AN: I wasn't sold on Crow as a character when he first showed up in the game, but he grew into one of my favorite characters after I read his lore book entries. Man suffered a lot after his resurrection and yet still managed to come out of everything as one of the most moral people in the setting.
As my ship exits the rift leading into the Dreaming City, an odd, almost reverent stillness settles over me. It's as though I've crossed into a place that defies every natural law I've ever known. The city stretches across a vast disk of rock, suspended in space, shaped by wishcraft that seems to resonate in every inch of the realm. Above, the rift I came through looms, a colossal ring of silver and iridescent light.
Awoken architecture dots the land below, bathed in the glow of an unseen sun. Every surface glistens with an ethereal shine, giving the city an otherworldly beauty. A sea of crystal-clear water rings the edge of the landmass, spilling gracefully over the sides and drifting into the emptiness below, only to somehow be gathered back up again through unfamiliar means.
Paradise. That's what it feels like, a sanctuary untouched by time. But it's not as perfect as it seems. Beneath the beauty, something darker festers. Taken blights, splotchy and sinister, cling to some of the towers, twisting the area with an invasive, eldritch presence. I can feel it in the air as the Platinum Starling descends, a low, discordant hum threading through the space around my ship. Unsettling.
Fortunately, the city's three-week time loop reset just a few days ago, so the Taken presence should be low right now. Still, best not to dawdle. I pull my gaze away from the breathtaking sights and refocus, tapping into my tracking abilities.
Hm. Crow's trail led me here, but according to my instincts the rest of the journey will have to be on foot. Really makes me wish I bought a sparrow.
As the last traces of daylight fade into night, my tracking perk brings me to a rusted-out shipping container, far off the well-worn pathways of the Dreaming City. Moving quietly, I cloak myself in the Void's embrace, slipping through shadows as [Arcane] boosts my stealth, letting me blend seamlessly into my surroundings.
A voice, cheerful yet slightly restrained, drifts from the container. "-in the Last City, they are celebrating? They call it the Dawning. It's a celebration of friendship and hope and warmth."
I edge around the corner, peering into the container. Inside, an Awoken sits with his head resting on his knees, looking weary in his beat-up gear, pale blue skin and raven hair faintly catching the dim light. Hovering in front of him, a purple-shelled Ghost continues, "To feel good, they say to each other: Happy Dawning."
"... Happy Dawning." the Awoken murmurs, a hint of sadness coloring his voice.
God, he's like a kicked puppy.
{Discovered 'The Dreaming City' +100 points
Rolling…
Benevolence - Luck - Madoka Magica: Wraith Timeline (200 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 500 Points.
Purchase Luck?}
Luck
Do you want to live a carefree life? Fate seems to continually smile on you...it's no coincidence, as your magic actually makes you just a little bit more lucky. You duck out of the way of lethal attacks more often, you find clues by accident just a little more, and so on. This doesn't make you invincible, however, for even with magic luck is rather flimsy and random - it will just tilt in your favor a little more often. This is a passive effect without an energy drain.
A bit of extra luck is always useful.
Yoink.
I drop my concealment, and in an instant, he tenses, his eyes snapping to me. His Ghost vanishes, and his hand moves to his weapon; a sleek, elegant sword in the style of the Awoken.
Raising my hands, I step forward slowly into the container. "Easy there." I say softly, keeping my tone calm and steady. "I'm not here to fight."
He hesitates, glancing between me and his few scattered supplies, as if already calculating his escape. I remain still and patient, keeping my stance open and waiting for him to decide.
Finally, I lower my hands and speak again. "Share a meal with me, and all I ask in return is a moment to talk."
A soft hum beside me announces Spectre's arrival, her eye glowing warmly. "Hello. I'm Spectre."
The Awoken's Ghost reappears, introducing himself with an enthusiastic chirp. "Hello! I'm Glint. Forgive him if he's cautious. We haven't exactly had the best experiences with other Guardians. Nice to meet one that hasn't tried to kill him!"
The Awoken meets my helmeted gaze, his expression a mix of distrust and curiosity. I nod gently. "I hold no animosity towards you, if that helps."
Spectre gives a quick twist, then materializes two takeout containers from her inventory. I slide one across the ground toward the Awoken, moving slowly and deliberately, then sit across from him on the other side of the container. Removing my helmet, I let him see my face. He watches me carefully, then opens the container, eyes widening as he finds sauced pork and stir-fried vegetables.
"Sorry if it's a bit cold." Spectre apologizes. "Digital storage keeps it better that way."
He takes a tentative bite, and his cautious expression softens as he digs in with more enthusiasm. He finishes quickly and glances at me, looking more at ease. "Thank you for your kindness. You… said you wanted to talk?"
I nod, setting down the rest of my own food. "Yeah. You have a name you go by?"
He hesitates, his gaze dropping. "I… I haven't decided on one." He admits, almost sheepishly.
I hum thoughtfully. "Well, nameless Lightbearer, I suppose I should introduce myself." Rising, I give an elaborate, playful bow. "I'm Mavriel, future greatest Wizard in the universe. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Glint tilts his shell, puzzled. "...Don't you mean Warlock?"
I chuckle, settling back down. "I wield the Light, sure, but I also practice other magics." I raise a hand, and a gentle orb of magelight begins to glow at my fingertips, floating up to cast a soft illumination over us.
Crow stares at the light, transfixed. He looks as if he has a million questions. "So… if you're a Guardian, you must be from the City, right? What's it like there?"
I lean back against the wall of the container, choosing my words. "The City… it's like nothing else. Imagine a place where people don't have to look over their shoulder all the time. The streets are alive with markets and chatter, and you can feel the Traveler's presence no matter where you are. Everyone has their own favorite thing about it, but for me? I like the restaurants."
He listens intently, his expression brightening with something close to wonder. "So it's… safe?" He asks softly, almost like he's afraid of the answer.
"For most." I say, noticing the shadow that crosses his face. He knows he isn't welcome there. Not yet, anyway.
His gaze drifts back to the magelight, and he's silent, absorbing my words.
"You know, I didn't come out here on a whim." I lean forward, my voice dropping slightly. "I had a vision. The Traveler wanted me to find a white crow…" I pause. "I believe that vision led me to you."
The Awoken looks up at me, his expression a mixture of skepticism and hope. "So… you think I'm this crow?" He asks quietly.
"Fairly certain. Besides… I don't think you deserve to go it alone. Guardians are stronger together, you know?" I say gently.
He's quiet for a moment, glancing down at the ground before looking back up at me. "I don't know if I'm the person you think I am." He says, voice low.
"Doesn't matter what you did, or who you were. All that matters is who you choose to be." I assure him.
He gives a small, hesitant nod, a faint smile flickering across his face. Glint floats a bit closer to him, a silent show of support.
"... Crow." He mutters.
"Hm?"
"Call me Crow." He says, this time with more confidence.
"Nice to meet you, Crow. Now, as your dutiful senior, I suppose I should show you the ropes a bit. You're aware of the curse on this place, yes?"
Crow nods.
"The time loop means there's a large list of communal bounties and sectors that need to be cleared each reset. Currently several dedicated Fireteams handle most of the work, but they welcome more help to lighten the load. In the morning, how about we tackle one of the Lost Sectors nearby? It'll give me a good sense of your skill level."
I watch as Crow moves through the Bay of Drowned Wishes, his movements sharper and more precise than I'd expect from a New Light. The instincts he carries from his past life, whatever fragments remain of Uldren, seem to have transferred to him in his rebirth. He navigates the rocky pathways with confidence, weaving through clusters of Scorn with an enviable focus. His blade, Abide the Return, carves through the buckler wielding lurkers in smooth, calculated slashes. Unrefined a bit, maybe, but undeniably competent. From the flickering Solar energy on his blade, he's nearly out of heavy ammo.
{Met 'The Crow' +50 points
Rolling…
Lore - Depths of the Mind - Magic The Gathering - Iconics (100 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 350 Points.
Purchase Depths of the Mind?}
Depths of the Mind
The path of a Wizard is study, rote memorization and learning. These qualities are innate to those who wish to practice magic. Being infused with the cooling touch of Blue Mana, your intelligence has boosted along with your memory and ability to learn. Put simply, you are quite the savant, easily worth three of your peers when looking towards solving a problem, learning three times faster than normal, and having a perfect memory barring magical interference.
Ridiculously good for only a hundred points.
Yoink.
As the last of the fodder falls Crow pauses, takes a steadying breath, and calls on his Solar Light. It pools in his hand, molding into the form of a golden revolver, gleaming like the dawn. He raises it, firing at the Scorn Abomination just beginning to lumber out of a cave ahead. Each shot is precise, crackling with power. Three rounds ring out, and with each, flames consume the Scorn leader, leaving nothing behind but cinders drifting through the air.
I have to admit, it's impressive to see him holding his own, even if his control over the Light is still raw. He's no prodigy, but he's got potential, and I can see how quickly he's learning. It makes me think.
Before the Traveler's vision, I'd never considered recruiting anyone for my Fireteam. I'd always figured I could handle whatever battles lay ahead on my own, soloing everything. But now, with Crow here, I feel a sense of grounding, something that tempers my usual single-minded focus. Glint, his Ghost, is a steady presence as well, the most unrelentingly optimistic being I've ever met: chipper, curious, his spirit undeterred by the burdens Crow bears. And Spectre seems to enjoy playing the role of wise mentor, guiding Glint like a younger sibling, reflecting the mentorship I'm now starting to develop with Crow.
Of course, I have no idea what I'm actually doing when it comes to mentorship. Guardians might be stronger together, but that doesn't mean I know how to guide anyone. I'll teach him what I can, at least. If nothing else, I can show him the Void.
Crow lowers his arm, exhaling as the golden revolver fades from his grip, and he turns to me, his gaze searching for approval.
"Damn fine work." I say, nodding. "You handle Solar well. Think you're ready to learn a different kind of Light?"
He tilts his head, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
I raise a hand, letting a flicker of Void energy swirl in my palm. Purple energy swirls into shape, dark and steady, a subtle counterpoint to the brightness of Solar Light.
"Void Light." I explain. "A bit different from what you're used to. It's patient, precise. But in the right hands, it's every bit as powerful as Solar."
He watches the Void energy with wide eyes, absorbing the lesson before I've even begun to teach.
"Think you're up for it?" I ask, letting the Void fade.
Crow nods, and I catch a glint of excitement behind his calm expression. "I'm ready."
"Good." I grin, motioning for him to follow. "Pop your helmet back on. We'll get some practice in the patrol zone. Crash course time."
As he slips his helmet on, I start to explain, layering each piece of information as I summon the Void into my hand again. "Void is the element of cosmic distortion, of the pull of gravity, and the inevitable promise of entropy. When you call upon Void Light, you're bending space itself to your will. It's not just about damage; Void is versatile. It's the ability to teleport short distances and tear enemies apart with miniature gravitational anomalies."
He watches, listening intently as I twist the Void energy into shifting patterns.
"But there's more." I continue, letting the Void shift and swirl in my hand. "You can disrupt the paracausal energies of our enemies with Suppression effects, or even cloak yourself in Void energies to become invisible. You can fortify your own shields, or twist Void to Devour residual life energy, keeping yourself in fighting shape…"
Days drift by in a routine of training, and Crow and I settle into a rhythm around his shipping container. He's catching on faster than I expected. I'm apparently not half-bad at explaining Void Light.
Crow's already learning to bend its energies to cloak himself, disappearing for a few seconds at a time. He's even managed a crude version of a Void spike grenade, though any real Void super ability is still out of reach. Still, I'm impressed. The Vanguard archives are full of info on learning each class's standard abilities, but I've been tweaking a lot of it, incorporating a more class agnostic approach. It seems to be paying off.
My most recently gained perk has accelerated my training by leaps and bounds, allowing me to remember every lorebook entry I ever skimmed. The enhanced intelligence is just the icing on the cake.
For me, wielding each element is more than a technique; it's a mindset. I found that attaching specific emotional states to each Light manifestation helps me shift between them quickly. Void, to me, is a hunger, a steady, consuming focus, the will to draw power from my enemies and replenish myself. It's not emotionless, but it's calm, cold, and controlled. I'm definitely missing something when it comes to Nova Warp, and its relative newness means there's not a lot in the archives to help me.
Solar Light is the opposite of Void, fueled by a metaphorical fire I pull from somewhere deep inside me, my own passion and rage unleashed. I haven't managed a Solar super with it yet, but thanks to a surprising amount of crossover with Pyro manipulation it's likely to happen soon.
A nice surprise was learning how mixing Solar Light into my Pyro spells acts like a metaphysical amplification. The physical effects are a minor boost in power, but the magic just seems to be… more, when stimulated by Solar. Could be useful in the future.
Arc, though, isn't going so well. I can't even summon a few sparks. I'm confident I'll figure it out with time, but I'll probably be better spending my time if I focus on the other two elements.
The evening air is cool, the sky above painted in hues of twilight as I settle cross-legged on the ground outside. Crow's already packed up for the night, his gear neatly stowed away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I close my eyes, drawing in a steady breath, and focus inward. With a direct line to a higher power, reaching out for guidance seems… logical. Especially when one of my perks nudges the odds of success in my favor.
I let the world fade around me, my breathing slowing to a calm rhythm as I tune into the energy of the Light. Tentatively, I call out to the Traveler.
The world seems to pause, an almost sacred silence enveloping me. Then, warmth: a radiant surge of joy so gentle and affirming that it steals my breath. The Traveler's presence fills my mind, vibrant and welcoming, and I can't shake the impression that it's overjoyed I've reached out.
Images form in my mind, vivid and strange. A skull, the face of a vulture, looms before me, wreathed in green flames. Its hollow sockets seem to beckon, summoning an owl and a crow. The two birds answer the call, their wings cutting through the air as they follow the vulture. Together, they enter a vast chamber filled with ancient mechanisms, each humming with mystical energy.
The vulture's skull quivers, its eerie green magic seeping into the machinery, setting massive gears into motion. A portal ripples into existence, dark and beckoning. The owl and the crow exchange a glance before leaping into the portal, vanishing into the unknown.
A protective warmth engulfs me then, an almost parental sense of care, as if the Traveler is telling me it's all right, that I am safe. Slowly, the vision fades, leaving me with the lingering hum of its presence in my thoughts. I open my eyes, exhaling a slow breath.
Well. That was… unexpectedly successful.
{Communed with 'The Traveller' +50 points
Rolling…
Illusion - Now You See It - Super Dragon Sword (200 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 300 Points.
Purchase Now You See It?}
Now You See It
You are capable of using a moderate portion of your mana to create a Decoy, an illusionary copy of you or your allies, requiring a high intelligence or perception in order to discern them from the real thing. Decoys have phenomenally low health, but are extremely evasive and difficult to strike.
More actual magic!
Yoink!
I push myself to my feet, lingering vestiges of the vision urging me forward. It's not long before I find Crow and Glint, both of them finishing up their preparations for the night. "Crow." I call, gesturing for him to join me. "We need to talk."
He raises an eyebrow but obliges, Glint floating close behind him. I sit, and he follows suit, his attention sharp as I recount the vision. I piece together the details, emphasizing the parts that feel most important.
"There's a place the Traveler wants us to see." I say, glancing between him and Glint. "It's called the Blind Well."
Crow tilts his head slightly, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "What's it for?"
"The Blind Well is… complicated." I admit. "It's a dimensional rift generator, fueled by massive amounts of paracausal energy. Normally, it's used to traverse the Ascendant Plane—specifically to reach the Awoken Queen's throne world. That's where Fireteams take down Dûl Incaru, a Hive witch who's been corrupting the Dreaming City each reset. Every three weeks, like clockwork."
Crow's brows furrow, his caution clear. "Why every three weeks?"
"That's how long it takes to charge the Well." I explain.
Crow leans back slightly, absorbing the weight of my words. "So… we're taking on a Hive witch?"
I laugh softly, shaking my head. "No, not yet. That's… a problem for another Fireteam. For now, the vision feels more like a lead. Something the Traveler wants us to explore. We'll check it out, maybe get some training in. See what's waiting for us there."
A spark of excitement lights in his eyes, tempered only slightly by his practical nature. "When do we leave?"
I pause, weighing my schedule. "Tomorrow's out. I've got duties in the City: enchanting weapons for the Vanguard. If we're going, it'll have to be now."
Crow nods, a smile pulling at his lips as he stands. "Then let's not waste any time."
The Blind Well hums with an unsettling energy, the sound resonating in the air as we approach. At its heart, where the mechanism channels paracausal energy, an orb of shimmering light hovers erratically. It crackles faintly, flickering between hues of white and dark, its shape unstable, as if it's barely holding itself together.
Crow stops beside me, his gaze fixed on the anomaly. "Is that… normal?"
"No." I say, narrowing my eyes. "It's not."
The ball of energy shifts, reacting to our presence. A male voice; disembodied, hollow, and almost amused, emanates from it. "Ah… visitors. How quaint. Who are you to stand before the Blind Well?"
So the vulture was Toland, the Shattered. His name rises unbidden in my mind, dredged up from old memories of the game and fragmented lore entries. Once a Guardian, Toland was an outcast. He delved too deep into Hive secrets, obsessing over their dark magic and the Ascendant realm. His pursuit of forbidden knowledge eventually led to his death… or, more accurately, his transformation into this spectral form, a drifting fragment of himself in the Ascendant Plane.
"Toland." I say, keeping my voice even. "What are you doing here?"
The orb flickers erratically, its light unstable. "I might ask the same of you, Lightbearer. Do you even know what you stand before? This rift generator… this Blind Well. A device meant to rend the veil, to bridge the gap between this reality and the Ascendant Plane. You come here like so many others, chasing shadows, blind to the price that must be paid."
Crow steps forward, gripping his blade. "We're not here to chase anything. The Traveler sent us."
Toland's hollow laugh echoes through the air, dark and unnatural. "The Gardener… always meddling. Yes, I, too, have received its… guidance. Even now, it whispers to me, despite my transformation. It told me to assist you. But why? You are not the Kingslayer. You are not the one who shattered Oryx's Sword. I do not know you. Why should I offer aid to strangers?"
I glance at Crow, who looks at me questioningly. "What does he mean by the Kingslayer?" Crow whispers.
"A friend of mine." I mutter. "Someone not here."
Toland continues, his voice growing sharper. "Gifts are a weakness. Value is found only in what you can take. So prove your worth, little Lights. Show me you have the strength to seize what you desire. Or crumble like so many others before you."
The orb dims, siphoning energy from the Blind Well's central mechanism. The air around us grows thick, laced with dark magic. With a violent crackle, a portal rips open nearby. Its edges shimmer with Hive runes, jagged and pulsating, exuding an acrid stench of decay. The faint echoes of something monstrous drift through, low and ominous.
My hand tightens around my hand cannon, Void Light sparking to life in my free hand. "Crow..." I say quietly, my voice steady. "Stay close."
He nods, his expression resolute before his helmet materializes. "I'm with you."
Together, we step toward the portal. We exchange one final glance before crossing the threshold as one.
CHAPTER 9 END
AN: Is it lazy of me to decide Crow's name should be the same as canon? Yes. Do I care? Not really. The Traveler decided its new favorite conversation partner needs a weapon suitable for a Wizard, but Toland isn't one to give things out for free. Doesn't really jive with his Hive-like philosophy.
Rolls were all quite good this chapter.