[i]“This is my final offer...Bring me the Fate of All Fools...I will give you; Dredgen Yor.”[/i] [i]“Just imagine, us, the scourge of the Guardians hailed as true heroes…”[/i] [i]“You would have been taken back to their institution, shaped and molded into a savage tool whose only purpose is to serve and obey without question…”[/i] [i]“Why did they have to revive me?”[/i] [i]“I will do everything in my power to protect you. But in return, I will need you to protect me.”[/i] [i]“I’ll be back for you, Bree. I promise…”[/i] Bree’s dreams were nothing but demon pervaded nightmares. Uselessly, hopelessly, tossing and turning, trying to find that sacred area of sleep that her body hungered for; but it would not be. That hallowed part of her dreams in which her brother was still alive and breathing. Bree rolled over on the hard surface that comprised her bed, and her arm reached out, her hand landing on nothingness but stone. Brayden wasn’t there, nor would he ever be again. In anger, Bree stood up, and without having to be summoned, her HUD popped to life. She stumbled, still lingering in that unknown state between light and dark. Bree looked around slowly, her body aching, head pounding like a drum, she looked at the Vandals who were huddled together like a pack of sleeping dogs. She stepped around them and slowly made her way into the darkness of the cave they nestled in for, what she believed, was the night. “Where do I even begin to go from here? Why did you have to run ahead of me?” Bree spoke quietly to herself as she walked. “If you only would have listened to me for once in your life, you might still be here with me. But you didn’t. You left me, left me all alone. I have nobody now.” The words seemed to echo and bounce around inside of her helmet. Her breathing was shallow, and she wasn’t even sure of where the Hell she was going; Bree just knew that laying down, and fighting a losing battle with her demons was not an option. The cave was bathed in a soft, gentle glow of purple, blue, and turquoise from large shining crystals that were embedded into the stone and rock. The extravagant beauty of the colors that swirled and played together against the stones was unparalleled. Ensconced in a whirling pool of elegance, Bree, could find no comfort. All of her worst fears seemed as if they were coming to life, and that they were here to stay. She had to get out. Forsaking her sacrosanct vow she made to her brother, the only thing on her mind was finding a way out of this prison. The map on her HUD wasn’t helping. It seemed as if, Flower, was almost as lost as Bree was. She continued her wayfaring journey into the uncharted. The corridors twisted and coiled through the bucolic cyan of the crystals, and the further she traveled, the more intense the teeming of the colors became. By surprise, and a little bit of dumb luck, she turned down a long hall that didn’t appear to have an end to it. Not really knowing why, Bree turned down the hollow tunnel, and started running. Her legs churned, her boots dug into the ground, running faster than she ever had before; then she came upon a Vex gate or something that closely resembled one, she couldn’t be sure. The color was off from the typical pulsating purple of a Vex gate, it was blue. One solid sheet of blue, no pulsing, no vibrations, nothing, it was as if someone had taken a paintbrush to it. With caution, Bree apprehensively approached the gate, unsure if it was even a gate at all or something more. A foot from it is where she stopped, not really wanting to get any closer, she summoned, Flower. “Flower, do you think you can scan this? I mean, it looks like a portal for Vex teleportation, but it doesn’t appear to be active.” The HUD on Bree’s helmet brought a small white grid in front of her eyes. The grid moved in all directions, growing larger, then it would shrink back down. The bars continued to move, and a gentle purr lulled her into a state of, what could loosely be called tranquility, as she waited for the results. “I’m sorry, but I can retrieve no data on this portal. If I had to guess, I would say that it has been disbanded by the Vex and left here, and maybe that's why it has such a strange color. Again, I do not know, I am only guessing,” Flower said. Bree stepped towards it and gently placed her hand on it. A tiny vibration, like the pins and needles one would feel if their leg fell asleep. It was smooth and solid underneath her gloved fingers, so she pressed a little harder...before either Bree or Flower, knew what happened, they were transported to an area of the Trials that was truly majestic. As if, Bree, had performed a disappearing magic trick, she came to stand in luscious, thick grass that was ankle high. The area was vast. It was dark like all the others, but a few sprinkles of light managed to fight their way through the rocks. The trickling tranquility of a gentle stream to her left, further opened up into a large pool that was being fed by a waterfall of substantial size. This was it. The bucolic, verdant serenity of her dreams. Bree felt at ease here as if a tremendous weight has been removed from her shoulders. Despite the heaviness of her armor, she felt as light as a feather, ready to break out into a broadway musical dance routine at any moment. But her feeling of euphoria would not last… Bree, noted a large tree that was resting in an area opposite the giant waterfall, but it didn’t look like any tree she had ever seen before. As she came closer, the bark was a deeply stained oak color, it vaulted high into the air and unfurled into the dense foliage of green. The leaves provided a canopy that covered the large patch of grass she stood in. As if descending from the Heavens, a white light of brilliance shined its everlasting glow of purity down upon the mighty tree. This same light pierced through the blades of the branches to sprinkle down onto, Bree and the grass below. Intricate little veins, that matched the color of the Vex gate, were embedded deep within the tree. Like the pulse of a human heart, the blue veins throbbed almost rhythmically. It was as if the tree was alive...then, she felt him. There was a presence there with her. Cold calculating eyes that watched her from behind a polished helmet of bronze. A Hunter. He came to stand next to her from out of nowhere. The light of the cave reflected off of his chest armor which looked as if it could have been from the Golden Age. The rustic bronze of his chest piece was scratched and scuffed, yet, had an air of an old ancient wisdom long since forgotten. Rippling, ruffling pants the color of cedar were tucked into dark obsidian, heavy knee-high boots. A dark leather strap stretched across his chest while two identical straps looped over his right shoulder. The three pieces of rawhide wrapped tightly around a circular ring, holding it firmly in place against his chest. The ring was a persian blue so magnificent, one could get lost if they stared at it. But it was dull. It was as if someone had freezed the color in place, forcing it to never shine or shimmer. It pulsated in a beautiful harmony with the veins of the tree, almost as if they were synchronized and connected in some way. It was a deep blue, an almost sad blue, that matched the eyes of Bree. All of the serene feelings that coursed through her earlier were only just a memory now. Instinct kicked in, and Bree spun around in a blinding whirl of armor. In a single motion, her right hand slipped into its home around the grip of her Fatebringer, the only one she had left. The gun scraped against the leather of her holster, the heavy metal clicked loudly as she cocked it and pointed the silver barrel; right into the face of the Hunter. [i]I want to thank you all for your patience. This chapter took quite a bit of work and revisions. A special shout out to [b]TheGaurdian2142[/b] He has been my go-to for feedback and creative ideas. It took a little longer, but I think it was well worth it. Anyway, we hope you enjoy reading as much as we have enjoyed writing it. Any comments, feedback, please let us know, the poll will be available as usual. Enjoy![/i] [i]The Trials of a Guardian: Miles Away...(Chapter 7: Part II)[/i]: [i]The Trials of a Guardian: ALL Chapters (Appendix)[/i]: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/105589170/0/0