Hello again everybody. I have returned to bestow upon you more of my work for your judgment. Royal's look has been slightly updated, something I forgot to mention last chapter.

Head: Iron Companion Hood

Arms: Iron Forerunner Gloves

Chest: Annealed Shaper Robes

Legs: Mobile Exoskeleton Boots

Bond: Praefectus Bond

Shader: All Nectar Dynamo

Lancer: Imperious Sun Shell

Shader: Burnished Acclaim

Luz will be getting her own Guardian armor in a later chapter.

Chapter 2: The First Test

"There are rumors that he descended into a world of magic and monsters. I say it's a load of bullshit." - Unknown Guardian on the Tale of the Vexbane

Royal sat atop a desk, resting his arms on his knees. Lancer floated beside him, the two deep in thought. It was early in the morning and the sun had yet to rise. Not that the sun would rise with the Vex simulating eternal twilight. He clenched his fists. Even after everything he had been through, he still couldn't escape the presence of the Vex. In the weeks since his return, Ikora had asked for him to assist Mithrax and the Splicers of House Light in their efforts to undo the Endless Night. He had refused for the time being; partially because he detested the idea of working alongside the Fallen, but mostly because he wasn't ready to return to that hellscape.

"Never thought I'd be here," he mumbled. Lancer let out a quiet snicker.

"Sitting on a desk in the dark like a crazy person?"

"I'm not crazy," Royal shot back. "I'm loopy. Big difference."

"Yeah, you've been shooting off too much fire," Lancer said. "Your logic circuits are starting to melt." Royal chuckled at that. After everything, at least Lancer was still with him. He could always rely on the Ghost to keep him grounded.

"I never thought I'd see Luz again," he said. "And now, I have to teach her how to be a Guardian. How to kill. How to die." Lancer sobered up and nodded in understanding.

"She doesn't deserve this," the Ghost said. "She already fought to save one world. But maybe that's why the Traveler chose her. There aren't many Guardians who can say they faced down the Vex and a powerful minion of the Darkness before they even wielded the Light. Who knows, maybe she'll be the one to save us all someday?"

"Wouldn't that be a sight," Royal said wistfully. "Until then, I will make her the best Traveler-damn Guardian that Sol has ever seen. And to do that, I will have to be cruel to her." He looked down from his perch on the desk to the cot where Luz was sleeping peacefully. Slowly and with exaggerated effort, he got off his perch and stood beside her with his arms crossed. "I almost hate to do this. Lancer, if you would?"

"Gladly." The Ghost flew next to Luz's ear. He took a second to browse the catalog of sounds he had saved before selecting one perfectly suited for the task. Royal switched off his audio receptors as Lancer blasted an ear-piercing shriek. The Ghost was not so imprudent as to risk waking anyone else up but the sound was still loud enough to send Luz reeling as she flailed desperately. She practically dove out of her bed, clutching her ears in shock. Royal watched with more amusement than he would willingly admit as she slowly pushed herself up, letting out a few colorful phrases directed at him and his Ghost. Lancer flew back over and fist-bumped his Guardian as Royal allowed himself to hear again.

"What was that for?" Luz cried, clutching her still-ringing ears.

"Congratulations, you just took your first lesson on what it is like to hear a Hive Deathsong," Royal lectured. "For the record, you failed." Aurora appeared beside Luz with no small amount of indignation on her own part.

"You are aware that it is a quarter past three, yes?"

"I allowed you to sleep in an extra fifteen minutes," Royal said. "Now get yourself cleaned up, we have a long day ahead of us." He began to leave only to turn back, one hand already on the doorknob. "Meet me in the armory in thirty. After that, we'll be heading to the hangar. I took the liberty of requisitioning a ship and sparrow for you last night." With that, he left Luz and Aurora to themselves. Luz sighed and tried to rub the exhaustion out of her eyes.

"This was a mistake, wasn't it?" Aurora made a noncommittal chirp and Luz dragged herself to her feet. If she was going to be miserable in the morning, she may as well be clean. After showering and changing her clothes to one of the new sets Aurora had brought for her, she worked her way out of her room. She passed a few Frames—mechanical drones that performed basic menial tasks—but other than that the halls were empty. She emerged into the courtyard, passing what she believed was the same two Guardians still locked in their dance battle on her way to the armory. As much as she might wish to believe otherwise, she doubted Royal would be showing her any sick dance moves. She entered the armory where Royal was facing toward the door with his arms clasped behind his back. She jogged before him and stood with her back straight.

"You're late." Luz looked over to the clock on the wall; a quarter to four exactly.

"I'm right on time."

"On time means five minutes early," Royal countered. "I'll let it slide since it's your first day." He gestured for her to follow him further into the room. Another Guardian was at the end of the room, polishing a shoulder pauldron. His armor lay on the workbench beside him. Luz eyed the metal wearily. The plate looked like it had been carved from the chitin of a great beast. The Human Titan looked up at the Exo Warlock and offered a greeting. The two clasped hands and Royal shook jovially.

"Luz, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine," he said. "This is Malek the Kingslayer." Luz shook the larger man's hand as he smiled. He was taller than Royal—an impressive feat considering the Exo's stature—and was muscular enough to probably break the Warlock in half with one hand. Despite that and his fearsome armor, he exuded an aura of friendliness and warmth.

"So you're the new apprentice to our resident Vexbane," Malek said, ignoring Royal's protests at the use of his unofficial moniker. "He told me you required some armor. Let me see what I can do to help." He instantly set to work, his Ghost taking numerous measurements of Luz's body while Royal sat off to the side, running some basic maintenance on his armor.

"So how do you know Royal?" Luz asked, slipping on a pair of gloves with thick padding for armor. Malek looked up and passed her a pair of strides.

"It was during the Red War," he answered. When he saw that Luz didn't recognize the term, he chuckled. "You must be really fresh out of the grave. I'm sure he'll explain later. During the Red War, we were both driven from the city and escorted what civilians we could to safety. We took up shelter in an old bunker that became crucial to our counteroffensives. And not long after that, he was lost to the Vex and presumed dead." He held up a hand to challenge that notion. "But I knew. I knew that he survived. If the Cabal couldn't kill him while he was Lightless, then what hope did the Vex have?" Luz nodded as Malek finished his work on her helmet. He handed it to her as Royal walked over and leaned against the wall, his work now finished.

"It's nothing amazing," Malek said, "but it'll keep her protected." Royal thanked him before he and Luz left. She waved as they left.

"He seems nice."

"Malek is a good man," Royal said. "Dependable. Trustworthy. Bit of a wise-ass at times but he does good work." He tapped her armor, noting the fairly limited plating. "We'll get you something more unique in time. This will be good in the meantime." As he spoke, they entered the hangar where a dozen workers were already up and moving. He pointed to a ship that had been decoupled and was waiting for takeoff. "We'll teach you how to fly properly another day. For now, Aurora will take control." Without another word, the two embarked upon their jumpships and set off. Aurora took the wheel comfortably, leaving Luz to watch the scenery as they flew past. Royal led them across the skies of Earth before sending Aurora the signal to touch down. They landed on a cliff face and disembarked, with Luz fighting off another wave of nausea as she righted herself. She walked up behind Royal as he stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the distant form of the Traveler on the horizon.

"I like to come here to think," he said, his robes swaying in the wind. "It's calming. Good meditation spot when the hustle and bustle of the Tower starts to get to you." He turned to Luz, holding out a hand and coating it in flame. "Have you managed to manifest your Light yet?"

"I shot lightning at one of those… what were they? Fallen?" She asked. Royal nodded, changing his flames to bolts of electricity.

"It appears you have a predilection for Arc," he said. "Can you try and call it forth again?" Luz took a deep breath and concentrated. She called upon the storm once more and felt a spark of energy within her. A battle cry escaped her lips as she thrust her hands out. A small Arc surge escaped her fingers as jagged lightning bolts flashed between them, bright yet brief.

"Good," Royal continued. "Now, how did that feel?"

"Like I was in the eye of the storm," Luz said, carefully inspecting her hands. "I felt the swirling chaos all around me, but I was at peace."

"Harmony within," Royal lectured. "Hurricane without. A Stormcaller." He flexed his arms and allowed lightning to flow over his entire body. He floated off the ground with only a few bolts tethering him to the Earth. The power faded and he slowly lowered himself to the ground. "To be one with the storm is to draw strength from the energy of all motion. To charge yourself with nothing but your own will."

"That is so cool," Luz said, watching with stary eyes. "So what about you?"

"I am a Dawnblade by trade," Royal answered. "And for Warlocks, there are also Voidwalkers." He pressed his hands together and slowly separated them, summoning a swirling ball of purple Light. "The Void is endless in both power and hunger. And those who have stared into it are not bound by the laws of time and space." The sphere faded as Royal set his arms on fire once more. "As a Dawnblade, I am like the rising sun. Scouring to my foes, yet invigorating to my allies." He set his back to the cliff and let himself tip back. "So I shall spread my wings and set the skies ablaze." He fell off the cliff, eliciting a cry of surprise from Luz. She ran up to where he had been and peered over, only to recoil as Royal soared past her. Wings made of pure starlight sprouted from his back, suspending him in the air. Luz looked on in awe as he lowered himself beside her.

"Can I fly like that too?" She asked eagerly. Royal smiled and set a hand on her shoulder.

"That's part of what we're here for." He shoved her back, sending her over the edge of the cliff with a surprised scream. She plummeted, still screaming the entire way. Aurora let out a beep of terror and flew up beside Royal.

"Why did you do that?!"

"She needs to learn," Royal said, crossing his arms. "And she cannot learn if I am afraid to push her. Literally, in this case. She'll catch herself." They continued to watch, Luz's screams rushing up the side of the cliff face. The Ghost fidgeted nervously as Royal tapped his upper arm.

"I don't think she's gonna catch herself," Aurora muttered.

"She'll pull through," Royal assured. Lancer peered over the side before offering his two cents.

"She's not slowing down."

Royal sighed, "Aurora, stand by to resurrect." The Ghost let out a worried chirp and flew down the cliff. Royal dropped off as well, floating down to Aurora as she revived her Guardian. Luz staggered slightly and gripped her head. She pointedly tried to ignore her broken body as it lay on the rocks, her neck and spine bent at odd angles.

"My life flashed before my eyes," she mumbled. "There wasn't much of it." Royal set a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her into a resting position. She cradled herself as the Warlock patted her on the back.

"In retrospect, probably not my finest idea," he admitted. Luz stared at him as if to convey 'You don't say'. He held out his hands to placate her. "Alright, I'm sorry about that. It was too much, too fast. We'll try something else." He reached into transmat and pulled out a scout rifle. He ran a hand down the frame before nodding and holding it up. "How about some firearm drills? The tools you use to protect the city will be vital and you need to know both how to use them and how to take care of them."

"I already have this thing," Luz said, patting her hand cannon. Royal glanced at it as if seeing it for the first time.

He let out a chuckle, "You actually kept it. While that is certainly effective, you'll need more variety." He gestured to a small stone sitting about thirty yards away. "Try and shoot that." Luz glanced at it before drawing her hand cannon and holding it up. The tip of the barrel swayed slightly as she tried to center the weapon. She fired only for the bullet to go flying off into the distance, cleanly missing her target. Royal slipped his scout rifle into position comfortably, took aim, and fired three quick shots into the stone. The Solar rounds punched through it, shattering the rock into dust.

Royal went on to conduct a series of basic rifle drills. Luz learned how to properly hold the weapon, how to keep her target centered, and how to clean certain weapon frames. She adapted to it rather quickly, likely long buried muscle memory from when they had done this also those centuries ago. Truthfully, it made Royal feel a little nostalgic. Not for the first time, he questioned if he had made the right decision to leave the Isles.

Rather than let his mind wander, he continued his training with Luz. They carried on throughout the day, moving from rifle drills to physical exercise. The Light allowed her to go at it for hours on end, but it was not a source of infinite energy. And Royal was pushing her right to her limits. Eventually, she gave out, dropping to the ground and panting heavily.

It was only then that Royal allowed her to rest. They sat on the cliff edge and Royal guided her on how to meditate. She tried to direct her thoughts inward and focus on her connection to the Traveler. She didn't have very much luck but Royal assured her that it would take time and practice. She was already well on her way.

"Good, very good," Royal said, checking the time. "That's all we have time for today. Tomorrow, we head out on patrol." Luz stood up and dusted herself off, relieved to no longer have to sit in one place.

"We're heading back home now?" She asked. Royal shook his head, a slight glint in his eyes.

"I have something else I want to show you first." They two boarded their jumpships and lifted off. Royals' ship tore into the heavens, with Luz not far behind. She watched mesmerized as the clouds rushed past them. The ships rattled as they broke into orbit. They exited Earth's gravitational field, pushing further into the vacuum of space. Royal stopped his ship and turned it back around to face Earth. Aurora parked beside him and Royal opened a comm line.

"See this? This is our home. Everything we're fighting to protect is right here. Once, this entire system belonged to us. And I'm here to make sure that it will again." Luz pressed her hand against the viewport. Earth felt so small, small enough that she could reach out and grab it. The true weight of her duty set in. This was all Humanity had left.

She looked out over the rest of the solar system. Billions of distant stars twinkled in the inky abyss. A few other planets and moons hung in the vacuum, with a few clustered fleets hovering around them. As she looked closer, she realized that the void seemed off somehow, as though something was missing that should have been there.

"The Vanguard coordinates operations all over Sol," Royal continued. "I'm sending you a list of the planets we are usually deployed to." Luz looked at her terminal as the list came in. She quickly browsed the list, committing the notes to memory. She stopped when she reached the bottom.

"Why does it say that Europa is restricted?" She asked. Royal's reply was quick and terse.

"Because it is." She waited for him to continue. When it became apparent that he didn't intend to, Lancer prompted him. "The Black Fleet has been drawing Guardians to Europa and offering them its power. The Vanguard won't condemn anyone who goes there—at least not publicly—but their official policy is that we are not to go there without express authorization. I do not want you going there, understood?" Luz accepted but browsed her terminal for more information about Europa before having Aurora file it away for later.

"It's getting pretty late, isn't it?" She asked, changing the subject. Royal checked the time at the Tower before agreeing.

"Let's head back. We have one last thing to do before night falls." He gunned the engines and the two returned to the Last City. They docked their ships in the hangar and left the crew to tend to them. They arrived at the bazaar and moved through the crowds of people. The area was abuzz with chatter, people selling all manner of items. A few watched them pass, whispering in hushed excitement at Royal's passing. The Guardians wove through the crowd until arriving at the library. Luz sat at a table and gazed in awe at the towering shelves stacked with all manner of scrolls and tomes. Royal parsed through a section before selecting a book and pulling it from the shelf. He set it in front of Luz before turning back to the shelf and continuing to browse. He chose a few more and they joined the growing stack in front of Luz.

"This should be sufficient for now," he said. "A brief overview of the history of the Last City, observations and research into the nature of our enemies, and some philosophical musings on the nature of the Light. These will function as a serviceable baseline." Luz eyed up the stack of books. It was easily over two feet tall.

"This is a baseline?" She asked. Lancer chuckled and opened From the Collapse to the Age of Triumph; A History of the Last City.

"Doesn't even touch upon everything from the Red War and on," he said. "I'd say you got lucky."

"I don't expect you to have it all memorized by tomorrow," Royal said, rolling his optics. "But as a Warlock, you must arm yourself with knowledge. Any Titan can smash through a Cabal barricade. Any Hunter can assassinate a Hive Witch. But a properly informed Warlock can dismantle an entire Fallen operation by themselves." Luz accepted his reasoning and checked the books out, with Aurora storing them in transmat. Royal bid them farewell before departing. Luz turned to her stack of books and grabbed the one Lancer had opened. It was time to get to work.

While Luz was studying at the library, Royal marched through the tower. Eventually, he arrived at his destination: a small shop built into the tower. There was a desk with a larger room behind it. The stand was closed, with a large metal screen covering the entrance. Despite that, Royal could see some movement from within the shop. He knocked on the screen and received a few muffled words in reply. The screen opened, revealing a disgruntled blue and orange Exo holding a record of his inventory.

"What is it," he mumbled without looking up from his log, his voice deep and gravelly. "I'm trying to close up here."

"Sorry, Banshee," Royal said with a smirk. "I know you need your beauty sleep." Banshee-44, the Tower's resident Gunsmith and Royal's second-oldest friend. The Gunsmith looked up before letting out a huff.

"Royal, how have you been?" He greeted. "If you need something, you'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Can a guy not check up on his friend?" Royal asked.

Banshee shot him a deadpan look. "We're getting drinks tomorrow." He paused. "At least, I think it was tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow," Royal corrected. Banshee's memory, true to his name, had been reset forty-four times. He wasn't always the most mentally present and tended to forget things quickly. He never forgot Royal though.

"I just wanted to ask you for a quick favor," Royal continued. "I recently took on an apprentice and we're going on patrol tomorrow. I want to get her some proper guns before deployment. Think you can help with that?" Banshee looked back at his wares, scratching a few more marks into his manifesto as he took stock of his supply.

"Should be able to," he muttered. "Swing by early and I'll get her hooked up." Royal began to thank him, only for Banshee to cut him off. "But you have to pay for drinks."

Royal grumbled a bit but eventually agreed. "Always a pleasure." He bid his friend farewell before departing. He moved on autopilot, arriving at his room before he even realized he was there. He pushed open the door, revealing his spartan living quarters. The room was sparsely decorated, featuring the standard cot, desk, and dresser filled with a few sets of casual clothes. There was a small stack of books on the desk; a variety of historical recountings, philosophical ramblings, and even a collection of fictional short stories. He had hobbies too. Above the desk was a small board with a few pictures tacked into it. Royal reached over and tugged one of the pictures free. Holding it up to his face, he looked at himself and his friends during Luz's Kingceanera; his last normal day on the Isles.

"Did I make a mistake?" He asked without warning. Lancer appeared beside him.

"You're gonna have to be a tad more specific than that."

"Leaving the Isles," Royal continued. "Was that the right call to make? Every day I feel like I should have stayed."

"It's a bit late to be asking yourself this, isn't it?" Lancer asked. Royal had no choice but to concede that.

"I missed out on so much. For me, it's been about a month since I last saw Luz. For her, it's been centuries. She isn't the same kid I knew."

"You think it would have been better if you stayed?" Lancer pressed. Royal buried his head in his hands.

"I don't know. And it's not just Luz. Eda, Lilith, King, even Hooty. I abandoned them all." His grip on his forehead tightened. "They must've hated me for it."

"Hey," Lancer interrupted, "don't talk like that. They were your friends. They understood why you chose what you did. They may not have liked it, but they accepted it." Royal took a second to calm himself, letting the whirlwind that was the last few days settle.

"You're right," he said, pinning the photo back to the board and lying down in his cot. "Thanks, Lancer. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Die horribly, I'd imagine."

As the morning began to break, Luz found herself once again sprawled on the ground after being rudely awoken at an ungodly hour. Royal had elected to be lenient and allowed her to sleep until half past four. She didn't seem very grateful, grumbling as she untangled herself from her bedsheets and dragged herself off the floor.

"Most sensible people tend to sleep at this hour," she muttered. Royal just shrugged in response.

"Guardians aren't the most sensible of people." She mumbled something about him being proof of that under her breath that Royal could hear but elected not to comment on. After showering and getting dressed, she left her room and joined Royal in the hallway.

"You said we were going on patrol today?" She asked.

"I did, but we have a quick stop to make first. It's time to familiarize yourself with the tools you will be using to defend the Last City." Her curiosity was officially piqued and she followed Royal through the Tower. They arrived outside a small kiosk where an Exo was opening up shop. He and Royal exchanged greetings before the Warlock gestured to Luz.

"This is the apprentice I told you about," he said. "Banshee, meet Luz Noceda. Luz, this is Banshee-44, the resident gunsmith of the tower. No one knows the internals of a rifle like he does."

"Flattery won't get you discounts," the gunsmith said as he shook Luz's hand. "So you're the rookie. Let's get you started with something simple." He pointed to a door on the side, giving the two permission to enter his shop. He led them down a set of stairs to an indoor soundproof firing range. There was a rack filled with guns of all shapes and sizes. There were even a few bows hanging from the wall. Banshee grabbed a stout, compact rifle colored with tan camo patterns. He slipped the mag out to ensure it was loaded before sliding it back in and checking the chamber. Once he was satisfied, he handed it to Luz and instructed her to settle into the firing range.

Luz shifted her grip around until she was comfortable before centering the target in her crosshairs. She pulled the trigger and the recoil slammed the stock into her shoulder. Unprepared for the kick, she stumbled back half a step. Her shot went a little wide, landing at the edge of the target. Royal began to chuckle only to mask it as a cough as she made a face at him. Readjusting her stance, she fired a short burst. All three shots landed dead in the center.

"Not bad," Banshee noted. "You taught her how to use a gun?"

"A long time ago," Royal said proudly. "She must've kept up with it herself." Banshee hummed in agreement before pressing a few buttons on a nearby console. There was a mechanical clicking sound as the target slid further away. Luz looked back over her shoulder and Banshee offered a thumbs-up. She continued to fire away at the target, most of her shots coming close to the center if they didn't hit it directly. They continued for a few hours, with Banshee occasionally offering tips or swapping out her weapon. She tried all manner of weapon frames; some slow, some fast, and some weird. The trace rifle was especially odd. She even got to use a machine gun, though that was where her experimentation with heavy weapons ended. The Vanguard wasn't comfortable with Guardians firing off rockets, grenades, and fusion lasers inside the Tower. If she wanted to use those, she would have to do it outside of the city.

Eventually, they finished their testing. It was now a reasonable time in the morning and people were starting to get up and about. They moved back upstairs while Banshee brought up a small stack of guns.

"These should serve you well enough for now," he said. Luz picked up the first weapon, a kinetic Auto Rifle, and slung it across her back. Aurora stored the rest in transmat; a kinetic shotgun, an Arc scout rifle, a Void breechloader, and an Arc machine gun. It's not a very elaborate loadout, but enough to function. Banshee marked a few things off on his list. "If you notice anything odd, bring them back to me for some tuning. And Royal, I'll send you the bill."

"Wait, I thought me buying drinks was the bill?" Royal asked. Banshee shook his head.

"That was the payment for making me wake up so early." Royal cursed as Banshee handed him the bill, worrying about his critically low glimmer reserves.

"May have to pick up some bounties," he muttered. "Thanks again, Banshee, I'll see you tomorrow." The gunsmith waved the two off as another Guardian stepped up to speak with him.

"He seems nice," Luz said. "You two pals?"

Royal nodded. "He's a good friend and knows more about guns than I do. He can be a tad absent-minded at times but that's not his fault." Luz accepted his words and walked alongside him with a spring in her step. Royal cocked an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his face. "Someone's excited."

"It's my first real day on the job," she said. "Of course I'm excited. I'm getting some real on hands practice. You haven't mentioned where we're going yet?" They arrived at the hangar where their ships were already prepped for takeoff. Royal gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"You ever wanted to go to the Moon?"

The ride to the Moon was smooth, with Luz bouncing in her seat the entire time. She was finally going to get to do some real Guardian work. Their ships flew over the drop point and the two transmatted down. Their Ghosts steered the ships away. They would be waiting in orbit for when the Guardians were done. Royal pulled up a list on his HUD.

"We'll speak with Eris Morn first, she's unofficially in charge of coordinating Guardian operations across the Lunar surface," he said. "With luck, she'll have some extra bounties for us to take. Traveler knows I could use the pay." He added that last part as a mildly perturbed mutter before moving toward a woman draped in brown robes. She was facing away from them, conferring with another Guardian. A few others mingled about, communicating with their fire teams. Royal and Luz pushed past them, drawing a few looks. Eris Morn finished her conversation and turned to face the Warlocks. Luz felt her breath hitch as she got a good look at the woman. The top half of her face was covered in cloth, with a thick inky smoke rolling down her cheeks like tears. Three bright green Hive eyes shone through the fabric on her face. Worst of all, Luz felt a strange chill around the woman. It was as though something that should be there had been forcibly carved out and filled in with something new. She subconsciously shuffled a little closer to Royal, trying to hide behind him as the woman fixed her with a withering gaze.

"Guardians." Her voice was soft but with a hidden edge of danger like a rose luring in the unaware with its beauty only to cut them with its thorns. "What can I do for you?"

"We were wondering if you had any low-level missions you needed taking care of," Royal said. He gestured to Luz as he did. She offered a meek wave. Eris didn't return the gesture.

"The House of Dusk has been growing bolder in recent weeks," she said, turning back to Royal. "One of their lieutenants has been coordinating rallies near the Anchor of Light. It would be prudent if you discouraged them from continuing."

"We'll take care of it," Royal said, already browsing a map of the moon. He marked a waypoint and had it sent to Luz. He offered a quick two-fingered salute before departing. Luz hurried behind him, pointedly avoiding eye contact.

"You intimidated by Eris?" Royal asked slyly.

"No," Luz denied indignantly. She remained silent for a moment before sighing and conceding. "She's creepy, ok."

"No arguments here," Aurora commented. "The three eyes are weirding me out."

"And she felt so cold," Luz continued. "Like she was… empty."

"The Ghostless are strong," Royal said. "Stronger than most of us. You would be wise to remember that."

"What do you mean by Ghostless?"

"Eris Morn lost her Ghost, and thus her connection to the Light, centuries ago after the Great Disaster," Royal lectured. "She was part of a fireteam sent to assassinate Crota, the-"

"The Son of Oryx?" Luz finished. "And the Great Disaster was when he sent hundreds of Guardians to their final deaths." Royal gave her an impressed look.

"You've been studying." He said. Aurora chuckled as her shell spun.

"You don't know the half of it. She was up for hours reading and meditating last night."

"Lot of good it did me," Luz muttered, summoning some small bolts of lightning between her fingers. "I still can't do anything beyond this."

"That's what we're here for," Royal said. "C'mon, let's mount up." The two summoned their sparrows and took off across the Lunar landscape. They wove around large boulders and wreckage from Golden Age installations. Seeing a flat sheet resting at an angle ahead of them, Luz got an idea. She accelerated ahead of Royal and ramped off the sheet. An excited cheer escaped her lips as she removed her hands from the handlebars. Gravity pulled her back to the surface and she turned back to Royal, slowing to a stop.

"Beat that!" She shouted. He raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet and cracked his neck. His sparrow raced up the sheet and the Warlock disengaged his stabilizers and did a flip while letting his legs hang in the air behind him. He pulled himself back into the seat as his sparrow came down. He slid to a stop beside Luz, a smug look on his face. He fist-bumped Lancer while Luz and Aurora shared a look.

"Show off," they said in unison. The Exo laughed before tilting his head further down the path.

"Let's keep moving, we've got a schedule to keep." The two continued onward, coming up upon the ruins of a large settlement. Decrepit buildings were half-buried by the Moon, slowly being eaten away by time. A few scattered Fallen patrols wandered the ruins, with the closest ones ducking away as the Guardians drew close. They watched from the shadows, holding their weapons close in case the Guardians came for them. Fortunately for the Dregs, they had other matters to attend to. They swung around a bend before a large circular building where a colossal Fallen Ketch lay on the ground. The vessel had likely crashed long ago, forcing its passengers to make Humanities moon their new home. Royal dismounted, letting his sparrow fade away as he floated through the air. Luz tried to do the same, only to stumble over herself. Royal caught her before she face-planted.

"You make it look so easy," she said. Royal reassured her that she would learn in time and led her toward the entrance of the Ketch. He pressed his back against the wall near the door, a sword holstered at his hip and a revolver clutched in his hands. Luz drew her auto rifle as she joined him.

"Lancer, what's the motion tracker telling us?" Royal asked. Lancer waited for a few seconds before replying, letting out a few bleeps as he did.

"Lots of traffic in there," he said. "Can't confirm how many. My best guess is around a hundred, give or take a dozen." Royal nodded before turning his head to Luz.

"What's the plan?"

"You're asking me?" She questioned.

"You wanted hands-on experience, this is how you learn," he said. "Trial by fire." Luz took in a deep breath as she tried to recall what she had learned from her brief browsing of the Fallen. She knew they augmented their forces with mechanized drones to compensate for their lower numbers. The Guardians would likely be rushed by Dregs and Wretches while the long-ranged units hung back to pick them off. And then there was their lieutenant. They would most likely be far larger than their subordinates, swollen by excess Ether. Luz would have to move carefully; removing isolated units—preferably nonlethally—without alerting the ship. She relayed the plan to Royal who accepted it with a nod.

"Alright, let's go." She swung to face the door and quickly pushed forward. The door began to open and she was already stepping through by the time Royal's warning reached her. Her body cut through a grid of red beams. She heard a brief click and then a deafening boom. She was vaguely aware of the sensation of fire consuming her body. That was when she remembered something crucial; Fallen loved their tripmines. Then, nothingness overtook her.

She was revived only a moment later. The sensation of life and death rushed to the front of her mind. She leaned against the wall to steady herself, the rush of her death crashing into her. She looked at her quivering hands as Aurora tried to comfort her. Royal cautiously peered into the hallway, his hand cannon held next to his head. "So much for stealth." He looked to Luz. "Are you alright?"

"How do you do this?" She whispered, clutching her hands to her chest. "Die over and over." She sounded choked up. Royal pulled her aside as Lancer kept watch. She crept closer to him, relying on the elder Guardian for comfort. "Does it get easier?" He looked away.

"No, it doesn't." He admitted. "You just kinda get better at tuning it out. This is why I never wanted you to be like me."

"What was I like back then," she asked, trying to get her mind off the idea of death.

"We're not supposed to go digging into our past," Royal said. "But… I can tell you another time if that is what you want." She took a breath to stabilize herself and nodded. "Alright, sounds like a plan. We still have a mission to complete. I'll take point, just follow me."

He pressed through the door, swapping his hand cannon for an SMG. Slowly, he moved through the halls of the downed ship, checking his corners for any Fallen lurking to ambush the pair. The ship appeared abandoned, setting Royal's nerves on edge. These Fallen were alarmingly coordinated. Banners of the House of Dusk hung on the walls as they pushed forward. Eventually, they reached another door that, if Lancer's map was accurate, led to a large room where the Lieutenant would likely address their subordinates.

The Exo and his Ghost conferred, with the latter confirming that there was a large group of Fallen on the other side of the door. He gave his weapons one last check before glancing at Luz. "You good?" She gave a hesitant nod. "You just stay here, stop them from running away, and watch the fireworks."

"Fireworks?" She asked as Royal holstered his SMG. He set both of his hands on fire and delivered a double-fisted punch to the door. It burst inward, showering the Fallen waiting on the other side with shards of molten metal. They cried out as Royal rushed through, his SMG spraying Solar rounds at the survivors. The bullets ripped them apart before they could react. His right hand slipped to his waist and tugged his sword free. Arc energy began to course through the blade as he leaped forward and swung it. Three more Fallen fell to the ground, decapitated in a single strike. The main bulk of the Fallen finally began to react to Royal's assault. Their superior, a colossal Captain that dwarfed even the Servitor flanking him, screeched at his soldiers to kill the Warlock.

In an instant, hundreds of Arc rounds were fired at Royal. He nimbly dodged to the side and sprinted toward the wall of the ship. He jumped, Solar Light igniting under his feet, and ran up the wall. After a second, he pushed off, flying over the Fallen as they continued to fire at him. Still in midair, he changed his weapon for a grenade launcher. He lined up his shot and fired, sending a grenade directly into the center of the Fallen.

As Royal continued to carve through the Fallen, Luz watched with awe. She could practically feel the Light radiating off him. For the first time, it began to dawn on her just how powerful Guardians could be. Would she be able to do this someday?

Insect-like chittering pulled her from her thoughts. She looked down at a handful of Fallen that were trying to flee. Her rifle snapped into a ready position, halting the fleeing aliens in their place. The Dregs fanned out but didn't dare to come any closer.

"Stay back," Luz ordered, trying to project a forceful voice. To her disappointment, it came out like more of a startled squeak. The Dregs began to grow bold, brandishing their knives threateningly as she closed in. Her aim danced from target to target, doing little to dissuade them. "Don't come any closer, I'm warning you!" One of the Dregs charged and swiped at her with their knife. Acting on instinct, she danced back. Planting her foot on the ground, she pushed back into the melee. She slammed the stock of her rifle into the Dreg's face, cracking his Ether rebreather. The Dreg began to panic, clawing at the shattered mask as thin wisps of Ether began to leak out. Luz could do little but watch as the Fallen keeled over, gasping for air. Another Dreg took a swipe at her and she was quickly forced back. She dodged a stab and elbowed her assailant in the chest only for another knife to find purchase between her ribs.

Luz let out a cry of pain, twisting and dragging the knife out of the Dregs' fingers. Her auto rifle snapped up to the Fallen and, without thinking, she pulled the trigger. A flurry of bullets tore the Dregs apart. She stumbled back as the bodies fell to the ground. Her rifle clattered to the ground as the weight of what she did settled in.

Across the room, Royal was finished with the main horde and was dueling the Lieutenant. The four-armed alien swiped his swords at the Warlock, who ducked under them and drove his sword through the Fallens' stomach. He dropped his weapons as Royal pulled his blade out and circled the Lieutenant. He delivered a rising slash to the Fallens' back. Letting out a pained roar, the Fallen collapsed to his knees. Royal grabbed his helmet from behind and stabbed him through the back of the head. The Fallen went limp and Royal pulled his sword out. He wiped the mixture of Ether and blood off the blade before clasping it to his belt and looking over at Luz. Seeing that she was on the ground, he sprinted over and crouched beside her.

"Are you alright?" He asked. She shook her head, one hand grasping at the knife stuck in her side. Royal pooled his Light into a healing rift around the two before seizing the knife. Luz grabbed his hand as he prepared to pull it out. "On three, ready?" She nodded, a slight whimper of anticipation escaping her lips. Royal counted down and pulled the blade out. Luz screamed, clenching his hand tightly. Her side felt like it was being jabbed by a piece of searing hot metal. The pain flared for a second before the Royal's healing Light overpowered it. It soothed her wound and stitched her body back together. She sighed in relief, pressing her free hand against her side. Royal helped her stand, the woman swaying slightly before falling against the wall. She stuttered out a few words he couldn't understand, gesturing vaguely to a few dead Dregs.

"I killed them," she said, giving voice to her horror. "I killed them." She repeated this a few more times before Royal grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Luz, look at me," he ordered. "Look at me!" He tore off his helmet, revealing a stoic face.

"My heart is beating so fast." Her hands were clutched over her heart. "They just wanted to live and I… I killed them."

"They have been preying on Humanity for centuries," Royal said, pointing an accusing finger at the Fallen. "They hunt our people, attack our settlements, covet our Light. And then they have the audacity to pretend that they are the victims." He looked her in the eyes, his gaze stern and unbreaking. "You were just defending yourself. They deserved to die." Her breathing began to slow, steadying to a constant and comfortable rhythm.

"They deserved it," she tried to convince herself. "They attacked me and I defended myself." Royal helped her up.

"We can head home if you want." His tone was soft and caring. Luz shook her head again.

"No, I'm…" her voice got stuck in her throat, "I'm fine. Let's finish our patrol." Royal nodded and led her back outside. Lancer sent him a ping and he switched off his external speakers.

"She needs to learn," he said, cutting off his Ghost before he could speak. "This entire species has declared themselves to be our enemy." Lancer sighed, tired of having this argument.

"I thought that, after the Isles, you had learned this lesson already." Royal clenched his fists and set his shoulders.

"Don't go there," he hissed. "You know damn well those were different circumstances. I will not have people like Eda compared to vermin like the Fallen."

"And what about Mithrax and House Light," Lancer challenged. "Do they deserve to die?" Royal tensed. The Fallen who had fled to the city under the sign of armistice had been a source of contention in both its populace and the Guardian ranks. Many were willing to give them a chance. Many more were not.

"It's only a matter of time before they reveal their true colors," Royal spat. "The Vanguard are fools to trust them." It was rare for Royal to so vehemently disagree with the Vanguard. Even if he may have reservations about their decisions, he usually wasn't this vocal about it. He and Luz emerged from the Ketch. Royal radioed back to Eris, letting her know that the Fallen had been cleared out. After having his payment transferred, the two set off to the Hellmouth.

"Luz, are you sure you're alright?" Aurora asked over their private line. She was concerned for her Guardian. Seeing her have such a vivid reaction to her death left the Ghost feeling horrible. She was the reason Luz was even here in the first place. She was the architect of Luz's misery.

"I'll be fine," Luz asserted, trying to sound confident. "I just need to get used to it." Aurora wasn't convinced. Her Guardian took a few breaths and looked over the Lunar surface. She saw the wreckages of old Golden Age buildings, distant structures in an architectural style that was alien to her, and strange crimson phantoms. "Why did you choose me?" Aurora was caught off guard by the question, prompting Luz to repeat it.

"I can't explain it," she said. "When I found you, I just knew that you were the right choice. The Traveler created me to find you." She let out a reassuring chirp. "For what it's worth, I think the Traveler made the right call. I'll be right by your side, whatever you need." Luz thanked her as they arrived at the Hellmouth. Royal slid to a stop at the edge of the foreboding pit. He crouched beside it as Luz joined, peering into the seemingly infinite abyss.

"Legend says that Crota cracked the surface of the moon with each swing of his sword," Royal said. "Long before I was raised, six Guardians descended into this pit to slay Crota. Only one would escape. Years after that, six more would finally bring the Son of Oryx low. The Ascendant Hive may be dead, but the scars of his wrath still linger."

"What's our goal here?" Luz asked, scanning the area around the Hellmouth. A few crimson Hive patrolled the surface, doing battle with machines overgrown with moss. Royal propped his sword on his shoulder.

"Pest control." He set a hand on Luz's shoulder. "You understand what the Hive and Vex are, yes?" When she nodded, he continued. "Then you know they deserve no mercy. Whatever qualms you had with the Fallen must be left behind."

"The Hive view murder as a form of love," Luz said, reciting some of the information she had gathered from her research last night. "So technically we're doing them a favor. And the Vex are just machines lacking individual sapience." Royal clapped her on the back and pointed his sword toward a Hive structure built into the side of the Hellmouth.

"We'll sweep the top level and clear out some minor Hive," he said, setting off toward the structure. The closest Hive, a few scattered Acolytes, didn't stand a chance. Their corpses burst violently into flames as they died. The chambers ahead didn't contain much of note, just more Hive infantry. True to what she had said, Luz had little issue with dispatching them. From everything she had read, they were monsters who had willingly devoted themselves to the Darkness. Every pull of the trigger was a Human life avenged.

Royal crouched before a small shrine, conferring with Lancer as he inspected it. Luz tuned their chatter out as she gazed at the room around her. Though the Hive may be genocidal monsters, their architecture was certainly impressive. As she paced around the room, an ethereal scarlet hand burst out of a crack in the wall. The specter pulled itself out, grasping at Luz as she backpeddled away from it.

"They told me that fear was natural," it wailed. Its voice was distorted and agonized, yet unmistakably Human. "They said it would keep me safe. But I died cold, alone, and afraid." The phantom dragged itself across the floor, only to be stopped by a burst of flame from Royal.

"Begone!" He shouted, putting himself between Luz and the phantom. He brandished his sword even though it would do nothing to the ephemeral creature. It hissed at the Exo Warlock before melting into the shadows around them.

"What was that?" Luz asked, more curious than afraid.

"A Nightmare," Royal said. "The lost manifestation of the horrors inflicted upon this place, given shape by the Pyramid buried here. They prey on your insecurities, doubts, and fears. It's best to ignore them or they will consume you."

"Have you faced them before?" Royal paused. While his face was obscured by his helmet, his posture told Luz everything she needed to know.

"Some things deserve to be forgotten." He checked his bounties, noting how much work they still had ahead of them. "Come on, if you beat me to a hundred kills, I'll let you sleep in an extra thirty minutes."

Luz grinned, already pulling out her machine gun. "You're on."

Royal sat at his desk, carefully holding his neatly dismantled hand cannon as he cleaned the barrel with a small tool. The day had passed and the two Guardians had retired. Luz was no doubt unconscious right now. Instead of sleeping, Royal just continued to work with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

Luz was not adjusting gracefully to her new life as a Guardian. He had expected difficulties but he was completely unprepared for what she was going through. He thought back to his past to try and find some common ground. He recalled the cold and sleepless nights during the Red War, as well as the frantic spikes of fear that were omnipresent in the Vex Domain.

Finishing his current piece, he set the main body of the gun down and picked up the cylinder. As he prepared his tools, he heard the sound of a Ghost appearing beside him. Assuming it was Lancer, he turned slightly to look at them, only to see Aurora floating behind him. Her shell rustled a little awkwardly and Royal imagined that, if she had hands, they would be clasped in front of her.

"Can I help you?" He asked, setting his current work aside. Aurora let out an uncertain chirp.

"I'm worried about Luz."

Royal sighed, "You and me both."

"Don't you think you might be going a bit hard on her?" Aurora asked. "She's still so new to this and you're practically throwing her into the fire."

"Worked for me," Royal said offhandedly. Upon seeing that Aurora wasn't terribly convinced by his comment, he elaborated. "It's meant to be harsh. Pala- A Titan I knew taught me this 'Tough Love' method."

"I'm not really seeing the love."

"Yeah, I think he got rid of that part," Royal said, prompting a chuckle from Lancer who chose that moment to show himself.

"The kid does have a point," he said.

"Kid?" Aurora beeped indignantly. "We're the same age!" Royal set a hand between the two before the situation could escalate. Aurora huffed and turned to the Warlock.

"Just please consider easing up on her," she said. Royal looked away, rapping his desk with his fingertips as he thought. The Ghost's suggestion had merit. Perhaps he should sleep on the idea and give it more thought.

"I will consider it," he said. Grateful to him for hearing her out, Aurora thanked him. She began to depart, only for Royal to stop her. "One more thing, could you hold onto this? Just for emergencies." He procured a small blinking tracking device. Aurora tilted her shell as she studied it.

"Any particular reason why?"

"Luz has a tendency to leap before she looks," he said. "This has helped me in the past. I'd be able to find her anywhere across Sol with something like this. If you would take it, just to ease my mind, that would mean the world to me."

"Then I would be glad to help," she said. Royal smiled.

"I'm glad she has someone like you looking out for her." Aurora's shell flitted, flattered by his words.

"I'll keep doing my best, sir."

Earth was dead. It was a dead planet in a dead system in a dead universe. No matter how hard one searched, they would not be able to find a single speck of life. That is, outside of one being. A being that was perfect in its form, lethal in its purpose, and sacred in its role. It was the culmination of the Darknesses' desires. It was the Final Shape and it was alone in this universe.

Or at least, it should be. Unknown to this shape so perfect, a swirling vortex of data tore apart the fabric of reality. A lone figure stepped through, his feet falling onto the desolate ground of the world once known as Earth. The Outcast had returned home.

He stumbled forward, each step requiring great effort as he struggled to keep himself together. His mouth hung open as a dozen voices poured forth, none of them his. His eyes, once as orange as the sun, were a blazing vermillion. Brass-colored armor hugged his body as he leaned against a glaive made of bright blue matter, data given physical form.

The Outcast collapsed to his hands and knees, the blade falling from his fingers with a loud clatter. His brain felt like it was being split apart. Countless Minds raged within him, each battling for dominance over his body. His fingers dug into the dirt beneath his palms. The coarse sediment was a relief after all those years in the Vex Domain. To finally feel something real was almost euphoric. The Outcast reached out with one hand and brought forth all of his willpower to silence the Minds within him. Something else swelled alongside him, the strength of all of the siblings he had slain across timelines. It was only thanks to their deaths that he was able to control as many Minds as he did.

Outcast brought the power of the Vex to bear and began to simulate. Reality started to bend to his will. A flower sprouted from the ground, its petals blooming a brilliant pink and white. For a second it stood, the lone bastion of life in an empty universe. The Outcast wavered, the strain of his actions finally using up his strength. His arm fell limp as the flower wilted and died, disintegrating into ash. Infuriated beyond belief, he punched the ground and screamed at the cosmos that dared to defy him.

"I will save you," he whispered, his rage subsiding and being replaced by a hollow emptiness. "As I swore upon my initiation as a Guardian, I will save you all." He summoned his weapon back to himself and used it to push himself up. He reached out, opening another portal to the Vex Domain.

Tonight's story: Luz is not having a good time. Rest assured, that will be a constant. We've officially entered the stretch until Final Shape and I feel empty. What's a Warlock to do? Play other games, I guess. Just so you all know, Malek is based on the Titan belonging to one of my friends. There'll be a few cameos like this that pop up every now and then. They'll just be short bits, don't worry.

Frank180: We shall see indeed. I've got a lot of plans stretching into the future.

musizlover2008: Maybe not completely as we or Royal knew her. She lived a complete life.

Parvus: Glad to hear I could make your day better. You best believe that I have plans that I cannot disclose.

Elthreee: Shoutout to Eliksni, gotta be my second favorite faction. I'll always rep the Vex as numero uno. Also, glad to see you kept your promise.

mysticalex: Y'all are determined for me to spoil things, aren't you? Wait and see.

davisjustus99: "For those we cherish, we die in glory!" - The Lamenters

hornig3: Oh you best believe I'm looking forward to their inevitable clash. Splicer is when I started Destiny 2, excluding the brief time I spent on launch playing the Red War. I hated it. But that was years ago. Nowadays, we have angst to look forward to.