Destiny: Volume 1 (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen

"Stories of an Exo who walks in the Darkness without a Ghost have long haunted the Tower. Legends say this anomaly dissolves in and out of the world, intangible and elusive, as if she is a visitor from somewhere beyond." (Grimoire: The Exo Stranger)

"My powers aren't working." I said out loud. Ox threw a knife at one of the Vex monsters and looked at me. "What do you mean you powers aren't working? Have you not used them before?" He asked. "Yes I've used them before. They just malfunction." I said to him. I fired a few rounds into another Vex drone and watched it explode. We both took cover and looked at eachother. "Malfunctioning? Are you serious?" He said to me. "Yes, malfunctioning! It's not my fault."
"This is your fault."
"How is it my fault?"
"You're a frikin' Warlock! You should have no excuse!"
"Well I'm sorry that my powers are all out of whack! I'm new to all of this!"
"You should have gotten your life together before the Vanguard decided to send you out here. If you're new you should know your place and not even leave Earth."
"Well maybe if the Vanguard didn't treat me like a child I would actually make some decent progress!!" I shouted. I triggered my Radiance and soon my solar abilities kicked in. I looked at myself as I was glowing one more with flames. "Now stay here." I said. I hopped out of cover and began to take out the Vex army one by one. Throwing grenades and turning the robots to ashes. Once the room was clear and my super had faded, I fell to the floor. A bit exhausted. Ox ran over and helped me up. "Well. I stand corrected." He said. I laughed slightly and dusted myself off. Alex appeared and looked around. "What are these things...are there any still intact that I can analyze?" He said as he floated around at each of the destroyed bodies. I followed him around and soon we heard more footsteps. I looked up immediately and saw that it was the strange figure that was on the Moon. Another Exo.
"Well fought." She said as she walked over to us. "You...you're here." I said. She looked around and saw the mess that me and Ox made. "We haven't got much time." She said.
"Who are you? And why have you been watching us?"
"I don't even have time to explain why I don't have time to explain." She said. I suddenly heard static and she began to speak with someone. "I will. I will...I know."
"You will what?" Alex asked. She looked over at him. "I wasn't talking to you, little light." She said. Alex looked at me and looked back at her. "Umm. I'm a Ghost actually." Alex said. I smiled slightly and she stood by looking over the piles of mechanical bodies. "Many Guardians fell. Strong ones. But you made it here." She said. She was soon interrupted by her static communications. "Yes, I'm listening. They are here with me....understood." She said. Alex floated closer to her and she pushed him away. "She seems a bit occupied Alex." Ox said. I laughed slightly. "You need my help Guardians." She said to me and Ox. "Is that why you brought me here?" I asked. "No...the Vex brought us here. An evil so dark, it despises other evil." She said as she walked over to a Vex robot that still seemed active. It was writhing on the floor without its legs. "You...you're not a Guardian." Ox said. I looked at him and then looked at her. "Is that true?" I asked. "Yes it is true. I was not forged in the light." She said as she placed her foot on the core of the Vex robot. "But I believe where our paths cross, ground could break." She stomped into the Vex power core. Killing the robot. I felt bad slightly since the noise it made was a bit of a cry of pain.
"Have you heard of the Black Garden?" She asked. "The Black Garden...?" I ask myself. I look over at Ox and he speaks. "I've heard the legends of it before. Why?" He asked. She walked over to us. "The greatest threat to us all lies there where these machines are born. Find the Black Garden. Rip out his heart. Only then will the Traveler begin to heal." She said. She began to walk away but then I spoke. "Can you help us find it?" I asked her. She stood still and turned around. "My path is my own. I can't." She said. Ox looked over at me. "The only people who would possibly know where the Black Garden is would have to be the Awoken." He said. "The Awoken? Why them?" Alex asked. "Ah, yes. The Awoken. Out there, wavering between the light and the dark. A side should always be taken, little light. Even if it's the wrong side." She said. She started walking away again but Ox spoke again. "Wait...what's your name...?" He asked her. She looked at him. "You don't need to worry about that Guardian." She said. Suddenly she looked around and spoke on her communication device. "Too late, returning. How many...Hold your positions, kill the engines and don't let them find you." She said. Suddenly she vanished.
"Well...bye." Ox said. I laughed slightly and walked over to Alex. "So. Where do we find the Awoken?" I asked. "We have to go to the Reef. The last place where the light touches...but can we just stay here with the murderous robots?" Alex begged. "No, little light." Ox said jokingly. Alex turned around and looked at him. "Don't call me that." He said. I grabbed my stuff and went over to Ox. "You go to the Tower and tell the Vanguard what's happened. I'll head to the Reef."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. You know more about this kinda stuff than I do. I'll go and learn a thing or two." I said. Alex followed me and we went back to my ship. Once inside we broke orbit and we floated for a while. "Look up the coordinates for the Reef." I said. Alex went silent and soon the directions pulled up on my screen. "Perfect. I'll drive." I said as I took the controls. We began our trip and soon we arrived in a purple void like area. Ship wreckage and debris floated around in space. I looked around at all the different parts of ships as we passed by. "What is all of this..?" I asked. "Every ship that could escape fled Earth during the Collapse. They must have died out here." Alex said. Seeing many of the broken ships and robotic limbs and bodies float around in the vacuums of space gave me chills. "It's like a graveyard...how do the Awoken survive out here?"
"No one knows..." Alex said. I sighed and continue to fly around. Wondering what could possibly be out here. Let alone if I could find the Awoken. Suddenly two ships floated on my left and right side. "Uh oh..." I said. Suddenly they came through my communication system. "Intruder bearing one-two-seven, you have crossed into the realm of the Awoken. State your business or be fired upon by order of the Queen." A voice said. I looked around and then I looked at Alex. "Well don't look at me. Better say something." He said. "Well then. Way to put pressure on me." I retorted. I took a breath to calm myself and then I spoke. "I am a Guardian from Earth. My name is Parrish and I seek the counsel of the Awoken." I said. All was silent. I had a tight grip on the throttle just in case we needed to make a sudden dash out of here but then they spoke. "Confirm to my trajectory. Any deviation will be taken as an act of aggression." They said. I sighed and smiled. "Well then. That was easy." I said. We followed the scouts and soon we arrived at an outpost deep within the Reef. The ships departed from us and I was teleported outside of my ship by Alex. I looked around and took off my helmet without thinking. I took a breath. Oxygen. "I can breath here?" I questioned. "This place seems to have a field of Oxygen surrounding it. It would make sense since the Awoken were human before." Alex said. I sighed in relief and Alex made my helmet disappear from my hands. "So. Where to?" I asked. As I turned to face the various different doors and vendors that were in front of me the first thing I saw was a gun pointed to my face. I jumped back and then found myself standing on the edge of a platform.
"Devils aren't welcomed here." The man said. He was tall. Not as tall as me but he was up there. He wore a jacket with a symbol on his shoulder representing the Reef or more specifically the Queens Guard. His hair was a straightened out and he had a scar on his cheek. A serious look on his face as well. "Woah woah! Stand down Guardian." I said. He looked at me confused. "Guardian? Where are you from?" He asked.
"I'm from Earth."
"When were you resurrected?"
"Not too long ago. A week give or take."
"How did you get here?"
"I have to speak to the Queen. It's urgent."
"How did you get that mark?"
"I killed Sepiks Prime."
He pulled his weapon back and gave me room to walk forward. I didn't really hate heights but since I was in space it was ten times worse. "You killed Sepiks? The Prime Servitor?" He asked to make sure. I nodded and he put his weapon away. "Not bad. Name's Nick. But you can call me Royal." He said. He held out his hand and I shook it. "Nice to meet you Royal. Parrish." I said introducing myself. He signaled me to walk with him and so I did. "How did you find out about the Reef? No one really knows about this place." He said. "Some Exo lady told me about this place and that you guys have info to help me find and kill the Black Garden and--"
"Woah woah woah. Did you say Black Garden?" He asked. I nodded and he laughed. "Really? You believe those sob stories? Dude, the garden doesn't even exist. Those legends and stuff that you hear, they're nothing but children's stories that are ment to scare us. Nothing more." He said. "Say what you will. But I'm still speaking to the Awoken." I said. He stepped aside. "By all means. Go ahead." He said mocking me. I walked into the Queens chambers and I was escorted by two scouts. They also wore the same mark that Royal had. The Queens Guard. As we reached the throne a man stood there. His skin was blue and his eyes a golden glow. Jet black hair and what seemed to be an evil grin. "So. These are the trespassers that we're demanding an audience." He said. "We didn't mean to trespass." Alex said. He began to walk down the steps of the throne. "The queen herself judges who may or may not enter the realm. Me? I see no reason she should be available for whatever washes up at the Reef. But here we are." He said in a snarky voice. He already annoyed me. "Let me speak with the queen. It's urgent." I said. "You best behave around your Prince. I am Uldren Sov of the Awoken. And you will obey."
"I kneel to to king or prince who's as big of an asshole like you." I said in retort. Suddenly I began to see Fallen Vandals crawling from behind the throne. "Fallen!" Alex shouted. I scooted back and pulled the gun from a scout that was standing next to me but before I could aim there was a knife held to my neck. "You fire a single shot at her pets and she'll have your head." He said to me. I froze. "Wait...pets?" I say in confusion. "It is afraid of the Fallen. It does not understand that these ones are mine."
The female walked from behind her throne and sat down. Her hair a nice silver color. Short and smooth. Her figure was almost flawless and her voice strong yet gentle. Her eyes a crystal blue. She seemed very familiar to me but I couldn't put my finger on it. Uldren soon released me and the scout took their sidearm back from me. "Apologies, Your Grace." Uldren said as he turned around to face the Queen. I didn't wanna wait any longer. I had to speak my mind or else I may get kicked out for my behavior. "I'm a Guardian from Earth. We're searching for the Black Garden." I said. Uldren turned around to look at me. A sarcastic look on his face. "Why?"
"We seek to destroy the Darkness at its Heart."
"You wish to turn it into a battleground. How...unimaginative."
"You know where it is."
"What's it to you?"
"Tell me. Where is it? Where is the Black Garden?"
Uldren began to laugh at my question as if it was something that everyone should know. "Everyone knows where it is. The hard part is getting in." He said. "Can you help us?" I asked. He walked back over to me. "Why would I help a Devil like you?" He said. I looked at my bond and covered it with my hand. "Look. There's no need to be judge mental about what I decide to wear. I found this mark and thought it was cool and--"
"Nonsense! You are nothing more than a traitor to your own kind." He said. I went silent. The thought that I was being judged by something as simple as a hologram made me feel bad. Something I thought would be cool is actually a bad fashion statement. I could sense the Queen looking at me from her throne. "The Queen requests council with her brother." She said. Uldren glared at me and then walked over to his sister. Learning they they were relatives made things a bit interesting to me. They spoke to themselves. Every now and again they would look at me. Alex floated around and spoke to one of the scouts. "Hey umm...sorry that my Guardian took your gun." He said. The scout was silent. So was I. I was a bit angry. Upset. Alex could tell. Uldren soon stood up and walk in front of me. "We have come to a decision. We will make you a key." He said.
"Awesome! Thank you so--"
"All we need is the head of a Vex Gate Lord." He added. I went silent. A bit confused but then Alex pulled me to the side. "What?" I said. "This is insane. The head of a Vex Gate Lord. These things are huge Parrish. Too tall. Legend say that the tallest one stood even taller than the tower itself. We can't." He said. I looked back at Uldren a bit agitated at his smirk of victory but I wasn't gonna back down. I walked over to him. "Why do you want a Vex head?" I asked. "Oh, we don't. And I doubt we'll get one either. But it's your only hope of getting into the Black Garden." He said. I smirked and his facial expression changed in response to mine. My confidence was showing. "I'll be back with your Head."
"Or die on Venus. Either way." He said. I signaled Alex to follow me and we left the Queen's chambers. Royal waited outside for me. "Ok, let's hear the disappointing news--"
"I'll be back." I said. I walked over to my ship as it floated over the edge where it dropped me off. "Where are you going?" He asked as he followed me. "I need to go grab something in order to gain access to the Black Garden." I said. He looked at me shocked. "Wait, it exists?"
"Yes it does. I told you."
"So what do you need to get?"
I turned around and looked at him. "I'm going to get the head of a Vex Gate Lord." I said. Suddenly I was pulled into my ship and I watched as he looked at me in shock. I took off out of the Reef and began to make my way back to Earth. I called Gold and hoped that he would answer. After a few minutes he did. "Hellooo?" He answered. "Gold, it's Parrish."
"Parrish? Where have you been?"
"Venus. I've found out a lot of information. I need a favor." I said to him. "What is it?" He asked. "While I was on Venus I began to remember my past. I was a scholar at the Ishtar Academy on Venus. There was someone else there. My love interest Mara. She was a scholar as well and she was a human too. But that's not the important part that you need to know. But while I was there at the Ishtar Academy there was a study going on on the topic of advanced robotics. Something unique and something revolutionary. All of the bodies of many of the robotic systems hotwired to one mind. The Vex are on Venus and we need to find a way to stop them. The Fallen are our least worries." I said.
"So what does this mean?" He asked me. "It means that I know how to truly end this fight against the Darkness. We need to get to the Black Garden. And I know just how to do it. I'll fill you in on everything over lunch. Sound good?" I said. "Alright. See you then." Gold said. He hung up and Alex looked at me. "You should really speak with others or ask for my opinion before we go hunting down a Vex Gate Lord. Are you even ready for this?" Alex said. "I don't know. Maybe I have something to prove."
"Like what?"
"That I'm not just some nobody. I'm a Guardian. And I'm going to be the one to save everyone from danger." I said. "Now you're sounding like Lord Shaxx." Alex said. I laughed and soon we arrived on Earth and back to the tower. Gold was waiting for me in the shipyard. I landed and came out of my ship. "The Vanguard is gonna be soooo mad at you." He said. I walked past him and told him to follow me. Our first stop was to see Rahool. We walked up the stairs to the main part of the tower and soon we saw him. "Ah, hello there Guardians. Have you come to decode some more engrams?" He asked us. "Not really. You got a minute?" I asked. He looked around at the somewhat empty Tower. "Today has been a rather slow day Guardian. Perhaps I can spare a few moments. Let's have a walk. I believe there may be something on your mind that you can't truly explain or grasp for yourself." He said. It like he was reading my mind. We walked with him to what seemed to be the back of the Tower. It was a new part that was blocked off before but now it was open for people to relax and explore. We walked over to a railing and soon we saw the snowy mountains of Old Russia in the distance. "Tell me Guardian. What is it that you wanted to speak about?" He said. I leaned against the railing and looked at him. "You're an Awoken." I said. He smiled. "Yes indeed. You must have been doing your research." He said.
"Not really. I never knew what you were until I saw more people like you. I went to visit the Reef."
"What? How did the Vanguard give you authorization to go that far out into space on your own?" He asked. "Not important. I also found out that you went to the Ishtar Academy. Venus. Right?" I asked. He looked at me in silence and soon spoke. "What you say is true Guardian but that was such a long time ago. I was young. Wiser. Human..." He said. I looked at him puzzled. "What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"Humans who are corrupted by the Darkness and are able to survive are called Awoken. That's how we got our name. The vast majority of them are found in the Reef. Their "home". I stayed here during the Collapse with no way to go back there or to the Academy. Although something has been troubling me Guardian." He said. He started walking and soon me and Gold followed. "What's wrong?" Gold asked. "If Venus is overrun by the enemy then some of the vast wonders of Venus and the information that they have to offer will be lost as well. The Ishtar Collective. Deep within the Academy, there is a computer that stores all the various findings of Venus, information on the Vex, and the Vault of Glass." He said. "That's the place that Ox was looking for when he helped me on Venus. Where is this computer?"
"It is deep underneath the Academy. You'll have to go digging for it. If you find this and recover its data, then the Vanguard and many others like me will be in your debt." He said. I nodded and he smiled shaking my hand. We walked him back to his stand and soon there were customers waiting to have their stuff decoded. He went straight to work soon enough. "So...what do we do now?" Gold asked. "We get that information, figure out a strategy, get the head of a Vex Gate Lord and then go for the Black Garden." I said.