Destiny: Volume 1 (Completed)

Chapter Two

"We have butchers at our gates - four-armed and eager for slaughter" (Grimoire: The Fallen)

I sat with my ghost for a while in silence durring a majority of the ride. He was controlling the ship and making sure it was going smoothly. Even though it seemed like a smooth ride it was very bumpy and shakey inside. Making me a bit scared that the ship would fall to pieces. It felt really old and it was rusty on the outsides of the ship. My curiosity of everything that had transpired had got the best of me and I decided to speak. "What was that back there....where we found the ship." I asked. My ghost appeared in front of me. "That was an Archon. One of the higher ranking Fallen we've happen to come across. I didn't expect it to be there but he probably is the one that has the missing part of this ship." He said.
"So the ship is missing something?" I asked. My ghost showed a display of the ships blueprint in front of me. Kind of projecting it onto the dashboard and there was a red blinking light near the engine. "Umm....please don't tell me that's important." I say nervously. "It is important but not important enough to jeopardize our travels. We need a warp drive in order to leave the planet and join the fight." He said. I started thinking but eventually I snapped out of my trance again. "Wait. What do you mean fight? I still have no idea what happened?"
"The Collapse or the Dark Age of our time. The darkness came as the Traveler did. The darkness consumed everything in its path. Leaving most of the Earth in ruins and destruction. The Fallen claimed their land from ours and basically destroyed whatever was left of humans. Whoever survived made refuge at the last safe city on Earth. That's where we're heading now. Once there, the Vanguard will fill you in on the rest of the details." My ghost said. I kinda took a little time to process his words and I held my head. Eventually sighing as memories came in again. "What are you thinking about Guardian?"
"I see....a battle. And people. And Fallen and....someone else." I saw vague images in my mind and different scenes of something bad. I continued. "I hear screams and evacuation horns....and a name....Mara...."
"Guardian calm down. Your heart rate is increasing rapidly. Collect yourself." My ghost said. I snapped out of my trance and felt a drop of sweat go down my cheek. I wiped it away and took a few deep breaths. "Sorry...my name is Parrish by the way." I said. "Parrish....that's an interesting name. It seems like you've been able to retain some of your memory upon death. It's a surprise. Humans really are strong after all." He said to me. It kinda made me smile. I sat up and took the controls of the ship. "Let me drive. I wanna figure out how to fly this thing on my own." I said. My ghost hovered next to me. "Are you sure?" He asked me.
"Cmon. Think I can't handle it?"
"Alright. If you say so. Disengaging autopilot....now." He said. With that the controls unlocked and almost yanked me forward and we went into a nose dive. "Woah!!"
I pulled us back up and into a stable position and my heart was racing. That was scary yet exciting. The directions popped up for me but I wanted to have some more fun. I followed the directions but I just took the more fun path. Doing loops and turns and a few more nose dives just for fun. "Alright Parrish. Let's get to the tower before you break something else in this bucket of bolts." My ghost said. I laughed and started to drive the ship like normal. "I wonder how fast this thing can go." I said curiously. "Don't--"
Before my ghost could caution me I slammed my foot on the gas and the ship took off. Of course me not paying attention I end up going head first into a thundercloud. "Uh oh. This might not be good." I say to myself as I start dodging lightning bolts. My flight skills that I never knew that I had showing greatly and eventually we break through the storm and what comes next is nothing more than awe inspiring. I see a city. A perfectly well lit city with life and people and above it a giant white sphere with what seems to be a damaged bottom. My ghost took the controls as I instantly became distracted. "Woah....is this...."
"Yes. This is the last safe city on Earth. And the sphere above us is the Traveler." My ghost said. I looked up at the giant sphere in wonder. What is it? Where did it come from? So many questions with little answer to them of course. I guess I would have to wait and find out for myself. Eventually the ship pulled towards the Tower and my ghost teleported us out of the ship as it docked into the landing station. I looked around with my helmet in my hands. "This must be the Tower that you were speaking of. It looks great." I said as I looked around at all the other Guardians and their armor and ghosts. And then I look at my helmet with a crack in it. "The Traveler has been with us and protected this city for years. Since then we've been counting every day it stands and each day the city thrives." My ghost said. I looked around and over the balcony in wonder as to what could all be down there.
"I have a long way to go don't I?" I asked. My ghost floated in front of me. "It would seem like you do Parrish." He said. I smiled and just stood in wonder as to what all this so called Traveler could do. I had so many questions but no answers. Although I wanted to clear one thing on my mind. "Hey Ghost. What's your name? I know you have one." I said to him. He just looked at me. "Well...Im a ghost. I don't really have a name. So....yeah. Im just a Ghost." He says. I smile a bit and start thinking of different names. "How about....Rex?" I said.
    "No. I'm a Ghost. Not a dog."
    "Alex?"
    "Maybe. Try again."
    For the next hour and a half me and my Ghost go wondering around the city thinking of different names and exploring what the city has to offer. Eventually along the way I went to get my eyes checked and got some glasses. Having my true vision back to me allowed me to see the world perfectly. As the list of names continued we eventually found an apartment in the city to stay in and relax for the time being. I couldn't afford to stay in the Tower yet so I had to settle with a one bed, one bath apartment style house. "So. Have you thought of a name you liked yet?" I asked. My Ghost appeared in font of me. "Well besides names ranging from pet names to human names i'll have to stick with....Alex." He said. I smile and sat on the bed. "Well then Alex, its nice to meet you and be alive again." I said to him with a smile. "Nice to meet you too Parrish and its nice to be with my Guardian again." Alex said. If he had a way to show facial expressions he would definitely be smiling right about now. I took a whiff of the air and smelled something fowl. "Eww....whats that smell....oh crap. It's me isn't it?" I said as i smelled myself. I smelled like a dead body. How ironic. "I'll get you some street clothes to change into while you shower." Alex said. I said my thanks and immediately got into the shower and under my suit was a rusted necklace with a locket on it. It was rusted over so I couldn't open it. It made me curious and it brought back memories and brief images and that name keeps popping up. "Mara....why is that name so familiar to me." I questioned.