New year, new problems. Hello everybody and welcome to the no-doubt long-awaited continuation of Witches and Warlocks. Before we get in, I have one quick warning for all of you; I'll be playing a little fast and Luz (haha I am clever) with some of the lore and timeline of Destiny. It won't be anything major, but some things must be tweaked for the sake of the story. I hope that's alright with you.
I mean, it doesn't really matter if it is or isn't alright. The chapter's already written. Technically I'm not even talking with you. This was written a good while before any of you ever saw it.
Ah well, onto the story!
Chapter 1: Eyes Up
"-either day fifty-seven or eight hundred and nineteen, can't tell. Vex won't stop hounding me, Moonbeam thinks we should backtrack but I-" - Excerpt from the log of the Justicar
Royal-6 was going to die. There was no doubt as to this. The Vex Domain was a remarkably hostile place at the best of times. And now was not the best of times. One armored gauntlet fell before the other, digging into the digital ground and desperately pulling its owner forward. Royal clutched her gut, her hand mixing with the wiring and tubes that hung from numerous lacerations in a crude mockery of organic intestines. The Sunbreaker had thought she was safe, a foolish assumption to make.
The sound of a blade scraping against the ground reached her audio receptors, causing her to double the pace of her crawl. She needed to buy her Ghost enough time to patch her up or they would both die here. She heard him getting closer and waited until he was close enough to strike. A few agonizing seconds passed as he continued to stalk her until he was finally in position.
Royal rolled over and summoned a hammer forged of blazing starlight in her left hand. With a shout, she hurled it at her pursuer. She didn't stop to see the result, forcing herself to her feet and manifesting another Hammer of Sol. Her assailant wove around her first attack, letting the hammer explode behind him. His blade flashed up in a blur of blue light. Royal barely caught it against her hammer, the blow pushing her back.
She quickly hurled two more hammers, her hands burning with Solar Light. He responded with a simple twist of the hand. The Vex Domain responded to his call. The ground beneath them shifted and formed a wall between the two. He struck the wall and sent it after Royal. She rolled to the side, doing her best to ignore the pangs of pain. Seeing his opening, he pounced. The two found themselves locked in melee again, their weapons weaving around each other in an elegant dance of death. Royal found herself slowly forced back, his blade scoring more and more cuts into her armor. There was a realization that, at this current rate, she would be killed shortly.
Not seeing any other option, she pulled back a fist and willed Stasis to take shape. Frigid sapphire crystals coated her gauntlet. Her foe's face twisted in rage as she brought the frosted fist upward. He dashed backward, cleanly avoiding the strike. Royal brought her fist down, sending a wave of crystals outward. He moved between them with all the fluidity of the winds and dragged his blade through the ground. He brought it up, scoring a deep gouge in Royal's chest. She cried out as she was sent reeling.
Royal hit the ground hard, her back bearing the brunt of the impact as sparks went flying from her wounds. She raised her hand again to call forth more Stasis only for his boot to slam down on her wrist, shattering the internal mechanisms.
"You thought this day would never come," he said, hatred leaking from his burning red optics as they bore into Royal's face. "You thought that you were free of consequence. You thought that there would be no retribution!" He reached out and curled his fingers around the air between them. He slowly pulled back as data began to swirl between his fingers. The struggling form of Royal's Ghost was dragged into the open, clutched between the Outcast's fingers. He held the struggling machine up to his face. "Your retribution is here."
He began to squeeze, cracking the Ghost's core as she cried out in pain. There was an explosion of Light as she shattered. Royal gasped as she felt her strength leave her. Her Ghost's broken shell clattered to the ground. Royal desperately reached for it, trying in vain to bring her friend back.
"Moonbeam!" Her voice was weak. Outcast removed his boot from her wrist as he stepped back. Royal scooped up her Ghost, her best friend, and cradled her closely.
"Know that this rests on your head, not on mine," Outcast goaded. Royal curled her good hand into a fist as rage overtook her. Stasis erupted forth, coating her entire body as she lunged forward. There was no plan, no direction in mind. Only a desire to tear her brother apart limb by limb, servo by servo, wire by wire. He regarded the advancing Titan with chilling calm, dodging around her wild swings as though he was toying with her. Eventually, Royal felt herself begin to tire and Outcast grew bored of her. She gave one last lunge. Outcast simply let her own momentum carry her forward as he brought his glaive up and impaled her.
Royal feebly grasped at the weapon planted in her chest. Despite feeling her life slipping away, she couldn't help but feel a little relieved. She would see her friend again soon. Outcast pushed on his glaive, using it as leverage to drive her into the ground.
"Please," she pleaded, gripping the blade between her fingers, "not like this." For a moment, Outcast's face seemed to soften. His blade stopped digging into her chest, though he didn't move to pull it out.
"Not like this," he echoed as his gaze drifted across his sister's body. His optics passed over the few Stasis crystals still lingering on her armor and his face hardened once again. "You're right. We'll go slower." He pushed down again, his glaive cutting further into Royal's chest. Her screams echoed throughout the Vex Domain.
Earth was once a beautiful planet. There used to be rolling fields of pure green with oceans that shone like gems. Cities of gleaming spires would stretch into the sky, blurring the lines between architecture and art display. Great feats of science would be performed regularly and people lived in comfort. All thanks to the prosperity of the Traveler.
Then, the Black Fleet came and brought ruination with them. Mankind's Golden Age ended in a second and countless billions of lives were snuffed out with it. However, Humanity would not simply lie down and accept extinction. With the Traveler's dying breath, it birthed the Ghosts to find those who would defend the remnants of Mankind. These souls were chosen from the legions of Humanities dead, resurrected to serve their species once more.
One such Ghost flew through the remnants of an ancient town. The town's name had long since been lost to history, one of the thousands of settlements that had been deserted. This Ghost had been searching for her Guardian for centuries. She had been all over the solar system; from the furthest reaches of Earth to the abandoned Lunar colonies and even to the rusted settlements of Mars, Venus, and Titan. So far, her search had been fruitless. There were fewer and fewer Ghosts without Guardians these days, with many giving up hope of ever finding their partner. She remained optimistic. Her Guardian was just around the next corner, she was sure of it.
The skittering of a nearby Fallen scavenger party pulled her from her inner monologue. She clung to the walls to avoid detection, knowing that if the Fallen caught her they would rip her apart. She saw their shadows dancing across the walls as they stalked past. A Captain took a perch atop the remains of an old car that had long since been stripped of useful parts. The four-armed alien scanned his surroundings as the Ghost held her metaphorical breath. Eventually, it turned to its subordinates and barked a few orders. The Dregs filed past, trying to avoid their commanders' ire. The hunting party passed and the Ghost let out a sigh of relief.
"Come on, where are you," she muttered. "I know you're here somewhere." She continued onward, flying between the destroyed buildings as she searched for her Guardian. She scanned a few corpses, leaving them quickly. She didn't know exactly what would signify that she had found the right person. Other Ghosts just told her to trust her own judgment. She hadn't found that advice particularly helpful.
A large sign caught her eye. Most of the display was ruined, another victim of entropy and the relentless march of time. But she got the gist. This place was a graveyard and that meant it was the perfect place to find lots of dead people.
She paused, realizing that thought sounded far more morbid than she intended. Shaking her everything to clear her mind, she flew into the graveyard. She flittered between the tombstones, scanning the graves. Each came back negative, adding to the Ghosts' growing tension as the Fallens' cries could be heard in the distance.
"You're here, I can feel it." She flew past a few more graves, offering them little more than a cursory inspection. Her beam danced from body to body as she frantically searched. If the Fallen swarmed this area, there would be no telling how long it would be until she could safely continue her search. Her beam shifted to a grave in far better condition than most others with a small brazier resting atop it. A flame burned defiantly in the open air. She could feel the Solar power infused within it, ensuring that the flame would burn so long as it remained undisturbed. Clearly, someone had an attachment to whoever was buried here. She gave it a brief scan, not expecting much. A strange feeling bubbled within her, one of familiarity and comfort. She scanned again from another angle to ensure that it wasn't a fluke. Somehow, she knew that she was always meant to be here.
"I did it!" She cheered. A distant cry from a Fallen reminded her of her surroundings. "I did it," she said, now much quieter. "I finally found you. You did not make it easy. I look forward to meeting you." Her shell expanded and began to spin as she channeled the Travelers light within her. "Eyes up, Guardian."
Her shell contracted with a blinding flash. Light flooded into her Guardian, granting them life. The ground began to stir as they awoke and forced their way to the surface. A hand burst through the dirt like something out of an old horror movie. The brazier that had been lit for so long fell to the side, its flame sputtering out. Slowly, they pulled themselves up, gasping for air the entire time. Her Guardian—her partner—was finally here.
She was a woman of fairly average build, with brown hair that was kept decently short. She appeared to be of old Latin-American heritage. Her clothes were old and mottled, though fortunately intact enough to preserve her dignity. A small bag in a similar state of disrepair was slung across her back. She staggered forward unsteadily, her legs needing to readjust to carry her weight. The Ghost watched patiently as her Guardian got her bearings. She coughed as she tried to speak.
"W-What's going on." Her voice was soft, still regaining its strength. "Where am I?" She paused for a second as a realization dawned on her. "Who am I?"
"Try to take it easy," the Ghost said, startling the poor woman. "It's ok, I'm a friend. I'm also a Ghost. Or, well, your Ghost. We're partners now. Pleased to meet you. I'd offer you a hand but I'm a little lacking in that department." Her Guardian stared blankly as her attempt at humor fell flat on its face. The Ghost began to panic; what if her Guardian hated her? Such a thing was rare but not unheard of.
"¡Ay, qué lindo!" Her Guardian swept her up in a hug, squeezing the poor Ghost tightly. "You! Are! Adorable! What are you? No, wait, you already told me. You're a Ghost, right? What are those?"
"Too… Tight…" the Ghost squeaked. Her Guardian relinquished her, offering a sheepish apology. The Ghost took a second to reorient herself as her Guardian looked around, evidently disturbed by what she saw. "Alright, that was not the reaction I expected. Not to worry, I always come prepared. You are a Guardian, a chosen defender of Humanity resurrected from the dead to fight against the Darkness!" Her Guardian watched with wide eyes, the words giving her pause. Growls sounded on the horizon. The resurrection had not gone unnoticed and the Fallen were no doubt closing in.
"Fallen!" The Ghost panicked, dread seeping into her voice. "We need to get out of here!" Her Guardian seemed confused.
"Fallen? What are those?"
"Alien scavengers who would like nothing more than to rip us apart," she replied, turning frantically as she searched for the signs of Fallen. "Oh Traveler, we should not be here! We need to get back to the city. Maybe find you a gun on the way."
"Like this one?" The Ghost rotated back to her Guardian and did a double take as she saw her Guardian holding an officer's revolver.
"Where did you get that?" The Ghost questioned.
"It was right here." She tapped an empty holster on her thigh. "Is that not normal?"
"Usually, no. But let's not question good fortune. Follow me." The two set off as quietly as they could, slipping out of the graveyard and toward the ruins where they could hopefully hide from the Fallen. They ducked under the foundations of what was left of a house and peered through a few broken slits as the Captain emerged.
He marched forward with confidence in his gait. At least a dozen Dregs and a few Vandals followed in his wake. A large silver sphere with a glowing purple optic floated behind the search party; a Servitor. The Captain strode into the graveyard and, after a passing glance, noticed the recently-emptied grave. He gestured towards his subordinates with two of his four arms and issued a string of orders in the Fallen's chittering language. The Dregs instantly began to fan out while the Vandals sought higher ground to use their long-range rifles more effectively. The Captain waltzed out of the graveyard, unknowingly growing closer to the pair.
The Ghost began to panic, desperately searching for an escape and muttering to herself. Her Guardian remained calm, her breath coming even and steady. She set a hand on her Ghosts shell and offered a reassuring smile.
"We'll be fine," she whispered. "I'll get us out of here… I just realized I never caught your name."
"I don't have one," the Ghost whispered back. "Never really thought about it."
"Why don't I give you one?" Her Guardian asked. The Ghost nodded, feeling her nerves calm. "How about… Aurora?"
"Aurora." She tossed the name around in her head, weighing it up and feeling it out. "I like it. Aurora. What should I call you?"
"I'm not sure. We can figure it out once we're out of here." Aurora nodded in agreement and the two returned to peering out the holes in the foundation. The Fallen had largely dispersed, allowing them to escape. Slowly, they crept out of their hiding spot. A careful inspection of their surroundings revealed nothing of note. Aurora cast a wayward glance as her Guardian turned to slip around the corner of the house they had hidden under. She stepped lightly to ensure she didn't give away her position.
As she rounded the corner, she came face-to-face with a lone Dreg. The two gaped at each other in shock for a moment before the Dreg let out a screech and raised his shock pistol. He squeezed the trigger as the Guardian stumbled back. Arc-infused rounds slammed into her chest, dispersed by a protective barrier of Light. She hissed in pain, the impact diminished but not entirely negated.
"Quick, use your Light!" Aurora shouted.
"I don't know how!" Her Guardian shouted back. Her revolver seemed to teleport to her hand as she put distance between herself and the Dreg. The barrel of the weapon snapped up and she fired. A round erupted from the barrel of the gun and tore through the Dreg's head. Its skull exploded from the rapid depressurization of its Ether stream being ruptured. Blood spilled from the wound, mixing with pieces of its brains and broken skull fragments. The Dreg dropped like a guillotine blade, with dozens of screeches erupting in the distance as its body hit the ground. She looked down at her hand in shock, horrified by what she had just done.
"That's really bad," Aurora said, fading into transmat. "We need to move. Now!" Her Guardian didn't argue, slipping her revolver into the holster and taking off. Her feet thundered on the ground, stealth no longer a concern as the Fallen chased after them. She ran through the trees, narrowly dodging low-hanging branches. She could hear Dregs chasing after her, each no doubt seeking to be the one to kill her. Their Captain had likely promised a great reward for her death.
They reached the edge of the forest and kept running through the open street. The Dregs continued to give chase, pouring in from seemingly all sides. The Guardian glanced back, only to blanch as the Dregs closed in. More Arc blasts whizzed past with a few finding their mark in her back. She cried out in pain, stumbling from the shots. She could feel her protective shield wavering, threatening to shatter.
"Shoot back!" Aurora panicked. Her Guardian groaned as she tried to regain her footing. As she did, a Vandal took up a perch on the roof of a nearby building. She centered the Guardian in her crosshair and pulled the trigger. An Arc beam cut across the street and hit the Guardian square in the chest. Her shields burst and she was knocked to the ground as a scream of pain escaped her lips. The Dregs closed in, brandishing their knives as they encircled the Guardian.
"Come on, if you don't do something, we're both going to die!" Aurora cried. Her Guardian clutched her chest as Dreg stepped closer. Their knife flashed, scoring a deep gouge in her cheek. Another kicked her in the ribs, sending her sprawling. A third dodged a wild kick and shot her in the leg.
The Dregs continued to whale on her, each cut and blow burning. Her blood pooled on the ground beneath her, mixing with more than a few tears. Another Dreg came in for a stab and the Guardian lashed out. She screamed in equal parts rage and pain as lightning danced across her fingertips. Arc Light erupted from her hand, dashing through the air until it connected with the Dreg. The Fallen cried out in agony as he was atomized, dissolving into a few disparate sparks that were left drifting in the wind. The Guardian looked at her own hand in surprise and fear. "Did… did I do that?"
A screech cut through the air, causing the Dregs to step back. The Captain walked closer with the Servitor following closely. It regarded her evenly as she slowly forced herself to her feet, Aurora stitching her wounds together. The Guardian held her hands out in front of her warily.
"Please, I don't want to hurt anyone." The Captain didn't seem to understand her, bristling as she held out her hands. He raised his shrapnel cannon. There was the glow of Solar energy in the weapon. The Guardian pleaded with Captain to no avail. He pulled the trigger. Solar projectiles blasted from the weapon, catching the Guardian on her shoulder. Fortunately, her shield had recovered, so she was able to avoid losing the limb entirely. However, the hit still sent her stumbling. She unconsciously flicked her hand toward the Captain as she staggered, shooting a small Arc bolt at the Captain. The blast sent his weapon flying out of his hands. The Captain growled and drew a pair of swords.
The Guardian managed to recover just in time to dodge the Captain's first lunge. She sidestepped the attack and slipped into a defensive stance. Around them, the Dregs formed a circle that locked the two in combat. The Captain leaped forward, delivering twin slashes aimed at her neck. She dodged and tried to deliver a punch to his gut, only for her hand to be shocked by a protective Arc shield. She shook her hand to mitigate the pain as the Captain stabbed at her. She scrambled back, narrowly avoiding another stab aimed at her head.
The two continued like this for a few seconds, the Guardian being too lithe to cut down while the Captain was too well-protected to punish. As the two continued their dance, the Captain hissed a new order. He slashed his blades at the Guardian viciously, forcing her back. As she moved, a shot from the Vandal slammed into her back. She staggered from the hit and the Captain found his opening. His blade cut into the side of her gut, eliciting a howl from the Guardian. He dragged it through, flicking blood off his sword as he did. The Guardian fell to her knees as she clawed at her midsection. Blood from ruptured innards coated her hands and pain ruled her every thought. Aurora cried out for her Guardian as she keeled over and died. The Captain laughed triumphantly, holding his blades overhead in a show of dominance.
As he did, a jumpship tore through the sky. The Captain's cheer died in his throat as he narrowed his eyes on the vehicle. Every Fallen turned their guns to the ship as it doubled back for another pass. As it flew overhead, a figure transmatted before the Fallen. He dropped from the sky, a meteor of fire crashing into the earth.
The Fallen closed ranks around their Captain as the newcomer rose. He was covered head to toe in armor colored a metallic purple. Long, flowing robes wavered in the wind. A sword was clutched in one hand, a hand cannon in the other. Solar Light radiated from the Warlock as he stepped forward and raised his sword.
"Who's first?" Royal-6, Survivor of the Vex Domain, Slayer of the Collector, and Hero of the Isles asked. The Captain let out a roar and charged the Warlock. Royal calmly waited for it to close the gap. The Captain brought both blades down on the Exo, only for him to spin around the attack. His sword whistled as it cut through both the air and the Captain's neck. He died without so much as a grunt. His head slid off his shoulders, blood spraying from the open wound as his shields collapsed. The Dregs stepped back in fear as their Captain fell. Royal moved swiftly, raising his Fatebringer and planting a shot directly in the forehead of the Vandal who had shot Aurora's Guardian. One Dreg-most likely high on Ether-charged forward only to be vertically bisected by Royals' sword. The two halves split apart as the Warlock fired off two more shots that sent two more Dregs spiraling. The Servitor sent out an aura of energy that shielded its comrades. Royal regarded it for only a second before hurling his blade at the machine. The sword spun end over end before planting itself deep in the spherical construct. The remaining Dregs panicked as Royal turned his attention back to them. Aurora watched the display with awe as the Warlock enacted his bloody work.
Eventually, the last Fallen was slain. Royal gave one last pass of the area before holstering his revolver. A Ghost appeared at his side, casting a wide glance at the grisly display.
"It took you fifteen whole seconds to clear out as many Fallen," Lancer said. "You're slowing down." Royal scoffed and walked over to the Servitor to reclaim his blade. He wrapped an armored hand around the hilt and tugged it out.
"I'm having an off day," he replied before casting his gaze down to a dead Dreg. "Fallen scum." The Warlock turned back to Aurora and tapped the tip of his sword against his forehead.
"You're lucky we were close by," he said. "I could feel someone disturbing a friend's resting place while I was returning from a patrol."
"That would've been me," Aurora said meekly. "Sorry." Royal sighed and assured her it was fine. He gestured to her still-dead Guardian and Aurora jumped to action. She shot a beam into her Guardian while Royal scanned the area for any stragglers. Slowly, she stood up.
"Thanks, Aurora." She glanced at the Fallen corpses and shivered. "Did I do that?"
"No, that would've been him," Aurora said, gesturing to Royal. We're lucky he showed up to save us." Royal nodded as he turned to the pair. Whatever he was going to say died in his throat as soon as he made eye contact with her Guardian. His sword slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground with a loud ringing sound.
"Are you ok?" Aurora asked. The Warlock ignored her, stepping closer to her Guardian.
"Lancer, is this real?" He asked. His Ghost swung a beam onto her, scanning her from tip to toe.
"As real as the ground you're standing on," he replied, clearly in as much disbelief as his Guardian. "It's her."
Slowly, he reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. Apprehensive, she stepped back slightly. Royal hesitated before reaching up and tugging off his helmet. Bright orange optics met eyes the color of warm chocolate. She stumbled back a step as an inexplicable feeling swarmed her head; a gap in her memory that ached with absence.
"Luz?" His voice was a mix of emotions; surprise, joy, confusion, and many others all swirling together. One emotion dominated them all: dread.
"Who are you?" She asked, fear lacing her voice as she reached for her revolver. "Who's Luz?" Royal stepped back, his optics darting between Aurora and her Guardian.
"What's going on?" Aurora questioned. "How do you know my Guardian?" Royal's gaze snapped to the Ghost and she quickly hid behind her Guardian. Royal and Lancer shared a look, having a silent conversation neither of their companions was privy to. After a moment of deliberation, Royal sighed.
"Let's find a place to rest," he said, gesturing for the other two to follow him. "The first death tends to be rather… disconcerting." He began to walk toward a large building.
"Why should we?" Aurora's Guardian asked, still on edge. Royal stopped, his expression unreadable.
"I'll explain everything," he said. "I just need you to trust me." Aurora and her Guardian shared a mental conversation of their own, though it was far shorter than Royal and Lancer's. After a second of deliberation, they agreed to the Warlock's terms. He led them into the destroyed remains of a high school until they found a lunch table that was in good enough condition that it wouldn't disintegrate if they tried to sit at it. Royal lowered himself into the seat and gestured for them to sit opposite him. He tapped the table with his fingers as they settled in.
"Alright, what do you want to know?" He asked. Aurora was the first to speak up.
"What did you call her earlier?"
"Luz," he said with strained calm. "It's her name."
"And you know that how?"
His hands curled into fists. "A long, complicated story. To give you the condensed version, I knew her before she died."
"That seems unlikely," Aurora said. "Her grave was from before the Collapse." Royal let out a mirthless chuckle as he looked into the distance.
"Like I said; it's complicated."
"And who are you?" Luz questioned, one hand absently rubbing her forehead where the strange feeling had been strongest. "How did we know each other?"
"We are… we were friends," Royal said. "My name is Royal-6." Aurora gasped, a shine in her optical lens.
"No way! You're the Vexbane!" She squealed. Royal frowned and looked away.
"I hate it when people call me that," he muttered. Aurora continued seemingly without hearing him. Luz furrowed her brow and looked to her Ghost for clarification.
"He was lost to the Vex Domain for years," she explained giddily. "Forgotten to all, he clawed, scraped, and fought his way out, slaying countless legions of the machine spawn." She turned to him eagerly. "Did you really single-handedly bring down the Paradoxical Mind?"
"Embellishment. Nothing more," Royal said bitterly. Since his return all those weeks ago, his tale had spread around the Tower and the Last City. He had become something of a hero, much like another Exo who had been thought lost to the Vex. Royal was no Saint-14, nor did he insinuate anything to that effect. Most details of his story had been kept under wraps by the Vanguard. To be truthful, he still wasn't certain they believed him. As far as anyone else knew, there was no such thing as the Demon Realm. All the praise didn't sit right with him, not when so many of his friends went unsung.
Aurora was unfettered, turning to Luz with bubbly excitement. "Trust me, we're in the presence of greatness." Luz offered half a smile before turning back to Royal, her face pensive. Royal gestured for her to speak.
"Why did it seem like you were sad to see me?" She asked. "If we were as close as you claimed, shouldn't you have been happy?" Royal frowned, he had been afraid of this question.
"I never wanted this for you." He kept his voice quiet so as to not betray anything. Luz took his hand, offering the most reassuring smile she could manage.
"Well, I'm here now." Royal offered an impassive grunt and looked away. Eventually, he stood up, gesturing for Luz to do the same.
"Come on, we should get back to the city." He set off, stepping through the destroyed wall with Luz not far behind. Just outside, Lancer steered his jumpship overhead. He lowered the vehicle into the street. Royal set a hand against the hull as he shot a look back to Luz. "It's built for one so it might be a bit cramped." Luz accepted his terms and stepped up to the jumpship. The air around her began to blur as Lancer activated transmat. Luz felt her insides twist as she was brought inside the craft. She appeared behind the driver's seat, sitting atop a crate of maintenance equipment. Her hand instantly shot to her mouth as she forced down a wave of bile. Royal transmatted into the pilot seat, his fingers already dancing across the controls. He offered a sympathetic glance at Luz as she tried to keep herself from hurling. "You'll get used to that."
"Will I?" Luz asked, looking up weakly. Aurora nodded as she tried to soothe her Guardian. The rumbling engine jostled her slightly as the ship began to take off. Her fingers wrapped around anything with a semblance of stability as the ship took off. She could feel the restrained power in the ship as it took off, flying at blinding speeds. Royal moved on instinct, flicking a few switches as he killed his helmet's external speakers and switched to a private comm line.
"You doing alright?" Lancer questioned. Royal sighed, rubbing the faceplate of his helmet.
"It's good to see her again," he started, "but… I had hoped to spare her from this life. This was my burden."
"Hey, it's like she said; she's here now," Lancer offered. "The Traveler chose her, have a little faith in them. Besides, you could always use some friends." Royal opened his mouth to speak, only for Lancer to cut him off. "No, getting drinks with Banshee on the weekend doesn't count."
"What are you two chatting about?" Aurora asked, floating on the other side of Royal. The Dawnblade and his Ghost shared a look, agreeing to continue this conversation later.
"Just details from our patrol earlier," Royal said, pressing a button on the console to activate his long-range radio. There was a spark of static as it came to life. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "This is Guardian callsign Phoenix reporting into the Tower hangar. Come in Tower hangar."
The radio spat out white noise for a second before a voice with a heavy Southern drawl came over the line. "Transmit clearance codes." Lancer spun his shell as he sent their authorization code to the Tower, letting them know not to blow the Guardians out of the sky. There was a pause as they received the transmission. "Copy that Phoenix, you're cleared to dock in bay sixteen. Welcome home, Guardian."
"Thanks, Holliday," Royal said before killing the line. Luz peered over his shoulder as the Last City came into view. Her eyes widened and she let out an audible gasp of awe. Royal glanced at her, a small smile on his lips that was hidden by his helmet. "Welcome to the Last City, kid."
The walls of the city stretched high into the air, a challenge to the minions of the Darkness and a testament to Mankind's desire to survive. Beyond the walls was a sprawling metropolis with towering buildings that lit up the night sky. Ships flew across the skyline, carrying people and goods all over the city. Most striking of all was the Traveler itself; a colossal sphere of blinding white that hung in the sky like a protective god. It was this being that had lifted Humanity into the Golden Age, this being that had shielded them from the wrath of the Darkness, and this being that had sent its Ghosts to find its chosen warriors: the Guardians. Luz watched with eyes full of starlight as Royal docked his ship. It powered down as the hangar crew set to work. Royal disembarked with Luz not far behind.
"This place is amazing," she squealed, darting around the hangar as Royal conferred with the pit crew. She ran her hands down the length of a sparrow, admiring the craftsmanship on display. "What is this?"
"That," said the accented voice from earlier, now free of radio static, "is my current project." Luz looked over as a woman approached. She had incredibly short blonde hair and blue eyes that held a hint of mischief within them. She wore a sleeveless jacket that showed off both her prominent tattoos and toned muscles; a result of working in the hangar all day. A red bandana was tied around her neck with a pair of goggles resting over it. The woman brandished a wrench at Luz in a mock threat. "Keep your hands off." Luz relinquished as Royal jogged over, having finished giving his report to the repair crew.
"Sorry about her, Holliday," he apologized. "She's a little new." Amanda waved him off, a good-natured smile on her lips.
"It's fine." She gave Luz a proper once over, taking specific note of her clothing, before turning to Royal with a quizzical expression. "You never struck me as the type to pick up strays."
"She's a New Light," he explained. "Stumbled across her while on patrol. I'm on my way to debrief at the Vanguard."
"Then don't let me keep you," Amanda said, shooing them off. Royal nodded and gestured for Luz to follow him. As she turned to leave, Amanda called out one last time. "Welcome to the Tower." With that, she turned back to her work, scolding a few of her mechanics. "No! No! This one goes here, that one goes there!"
"She seems nice," Luz said as she followed Royal out of the hangar.
"You say that now," he muttered. "Wait until you see her when someone wrecks her repair jobs." The two walked into the Tower's main social area, where a few other Guardians were going about their business. One of them spoke with a strange blue-skinned man wrapped in robes. Luz couldn't make out the specifics, but their aggravated tone told her everything she needed to know. Another was collecting a few items from the Postmaster only to declare most of it junk. Two others were engaged in a dance battle while civilian contractors cheered them on. She could even hear a loud voice shouting from around a corner. Was he going on about grenades?
A few eyes tacked Royal as he led Luz across the courtyard. Nobody spared a glance at her, though she was able to catch a few of the whispers. Words like Vexbane were thrown around, with Luz not knowing what they meant. If Royal heard the comments, he chose to ignore them. As they crossed, Luz eyed a few strange spheres made of corruptive matter. They hung in the air or cut through the Tower like a cancer eating away at reality.
They left the courtyard and arrived at a small lift. They descended in silence before disembarking. Royal guided Luz through the halls of the lower levels. She cast her gaze around the halls, taking in the displays. There were portraits of other Guardians, likely past Vanguard leaders and other heroic figures. They stopped before a large pair of double doors with the symbol of the Guardians inscribed upon it. Luz looked at one of the symbols-one resembling a three-pointed mountain-and glanced to Royal, where she could see the same symbol on his armor just above where his heart would be. As she looked at the symbol, she felt a jolt in her spine, like lightning flowing through her veins. It felt right somehow. As she pressed a hand to her chest, Royal stepped forward and opened the door.
It became apparently clear that they were interrupting something. There were three individuals clustered around the table; a white and red exo, another blue-skinned man with silver armor, and a woman with a shaven head and purple robes. Another man with a bird-like hood stood in the corner, observing the argument between the three with impassive eyes.
"The people are in an uproar," the Exo said. "Our city is under siege and you allow our enemies into our midst. I am doing what I can to mitigate their fears but I worry that there will be riots."
"Lakshmi, I understand your concerns, but Mithrax and his people are not our enemies," the robed woman said. Lakshmi-2 was about to retort before noticing Royal and Luz's presence. She took a second to gather herself, collecting a few papers on the desk.
"I see that we have company, we will continue this discussion another time, Ikora." Lakshmi turned to leave, offering Royal a slight nod as she did. He returned the gesture before addressing the two Vanguard leaders with a salute. Luz eyed him for a second before realizing she should do the same. She snapped into a significantly sloppier salute, even using the wrong hand.
"Good, your back," Commander Zavala said. "I'm sorry you had to see that brief glimpse into the politics of the city."
"Better you have to deal with it than me, sir," Royal replied. Zavala chuckled, though it was a sound devoid of humor. "My scan of sector S-32 revealed nothing of interest. Just a few scattered Red Legionnaires trying to smuggle some supplies. I took the liberty of dealing with them."
"Your efforts are always appreciated by the Vanguard," Ikora said, "but we know you didn't come here just to report that." She turned to Luz, the obvious question on her lips. Royal cleared his throat and gestured to his companion.
"This is Luz Noceda, our newest Guardian." Zavala and Ikora were both caught off guard by that. On the side wall, Luz saw the hooded man raise his head, suddenly much more interested in the conversation. Royal didn't seem to notice him, focused entirely on the Vanguard.
"The same one from your report a few weeks ago?" Zavala questioned. Royal nodded before placing a hand behind Luz and gently pushing her forward. She stepped up, clasping her hands in front of her as Aurora appeared at her side.
"Hello, sir," she said, stumbling through her words slightly. The Commander watched with a neutral expression while Ikora offered a warm smile.
"It's good to meet you, Luz Noceda," she said. "Royal's stories mentioned you quite extensively."
"Wish I could say I knew them," Luz replied as Royal awkwardly tugged at his collar. Zavala cleared his throat, drawing focus once again.
"We'll get you situated in the Tower immediately," he said. "You begin orientation tomorrow." Luz accepted his offer with a thanks, only for Royal to step up.
"Sir, I would like to request permission to oversee her training." Zavala and Ikora both looked at him in surprise. Ikora set a hand on her chin as Zavala furrowed his brow.
"Are you certain?" He asked. "It would be highly irregular. Are you not worried that your previous attachments might impede your ability to instruct her?"
"On the contrary sir, I believe that I am uniquely qualified because of them," Royal replied. "Luz was always a very particular student and I have experience with teaching her."
"When she was but a teenager," Zavala countered. "There is no telling how she may have changed over the years."
"She is also right here and does not appreciate being ignored," Luz spoke up, her boldness flickering as Royal and Zavala turned to her. Despite that, she held her ground. "Don't I get a say in this?"
"Of course you do," Royal assured. "I would be happy to train you if you would allow me. If not, then that will be the end of it." Despite his words, she could see that he was at war within himself. Zavala turned to his colleague.
"Ikora, your input?" He asked. The Warlock Vanguard looked up from her pondering. Luz met her gaze, seeing the swirling abyss within her eyes. There was an immeasurable amount of power contained within this woman. It was at that moment Luz decided that Ikora terrified her.
"I think that we are presented with a unique opportunity," Ikora began, measuring her words, "and we would be remiss not to take it. If that is what you want." She directed that last comment at Luz and all eyes were instantly on her. She looked at Royal and saw the swirling, conflicting emotions in him.
"If you did it once, I'm sure you can do it again." Royal smiled at that, feeling a weight slide off his shoulders. Zavala raised an eyebrow but didn't object.
"Then it is decided," he said. "Guardian Noceda will be under your instruction." Royal straightened his back, relief on his face.
"I know what she is capable of. She will be the finest Guardian you have ever seen."
"I'm sure of it," Zavala said before glancing at the clock and frowning. He tapped a few buttons on a screen in front of him. "Apologies, but we have work to do. Your quarters have been reserved. Your key will be delivered shortly. Dismissed." The two saluted—though Luz's was still sloppy—and Royal turned to leave. After a second, Luz realized he was walking to the door and hastily ran to catch up with him. The man with the bird hood watched them leave through obscured eyes.
Outside of the command center, Royal and Luz retraced their steps back to the elevator. Aurora chirped as she pulled up Luz's room number. Royal checked over it and offered a mild grunt. Their rooms were close to each other.
"Thanks for believing in me back there," he said. "It means more than you know."
"If you think you can prepare me for what this world has to offer, then I'll take your word for it," Luz said, that bubbly enthusiasm and love for learning resurfacing. "Did you mean what you said back there? About me being the best?"
"I did," Royal said. "I do not doubt that you'll make us all proud."
"Bet I'll be better than you," she snipped. Royal had a genuine laugh at that.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. We begin training early tomorrow. Make sure you get a good night's sleep. And Luz, it's nice to see you all grown up." After ensuring she knew where her room was, the two parted ways. Luz followed Aurora through the corridors of the Tower before arriving at her room and pushing the door open. The quarters within were spartan, to say the least. There was a small desk, a cot, and a light. A small door off to the side revealed a bathroom. After looking down at herself, Luz realized that she really needed a shower. She probably smelled like death.
"I'll go get you a fresh change of clothes," Aurora said. "In the meantime, make yourself at home." The Ghost flew off, leaving Luz to herself. She collapsed into her cot, the events of the last few hours finally crashing down on her. She held her hand out in front of her, trying to summon more lightning. The lightning stubbornly refused to comply.
Rolling her eyes, she sat up and pulled over her bag. Rooting through it revealed that there were a few items inside; a handful of photos that were in surprisingly good quality, an ancient phone that refused to turn on when she pressed the power button, and last was a small notebook. She supposed it made sense for the electronics not to work, she had been dead for centuries. That's a long time for technology to just be left sitting in place. She set the phone and notebook on the table and picked up the photos. Moving slowly, she began to flip through them.
The first was of herself—at least, she presumed it was herself—when she was younger. An older woman who looked like her with graying hair and another girl who had blonde hair with teal highlights were next to her, with all three giving silly faces for the camera. The next was her surrounded by people she assumed were friends at a dance of some kind. She passed that one and felt her breath hitch. It was her at a wedding, her wedding. She was locked hand-in-hand with a beautiful purple-haired woman who had suspiciously pointed ears. Gingerly, she set the photo down, moving on to the last one. It was once again of herself, but now Royal was with her. The two were sparring with training swords and were in blade lock. Before she could begin to process this, Aurora appeared beside her. The Ghost let out a cheerful chime as she transmatted some basic clothes onto Luz's cot.
"I don't know your measurements, but these should be loose enough that you can trim them up as you need," she said. The Ghost turned to her Guardian, catching an eyeful of the photos. "What are these?" She flew over, inspecting them with a close eye.
"I was buried with them," Luz said, her gaze drifting over each picture. "I think they're messages I left for myself. Does that make sense?" Aurora gave an uncertain beep.
"Guardians… aren't generally supposed to go digging into their past lives," she said. "Most who do tend to destroy themselves in the process." Luz's expression fell. Seeing that, Aurora quickly tried to course correct. "But a little bit won't hurt. And hey," she suspended the photo of her wedding before her, "at least you got the highlights." Luz smiled and took the photo, holding it close to her chest.
"Thanks, Aurora." Her head tilted toward the photo of herself with Royal. "What about him? What can you tell me there?" Aurora peeped up at that.
"He's only one of the most famous Guardians of recent times! A rookie Guardian who survived the Red War and ended up lost to the Vex Domain. Everyone had assumed him dead, then he clawed his way out atop a mountain of broken Vex corpses. Thus earning the title: Vexbane! The specifics were classified by his request, but he's on the path to becoming a modern legend." Luz awkwardly raised a hand, questions bubbling in her mind. Aurora nodded, inviting her to ask.
"What's a Vex?" Luz asked blankly. "And the Red War?" Aurora let out an amused beep.
"Royal will cover all that during orientation," she said. "For now, I recommend getting some sleep."
"That's a good idea," Luz said, moving the fresh clothes on her cot to her desk and lying down, too tired to pull up a blanket. "Night, Aurora."
"Good night, Luz."
"And… thanks. For choosing me."
"Yeah, you got it."
I want to take a more mature—for lack of a better word—look at the world of Destiny. Not to imply that Destiny isn't a mature series, there are points where the series tackles some really interesting topics. I just want to go a bit further.
I would also like to thank you all for the kind regards for Witches and Warlocks. As I've mentioned before, it was my first project of that size and I'm immensely glad you all enjoyed it. I learned a lot from the process. Hears to this one being at least as good.
Reviews from Witches and Warlocks Chapter 45
Crazy Cakes 23: It does beg the question of what Luz did when the Traveler first showed up and the Golden Age happened.
It does, doesn't it? I will be tacitly addressing that later down the line, but for now it doesn't really matter.
Parvus: So happy to read the finale for this story, loved enacting starwars scenes and rizz jokes in the comments, honestly I remeber when I found this story on my old account and asked you to not abandon it so thanks for not abandoning it, can't wait for the sequel :D (been here since day one babby! Ty this story made my 2 years)
There from the beginning to the end. When I posted the first chapter, I was really worried that it would get no traction and the project would die after six chapters. Glad to see that the exact opposite happened.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: I'm not gonna report the whole review here, bit too long for that.
1. Since the story is now out, I can delve a little into some of these questions. Royal has returned to his time, centuries in the future. Almost everyone he knew is, well, dead. I don't believe I'll be delving too far into that time between chapters 44 and 45, so you can fill it in with your own headcanons.
2. I offer no guarantees.
3. Again, you can headcanon it as you wish.
4. See above.
5. Triple down.
6. Theoretically, yes.
7. That would be telling, wouldn't it?
8. Sure, a new flag for the new Isles.
9. That is correct my good man.
10. Mayhaps.
11. We gotta keep all these Ahamkara eggs away from the Drifter before he makes the mother of all omelets.
12. Savathûn is one of the best characters Bungie has written IMO. glad to see we're not done with her yet.
13. It's not just coming, it's here!
14. No I was genuinely sick. Caught a nasty bug but I'm feeling normal now.
15. I have been resting as much as I can. Next semester is starting up soon so I don't know how much longer that will last.
16. I've always got an idea list on hand, even if it's just me DMing a message to myself on Discord.
17. I probably won't be doing that. I hate reading stories written like plays and I can't imagine writing them would be much more fun. Sorry to disappoint.
18. I'll wrap all the Rolith comments into one and say that they were just friend. Again, sorry to disappoint.
Elthree: great chapter, dude, and a great story overall my man. can't wait for the sequel, i'll be there day 1 fa sho. me reading this story eariler this year truthfully inspired me to do my own owl house x destiny fanfic and i'm glad i found this. i hope that sequel comes soon, this story was some epic stuff fr.
I await to see if you uphold that promise. And I'm honored that I could inspire someone else to write their own story. Be careful or you might inflate my already staggering ego.
GodzillaMaster: This was a great story. I'm glad to have found it, and I can't wait for the sequel
Thanks for both the kind words and all the reviews you left. You kept me on my toes and I appreciate it.
mezentsevmichael: So will the isles have to deal with the witness eventually?
Look at you all, so eager for me to spoil the story. That wouldn't be very smart of me, would it?
davisjustus99: Death is but the beginning of a new chapter. And I think it's good to see the end. Even if it was quite... Hard to see it go.
"I know that this is not the end, but merely a new beginning. Simply put, another transformation." -Optimus Prime
Frank180: Awesome story, i can't wait to see the amazing sequel.
If you're looking for an amazing sequel, then I'm afraid you're gonna be waiting for a while. My work is par at best.
Jebest4781: Doing well on how it's turning out.
There are but a few constants in this universe; death, taxation, my hatred of three-letter government agencies, and Jebest4781