," Katake tried to say calmly. "We've been in stickier situations. Can we jump this low down?"

"We have to reach the upper atmosphere first. I'll set a course for Mars." Josseo disappeared as he plugged in the coordinates remotely.

Most munitions ricocheted against the wings, others chipped off segments of Katake's ship. One lucky shot found its way into the engine's exhaust. Before either occupant could react, the ship exploded, engulfing Katake in a brilliant ball of fire. His body was charred and torn apart midair.

"Ghost; relay a message to Trestin," Sola said. "She seems more willing to accept aid when it's offered. Let her know I'll meet her here in a couple weeks as I have unfinished tasks in the EDZ. Send her a version of what I told Katake at camp."

"Sent."