((Disclaimer: Something I started cooked up after going flawless in the Trials of Osiris on Week One of House of Wolves. It was a toughie, but I did it. Yay me! And...my squad! And for those of you that did not go 9-0, I am very sorry, but this is not a means of boasting. Simply a story I'm sharing in the aftermath!))
She gazed out of her cockpit window to Mercury's horizon, an ornate hand cannon seated beside her, as if a memento. The view of the named 'Fields of Glass' delightfully shined under the light of the nearby sun. It has been said that even a mote of dust from the surface gleams with a million reflections. Despite the Vex turning the planet into a link in their chain, this was one moment of rest, one moment of clarity she may finally take.
"Are you coming, Sydri?" The voice of a familiar Exo brought the warlock from her temporary daze.
"Y-yeah, Neon. I'm...just letting it all soak in." She hurried along in her words, the Awoken standing, placing the ornate hand cannon in its holster.
"You can let the atmosphere soak in bett'a out hea." Another voice spoke over the comm, yet it was female, a strong Australian accent accompanying the words. It was another warlock, a human by the name of Muzz. When asked previously about the name for introduction's sake, she told her new allies it was just a name that stuck. Sydri nodded, removing her horned, hive helmet from her head, her glowing green irises adjusting slightly to the brightness of Mercury. The Awoken took a deep breath in, sighing quietly to herself.
"You're right...it is better out here." Sydri admitted quietly, almost as if she were lamenting. As she began walking, she removed her hand cannon from the holster, holding onto it with a sad air around her. Muzz raised a brow to this, gaze shifting from Neon back to the Awoken starting on the path they were taking. The pathway was illuminated by several lit fires, the path it took was not winding by any means, yet how monolithic and intimidating the walls of the Lighthouse may have seemed in the dim light, it brought that strange sense of comfort, as though this were truly a safe place on the machine, Mercury.
"Isn't this supposed ta be an 'appy occasion? Wha gives?" She whispered to Neon, the Exo shook his head as he began remembering, his usual cheery attitude turned sullen.
"That particular Hawkmoon once belonged to her lover. Another Awoken by the name of Rhmira. Titan like me, but more striker rather than a defender." He whispered back, his mechanical blue gaze watched Muzz's reaction to this before continuing. "The pair were inseparable; from assisting the Vanguard, even competing in Shaxx's Crucible...I heard the news when they raided the Vault of Glass on Venus. She wa-"
"She was lost to time. All that was left was a dead ghost and this gun." Sydri turned, her eyes never glared, expression remained somber. Neon shrunk slightly at this.
"I'm sorry, Syd. I figured I could let her know without bothering you." He explained. Sydri nodded slowly, a small smile tugging on the corner of lips painted black. She continued to walk, the three savouring the moment, the fact that they were finally there, several other guardians fell in the Trails in their collective wake. Some Trials ended too early for their liking, while others would have made it to the Lighthouse if not for the three.
"'Ave you two known each otha for long?" Muzz piped up through the awkward silence between them. "Ah mean, I assume so, the way she didn' jump down ya throat." Finally, a soft laugh from the Exo.
"We have. Some could say I've known Sydri even before she met Rhmira...and they'd be right. Some could also say I was the glue to hold those two together. Again, that is also correct!" Neon explained, a bit more of a smile tugging on the corners of Sydri's mouth.
"And for that I-...we thank you, Neon." Sydri smiled a little more brightly. "I remember when Rhmira took a hit from Sepiks Prime...she fell, I rushed to her side. And you were there, placed your shield up just in time. Sepiks came closer, and began that 'vacuum' attack, and I watched your armor begin to deteriorate, but the bubble stayed strong..." At this point, Muzz's jaw dropped open, eyes mostly wide. "You protected us when we needed it, Neon."
"If only Exos could blush, Syd. Was only doing my job." He chuckled about it as the three neared the pedestal, which lay a glorious golden chest an avian figure resting on the peak. "Suppose we should open this up?"
"Not yet..." Sydri stepped forward passed the chest to watch the beautiful horizon. She held the cannon firmly, whispering softly to the still winds, "We're here...we're here, Rhmira. You always wondered what architecture would look like on Mercury, what the rumoured Lighthouse would look like...well, we're here, and it's beautiful." The Awoken's green eyes turned down to the hand cannon for a brief moment before shutting tightly, a single tear escaping from the inside corner of her left eye. "I will always love you, Rhmira...and unlike some guardians who may forget you, I never will." In a quick moment, her Ghost formed a memento Sydri kept; an early photo of Neon, Rhmira, and Sydri at one of their happier moments: Neon being his goofy self and bombing into the picture, while Rhmira kept a stone-faced grin, and Sydri was failing in stifling a fit of giggles.
"Your eyes...they ain't naturally green? Wha' 'appened?" Muzz saw the picture from where she stood, a brow raised. Sydri returned the Hawkmoon to its holster, then placed the photo near the candle stands, taking note of a few other mementos other guardians may have placed. She returned to the two, shaking her head.
"A long story. It involved the Hive and a close encounter with Ir Yût...I lost a part of myself, or...it was altered; I don't know." Sydri explained as best as she could, yet the Exo companion stepped forward, shaking his head.
"Let's open the chest, yeah? I'm sure whatever is in here is just waiting for us." Neon rushed the two, the Exo clearly showing signs of excitement. A soft chuckle from Sydri, Muzz and Neon's hands were quick to rest upon the surface of the ornate chest. A brief sigh, the Awoken placed her own hands on the chest, the trio to be met with a melodic ringing, beautiful circles of light formed around their hands.
"Incredible..." Muzz whispered, the avian statue resting in the middle turned ninety degrees to the right, the chest opening wide, a bright flash of light emerged from the contents therein.
"It is incredible...isn't it?" A voice came from behind them; a warlock dressed in exotic black and gold garments made its way forward. By the stature and voice of the intimidating figure, it was clearly male. However the voice, while notably Exo, was soft as an Awoken. Not expecting this, Sydri unholstered her hand cannon, and turned to face the being, it's head in her sights. "You need not be alarmed, marked one."
"Who are you?" Neon removed the scout rifle from the magnetic plate on the back of his armor as several red dots emerged on the cliffs of the lighthouse.
"We have been watching the three of you in your Trial. I am Brother Addi-Prime, your watcher." Neon focused on the other Exo as his allies lowered their guard, albeit slightly.
"Prime? There are no primes anymore, they were snuffed out in the Collapse." The helmet resembling a jackal turned from Sydri to Neon, a soft, mechanic chuckle erupted from below.
"And what fool told you this...? The cryptarch known as Rahool? His means of cryptology is a fallacy; a joke." The Exo raised a hand, the red dots on the cliff dimming to nothingness. "I was not born of the light, nor of the void. I have been, and will always be a being of the sun, the cleansing fire." Addi turned from the trio with a noble bow, arms folded behind him to make a slow, steady walk away from them. "Take your treasure, Guardians, and should you wish to have many of your questions answered, I shall be out here with some of mine own."
Sydri watched the Exo depart their company, a frown planted upon her brow. '[i]Marked one? Does he know more than I about what happened? If so, how?[/i]' She thought, bewildered as to how he knew. A quick shake of her head, she turned to notice her two allies collecting the much sought after Etheric Light from the chest. The trio divided the nine orbs accordingly; three each. Upon sifting through the other loot, three weapons with void cores rested within, two scout rifles and an auto rifle. Much to Neon's dismay, the two warlocks claimed the scout rifles, leaving him with the latter.
"We'll let'cha 'ave the scout next time, Neon. We promise." Muzz grinned, softly patting the titan's shoulder, summoning her Ghost to return herself to her ship. Sydri returned her gaze to the differently-geared warlock, Neon was to follow should she decide to take the Exo up on his offer.
"Shall we?" She asked, gaze never breaking from the intimidating helmet. Neon gave her a look, which she caught immediately in the corner of her vision. "It may be the only chance we have to get the answers to our questions."
-
You humans are so... creative when it comes to story making. But we're just watching.