《Destiny: The Legendary Hunter》 A Guardian Rises The world was caressed by summer''s soft winds as the horizon glistened like a frayed tangerine wrapped in a quilt of clouds. Rarely did this thicket disperse, yet streaks of light snuck through, gently showering the world with a mellow radiance. As the sun descended over meadows of gold and yellow, it signalled the moment¡ªthe return to the nest. Like ants in a colony, cars lined the streets in a rhythm of headlights and exhaust. Beside the busy roads, neglected neighborhood parks slowly filled with jovial students, humming and smiling as they chatted and fiddled with their phones. Not long after, weary salarymen raced towards the markets, buoyantly drowning themselves in food and drink. Pedestrians flocked along the pavement, eager to rush back to the suburbs, their dogged faces reinvigorated by the desire to slump onto their beds. Amidst the swarm of people, one man harbored.....peculiar plans. Jostling through the throng, the young man found himself in several "passionate" encounters. Naturally, he was prepared. "Hey! Let¡­LET ME go, you bastard!" he yelled, fighting tooth and nail to wrestle his leg from the clutches of the rush-hour maniacs. Or should one say, tooth and shoe? Where was his shoe? Wrestling back to his feet, he barely squeezed through and frantically hobbled towards the crosswalk. Going back to search for his shoe? Ridiculous! A veteran like him knew the unspoken rules: whatever happened in rush hour, stayed in rush hour. Turning back would be a foolish endeavor; the crowd would swallow him whole and mercilessly spit him out the other side. Besides, he didn''t have time to squander. A bright smile spread across his lips; today was a special day. Pacing through the bustling city, down the winding streets, he stopped in front of an old dorm. It was slightly lived-in, but that''s all he could afford. Swiftly up the stairs and to the last door on the left, his keys jiggled in his hand as excitement settled in. Stepping inside, he swiftly slammed the door shut. At last¡­ peace. He turned on the PC and plugged in his headset¡ªa feeling he''d missed during the grueling finals week. As one might guess, he was a university student. After long and exhausting exams, he''d finally carved out some time to enjoy his favorite game. The monitor lit up, and he launched the game frantically. An eerie and foreboding melody echoed as the game loaded. The suspenseful chords rang in his ears, composed, as legend had it, by the conniving Witch Queen herself. Destiny¡ªa game set within a world of sci-fi and mythos. Today, he would embark on a new mission. Yes, unfortunately, the man was a "Destiny" player. Alas, there were worse afflictions in life than addictively playing a soul-sucking game that also left him dead broke¡­ right? Perhaps the soundtrack had somehow actually bewitched him¡­ Moving his mouse to the mission list, he selected the latest one. **¡úThe Ritual (Recommended Light: 1500) (Legendary difficulty)** Launching the mission, he waited with bated breath as the Jumpship shot into the throne world. Two hours later¡­ Just as he fired the last rocket, Savathun¡ªthe Witch Queen¡ªslumped to the ground, and her treacherous hold on the Traveler weakened. It was the culmination of the entire DLC. The final fight had left him an inch from death. His guardian would be practically dead if not for the dubious Phoenix Protocol and Well of Radiance build. The Warlock Vanguard, Ikora, celebrated the successful attack, and then a cutscene played, introducing a new entity¡ªthe Witness. It was all too perfect. He''d wrapped up the game. But the addiction ran far too deep. His brain surged with euphoria and a dopamine spike as soon as he saw the loot drops pump through the chests. Common? Legendaries? Exotics? Didn''t matter¡ªall he cared for was loot. But what now? Sitting there wistfully, he realized he had wasted most of his life on this game. Grinding hours upon hours doing repetitive strikes and raids just for an exotic or legendary barely better than his current gear. Some would call him a psychopath. Others would claim he was mentally disturbed. But both groups would frankly be disgusted with what he was about to do. Exiting the main menu, he saw three character slots. 1. Warlock (Light 1600) 2. Create New Character 3. Create New Character Clicking on the empty slot, he began designing new facial features for a human character. After wasting close to twenty minutes on character creation, he chose the Hunter class. It went against everything he stood for as a Warlock main. But even he wasn''t crazy enough to play through the game with the same class. Clicking accept, the game began loading, and then it prompted him to name his new character. A sudden jolt of cringe ran through his spine as he finished. **Name: Void Blade** He couldn''t care less; it''s not like he''d be stuck with it. **Are you sure?** Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The game prompted once more, and he quickly accepted. The Bungie logo appeared in the bottom right as the screen faded to black, loading the world. But this time¡­ something peculiar happened. A new prompt he''d never seen¡­ A prompt so strange that he thought the game had somehow glitched. The screen turned white, but before the game loaded, only one sentence hovered on the screen. - Would you like to try the enhanced difficulty mode? [Yes] [No] - ''What?'' He''d never heard of this. Excited at the prospect of new content, he immediately clicked yes. Naturally, the game prompted again to confirm some terms and conditions. He rolled his eyes as he rapidly agreed to whatever terms and services appeared. Not like anything important was ever listed there. A bright flash of white sparked on the screen and the loading continued, suddenly the screen froze and turned off¡­ ''Did the monitor break?'' He frowned, immediately checking the cables at the back. Everything seemed to be in order. Frustrated, he planted a few good smacks on the back. The white pixels returned to the screen as it got brighter each second¡­ The smacking had worked better than expected! Perhaps¡­ a bit too effective as the light from the monitor seemed to stretch outwards. Wait, outwards? Bright and shimmering light erupted, covering every inch of the room! Suddenly, the light enveloped him, and his figure began to flicker! A few seconds later, he had all but turned into glimmer, flowing back into the screen as the light dragged him inside. The screen went dark as only one message remained. **Loading¡­ Game will now start¡­** The world turned to nothing, but then there was a voice and it whispered. "Guardian." Drawing the essence of the mind closer with every word. ''Who?'' "Guardian, are you awake?" ''Who are you?'' "Wake up, Guardian. We do not have time. The Fallen are coming; they''ve seen me. It''s not safe here." The voice urged, pulling him closer to life. From nothingness, a bright presence yanked him into a new body. His eyes snapped open. All he could feel were the rocks he was buried beneath. The entity behind the voice saw him struggling and helped out¡ªa bright flash of light turned the rocks to glitter. The bright sunlight danced on his cold skin as he desperately crawled towards it, emerging from beneath the dirt to a new life. With every push, he nudged his body closer to the surface. No strength remained in his arms, and his legs felt broken. He couldn''t feel a bone in his body, but the voice beckoned, and he answered. It felt like fate. Or perhaps it was destiny. Driving his fist through the dirt, his fingers dug into the mud as he writhed out. ''Where am I?'' he wondered. Darting his eyes around, he found himself in a desolate scrapyard. It was a graveyard of metal, stretching endlessly under a bleak sky. Rusted iron littered the landscape, remnants of a forgotten world. Decaying cars with shattered windows, planes with wings twisted and torn, and colossal shipping containers stacked haphazardly formed a chaotic maze. Each piece of scrap was cloaked in rust, corroded by time and neglect. Not an inch of ground was free from the suffocating presence of rusted metal, and the air was thick with the smell of decay and forgotten dreams. Despite it all, the sky was a richly saturated deep blue. In the distance, he could see mountains, their peaks brushing the heavens, and when he turned around, a wall came into view¡ªan insurmountable iron wall. The scene felt all too familiar: the scrapyard, the echoing voice, and that imposing iron barrier. It seemed less like a wall and more like an iron dam. The colossal iron plates, long since rusted with age, had started to fall away, exposing gaping cavities within the gargantuan structure. There was a single door that he could spot, leading inside, into an abyss of darkness. Not a single speck of light lingered within, almost as if the darkness had devoured it entirely. This was the Cosmodrome... Just as his thoughts aligned, the voice resounded again. "Guardian, hurry up. We do not have much time." He looked around but couldn''t see its source. Still, he knew exactly who the voice belonged to. "Ghost?" he blurted out. "Yes, Guardian," it responded, materializing with its black octahedron body, a single purple eye glowing in the middle. The eye turned yellow for a brief second, scanning him. "You must be confused. Let me explain. You are a Guardian, and I am your Ghost. You''ve been chosen by the Traveler as a warrior of the Light, to protect and defend the Last City. Please, allow me to attune you to the Light. It will help you recover." The Ghost''s semi-robotic voice resonated with calm authority. He extended his hand, and the Light formed a connection. "Guardian, we need to leave immediately," the Ghost urged. He smiled bitterly. He was used to patiently scrutinizing his equipment in the game. But now¡­ somehow, he had been pulled inside it. There was no way the enemies would wait. Suppressing his disbelief, he followed the Ghost as it floated through the Cosmodrome. The place was eerily familiar yet unnervingly real. Rusted structures loomed, and the distant hum of unknown machinery filled the air. If this was truly real, he needed to hide. He scanned the area, searching for a safe spot. "Guardian, I''ve secured a small weapons cache in a cave nearby. Follow me." His instincts, honed by countless hours of gameplay, kicked in. With the Ghost hovering beside him, he moved swiftly through the underbrush, the mechanical eye flickering between purple and yellow, vigilant and ready. The cave was hidden among the trees and rocks, its entrance partially obscured by overgrown vegetation. He crouched to slip inside. The cave was dark and damp, but it provided the concealment they desperately needed. The Ghost''s light illuminated the rough walls, casting eerie shadows. "The cache is here." It beckoned, circling a small chest concealed under moss and dirt. He nodded and crept closer to the case, calmly digging it out. But then¡­ he stopped. What next? Flummoxed, he searched for a button. Embarrassingly enough, he soon realized the cache needed to be opened manually. - **New Equipment** x1 Traveler''s Chosen (Sidearm) 5LL x1 Scorched Hunter Strides (Leg Armor) 3LL - The equipment in his hands felt all too real. Suddenly, a transparent window hovered closer. - Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 0 Light Level: 4 Subclass: - Weapons: (None) Gear: Helmet: Trashed Mask Grips: Golden Age Grips (Common): 3 LL Chest: Golden Age Vest (Common): 4 LL Strides: Trashed Strides - ''This is my status?'' Before he could even understand it all, another window appeared, causing his eyes to widen. - Legendary Guardian System System authorized¡­ System Level 1 Objectives initiated: Become Legend 0/1: (Main) "The Light calls for aid. Become the herald of change needed in the world, push back the darkness, and defend the Traveler." Rewards: x1 {Unknown}, x1 {Unknown}, +10000 Legend Points, +10 million Glimmer. Reach the Last City 0/1: (Main) "The Traveler beckons the Guardians to serve the Last City. Heed the summons and begin your journey." Rewards: x1 Beginner Hunter Set, x1 Ballyhoo Mk.27 (Hand Cannon) (Rare) - ''A system?'' The line between reality and the game blurred further with each passing moment. This was no longer just a game. This was a fight for survival. Leaning against the rough stone walls, he took a deep breath. Perhaps he had been dragged into something dangerous. Perhaps Void still thought it was a dream¡­ But something inside him wished to live and push back. Everyone who had ever played Destiny fantasized about being a Guardian, a fearless immortal warrior. But right now, Void was scared. More scared than he''d ever been in his life. Observing the system window, he wasn''t designated as a player. He could see the fact that the system had chosen him as more of an NPC. Quite obvious as he had no chat box feature. Had he truly become a part of the game? Sitting in this small cave in some random scrapyard on Earth, he couldn''t believe it all. Void looked to the sky, a peerless azure horizon. Far away, he could almost make out the white hue of the Traveler floating above¡ªa miraculous machine that had given humanity another chance at survival. Perhaps it would give him a chance too. Restoration "Guardian" A faint voice echoed and a bright blue light shined. "Wake up guardian." A sudden jolt ran through Void¡¯s body as he jerked awake. Surveying the surroundings, He found himself dozing off while squatting near the caves walls. "Ghost...how far are we from the Last City." His voice resounded in the solitary cave. "Hmm, according to my calculations we are still 13,898 Km away from the Last City. At a regular pace it might take over 500 days to reach. Our only options remain a Jumpship or land vehicle to hasten the journey guardian. " 13,898 Km...It was too far. Unless Void wanted to trek on foot, he needed an alternative. "Ghost, scan for the nearest Jumpship.....No, wait. Scan for the nearest vehicle we can access. Display the safest choices on the map, along with enemy locations and threat levels" Void spat out instructions. A new player might be overwhelmed with that distance. But Void had practically lived through destiny his entire adolescent life. He knew full well the advantages of owning a ghost. Ignoring its returning abilities, a ghost was perhaps the strongest super computer capable of analyzing and scanning areas from miles away. He knew this, simply because the game had justified the radar and navigation in the gameplay through these lore points. Just as he had thought, the ghost''s body split up into tiny spikes, as a blue sphere from its center sent out faint pulses of light, scanning the surroundings. Naturally, the mini-map had already appeared on his HUD. "Scan complete, according to my detection, there are no accessible Jumpships within 25 Km. Three Fallen pike speeders within 10 Km, currently surrounded by a small squad of fallen dregs. I have already marked the relevant locations on your map guardian." Hearing the analysis he heaved a sigh of relief. "Fallen dregs..." The lowest class of fallen. That was one enemy he could definitely go against. If that squad had a captain, he would definitely not make it out alive. Though dying wasn''t permanent. Void wasn''t eager to test that feature out. Pulling out the menu, he scanned his equipment once more. ==== Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 0 Light Level: 5 Subclass: None Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) >Primary: Traveller''s Chosen(56/56) 5LL ] Armor: (Head) > Trashed Mask >Secondary: None ] Armor:(Gauntlets) > Golden Age Grips (Common): 3 LL > Heavy: None ] Armor:(Chest)> Golden Age Vest (Common): 4 LL > Ghost Lv1 ] Armor:(Boots)>Scorched Hunter Strides 3LL ==== "Sure enough," Void sighed. His Light level was still too low. It was enough to deal with dregs and the like, but a fallen captain would prove challenging. Trekking outside the cave, a breath-taking scene awaited. The harsh sun of the Cosmodrome had long since set. What remained was a mesmerizing sea of stars above the night sky. Each speck of light was a star, and he could see millions. Every inch of the desert was illuminated by the moon''s light. "Beautiful..." With no lights to drown out the sky, he saw the endless starry horizon. Yet as he looked into the sky, he could also see a faint halo of light, practically invisible to the naked eye, as it lingered above in the horizon... The Traveller, in all its glory. He couldn''t make it out yet, but could definitely feel its presence. "Ghost, can you camouflage yourself again?" It immediately turned translucent. The cover worked perfectly, as the light disguised its figure. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Then can you also camouflage me?" Void thought out loud. ¡®A far stretch, but if that was possible¡­¡¯ "Apologies, guardian, I do not currently possess the ability to camouflage others. However, it is possible to obtain this module in the future." "Guess it was too good to be true." Void sighed. Accepting the reality of the situation, Void bolted out of the cave, sprinting as fast as he could without attracting any attention. The Hunter class was famous for being phenomenal at tracking and stealth. Despite Void running at full strength wearing a somewhat full suit of Armor, not a single step produced any significant noise. With his quick strides, about 20 minutes later he had reached the destination. Void leaned against a boulder to catch his breath while the ghost surveyed the area. A few meters away, there were six Fallen dregs visible on his radar. ¡®A simple job,¡¯ Void resolved himself. Peeking through the side of the boulder he could see the group of five loitered around their pikes. Convening and conversing. Unfortunately, all he heard were strange *clicks* and *clucks*. Their language was practically indecipherable. "Ghost, analyse the best position to engage in combat." Void whispered. He had absolutely no experience in combat, hence it was vital to use all the facilities available to him when possible. A few seconds later, a white marker appeared on Void¡¯s radar. "Guardian, the best vantage point with our loadout would be above the short hill about 20 meters away." its mechanical voice leaked. Seeing the marker on his HUD, he could definitely understand the advantage. A clean shot would still attract their attention, but a shot from the hill would leave them clueless to his position. Even if it all went wrong and he was found out, There was ample time to retreat... ¡®As expected, ghost''s were simply a technological marvel¡¯, Void thought to himself. Sneaking away from the dregs, he crept up along the hill. Taking a deep breath, he envisioned the sidearm in his hands, and as he had done so, a faint glitter emitted from Void¡¯s hands. The kinetic sidearm appeared in his grip, ready to be used. ¡®It seems the inventory works similar to in-game¡¯ As long as he had it equipped, he only needed to think of it to use it. Clutching the adaptive grip of the gun, Void aimed its sights on one of the dregs. Lining the red iron sights along the head of a dreg squatting near its fellows. Void felt the weight of the gun in his hands. A feeling completely foreign to him. With a finger on the trigger, Void channelled all his focus into aiming. Taking deep breaths as he gripped the firearm with both hands. Just as his finger poked the trigger. Instantly countless notifications spammed the system panel, appearing in front of his eyes to block his sight. ¡®What....the¡¯ ===== {Legendary Guardian System} !!!! ATTENTION !!!! +Sudden Quest Issued!! > GUNS BLAZING (0/1): Objectives: "Defeat all Fallen Dregs engaging in close combat using any weapon! Announce your arrival and let them fear the light!" Rewards: +Fallen Pike(Rare), ++XP, +Combat Perks, +Weapon Aptitude (Failure) Penalties: -Fallen Pike (Destroyed) Remarks: Don''t be a P*ssy. Be Legendary, Guardian! ==== Void paused. His eyes settled on the mission''s penalty, ¡®A damaged pike.¡¯ From what he understood, the moment he pulled the trigger, the chances of him obtaining a usable pike would be close to nothing. ¡®The system¡­what is it?¡¯ Void wondered. How had it estimated what he would stand to lose or gain in this situation? What basis did it have? He did not know. But he was sure that going against its advice wasn¡¯t logical. For now at least, he was bound to it. Astonishingly, the ghost had not reacted to this sudden surge of messages. Perhaps, he was the only one who could react to the "system" part. Void heaved a cold sigh and slowly crawled down the hill. Coldly gripping the sidearm, he waited for an opportunity to pounce. He had already formed a somewhat rough plan. As long as he could get a few headshots, taking out the first two wouldn''t be a problem. ¡®Well... here goes nothing,¡¯ Void shook his head. "Ghost, on my signal reveal yourself and distract the dregs." He whispered "Affirmative Guardian" Composing himself, Void felt his heart race. "Now" The dregs were immediately caught off guard as they spotted the ghost circling them. It was merely a distraction but super effective. He waited until they all had their backs turned as they gawked at the ghost, unable to even comprehend what was going on. Void immediately lunged from the bushes. Before they moved a muscle, his hands moved instinctually, firing two shots swiftly into a dregs head. The bullets had alerted them, causing a panic as they all jumped away, but to Void it was far too late Deftly sliding across the sand, his hands grasped onto one''s shoulder, immediately grappling him to the ground and serving three shots into its gaping mouth. Within seconds, two were gone. At this moment, Void¡¯s body moved as if possessed, like a predator playing with its prey. He leapt towards the third dreg, two bullets shot through its legs, paralyzing it completely. A horrible screech was all it could manage, before a third bullet was skilfully placed between its temple ¡®Three down¡¯ The remaining dregs had finally understood what occurred. Brandishing their guns, they fired indiscriminately, a storm of shock bullets rushed towards him. But it was useless against golden age armor. The bullets barely grazed his vest as he sauntered up towards the party of fallen. Their fear was apparent, but Void did what had to be done. Brandishing his own sidearm he fired thrice and the dregs had their arms blasted off. With no threat remaining, Void crept closer to them as they tried desperately to crawl away. ¡® A useless endeavour¡¯ He clicked his tongue. Lining the barrel on its heart, Void pulled the trigger mercilessly, and the fourth was done. The fifth only yelped as a gaping hole pierced through its heart. "Last one" Void pointed my gun at the sixth. One, two , three. He shot enough times to make sure that Its corpse was riddled with holes. All he saw next was a simple prompt on his screen === + Quest Completed GUNS BLAZING (1/1) === Subclass === + Quest Completed GUNS BLAZING (1/1) === Void stood there in sheer awe of what he had done. The six Fallen dregs slumped on the ground around him, lifeless. All it had taken was mere seconds. In shock, he stared down at his palms. Where did this ability come from? He did not know. Void¡¯s body moved to its instinct for the most part. The instinct of a hunter. "Of course.." He had almost forgotten that my body was a golden age corpse. A warrior that had fought for humanity and died. Surely, the only explanation he could muster was the ingrained muscle memory within. "Remarkable." But his excitement was cut short as Void heard a sharp voice. "Careful guardian, our skirmish has alerted the nearby fallen squads. My analysis shows that within five minutes, this location will be swarmed." ghost''s voice alerted The sudden alert brought him back to reality and he instantly began to move. Peeking at the primed Fallen Pike that had appeared before him, Void rejoiced. "Yeah let''s go." === [ A few hours later] A red streak could be seen zooming through the dark desert plains. Void was riding the Fallen Pike at full speed, having left behind fallen territory and he now roamed the wastelands. Unfortunately, while it was safer out here, there practically wasn''t a single living thing roaming this part of earth. Which meant that not only was Void completely alone, he was also completely helpless. "Ghost, how much fuel is left in the tank." Void sighed Noticing the bike slowing down slightly, Void knew the fuel wouldn''t last long. It was best to take this opportunity to park somewhere relatively secluded and hidden. "The vehicle has about 30 units of fuel left. Distance wise, we may only cross another 60 Km. According to our current trajectory, the fuel will run out in approximately 23 minutes and 45 seconds." Void nodded, "Determine the best place to stop in our current trajectory, somewhere we won''t be seen easily." "Hmm..." its voice echoed Void waited a few more minutes and finally he could see a marker placed on his HUD. "I have marked a place about 30 Km on your map guardian. A hillside, near the shore. The topology suggests it''s an aqua ravine. Chances of anyone stumbling upon us are close to none." "Got it, thanks." Void revved the pike and shot past as dust clouded behind him. After wringing the fuel tank dry at maximum speed, they had reached two plain limestone cliffs, separating the desert biome from what he could only describe was the beach shore line. As the bike sputtered its last few embers, Void stalled beside the cliff, slowly steering the bike to its underside. "This is unexpected," ghost exclaimed. The cliff had a hollow cave at its feet. Conveniently placed facing the shore. Carrying ghost in his palm Void walked in cautiously. Soon the ghost''s light illuminated the dark cave interior. But all he could see were some scrap boxes lying around. Trudging in a bit further, the cave system had further ravines that went very deep His foot slightly clinked against the floor, and as he shined the light on the ground Void could see what had caused the noise. "Rail lines?" Ghost flew out of his hand, examining the rails closely with his laser scanners. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Hmm, interesting. Guardian, these are golden age railing lines. I think we''re in a mineshaft. Aqua ravine, a few hundred kilometers from the Russian supply line. It is possible that we''ve stumbled upon an old mining tunnel¡± "Fascinating....But can this help us?" Void inquired cluelessly. ¡°I am afraid we cannot know anything unless we venture deep below. But my sensors are blocked by something. I cannot scan anything below 20 meters." As soon as he heard about the sensors being interfered with, Void immediately knew not to venture deep into the mine tunnels. He wasn¡¯t a coward, but to venture into unknown territory wasn¡¯t exactly what he wanted to do. "That''s fine, let''s just linger around the surface. I still need to get used to my powers." Void replied. He picked relatively flat ground and sat down, opening the menu. Immediately he could see the "System" tab flashing repeatedly "Of course, how could I forget." he mused The remaining rewards for the quest....finally some good experience. Void licked his lips and clicked the system tab Immediately a few prompts were thrust into his face. === {Legendary Guardian System} + Quest Completed GUNS BLAZING (1/1) +Claim Quest Awards (0/1) Rewards: ++XP, +Combat Perks, +Weapon Aptitude === As Void claimed his rewards, he felt rejuvenated. Almost like he¡¯d gained something he¡¯d never lost. === {Legendary Guardian System} !! Attention !! Guardian has Leveled up (Lv. 0 ---> Lv.1) Remarks: "The light rushes through you, as you grasp onto its secrets. It enlightens you from within and boosts you onto greater heights" {New Task} * Choose a Subclass :
  1. Nightstalker
  2. Gunslinger
  3. Blade dancer
=== Void looked onto the screen, baffled. He had long waited to choose a subclass, but to think he simply needed to level up once. But....now that he could finally choose a subclass. Which one? It was a complicated issue that he couldn''t just breeze past. A Blade dancer wasn''t really something he could pull off. It was a reckless art that required relentless combat. He preferred to lurk in the shadows, preparing to strike with a lethal blow... In that case, only Nightstalker or Gunslinger awaited. Unfortunately, as things remained he was clueless as to whether he could switch later on. Surely he could multiclass these right? "Nightstalker it is" Suddenly, Void felt as if the space around him had warped. He felt a strange membrane around space. Something he could manipulate. "Is this void energy?" === "The void welcomes you in its embrace." * Nightstalker subclass Achieved! + Nightstalker Lv. 1/10 === This was what he was missing, the power in his hands right now...If he had this previously, the dregs wouldn''t even stand a chance. The vortex grenade, the smoke melee, the double jump.... and lastly The super ability... Shadow shot. Void was still unable to perform it but he could certainly feel the possibility. Looking at the HUD, the super bar was only half full... If he could completely fill it up, it would be a simple task to obliterate a fallen captain. Excited about his new powers he opened the status screen. ==== Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 1 Light Level: 5 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 1/10 Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) >Primary: Traveller''s Chosen*(56/56) 5LL ] Armor: (Head) > Trashed Mask >Secondary: None ] Armor:(Gauntlets) > Golden Age Grips (Common): 3 LL > Heavy: None ] Armor:(Chest)> Golden Age Vest (Common): 4 LL > Ghost Lv1 ] Armor:(Boots)>Scorched Hunter Strides 3LL * = 4% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies Combat Perks: (1 Unlocked) ~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight. ==== He could see a slight modification to the primary weapon...That''s right he did gain some weapon aptitude...and new combat perks... Void was slightly familiar with the concept of perks, but it seems he had gained an uncommon ability. ¡®Spectral shade¡¯, the name surely sounded cool. But the fact that it said probability meant that it was an unlikely occurrence. He remained brooding in his own thoughts, thinking of different ways to combine his abilities. The fact that he wasn¡¯t limited by a ¡®game¡¯ was outstanding. The possibilities were endless. A double jump into a shadow shot, coupled with smoke to make myself disappear. A completely stealthy approach where he could simply smoke in and sneak around to assassinate enemies. He had to admit, the concept was thrilling. ¡°Guardian, quick come take a look at this" Ghost voiced out "What''s going on?" Void responded, scuttling over immediately "Don''t you see this?" Ghost pointed towards some strange letters inscribed in golden ink on the wall. "This is?" "Golden age encrypted language.¡± Ghost immediately analyzed the rest of the text. ¡° If my analysis is right, then we''ve hit the goldmine. Golden age exports were managed by Arcadia class Jumpships. Chances are there''s some old ships docked inside the mining stations below. Probably stowed away gathering rust. If we can hack into those ships, we''ll easily reach the Tower." "You mean to say you want us to go down there?" Void said, pointing towards the dark obscured mine shaft tunnel. "I think it''s worth a shot guardian." Ghost responded Though he wasn''t in the mood to go down there, seeing as he desperately needed a ship¡­. ¡®Beggars can¡¯t be choosers¡¯ Besides, with his new void subclass, he was eager to fight anything he encountered... in moderation of course. Taking a deep breath in, Void took a leap of faith and his vision turned to pitch black. === The Deep All he could see was darkness. Pitch black darkness as he fell endlessly inside the mining tunnels. Void almost thought there was no end to the tunnel. But then reality hit him.... almost like a truck as his body crashed into the floor. Painful was not enough to describe what he felt. Excruciating, gut wrenching, agonizing and endless pain as his body plummeted to the floor, hitting the rock hard mine interior. As he tried to struggle and get up¡­ Void realized he had broken every bone in his body. No... it was far worse than that. As he tried to call out to ghost for help, he could feel a slightly rustic taste fill my mouth. ¡®Ah.. yes the warmth. But from where?¡¯ Void felt something embrace him, as it drenched him from the inside..flowing ever so slowly. As he tried to take a breath, it filled his lungs, and he coughed it out. A crimson red stained the floor, and it was all he could see through the measly light emanating from ghost. Then he saw only red, and only red till he drowned in it. Death yanked him to its doors, and Void felt a chill embrace his soul. *Guardian Down* The light flowed through him like a bright sun. Pushing away the cold as he was brought back to life, and his eyes jolted open. Void¡¯s body jerked awake, like he had just woken from a slumber. "Are you alright guardian?" Ghost asked. Void gawked at ghost, and then back at himself. ¡®Damn...did I just respawn? I can''t lie...I thought that was it.¡¯ He had died. But fortunately, ghost could still revive him down here. But it was a great example of what not to do the next time he tried venturing somewhere deep. Springing up from the ground, Void walked around to see where he was.. As he took a few steps, ghost''s light showed the basalt in the floors. The floor tiling had long since rusted, small streams of water flowed and converged to form a wave as it hit a vault door. The walls were stained a mossy green, and it looked similar to a lost sector. The vault was locked, but he could see sharp claws on its door. ¡°Someone tried to break in.¡± Void traced over the marks. Just from a distance, he could spot the 12 inch thick steel bolts on each side of the vault door. Only a tank could burst through. With no other locking mechanisms in-sight, the only logical conclusion was that the vault ran through an AI or automated system. Fortunately, he too had a supercomputer at hand.. Well you know what they say. (With its dying breath the traveler made ghosts, to open doors) -Eris Morn "Ghost, can you open that vault door?" Void said, nudging him closer "Hmm, this is golden age security. It will take me about three minutes. But I have to warn you, we might trigger a safety protocol. Or worse, whatever is inside that vault. It creeps me out." Hearing his reaction, Void knew he¡¯d get dragged into a fight. Gripping his sidearm he trained it on the door and instructed ghost to begin. At this point, he was cautious. Having died once, he wasn''t eager to experience that pain. Besides, his instincts told him...dying in that vault....it would be a lot more permanent than he would like. The top of his HUD glowed slightly. That''s right, the super bar. It was about half full. If it was fully charged then he wouldn''t be scared. Shadowshot was practically almost a missile. Sadly, he was only level 1, so Void couldn''t guarantee it would be stronger. Ghost''s lasers poked and prodded the gate. A few minutes later he heard a loud click as the pistons around the vault door began to contract, unlocking it. "We''re done guardian, but something is fishy, the golden age security might be outdated, but it''s not typically this weak." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "You''re right, I can also feel it in my gut, inside that vault is something that shouldn''t be here. Stick close." Void nodded. The two crept closer to the vault door as it slowly opened, it''s joints screeching when the rust finally peeled away. A big rush of cold wind blew on Void, and he felt it. But more importantly, he also saw it. ======================== {Legendary Guardian System} ?????????????????????????? *Respawning Restricted ??* ======================== As expected.. Void took a deep breath and stepped in. Checking every single corner he passed through, his gut feeling worsened every second. His left hand had already nudged closer to his grenade As Void trudged with leaden steps, anxiety clouded his mind. Void noticed that he had begun to sweat a little. Perhaps, it was slightly getting hotter down here... Navigating the dark corridors, he stumbled upon an empty hall.. Sneaking in slowly, he made sure to camouflage ghost. Step by step, he nimbly hid within the shadows and leapt up in the ceiling. Crawling through the roof supports, looking for enemies. But his radar was blank. ¡®No hostiles...weird.¡¯ After he had confirmed that a few times, he jumped back down, but no one reacted to his movement. Instead, he noticed that there was a lot of rubble lying around. The walls were caved in. Something had dug that out. With a gun in hand, Void moved slowly towards those cavities. But as he did, suddenly he felt something grab his ankle. "Cccan I help... you Si#@#$@#$@" An old robot laying on the floor stuttered, its core had been blown to pieces. "A maintenance robot? What''s that doing down here" Void felt his heart skip a beat. "The robot was probably here to assist transport of materials guardian. Though I suppose since the vault was closed, it could never exit on its own." Ghost answered. But the threat was not yet over... Void knew those holes in the wall, the walls that had been dug out, to make slight cocoons. There was only one race known to do it, and he wasn''t too fond of them. Since he couldn''t exactly find them, and there was no way to leave the tunnel. There was only one thing left to do. Bait them out. Finding the highest ground he could, Void cleared his throat. "You can come out now. You can all come out now. I know you''re here. Watching me in your little ant hills and your cocoons. You''re scared of me aren''t you? Spineless cowards. Yeah , that''s right. I know who you are." Void exclaimed. "Hive Scum!" He shouted. When he finished, the ground almost rumbled and quaked as a swarm of Hive thralls rushed to the surface. Void stood there weak in the legs.The thralls drooled as their sharp fangs and claws surfaced, hounding towards him at once. Just as they pounced, Void shot up towards the rafters. Thralls might be lethal in large numbers, but they were only sitting ducks from this position "It''s over you idiots, I have the high ground" Void shouted as he pumped lead straight into their skulls with great precision. Ammo conservation was imperative, hence he had only done headshots. Suffice to say, his skills as a hunter were improving drastically by life threatening encounters. But Void had forgotten to take one thing into account. The game was far too restrictive....real life was not so easy.. The thralls began to pile up as they created a ladder towards him. A swarm of them rushed upwards climbing each other with fervor. It was not long before Void¡¯s gun ran out of ammo and he couldn''t hold them back any further.... It was time for the ultimate tactic... He chucked a grenade and immediately began running around the room. But glancing at the enraged swarm chasing him at every second, the minute he turned around, it was a wipe. He would forever sleep here in this hive nest.. and that was not gonna happen. Not now. "Ghost, search for any ammo, any weapons around us and do it fast." "Got it guardian, stay safe" Ghost''s aura scanned the room multiple times, but it was simply impossible. Nevertheless it was not time to lose hope. Peeking at the super bar as he deftly dodged around the room. ¡®95% done.... the last 5%¡¯ He needed to get creative, galloping above the roof once more, the hive instantly began to pile. They had already gotten used to his tactics. Their shrieks got louder as they clawed towards him, but Void clenched his first and rammed it straight through the jaws of one thrall, ripping its head off... "That''s right fuckers, come and get it." He screamed enraged A power built up within him and he kept going, punch for punch, blow for blow as he leapt out of their range. Thrusting his hand through their skulls. It was a primitive way of killing them, and not something he could sustain for long. His fingers had already started to bear the burden, his nails began to bleed with hive skin contaminating them. But that did not stop, in sheer desperation, he used everything around him, be it chucking rocks, or ripping their heads apart with sharp blows. Bit by bit, he could see the bar build up, then the next second, it shined yellow. "Time''s up c*nts" He bellowed. The void curved beneath his fingers, he darted into the air with the most force his legs could muster. Gripping the void bow as he pulled with all his strength. ~Draw from the void, light the way~ The arrow filled with light shot to the ground, impacting everything in its way. Blowing it to smithereens as the orbs of power gushed forth. Radiance took over him, his power surged to the peak, and he mowed through every living and breathing thing. In the end, he dropped to his knees, drained....exhausted. Finally, ghost rushed to him, and its light began to rejuvenate Void¡¯s broken body. A sly smirk crept up on his face.. "I succeeded." === {Legendary Guardian System} ????ATTENTION???? *Host has completed a secret mission + Golden Age Vault Encounter 1/15 === The Last City Void slumped on the ground, feeling as though he had exhausted most of his light energy after using the super. His Ghost hovered nearby, concerned. "Guardian, are you alright? I''ve healed your injuries, but my light is still suffocated by the dark here. Can you move?" Void checked his HUD. There were no enemies left alive. "Looks like we succeeded in clearing the hive nest," he said aloud. His Ghost responded, "Hmm, yes, Guardian. My sensors show no more hive activity in the vicinity. Any idea what we will do now?" "Light up the compound," Void suggested. "There must be some electronics still on the grid with latent power." "Affirmative, Guardian. Just give me a moment," the Ghost replied and flew off to tinker with the electric panels. As the Ghost worked, Void opened his system screen to review the previous prompt. ======================= {Legendary Guardian System} Host has unlocked a new mission. +Golden Age Scavenger (1/15): Objectives: Clear Golden Age vault encounters in the Cosmodrome(1/15) Rewards: +Golden Age Schematics, ++Golden Age Blueprints, +Golden Age Access Key Remark: "The past haunts us, Guardian. Make sure it¡¯s put to rest." ======================= The mention of Golden Age schematics and blueprints piqued Void¡¯s curiosity. The system wouldn¡¯t highlight these rewards unless they were important. Feeling a surge of satisfaction with his powers, he reflected on the battle. At first, he hadn¡¯t been sure he could use shadowshot, but his performance had left him in awe. The raw power of the shot had shaken the foundations of the vault. It might not compare to a high Warlock¡¯s nova bomb, but it still packed quite a punch. Hunters, he reminded himself, weren¡¯t meant for mass destruction. They trained to focus on eliminating a single target, and their abilities reflected that. Nevertheless, the hive swarm was dead, and he was very much alive. Just as he regained his senses and scrambled up from the ground, another prompt appeared. === {Legendary Guardian System} +Level up 1 ---> 2 Combat perks ++Subclass xp === Void quickly pulled up his status window. === Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 2 Light Level: 5 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 2/10 * Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) Primary: Traveller''s Chosen*(0/0) 5LL Armor: (Head) > Trashed Mask Secondary: None Armor:(Gauntlets) > Golden Age Grips (Common): 3 LL Heavy: None Armor:(Chest)> Golden Age Vest (Common): 4 LL Ghost Lv1 Armor:(Boots)> Scorched Hunter Strides 3LL Combat Perks: (2 Unlocked) ~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight. ~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy. === The new perks weren¡¯t bad. The ability to instantly explode grenades could turn them into mini rockets, and Void realized that the perk didn¡¯t specify whose grenades. That meant he could target enemy grenades, forcing them to explode prematurely. It was a deadly advantage. With his level increased and his subclass upgraded, Void contemplated his next skill. After some consideration, he decided to go with shadestep, which would allow him to evade at close range, potentially coming out unscathed. Without this perk, it would take years to master the skill, but with it, he could gain an edge that only dedicated hunters could match. Lost in thought, Void was interrupted when the lights in the hall flickered on. The Ghost had been successful in restoring power. Slowly, the whole compound lit up, though a few security panels went haywire before shutting off. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The Ghost flew back. "Guardian, I''ve accessed the database for this vault. It¡¯s a storage facility from the Golden Age. Better yet, I found four ship hangars hidden beyond that gate. There must be ships we can salvage." "Hidden?" Void asked. "No other mechanisms?" "Likely not. The motors have decayed, probably due to the hive''s presence. We¡¯ll have to rip through the wall." Void inspected the wall. His hand traced a small dent that indicated a hidden mechanism, but the trigger was gone. The walls were made of steel alloy, strong enough to withstand orbital strikes. Still, if the hive had eroded parts of the wall, their claws might hold the key. "Ghost, search for a special hive compound in the thralls¡¯ remains¡ªanything with corrosive properties," Void instructed. "Got it," the Ghost replied, scanning the room and marking fragments of hive bone and fangs. Void gathered the corrosive pieces, testing them on the wall. Sure enough, some fragments left distinct creases in the steel. The Ghost analyzed the fragments. "These are made of a special mineral, corrosive and radioactive. We can fashion a blade, but it won¡¯t last long. It requires constant blood flow to remain intact, much like human teeth." Void considered the plan. "We don¡¯t have a crafting station, but maybe we can use the power grid to melt the hive fragments and forge a blade." "That¡¯s a brilliant idea, Guardian," the Ghost said. "I''ll access the power grid while you gather the materials." Void scavenged the area, dismantling an old robot for its parts. He found a durable carbon fibre alloy stem to use as a handle and fashioned a makeshift hammer from the robot¡¯s shoulder joint. The Ghost reappeared, and together they set up a crude forge using the power grid. Void pulled a live wire, directing a powerful arc of electricity through the hive fragments. Pain surged through him as millions of volts jolted his body, but the Ghost healed him as he worked. Despite the crude method, Void successfully melted the hive fragments into a blade. === Learned Crude Crafting 1/10 Crafted: Crude Hive Fang === Void grabbed the blade and jammed it into the carbon fiber stem. It wasn''t exactly stable, but it would have to do. He wrapped copper and gold wire around the handle multiple times, tightening the blade as much as possible. It wouldn¡¯t fall out for now. Without wasting any more time, he attacked the hangar panels. After a few hours of digging, the poison had corroded through the thick protective layer. The electronic mechanism beneath was exposed, and after a few prods at the wire, Void managed to short-circuit it. The hangar immediately sprang open, the doors swinging upward to reveal what had been hidden inside. "Guardian, these are... Arcadia-class jumpships," Ghost announced. Void saw four of them, draped in white cloth, concealed inside the hangar. "Try seeing if you can pilot any of them," Void instructed. "Affirmative, Guardian." Ghost sprang into action. Void could tell that Ghost was more eager to return to the Tower than he had let on. A few minutes later, Ghost gave the signal, and it was clear that the ship, although old, was ready to fly. However, Void knew it wouldn''t survive planetary travel¡ªsome things never changed. "So, how do we get this thing out?" Void asked. "Don''t worry, Guardian. Most hangars have a low fly exit. I''ll trigger the doors from here and connect you to the ship''s transmat system. You can board now," Ghost replied. "Alright, let me know when we''re ready." Void clicked the transmat on his grips and was instantly seated inside the ship. He had to admit, the ship looked even cooler in person. The seat, the controls¡ªeverything felt surreal. It was like actually piloting a spaceship. A few minutes later, a warning light blinked on, and a secret exit in the hangar wall opened, clearing away debris as it did. Ghost transmatted back into the ship, and they were ready to go. "Alright, Guardian. I''ve already set the coordinates. You can relax now. We''ll reach the Last City in about two hours, using the orbital route." With nothing else to do, Void quickly drifted off to sleep during the journey. The G-forces as they ascended to orbit were insane¡ªfaster than an F1 car or even a sonic jet¡ªand this was just basic Golden Age technology. It made him excited to see what other advanced tech was out there. Eventually, Void woke and glanced out of the windshield, spotting the Traveler''s silhouette looming over the Last City. "We''re home, Guardian. The last city on Earth. Humanity''s last survivors hold up these walls, and we''re here to protect them," Ghost announced. Void could see the Tower clearly. It was pristine¡ªnothing like the ruined version he remembered from after the Red War. As the ship slowly docked in the central harbor, Void transmatted out and landed in the hangar. A blonde woman, dressed in black overalls with a red scarf, approached, fussing with a clipboard. Her hands were still covered in mechanic grease. "Hey, Guardian! What do you think you''re doing bringing this scrap ship into the service lane? Can''t you read the signs? Parking''s over there, hotshot!" she barked. Of course, it was Amanda Holliday¡ªthe Tower''s prime mechanic and lead machinery consultant. Void stood there, unsure of what to say, but before he could respond, Amanda continued. "Can''t you hear me, Guardian? Move the ship to Zone A3 and park it with the rest. This harbor is reserved for mainten¡ªwait a minute... No record of this ship landing here, no radio frequency, no authorization code... You''re... new, aren¡¯t you? Freshly risen." Amanda¡¯s sharp eyes scanned the clipboard, checking for any mistake on her part. "Yeah, I am. Name''s Void. Sorry for the mess. Took me a while to get here," Void apologized. "No, no, that¡¯s alright. But to think we¡¯ve finally got a new one. You need to visit the Vanguard. They''ll want to hear your story. Matter of fact, you¡¯re the first new Guardian in months. They''ve been stressed, but you showing up is a good sign." Amanda smiled, her initial frustration melting away. === + New Mission Added: The Vanguard Awaits === Vanguard Summons Void stood still in the hangar as Amanda walked away. Staring at the prompt in front of him, he felt a slight anxiety begin to build. Anyone in his position would probably feel the same. After all, who were the Vanguard? They were a group of Guardians who had lived for centuries defending the Last City. They were at the peak of their class, the culmination of hundreds of years of training and combat¡ªabsolute monsters in the shape of Guardians. It would be foolish to think these people were entirely sane. Now that Void was actually in this world, the Vanguard seemed far too distant, their immense power obvious. The Vanguard held full authority over the City¡¯s Guardians and were responsible for strikes and raid missions. They were also the ones holding back corrupted Guardians from resurfacing. Though it was a rough process, the Praxic Order would investigate any Guardian suspected of wrongdoing, and by the Vanguard''s hand, their Light would be extinguished. People thought Guardians were immortal, but Void knew better. "Nothing kills you faster than a Guardian," he muttered. Suddenly, the idea of answering to an immortal authority seemed questionable, but Void didn¡¯t have a choice. He wanted to be an independent Guardian, like many others. However, to achieve that level of independence, one had to demonstrate power. Currently, Void¡¯s power was laughable¡ªa mere spark of Light that could be easily snuffed out. For now, he would wait, bide his time, and grow stronger. Eventually, Void began pacing toward the elevator. For now, he would comply with the Vanguard. Once he reached the elevator, it took him to the top floor of the Tower, which provided a literal breath of fresh air. The Tower was humanity''s stronghold, where futuristic design met cultural culmination. Void walked toward the edge of the main bridge and peered down. Below him, the Last City sprawled in all its glory. Millions of people lived here, under the Traveler¡¯s protection. Void could see thousands of homes and factories, banners and flags decorating the balconies, celebrating the Guardians and the peace they had brought. As Void gazed down, he realized something he had never considered before¡ªthe Tower was actually a skyscraper. It housed Guardians at the top, but what about the rest? The Tower was a meeting point for technologies from other planets and Earth. Void saw it in the infrastructure: everything was automated through robots and AI. Science had advanced far beyond what he had thought possible in his previous life. As Void finished wandering around the Tower¡¯s annex, he received a notification from Ghost. "Guardian, Vanguard has sent a request for your presence in conference room A290," Ghost informed him. It seemed his sightseeing would have to be cut short. Void began descending the labyrinth of stairs within the Tower, eventually reaching the 290th floor, where there was quite a commotion in a nearby room. Approaching the room, scanners swept over Void¡¯s body, and the energy shield blocking his path was removed. He could hear voices coming from the secured room beyond the checkpoint. As he stepped closer to the gate, it scanned his identity and allowed him entry. The mechanical lock whirred, and the door slid open, revealing a long conference table. At the far end, three figures were locked in an argument. "Cayde, I''ve already told you¡ªyou can''t assign Hunters to patrol missions for ¡®fun.¡¯ Those Guardians have responsibilities to fulfill, and you can¡¯t abuse your authority," said Ikora. "Ikora¡¯s right, Cayde. The Guardians trust our judgment. It would be wrong not to show them sincere leadership," Zavala added. "Relaxxx, you¡¯re taking this way too seriously. All I said was that there could be a potentially important archived document in the Fallen¡¯s hands, stored in their camps. How was I supposed to know he''d rush in and die immediately? But it¡¯s fine¡ªI rescued him and his Ghost, and he got revived. So, what''s the big deal?" Cayde replied nonchalantly. "The big deal is that you had him risk his life for a document you made up. Does Vanguard authority mean nothing to you?" Ikora slammed her hand on the table. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Alright, alright. I take my job seriously. Look, I even apologized to the guy and gave him a new gun from my personal collection. He was happy about it, so what¡¯s the problem?" Cayde rambled on as Ikora glared at him, clearly unimpressed. "Fine. I won¡¯t do it again. Pinky promise," Cayde said with a half-serious gesture. Zavala, noticing Void¡¯s presence, spoke up. "You two can continue this later. We have a new guest. Welcome, Guardian. Good job making it to the Last City. The Vanguard welcomes you with open arms." Seeing he was invited to approach, Void walked toward the three figures at the end of the room. Ikora turned to him with a nod. "You must be our new Hunter. I am Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard. Welcome to the Last City." "Thank you. My name is Void Blade," Void replied briefly, not having much else to add. "Cool name. I dig it. I¡¯m Cayde-6, your Hunter Vanguard. If you need help, I¡¯ve got your back," Cayde said, with a grin. "Thanks," Void responded. "I am Zavala, the Tower''s prime strategist and Vanguard leader," Zavala added. "Void, is it? I will remember that name. I hope your joining us is something to celebrate for years to come." Zavala extended his hand, and Void shook it, immediately feeling the overwhelming power difference between them. Ikora¡¯s presence was just as intense, and Cayde, while lighthearted, had a dangerous air about him, as if his playful demeanor concealed something far more lethal. "Your Light is strong for a newly risen Guardian," Zavala commented. "The Vanguard has much to discuss with you, but first, I believe we owe you a day¡¯s rest. I¡¯ve sent the details to your Ghost. Spend the day in your quarters and rest. We¡¯ll see you on the front lines tomorrow." A faint white marker appeared on Void¡¯s HUD, indicating the location of his room. Nodding, Void turned to leave, but Cayde stopped him. "Hey, hold on, Void. Something¡¯s missing," Cayde said, studying him. "Ah, that¡¯s it¡ªyou don¡¯t have a cloak. That won¡¯t do. No Hunter of ours goes out without a cloak. It¡¯s bad for my reputation." Cayde fiddled with a tablet for a few seconds. "There we go. I¡¯ve issued you standard city gear in your room. Better equip that than what you¡¯ve got on now. Also, your firepower¡¯s looking weak. I¡¯ve given your name to the Gunsmith, so make sure to pick up a better weapon." "Thanks again," Void said, heading out toward his room.
Void hadn¡¯t expected the Tower to be so big. "Ghost, which floor is our room on again?" "Floor 285, Guardian. Your room is already marked," Ghost replied. Navigating the Tower, even with directions, took Void about ten minutes. He finally found his room¡ªnumber 234. As Void touched the handle, a green light popped up and scanned him. Access granted. The door clicked open, revealing a spacious interior¡ªcloser to an apartment than just a room. It had a bathroom, a bed, and a lounge for reviewing daily tasks. There was even a TV with holographic functionality. Near the bed, a neatly wrapped parcel sat to the side. "That must be my supplies," Void muttered. But what Void really needed was a good night¡¯s sleep. The exhaustion of fighting and training over the past few days had caught up with him. The moment he hit the mattress, he fell asleep.
[8 Hours Later] Void stirred, sinking into the soft mattress as cool air blew pleasantly through the room. He felt at peace. "What... happened?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, still groggy. "Ghost? You there?" Void called out. Ghost floated over. "You''re finally awake, Guardian. I was starting to worry. Whenever you''re ready, you can equip the new gear we got. Cayde didn¡¯t hold back on the equipment." Ghost spun near the crate by the bed. "That¡¯s right, the equipment!" Void said eagerly. He opened the crate to reveal a standard Hunter vest, helmet, grips, strides, and a specially made Hunter cloak. "This is some serious gear," Void remarked, running his hand over the materials. They were durable yet lightweight¡ªperfect for a Hunter. Void donned the new equipment and checked his stats:
Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 2 Light Level: 6 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 2/10
Satisfied with his new appearance, Void smiled. He looked intimidating, outfitted in the War Mantis armor. "How do I look?" Void asked. "Stronger than ever, Guardian. Let¡¯s pick up our weapons from the Gunsmith. Zavala probably has some missions for us soon," Ghost said. "Ghost, you''ve been with me since I revived, but I never gave you a name," Void mused. "Most Ghosts don¡¯t get named until they find their Guardians. You could name me if you want." Void thought for a moment. "How about Obsidian?" "Obsidian? Because my shell is black? Well, it¡¯s not what I expected, but it''ll do," Ghost¡ªnow Obsidian¡ªreplied. "Let¡¯s go, Obsidian. We¡¯ve got a long journey ahead." Void wondered what path lay before him as he joined the Last City''s greatest warriors. Back to Cosmodrome Void stepped outside his room as he quietly shut the door behind him. It was nighttime, and it wouldn''t be wise to be loud in the guardian quarters, most likely many tired guardians would be resting here. If anything, it was strange for anyone in the tower to be active at 2 in the morning. He walked the wide halls of the guardian quarters, navigating towards the nearest elevator, the trackpad lit up in his presence, shining a blue ray on its screen. Void placed his hand and the biometrics scanner returned an affirmative as the elevator opened up. The tower was a massive infrastructure, going up to 300 floors. But the reality was that only 270 floors were available to the general public. The 30 upper floors were mostly restricted to guardians and traders. There was a good reason for this, as the top of the tower was occupied by the hangar and the armory. Both were dangerous for uninitiated civilians. Not to mention that guardians themselves were extremely strong and heavily armed. One wrong move or any accident would naturally result in life threatening injury for those incapable of regeneration. Hence, Void understood that he too couldn''t carelessly interact with the public. Guardians were treated as heroes, and he had no intention of sullying that reputation. Void stepped inside the elevator as the doors closed behind him, his fingers moved to the touch screen and he selected the 300th floor. The elevator acted similar to a shuttle, ascending floors at neck breaking speeds, yet its gravity stabilized interior allowed the passengers to feel only a mild reaction force as it did. After all, for a massive mega structure, transportation between floors was essential, it had to be efficient. Otherwise, the tower would soon be left destitute as it wouldn''t manage the influx of trading supplies. Void felt a slight pull as the lift reached floor 300, the bell rang and the door slid open, revealing the vast courtyard of the tower. He stepped outside, as a gentle breeze brushed through the courtyard. The dark night sky shimmered with glistening stars, illuminating the tower. The traveler hung above the horizon, emanating a faint light, mesmerizing any that would lay eyes on it. It was like a jewel adorned above the destitute earth, a symbol of hope, a symbol of power, the presence of the traveler so close had enchanted Void, his eyes refused to budge, and he almost felt beckoned. Void strode across the courtyard, coming to a halt at the edge, as his hands caressed the cold metal railings, he felt reluctant to look away for but a single second. The traveler stood in all its glory, its pure white hull, resonating, as if humming a lullaby, cradling humanity in its embrace, protecting them from the dangers unseen. Of course, Void knew the dangers to come, to him this sight had a different meaning. It was a sight that brought closer imminent dangers, the guardians were destined to face dangers beyond imagination. He had forgotten what he came to do, but for a few minutes, Void remained at the railings, admiring the traveler as he heaved a sorrowful sigh. it was then that a sagely voice startled him. "Strange, very strange." He turned to look for the source, and then spotted a man clad in white hooded robes with a strange white mask standing behind him. Void was startled, precisely because he immediately recognized the man, albeit it was someone who had slipped from his memory. The spiritual leader of the guardians, the advisor to the vanguard, it was none other than the Speaker. "What is?" Void replied, turning away from the traveler. "When new guardians see the traveler, they yearn for its guidance, look towards it with expectations. But you, you look towards the traveler, as if reminiscing about your past, reuniting with an old friend. Strange isn''t it." The speaker responded. "Perhaps, it was an old friend from my past life." Void spoke with nostalgia. "Perhaps indeed." The speaker breathed in a deep sigh, as he turned away, looking to leave. "May the light be with you guardian." Void and Speaker had both connected slightly with the mention of a past life, but in contrast, Void meant his own life, while the Speaker considered him mentioning his life before he was risen. It was a strange coincidence, but for a moment the speaker was surprised by the answer he received. He now looked towards the new hunter with some expectations. After all, he could sense the greatness within many guardians, this one was no different. "Guardian, our appointment with the gun smith awaits, let''s not dally around." Obsidian reminded. "You''re right, lets continue our checklist before we leave." Void spoke, sneaking a final glance at the great machine, as he paced towards the gunsmith. A few minutes later, Void arrived at the gunsmith stall, as he spotted a spiked head exo expertly polishing an auto rifle. Naturally, he recognized the exo to be Banshee-44, precisely the gunsmith he''d been looking for. Banshee, distracted from Void''s arrival, looked slightly confused. "Can I help you hunter?" He questioned, putting aside the maintenance kit as he walked up to the counter. "I am looking for some new gear, Cayde sent me here, said I''d get a new set." Void responded. Banshee scanned Void from head to toe, as he contemplated a few things. Eventually he went back into his shop, rummaging around as he looked for a specific crate. Having found it, he carried the heavy package and placed it on the counter. "Any preferences?" He asked, opening up the safety locks on the weapon cache. Banshee began displaying the various goods he had kept stored in his various weapon caches, Void had to admit, the gear was far better than he expected. In fact, he expected to receive rare gear at best, but what Banshee had offered him were multiple legendary weapons. Of course, it was probably not something he could take at will, he would probably need to contribute something towards Banshee''s shop to request prime gear. At first, Void only wished to get standard gear that he could get used to. "Anything that packs a punch," Void replied. "A hunter that wants to pack a punch. I know exactly what you need." Banshee scrambled back into his shop, as he shuffled around a few caches. Ultimately, he pulled out a cache buried within a pile. This one seemed peculiar, as it had gathered a lot of dust sitting in his shop. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Banshee placed the cache on the counter, as he began to unlock it, which surprisingly required a few passcodes and more security protocols he had to bypass. The cache clicked open, and a glorious hand cannon was displayed in perfect condition. Void was instantly attracted to the revolver. An obsidian black frame, silver lined revolver, manually calibrated sights and a steel chrome barrel. "This is?" Void asked, unsure of whether he could take it. Banshee seemed to reminisce, as he recited what he recalled. "A friend''s, it was his favorite gun, he entrusted it to me.. I figured its best to leave the gun in new hands, better than catching dust and rotting in my shop." Banshee expertly removed the gun from the case, carefully as to not damage its body. He took a cloth and polished it one last time, cleaning out dust gathered inside. A few minutes of inspection later, he deemed it safe to use, and presented it to Void. Void took the gun in his palms, as he examined its weight, allowing his hands to familiarize themselves with it. Despite its slender appearance, the gun weighed a good few units, signifying its quality, the recoil would definitely take time to get used to, however the hand cannon was a must have in his arsenal, specially one of this quality. As Void examined the gun, he noticed a notification prompt in his menu, === Acquired: x1 True Prophecy" (Legendary) (Hand Cannon) === "True Prophecy" Void mumbled Void took out his previous Sidearm from the holster, placing it on the counter as he inserted the hand cannon in its place. "Anything else?" Banshee inquired. "A secondary, preferably an SMG" Void described his loadout to Banshee. Banshee booted up a nearby terminal as he filled in the requirement, searching his current inventory. Due to large amounts of firearms in his workshop, it was important that he register the weapons available in digital documents. Once he had searched a few available weapons, he authorized the shipment from his terminal, as a cache was shipped from the underground arsenal, towards his workshop. Since the tower used golden age transmat technology, it had taken less than a second for it to go through. Banshee grabbed the case from the transmat station, once again examining the gun inside as he presented it to Void. "This one''s an old piece, nothing too special. It''s great with handling, and a pretty stable shot. Currently, you''re not authorized for advanced protocol weapons, this is all I can offer you." Banshee explained. "That''s fine, as long as it''s smooth in operation, I will make it work." Void replied. He took the SMG from the carrying case, and received another notification. === Acquired: x1 Furina-2mg (Rare) (Sub-Machine Gun) === As Void was currently a newly risen hunter, he wasn''t authorized to obtain city certified heavy weaponry, it was certainly something he did not expect, but in hindsight, if every new guardian was allowed to own and operate all weapons, one could only imagine the havoc they could cause. The Vanguard had obviously restricted their use for logical reasons, one he could not deny. "If anything, I just need to prove myself to gain that authorization." He shrugged. Bidding farewell to the gunsmith, Void ultimately made his way to the Vanguard quarters. Of course, he could very well leave without informing anyone. But it would certainly leave a bad taste in his mouth. Specially since he''d been shown hospitality by the Vanguard, and also offered tasks if he so chooses. Void stood across the security grid as he waved his arm on the authorization panel, gaining entry. He walked into the Vanguard Office, expecting to see everyone, but as he entered, he was greeted by Zavala, who was still busy formatting and reviewing documents. Glancing at the hundreds of files open at Zavala''s console, he could only imagine the level of bureaucracy required to operate the last city on a daily basis. "You''re up early guardian. Exemplary attitude, but I feel that you''re here for something else." Zavala boisterously greeted as he chuckled. "Indeed Commander, I was hoping to receive some tasks within the Cosmodrome." Void replied, matching the energy. "Just Zavala is fine, there are no ranks among the guardians. We are all collectively working our best for the city." He replied, slightly upbeat. Zavala was pleasantly caught off guard. After all, here was a newly risen light, standing in front of him, asking for work. He had already constructed various scenarios in his mind about the unique heroic will of Void, and his burning desire to contribute to the city. One that had not even let him get a good night''s sleep. Of course, Zavala might have projected his own ideals, as he expected the rest to posses the same will to lead and protect. But why else would a new hunter want to immediately rush outside the safe city walls? In his mind, he was certain. Unbeknownst to him, Void was simply a greedy bastard for loot, wanting to scavenge the wasteland for enemies and glimmer, while gaining favor with the Vanguard. ~Indeed, hero''s come from the youth~ Zavala muttered, nodding his head "Zavala?" Void inquired, as he saw the Awoken titan in a daze. "Ah yes, where were we. Of course, the Vanguard is always in need of new blood guardian. In fact, I do have information regarding a few tasks in the cosmodrome vicinity. However, they might prove challenging given your expertise. Are you sure you''d like to volunteer?" Zavala questioned. It was not just a sincere warning, but also somewhat of a test. After all, many claimed to be heroes, but in the face of true danger, they could only fall back. A guardian with a weak will was someone Zavala disdained. "Not a problem, I can handle it." Void replied resolutely. Naturally, it wasn''t just blind confidence. Who else was more knowledgeable than him in the destiny world? He''d played through years of the same campaign, repeating missions, and grinding bounties. Void knew the cosmodrome like the back of his hand. "Excellent resolve guardian, I have transferred over the objectives and information to your ghost. The Vanguard will support you in anyway possible." Zavala replied overjoyed. ~As expected, indeed a hero in the making~ Zavala thought to himself as he chuckled. "Hmm, I''ve received the co-ordinates Void." Obsidian chimed in. "Well then, allow us to excuse ourselves Commander Zavala." Obsidian stated, planting itself above Void''s cloak. "Of course, all the best to you." Zavala replied, as he turned back to his work. Void walked towards the Hangar to receive a ship, but as he did a new prompt showed. ============================= {Reputation} Command Zavala: +10 /100 (Blooming Expectations) The Vanguard: +5 /300 (Acquainted) ============================= "I gained reputation?" Void questioned. This system was naturally alien to him in this format. "Perhaps, its similar to the guardian rank for each faction" He thought. As one would play destiny, completing bounties and quests for the any faction, would earn reputation points, that he would then use to redeem rewards and resources. Was it possible to do something similar with this system? Void wasn''t sure, but it was best to leave tinkering with the system for later. Void paced around the hangar, as he examined the docked jump ships. But one caught his eye as the transponder was linked to Obsidian. "This is?" "It seems that Amanda has assigned us this ship to use while she works on fixing the last one. I have to admit Void, it wasn''t exactly in great condition." Obsidian giggled. "Time to take off then." Void triggered the transmat system as he warped into the ship''s captain quarters. A jump ship didn''t actually come with a lot of wiggle room. These ships were largely intended for short distance, hyper-speed travel. Allowing fast and efficient travel for one individual. Naturally, the cockpit was designed to only house 1 pilot and no one else. In fact, the ship was only as big as the pilot''s cockpit. The only way in and out of the ship was the transmat system, otherwise one couldn''t even access it properly. Thankfully, the transmat technology had long since been mastered in the golden age. It was practically a household name even in wasteland earth. "Obsidian, set course for Cosmodrome, The Steppes and take off. Also, upload the available maps to my feed." "Right away guardian." The ship began to rustle as the jet engine came alive, immediately the sonic engine picked up speed as it ripped through the clouds, venturing thousands of kilometers into the Russian Cosmodrome. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrolling Steppes The ship thrusters spluttered alive, as it blasted into the atmosphere, nearing supersonic speeds as the sonic bracers were triggered, the ship barely stopping before its hull grazed the grassy wastelands of the Steppes. Void triggered the transmat as he and obsidian warped out. The Jumpship''s autopilot queued as it returned to a geostationary orbit above the atmosphere, in it''s last landing location. A sure-fire way to immediately call upon transport when needed by guardians. Void scanned the area around him, after making sure he was safe and alone, he equipped his primary weapons and stowed the rest within arms reach. "Obsidian, begin Vanguard Protocol, Patrol " Void commanded. The Vanguard would often assign tasks to guardians. However, in recent years, the tasks were simply grouped together and issued to the common guardian channel, after which, their ghosts could trigger protocols to request or begin activities suitable to them at the time. This ensured no guardian would be out of their league, and all tasks were efficiently completed. In times of crisis, this channel also served as emergency communications and reinforcements. Each area had its own channel, which is why any guardian stationed in the Cosmodrome could at any time request a task by triggering protocols. Naturally, it was implemented to conserve the data transferred to guardians while they were outside the city. Void had already been briefed by obsidian for standard encryption methods. If the fallen were to hack into their comms system, it would spell the Last City''s failure to protect its data. An outcome no guardian wanted. Hence, only protocols were given out, the Last City''s defenses were not yet at the level of the one''s in-game. "Patrol issued guardian. A group of fallen scavengers breached the Divide, fallen squads seem to be interested in resources still hidden away within the Steppes. Vanguard requires we repel them and ensure maximum retaliation." Obsidian reported the mission. Void''s itinerary and HUD were updated as his radar was tuned to the objective. A single white dot appeared marking the search area. "Affirmative, let''s go, camouflage yourself and stick close obsidian." Void responded as he leapt in motion. Void could naturally use a sparrow, but there were quite a few reasons he hadn''t brought one. His current objective was to train his physical abilities, which required extraneous activity, a sparrow would only serve to hinder his training. As such, Void prowled the decayed grasslands of the Steppes, deftly sprinting between grass mounds, unseen. As a void hunter, he could limit his presence in an area, coupled with his superhuman speed and agility, spotting Void was simply asking to look for a needle in a haystack. Possible, but extremely tedious and requiring great precision. Void rushed through abandoned bunkers and buildings as he spotted a few rusted power poles. He gripped the metal stands at its side, swiftly climbing to the top. Void surveyed the Steppes like a hawk, his eyes darting around looking for prey. Of course, his radar blinked showing him the survey spot. But what was the use of being a hunter, if he couldn''t utilize his powers outside the system. Void had an inkling the system wasn''t absolute. After all, after first stumbling upon the golden age vault and clearing it, the system rewarded him for a "secret" mission. Which meant it was possible to earn rewards for things not mentioned as long as they were remarkable feats. The system wasn''t a crutch he had to rely on. Rather it was a guideline, one that he could use to learn the ways of this world. Void was no fool, he had picked up on this detail far earlier. Intending to level up his agility to unlock new perks manually. A few minutes had passed and Void had picked up slight a slight rumbling, a harsh scent spread in the atmosphere, crude fuel. Or as the fallen called it, ether. An overpowering scent that indicated the fallen party were close. Possibly on multiple pikes to output this much ether waste into the atmosphere. Void chose an abandoned building nearby, as he cloaked himself, hiding within its eroded steel beams, spying on the party. The fallen dregs were accompanied by one captain. It was perhaps the first time Void had encountered a high level combatant from the enemy side. Sure enough as he observed him, a red sword appeared on the enemies health bar, establishing his danger level. "Obsidian, scan the perimeter, mark all the enemies on the radar." Void whispered. Obsidians blue eye glowed slight erratically as a peripheral ray silently emanated throughout. Ten small red dots and a red blight appeared in Voids map. Void examined his radar, and as such he was sure of his judgement, there were only 11 odd enemies in this raiding party. From his experience, it was actually a larger amount. Usually falling raiding parties were accompanied by skiff''s that would assist their troops by arial reinforcements. However, the Vanguards attempt at controlling satellite arrays and patrolling guardians probably dissuaded the fallen from trying extreme measures. In that scenario a guerilla raiding party was perhaps their best bet. Void curled his fingers as a revolver appeared within his grip. He waited with baited breaths as the fallen team scavenged the surroundings. His objective was crystal clear, assassinate a clump of dregs and try to isolate the captain. Unless he could achieve this objective, more likely than not the captain would emerge victorious aided by his officers. Void knew better than to take a huge risk. A hunter was calculated and precise. Not daring and bold, that job was better left to his titan brothers. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Void clutched his left hand as he bundled up an orb of void energy, it circulated within his palms, as unstable energy. The fallen party was close, perhaps only five meters away. Their dregs hounded every nook and cranny for a single scrap piece of metal. Void remained hidden, as he overheard slight chatter and pincers, the fallen prowled the ruined building, unaware of the danger hidden above. Void glimpsed through the cracked concrete pillars, a clump of dregs had gathered as they struggled to rip apart a piece of rusted steel. They growled and struggled, but unbeknownst to them, Void had immediately sprang into action. With a strong leap, he immediately crossed several meters, like a vulture as he dropped from above, his left hand tossed the void grenade below. Immediate panic ensued, but before their reflexes could save them, the void grenade burst explosively, annihilating the dregs. There wasn''t a single second to waste, Void slammed towards the ground, as he ripped a dreg limb from limb, leaving it squealing in pain, alerting the captain. Within a fraction of a second, Void''s body jerked away, as he broke line of sight, the tall grass camouflaged him, his figure turning a shade of purple. He bolted towards the remaining dregs, clutching his revolver, a blur as he leapt past the captain, six bullets rang out from his barrel, each leaving a clean hole within their skull. Void''s body hung in midair, as the momentum finally dropped him to the ground, he slid across the wet grass, his legs braking his fall. It was far too quick for the naked eye to see, an expertly initiated encounter, Void balanced on all fours as he stabilized from the fall. The captain made sense of what had occurred, his double iris darted around only to meet the gaze of one who stared back a deathly glare. Their eyes met, as predator met prey. The fallen captain, enraged at the sudden encounter, feeling belittled by Void''s gaze he growled as his mechanical mask exhumed white fumes. The presence of a fallen captain, was far heavier than Void expected. They were simply a machine, extremely strong, with four versatile arms, exceptional weaponry and of course the final addition. He scanned his opponent as a familiar azure aura coated the captain''s figure. "Arc shields." Void spoke amused. "Tell me, thief, did you find what you''re looking for?" Void taunted, his hands sneakily reloading his gun. A rattled enemy was simply a raging bull, one that you could run circles around. Void had no intention of making it a fair fight. If he had to play dirty? So be it. Somehow the words had hit a nerve, the captain growled, now furious. He sauntered towards Void, gripping his solar rifle that burned with energy. "Krrrrr, thief? I am no thief, it is you, who has stolen the great machine from us krrr." The Captain barked while his pincers rattled. The captain and Void stared down, their blood pumping. Both were ready to gun the other down. The Fallen captain lost his cool, beginning to see red, he charged at void, gun drawn as bullets sprayed. Void reacted instantaneously, thrusting his fist into the ground as a cloud of void smoke blew across the field, slightly concussing the captain. He immediately emptied his revolver into the captains chest, alas the elite fallen armor and arc shield had softened their impact, only slightly damaging the humanoid who screamed in rage. The captain''s arms flailed as he threw away his solar rifle, reaching towards his back. His two primary arms now supported gilded sabers, empowered by arc energy. Void alerted at the captain''s actions was cautious, his left hand deftly gripped a brittle dagger tucked away near his thigh. The two rushed at each other, the captain in a fury swung his sabers, a frenzy of blows ensued. Void dodged each slash, a maniacal dance, as he weaved in and out of the captains range. Ensuring to unload his hand cannon into the humanoid''s skull. Void skillfully played with the captain, barely grazing the blades edge as he unsheathed his hive dagger. The captain rushed in once again, unleashing a decapitating blow, but just before it could connect, Void dodged briskly, rolling under the captains legs, plunging his dagger into the inner thigh. The Captain roared barely feeling the pain, but soon a hint of fear emerged in his eyes. The hive poison penetrated his body, and it began to eat away at his strength. He felt a cold shiver down his spine, his infallible armor could not save him from a deep infection. Void noticed this condition immediately as he jumped away from the captain, leaving the commander to shrivel in pain as he tried to fight it off. Void wasted no time, the moment he created distance, he channeled all his void energy into his arms. Utilizing the remaining power, leaping into the air as he arced his body, drawing a void bow. The captain winced in horror as a shadow shot descended unto him, erupting with void energy, ending his life. The surrounding ground was marred with void singe, charred pitch black, no remains of the fallen commander in sight. Void stumbled off the ground, as he walked where the commander stood. Searching for his dagger. He found it dug into the ground, but as he yanked it out, the hive blade crumbled into pieces, eroding away into the air. Void frowned, as he chucked away the fibre handle. Instead summoning his ghost. "Obsidian, log the patrol. Task completed, no casualties. Fallen raiding party wiped. Report back to command and prepare for next task." he sighed. Void grieved the loss of a dagger, but he slightly rejoiced as a system notification popped up. === ????Attention???? *User has killed a unique challenging combatant. Type: +Fallen: 1/? Rewards: +3000 xp, ++ Sub-Class xp === Void nodded satisfied with his rewards as he opened up the status screen. ==== {Legendary Guardian System} Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 3 Light Level: 7 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 3/10 (*Perk Unlocked) Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) >Primary: True Prophecy (Legendary): 10LL ] Armor: (Helmet) > War Mantis(Rare): 5 LL >Secondary: Furina-2mg (Rare): 8LL ] Armor:(Gauntlets) >Shadow Specter (Rare): 5 LL > Heavy: None ] Armor:(Chest)> War Mantis (Rare): 5 LL > Ghost Lv1 ] Armor:(Boots)>Scorched Hunter Strides(Rare) 5LL ] Armor:(Cloak)> A Cloak Called Home (Legendary) 8LL * = 4% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies Combat Perks: (3 Unlocked) ~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight. ~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy. ~Acrobats Dodge *: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries. === Void grinned as he examined his status screen. As in the encounter with the captain, he had managed to perform a skilful dodge, he unlocked a dodging perk. This proved that while the system guided him, it was essentially a display of his current skills. He did not need the system, rather it was but an indication of his own progress. This had immediately improved his mood. Void continued planning new ways to unlock different abilities, and creative ways he could use the light to form new skills never before seen. "Void, I''ve received a new mission. Vanguard has issued patrol near the Divide. Two fallen skiffs were spotted hovering near the the area. Objective is to asses the situation and report back." Void shut off the system as he registered what Obsidian had said. "Look''s like the hunter life catching up with us Obsidian. From one job to another, no breaks it is." Void ensured all his weapons were loaded, as he set off to a new mission. Regal Hunt [2 months later, The Divide] A maroon sky, stained red by the drowning sun. Veiled, beneath a sea of clouds, traces of rain gathered. The scorched wilderness of the Cosmodrome lulled as the soft pitter patter of rain quenched it''s withered soil. A culmination of storm clouds brewed above the horizon, a down pour of rain eroded the dry turf, forming small gullies as the water rushed through them. This sudden influx of water overflowed the dams, water gushed forth from the divide''s barrier, flooding the nearby river streams, small sewer channels exposed themselves to drain out the excess water. One such hidden canal had been revealed, as the soil around it dissolved. The turbulent storm roared, the flooding the steppes beyond recognition, rocky valleys and hillsides had long drowned, in perhaps the worst flood to come in Cosmodrome history. However, this peculiar sewer canal, let in no water, and remained sealed. The meter wide seal on the sewer''s entrance, now exposed to the harsh weather had come undone. A singular man came into view. Despite the cascading rain and squall of winds, he pushed on to the pipe. Scowling as he approached, treading high water as it almost reached his knees. The man appeared to be searching for something. Or perhaps, someone. He scoured the flooded plains, his hand gripped on to the hems of the concrete canal. He yanked himself out of the stalling water, crouching inside the channel as he observed. The channel seemed blocked, but despite that, a faint trail of white ether lingered off inside. He seemed to have spotted the minute droplets of ether, evaporating into thin air as the wind carried them away. He prowled the channel, the smell overpowered his senses, but the man was determined. His will drove him further along the pipe. Until a large mound of dirt appeared to be covering the pipe''s exit. The man clawed out the dirt, only for his hands to hit a sturdy metal blockade, that was two meters high.. He did not hesitate as he swiftly pulled out his weapon from the side holster. Using the impact of the bullets to dent the gate at its hinges. Which he then easily ripped from its edges, revealing an opening in the Sewer to delve deeper. The man hopped inside the narrow hallway, the trail of effervescent ether leading him deeper. He placed his steps carefully, navigating the long winding tunnel in the sewers. At first glance the sewer tunnel seemed empty, but there were subtle traces of ether, smeared across some walls, the trail dragging along to underground cave systems that had long deteriorated since humanities golden age collapse. All that remained were rusted walls, and corroded railings that allowed a nimble acrobat to expertly clear the obstacles. The man was tracking a peculiar task, one that he had received, he stalked his prey to these tunnels, the ether traces more than confirmed it. As for how his target had found refuge here? He did not know, neither did he care. He crept along the narrow sidewalk within the sewer network, careful to not alert anyone to his presence. Sneakily moving through the tunnels, where not even a glimpse of light could reach. The man moved deftly, not a single step made any sound. He lurked within the tunnels, following the discontinued ether trails, till he came upon a single rusted metal door. The door seemed mundane, likely a control room, perhaps an old radio shack for the sewer. But the man was not interested, rather what drew his gaze was the marred handle, covered in blue ether fluid. The viscous liquid dripped from the door handle, a larger puddle gathering inside the room. He crept closer to the door, drawing his weapon. With bated breaths, the man flung open the door, immediately aiming his revolver as he surveyed the surroundings, flicking his sights left and right, but no figure or presence could be spotted. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. What he instead revealed, was a small dark crevice of a once operational room, filled to the brim with rotted supplies and old power lines. Yet his instincts screamed, as he stepped inside. Perhaps it was fate, that he pushed in the boxes, and they crumbled, likely stacked as a false wall. His eyes scanned the secret hole, his whole body tensed at discovering the hoax stack. The man aimed his revolver, its meagre dim laser sights barely illuminating nooks and crannies of the room. Somehow, a small droplet splattered along the barrel of his gun. He recognized the azure hue of the fluid, as his eyes traced it to the ceiling. He looked up. A smirk planted across his face. "Found you." He whispered in a gravely voice. His target breathed heavily, clutching on to the bricked roof, perhaps praying to not be seen. Yet when he heard those words, the color drained from his face. After what seemed to be an eternity for the victim, two gunshots echoed, the muzzle flash illuminating the room to reveal the injured eliksni panting on the floor, fainting as he gasped for ether. (A/N: If you haven''t caught on till now. Eliksni or alternatively called Fallen, don''t breathe Oxygen, instead they breathe Ether. It''s not just used for breathing, but has various uses and is utilized in almost everything they do.) "Target neutralized. Obsidian, log the report, relay back the progress, and if you can, jump start the power grid in the Sewers." The man stated as his ghost appeared. ---- [Underground room, Sewers] The light flickered, as it buzzed, current surging through it. Void leaned against the wall as he waited, his target, a supposed Eliksni royal lay incapacitated in the center of the room. Void was tasked with eliminating the fugitive Eliksni, and preventing him from regrouping with loyalists within the Devil''s Lair. Fortunately, today''s storm had played a big part in preventing aerial extractions. Rather, the flooding had caused the injured target to hide away in the sewers. As fate would have it, Void stumbled upon the ether trail and traced it back to the sewer canals. In fact, Void himself couldn''t believe he found the target. This task had been assigned to him a month prior. Naturally, he had been tracking and tracing the target for weeks. Even going as far as to participate in small skirmishes to dwindle out the number of guards. Void glanced out to the sewer canal, he observed the water still rushing in. The flooding hadn''t stopped, prompting the guardian to keep the injured prisoner here. Void wished to take no risks, it was likely that the loyalists faction were already scouring the Devil''s Lair awaiting their esteemed guest. As Void contemplated his thoughts, the Eliksni''s body jolted awake. Void met his gaze as the Fallen cretin yelped, gasping as he coughed. Void immediately pointed his gun at the Eliksni''s forehead. "One wrong move, and your body will rot in this tunnel for decades." The Eliksni breathed heavily, his face aghast, turning numb at the sight of the barrel. He barely took deep breaths, leaking fluid dripped from his mask as he exhaled. The Eliksni grinded his pincers, showing resilience, a useless gesture. Void planted a fist in his abdomen, forcing the Eliksni to wince in pain. The previous gunshots had fatally injured him. Void shuffled his pockets, pulling out a small canister filled with a strange concoction. "What do you know about corrupted ether?" Void barked holding the container. But despite his repeated questions, no answer came. Until the Eliksni laughed, clutching his chest. A broken respirator and bleeding wounds forced the fallen an inch away from death. Barely grasping his breath, the Eliksni mustered some words. "You.... Machine spawn are all.... the same." He chuckled. (A/N: Common insult for the Lightbearer/ guardians because Fallen consider the traveler the great machine.) "Fifty tons of corrupted ether was transported to the devil''s lair through lunar orbital channels. I will spare your life if you tell me. An Eliksni noble like yourself must know." Void urged. "...Spare...me? You...jest. Do you know who I am? Know what you''ve done? You will....be hunted. Day and night, they will stop at nothing to have your head. I....am Fikrul, Kell spawn. Rightful heir to the House of Devils." The Eliksni royal sneered gasping for his last breaths, he rummaged around his chest, revealing a blinking tracker implanted within his grip. Void''s face tightened, fury etched into his brows. "Time....is up. Machine..... scum." Fikrul sniggered Seething with rage Void disregarded his words, immediately unloading his revolver in Fikrul''s face, leaving a gaping hole through his respirator. The gunshots echoed as the Eliksni''s body slumped to the ground. But all was not over. Obsidian hurriedly appeared back into the room, anxious. "Void, I am picking up a large fallen transmat. They''re heading towards us. We need to leave." Obsidian spoke distressed. Void turned to grab the body but immediately Obsidian''s tracker blinked again. "This can''t be....Incoming fallen mercenaries, they''ve found us. We need to run... NOW." Obsidian urged void. Voids heart sunk at the alert. He immediately left the body and yanked away the tracker, crushing it in his palm as he bolted towards the exit. Fearing he would be ambushed, Void instantly triggered his full speed, darting back to the Steppes within seconds, leaving Fikrul''s body. Unbeknownst to him, a Fallen transmat triggered near the sewers as multiple squad captains rushed in the tunnels. They followed the ether trail left behind, coming upon Fikrul, or whatever remained of him. One Eliksni warrior, distraught at this outcome dropped to his knees, his hands clutching Fikrul''s corpse. "My prince...How could this be." He grieved, staying by the corpse. His hands examined the killing blow, tears rolling down his face. His trigonal eyes picked up faint traces of void energy that had singed the old halls of the tunnels. The Eliksni captain immediately understood what happened, he could only scream as anger boiled up. Sheer fury bottled within him Only one phrase rolled of his tongue. "My Prince, House of Devils....will avenge you." Regal Hunt (2) The captain grieved, caressing Fikrul''s lifeless corpse, he clutched onto it, sitting in silence as he lowered his head. "Find out, who did it" He growled. The nearby Eliksni captains were fast to act, a fallen vandal paced into the sewers, with a modular tool in his grip, he punched in keys and buttons, as he examined the prince''s corpse. Sensing the void light seeping through the wounds, the archon had tuned the modular sensor to the light''s frequency. An insect like chatter echoed in the tunnels as the archon presented his findings, "Commander, I found him. He is close, still running". The archon presented his scanner, slight arc rays jolted at the tip of the sensors. The Eliksni captain was furious as he yanked away the scanner, he studied it as he spotted a pulsing blip on the grid, rapid moving further away from his location. He roared, clutching his fists, "The coward machine spawn scurries, like a rat. Rahn, Varjis, bring me his head." Two of the four captains rushed outside, in the raging storm. Their ships couldn''t penetrate below the stratosphere, the turbulent clouds had stopped any chance of aerial support. However, the same was true....for Void. -------------------------------------------- A torrential rain continuously poured in the steppes, drenching Void as he tried to sprint. The rocky canyons of the divide had deformed to mounds of mud. He struggled to stride along, the slippery terrain had thwarted his plans of escape. Void lunged with all his strength, trying his best to create distance between him and the sewers, but as he ran, his fears came true. Obsidian appeared nudging a radar in front of him, "Void, it''s bad. Two fallen radars rapidly closing in on us." He spoke. Void''s efforts didn''t stop, he used his skills, to hurl himself through the hills as he blitzed through the steppes at blinding speeds. Void scanned his radar, seeing two red blights not too far behind. In an instant he recognized the pattern, "They''re using pikes to close in on us. Obsidian, rendezvous with jumpship, start the transmat." Obsidian''s eye flashed blue as he stressed, "It''s not working, the storm''s cutting out my signals. The ships navigation system can''t be contacted." Void''s face tightened at the words, he glanced at his radar, "Obsidian, estimated trajectory for interception" "Five minutes, Fallen seem to be moving closer to us by the second. They must be tracking our location. But their energy signatures, it''s off the charts". Obsidian warned. Void frowned, the only reason they had shown up as blights on his radar, was because their energy far exceeded his. He turned to his last resort, "Contact Zavala on the open channel, Vanguard protocol compromised, requesting immediate assistance." "An open channel will expose our location to all local satellite arrays, anyone in the cosmodrome will track us in real time." Obsidian argued. "We have no other choice." Void said, gritting his teeth as he continued to sprint through the Steppes valley. Obsidian understood as his eyes blinked, sending a communication request across the cosmodrome. As he did, Void spotted a new notification that had popped up from his system. === {Legendary Guardian System} ??Rahn, Devil Captain Lv 40. Pursues you! ??Varjis, Cleaver Headed Lv 40. Pursues you! New Mission: Survival of the Fittest! Objectives: Survive the onslaught from House of Devils Rewards: +++ Xp, System Level 2 Unlocked, +100 Global Renown Remarks: Good luck bub ?? === Void laughed at his own misery, "Both of them are Level 40, I''m basically facing two mini-bosses by myself." He thought to himself. Void glanced at his own level in the status screen, === {Legendary Guardian System} Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 20 Light Level: 30 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 8/10 Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) [Weapons]: Primary: True Prophecy *(Legend Hand Cannon) (30 LL) Secondary: Furina-2mg (Rare SMG) (30 LL) Heavy: Reginar-B (Rare Rocket Launcher) (30 LL) [Gear]: Helmet: Clutch Extol Mask (30 LL) Grips: Road Complex AA1 (28 LL) Chest: Frumious Vest (28 LL) Strides: Cinder Pinion Strides (26 LL) Class Item: Photoseude Cloak (27 LL) * = 6% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Combat Perks: (6 Unlocked) ~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight. ~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy. ~Acrobats Dodge *: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries. ~Advanced Agility: You move fast guardian! ~Triple Jump: Jump twice in the air using an intermediate mastery of light. ~Gilded Blade: Your melee attacks have a chance to trigger Void singe on champion enemies, === Void despaired slightly, "If it was only one captain, I could have done it." He mumbled. Facing two level 40 Fallen Captains alone was suicide, the terrain was to his disadvantage, plus his natural advantage of stealth had been stripped away. The enemy, was now fully aware of his location due to an open channel broadcast. Mere seconds later, his radio buzzed as Zavala answered, "Void, Zavala speaking, what is your current status, report." He said. "Mission status compromised, House of Devils has sent their captains after me. I''m currently being pursued into the steppes as we speak, requesting immediate assistance. Aerial extraction is not available." Void hurried replied. Void waited with bated breaths, the radio silence took over as the transponder buzzed. He did not have much time as the radar blinked, the two fallen captains had almost closed over. Despite him running at full speed for a few minutes, the captains had somehow caught up. Zavala stood stunned in his office, trying to judge the best course of action, his fingers traced along the screen as he saw satellite images depicting closed orbital channels, overflowing water canals and flooded trails. His eyes darted, trying to look around for solutions, but after awhile he hesitantly reached for his transponder. Zavala exhaled a helpless sigh as he responded on a different channel, "Calling all Vanguard operatives, this is commander Zavala, Vanguard Protocol Mayday, access code 339281, public channel is open. I''ve sent you all current coordinates of a compromised Vanguard hunter, we require immediate assistance in extraction." Zavala gently put down his transponder, hoping that someone would reply. Void had evidently gotten the distress call by Zavala as he too was included in the Vanguard public channel. But he could only cast a forlorn look. How could he not? After all, if Zavala had put out the mayday request on the public channel, it could only be a last ditch effort to try and gather some help. In conclusion, the Vanguard could not help him now. If anything, he hadn''t expected it either, the journey from the tower to the cosmodrome would take hours, but the storm still raged on. Void dismayed, as he clutched his revolver. "Obsidian, estimate trajectory." "Current trajectory, 1 minute." Void squinted as he could vaguely make out two pikes blasting at full speed closing in on him. "Obsidian, camouflage yourself. Hide somewhere else, It will be a last stand. If you make it out, you might just be able to revive me." Void grabbed Obsidian''s shell as he directed him towards the wet grasslands. Obsidian tried to resist, but he knew it was the only way to succeed. If the fallen captains were to find him, he would surely be destroyed. Standing alone in the trail, he resolved himself as the captain''s chased closer. Void brought his wrist closer as he whispered, "Callsign Void, preparing to engage the enemy for a final stand. Over and out." He turned off his mic, and the channel transmitted static as no response came. Zavala heard the last transmission, he was stunned as he woefully closed his eyes, slamming the table. He couldn''t bear to look at his transponder as he turned away, hanging his head in shame. Void spotted the approaching pikes, as he deftly shot a few rounds into its engines. The bullets barely grazed the captains as the arc over shield absorbed them mid-trajectory. Rahn and Varjis drifted the pikes to the side, the two Eliksni Captains leapt off as they began creeping closer. Void didn''t waste any time as he began firing premature rounds in their arc shields. Although it didn''t even graze their armor, he could see a smidge of the shield being depleted at every shot. The Fallen captains shrugged off the shots as they approached. Void scanned them over, they seemed terrifying, muscular humanoids, seven foot tall, donned in pristine armor equipped with scorch cannons stowed to the side. A mechanical growl startled Void as Rahn barked, "Machine spawn, your bullets do not graze us. Today, you will be slaughtered like you slaughtered our people." The Eliksni grabbed his scorch cannon, hurling it over his shoulder as energy gathered in its core. Varjis observed the situation as he stepped up, "I will go in, you cover me from here" He commanded. Varjis unsheathed his shock sabers, overflowing with arc energy as he pounced on Void. The Eliksni and the hunter were immediately entangled between a frenzy of blows, Varjis rapidly swung his sword as Void precisely dodged each slash by the skin of his teeth. Varjis was a sly foe, each blow was angled in a way to introduce flaws in Void''s movement, the hunter was jammed between a scorch cannon and an arc sword. With no way to run, Void was risking it all with each blow. He fired multiple rounds into the Captain''s chest, but each only amounted to insignificant damage as it chipped away the arc shield. Rahn had not stood idly, scorch projectiles were launched at every step, Void was forced to dodge as he parried each swing, depleting the guardians stamina. Finally as Void emptied his magazine on Varjis, the arc shield broke off, leaving the captain vulnerable. He immediately gripped his smg, rapidly planting lead into the Eliksni. Varjis howled, feeling the bullets chip away at his armor, he lunged towards Void, aiming to decapitate with a single swipe. Void briskly slipped under the edge of the blade, a dagger formed in his palms as he deftly planted it into the Eliksni''s thigh. Varjis felt his flesh singe, as he went into a blind rage, flinging his fist at Void who gambled with a risky dodge, but failed to read the tempo of the battle as a scorch shot hit Void straight in the chest, the momentum blasted the hunter into the ground. Void coughed the burning embers lingered on his body as Rahn moved in closer. Sensing another scorch shot coming, Void threw a smoke bomb, as he jumped into the air. He used his remaining light to fully charge his shadowshot as a void quiver appeared in his arms. The light arrow struck Rahn with full force, breaking the cannon on impact as energy exploded violently. Varjis had used his arc sabres to counteract some explosive force as he remained relatively unscathed. Void panted, having consumed his super. Without obsidian, his light would only recharge at a snails pace. As such the hunter was left helpless as he sprawled on the ground. The two fallen captains inched closer, Varjis jolted his sword, ready to strike at a moments notice, as Voids wrists buzzed. "This is callsign Tevis, target in sight, permission to engage Vanguard operative." Zavala who stood dejected in his voice, rushed back to his desk as he grabbed his transponder, "Tevis, this is commander Zavala, permission granted, I have connected you to operative channels." Zavala expertly connected their comms, a new message resounded from Void''s communicator. "Guardian, can you move?" Tevis asked Void scrambled off the ground as he spotted Varjis creeping closer with blade in hand. He clutched his chest, still feeling the cannons blow. Void barely uttered, "Yeah, but if you don''t hurry up, I might not." " I am sorry, but this is gonna hurt." The communicator buzzed as static took over. "What, what are you saying." Void spoke hurriedly as he slowly crawled further away. Varjis clutched his sword, seeing Void desperately speaking into his comms system, he laughed. The Eliksni almost jumped, ready to swipe his blade as he felt a chill run down his spine. He looked towards the sky, a cataclysmic shadowshot tore through the air as it descended. Void recognized the super, as he understood what the message meant, he clenched his jaw. The ballistic arrow plunged into the ground, light erupted as it consumed everything in its path. Not a sliver of flesh was left unsinged, void light tore through every living cell within a 50-meter radius. A riveting explosion consumed the area, as the light dissipated, leaving a deep crater on impact. The Fallen captains remained nowhere to be seen, consumed entirely, a lone arc sabre marked Varjis''s grave. Void had also been consumed within the explosion, or at least his body could no longer maintain it''s initial structure, crumbling against the shadowshot''s corrosive properties. Sensing the enemies defeated, Obsidian rushed from nearby as his blue rays scanned the surrounding, looking for Void. The ghost''s body spiralled into a blue orb as he found it, slowly light formed, as a new body for Void was created, breathing life into the dead hunter. Void sprang to life, as he took a sudden breath, immediately looking to the sky, expecting an attack. "Void, we''ve done it, you survived." Obsidian rejoiced, as he managed to revive his guardian. Void was unnerved, still feeling some residual pain from the last super as his senses came back to him, "Yeah I guess we did." === Survival of the fittest (1/1) +Mission Complete === A lone Nightstalker watched from among the mountains as he observed with a keen eye, his hands reached his ears, "Call sign Tevis, rescue is successful. Vanguard operative secured, over and out." Herald of Change =================== Survival of the fittest (1/1) +Mission Complete =================== Void stared at the popup as he realized he''d succeeded. Despite dying once, as long as he wasn''t permanently destroyed it would count as survival. However a peculiar sight followed, as the system window began to transform. ----------------------------------- {Legendary Guardian System Lv2} ~New functionality unlocked~ Eyes of Mercurio: Your sight peers through the unseen, allowing you to understand the strength of those around you. +100 Global (Earth Renown): The Fallen are vaguely aware of your identity, your light signature fades from their radars after death! ~Reputation~ *House of Devils(-100): 100/500 (Bounty Target) * Vanguard(+100): 105/300 (Trustworthy) *Commander Zavala(+100): 110/100 !!! (Promising Light) ----------------------------------- Void''s eyes were glued to the reputation as he realized the consequences of surviving a Fallen hunt. Whether he liked it or not, he would likely be hunted within the cosmodrome and devil''s lair. As for the Vanguard, Void''s eyes shined brightly, "Trustworthy".....He muttered. It was true that the months Void had worked under the Vanguard had not been limited to rudimentary tasks, the proof lay in the humongous tracking quest he had somehow finished now. But gaining reputation was far slower than he expected. Even after he finished his obligated tasks, the reputation did not increase, in fact, during this time, it had not budged a decimal. Yet after completing a challenging task, his gains shot up. It seemed obvious what the system tried to represent as reputation. It was not built on collective completion like the game he recalled. Instead it was far likely based on achievements, real achievements. Returning alive from a bounty hunt against an Eliksni Royal was far beyond his league, even if he took into account the desperate distress call, had he not managed to track down and kill the royal? Granted he would not have made it out alive without external help, but the completion of the task was not to be questioned. His eyes drifted towards Zavala''s reputation, it was weird to somehow see his reputation exceed the maximum limit. "Perhaps, I can move on to the next tier?" He thought. Void was not yet familiar with increasing reputation so drastically, hence he moved on, choosing to focus on the intriguing part of the popup. He had intentionally saved the system level up for last, his eyes darted between the words as he impatiently fussed to read. Void felt a twinge in his temple, almost as if something had forcibly been implanted within his body. Yet this sensation was not the end. A sudden loss of focus and extreme dizziness took effect, Void''s consciousness almost faded as he stumbled back on this knees, barely keeping from sprawling over the destroyed crater. The pain spread to his iris, and a hot burning fever built beneath his eyelids. Void could not even bring himself to scream, his body had been incapable of categorizing the pain. He shuddered, and Obsidian panicked. "Void, what''s happening!" Obsidian was completely shaken. Through his connection he could feel Void''s vitals, and yet it felt odd, almost as if he was barely on the threshold between life and death. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Yet no matter how much light Obsidian channelled into Void''s body, the threshold refused to budge. It was a power beyond the ghost''s understanding. A mere few seconds later, Void''s eyes had gone from burning to seeing in patches of black and blue, his vision blurred as his body slowly recovered. Void''s mind expanded, his thoughts went into a disarray as all his senses.....faded. He could faintly hear a frightened cry, he knew it was Obsidian, but Void could not physically respond. It took Void a few breaths to gather his calm and regain control over his body as he weakly responded, "It''s fine Obsidian, it''s all....fine." Void uttered breathlessly. His hands shivered as he abruptly opened his eyes. Void felt an indescribable amount of information rush to his head, almost as if he could see through the very fabric of existence. His eyes now a shade of pale purple, darted around, but soon he relaxed, realizing that the system had somehow "upgraded" his senses. Void once again read through the list, trying to understand what he had gained... ------ {Legendary Guardian System Lv2} ~New functionality unlocked~ Eyes of Mercurio: Your sight peers through the unseen, allowing you to understand the strength of those around you. ----- His lips parted as he comprehended the meaning of his new power. Eyes of Mercurio... if Void had understood it correctly, this new functionality....it would improve his insight twofold...No! At least three fold! Void had the painful realization that in the real world, accurately predicting the opponents strength was difficult. Sure he could vaguely see their level, but levels did not ultimately decide victory, in fact it was the stats! As such he wholeheartedly appreciated the Eyes of Mercurio, the only thing left was to test it out. However, considering he was the only guardian around, Void instead looked to Obsidian, his pupils deftly focusing on the ghost''s black chasse. Obsidian felt slightly uneasy as he faced the stare, unable to understand why his guardian felt...different. "Void?" The ghost hesitantly asked. Void spotted a strange thread.... a very faint thread of light connected to his ghost. He immediately guessed it was the Traveler''s power. After all, ghosts were one way or the other still connected to the Traveler. Void had affirmed the power of his eyes, as a thread he had previously never seen, was now visible. After confirming his doubts he hurriedly waved his hand, pretending to be in a daze. "Nothing... just getting myself together." The nimble hunter swiftly got back on his legs, he glanced towards the sky, internally thanking whoever had saved him. His eyes then set on the shock sabre, but just as he was about to inch closer, his new enhanced sense warned him of an approaching mass of... energy. It was strange, as if the depths of space were trying to crawl out towards him. An ominous yet controlled light, that bolted towards his spot. Recalling the descending Shadowshot from earlier, Void had already guessed that his saviour was currently rushing down to meet him. He waited with bated breaths, unable to imagine the monstrous guardian able to snipe using a void bow from so far away. As if on cue, Obsidian perked up. recognizing the other guardians light signature "Void, it''s Tevis. One of the Vanguard''s most lethal and trusted hunters." He reminded. Void had also racked his brain to recall where he had met Tevis while playing the game, but he could only recall hearing about Tevis during the Taken king''s Onslaught. He was a Nightstalker trapped in the black garden, who died facing an endless legion of vex. Void frowned, not much was known about this guardian, except that he was the main reason players were able to achieve the Nightstalker subclass. He waited a few more seconds, lingering near the crater. Not far from himself Void felt a pair of foot steps leaping through the cosmodrome, as Tevis''s figure instantly flickered before him. The veteran Nightstalker was a tad bit shorter than he had imagined, but his small stature did not take away from the grim and fickle aura around him. Tevis stepped closer as he exhaled, faint fumes exiting his helmet. His eyes lingered on Void for a few seconds, and he finally spoke. "To think I would meet another nightstalker. Quite a ruckus you kicked up behind you." His palm stretched as he gestured for a handshake. Void corresponded with a firm grip, as he nodded, "And If not for you, I don''t think I would have made it out at all." He replied expressing his gratitude. In Void''s perspective, it was natural for a skilled Nightstalker as Tevis to recognize his subclass, hence he wasn''t alarmed. But what truly shocked him was when his eyes began to glimpse into Tevis''s strength. He could see some of Tevis''s stats, and although others were still obscured, it was enough to make him question his own credibility as a Nightstalker. --- Name: Tevis Larsen Age: ??? Race: Human Sub-Class= Nightstalker Light= 363 (Unrestricted) Level = ??? (Unrestricted) .... ---- Void sucked in a cold gasp as he barely believed his eyes.... 363! Void knew full well that he was far far below Tevis in terms of light. If anything, his mere light of 30 was pathetic compared to 363. Although Void had worked hard this past month, he had only reached level 20, while his equipment was simply slightly better than the standard issue. But what really drew his curiosity was the (Unrestricted) marked next to Tevis''s stats. The level and light were both listed as unrestricted. Void already suspected that his own level was restricted in some way. After all, the amount of work he had put in was simply not proportional to his progress. For now his strength was perhaps still bound by the system, restricted by certain limits he could not cross. Or perhaps, some other barrier stood between him and that power. Void eyed Tevis, enviously, hoping he could figure out how Tevis had achieved it. Tevis noticed his glare, as he smirked. "An ambitious one I see, but you''re still too young and inexperienced." He mused. Void realized what he did subconsciously and withdrew his gaze. Tevis stared at the shock sabre embedded in the crater as he asked, "Yours?" Void shook his head but then approached the sword, as he gave it a light tug. The sabre shimmered with lightning as pulled it out, Void examined the sword carefully. "But I guess it will make a fine addition to my arsenal." He replied slightly impressed with the saber. Tevis shook his had knowingly, as he chuckled. "Hunters never change." He whispered. Herald of Change (2) ----- {Legendary Guardian System} +Gained Shock Sabre (Legendary Heavy Sword 40 LL) Remarks: May the light be with you Je-....err Guardian! ----- Void glanced at the shock sabre, his fingers trepidly ran through its edge, he felt a slight tinge as his fingertips went numb. The saber was indeed powerful. He was already astounded that it survived the Shadowshot. Though it was unbelievably heavy to wield with one hand. Hence he could only use it as a great sword. But as he recalled the condition of his own equipment, Void''s mood soured , he pulled up the status screen. ========================== {Legendary Guardian System} Name: Void Blade Class: Hunter Level: 20 --> 25 (!Level Up) Light Level: 30 Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 9/10 * (!Level Up) (New Combat Perk Unlocked!) Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level) [Weapons]: Primary: True Prophecy *(Damaged Hand Cannon) Secondary: Furina-2mg (Broken Rare SMG) Heavy: Reginar-B (Broken Rocket Launcher) [Gear]: Helmet: (Damaged) Clutch Extol Mask (30 LL) Grips: (Trashed)Road Complex AA1 (28 LL) Chest: (Damaged)Frumious Vest (28 LL) Strides: (Trashed)Cinder Pinion Strides (26 LL) Class Item: (Damaged)Photoseude Cloak (27 LL) * = 6% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies ------------------------------------ Combat Perks: (7 Unlocked) ~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight. ~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy. ~Acrobats Dodge*: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries. ~Advanced Agility: You move fast guardian! ~Triple Jump: Jump twice in the air using an intermediate mastery of light. ~Gilded Blade: Your melee attacks have a chance to trigger Void singe on champion enemies +~Void Sense: Your glare pierces through the enemies, revealing their weaknesses, highlighting critical spots. Go get em Guardian! [Passive Perks]: (1 unlocked) (A/N Decided to add this so people can keep track of perks like crafting and so on. Idk if its the right decision cuz it makes the status screen slightly long. But let me know.) ~ Crafting Lv. 2/10 Remarks: Your experience in crafting is but a blooming seed. Perhaps you can convert all your scrap to extra bullets or a dull knife....maybe? Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ================================ Void frowned as creases appeared on his forehead.....he bit his lips in frustration. All his gear was either trashed or damaged. Although he was bitter about it, he couldn''t do anything. Tevis''s super had saved him from permanently dying, he had essentially traded his life for his gear. It was a trade he would never hesitate to make. Once the super had landed, his body had vaporized instantly along with his gear, but since Void had sent obsidian away to hide, he could easily be regenerated. As for his equipment....Void sighed (A/N: So it''s realistic that his equipment should be damaged or at least trashed if his body disintegrates, I know in the game your equipment doesn''t get damaged at all, but this is reality no longer a game.) "It''s time for an upgrade I guess." He mumbled. Tevis who had been standing behind Void spoke up as he saw the young hunters dejected eyes, "Don''t worry too much about it, everyone loses equipment here and there." He consoled. Of course, as a veteran hunter he too had gone through countless scenarios where he''d trashed his equipment, but in his eyes that was simply the purpose of having good equipment in the first place! As Tevis spoke, a ghost with a shimmering bright shell appeared in front of him. "Tevis....Jax has been flooding the network with an insane amount of messages. She said Eriana''s pretty angry that you stood her up. I don''t think we have the time to worry about a stray hunter right now." The ghost blurted, vexed that he had to deal with a bullshit influx of messages. "Riqi, mind your tone, that''s a potential future recruit I see. His abilities are not that bad, besides Zavala asked for help on the open channel, it''s not like she didn''t see it. Eriana''s just pissed she lost her savings to me the last time we played." Riqi''s body jerked at the last sentence, perhaps recalling a drastic event that had taken place. His shell shuddered, as his eye glowed once again. "There it is again, it''s an onslaught of voice spams...Just reply to her please." The ghost begged. Tevis clicked his tongue, "Fine, just tell her I am on the way". His eyes lingered on Void for a second as he added, "I will be bringing someone along so, prepare one more chair." Riqi transmitted the voice note immediately as he seemed to find some relief. The ghost swayed its eyes, despondent that he had gone through it all. He turned around only to find Obsidian glaring right at him. Obsidian seemed to circle Riqi as he spoke, clearing his robotic voice .... "Stray?" His eyes holding a questioning glare. The crystalline ghost had forgotten the other party could hear him as he panicked and blurted an apology. "Ah um, sorry just a bad habit I picked up from Jax, I didn''t mean it really...Your guardian''s not a stray, he''s definitely.... uh... someone we need yes. The tower needs all the hunters, even if he''s weak and pathetic he''s still irreplaceable...Ah wait no I didn''t mean that wai-." Riqi fumbled his words as Tevis gripped the ghost and shoved him aside. Tevis sighed, "That''s enough Riqi. Sorry about that, he''s...slightly unique." "Anyhow, if you''re done here I would like to leave soon. I don''t suppose your transmat is working so I will give you a ride. But we''ll be making an early stop first." Tevis smirked much to Void''s confusion. He raised his eyebrows as he saw Tevis smirk. "Don''t worry, it''s no place dangerous, just a small gathering place, we call it the Den. Ah, don''t talk about it though. Only trusted guardians can make it in, I wouldn''t want you to go missing if you blabbed your mouth." Tevis chuckled. Although it was a casual threat, Void knew that Tevis had really meant it, he gulped. The Den? This was the first time he had ever heard of it, there was no such place in the game! "Riqi''s already sent your ghost the transmat line, when you''re ready join me on the ship." Trevis waved his hands as he turned around, Riqi and Tevis disappeared triggering a transmat. "What do you think Obsidian?" Void asked. "Hmm, there''s no need to worry. Tevis is a trusted vanguard elite. I don''t think he would try to harm us at all. Besides he''s right, I already tried but, our transmat link is really broken. Perhaps the impact earlier fried the transponders circuit, I will get Banshee to ship a replacement to our room." Void didn''t hesitate as he triggered a transmat, his figure immediately appeared inside the ship along with Obsidian. Tevis seemed to be fidgeting with his controls as he saw Void appear. "Great, sit down or grab something, the ride won''t be pleasant." He cautioned. Void was about to shake off the warning but just before he spoke, Tevis had already boosted the engines to max, triggering the ships space drive. The boost had sunk Void''s stomach to his core in an instant! He immediately took a nearby seat as the ship began to tremble, the engines rumbled and instantly the ship shot through the horizon, tearing through space! "Fuck... is this, the warp drive? Inter-planetary travel?" He barely spat out the words holding himself back from vomiting. "Right my bad, is this your first warp?." Tevis scratched his head forgetfully. "Well just hold o-.,," Void couldn''t even understand the next few words, his consciousness was a hair away from slipping. The ship was tearing through the exosphere as its bearing was changing automatically. Void''s center of gravity had switched at least five times during the same ship ride. It darted through the earth''s asteroid field, as it''s bearing finally settled on a large geostationary asteroid that seemed to be eerily filled with craters. Tevis steered the vessel near the largest crater, which seemed to increase in depth. The ship plunged into the hole, as the two guardians rapidly descended into the asteroids core. A few seconds later Tevis immediately struck the sonic dampers, halting the ship halfway deep into the hole. The duo looked ahead and Void saw a large cavity that had been carved into the asteroids core. Tevis released the hatch as he nimbly jumped across the gap, signalling Void to follow along. The two followed along as they finally reached the centre of the cave. Void could immediately spot a group of guardians sitting around a table in the cave, a ruckus was kicking up as they played cards and merrily joked around. The abandoned cave system was basically a secluded bar. "This is.." His eyes widened. "Welcome to the Den." Hunters Den A crude cavern, carved through rock with what seemed like sheer force. Void''s eyes darted as his gaze swept the Den. Secluded deep inside an asteroid crater, in his opinion it was the perfect spot for a secret hideout. He almost couldn''t believe his own luck that Tevis had dragged him here. Just as he was about to thank the veteran hunter, he felt Tevis swoop him away, flickering further as he realized what was happening. A boisterous titan from among the four guardians around the table eyed her cards suspiciously. She was clad in heavy ivory armor, a jade Cong covered her right hand. But the moment her mood soured, the aura of light around the table had immediately turned suffocating, she moved faster than Void''s eyes could see, he could only notice a faint lightning aura covering her hand as it planted into the table, a frightening shockwave rippled through the Den. ''F*ck is that storm fist?'' Void immediately slammed into the wall despite trying his hardest to absorb the resonating waves. "CAYDE. How Dare You!" She barked. "Aaand cue the ominous music." Cayde retorted with a smirk, his hand slyly placed on his holster. Void gulped as the strange woman and Cayde suddenly wanted to rip each others heads off, and it wasn''t reassuring that Tevis was crouching defensively. Void had already noticed that Tevis was ready to use smoke bombs to disrupt the situation. But before either side took action, a sharp voice resounded, it was warlock watching over the game. Clad in fiery robes as her very presence demanded respect, she snapped. "Wei, stop this nonsense. You know I am in no mood for work." The warlock''s fierce glare dissuaded both guardians as the two parties calmed down. "Tsk, consider yourself lucky this time. Just so you know I am not paying for that round." Wei scoffed. "Hey hey hey, come on now. I won that fair and square, you can''t possibly go back on the bet. Your honor I demand justice". The Exo hunter smacked the table and pointed accusingly at Wei. The Warlock furled her brows as she heard Cayde, Void could only describe it as shooting him the "Do you think I am an idiot?" look. "What?...." Cayde looked around the table innocently... Only to find that everyone else simply deadpan glared at him. "...Fine, I might''ve uh...Used some underhanded methods, but I swear it was just to liven up the party. Right guys, I mean who wants a boring game. Last time we were stuck in the same game for six hours. I really just saved your time here." Cayde changed the topic swiftly. "And casually pocketed the difference is that right." The lean huntress casually commented. "Woah woah woah, what do you think you''re saying. I won''t tolerate this insubordination, I am your vanguard I will have you know." Cayde turned to lecturing the huntress but she simply rolled her eyes and sighed. "That''s enough of your spiel" The warlock sighed, the corner of her eyes settling on Tevis and Void huddled in a corner. Tevis did a little hand wave as the warlock looked over, her eyes keenly set on Void, she looked like she wanted to say some words, but her lips didn''t part. Instead, everyone''s eyes fell on Tevis and Void as the guardians finally acknowledged their presences. Cayde''s voice pierced through the moment of silence, "Young blood? Hey I thought this place was invite only, what are you doing here?" "He''s tagging along with me. Your man was in quite a predicament. You would know if you ever kept the damn transponder on." Tevis retorted clearly annoyed over some past business. "Ignore your deranged commander, how about you give your seniors an introduction?" Wei smiled curious to know who the mysterious hunter was. Void gulped, he couldn''t believe this was the same woman who had almost shattered this cave system a second ago. Titans were terrifying in a sense. "I am a new hunter, my name is Void Blade. Pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to learning from you" Void blurted out the last line without thinking. He bit his own tongue the moment he ended that sentence. ''Fuck...I accidentally said the generic introduction for university seniors...." He looked towards Wei with some awkwardness. But the titan chuckled hearing his odd greeting. In fact not just her but almost everyone was barely holding in their laugh. Most guardians were reclusive and didn''t like to talk. However, for a hunter like Void to suddenly say such an innocent greeting, almost like they were academy buddies....The warlock and huntress couldn''t keep it in together either. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Yeah nice to meet you, I am Wei Ning, but you can just call me Wei." She thrust her arm forward and grabbed Void''s hand with a firm grip and did a good handshake. Void could only wince in pain as his bones had almost gone numb. The huntress next to Wei glanced at Void, "Sai Mota" she spoke and nodded. Void simply nodded back, basic etiquette between hunters. The Warlock remaining looked at Void, her apprehensive eyes seemed to be piercing through his very skin as she finally said. "Eriana of the Praxic Fire." She shot him a solemn glare and Void responded in turn bowing his head very slightly. It was not out of respect that Void had done so, but the Praxic Fire was a special command of guardians. One that existed solely to discipline guardians internally. In a way, Void had just encountered a very troublesome individual hence he decided to show some respect to not cause any problems. Furthermore, Void began jogging his memory as he heard all their names, he almost couldn''t believe who he had met. In his opinion they were legends....If not myths. ''The first fireteam in the Dark Below...These three were definitely in it.'' He thought to himself. "Well I suppose everyone already knows me bu-" "Shut it Cayde." Eriana interrupted. The Hunter Vanguard looked displeased but he was still too new in his position hence he didn''t want to piss off Ikorra''s praxic order. Dealing with that woman was like a nightmare for Cayde. "So I don''t suppose you called me here urgently just for a game of cards?" Tevis spoke up. "No, but there was a reason I called you two here. I will jump straight to the point, I need a scout." Eriana looked towards the Tevis and Cayde. Everyone''s ears perked up at the mention of a scout. "Wait, you called me here to be a scout? Sorry, to break the news but uh.. I don''t think you can afford me." Cayde replied shrugging. " You can''t be the scout, you''re too high profile. I need someone, invisible. Last I checked the nighstalker corps excelled at it, isn''t that your field?" Tevis frowned, "I don''t recall the Praxic order needing to watch their steps while finding a scout. For you to take such a precaution, it can only mean one thing." Eriana''s eyes narrowed, she looked at Void. Void felt her glare as he understood that perhaps he wasn''t meant to listen in, but Tevis shook her off. "Don''t worry about him, if you mean what I think you do, then he''s the least suspicious one among the entire hunter corps." His words brought some confusing stares but he continued, "Void here has only been an active guardian for three months. I reviewed his records earlier. Which means there''s no wa-" "There''s no way he''s associated with them." Eriana finished the sentence. Void was confused at the current events, everyone was simply speaking in vague terms. Eriana looked a little relaxed as she heard Void''s circumstances. She continued, "We found another one, two days ago. As we expected it was done in one shot, just like last time. Only ashes remained. Near the graveyard above King''s Watch." The tension in the room sprang up, everyone except Void had understood the severity of the situation. "Who was the Victim?" Cayde chimed in. Eriana simply swayed her head, they ashes weren''t even enough to identify who they belonged to. The air had immediately gone stale, a perverse aura gathering as the veteran guardians contemplated. "Are you really sure it was him? Eriana last time you said your squad had hunted him down." Tevis argued. Eriana''s forehead creased, " The Praxic squad did manage to track him down but...He escaped. Injuring most of our elite operatives. At the time, Ikorra advised that we announce him dead just to ease the tension in the Tower." "Besides, there''s only one man capable of reducing a body to ashes with one shot." Hearing this the Hunter''s face hardened. "So this scouting job?" He questioned. "Sai managed to pick up his energy signal. She can track it but. We''re not sure who''s on his side. If anything gets out, her life is immediately in danger. We need someone from your corps, unseen, invisible to others." Eriana urged. At her reply Tevis looked shocked. "I am sorry but its not possible, my corps will ultimately be stationed in Skywatch. The Vex activities on earth are getting stronger. I can''t abandon that front." But before Eriana could argue Tevis spoke again, "However, I do know of a solo nightstalker. Unseen and unknown, I don''t suppose he would be interested." His eyes lingered towards Void. Void''s eyes widened, ''Fuck how did I get dragged into this.'' he mumbled. He wasn''t idiotic, the way these guys were discussing the events, there was certainly someone powerful behind them. It was far beyond his caliber. He wanted to refuse but before he could even speak up, everyone''s eyes had already settled on him. "I...." "Save your words Void, I know you might consider it dangerous but, you''re our only chance. No one else available fits the criteria, and I won''t let you do it for free. The Praxic fire will be indebted to you, I assure you we can be very useful." Eriana pleaded. Void contemplated, he was interested in the mission, but he was also well aware of the saying "Curiosity killed the Cat". "I will consider it but, what does the mission entail?" "I can''t reveal the specifics unless you accept but, you''re only job would be to track the signal and maintain distance with the target. As long as we can use you to triangulate the target''s location, your part will be over." Void''s eyes flashed as a blue prompt appeared in front of him. ---- {Legendary Guardian System} +New Mission: * Praxic Order''s Plea: Scout the mysterious man responsible for the incident. Maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 Km with the target! Rewards: System Lv 3. (Store Unlocked!) , +++Xp, Praxic Fire Seal Remarks: The strings of fate intertwine, what has the great web of fate spun into? Do the risks outweigh the gains? Perhaps only destined one''s shall know. Those willing to risk it all. [Accept]/[Decline] ----- His jaw almost hit the floor... SYSTEM LV3. !!! Void couldn''t believe it, didn''t he just unlock Level 2? He sucked in a cold breath of air, the rewards... they were outstanding but. The remarks were simply too vague. Should he take the risk? He contemplated as everyone around him awaited an answer.. It was true that Void wanted to play it safe, he wanted to play it smart but. The System Lvl 3 unlock unlocked a store. He didn''t know what it contained but, it definitely had to be something amazing. Lastly, there were no penalties to failure. If worst came to worst, Void knew he could definitely abandon the mission, he might earn the Praxic Order''s enmity but they wouldn''t hold it against him to not take huge risks. Considering all these factors, Void glanced at Eriana, and finally agreed. The warlock''s face lit up with relief as he did. "I''ve agreed to the mission now so I want to ask, who''s the man I will be scouting?" Void had a premonition that it wouldn''t be easy, listening to the descriptions of their target he seemed to be extremely powerful. Eriana looked at Void and sighed, "It would be better for you to not know, but since you volunteered I will tell you." "Our Target is, The Man with the Golden Gun, Shin Malphur." She answered. Void immediately tensed up as he heard the phrase.... ''It''s him!'' His eyes shuddered. ''I am fucked aren''t I'' Void thought to himself and despaired. Training Void stopped his body from trembling at the mention of his name. He knew who Shin Malphur was, perhaps in this world, he was the one who knew him best. Every Destiny player even slightly aware of the lore was obsessed with this legendary figure. The Man with the Golden Gun, the lone Gunslinger, Dredgen Vale. He held many titles. However, his current identity, was not yet exposed to "Shin Malphur". Hence Void restrained his reaction and only showed slight curiosity and confusion at Eriana''s words. Eriana observed Void''s "Restrained" confusion. She sighed, "Right, the newer generation don''t know a lot about him. But it''s better that way." Void scoffed, internally he had already put this mission on the highest difficulty he could imagine. Shin Malphur, the man capable of killing guardians in one shot. He was a fearsome entity. Seeing Eriana not even mention it was indicative that the Praxic Fire would not give him more information unless he asked. "I prefer if I knew more about my target from you. I wouldn''t want any mistakes to happen during my mission." Void spoke resolutely. Eriana didn''t hesitate to add on some basic information, "Shin Malphur is a very powerful rogue vigilante. In his early days he was a respected hunter. Until he eventually turned to mindless killings. There are not many accounts of his abilities or appearances. That is all the information we posses." She seemed to observe Void''s expression. Whereas after listening to the brief explanation she gave, Void truly wanted to ask whose side she was on. His expression darkened Powerful vigilante? Mindless killings? It seemed the Praxic Fire wasn''t being completely honest with a newbie like him. But it was already more than he had expected. He naturally did not restrain his frown, because Void knew it was the appropriate reaction. Eriana noticed his "worries" and provided a bit of reassurance, "Don''t worry, as I''ve said. You will never have to engage him. If anything you''ll be furthest from the danger. As long as you can help triangulate his general location, our team will take care of it." She emphasized the last phrase. As soon as she finished, Cayde chimed in slightly confused, "Soo, young blood here is your scout. But what do you need me for? I will have you know a vanguards schedule is very packed, I don''t have time to sit around and play games." ''Shameless''...was the only thought in unision by everyone present. "Your duty is much simpler. The Vigilante has many hidden supporters in the consensus. They don''t act on his whims but they do provide him information. You need to make sure Void isn''t connected to this mission in any way. Seal his information, send him on one of your long treks. Whatever it is, his name should not be mentioned at all." Eriana answered solemnly. "That''s all? You could''ve just asked Zavala or Ikorra for this boring stuff." Cayde replied clicking his tongue. "A hunter is ultimately under your jurisdiction, if his records have any signs of tampering by other authorities, it would be suspicious. Rather, hunters are known to request time off from the tower. As long as you sign it off, no one would question it. It''s nothing unusual." Eriana answered. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "But if Ikorra or Zavala were to handle his reports, the importance attached to his identity would be increased. I am sure you know what I mean." Her eyes narrowed. Void was startled by her words. Indirectly, she meant that Cayde was too new in his post, if he signed off a few hunters no one would put any effort to work through those files in suspicion of a plot. But if the mysterious and cunning warlock vanguard or the steadfast titan vanguard stepped in....Shin''s supporters would definitely notice his absence. It was times like these that the Praxic order loved Cayde for his nonchalant and sometimes erratic behavior. His carelessness was a gift they could utilize. But despite these harsh words, Cayde barely showed a reaction. Instead, he crossed his arms and chuckled, "Hey, if you think the big blue and Ikorra aren''t up to the task just say so, no shame in admitting it. Trust me I won''t tell her." Cayde gestured his zipped lips. Eriana almost fumbled her words after hearing his response, she wanted to explain but Void could see that she deliberately swallowed her words and just walked away. Sai and Wei stood up, joining Eriana as she faced the Den''s exit. The warlock looked back at Void, "The mission will be in a few week''s time. When we''re ready, I will contact you through Tevis", Eriana twirled her fingers as a small token swiftly shot through, directly dropping in Voids arms. "And if it''s any consolation, we''ll replace your broken gear." She waved goodbye and their figures immediately disappeared, leaving behind lingering transmat particles. Void looked intently at the token in his hands, a small jade dog tag with flames engraved into it. ''Praxic order''s sponsorship, it''s the real deal.'' His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Void clutched his palms, perhaps the Praxic Fire weren''t as prudent and dubious as he thought. Perhaps it was also because they had offered him free gear, but Void couldn''t deny their tactics, the way to a guardian''s heart was free loot. Expensive free loot of course. Cayde whistled as he smacked his lips, "That''s some nice loot you got there partner, good luck on that mission though, heard that guy''s a real psycho in the head you know? But hey, if you''re getting paid that''s all that matters. Erm... Anyways, I will catch you later, I have to go do some things Ikorra asked me to take care of." he sighed looking at his transponder filled with tasks he was responsible for. Cayde did not linger any longer, his figure flickered away, it was actually so fast that Void couldn''t even register that he had left. Forcing him to reevaluate Cayde''s strengths one again. Tevis and Void looked at each other once more, the two could only sigh. They had somehow gotten caught in some deep shit. "So what are your plans for now?" Tevis shrugged, scratching his head. "The mission is going to be difficult, I think I will need to do some training. I have never scouted another guardian before" Void replied looking a bit clueless. Tevis contemplated for a few seconds, "If you''re willing I can show you some steps, but it will be up to you to try and follow along. If you need some more practice, just try out the crucible. Last I heard there are many interesting contenders there." Void nodded, accepting training from Tevis was a great chance he couldn''t pass up. The two hunters flickered away returning to the ship. A few seconds later the ship shot out from the asteroid belt, heading back into earth''s atmosphere. ----- [Tower, Last City Earth] Void clutched his palms as he flexed his arms, stretching and moving his joints. Currently he had donned a covert gear used for camouflage., a dark grey thin armor suit, coupled with gripping footwear and gauntlets capable of blocking bullets. He swiftly performed a backflip, as he nimbly got up using a reverse flip. It seemed that the gear really suited his style. Quick and agile. It was neither too heavy nor too light. "Banshee, thanks for giving me the good stuff. I will definitely get you some golden age scraps like last time." Void complimented. "Don''t mention it, the Praxic order means business, for them to sponsor you, you''re gonna need it." The Exo gunsmith replied while polishing another gun''s barrel. "What about the weapons?" " The smg is out of commission, so is the rocket launcher. As for the hand cannon, I managed to find some replacement parts and fixed it up. Here you go." Banshee returned the hand cannon in pristine condition. Tevis had been observing Void as he finally spoke up, "If you''re ready I can take you to skywatch. It won''t change much but I can at least train you in stealth." Void''s ears perked up at the suggestion, although he wanted to train other stats, perhaps training for stealth was his main priority. Void held up the hand cannon in his grip, examining the barrel carefully. He could only sigh and hope to make it through this mission. Training (2) [Skywatch, Cosmodrome] The sun shined, blaringly hot, the horizon was lined with desolate buildings that piled up one after the other. Each rusted and hollow, worn down by the elements. Skywatch was an obsolete satellite bay once used in the golden age. With its hundreds of towers and control stations, it was a scrap goldmine, a technological marvel of the golden age, yet it had been hollowed out, reduced to breeding ground for the hive, vex and the fallen. However, with a keen eye, one could barely spot the presence of something "veiled" in the city. A presence so inconspicuous, that its only traces were the mountain of corpses left behind. The Fallen houses could not explain this phenomenon. Skywatch was a relatively safe haven during the day, but at night, it was a ruthless hunting ground. No matter who stepped in, at day break, their corpses would be littered along the barren wasteland. But to the guardians? Skywatch was the residence of the legendary Nightstalkers. Hunters, who had mastered stealth itself, blending in the shadows, invisible to the enemy, and highly lethal assassins. Currently Void had been dragged all the way to Skywatch central by Tevis, the leader of the Nightstalkers. Void was stunned to say the least, currently he was at the top of a satellite tower, peering down on the landscape. Tevis stood beside him, leaning against the antenna tower, the veteran hunter chuckled, "So, what do you think, I told you the view up here was quite breathtaking." Void nodded, "I didn''t expect a hunter like yourself to care so much about the scenery." "Well when you spend a few years mucking about every shitty nook and cranny in the world, you start to appreciate the view a little. That aside, this vantage point is the best to survey the entire perimeter of the area. Anyone dumb enough to cross into Skywatch will instantly be hunted down", Tevis replied as he abruptly leapt off the tower. "Wh-", Void was stumped for words. The winds rushed past his face as he recalled that this tower they were on was hundreds of meters high. In a fraction of a second, he shot up and leaned against the edge, looking for where Tevis was falling ''What the hell did he just do, there''s no way anyone can survive that fall.'' Void thought as he desperately darted his eyes around to search. He knew best that fall damage was an unbeatable enemy for every guardian/ But a second later he could see Tevis''s body piercing straight down to the ground. His gaze caught Tevis''s as the hunter flashed him a sly smirk. A sudden influx of light gathered at his feet, and then the unthinkable occurred. Void''s eyes widened in shock, "-what" Tevis shot towards the ground, similar to a diving hawk, the energy coating his body emanated a faint glow, it was densest around his feet. Immediately his legs jerked as he gracefully landed on the ground, planting himself down on all fours, almost as if he had dashed downwards midair. Tevis got up from his stance, as he spread his arms wide, indicating for an applause, as the hunter raised his brows. Voids hands were shaking as he tried to understand what had just happened. To him, falling damage was an absolute. He knew it far too well, his very first death had been to a fall. But seeing what had just happened, he couldn''t believe it. Immunity to fall damage? No, bullshit. Such an item didn''t even exist in the game, let alone this reality he was in. The system itself had also not shown him any hints for the past few days. It was barely a mission log for him that helped him navigate his powers and abilities, he felt that the system was waiting for something, something he couldn''t explain. Currently Void was clueless, and now finally seeing a new breakthrough he wasn''t aware of... Ecstatic was a bit less to describe what he felt. His Hud received a transmission as Tevis''s voice sounded, "Really, I thought you would at least clap for that display, but I guess acrobatics aren''t everyone''s cup of tea." Acrobatics? Void clenched his teeth, ''my ass''.... "How did you do that? Can you teach me that?" He asked immediately. ''If I can learn that skill...'' "Calm down there newbie, application of your subclass is pretty advanced stuff. I can''t teach you all this complicated stuff when you''ve not even handled the basics. Why don''t you climb down first, we can talk all about your training." The transmission ended as he saw Tevis wave his hand, apparently waiting for him. Void began steadily climbing down the tower, he had nimble movements, but no where near as fast as Tevis, in the end it took him a dozen or so seconds to climb down the rusted satellite tower. Void dusted the rust off his hands as he walked up, "So, what do you mean by the basics?" Tevis eyed him down one more time as he spoke, "Well to be honest, your combat capability is surprisingly better than average for your level. But the utilization of your abilities is horrendous. Almost like you''re subconsciously limiting the possibilities. That isn''t really your fault, light is a mysterious power. To completely master it, it takes ages. Thankfully guardians have an indefinite life span." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Void''s eyes narrowed at ''subconsciously limiting''. He didn''t want to admit it, but it was true. After all, playing Destiny for all those years definitely had an impact on how he chose to live in this world. Overall, it was very helpful, he knew more about combat tactics than an average hunter, but his ''understanding'' of light was rudimentary at best. What else could he expect, to him it was but a game just a few months ago. Expecting to adapt to a new power and then master it to the level of monsters who had lived centuries? It was but a pipe dream for him right now. His recent progress was already considered good by him, but to move further, Void knew he had to fundamentally understand what was ''possible'' with light. His combat perks were something he had unlocked after experiencing battle. He knew it was possible to unlock more perks and master them, but to listlessly perform random actions to try and unlock a perk? It was beyond stupid. "Go on." Void replied. "The best way to improve those shortcomings would be to force yourself to rely on your abilities, Once you''re able to take the first step, the possibilities are endless." Tevis remarked, a faint energy covered his body. With a flick of his fingers, Tevis went completely invisible. Void was pleasantly surprised at this ability. It was completely different to the hunter invisibility he knew.... Tevis''s voice echoed, coming from an unknown direction, like he was somehow everywhere, all at once, "The light gives you powers beyond your imagination. It lets you touch the very essence of the world. Whether it be strength, vitality or speed, intelligence, sprituality. Everything can be modified. Though certain people are better at controlling certain aspects of this power than others. Hence, the class system." Void spun around trying to locate him, his eyes shined a faint blue as Mercurio''s was activated...yet Void couldn''t even begin to locate Tevis. ''He''s not even on my radar....'' This sight terrified Void, a hunter capable of sneaking near you without you noticing? It was a certified death sentence...He now understood why Skywatch was the stronghold of Nightstalkers...No other race could hope to survive as long as they existed here. The voice sounded again, "Titan, Warlock, Hunter. Just fancy words to classify what you''re good at. Subclasses? Just how you apply your power. These are all names, fancy titles to help people recognize who they are. But the lines are much thinner than you realize. I am not saying you can learn spells like a warlock, or create walls like a titan, but you can definitely control your energy in similar ways. Though your application will be different." Tevis waved his fingers as his figure appeared back in front of Void, almost as if he''d never left. "How do I start?" Void didn''t hesitate with his answer. "Eager are we, well I suppose we do have a few weeks." Tevis brought out a simple dagger that he chucked towards Void. "I will teach you the basics, but I can''t guarantee that it will be easy. We''ll focus more on the stealth aspect and mobility. I think you''ll need those two the most." Tevis scratched his head. Void nodded, gripping the dagger, he spun the blade around his fingers, and looked towards Tevis. "Your first task is simple, stealth needs discretion, and discretion requires experience. I will give you a four days. Bring me the head of every Vandal that enters the borders. Of course, you can''t be seen. If you fail to kill one, I will count it as a strike, miss more than five targets, and I won''t be wasting my time on teaching you directly." The hunters eyes turned resolute for a split second, his calm demeanor was almost seeming a fa?ade. ''Basically a limited time bounty quest?'' Void thought, he agreed and left to prepare for the night. If he wanted to be unseen at every kill, it would take some preparation. This was a quest he could not fail, as expected the system also recognized it. === {Legendary Guardian System} !! New Side Quest initiated (Limited time) *Skywatch Bounty (5 days remaining): Kill all vandals within Skywatch without being completely spotted by the enemy group. If user is identified and located, the quest will automatically fail. Rewards: Tevis Reputation (+50), +Class Advancement Unlock, +xp, +Subclass Xp Failing Penalty: Tevis Reputation (-20), Fallen Reputation (-100) (A/N: Before you start shit talking the system and its penalties, think for a second that its just a visual representation of the actual consequences the MC will face if he fails, its not just bullshit. Random rant, anyways. Fallen reputation reduces because if he''s identified they will know he''s in Skywatch and increase his bounty. Keep in mind he already has a bounty on his head.) === [Graveyard, Kings Watch] The sky had been muddled a murky blue through the smoke spiralling from fallen glimmer excavators, nearby a deep ravine had been dugout from century old mining, stretching endlessly downwards. Below the valley was a single wooden shack. Dust had completely settled within the wood, it had became only a husk of what it once was, riddled with fungus and mould from the water collected through the seasons. The floor squeaked with every step, threatening to fall apart at moments notice, but the man inside seemed to not care. His presence was heavy, the shack seemingly quaked with each breath he took. The man wore a seasoned armor, but it showed no signs of cracking. His bright yellow eyes peered through a breathalyzer mask, allowing him to breathe through the swampy air collected in the mines. A ripped maroon cloak hung from his shoulders covering his body. The right side of his cloak was jagged and torn, just enough for him to swiftly jerk out his arm, a holster was hung at the same side, a sleek revolver strapped inside. The gun had a base black grip but a faint golden barrel lined at the top. It''s trigger seemed worn, indicating years of use. The man sat facing the wall inside, when he suddenly turned his head towards the door. His golden eyes lingered near the entrance. The door swayed open, a cloaked figure slowly walked in, facing the man. "Here I thought you three had no more business with me? To have you at my doorstep. What''s the occasion." He chuckled hoarsely. "Just some business you know, though I have to say, quite the unique place for a hideout. I suppose the down payment in the Devil''s lair was too much for you?" The figure spoke. The man stared at him with his brows furrowed. "Not one for comedy, I see. I mean hey everyone''s got their own interests, I don''t suppose you''re into ramen though? Come to think of it, I know this really good spot for spicy ramen, I can''t say you''ve ever tried it tho-" "Get to the point." The man sounded frustrated, his hands already leaning towards the right. "Not one for conversation, noted. Anyway I am here on her orders, I think you already know what that means." The figure tossed a green token engraved with embers towards the man. The two looked at each other, a moment of pure silence between the two followed, until the man rubbed his hands over the token and spoke. "I will see to it." He paused. "But if this happens again, I might not be able to keep our little promise." The man clutched his palms, easily bending the token in half and dropped it to the ground, his eyes turned cold. The figure seemed confused for a second, but then regained some composure, "I will relay it to her exactly as you said. But hey, not gonna lie, might wanna invest in some air freshne-." "Leave." The man interrupted. The figure waved as he left swiftly, leaving the man alone in his thoughts. His eyes darted towards the token on the ground, he couldn''t help but click his tongue. ''An annoying errand has popped up.'' ---- Training (3) An intense storm brewed over Skywatch, turbulent clouds hung low on the horizon. The rain poured but unlike the mountain valleys in devil''s lair there were no canals to drain the water. The lower district had drowned, its short rusted buildings submerged in water, only leaving a few rooftops afloat. The fallen believed the rain to be a blessing, the city was in a peculiar disarray, unlike the previous occasions, for some odd reason, the last few days all their scavengers hadn''t been brutally killed in the city. Although the Fallen were cautious, this had gone on for four days, they somewhat believed that whatever was stopping them had somehow left the city. Naturally, there were still casualties, but it was still to an acceptable level when comparing to the last few years. To the fallen scavengers, it was a golden opportunity to try and harvest some scrap. Especially with the city flooded, the fallen believed they were untouchable. An uneven terrain and flooded areas were unsurprisingly an advantage to the quadrupedal fallen, they could move at neck breaking speeds, wading through water at four limbs, similar to cheetahs and tigers. The House of Devils was riled up, the city was a crucial vantage point for their war with the hive and the light bearers. This flood, they considered it retribution. Three scavenger teams entered the perimeter of the lower district, they crawled through the old ventilation system, climbing through the intertwined air vents, coming out to the inner city. Unbeknownst to them, a single hunter lurked in the shadows, under the looming storm clouds, hiding within the cracks and crevices, his figure only an afterimage illuminated by thunder claps. Void''s hand twitched, a single dagger appeared within his grip. His transmitter glowed, a faint voice sounded , "Three teams, a total of four vandals, seven dregs and a captain. We''ll take care of the captain, in the north inner district, everyone else will be caught in the choke near the north east. Make sure you get the vandals before we come into contact, Tevis over." "Understood, Void over." He clutched the dagger, Void''s eyes traced the scavengers rummaging through the lunar station scraps. But his body seemed frozen stiff. Each movement was with a purpose and his intention was to wait till the aforementioned choke points would separate his target from the others. To Void, this bounty wasn''t a test of his skill, but of patience and planning. If he simply leapt in to the fray, considering the Nightstalkers nearby, he would most likely survive and kill every single enemy. However, the task was to keep his presence as faint as possible, to strike the opportune moment and finish the bounty. He channeled his breath, covertly moving through the roofs to keep a certain distance from the scavenging party. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Void scanned the radar, the inner north choke was about two hundred meters away. ''Its time'' He stalked the team, like a panther ready to leap at his prey. Nudging ever so closer with each passing second. Void squatted on a rooftop above the team, drenched in the rain but ready to attack at a moments notice, his bounty was only the Vandals. "Ready", he whispered into his transmitter, as his message got through Void fished two small orbs from his kit and chucked them directly onto the ground. The Fallen were immediately alarmed at the sound of two small beads hitting the floor behind them, their bodies jerked back to see, but nothing happened. Void spun the dagger in his fingers, leaning slightly closer to the edge. "Kriiki", A dreg cautiously crawled closer to beads, poking it with the barrel of his gun. To the fallen, the beads seemed, weird. They seemed to be drawn to it, but at the same time, they were apprehensive to try and approach it. Void''s hawkish gaze locked onto a Vandal, he waited. ''No matter how cautious, in the end, you''ll give in to the temptation''. He knew the Fallen''s weakness was loot, be it treasure or just some odd scrap. His beads fit that criteria perfectly. One breath.... two breaths....Void exhaled slowly, it was as he predicted, the rest of the scavenging team had taken an interest in the beads, thinking it to be odd gems. Just as the whole team had gathered within their radius, Void''s eyes turned cold. His body jerked, almost leaping off the roof, as he triggered a faint light through his hands. "Kriii", The fallen crowded over the beads felt it...an ominous energy for but a split second. The fallen captain felt his instincts roar, he immediately tried to step back, but it was futile. Within a blink of an eye, the beads erupted, engulfing the whole area in dense smoke. ''NOW'', Void sprang forth from the rooftop, shooting like a bullet through the smoke, his trajectory directly stopped in front of a Vandal, but instead of dropping down, Void twisted his body, using his momentum to be directly above the fallen. His body hung in mid air, for but a brief second, but to Void the time was more than enough. His senses ran wild, as if time itself had slowed down for him. Void''s hands jerked, his dagger moved swiftly, etching a fine line between the Vandal''s neck and torso. Void flipped in the air as he braced the ground right on his legs, the smoke perfectly covering his trail, it was not yet over, channeling his utmost strength, Void planted his foot on the ground and blitzed towards the second Vandal within a fraction of a second. The dagger in his right hand slipped from his palms flying straight through the Vandal''s knees, pinning the Eliksni to the ground, the Vandal croaked, words almost spilling out its mouth, but Void thrust his hand through its throat, instantly crushing the Vandal''s wind pipe and ripping its head off the torso, Void dug his feet into the ground, his momentum carrying him through as he skid off outside of the smoke. A thump was heard, as both heads dropped to the floor. "KRRRKR" The scavengers howled, all immediately unholstered their weapons. The fallen captain was incensed, unable to even understand what had happened within such a short time frame. Void had brought down two Vandals and two remained, the scavengers were still within the smoke bomb, but he predicted it wouldn''t hinder them for long. He creased his brows. The bounty wasn''t over yet. Training (4) Void''s eyes glowed, his gaze piercing through the smoke as he located the Vandals. The Eliskni captain erupted in anger, howling as he flailed his arms trying to punch through the smoke. ''tsk'', He clenched his teeth. ''I can''t go in without alerting him.'' Void wanted to use his weapons but the moment he channeled too much light or used a gun, his presence would be revealed. He had not yet mastered stealth to that extent. He observed the smoke and realized it would soon begin to disperse, ''not good. Hiding from that captain will be troublesome.'' "Nicely done newbie, Tevis wasn''t wrong about you. I will take care of the captain. Levi out." The voice pricked his ear and Void immediately turned his head, What he could only describe as a "shade" flickered through space rushing towards the smoke at blinding speeds. Levi''s figure emerged, separating from the shade, he jumped through the air, a short bow conjured in his hands. ''Tether'', Void muttered seeing the bow, his eyes following Levi''s leaping figure. Void immediately jumped twice, almost stepping on air as he cleared the area. Levi pulled back the arrow, energy condensed heavily into his bow, as he aimed right at the center of the smoke. His actions weren''t without response, the fallen were immediately hooked onto his position. Not a fraction of a second later, immense firepower erupted from within the smoke. Levi like an untouchable ghost, twisted and turned his body in mid air, brushing past the shots, the power in his bow finally condensing as he let go. A beam of light shot through to the center of the smoke, as the arrow planted itself into the captain''s thigh, shearing through his bone. Immediately, the air got heavier, a strange power compelled everything to slow down. Unexpectedly a pulse of energy flared through the area, and bounced back on itself, attracting everything to its center. The light condensed into a fierce vortex, everything within its radius had been pinned down. Void was shocked and almost stumbled back down, if he had been careless and not jumped back, he couldn''t guarantee whether or not he could resist this pull. "Did you even leave anything alive". Void placed a hand on his ear. "Come on now, you gotta have some faith in me, it''s only gonna slow them down". A crisp reply came back. The erupting vortex had sucked in all the smoke, but surprisingly except the captain being slowed down, the rest of the fallen were still in one piece. Void was dumbfounded, was this level of control even possible. "Hey don''t show that dumb look, just shoot an arrow for a few hundred years, you eventually know what it does. Though I suppose you would need to shoot one for a thousand" A snarky laugh plagued his ear. Void furrowed his brows and switched his channel to a quieter one. ''Why the fuck are all hunters such insufferable assholes.'' It was a question he couldn''t answer in either of his lives. He took a deep breath in and focused once again. The captain was temporarily immobilized trapped in a vortex of energy, whereas the rest of the fallen seemed to fearfully scatter away, choosing to hide in nooks and crannies within the alleys of the city. Void stretched his legs and faced the direction the Vandals ran towards, he immediately began sprinting with full force. -------------------------------------------- [Lunar Station, Skywatch ] Tevis gazed down at the city while squatting down at one of the satellites, observing the encounters his team had with the fallen. As the leader his responsibility was to ensure their safety, but currently he was relaxed. "Levi alone can handle the scavengers, I hope Void doesn''t fail his task." He muttered to himself. Tevis shot a glare to the side, a figure appeared blinking through space. "Elliana, I thought you were busy with preparation. Too much time on your hands?" "And I thought the Nightstalkers were busy protecting Skywatch, fighting tooth and nail. You''re just playing with the Fallen foolish enough to step inside." She retorted. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Tevis shrugged as he chose not to pursue that line of argument. "I heard you''re training him? How''s it looking." The warlock gestured down to the city. Tevis contemplated as he looked conflicted. "It''s hard to describe. He has monstrous potential. I don''t know where his sense for battle comes from, but the tactics are impeccable, it''s almost like he''s done this a thousand times before.. His execution is surprisingly pathetic, but he keeps trying nonetheless. It''s the first time I''ve ever seen someone this talented this desperate to get strong. But it won''t be easy for him. To put it simply, it''s like trying to pour an ocean into a cup." Tevis spoke solemnly. Eliana was quite perplexed at such an evaluation. She frowned. Tevis wasn''t just some random hunter she consulted, he was one of the few disciples left behind by the previous hunter vanguard Andal Brask. Tevis could even be one of the strongest hunters within the last city, and for him to issue such an evaluation....What kind of a potential did Void have? Currently she could not classify this "evaluation" as good or bad. ''Monstrous potential but terrible execution.'' It was a dilemma. His potential was valuable without a doubt, but considering he would be facing a lot of dangers, it was likely that his feeble strength wouldn''t be able to keep up with his problems. All of a sudden a sour taste entered Eliana''s mouth....''Had I known of his potential perhaps I wouldn''t have chosen him to be the scout.'' It was better to recruit him into the Praxic fire directly, but it was likely that he wouldn''t accept in the first place. Now that she had already prepared everything for the mission, changing the scout wasn''t feasible. However, in her eyes, Void''s evaluation had shot up, he was definitely a target the Praxic Fire would keep an eye on in the future. With monstrous potential, a possibility of turning to the other side exists.....Eliana made a mental note to keep an eye on this budding guardian. Tevis hadn''t realized the impact of his own words on his fellow hunters'' life. "So how long do you plan to train him?" Eliana spoke up after observing in silence. "The agreement was me training him if he completed fallen bounties for five days. But there''s no way you''re here to just chat are you." Tevis squinted, Praxic order being here was bad juju, he couldn''t help but believe something had gone amiss. "It''s not like I can''t come to observe my scout, but since you asked, we might have to speed up the lead time to this operation. I am here to give you a heads up, don''t waste too much time testing him, teach him something useful." "Tsk, that''s the problem with you guys, I can''t rush his development. If anything he''s gonna be half baked at best if he went in early. This isn''t a spell you can rush, a hunter''s abilities are honed through grueling experience alone." He retorted. "You can decide that on your own, I am just here to give you a heads up, if your precious hunter here ends up getting compromised because he couldn''t perform well enough...I don''t think you''ll find anyone else to blame." Tevis''s face went numb hearing the words, he moved away from Eliana as he gestured the warlock to whisk away. Eliana noticed his sullen mood, not wanting to meander any longer, she blinked through space her figure spreading thinly into light particles. Tevis stayed, lingering at the edge of the satellite tower. He occasionally glanced at the lower city. After a few minutes of contemplation, he let out a heavy sigh and held his head. "F*ck, guess I can''t help it." Tevis grabbed the rails and jumped off downwards. ------------------------------------- [Skywatch, Lower District] With a blast Void blitzed into the streety alleys, each step was placed with extreme precision, like a bullet he shot through the narrow turns, bouncing off the walls in succession Void maintained his momentum chasing the Vandals. The Vandal''s scurried in fear, knowing there was no way they could fight without their captain, they followed their natural instinct. To run and hide, in the darkest place they could find. Unfortunately for them, Void was far too experienced in hunting out mobs. He was like a wolf sniffing out prey. ''These bastards, they''re really good at hiding between these alleys.'' Void thought, as the roads got narrower along. The alleys were a network of twists and turns that he couldn''t easily rush through, but for the Vandals, it was a safe haven they could easily hide in. At a certain threshold, Void was forced to swiftly climb along the walls and continue the chase. There was no way he would lose track of them, his radar had already caught their presence. Void darted between the walls, catching a glimpse of a Vandal as he increased his speed. Grabbing onto the wall beside him, Void channeled his strength, using his own momentum to fling himself across the gap towards the Vandal. He immediately jumped to create elevation, as his feet glowed faintly, Void jumped in mid air propelling himself further, until finally he was right above the two fleeing Vandals. In an effort to mimic Tevis, Void flipped his body with his feet up in the air, channeling the last part of his triple jump he kicked the air, effectively blasting him downwards hitting the Vandal. With a swift grapple Void broke the shoulder joint in the fallen Vandal''s arm, immediately a dagger appeared in his grip as he plunged it directly into the Vandal''s head. His movements were abrupt and not controlled, hence, the second Vandal jerked its head around sensing turbulent energy. Void''s senses flared up, he knew that he had risked getting spotted. But in a sudden twist of events before he was recognized, he immediately chucked multiple daggers with full force towards the Vandal. The shock of facing multiple daggers forced the second Vandal, to instantly focus on defending itself, hence losing sight of Void. This fraction of uncertainty was enough for Void to trigger his shade perk, as he immediately used his extreme speed to rush out behind the Vandal. With haste he pulled out his revolver, lining it perfectly behind the Vandal''s skull unbeknownst to the fallen. ''Last one'' One shot rang out, the echo filling the hollow city as the shell dropped to the ground. A gaping hole was left through the Vandal''s brain, staining the road blue, the Fallen''s lifeless body dropped to its knees and plopped on the ground. "Fuck that was a close one", Void breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s all four done, Obsidian, status report." Void called out. Obsidian appeared from thin air, his eye''s glowed blue, calculating a few factors, "According to calculations, the Fallen captain''s energy signature will reduce to zero in thirty seconds. The remaining scavengers have no signal. It seems someone really wiped them out fast." The ghost replied. Just as Void relaxed his body, another transmission occurred on the guardian channel in Skywatch. "All hunters report to Lunar-one. The fallen have been taken care of. Return to base as soon as possible, this is a direct order. Tevis out." Void looked towards obsidian as the ghost vanished from sight, signalling it was time to go. "Damn, I can''t even catch my breath". He lamented, but soon began sprinting back towards base. Training (5) [Lunar-One, Skywatch] The deserted lunar control station was essentially a wide junkyard littered with satellite scraps, and occasionally one would spot rusted steel towers that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, now simply reduced to ruins left behind by the old lunar command in the golden age. Naturally, the communication space within this junkyard was exceptional. There was still some reason why it had been a satellite communications hub in the golden age. The Nightstalkers had capitalized on this space, turning it into a somewhat temporary hideout and communication bay themselves. Their old satellite grid covered all of earth, but not only that, it also served as a safeguard against transmission tampering. Ever since the Fallen had arrived on earth, they had largely hijacked old golden age satellites to act as their own. However, this lunar command center was one of the first and largest of its kind built on earth. Hence, it could easily override any communications request and even turn off those satellites to an extent. In a nutshell, as long as the Nightstalkers dominated Skywatch, no external force could establish secure communication channels within the cosmodrome. Tevis loitered around the lunar bay, awaiting his teams return, he stomped around, seemingly still annoyed by earlier events. Finally, in an effort to ease his bitterness, he once again picked up his transmitter and spoke, "All hunters report to Lunar-one, return to base as soon as possible. This is a direct order. I repeat, a direct order, you can''t run from this one Levi, I f*cking dare you. Tevis out." No sooner than he had closed the channel, Tevis saw a dozen figures gather near the base. He seemed to be doing a mental head count as he nodded, "Alright, that''s thirteen of you, I suppose the two still out are Levi and Void." Tevis continued marching up and down the road, around the base, he seemed restless. Although no one could pinpoint what plagued the commander, the Nightstalkers were slightly anxious. It wasn''t everyday their captain was itching to call them to base. Tevis was seemingly running out of patience as he waited, he almost activated his transmitter again but just before he could open the voice channel, he saw two hunters rushing back. Levi and Void spotted the gathered hunters as they too sped up to take their place. The Nightstalker corps gathered as they immediately lined up symmetrically in front of their captain. Although Tevis hadn''t ever instructed them to do that, hunters loved to add their own touches to protocol, though somehow this time it fit the situation really well. Coincidentally, Tevis was marching around them, like a field marshal ready to dish out some drills. Somehow, it felt like they were soldiers ready to be scolded by their drill sergeant. Tevis walked around still brooding in his own thoughts. His lack of words surprised some hunters, and annoyed the others. ''What kind of bastard would call us here and then not have any orders...'' is what they all thought. Naturally, none of them had the guts to spit it out, hence the fifteen Nightstalkers stood in place. This was all until Levi had enough of watching Tevis circling the group. "Ummm....Captain I am not trying to be rude but, if we have nothing scheduled I will be leaving right now", Levi turned to sprint off but before his legs could grant him any lift, Tevis snapped out of his trance. "Shut the f*ck up. You''ve been dodging sentry duty for three weeks. It''s a surprise I haven''t ratted you out to the Praxic order, stand still or else I will really make sure you have to clean the city sewers by hand." Tevis shot him a death glare. The threat of community work was strong enough to shake Levi to the core, sending shivers down his spine, as he immediately portrayed the image of a perfect soldier, and lined up again. Void observed from the side, he wanted to chuckle but since no one else had, he could only imagine that Tevis was being completely serious..... City sewers, it can''t be that bad..can it? If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I called you all here regarding an abrupt request. A few days ago, an important mission was issued by the Praxic Order. They require a scout from the nightstalkers to aid their fireteam. As you would expect, you have to coordinate with their fireteam and involve yourself in some political mess to complete this mission." Tevis''s words were like a hammer that slammed the hopes of the Nightstalkers, shattering it to pieces. The atmosphere instantly turned gloomy, everyone looked around, glancing at each other, unable to keep calm after hearing Tevis. Void however was left slightly confused, but before he could show any reaction, Tevis messaged him privately to be calm and not say anything. The Nightstalker''s seemed to be discussing with hushed voices, not caring that Tevis could still slightly make out what they said. Void was surprised at this reaction as well, '' The praxic fire might not be popular, but hey they''re still offering some good loot.'' He muttered to himself, unfortunately his peers disagreed. In the end, the praxic order was still a disciplinary organization under the Vanguard. They were lapdogs who enforced rules on guardians, and as one would expect, their prime targets were almost always hunters. Working with them was not exactly "favorable" to them. If anything, hunters avoided the praxic fire like the plague. Why would they wish to cooperate and inadvertently put themselves in the spotlight for these rat bastards? All Nightstalkers present held the same thoughts. Hence why none had ever thought about accepting Tevis''s "mission" from the start. They could only discuss in hushed voices and hope the captain declines the request. "Alright alright, no need to be on the defensive. I knew you all would back out anyways so the first thing I did was reject them." Tevis waved his hands disgruntled. All of a sudden, everyone was delighted, and couldn''t help but cheer openly, throwing their fists in the air, much to Void''s amusement. Naturally, Tevis let them enjoy the moment before he dropped the next bombshell. "Ahh, but how unfortunate, the next day the Praxic order came to me with the Vanguards approval, so I couldn''t really reject them anymore." Tevis added casually. It was a split second later, but Void could almost swear he saw the colors visibly drain from the Nightstalkers cheerful faces. The moment "Vanguards approval" was uttered, every ounce of hope they had to dodge this "draft" had disappeared. After all, the Nightstalker Corps, Praxic Fire, and however many else fireteams and squads operated by guardians, they were ultimately answerable first and foremost to the Vanguard. Even the city did not hold a right to command them! Every single guardian was under the authority of the Vanguard, not the city. The city had its own counsel, called the "Consensus", which obviously included the Vanguard in its list of participants. Hence, if the Praxic fire and truly obtained their approval? There was no use of running from this mission. When the expressions of the hunters around him had sunk, and everyone showed downcast looks. Tevis finally added the last line, like a devil playing with their hearts. "Luckily for you guys, at the time Void was present, and he basically volunteered to take that job. That''s why I allowed him to train with us. But what do I see? You ungrateful bastards didn''t even try to talk with him, let alone teach him something useful. I am really ashamed to show my face around here." Tevis clicked his tongue, as he looked towards Void. Void knew there was a scheme involved, but he couldn''t ever imagine that Tevis would spin some stories to make him out to be the one who took the job without hassle. All the hunters present couldn''t help but glance at Void, some eyes held gratitude, while others seemed to perk up with interest. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that initially his existence was ignored, perhaps only Tevis and Levi cared to talk with him. But after this incident, all the hunters looked to him with some curiosity, and also with some desire to somehow pay him back. "Of course, we can''t just let him train with us and go to the mission. You might not know but Void''s only been active for a few months. His skills aren''t exceptional, but he is daring and possesses immense potential. I brought him here to train and test his abilities, but I can''t possibly teach him everything." Tevis hinted something subtly, and it didn''t take the others long to figure out what he meant A few minutes later a few hunters stepped up, volunteering to teach Void. "Hi, I am Cory, I am pretty good at hand to hand combat, I can help you out if you need it." The hunter extended a hand. Void immediately accepted the help, in his eyes the more the merrier. An exo popped up and looked at him, "Bandit-3, I can teach you dagger and sword skills. You can reach me through the captain." The exo immediately left not wanting to interact any further. "That''s enough, don''t hound him. First I will be teaching him stealth, he only has a week at best before the mission calls." Tevis informed them all. Hearing the captain, the crowd around Void thinned out and everyone ran back to their posts, they couldn''t exactly leave surveillance duties... This time, even Levi was dragged to his duties by his fellow squad mates, knowing nothing good will come of him leaving him alone. Tevis then gestured for Void to follow him to another training area he had prepared when Void finished his bounty. "I planned to use this later on, but you don''t really have that much time left. Your recent bounty is good enough for me, so we''ll be starting your training early on." As Tevis said these words, Void was baffled and also delighted. His mission had just been ended, how could he not be? Naturally, he checked the system and as expected the mission was completed early. --------------------- {Legendary Guardian System} Skywatch Bounty: +Mission Completed Rewards: Tevis Reputation +50, +Xp +Subclass advancement unlocked! Nightstalker (Lv 10/10) * --------------------------- Void was satisfied by unlocking his class advancement, but he wasn''t sure what lied ahead...what kind of advancement would he go through? Class Advancement ----------------------------------------- {Legendary Guardian System} +Subclass advancement unlocked! -Would you like to begin class advancement quest? Yes / No ------------------------- Void''s eyes gleamed with desire as he stared at the prompt. ''A class advancement, I need to do this sh*t now.'' Without hesitation he immediately pressed yes and a new window popped up, reading it''s contents, he couldn''t help but smile. --------------------------- Class Advancement Begun! Quest: Embrace the Void!! Objective: Kill three fallen captains with a Shadowshot super. Rewards: Nightstalker Lv(10/10) ---> Nightstalker Shadowfiend (Lv 1/10) (Variant) Changes: Shadowshot---> Shadowshot Deadfall : "Tether foes to a void anchor, weakening and suppressing them by 25% with increased range of shadow shot." ------------------------- ''F*ck me I finally unlocked a variant class.'' Void began muttering to himself, he could already imagine the stiffened faces of the fallen when they get trapped in his tethers. Meanwhile, Tevis who had lead him here began to second guess himself as to Void''s mental state.. ''Is this guy talking to himself....'' The captain could almost swear the hunter had smiled at thin air. He didn''t care much about psychological problems, after all, they were immortals. It was expected of them to have a few screws loose at this point. It wasn''t long before Tevis abruptly cleared his throat, snapping Void out of his trance. "Ah...erm. Yes captain you were saying?" Void replied immediately. Tevis glared at Void, clicking his tongue in the process. Void immediately straightened up, not daring to ignore the captain any longer. "If your done wasting my time, get in position. I will only show you this once, so you better get this inside your head." Tevis replied gruffly. "Ye- Sir!" Void stuttered, immediately scrambling to stand in front of Tevis. Tevis relaxed his body as he got into a natural stance. Void could frankly say there was nothing special about this stance but... No matter he hard he tried to deny it, he couldn''t quite put a finger on something that irked him. "Listen carefully, your light is just energy. But don''t treat it as an external power. That''s a hassle and a big mistake. We are guardians, light is engraved into our very soul. Etched into the fiber of our existence. Use your light more casually. It''s just like breathing, feel it, grasp its essence." Tevis mumbled, faintly entering into a trance. His two palms laid flat, connecting at the wrist. Faint lilac energy flowed through his body. Emanating continuously, it pulsated similar to his heart beat. It flowed in his veins, simply like blood. Void was mesmerized by the sight, Tevis seemed akin to a mystical hero in his eyes. One capable of using magic and mana. But the truth was, Void had just not realized his own power. His own mind had limited him in this aspect. It was not something he regretted at first, he had gained countless things in return. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. However today, Void''s heart wavered. For once he wished he knew more about ''light''. He wanted to make this power his own. Tevis snapped his eyes open, as he glanced at Void gawking at him. "What are you doing, I told you to get in position. We don''t have all day. Stand straight and mimic this stance." Void obediently placed his hands together, as he straightened his back. Trying his best to imitate Tevis''s posture. Void took a few deep breaths, calming his thoughts. He tried his best to "feel" this energy. He had used his light multiple times through his powers. But feeling the source of his abilities was something entirely different. ''Man I really should have read some of those cultivation novels. Maybe I would''ve picked something up from them.'' Void sighed. He''d been in this stance for a few minutes but nothing had really emanated from him. In the end, he scrunched his forehead trying his best to sense this energy and make it flow. [5 minutes later] At this point, Void was simply begging power to circulate. He was stood here in this ridiculous pose, for over five minutes. Not to mention that he had his eyes closed for the whole duration, he could almost swear that he''d heard Levi''s choked laugh somewhere around the corner. Annoyance filled his head as Void stood still, however he simply couldn''t help it any more. ''System come on, make it work. Do something.'' --------------------- {Legendary Guardian System} .....Please refrain from dragging the system into your potency issues. -------------------------- ''Shut the f*ck up trash system''..... Void decided to ignore this dogshit system of his and continued to try and feel the flow. However much to his disappointment, he couldn''t feel anything at all... Tevis who''d been observing him from the side was not surprised at all. In fact, he knew that if Void managed to "feel" his power in only five minutes, it would be nothing less than a miracle. It wasn''t exactly related to talent. All guardians had to overcome the hurdle of synchronizing with their own power. A warlock wasn''t someone just weaving spells, a titan wasn''t just an unbreakable wall, a hunter wasn''t just a deadly shot. Their true nature, was far more terrifying. The older a guardian got, the more their powers manifested. Unfortunately, although immortal, guardians weren''t invincible. The number of guardians who had fully realized their powers and then continue to hone it to the peak could be counted on one hand. Tevis had been around for a few hundred years, so he understood it best. Perhaps better than most, what the reality of a guardian was. Whether he liked it or not, a guardian was a war machine. A finely tuned weapon capable of limitless growth. However, a guardians power was akin to a blade, one that could only be sharpened through slaughter. In his eyes, Void wasn''t even one tenth of the way through. It was simple, he just hadn''t experienced enough. The only reason he had exposed Void to this "method", was to widen his horizons, and potentially let him capitalize on the risk he would face in his next mission. "That''s enough for now." Tevis waved. Void felt bitter as he broke away from his stance. His ego was completely deflated. It wasn''t a stretch to say he was completely distraught that he couldn''t grasp light fast enough. '' I got a chance but I blew it... How ironic, and here I thought the system could help me out.'' Tevis noticed his downcast look, "Don''t worry too much, it''s not as easy as you think to feel your light. I am sure you will be able to in a few years." Tevis commented nonchalantly. But to Void, it was simply a death sentence. ''A few years?'' He clenched his teeth. ''Who knows what''s gonna change in a few years. Crota? The Vex? Too many enemies, too little time.'' Void thought to himself. Noticing Void still in a low mood, Tevis couldn''t help but sigh. "Listen, it''s best you don''t focus on it for too long. I wanted to expose you to this method to build up your future growth. It''s not something you should expect to achieve in a few minutes." He basically scolded Void. Tevis knew that young guardians were prone to disillusionment the moment they realized the path to power wasn''t as linear as they once thought. It was his job as a captain to set them straight. "Anyhow, normally it''s important to feel your power before you apply it. But in your case, you seem to already be able to use your basic abilities, although they are severely limited in their application. Hence, I will try and teach you stealth in this session." Hearing the last words, Void''s soul returned from the depths of depression. "If anything at least I will learn this skill today". He was instantly determined. "That''s the spirit. Don''t worry, as a Nightstalker, you were practically raised for this." Tevis smiled. "Although I showed it to you once, I think it will be best to demonstrate a simpler version". His words resounded. Tevis''s figure blurred as he disappeared. It was an immaculate use of his abilities as he had basically turned transparent. Although this time Void could faintly make out his appearance. "This is the simpler version?" Void looked around, his glance following the blurred figure. "Sort of, instead of completely erasing your presence you can make yourself transparent. It works in environments with low light. It''s basically the bread and butter for a Nightstalker." "It does appear useful but, how do I apply this?" Void asked, intrigued. "Like I mentioned, normally, one would learn how to control their energy. But for a Nightstalker like yourself? All you need is enough exposure to the ability. Your instincts will gradually pick it up." Tevis responded, his figure reappearing. Void understood what he meant, he did feel very familiar to this particular ability. Not only that, he could even partially replicate it using his shade perk. "I am going to keep repeating this ability until you pick it up. Once you''re able to perform a basic execution, we''ll try it in different environments." Tevis said. Void nodded at his words and his eyes began analyzing Tevis as the latter''s figure appeared to blur in and out of view. Unveiling Shadows [One day later, Lunar Command, Skywatch] The scorching sun and the endlessly stretching blue horizon. At this time of day Skywatch seemed more so an abandoned scrapyard, the heat from the sun radiated through every manner of matter, until everything came to a scalding boil. A strange lull permeated through the base, waves of heat pulsated, and not a single soul could be seen outside. The base was stranded. But within the bases perimeter, one figure could be seen, standing solemnly in silence. He clutched his fists, his face hung low. The time he dreaded had finally come. He knew it would come one day, but he didn''t expect it to be so soon. He couldn''t run from his destiny. The figure clenched his teeth, unable to let out a sound, the sheer anguish drowned out his ability to speak. The anger flushed his face with emotions he had never portrayed before. It wasn''t evident what the figure was doing, until a black hexagonal drone flew by "Void, I''ve confirmed it, no one''s here." Obsidian remarked. It''s sensor pulsed the surroundings but to no avail. Obsidian looked worried, as he faced Void. The hunter unable to accept this outcome. "How could this happen. How. I tried I swear, I...I couldn''t do it obsidian." Void cried out "No...No, listen to me Void. It''s not your fault. You can''t blame yourself. You have to let it go Void. We don''t have much time left. We.... should move." Obsidian replied, its mechanical eye shifting to the side, the glow dimming slightly. Void''s emotions took the better of him, as he stayed still. Sadness, wrath, guilt, everything rushed through this mind. He heaved a breath to calm himself down. Slight resolution surfaced in his demeanor, as Void shakingly placed his hands on his eyes. His lips stuttered, he couldn''t bring himself to say it. "On-.... Tw-" Void slurred his words, his hands shivering. But a few seconds later, his responder blinked. Void jerked, his eyes staring wide at the caller. "Levi"... "HEY YOU, You bastard. I can''t fucking believe what you''re doing. It''s been THREE MINUTES. Are you going to start your turn or not. I can''t wait any longer." Levi barked like a furious crackhead. At his words Void flared up, his eyes rolled backwards, he could only see red as his mind went blank. "YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU, DEGENERATE DOG." Void finally lost his mind as he couldn''t handle it any longer. Obsidian could almost swear he saw foam frothing at the ends of Void''s mouth. "IT''S ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT, ALL YOUR FAULT. HOW DARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE A CONSCIENCE. THIS IS THE EIGTH TIME I AM HERE, #$%#$%@#% AND @#$@#$@#$" "WHAT, YOU ##$#$, did you just turn on the censorship filter. YOU #$%#$% YOU THINK I WON''T @#$@#$" "YEAH KEEP BARKING DOG. TALKING SHIT WHILE YOU''RE GARBAGE." Levi replied in the full spirit of an enraged bulldog as he couldn''t help retaliating. Void continued rambling as another caller joined in. "Hey you two, we are tired of waiting, what the hell are you doing. The squad''s all in position" Tevis''s voice chimed in as his ears were assaulted by Void''s and Levi''s incessant censor bleeps. Tevis sighed like a disappointed owner finding his dogs wrestling, he immediately muted the two maniacs and continued talking. "Ok, first of all Void, you know this is just for training right? It''s not our fault you''re slower than a snail, just because you lose every round you can''t throw a tantrum, this is a team exercise. Secondly, Levi did I not tell you to take it easy? Why do I see you raring to go in the open already." Both sides had eventually calmed down after an endearing intervention by Tevis and an obvious threat to clean the city''s sewers for a week. Void couldn''t help but mutter under his breath as he closed his channel. He finally placed his hands on his eyes and started again. "One.. two... three..four...five. Here I come" He sighed as he finished his words and immediately his figured turned invisible and rushed to the center field of the base. Hunters were known to be sly, cunning and playful. Their extreme speeds and lightning reflexes had to be tested somehow. Hence, they chose the one game that could test all these attributes. The game that had dominated mankind since the dawn of time. That''s right, the Nightstalkers were playing tag. But it was not that simple, it was a special variation. The shrewd mentality of hunters was evidently visible in their rules. There was one "it", and the moment someone else got tagged they would switch, that part was quite the same, and had survived the test of time. However, to the hunters, that was quite... boring. They added a new rule. Whoever was it, could be attacked by any and all "targets" and had to defend himself appropriately. If somehow, the targets managed to tag "it", that hunter would then have to close his eyes and start counting again as everyone shuffled positions. Even the, this seemed all fine and dandy, but the real crux of the game came in play. Hunters were not stupid, aside from using excessive abilities, everything was allowed. That meant, smoke bombs, knifes, invisibility, camouflage, sniping... you name it. Everything was allowed, heck even melee combat wasn''t out of consideration. In essence, for the last eight rounds, Void had been the punching bag of the Nightstalkers squadron. No matter who it was they would outclass him in speed and ability. It wasn''t long before they were running him in circles. But that was still not as infuriating as what Levi would do. Ever so often, in the middle of the chaos, Levi like the rat he was would sneak behind Void and swiftly plant his palm right in the back of Void''s head. Enraging the hunter to the nth degree. Not only that, Void wasn''t allowed to attack back because Levi had now tagged him. He could only helplessly walk back to the start, close his eyes and start counting again. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. However now? Now Void had enough. He immediately jumped into the fray. Sneaking? Hiding? Those were all useless. He was up against the best the city had to offer. Trying to beat them at their own game was foolish. Instead his plan was simple, plain and pure chaos. Void rushed towards the center, his transparent figure darting through at lightning speeds. He took in a deep breath before opening the comms channel and finally.. "LEVI YOU COWARD FIGHT ME RIGHT NOW. FUCK, COME OUT YOU RAT", He shouted Naturally, Levi being the dog bastard he was immediately responded with a war cry and jumped into the field. "Shit not again." Tevis slammed his hand against the wall, unable to see why those two were at each others throat. Meanwhile, the rest of the Squad had varying reactions. Some considered it good fun and even bet against who would win, of course only the gamblers bet on Void. Levi was no joke, there''s no way he would lose but gambling was always about betting against the odds. Whereas the other hunters could only sigh. As the two degenerate hunters were fighting in the middle, the rest of the Nightstalkers revealed themselves. The thirteen guardians encircled the center of the field, their presence akin to a cage. They didn''t mind the fight, but they couldn''t let those two take it too far. Restricting the perimeters was one of few options to not dampen the mood. "I can''t believe those two are still at it." Tevis lamented, massaging his temple. "They are quite compatible if you think about it captain." Bandit-3 stretched out his hands, both holding a jar each with several chits in it. "A choice if you will." He gestured towards Tevis. Tevis sighed again, but despite his expression, his hands quickly stretched towards Levi''s jar and dropped in a chit. "Thank you captain." Bandit bowed gracefully, his serpentine mechatronic eyes glowing a deep yellow. "I better be seeing that money Bandit. I know where you keep your stash." Tevis retorted as the exo was about to leave towards other hunters. "Err... Of course, captain." The Nightstalker chuckled a dry laugh and continued his betting schemes. Cory who was standing besides Tevis pointed towards the center "I think they''re finally starting out there", He gestured to the others. Everyone''s gaze shifted to Levi and Void. Both hunters had come to a standoff. "Hey hey hey, are you sure you can win. It''s 8-0 you know?" Levi riled Void up. "If you don''t end up cheating then I am sure I can smash your face in." Void chuckled rolling his wrists. "We''ll see about that." Levi replied with a smirk Both sides had enough talking as the two slowly stepped towards each other. Each second, the two hunters inched closer by a step or two. But just as the distance across was less than five meters. The two figures disappeared. In what could only be described as a vague blur. A flurry of blows was instantaneously traded, as punches and kicks were thrown out mercilessly. As the two reappeared Void was jerked backwards, unable to control his momentum. This brought a smug grin to Levi''s face as the fight continued. Levi focused energy in his soles, his body leaned forwards slightly, and before Void could even react, he shot forwards like a bullet. Swinging his body sideways, Levi''s heel kick aligned perfectly with Void''s head. But despite expecting a clean hit. At the last second possible, as time seemed to slow down, Void''s eye twitched, a reaction that was faster than the blink of an eye, Void shifted his weight almost falling backwards. A reaction that Levi couldn''t fathom, perhaps a quirk of fate? As his kick passed through thin Air he saw Void retaliating his body jolted, several knives immediately flew into Levi''s face. With a feint sway, Levi instinctively zipped through the knives, as they barely grazed his skin. The next blow was already in motion. His hands formed a fist, as it aimed towards Void''s body. Void fell on his back, unable to get up fast enough, he anticipated the punch as he fiercely kicked the ground catapulting himself backwards, dodging the punch by the skin of his teeth. Within just a fraction of a second, this encounter had almost decided the match! The close calls were quite a show as the Nightstalker''s couldn''t help but cheer and holler. Slight excitement had built up around this small fight. With no time to waste, Levi pounced on Void''s front, chucking blow after blow at the inexperienced hunter.. Void couldn''t help but be overwhelmed. The pacing was far too quick, Levi''s blows hit like a truck and were faster than he could react to. As the fight continued, one side could be seen completely dominating the other. Punch for punch, blow for blow, Void was consistently pushed back, his only option was to dodge and weave a few hits to ensure Levi wouldn''t completely crush his arms. In a last ditch effort Void gripped his knife, as he juggled it in his hands, Levi zoomed in. Feeling the hit coming, Void immediately ducked , and as expected, Levi found himself kicking empty air in the blink of an eye. Void immediately leaned forwards, deftly swiping his dagger across Levi''s heel. But to his dismay the veteran endured the pain and immediately flipped his body midair to deliver a crushing chest kick that shot Void stumbling a few feet onto the ground. Clutching his chest, Void barely got up. He could feel a rustic taste in his mouth, and sharp pain in his sides as he heaved in a heavy breath. ''Damn he cracked my ribs with one kick that fucking monster.'' Void could only grin despairingly as he saw Levi limp up to fight more despite having a severed tendon and slight void burn in his left leg. Both sides glared onto the other. The fight had heated up slightly. The encircling hunters observed, patiently waiting the outcome. Void flicked his wrist, a dagger appearing in his second hand as he began juggling the blades back and forth. Levi''s movement was crippled, but even now, Void felt like his opponent was more dangerous than ever. But he could tell, there was no hiding it. ''Gilded Blade, it''s weak but it''s working.'' The void burn was evidence that his perk wasn''t completely useless against his opponent. Despite not being allowed to use his abilities fully, Void could still utilize his perks, but Levi could not. It was an unfair advantage but this was the only way Void could even survive a fight against a monstrous opponent. A sense of understanding flashed through Void''s eyes as he began moving towards his opponent. Levi felt it coming as he immediately tensed his body. Once again, the two hunters tussled, blow for blow, as Void tried his best to nick Levi with his blade. But to his despair, the veteran had already caught on. Ever so slightly, Levi would feint an opening but as Void tried, he could only get countered and give up a free hit. The flurry of blows resurfaced, each side punching out with full force, each hit resounded crisply in the base. At once, shooting forwards Levi used his right leg to spin kick Void backwards, unable to sense the quick attack, Void took the brunt of it, blocking with both arms, the rookie hunter let out a faint grunt. ''Fuck...that''s both arms.'' Void felt his forearms crack slightly. Like a raging train, Levi used his only leg to spring forwards and continue relentlessly attacking Void, who could solely focus on dodging. Each kick was dodged in the nick of time, barely leaving Void with room to breathe. The fight seemed like a well choreographed dance, but it was time for a glorious finale. Flinging his daggers forwards, Void used his full power to blitz towards him, he kept chucking knives at every possible occasion leaving Levi no choice but to keep close. With both his hands compromised, Void switched to a similar Taekwondo style as Levi, a flurry of kicks traded swiftly. Forcing Levi towards sandy ground, Void ensured the location was perfect, as the fight got even fiercer. Not a second passed by but blows were traded. Each side seemed just as likely to win. But Void pulled a quick feint as he leaned in to deliver a punch but just as he missed, a knife flew from his other hand through Levi''s foot, pinning the hunter to the ground. Not missing a beat Void leaned in, twisting his body fully as he sprung forwards with a punch. Levi''s eyes widened as he found himself unable to move. Feeling that he could match the blow, the Nightstalker immediately clenched his fist and threw it towards the incoming punch. Expecting a painful collision he clenched his teeth but just as they blows were about to connect, Void stumbled forwards his punch landing below Levi sending a cloud of sand flushing upwards breaking his line of sight. ''Fuck this is sand.'' Levi immediately realized what had happened, his vision was clouded within the dust as his other senses raged on to find Void, but to his shock not even a faint sign of Void remained. ''What is.'' The veteran found himself bamboozled, a faint shade flickered behind him. ''Oh fuck'' His eyes shook, as he tried to look behind him. Before Levi could react the shade kicked his leg sending him tumbling backward as he found his head chased by a dagger. Levi hit the ground his arms barely shielding his face as the blades tip stopped directly in front of his neck. An injured Void reappeared and fell to his knees, he smirked holding the dagger perfectly still. "You''re it." He mouthed observing Levi''s shocked pale face. The Nightstalkers went wild, unable to process what had happened. All of a sudden Void found himself being thrown around in a cheer as everyone rushed in to celebrate. He couldn''t help but smile with satisfaction as he saw a faint prompt in front of him. --- {Legendary Guardian System} +New Combat Perks Unlocked: * Sixth Sense: As a hunter, you''re able to sense danger a fraction of a second before it occurs. * Dagger mastery: As a skilled blade master you''re able to masterfully wield daggers whether it is in long or short range encounters. --- ========= Spicy Ramen Shop The Nightstalkers roared and cheered as they tossed Void around, smiles were plastered all around as they finally saw their somewhat temporary member snag a win against an old prick that Levi was. Even Levi who was sprawled over the ground couldn''t help but crack a smile of genuine disbelief when he realized what had happened. "Alright that''s enough, you can put him down now." Tevis''s voice resounded. Like clockwork the Nightstalkers shuffled around forming a clean lineup. Levi struggled to get up as his ghost appeared, starting to heal his injured tendons. "Thanks zipper." He chirped, limping up. The auburn ghost circled around Levi and nodded in gratitude before promptly disappearing. Void who could still not feel the bones in his arms eventually was on the verge of collapse. But to maintain the decorum of his victory, the hunters beside him were already supporting him with their arms intertwined around his shoulders. "Easy now champ. You got a hell of a beating." Cory commented, helping Void stand as he held his broken arms. Obsidian floated closer as his scanner picked up Void''s vitals, he glowed faintly, channeling light as Void began to regenerate. "So that marks the conclusion of the our stealth exercise. But seriously, I think you guys took it too far. I can''t believe you resorted to a head on duel." Tevis continued scolding the two hunters as he shook his head. "Aiigh, It''s all good captain. The rookie got a chance and finally won, you should let him celebrate it a bit longer don''t you think." Levi dusted off the sand on his armor as he spoke. "I do agree captain, but first I think it''s best you pay up." Bandit chimed in with a sleezy look smeared over his face. A frown appeared on Tevis''s face, "Pay up? what the hell are you talking about?" Tevis brushed Bandit off as he continued. Just as he was about to lecture the hunters, he noticed the side eye glares he was receiving after rejecting the bet. Tevis cleared his throat watching as the hunters solemnly turned their gazes towards him, expecting some payout. "Captain, while I do respect the protocol and I thoroughly enjoy your sensational speeches. I believe you can''t go back on your word." Bandit''s voice echoed within the base, carrying a sly allure. "Ah but I see that you might not want to cash out. You know, considering you bet against the winner and all." Bandit added at the end, a sly smirk planted on his silicon lips. Tevis immediately face palmed knowing what was coming next. Void looked at his captain with slight disbelief, "You bet against me?" He cried. "Listen it''s not like tha-" Tevis tried to reason but the mob had overtaken him. "Haa, so in the end the captain just wants to scam the rookie... I see." Levi nodded. "I must say captain this approach is quite excessive, I didn''t know you were this ruthless." Cory swayed his head. A few other hunters also began to whisper. "I heard the captain bullied the Rookie into accepting the job." "I heard he threatened the rookie because he was the one selected at first." "Really? I heard he promised the newbie some great weapon, but in the end he was gonna hand out a ballyhoo classic." The anonymous hunter sighed at the end, clicking his tongue. The Nightstalkers around him scrunched up their faces at his words. Tevis''s frown deepened, creases developing on his forehead. "Hey, do you think if I report this abuse to the Vanguard resources they will let me take a day off?" "I think you''ll get your ass beat but go for it", two hushed voices continued. Tevis''s frown deepened as his eyebrows twitched. "Oye.." Tevis was about to speak out but the whispers continued. "I heard the captain told the newbie he was too busy to teach him one on one and that he wasn''t worth his time." "Really? All the captain does is sit up at the lunar tower though. Ahh, I guess he really doesn''t like Void." Tevis''s calm fa?ade finally crumbled. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "OYE, I told you bastards to respect your captain. Fine, fine, a payout? Ok, I will give you guys a payout. Let''s all have a meal at the spicy ramen shop, my treat". A victorious grin formed on Tevis''s face. Hearing their captain''s generous offer, the squad couldn''t help but burst out in cheers once again. On the side, Bandit-3 could be seen with a lingering faint smile as he crossed out the debt owed for the previous bet. "Alright alright, so ten of us can go back to the tower, but the remaining five need to be on sentry duty. Since Void and Levi fought today, they are not included. So we''re gonna pick lots." Tevis declared. Suddenly, a suffocating pressure emanated from the crowd. The air seemed to halt, as everyone''s eyes narrowed, their fickle gaze darting around, glaring at the ones around them. "You know the rules. Bandit let''s go." Tevis snapped his fingers. The swift exo deftly pulled out a jar containing lots. "You only get one pick, don''t cheat." Tevis reminded. A flurry of hands immediately jumped towards the jar as the chits were distributed. Some had sorrowful smiles while others had eyes full of disbelief. There were melancholic farewells and promises of takeout ramen being brought back. Finally the winners departed on their jumpships, promising a grand return with several orders of spicy ramen. Some believed them, while the others staying back had given in to cruel fate --------------------------- [Bazaar, The Tower, Last city] The squad of Nightstalkers walked in to the bazaar, their group startled the crowd and merchants roaming around. Some civilians were star-struck to the point that the usually crowded bazaar went dead silent. Naturally, being a guardian was already very eye catching. But Nighstalker''s were heroes clouded in mystery. Many could almost swear they didn''t exist. However, today as ten hunters walked in tow with their captain, people were stunned to speak. Tevis had his arms wrapped around Void as he led them all to the famed Spicy Ramen Shop. Void was slightly excited as although he''d been here for a few months, he''d never gotten enough time to explore the bazaar. Their group continued to walked down the bazaar as they finally reached a shady crumbling corner store manned by a droid and an exo with a big yellow vending machine at it''s entrance. The exo looked up, it''s blue eyes glowing in surprise. "How''s it going Maurice, we''ll take ten orders of Spicy Ramen. Large. 5 stars. Extra dumplings. Tevis extended his wrist to show his smart tag for glimmer transfer as the small cashier droid stepped in." The small droid circled around Tevis, like a lost puppy who found it''s owner. "Hey Aym, you''re doing great. Great job helping maurice out." Tevis immediately reciprocated, brushing the droids grey metallic frame. Maurice smiled faintly as he shook his hands "No, no payment for you guys. It''s on us today, the Nightstalkers don''t come to the Bazaar that often. So it must be a special day." The Exo laughed. "Yeah it''s special alright. Our newbie here won his first fight." Tevis''s immediately patted Void''s head like a proud teacher. "Hey not my hood, you''re gonna mess it up." Void immediately slapped his hand away feeling annoyed. Maurice''s eyes widened. "A new member? My, I didn''t know the city had a new Nightstalker. Please, please, have a seat." Maurice gestured as Aym directed the hunters to their table. "Keep it down Maurice, it''s not something anyone else needs to know." Tevis chuckled. "Please, you know I am tight lipped. If not then at this point you and Cayde would already be in a lot of deep shit." He shook his head reminiscing of the old times. "Ah, I really miss those days you and Cayde were quite rebellious always trying to strike pre-emptively. Andal, he would often complain about you, you know he almost pulled his hair out some days. But when you two got that fallen bounty cleared up, he was so proud he couldn''t stop bragging about it the whole night." Maurice''s eye''s dimmed, his voice cut off, a soar lump in his throat as old memories flashed through his mind. His hands which were always working to clean out some glasses halted abruptly. For a brief second there was silence in the shop. Maurice seemed lost for a few seconds, but then he looked towards Tevis and broke himself out of the melancholic trance. "He would be so proud you know, that''s just what he was like." He continued, picking up the glass as he continued polishing. "I know Maurice, I know." Tevis replied with a calm smile. Void who was sitting at the table shivered slightly. His squad members might not be fully aware but he was one who knew the story first hand. ''Andal Brask, the old hunter vanguard.'' He could remember that name. The man who trained two elite hunters, Cayde and Tevis. The man who mentored Ana Bray. The man brutally murdered by Taniks. If anything, Andal brask started off a generation of hunters. He was a hero and a leader. Void didn''t think he would hear that name today but it did remind him that guardians lived long lives. After all, Andal Brask had been around for hundreds of years. Yet it also reminded him of the dangers they faced. Despite being one of the strongest hunters, he was still tracked down and killed by Taniks. Void resolved himself to never end up like that. He didn''t want the one''s around him to suffer the same fate. He could tell that despite Tevis playing it down, the sorrow and grief in his voice never seemed to fade. He knew the reality. That Taniks was still alive. That Cayde had tried to kill him off a few times already but failed. At the end of the day Void swallowed up these thoughts, it wasn''t yet time to think of the future like that. He had bigger problems in front of him. He sighed as the Aym dished out the bowls of ramen to their table. The hunters perked up, as Levi, Bandit and Cory immediately jumped in to indulge. Guardians didn''t need food. But spicy ramen was a delicacy they could not pass out on. Void had never tried it himself since he was mostly out of town. But today, he was almost drooling as his nose caught the smell. "This stuff....is." He couldn''t help but cry out. His spoon didn''t stop moving as he began stuffing the hot noodles down his face. Spice was one flavor that guardians could indulge in, and it brought them great pleasure. Void could definitely agree as although his mouth felt like it was on fire, his body felt warm. A strange bubbly warmth spread throughout his chest and it made him feel ecstatic. "Haa, you guys eat like animals. Calm down there you can just get seconds." Tevis shook his head. Hearing this, everyone immediately roared as the crowd riled up. The hunters continued stuffing their faces until they could almost swear their armor wouldn''t fit. At the end most of them had passed out because of a spice overload. Their body not able to deal with the overwhelming capsaicin, had began shutting down. Naturally, their regenerative abilities meant that it would only knock them out for ten minutes. Void and the others were sprawled over their tables in the shop as Tevis continued chatting with the owner. Void''s vision was slightly blurred as he held his stomach tight, unable to take even a single step. His eyes faced the door as he saw a vague figure stepping closer. "Huh.. you are." His mind felt fuzzy as he was about to sleep, but then the figure poked him lightly as a jolt rushed through Void''s body. The pain immediately forced him to scream out. "UGH. What...What happened." He held his head as it throbbed. His vision refocused as the whole shop looked towards the figure. "You...Sai Mota?" Void recalled that face. Order of the Sunbreakers Void stumbled, scrambling to get up as his fuzzy vision began to clear. Hearing his words, the rest of the shop immediately glanced at the huntress. The Nightstalkers previously hunched over sobered up and stood up at attention, their bodies going rigid. "CAPTAIN", Levi and the rest shouted, saluting Sai. Sai shrugged them off with a wave as she continued. "At ease. I was looking for you at the base and they told me you guys were celebrating at the ramen shop. But really...to think Levi would lose to you. You''re not bad." Sai smirked fist bumping Void. "A-ah, Captain I can explain, he just got lu-" Levi fumbled his words waking up from his food coma. Sai''s face scrunched up with an annoyed frown. "Don''t spout some bullshit like luck after loosing to a newbie. You and I both know it doesn''t exist out there. You were in my training camp. It''s pathetic, If you''re gonna stoop that low for excuses, I can make some time for you to relearn the basics and not be an embarrassment" She clicked her tongue, her words cutting through Levi''s remaining pride like daggers. The hunter''s expression dropped as he sat back down and sighed. Sai shook her head, "I will take a cola." She held up a finger and took a seat beside Tevis. Maurice swiftly dished out the beverage and slid it in front of her. "I don''t think you came here to catch up, something urgent?" Tevis asked, sipping his drink slowly. " I didn''t come here for you. I came here for him." Sai gestured with her thumb pointing to Void. "We managed to get a general location of the target. At most, within a day, the mission will begin. I came here to fetch our scout." She replied. Tevis glanced back at Void, who was still standing staring at his two superiors, fidgeting nervously. He chuckled, facing Sai as he gazed into her eyes. "Your scout is ready...but. I will need you to guarantee his safety." He whispered. "You already know how this goes, we follow protocol and no one gets hurt. Why are you looking too deep into this, it''s just a scout-" Sai mumbled absently as she chugged her cola. Tevis''s gaze didn''t waver, he waited, expecting a different response. The huntress sighed, feeling his gaze almost boring into her skull. "Fine, I will take care of your student so stop giving me that look." She shrugged off his gaze and smacked the counter with her glass. "Thanks, I knew I could trust your blades." Tevis grinned with a thumbs up. Sai scoffed, "Maurice, one spicy shrimp" She ordered, "and put it on his tab" adding the last few words much to Tevis''s amusement. "You take bribes now?" Tevis replied. "Think of it as protection fees." She retorted. ----------------------------------------- As Sai enjoyed her ramen, the two captains conversed on several matters. However, as for the hunters.... Well, they were kicked out of the shop because the Captains wanted some privacy. Void, Levi, Bandit and Cory were currently hunched over outside the shop, their eyes darting between the Captains. While the rest had already dispersed, leaving with a few takeout orders back to the base. "What do you think they''re talking about?" Levi whispered. "Considering their status, it must be about good loot." Bandit chuckled dryly, his eyes narrowed. "Perhaps, reliving old battles. As far as I know, they weren''t on the same fireteam but did work together a few times." Cory replied, interest bubbling in his eyes. Void also scratched his head, unable to guess what it was about. However, he then started a new line of questioning. "Say, why''d you guys call her Captain?" He inquired, utterly clueless. The other three stared at him, dumbfounded. Levi had a deadpan look on his face, while Bandit and Cory simply looked at Void with utter confusion. "Do you...not know who she is?" Cory "What do you mean? Isn''t she Sai Mota?" Void replied as a hand immediately clamped his mouth shut. "Are you fucking crazy." Levi whispered, his finger over his lips, hastily shushing Void. "You can''t just call her that." Bandit replied and shuddered, recalling a haunting memory. "Listen carefully. I don''t know why you''re acting so casual with her, but she''s not someone you would want to piss off. That''s Sai Mota, the captain of the Bladedancers. I don''t think you understand, they''re all relentless killing machines that can rip you apart in less than a second" Levi whispered. "That''s not all. Captain Sai is counted among the top brass. Group of guardians who''ve been active before the city walls were fully constructed. Our Captain isn''t even considered close to her in experience. She''s also the one who trained most of our squad back when we were still new. Her skill with the blade is lethal. Blink and you''ll miss how she cut you apart." Cory broke out in cold sweat, his hands shivered. Void gulped, his throat suddenly felt scratchy as a cold jitter ran down his spine. ''Captain of the Bladedancers''. For the first time, he suddenly felt that he should be more careful with his words. Just as the panic was setting in, the shop''s door swung open. "What''s with the group huddle?" Tevis called out as he and Sai walked towards them. Levi quickly let go of Void''s mouth as the four Nightstalker''s immediately stood up, facing their captains. *Cough* "Nothing Captain, we were just guessing how much it cost you to treat us all." Void replied, giving the most concerned look he could muster. "Huh... Don''t worry about the price. It''s easy for me to pick up." Tevis shrugged and waved his hand. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "With that said, it seems like duty calls. Your mission is setup and your fireteam''s here to fetch you. Doesn''t make sense to keep you for long so the Nightstalker squad will be leaving now." Tevis said. Void gave a determined nod and Tevis smiled. "No need to tense up, you should be fine with Sai covering for you." Tevis slapped his shoulder. Void felt a sense of camaraderie with the veteran hunter. Following their captain''s lead, Levi, Bandit and Cory slapped Void''s back. "Good luck." "Don''t die out there." "Keep your eyes on the prize." The three hunters walked over to Tevis and began their transmat. "One last thing, just know that the Nightstalker squad will always welcome you back as a member." Tevis waved with a smile as the transmat kicked in, warping their figures into tiny particles that faded away. Void waved back as he saw them leave, he was thankful for those last words. His hand dropped low as the transmat ended. "Let''s go, we''ll brief you there. Can''t keep the squad waiting." Sai tapped his shoulder. "Ok err... Captain." Void saluted and replied his eyes shifting away. Sai looked back at him with slight confusion, as her brows twitched. "Just call me Sai, you''re not a hunter under me. Don''t do that again either. " She replied slightly annoyed. "Yes...Sai." Void replied putting his hand back down, he gulped not wanting to annoy her any further. Sai shook her head and kept walking signaling Void to follow her. The two walked through the bazaar, up the stairs into the main harbor of the tower. Sai went through the crowd with swift strides, making Void almost lose sight of her. Sai navigated to the left wing of the tower, towards the Vanguard''s quarters. As the two reached the security gate, a simple swipe of Sai''s hands granted them access. "From now on, whatever you see, hear or touch is classified. If anything is leaked, the Praxic Fire will hold you responsible. Am I clear?" She declared Void simply nodded, he knew not to cross the Praxic order. She continued walking straight into the Vanguard''s terminal and Void followed suit. However, as they reached the end of a maze of hallways. Sai held up her wrist, scanning it near the walls. On cue, a mechanism triggered. The walls clicked open, gears turning mechanically sliding away to reveal an empty elevator. "Get in." Sai commanded. Void gulped, and stepped inside with the huntress. She once again walked up to the locked terminal, swiping her wrists on the screen as the access node sprang to life. Several scanner rays screened their body and the elevator began it''s descent. The tower had hundreds of floor. No one knew exactly what each floor led to, and the top thirty or so were restricted for use by the Vanguard and the guardians. As for the rest? They weren''t anything special, either residential complexes or warehouses. However, meshed between these floors was something, peculiar. A place so restricted that only a select few knew how to enter. A floor that if revealed would be considered a massive betrayal and a stab in the back to the guardians by their own. Naturally, this was the Praxic Fire''s headquarters. AN entire floor equipped with the golden ages best surveillance tech used primarily to monitor the guardians and their activities. Everyone "knew" it existed. However, as the order was backed by the top brass. No one dared to mess with them. Of course, excluding the exceptional cases in the past where guardians had gone rogue. One such case, was what Void was currently expected to work on. As Void stood in the elevator, he counted what he could only describe longest descent he had gone through. ''It''s been a few minutes and we''re still going down. The elevator isn''t going that fast, we must be around the 230th floor. The Praxic Fire is an order that doesn''t distinguish from friend or foe. Their aim is to maintain order." Thoughts sprouted in his mind. He definitely wanted to ingrain everything he saw to his memory. From what Void had heard, the Praxic order was fickle when it came to guardians. He knew it was a possibility where he too would be under surveillance in the future. It wouldn''t hurt to know what he was up against. "We''re here." Sai''s voice rang out. The elevator doors shifted open, as a strong pressurized gas flooded the elevator. Void held his mouth shut as the gas dissipated. "Follow me" Void saw that Sai had already exited the elevator and walked straight through the empty hallways. In contrast to the usual tower, the interior of this place felt clean... Too clean. The corridors were littered with cameras and bright lights. Not even a shadow could sneak inside. As they walked around, Void felt a lot eyes on his back. The halls were lined with many rooms that looked identical. Sai walked to a door and it opened, revealing a team of guardians discussing fervently as a few screens lined their sight, updating information every second. "Your scout''s here." Sai voiced out, and the room grinded to a halt. All eyes drifted towards Void, analyzing the hunter from head to toe. Void saw some familiar faces as he spotted Wei and Eriana. Though the two seemed to be in a heated argument with a third woman of titanic proportions. They all wore the same fiery armor set, however her armor was quite jagged. It seemed, rustic. However, Void could tell that the armor was sturdy and forged through intense battles with just a look. She turned to look at Void, eyes like fire and voice like thunder as she spoke. " Welcome, hunter. I am Ouros, Empyreal of the Sunbreakers." Ouros extended her gigantic hand, engulfing Void''s hand in her palms. Before he could even yelp, Ouros shook his hand, in what Void could only describe as a come to Jesus meeting. He swore he almost passed out. "Y-yeah, I am Void. Nightstalker." Void spoke through clenched lips. "Ouros, think clearly, who are you trying to help here?" Wei chimed in, clearly dissatisfied with their earlier discourse. "We, the Sunbreakers help who we wish, and resent who we wish. I do not need the permission of the Vanguard to shelter one or to exile another." Ouros laughed heartily and replied. "The Vanguard has classified this mission and issued it to the Praxic Fire. You''re in no position to step in." Eriana shouted. Ouros''s eyes flashed with great energy, heat emanating from her presence. She moved towards Eriana, her face inches away from hers as her eyes glared into the warlocks. "With all due respect, Warlock. Our order is independent of your little city. All I see, is a bunch of cowards trying to step in and stop the renegade. In my eyes, he is a more of warrior against the darkness than you." Ouros declared, her gaze unwavering. A/N: The Sunbreakers is an order of Titans with the Sunbreaker subclass, they live outside the city and fight the darkness. Their Leader is called the Empyreal Magistrate. They have bases on Mercury and on Venus. "Step Back, Ouros." Wei placed herself between the two, as titan faced titan. Void could simply feel the sparks in the air. An unstoppable force had met an unmovable object. "That''s enough. The Sunbreakers indeed don''t owe us any explanation trying to shelter our target. However, keep in mind, that we do not owe you any regard for trying to hunt him down either. All we ask, is that you do not hinder us. Is that not the deal you made with the Vanguard when you left the city towards mercury?" Sai dissociated the problem as she calmly talked about the past. "A deal yes. But one with Osiris. Not your current commander. However, in the spirit of light. We shall step back. I did not come here with an intention to stop you at all. I came instead, to warn you." Ouros''s eyes narrowed. The room went dead silent at her words. Void''s ears perked up at Osiris''s mention. The exiled Warlock commander of the vanguard. He was a controversial figure, but also a mentor to Ikorra Ray, and one of the strongest warlocks to have ever lived. "Warn us? Has the mission been leaked?" Void asked, he recalled hearing that their target has eyes and ears inside the city. "Leaked? No. The renegade is well informed but your order is quite the expert at keeping lips shut. I came to know through means that I cannot share. However, I must warn you, your enemy is not a simple man." Ouros frowned. "Especially you, little hunter, considering his personality. He won''t kill you. However, the chances of your survival are very slim. The man has enemies and allies in every corner of the world." "Enough spinning it around, speak clearly." Wei demanded. " The Dredgen are hunting him. You know why. The man with the golden gun, he is prepared for an ambush at any time. He came to us with a proposal, a way to attract the Dredgen. Hence, we supported his presence, hid him from you. However, he intends to leave. I must warn you, his power is no joke. The rumors are true after all." Ouros smirked. "I must advise you, to exercise caution. We came back to earth to investigate the sudden Vex insurgence on Mercury." "However." Her voice fell, a frown curled on her brows. "He took care of it alone." The room was dead silent, the Praxic order''s eyes glistened with astonishment. "I did not want the cities guardians to foolhardily throw themselves to him. Hence, I advise caution. If you wish to strike, then strike fast as you do not have much time and strike only once. He is not one to kill for no reason, so I have no intention of aiding your mission. However, according to Osiris''s treaty, we shall not hinder you." Ouros spoke with concern. She moved towards the door and gave Void one final tap on the shoulder. "I must attend a meeting with the speaker. I leave you now, to do as you wish. But remember my words." Ouros bid farewell, not looking back towards the room as she moved towards the elevator. Void felt a slight fizzle on his shoulder where she had touched him. ''Warm'', he held his shoulder, feeling heat pulsating through his body. Eriana sighed, "Let''s think the plan over." Her voice resounded in the room, followed by everyone nodding. It seemed that they had to think their plans over. Beacon For The Fire "The Vex insurgence on Mercury wasn''t a lie. Captain mentioned it last time. That he couldn''t leave Skywatch incase another insurgence occurred." Void spoke up. "Tevis did mention his concerns of the insurgence coming back to earth. But to think Shin Malphur took care of it alone. He''s become closer to a one-man army." Eriana replied. "There''s no need to doubt her words. You and I both know, Sunbreakers don''t lie. We can take whatever Ouros said to face value. Their order stands firm on their path, unflinching and unwavering against any enemy. They find it beneath them to stray from the truth." Wei spoke up. " If Ouros didn''t lie about Shin taking care of it alone." Sai frowned. "We need to raise the stakes of the mission." Eriana continued. All members were in agreement as they nodded. "Our scout remains the same. However, to match this newfound intelligence, it''s better if all three of us take part in the mission too." Eriana pointed towards Sai and Wei. One could barely tell but there were slight sighs of relief around the room as Eriana announced the fireteam members for the mission. "If I''m still on the mission, I have some conditions." Void interrupted the momentum as all eyes fell on him. Naturally, his words were enough to earn him gazes from across the room, but he didn''t quite care. After all, he was the one risking his life. Shouldn''t he get some benefit? "I will hear them out first." Eriana replied swiftly. Void was surprised that his demand worked, but he knew that he wasn''t through yet. "Quite simple. First, I need more information about this whole operation. Don''t leave anything out. Second, I don''t think the gear I got is worth risking my life, so I''m hoping for something decent in return for this mission. Lastly, if anything goes wrong, I hope you''ll consider saving my life." Void smiled calmly, putting his conditions forward as he held up three fingers. He felt that they weren''t unreasonable. However, it was still up to the Praxic Fire to accept or deny them. Eriana contemplated, hundreds of thoughts scrambled across her mind as she snapped out of her trance. "You''re really picking up the hunter code of arms by demanding more loot. That won''t be an issue, we were going to compensate you adequately. For the information, well...We can tell you what you need to know. But that''s all. As for your life, I can''t give guarantees. However, if things do go south, I will put my life on the line for yours." Eriana replied. "That works for me." Void said, astonished that all his requests were fulfilled. "Alright, since the teams are decided, let''s continue to the briefing. Pull up the records." Eriana said. The team of warlocks stationed in the room immediately returned to their stations and began displaying several records on the hologram projector. "The data represents our tuner picking up signals of the light near King''s Watch. You can see that most of them coincide near the graveyard''s ravine. It could be a hideout, or a safehouse." Sai voiced out, gesturing towards the blobs of energy appearing on the holographic grid. "As for it''s authenticity... I collected it myself." She concluded. Void observed the map, in his mind he could easily relate it to the Cosmodrome''s geographical outline. "Our Target is likely in the North East of the Graveyard. This, it used to be a golden age mining hotbed, now it''s taken over by fallen glimmer scavengers." Sai pointed towards the ragged hills tucked in at the top right of the map. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "The location isn''t exactly suitable for us, Devil''s Lair is quite volatile Fallen satellites dominate that airspace, we cannot take Jumpships. The gunslinger will probably be monitoring fallen comms. It''s likely that we''ll have to travel by sparrow, starting from the edge of The Divide. Through the old Rocketyard quarries, traversing by mining tunnels until we reach northern plains of King''s watch." Sai elaborated, her fingers tracing a faint route on the hologram. "But, once we''re there, the slightest energy signature could throw us off and reveal our location. Our target is a veteran at locating and engaging guardians his senses can cover ten''s of kilometers, he won''t miss a beat at picking up massive energy fluctuations near his location. At best, he will make himself, scarce." Sai paused. "At worse, it will be us." Her eyes carried a solemn look. "That is where you come in." She replied glancing at Void. Void raised his brows, waiting to hear his role fully. "We call you a scout, but in reality you''re more so a beacon. A beacon to constantly ping his location to. You''ll be carrying a tuning device as you venture out on foot, that will determine his exact coordinates. Once his spatial coordinates are quantified, Eriana can blink us in. Naturally, we''ll then engage him and you are free to fall back." She ended. Void frowned, although at first the mission seemed smooth in planning. One word irked him. "A beacon can ping his location, but relaying signals works both ways. If he''s really that proficient in tracking guardians, won''t he track me too?" Void replied. "You''re thorough, and it''s true. Theoretically, every signal can be relayed both ways. But you have something he doesn''t. A Nightstalker''s stealth and camouflage doesn''t just mask one''s appearance but also the energy signal emitted. For all he''s concerned, you could be an occasional fluctuation of energy, simply, background radiation." Eriana chimed in. "And what''s the chance he doesn''t buy it?" Void asked. "Calculating all probabilities would be difficult. In my experience, nothing is certain. This mission imposes a risk to each and every member. In the end, we''ll all have to risk something." She replied. "The tuner we designed will begin working once you''re within 1.5 Km of the target. You''ll need to hold out for thirty seconds. As a gunslinger he might try to eliminate you, from a distance where he holds the advantage. Your stealth should help you stay safe, however, the possibility of him detecting you isn''t low." Sai added. "Half a second, that''s how much time we need to engage him in close range combat. Sai and I can travel at extreme speeds once we get warped in by Eriana. Even if you are to die, as long as your ghost is safe, we can bring you back." Wei replied. Void contemplated and found that he couldn''t complain. The real reason he was doing the mission was to unlock the System''s store. It''s true that he was taking a risk, but there was never anything to gain without risking his life. "Alright, when do we leave?" Void responded, as he began checking his gear. " Sixteen hours till mission starts. You should rest up while you can. Both physically and mentally." Eriana suggested. "I will take you up on that offer. Obsidian access my personal room and let the droid clean it up, we''ll rest in the city tonight." Void turned to look at his palm, as Obsidian appeared. "Alright, I''ve notified house keeping. It will be clean by the time we get there." The ghost replied, it''s eye flashing once. "Use your Jumpship tomorrow and meet us at The Divide, I will forward the co-ordinates to your Ghost." Sai reminded as Void left the room waving his hand. ------------------------------------------- [Residential Complex] A click was heard as the steel door opened, Void stepped into the room, he glanced around observing the surroundings. "They really did a good job at cleaning this place up. It looks exactly like the day I walked in here", He bemused. Obsidian appeared flying over his left shoulder, the ghost swayed in the air as he slowly adjusted the rooms appliances to function. The holographic projector turned on, the lights dimmed and the ac unit began blasting a cold jet of air. "The tower''s service droids are programmed to cater to all household needs. I don''t find it surprising that they can maintain this level of consistency in their cleaning. I heard that the old warlocks stole the designs of Vex hiveminds to figure out the neural network, but officially there''s no record of it in the city''s archives. " Obsidian replied guilelessly. "At least the warlocks got back something useful from their Vex obsessions." Void yawned as he jumped on his fluffed bed, sinking deep into the soft cushions as the blanket caressed him. He looked towards the ceiling, as his drifted towards his system. He could see the quest. ------------------------------------ {Legendary Guardian System} +New Mission: * Praxic Order''s Plea: Scout the mysterious man responsible for the incident. Maintain a maximum distance of 1.5 Km with the target! (A/N: Corrected a small mistake here, the distance should be maximum of 1.5 Km, not minimum as in Chapter 14.) Rewards: System Lv 3. (Store Unlocked!) , +++Xp, Praxic Fire Seal ------------------------------------ Void''s eyes turned drowsy as he stared at the prompt, as the exhaustion of the last few weeks set in at once. For the first time since he came to this world, he truly felt....tired. Perhaps, actively using his powers pushed him to the point where he required some rest mentally. "Obsidian, set an alarm for ten hours." He mumbled as his mind finally gave in to the temptation of rest. Entering the Lions Den [ The Divide] At the break of dawn, white clouds slithered in the skies, golden light springing forth illuminating the horizon. Deep within the windy valleys, beyond the rocky hills of the steppes, three figures could be seen lingering near the edge of The Divide''s granite canyon. As cold gusts of wind brushed through them, the three figures remained stout. Their breaths faintly turning white as they looked towards the sky. A ripple formed in the clouds as a Jumpship broke orbit and entered towards them, gently hovering over their location. Eriana slowly sauntered below the ship as a figure transmatted out. "You''re late." She stated. " I would instead argue that you guys are too early." Void sighed, as he flicked his wrists. "I am about five minutes early." He pointed towards his watch. "Fifteen minutes early, is still ten minutes late." Eriana retorted turning away. Sai analyzed her scanners as she coordinated the route. "We should go now, we have a thirty minute window where a dust storm and sunlight will blind Devil''s lair scouts. On your sparrows." She signaled as her sparrow appeared beneath her. (A/N: If you''ve not caught on, a sparrow is a fast rocket/sonic bike that can hover. ) Immediately, the remaining guardians mounted their sparrows, roaring to go. A channel appeared in Void''s transmitter, and Sai''s voice came through to his ears. "Confirming comms operation, am I audible?" "Affirmative" he replied, revving his thrusters. "This is the delta team''s comms channel, new discrete frequency tech used only by the Praxic Order. Even the Vanguard can''t unscramble our messages. Whatever occurs in this mission, these logs can never be distributed. Am I clear." Sai stated. "Crystal" Void replied, his visor picking up navigational routes from the channel. "I''ve sent you all the route, proceed in dart formation, don''t break the line. The fallen satellites are old, they''re technology relies on erratic self reflecting energy reading. Maintain the formation, and we will rush through undetected." Sai''s voice echoed in the channel. "T-minus 28 till solar curtain expires" Eriana reminded. "Ready when you are" Wei''s thruster pulsed. Sai closed her visor as she faced forward, her sparrow ever so slightly gleaming at the edges, golden flames spluttering at the exhaust. "Take your positions. Don''t break Radio silence till we cross into Rocketyard." Sai cautioned one last time. No words were spoken between the four guardians as time seemed to slow down. The sparrows growled, neon light spilling from their exhausts as they grew restless. "Delta team, going dark." She whispered, as the comms went dead silent. A fraction of a second later, all Void could recall was a sonic shockwave pulsating through him as they all burst forth. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Before he knew it, he was right behind Wei, cruising at breakneck speeds as the dart formation slowly emerged. The sparrows blasted through the Divide, like ants scurrying through the dessert. Untraceable. Void''s instincts were running at max, his eyes darting every second as his hands deftly maneuvered the sparrow at each sharp turn. The route Sai planned was a maze, with lethally sharp turns and several decoy straights. A route specifically made to mislead any pursuers. Just as Void thought he had the hang of it, ''They''re slipping away!'' He immediately sensed their speeds increase. With no other choice, Void grit his teeth and fully snapped his throttle, immediately catching up with the group, their figures blurred like lightning, zooming through the canyons. As Void glanced at his radar, the route seemed to motion precisely through the Divide''s close cut corners as their group slowly edged towards Rocketyard''s tunnels. With a lengthy straight between them and the tunnels, the group of hunters blitzed through at supersonic speeds as Void saw his radar leave behind the Divide''s characteristic canyons. Instantly as they crossed the boundary into the mining tunnels, the channel sprang to life, Sai''s voice echoed through their ears. "Status report" She demanded, their formation breaking loosely as they slowed down to a halt. "Visuals impaired, radar''s not picking up any terrain inside the tunnels." Wei replied. "Affirmative, perhaps the fallen installed a new jammer nearby." Eriana contemplated. "Ditto, I can''t pick up any signals either." Void added. Sai glanced at her map and their own timer. "It must be the dust storm, City''s satellites aren''t strong enough to relay back here." She answered. "Fifteen minutes to go till the dust storm breaks over, we must reach King''s watch by then. Follow my lead, ignore the terrain map." She commanded, her sparrow kicking into gear as she swiftly swerved deeper into the tunnel. "Jax light up the way." Eriana voiced, her sparrow immediately following behind Sai. A shimmering ghost shell appeared, illuminating the old mining lines, barely thick enough for a single cart, spiraling endlessly deep into the unknown abyss. Void called out obsidian as he soon followed suit. "Follow close, and don''t slip, no one knows how deep these mines go, one wrong move and your corpse might as well be littered along the sea floor." Sai muttered. Her sparrow smoothly following the trail as the group followed through in a single line, akin to moles burrowing into the tunnels. Void''s eyes drifted towards the right as he saw the dark below, he forced a dry gulp as his sparrow barely edged over, knocking a few pebbles perpetually tumbling down. Cold sweat streaked down his spine, as the group began speeding up, erratically moving through the rail lines. After what seemed like an eternity, the guardians shot through a rocky burrow to the other side, finally arriving into the eroded plains of King''s Watch. Void gasped for fresh air, as he felt his lungs cough out a metric ton of dust, the group''s sparrows stopped inches away from the boundary of the plains. Sai motioned to the timer, only a few seconds left before it expired, she nodded with a smile. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they had finally crossed through the first half of the operation. Void jumped off his sparrow as he dusted his armor and stretched his legs. The rest of the team disembarked collectively, as Eriana began calculating their spatial coordinates. "We''ll start here." The warlock stated, a thin imprint of light stained the ground, her eyes glowed, as if inspired through infinite wisdom. "Keep this safe" Sai casually chucked a small device towards Void. "Tuner I am guessing?" He replied, catching it. "I recommend you attach it on your body. Remember, don''t stay in one position too long. As long as your within his 1.5 km of his vicinity. We''ll be able to start tracing his coordinates." Sai mentioned. The warlock spoke, her voice echoing with a multitude of presence " Once the tuner turns blue, that''s when you know you''re done. However, if anything goes wrong, crush the device first." She stated. " Normally, warping into unstable coordinates is dangerous. However, the tuner was manufactured with light seeking crystals. They might not have locked on to the target, but if shattered immediately, it''s enough of an impulse to let me prematurely teleport us in. If you get into trouble, it''s your one saving grace." Eriana reinforced. Void nodded solemnly. "Stay sharp, hunter." Wei breathed. Void immediately hooked the tuner to his belt as his body turned semi-translucent. A faint lilac aura surrounded him. His figure flickered into King''s Watch as he rushed towards the tuners signal. Knowing full well that he might just be rushing into a lions den. ------------------------------- [ Somewhere in King''s Watch] A man with a jagged crimson cloak crouched on a boulder, his gaze unwavering. A revolver juggled between his fingers. His eagle eyes suddenly glistened as he looked far into the distance, a sharp smirk appeared underneath his mask. "One." He whispered. The man flicked his wrists as the chamber slid out, a singular bullet fell into the hole as he rolled it back in. Fated Reckoning [Kings Watch] ----- {Legendary Guardian System} +New Mission: * Praxic Order''s Plea: Scout the mysterious man responsible for the incident. Maintain a maximum distance of 1.5 Km with the target! Rewards: System Lv 3. (Store Unlocked!) , +++Xp, Praxic Fire Seal ----- Void dashed through the empty plains. His eyes surveying every inch of the surroundings. Bolting through at lightning speed, his figure seemed nothing more than a faint silhouette from the corner of one''s eyes. As he rushed, the tuner blinked, prompting him to change directions trying to match the direction. Being as careful as he was, Void had been invisible the moment he had set foot in King''s Watch. Knowing that the man he hunted could easily erase him from existence was good motivation to keep himself out of sight. The tuner blinked again, as Void fluidly shot towards the signal. His eyes landed towards a rugged terrain, littered with rocky hills and cliffs, the tuner blinked once more. ''He''s there.'' Void halted his steps, choosing to approach slowly instead. Void''s heart was pounding, as he took determined steps. Each stride inching him closer. The tuner blinked as he put his foot through the boundary. Instantly, Void couldn''t shake the feeling that someone had eyes on him. But his sixth sense had not yet triggered. Confusing him to no end. His senses ran amok, as blood rushed towards his head. Void gripped his wrist tightly, forcing himself to stay calm as his eyes surveyed the area. Not even a single blade of grass had managed to survive in the bleak and barren landscape in front of him. But what gave him that sickening feeling... His own radar showed that he wasn''t near any lifeforms. From the depths of his heart, today was certainly the day he felt true fear. Like he was powerless, entering the boss''s lair. He sincerely hoped whatever he felt was just a bad case of anxiety. ''I need to calm down.'' Void put a fist over his chest as he heaved a deep breath and continued onwards. Merging with the shadows at every chance he got, Void felt secure as he sneakily moved forward, a little at a time. Every second, his eyes would shift towards his quest panel as his tuner would blink a few times a second. Why? Well of course, Void knew the secret to finishing this mission safely. His system was the biggest cheat he had, there was no way he wouldn''t make full use of it. ---------------------------------------------- {Legendary Guardian System} +New Mission: * Praxic Order''s Plea (0/1): Scout the mysterious man responsible for the incident. Maintain a maximum distance of 1.5 Km with the target! Rewards: System Lv 3. (Store Unlocked!) , +++Xp, Praxic Fire Seal ------------------------------------ The moment his mission was marked as (1/1), Void would have come into 1.5 Km of his target. However, like any experienced gamer, he knew there was no way this mission would end up being so simple. Void kept his senses clear, knowing that the moment he slipped and revealed his presence, he might lose his life. He shuffled on his feet, sliding through the narrow nooks and crannies within the valley. At a certain distance, his senses warned him. In fact, deep within himself he knew. The moment he got any closer, there was absolutely no way Shin Malphur, the great renegade would be unaware of his presence. His body shivered at that conclusion. But could he give up? ''Have I come here only to turn back a coward?'' He asked himself despairingly. ''The world is not so kind to offer everything I want on a plate.'' Void cursed himself. Unlike what he had expected, the system had not helped him in a long while. Void didn''t know if that would continue. But so what? Had he not come this far already? Had he not earned his place in this world? Training strictly for the last week was a testament to his will. He was no weakling to fall here. He looked forward. The simple landscape now looked ever so devilishly shrewd. The cliffs now loomed over him. Void felt small, as if he''d be eaten alive by the world. He was determined to finish this mission. As if a switch had been flipped. He was completely in the zone. He kept going, hiding within the gaps he could find. His tuner started blinking, almost establishing the trace. Each breath he took seemed to weigh him down, yet he did not stop. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. '' I am close'' Void observed his tuner. Seeing it''s strong response, he could estimate that he was currently 2-3 Km away from his intended target. Void''s powers grew refined, now more than ever. The moment he had accepted the possibility of his death. The light attuned towards his very core. Knowing full well that he could die, he continued, to his fated reckoning. ---------------------------------- [ King''s Watch, Shin POV] Still crouching leisurely on a boulder among the numerous cliffs, Shin observed the sight in front of him as he spun his gun around. He already knew a squad would come after him and track him down. Naturally, he was ready. One shot was all it would take anyway. But what he saw right now, stunned him. His eagle eyes locked on Void as he saw the hunter acting rather like a scared novice. "How amusing" He laughed. This was a Nightstalker? Shin chuckled, it was merely a cheap imitation. Shin expected the city to at least send a competent hunter to track him down. He expected someone akin to a ferocious tiger, yet there was a harmless cub wandering around his territory. He could not help but laugh, as this scenario had put him in a jovial mood. Shin''s eyes narrowed, catching a glimpse of the tuner. " Tracking my light signature to ambush me with a team in waiting." Shin sighed, swaying his head in frustration. "The Praxic fire are far more annoying than I thought." He contemplated, his gaze locked onto the Nightstalker failing miserably to fade from his sight. Shin lazily pushed himself off the boulder, as he stood erect, his cape fluttering in the slight breeze. He surveyed the area as far as his gaze would allow him. As his eyes set towards the graveyard, he noticed something or perhaps someone but he kept his mouth pursed. A strange frown etched onto his face but disappeared soon after. "I suppose some new company isn''t unwelcome." His rustic voice resounded. Thinking of toying with his tracker, his figure immediately flickered away. -------------------------------------------- [ King''s Watch Void POV] '' 2 Km, it''s not too far.'' He concluded, observing his scanner. Void''s eyes shined blue, as he used his skill to see any nearby energy signatures. He patiently waited before swiftly switching his cover spot. Void glanced at his hands, surprised to still be within stealth. ''I''ve exceeded my last time limit.'' Void recalled, at first being unable to maintain his stealth for more than a minute. Yet now, for some reason he didn''t feel too uncomfortable to stay within this state for ten or so minutes. Suddenly, Void felt a chill down his spine as his sixth sense triggered. ''He is Here!'' He immediately checked the tuner, and sure enough it began establishing a link. ---------------------------------------------- {Legendary Guardian System} +New Mission: * Praxic Order''s Plea:(1/1) Scout the mysterious man responsible for the incident. Maintain a maximum distance of 1.5 Km with the target! Rewards: System Lv 3. (Store Unlocked!) , +++Xp, Praxic Fire Seal ------------------------------------ His system prompt had already changed. It wasn''t yet done! He needed to maintain this link for thirty seconds for it to be viable. Void took stifled breaths, as his mind raced to imagine all sorts of scenarios. But a single question immediately stumped all his thoughts. "Do you plan to hide like a rat whole time?" A cold blooded voice resounded. Void''s breaths stopped, his heart plunging deep into his stomach as a sour feeling stuck in his chest. "Did you really think I wouldn''t know?" The voice chuckled. Void grit his teeth as he knew what was about to happen. "If you don''t come out now, you''re forcing my hand." A metallic click resounded, as Void reluctantly canceled his stealth as he stood up from his hiding spot. Seeing the tuner had twenty seconds left, Void knew he had to somehow drag this conversation along. Since he was already exposed, Void discretely opened his comms channel and muted any incoming messages. Void stepped out from cover, as he held his hands up. "It''s an honor to meet the man with the golden gun." Void replied with a smile. Shin was perplexed at the novice''s reaction, his eye gauging every move Void made. Just a moment ago he seemed nothing more than a nervous wreck. "It is indeed a pleasure to meet the newest Nightstalker of the city. Your abilities are, very hard to come by, kid." Shin replied, reserving his judgement. His eyes stare into Void''s, as he continues. "But I don''t suppose you''re here just for show. After all, your fireteam seems quite eager to join our little gathering." Shin pointed towards his comms. Void''s transmitter buzzed, his comms channel was going wild. But he didn''t pay it any attention. The renegade slowly pointed towards Void''s tuner, the device seemed to blink as it had almost finished linking with Shin''s aura. Facing the man in the flesh, Void seemed to stammer a little. Shin Malphur was a renowned hero, a figure of great controversy. One that many looked towards with hope, and with fear. "I''ve heard legends of your power, so I couldn''t help but call some friends over. I can''t take you down alone can I?" Void replied, smirking, as he glanced at the tuner ''10 seconds'' Shin laughed again, startling Void. "Fascinating. The Praxic fire made a good decision to choose you. Despite being a newly risen, your fearlessness and command of light is quite impressive. Don''t worry, at least you will leave alive." He replied, noticing Void slightly shuddering under his gaze. Void did not know how to react, but before he could say a word. A heavy pressure immediately weighed on his lungs, as Shin''s presence seemed to grow. '' I can''t breathe.'' Void immediately felt powerless. "As for your little team, I will be the judge." The Renegade spoke, each word hitting Void shaking him to his core. Void''s transmitter started buzzing uncontrollably, perhaps telling him to run, but it was too late. The tuner blinked, as Void saw the progress. ''5 Seconds!'' His face scrunched up, would he fail now? Void sweat bullets as each second counted down, he waited with bated breaths. As the renegade looked down at him, sharp yellow eyes staring into his soul. "Your Reckoning, starts now." He voiced. Before he could even blink, Shin''s hand already held the Last Word as the distinct gold barrel faced him, Void''s eyes went wide, the familiar hammer plunged into gun as a shot rang out. Void''s legs refused to move under the pressure as the bullet shot through his waist, shattering the tuner. His body crumbled as a wave of pain pulsed through his body. He could feel the solar energy burning through his very being. Unable to support his own weight, Void dropped to his knees. However, he knew that he would be safe as he saw the tuner''s crystals shatter. As if on cue, a distant bright star hurled itself towards them as it blasted towards the ground, startling both hunters. The fiery comet landed directly on top of the two hunters, blasting everything else backwards as a huge dust cloud kicked up. Void felt awe as he looked up, spotting three silhouettes promptly shoot down towards the ground in front of him. "I hope we''re not late." Eriana smiled at Void, her flaming figure resonating healing energy around her. "Good job hunter, leave it to me now." Wei stood up, a dangerous rumble echoed in the skies as storm clouds gathered. He felt a hand slap his shoulders as he looked behind, "Good thinking on your feet hunter." Sai smirked as she walked forwards, unsheathing her daggers. "As for you, quit hiding you might be the judge, but today, I am your executioner." Her smile faded, the daggers arced with light. A resounding clap echoed, Shin''s figure slowly drifted into view as the dust settled. Not an ounce of fear in his voice. "Impressive line up Kid." He looked towards Void, as Shin slowly loaded his gun. "I must say, I missed the Praxic Fire. Quite welcoming of you three to show up like this. Unfortunately, today, I shall have the last word." He voiced, his killing intent pouring through each word. In a matter of seconds, the battlefield lit up, before Void could even fathom it, a clash of auras had already begun as vast amounts of energy collided. The Man With The Golden Gun [King''s Watch] Dark clouds marred the horizon as a storm brewed above. Thunder bellowed and the skies split into halves as four energies threatened to level everything to the ground. Void felt the winds howling, and a strange cold breeze rush through the battlefield, an intense stare down took place as neither side budged an inch. Wei and Sai pulsed their aura to their peak, as lightning coated their entire figure. Shin stood his ground, his simple stance looked obsolete in front of the massive storm. Yet, there was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he clutched his gun Suddenly, an intense light erupted from his figure as it burst through the storm clouds, halting the winds themselves as crimson aura condensed on his gun. A lull permeated throughout King''s Watch. "Song of Flames" , Eriana shot up into the sky, fiery golden aurora''s spread from her figure. She seemed akin to an angel at dawn, bringing about the sunrise. "Don''t let him pull the trigger." Eriana barked, as Shin held up his gun. Eriana''s light empowered everyone near her as she hovered in the air. Void''s eye''s snapped open as he saw the two fiery aura''s collide, the earth quaked and the heavens shook, as everything seemed to be dyed an orange hue. "On it" Sai replied, her silhouette a neon blue specter as she blinked away. Faster than lightning, she blitzed towards Shin as the renegade aimed his gun. Just before he could shoot, Sai descended, with a sharp kick to his wrist, interrupting his shot, their auras shook as fire met lightning. Shin swayed backwards, barely dodging the follow up as Sai twisted her body to deliver a fatal wind up, as he immediately countered with a punch, throwing Sai to the ground but the huntress deftly sprang up to her feet. Void''s eyes were glued to the fight as he soaked it all in. Combat at the highest level. He didn''t dare blink, afraid that he would miss it all. Within a fraction of a second, Sai''s daggers arced, as she cut the space between her and Shin, ''blinking'' once again. Without missing a beat, Shin grabbed his crimson dagger as he matched her blow for blow. With each passing second, the brawl heated up, both hunters were now fully on the offensive. Mixing in a few punches and kicks with each swipe of their dagger to catch the other side off guard. Sai''s speed was remarkable as she rushed in at blinding angles and with shrewd attacks, aiming to end this duel alone. Yet, Shin was not such an easy opponent. He was simply out of her ''grasp''. No matter how fast, his moves were simply a step ahead. Their blades collided once again, a few rough counters from Shin struck as the huntress traded hundreds of blows a second. Void felt mesmerized by the hunter captain as she continued chipping at the enemies defenses one blow at a time. Sai masterfully weaved in and out of combat using her speed, as she kept blitzing Shin, not allowing the former a single moment to grasp his gun. Facing thousands of strikes and stabs from every angle, Shin took a few hits, yet his defenses didn''t falter. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "They''re too close, I can''t go in." Wei commented, raring to jump in. As a few solar knifes discretely appeared in his left hand, Shin continued his fight holding a dagger in his right. "Standby, if anything goes wrong, just rush in." Eriana replied, her powers still supporting the fireteam. He parried a flurry of attacks as Sai weaved out for a fraction of a second. However, that single moment was enough, as Shin immediately pounced, stabbing towards her head as the huntress ducked, dodging it with the skin of her teeth. Followed by Shin immediately chucking the knifes at her, but it was far too slow with Sai''s reactions as she weaved through the attack, the blades barely grazed past her face as she rushed in to counter. "Too slow" Sai taunted. Shin smirked, knowing the huntress would definitely not fall back. "Predictable" Sai immediately felt a surge of energy behind her as the knifes glowed, her eyes went wide as she realized but it was too late, an explosion engulfed the two hunters as solar energy radiated to the surroundings. (A/N: Proximity explosive knife if you''ve ever played solar hunter) The ground shook as the dust erupted, Sai shot out of the dirt, her back charred and bruised as she flung herself to safety, but instantly, Shin''s figure appeared behind her, his gun aimed right at her, as the pistol lit ablaze, solar fury contained within it''s barrel. Sai unable to dodge grit her teeth as she crossed her daggers aiming to block the best she could. Time slowed down as everything seemed to halt. It was then that Void''s sixth sense triggered, his perception exceeding the limits of his mind as he felt he could see the whole world with a glance. He could see Shin pulling the trigger, but right beside him a strange mixture of energy arose. He glanced to his side, as Wei''s body surged with lightning, coated with Eriana''s fiery flames. Her foot slammed into the ground as her eyes shone bright. Wei roared, lightning bowed before her presence as she erupted forwards, a cataclysmic meteor headed straight towards the renegade. Void took a deep breath as this all happened, the world halted through his perception began to move as his senses slowly returned to normal. The bullet left the barrel as a ferocious sun tried to engulf Sai, threatening to vaporize her very soul. However, just as it touched the edge of her daggers, Wei akin to a falling star came from behind and collided head on into the flaming inferno. The battlefield exploded with a deafening roar as thunder and inferno razed everything to the ground. A bright storm raged as the ground rumbled, cracking and crumbling under the pressure. An explosive jolt of air pulsed through the air as Void felt his ear''s instantly rupture, blood gushed out, the brightness of it all scorching his eyes, leaving him blind. He couldn''t help but clasp his hands by his ears trying to mitigate the pain. It felt unbearable but soon a soothing warmth spread over his body, healing him consistently. "Keep close Void, I am afraid this battle will be harder than expected." Eriana frowned, unable to detect the aftermath of the collision. The smoke cleared once again, revealing the three guardians enshrouded in dust. Sai seemed slightly dazed as she quickly got up. However, Wei''s state seemed despairing at best. Her body had taken significant damage as one of her arms burnt to a crisp, threatening to fall of as ash. Unable to survive the collision of power. She seemed halfway in her grave as she clasped her injured shoulder, breathing heavily. Seeing her state, Eriana''s emotions flared up. Void could tell standing right beside her, she was afraid of losing her. Sai immediately rushed in to support Wei from the side, as the titan coughed sickly. "I am fine...Did we get him?" She asked Sai frowned unable to answer as the words got stuck in her throat. "I am not sure." She replied. All of a sudden, an applause broke out in the middle of the smoke as one man walked out, two healing grenades dropped at his feet as they rejuvenated him. Shin spoke, this time a small chuckle escaped him. "I will admit it, you''ve gone above and beyond. You surprised me Eriana, truly. I might not agree with your ways, but as warriors your people have earned their keep." Shin bemused, dusting off his crimson cloak. "To think you''d block my shot. The last titan to survive was Rezyl, but he''s ancient history." Shin complimented once more. "Wei Ning, I will remember your name." His voice turned cold, his gun conjured in his grip once more, as it glowed golden, the embers of light setting ablaze once again. It was at this moment, that the Praxic fire realized why Shin Malphur was the man with the golden gun. A legendary hunter, rumored to have pierced the darkness itself with his bullets. And it was at this moment, that they truly felt fear. The Man With The Golden Gun (2) Shin faced the group, his gaze penetrating through them as he gripped his hand cannon. Wei clutched her shoulder as Sai supported her, the two held grave looks as they perhaps faced their deaths. "No one to block for you now." Shin released a deathly aura as his iron sight locked onto Sai. Without a second to spare, solar light erupted from his barrel as light focused at one point. Void got up from his knees as he felt the entire world tense up. Looking to his side, Eriana sprouted infernal wings as she hovered above. Void felt her warm aura disappear as he looked on. Shin pulled the trigger, the infernal bullet exploded out, an abysmal fire erupted towards the two. Wei thrust herself forward. Aiming to stop it once again, her remaining arm amped up as thunder bellowed and she punched out with full power, but immediately felt a strange wave of magic as another figure appeared shielding her. Eriana spread out her wings, like a grace from heaven, she embraced the bullet with her fire. However, a miracle was not enough to turn the tides of fate. Eriana shielding her remaining team took the full brunt of the attack, but Wei watched in dreaded horror as the golden fire consumed the warlocks very being. The titan reached out as she screamed, trying to reach Eriana, her voice drowned out by the blast, engulfing the battlefield in blinding light. Wei''s hand barely reached Eriana''s figure as it withered away slowly out from her grip. Sai fell silent as she watched her comrade fade away. Void felt his heart plunge into the depths of despair as he watched Eriana take her last breath. ''Was I unable to help even a little.'' Void thought, feeling a sour lump in his throat, as he felt a rustic taste on his lips. But just as Void had given up hope, a radiance with glimmering brilliance condensed into a faint ethereal form as it collected itself, leaving everyone astonished once again. Shin immediately felt his hand tense up as his eyes widened, realizing what was happening. He frowned. "Truly a miracle brought to life. Fireborn." Shin murmured, his eyes gazing admiringly. Wei''s lips curved into a smile as her laugh rang out, she had experienced the lowest lows today, but now, there was only going up. The ethereal spirit took form, a familiar fiery armor shaped into being as Void watched, unable to contain his shock. '' The true essence of a Solar Warlock! Self Resurrection, Fireborn'' Void''s thoughts ran wild as he watched a living miracle. (A/N: This ability was removed in Destiny 2, and it''s actually a pretty old ability. So Void''s just surprised to see it. It truly was an amazing ability for Warlocks.) Eriana flared into the world once more, as her spark reignited. Embers of light shot around her as all watched the world bask in her holy light. "This fight is not over yet." Eriana spoke out defiantly. Her resonance amped up as she flicked her wrists. Immediately, the ground sprung out with healing energy as she opened a rift below. Shin frowned as he watched Eriana''s radiant figure pouring out energy, as Wei and Sai were slowly being cleansed with light. "For one has mastered the way of the fire, I applaud you." Shin replied slightly bowing with his gun hugging his chest, truly mesmerized by what he saw. Eriana glanced behind herself, ''Sai and Wei are not fully healed yet.'' There was no way she could continue this fight without them at their best. She resolved at buying some more time. " I do not need the respect of a killer. Besides, with two of those shots in a row, are you sure your remaining power allows you to be so carefree facing us?" She questioned. (A/N: Normally, a hunter can only use a super once every few minutes. Naturally, Shin being the skilled chad he is, managed to use two supers in a row. But that is quite taxing, hence Eriana believes she can take advantage of it) Shin clicked his tongue with annoyance, "Warlocks are all the same. Headstrong, unable to see their own faults, pushing out their narratives." Shin retorted, holstering his hand cannon. His hands fell to his side as multiple infernal blades conjured in between his fingers. (A/N: So to explain to the non destiny players, Solar Hunters (Shin''s Subclass) have two major damage super abilities. Of course, one is the golden gun, but the other is blade barrage. Which was revealed in Destiny 2, but since this novel is more of a mixture, I am gonna give him this ability because it is listed in his ability section on some fandom websites) "But it was foolish of you to think that I needed the gun to kill you." He retorted. Following his example, Sai and Wei changed their fighting style to better adapt. As the huntress clasped her hands together, forming a lightning bolt into the shape of a two handed arc staff as she spun it around ferociously. Wei brought out her jade Cong as it wrapped around her wrist. It glowed and sucked her light in, acting like an amplifier to her powers once she wished to release a deadly blow. Their injuries soothed through Eriana''s light, ceased to exist as Wei''s left arm grew back. "Follow my lead" Eriana spoke solemnly, the guardians behind her nodded. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The two sides facing each other once more, as Void watched from the sidelines. Immediately, Eriana''s wings sprouted once more, as she shot forward like a dragonfly her hand coated in fire, she slapped towards Shin. Sensing it immediately, Shin ducked below her palm swiftly, twisting his entire body backwards, she chucked all his blades towards her at devastating speed. However just as the barrage of blades shot closer, Sai blitzed through the narrow gaps in their formation, like a ghost she spun her staff deflecting every last one at lightning speeds, the momentum carried her forwards as she spun kick Shin in his side. Predicting her moves, Shin matched with his kick, leaving their blows in stalemate. But before he could even move, Eriana jetted in like a bee, her palms bleeding out with fire as she tried her best to grasp the hunter who dodged with his life on the line. With just a second to catch his breath, Shin leapt backwards, but he was not safe yet, as Wei swung her Cong in his direction, releasing a thunderous wave of energy hurling towards him that struck him in the chest, sending him flying as his body skipped off the ground. Sai blinked once more as lightning pulsed through her staff, catching Shin mid air she twisted her staff, channeling energy as she ruthless slammed the hunter to the ground. His body, bounced off the rugged terrain as he spat out some blood. What ensued was a frenzied dance as Shin fought all three guardians at the same time. Void could only describe it as their best attempt at a beatdown. Yet even while facing three alone, Shin''s counter attacks were not to be taken lightly. Eriana swept in with her wings, like a fiery meteor as Shin deftly slide under her, Sai swung her stuff at his head as he ducked, immediately twisting his body forwards as Wei''s punch landed in the empty air around his back. Like a perfectly choreographed dance, Shin continued dodging at the last second, almost as if he could read the future. Their figures merged into a flurry of flickering shades, blurring in and out of view as the chaotic battle continued. Void stood on the side, unable to even comprehend the speeds he saw. But he did not want to sit still as his energy surged. "This is no time for regrets" He shouted, as his energy surged, a crescent bow appearing in his left hand as he drew the string. Closing his eyes for a simple breath, Void calmed himself down. He couldn''t see, but he could definitely sense. ''Don''t fail me now'' He prayed, wanting to replicate what he did earlier, he focused solely on Shin. He heaved in heavy breaths and simply waited. A second passed.... Two seconds had passed.... Three seconds had passed as Void''s eyes twitched. He could hear the distinct clink of blades and surge of thunder as the two sides clashed. But this wasn''t what he was looking for. Void wanted to experience it once more. That slowing sensation. The feeling of viewing the world at a glance. A resolute feeling welled up inside up as he seemingly entered the zone, and then it happened. Almost like it slowed down for him, he saw clearly. Or rather, sensed. Void opened his eyes, as the world halted once more. Pinpointing Shin''s location he could see his figure move albeit very slowly. His arm stretched back as he did a full draw on the bow. Light condensing in a sharp arrow as he aimed right at him. His senses ran wild as he felt time was running out. Almost instinctively, Void changed his aim. He "felt" that the best spot was further right than Shin actually was. With no time left, He chose to trust his gut, feeling his fingertips slice open from holding the bow''s weight, he finally let go, as the arrow whistled past him. A Shadowshot that tore through space, like a nebula seeking it''s target. As if the world listened to his will, Shin''s figure flickered, miraculously appearing directly ahead of the arrow. Void''s mind consumed with only one thought, ''Devour him'' . A blink was all it took, as the arrow shot past them all, reaching Shin, astounding everyone present. With no time to dodge, Shin was caught off guard, as the corrosive light exploded. Chains tethered him to the ground, leaching off his power. Seeing the best chance they could find, the Praxic order erupted as Sai leapt in the air, her staff morphed into a lightning spear as she spun and shot it towards the shackled hunter. Eriana soared, slashing forwards with all her might as a fiery flame consumed the area. Wei followed suit as her fist coated with thunder thrust into the ground, energy quaking towards Shin. The three attacks merged, as a supernova erupted on the field engulfing the imprisoned renegade, space itself collapsed as the energies radiated outwards, causing everything in a hundred meters to disintegrate. A single drop of sweat fell from Void''s brow as he panicked, ''is it over?'' His heart clenched, wishing dearly for the legendary hunter to stay down. His gaze wandered over to the Praxic order, but they too seemed hesitant. Not a single soul moved for a few minutes, expecting the man to simply walk out and brush off the dust again, Once a good five minutes had passed under intense scrutiny, everyone reluctantly walked closer to the impact site. Void was still on guard as his kept his sixth sense active. But it was strange. Had they really ended the great Shin Malphur? He questioned himself. When they finally closed in, they saw a distinct crimson cloak fluttering in the wind as it remained torn to pieces. However as Eriana slightly lifted the cloak, a deep bore hole was revealed, knitting a frown on everyone''s face. "Escaped?" Void mouthed. Sai crouched beside it as she ran her fingers through the edges. "He used the impact to dig underground. He knows we can''t follow him, we aren''t familiar with the underground caverns." Sai commented. "Are you saying that he planned to escape from the beginning?" Eriana questioned. "He''s the one who chose the location of the engagement. Whether we like it or not, we can''t rule out that he didn''t have any contingencies." Sai replied bitterly. "Or perhaps he did this spontaneously as we waited like fools." Wei grinded her teeth. However, Eriana remained quiet, the warlock was lost deep in thought as her eyes lay on the bore hole. "Contact the city. Get us an extraction, Devil''s Lair is probably going crazy right now. The fallen won''t take an encounter of this level too happily. As we speak, there are probably dozens of scavenger squads coming to take our heads." Eriana commanded. Sai nodded, her transmitter immediately requesting backup as an end came to the dreaded encounter. But just as the four guardians relaxed, a very faint ember could be seen as a figure disappeared from king''s Watch, rushing towards the Dry Sea. ------------------------------------ [A few hours later, Dry Sea, Sunbreakers Base] A titanic Sunbreaker sat in what seemed to be a throne, overlooking the central command as another titan sauntered in to the room. "Ouros, the battle is over." The titan beckoned. The fiery empyreal glanced towards her comrade as she walked closer, presenting a circular recording device that she kept in front of her. "And what was your judgement feng?" Ouros asked, indifferent to the recording. "The Renegade knew they would track him down. I watched for quite a while and he seemed to have waited for the Praxic fire to show up." Liu Feng replied. "Did he notice you?" Ouros asked raising her brows. "Perhaps he did, there was a time where he looked in my direction, but he soon walked away to join in the fight instead. All he did was frown." Liu feng answered, confused by the hunter''s actions. "Peculiar, indeed." Ouros replied. After a moments silence, the Empyreal spoke again, her brows knitted together. "The one to expose this information to the renegade, was someone from the city." "Have you figured it out?" Feng pressed her on. "My meeting with the speaker revealed that he had no knowledge of the operation. Leaving only the Vanguard and the Praxic order. The Praxic fire has no benefits in exposing their own operations." Ouros replied, a dangerous smirk on her face. "You can''t mean..." Feng stammered. "The Vanguard leaked the information to him. How peculiar, but why?" Ouros asked herself, knowing there was more to the story. A strange day passed as the Sunbreakers had stumbled into a new mystery, one holding the crux of the renegades past. ------------------------------ Crucible Chronicles [One Day Later, The Last City] The Bazaar beamed with life, as the constant influx of travelers continued. Most, just guardians looking to spend some good coin, as they restocked their vaults. Hundreds of civilians put out their stalls to peddle their goods as they shouted and ushered any willing to spend glimmer. A minute wouldn''t go by without voices raising through the roof as inexplicable fights broke out. Naturally, cut-throat bargaining was a serious matter here. However, near the yellow vending machines, at a small ramen bar, a sole hunter seemed to sulk as he dozed off on the table. "Aym, get me another bowl please" Void groaned, resting his head on his hand as he motioned for the droid to come. The quirky oblong droid jumped up on the table as it rolled over to Void, and began rebelliously ramming it''s wheel into the hunter''s arm, trying to knock his head over in protest. "Hhm?" Void opened his eyes slightly as he stared at Aym, the robot insurgently glared back, it''s bionic eyes showing red flares of anger. Void sighed helplessly as he stroked the robot''s head, soothing the droidling "Alright alright, it''s my last one." he replied Aym tilted it''s round head as if to say, "Yeah that''s bullshit." Void frowned, "You know, you should really trust me more. I thought we were friends", he complained. Aym seemed to have taken offense to the last line as the pudgy robot backed up and immediately rammed into Void with the meager speed it could muster, the hunter found it hilarious as Aym bounced back from the hit. Aym frowned seeing Void laugh, the robot wasn''t advanced AI, but it sure as hell could identify when Void was being an asshole. Annoyed and frustrated Aym decided to ignore Void as the rotund robot defiantly looked away, swearing that he would never face his friend again until the seven seas shriveled up and the mountains laid flat. Void could hear several resolved *beeps* of various pitches as Aym faced away from him. Void chuckled, and then raised his brows. "Are you angry Aym?" He questioned. Aym shivered, hearing it''s name, the robot barely stopped itself from turning around. As if to pout, it''s body spun around, doing donuts on the table as Void clapped in astonishment. "Hoo! Let''s go Aym, show them how it''s done. Spin to win." Void shouted as Aym got distracted and started following Void''s words. The droid rapidly circled the table earning a round of applause from the hunter as it deftly flipped in the air and landed in front of him. Aym nudged forward, as if to bow as Void spoke out, "Wonderful, just wonderful. You must be the fastest droid I know. The Vex could never compare to you. You''d scare them all away." Flattered by the praise, the droid restlessly spun around as it felt excited, but all of a sudden it recalled what Void did a few minutes ago and immediately snapped out of it''s trance. Stopping midway to glare at Void as it finally scurried back to the cashier station. Void smirked, as he stood up and walked to the checkout, pulling out his scanner. "Fine, fine, you win." He consoled the droid and put his scanner near the counter to complete the transaction. Seeing as his buddy had finally stopped sulking, Aym whirred Victoriously as it accepted the payment. Tapping Void''s arm to let him know that he was always there for him. "Yeah I know buddy, I will be there for you too." Void scratched the droids head. Maurice who had been observing this whole time, flashed a relieved smile. "I see you''re all cheered up?" He asked. "Yeah, I just completed a big mission, but the payout was just not what I expected." Void replied, rubbing Aym''s head. "Thanks for letting me crash Maurice, I will give you a heads up next time." He waved good bye to the shop and triggered his transmat to the Jumpship. "Obsidian, set course for Skywatch. It''s time to go home." Void stated, deciding to doze off some more, "Setting course for Skywatch, estimated arrival in 4 hrs 32 mins 23 seconds." Obsidian replied, calculating the route rapidly. As the Jumpship warped through the horizon, Void stared at his system window one last time before closing his eyes. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ------------------------------ { Legendary Guardian System} ++++ Store Unlock++++ -System will undergo an upgrade, time remaining till next system patch: 6 Days, 0 Hours, 0 Minutes 0 Seconds. - Rewards for the previous mission will be given once the upgrade is complete! Remarks: (owO)...(Owo)..... (o