Destiny: Volume 1 (Completed)

Chapter Seventeen

          "The end..."

          As I began my travels down to the Tower I began to call and contact anyone that I could find in the given area to assist on my final assault. The final mission. Getting into the Black Garden. This mission was weeks in preparation. I sent Gold, Ox and Royal to charge the eye of the Gate Lord so we could have access. The result were...extraordinary. The Cabal were protecting something that they thought was a power source but in reality it was a hidden relic needed to enter the Black Garden. I spend the entire week of preperation training. There was no telling if I was to return alive from my mission. I was scared. Everyone was. The Vanguard saw me off and I met up with everyone on Mars. I had loaded my weapons and trained in the Crucible. It was finally time to make a stand. I flew to Mars and found my team waiting at the Gate to the Black Garden. I hopped out of my ship and we all grouped up together. "This is it boys...the end of the line." I said. "Yeah...we do this, we save the Traveler and possibly the universe." Ox said. "We got this. I believe in us." Gold said. Royal laughed slightly. "I dunno guys...maybe we shouldn't." He said with hesitation. We looked at him. "Really? You're gonna back out now?" I said. He just kinda shrugged. "I'm not getting anything beneficial out of this. So I mean I'm risking my life for...what exactly?" He said. Ox began to start an argument with Royal and Gold was trying to keep the peace. I didn't wanna sit around and waste time. I took the Eye of the Gate Lord and stood at the giant Gate. It soon opened a portal to god knows where and I stood there. "While you guys are arguing about whether or not saving the universe is worth it or not, I'm going to get the job done." I said. I went through the portal and soon I was alone. I looked around at where I was. Alex appeared. "Well...we're definitely somewhere but not on any known map of space and time. We should keep moving." He said. I pulled out my weapons and moved forward throughout the overgrown metal like surfaces of what seemed to be the entry way into the Black Garden. "Guardian, what about Ox and the gang?"
          "If they wanna argue they can go find another Vex eye to steal and join me. Royal decides to bail because he's not getting any rewards out of it? Saving the universe apparently isn't enough for him. Jesus it aggitatss me sometimes. Let's just keep moving. We can handle this on our own. We've done good so far." I said. We continued on our path towards wherever this place lead to and soon we arrived at an opening into what seemed like a vast and almost endless Garden of greenery and Vex technology. It was a combination of beauty and darkness. "Alex...record everything we see. I think we've found the Garden." I said. I looked all around to absorbs everything and soon we saw Vex robots but they weren't moving. I slowly walked past them. They looked overgrown and old. Some of them missing limbs and others having no core to power themselves. "It's like they're in stasis..." Alex said. I kept walking and soon we had reached another open area. All was surprisingly quiet to the point where it was scary. At the end of the open area lied a locked door. "Great. A dead end." I said. Alex floated around and took a good scan of the area and our surroundings. "Hmm...it looks like something could be built around here. A spire to open the Gate. There are two conduits on either side of this area. Get me in close. I'll have a look and see what I can do." Alex said. I nodded and we made our way to the first one. Climbing down small flights of stairs and soon getting to the metal machine which was attached to the wall. It was impressive to see Vex technology in action. Alex began to tinker with it and soon it activated. Causing the ground to rumble slightly. "Well. That might have been a bit too loud." Alex said. I looked around at all of the dormant Vex robots activating in response to the activation of the different consoles. "Well. They'll be mad since we aren't a Gate Lord." I said. I loaded my weapons and began to fight the Vex. I never noticed but my powers began to fluctuate once more. I jumped up to throw a Novabomb but instead I threw a regular solar grenade. "No no no! Not now please not now!" I said to myself. I landed and ran for cover. I pulled out my rocket and began to fire upon the army of Vex drones. They all soon fell one by one and I rushed to the second conduit. Once Alex made contact with it he began to activate it as well.
          "Alright. We're in. Everything is ready to go. Head to the door so we can get in." Alex said. I ran over to the door and I pulled out the Gate Lords eye. "Here goes nothing." I said. I began to hold the eye up to the door but I heard footsteps. I froze and then quickly turned around. My MIDA aimed at the head of whoever was behind me. It was Royal and Ox and Gold. "What took you so long?" I said. They laughed. "Well the portal was still open when we decided to go through but we had to fight a crap ton of Vex robots on the way here. That's what took us so long." Ox said. I smiled and proceeded to open the door. The spire that formed behind us in the center of the room shot a beam of light at the eye. The eye itself turned into a clear and cryptic key and it broke apart into pieces. Each beam of light acting like a code for the Gate. The sky went from a green like blue collar to a dark orange and red color. The giant door began to open. "This is it..." I said. We walked inside to see a giant and mysterious substance floating at the other end of the room with Vex surrounding it. Worshiping it as well. Our presence disturbed them. They all slowly turned and faced us.
          "So...think you can kill a God?" Alex asked. Everyone loaded their weapons and I pulled out my shotgun. "Don't think I have a choice." I said as I loaded it. Immediately we all jumped down and began our final attack. Gold threw a Novabomb, Ox fired his Golden Gun, Nick activated his Blade Danced and we all began to wipe out the enemy. The Vex weren't that much of a pushover but once they were gone we saw the Heart begin to feed energy into the three Vex statues that were there. Light began to emit from the beasts and soon it broke away from its stone structure and began to move around on its own. "Uh oh. The Heart is trying to fight back. It's bringing the statues to life!" Ox said. The giant Vex mind looked at us and began to open fire. "Fall back and get some cover!!" I shouted. We all ran and the monster began to circle the battlefield. Me and Gold were taking out any additional Vex soldiers that decided to try and come after us while Ox and Royal were in charge of taking out the Vex Mind. We heard it's cry in pain as it finally gave out. The room around us beginning to shake as the Heart became unstable with each attack.
          "The Heart is dying. Keep fighting the beasts." Alex said. The Heart tried a second time with the second statue but of course the same result happened. We took it out with overwhelming force. The ground began to rumble more and more as the Vex Heart suffered. "Just one more! We can do this!" I said. The final status came to life and this was bigger than all of the others combined. It stood proud and tall and all of our weapons were useless against it. It wasn't taking any damage from us. "Uh oh. I may be a bit worried." I said. The giant Vex Minotaur began to fire upon us. Pushing us back to the start of the room. We were pinned down and suddenly Gold was sent flying. He hit a nearby wall and was stunned. He lost his weapons. I ran to him and helped him up but he was too hurt. "Parrish!!" Alex shouted. I turned around to see the Minotaur aiming right at me. I wasn't going to let my friend die but I knew that if I took this hit, I would die. I had to make a choice. I stood my ground and held my arms out as a shield to take the full force of the blast. The cannon shot made contact with me and after that I felt...nothing. No pain. Nothing. All I saw was darkness. I was in a void of nothingness. Floating around. "Am...I dead...?" I asked. "Fall into despair." A voice said. "But...I have to save everyone...I have to..."
          "What have they ever done for you? They've done not one thing. They've held you back. They've talked down upon you. You're above them. You're better than them. Just fall into slumber. Come to me."
          "You're...right...they did mistreat me...but this is where you're wrong..."
          I began to glow. I began to feel power. Light. Everything within me began to swell and grow at an exponential rate. "What are you talking about?" The voice began to say. I began to shine bright. "They are my family. And my friends!" I shouted. Bright wings of fire emerged from my back. I could feel the life returning to my body. "And besides...I made a promise to protect everyone. And to come back to her. I can't lose here. I won't lose here!!!!" I shouted. I forced out the darkness and sprung back to life. I looked at my hands and saw that I was back in the fight. "Parrish. You did it!! You used your Radiance!" Gold said excitingly. I began to fight hard with everything I had. Throwing grenades, attacking minions, doing damage to the Heart and everyone else had my back. Everyone used their supers at the same time and soon my Radiance wore off but I could still feel a lot of power left in me. I ran for the Minotaur and charged up my most powerful Novabomb. I threw it with everything I had. It went through the giant robot and hit the Heart directly before detonation. I watched as the final Minotaur fell to the ground and the Heart began to explode violently. It shines brightly and soon erupted and the orange and dark sky immediately turned blue again. Rose pedals falling from the sky and from the surrounding environment. 
          "It's...over..." I said. I fell on my back and passed out. Every now and again I would see moments of people carrying me around. I felt a gentle touch. A soothing voice in my ear. An echoing name. Mara...
          I finally woke up but I wasn't where I thought I'd be. I though I'd be in a hospital bed but instead I was lying in my room. I looked around and saw Mara standing there. I blinked a few times and sat up slowly. "Mara...?" I said weakly. "Parrish...you're alive!" She said excitingly. She immediately hugged me tightly. I hugged back and she cried a bit more. "I thought I lost you. I saw everything from Alex. I though...I thought you died again." She said. I smiled. "I technically did but came back to life. But ya know." I said. She let go of me and kissed me. She slowly sat down in my lap and I pulled her closer. I began to hear the cheering of Guardians from the Tower. She broke away and smiled at me. "Come to me whenever you recover. I have a surprise for you." She said. I smiled and stood up with her. As I got dressed she snuck her way out. "Hey Mara. Let's go and celebrate." I said. I turned around expecting her to be there but instead I saw Alex. He floated in her place. "She's already gone. I'm sure you'll be seeing her later. Hurry. You're missing the celebration." Alex said. I smiled and started to make my way to the Towers main courtyard but I stopped and ran into the Exo Stranger once more.
          "You again." I said. I walked over to her. She looked at me and then looked back at the Traveler. "Today is a day for pretty medals but you and I both know that the real fight takes place out there." She said. "More are gonna come. I can already feel it." I said. "There's so much more out there Guardian. I've seen terrible things born from the darkness. Every moment brings them closer but know this Guardian. All ends are beginnings. And this fight, Our fight, Is far from over." She said. "I'll be ready for it." I said. She smiled and disappeared. Alex pulled up the ship next to me. "Something tells me you're not gonna stick around long. Your fireteam is waiting in orbit for you." Alex said. I smiled and hopped inside the ship and we took off. I saw Gold, Ox and Royal waiting for me. "So where to?" Gold asked. "I say we hit up that Vault of Glass." Ox said. "There better be some amazing loot in there." Royal added. "Hey now guys. I'm the leader. So I'll be driving this boat." I said.
          "Alright. Then where to?" Ox asked.
          "To Venus. Let's see what this Vault is all about." I said. We began to take off and I looked at Alex. "Hey. Play some tunes." I said. "Anything specific?" He asked me. "Hmm...Hooked on a Feelin by Blue Swede." I said. Soon the song began to play as we took off into space.