[b]Note:[/b] Ive decided to begin a storyline about many fictitious and several canon characters in a Game of Thrones-inspired series I'm calling "A Prophecy of Rain". Please critique, express love/hatred for, and/or troll in the comments. [b]Second Note:[/b] I've come to the conclusion that I should touch this up, and I'll consider this a rough draft or teaser chapter. I've also submitted to joining a group of writers, so I'll simply post from there for better reception. [b]GRAHAM[/b] Graham landed Scorpio's Miracle in a small clearing near the Divide. He ordered his Ghost to return it to orbit, and leave it on stand-by while he completes his runs. The lone Hunter stalks the outskirts of the Cosmodrome, completing patrol objectives received from beacons located across Old Russia. He enters a hole in the colossal wall separating the outer world and the old space station, and finds himself in a room within the hollow wall. Large in size, Devil banners drape down columns on either side of the hall. The throne room of the Kell. "Quite the discovery we have here, little Ghost." Graham proclaims, summoning his extension of the Traveller from the thin air of the Kell of Devil's throne room. His ghost quietly scans the markings around the room, gathering data as Graham himself walks down the hall. "They did quite a number on this place..." Graham says softly, as his ghost disappears, finished with her task. Whatever nameless faction the objective came from thanks the silent Hunter, and they disconnect from his comms. Suddenly a buzzing rings on the comm, "Zztz... Zzzt..." Graham recoils at the noise in his ears. "Ghost, fix this thing." "Broken signal from an unknown source. Could be important. Want me to clear it up?" The female voice his Ghost takes on chides him into accepting 'her' offer, and he nods. "Head through that doorway," a familiar voice commands, "that one, on your right. It'll lead you to the Rocketyard. Once you arrive there, I'll provide your next objective." Graham questions the voice, but obeys. He can't quite pick out the voice exactly, yet he knows that he can trust this person somehow. "C'mon, kid, get going." The Hunter holsters his gun, running out of the room into the open. In the distance, Graham can hear the screeches of Hive Boomers and Shredders, the lightning shocking the air from Dreg Shock Pistols. He ignores their meaningless battle, and races out to the rendezvous point the voice designated. "Now what?" Graham asks the mysterious voice. "Now, follow me." Graham turns around to hear the same voice on the comms in a mentor. HIS mentor. Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6 stood before him. "Vanguard." Graham immediately salutes his mentor. "Don't give me that crap, Graham." Cayde-6 offers him a fist pump, his informality ever present. Graham is slightly taken back, but returns the gesture, and returns to his silent demeanor. He does feel at ease when he's around the Exo, his humor and lack of seriousness a comfort. "Why'd you call me up? I was on patrol duty." Graham questions, his own cold persona returning. "I'm on a small mission, under the radar of the Speaker." Graham's helmet hides his expression, but his face shows his shock from hearing that the Hunter Vanguard is on a covert mission, without clearance from the Speaker. "What's it for?" "Classified, Hunter, but I would like some assistance. I'm entering King territory, and I need a partner." [i]King territory...[/i] Graham thinks, [i]for what purpose? Kingswatch is a dangerous place.[/i] "Fine. I'll go. But at least tell me what we're doing," Graham requests. "We're hiring a mercenary." Cayde-6 proclaims, summoning his sparrow issued by Amanda Holiday, speeding towards Kingswatch, past the battle between Fallen and Hive. Graham shakes his head, following the experienced Hunter Vanguard on his own sparrow. They arrive at Kingswatch, and as the last drops of Fallen ether leave the recently defeated bodies of Fallen Graham and Cayde-6 eliminated, Graham further questions his mentor. "Who's this mercenary we're tracking? And who're they gonna kill?" Cayde-6 ignores him, walking straight into Skywatch. He begins to clap, and kicks the steel beams lining the hallway. Graham reaches out to stop him, not wanting to battle any more Fallen. Suddenly, bodies begin to drop from above, Dregs and Vandals and Captains, all dead, all Kings. They fall from the beams above, debris falling on them. A pile begins to amass, of dead Fallen. Graham is awestruck, and tries to ask Cayde-6 a question, 'how did he do it?', but his shock caught his throat. "Cat for your tongue?" Cayde-6 asks, laughing. "I say, Kingslayer, you are quite the assassin. How did you do it?" Cayde-6 questions the air. Graham begins to think that the Hunter Vanguard has become insane, his days cooped up in the Tower taking a toll on his sanity. That is, until a Fallen Vandal free falls from the beams above and lashes out with its Shock Blades. In a split second, Graham counters the blade with his own, Arc Blade activate. The two arc energies clash, but neither can overcome the other. Both are blown backwards, but neither are finished. However, Cayde-6 ends the fight, stepping between the two, hand cannon to the Vandal's throat and a knife to Graham's. "That's enough you two. We're here to talk, remember?" Graham releases Arc Blade, his light dissipating. The Vandal sheaths its Shock Blades, and folds its arms. Now, Graham can take a good look at his Fallen opponent. It's cape is in tatters, rather more of a two-tailed scarf rather than a flag of its house. It carries only the two shock blades and a set of daggers on its waist, otherwise it's the same as any other Fallen belonging to... [i]Wait, what house does it belong to?[/i] Graham notices no distinct colors, no red or gold, the colors of Devils and Kings. Rather, it was a shade of white, no House colors. The other unique difference was its broken helmet, the left side shattered. "Kingslayer, my name is Cayde-6. I have a job for you." Cayde-6 says to the Vandal. It's interest is evident in its eyes, but Graham is oblivious to this fact, still focused on ending its existence. "How'd you do it, Vandal." Graham coldly inquires. "Simple. I ended their reign." Graham was awestruck for a second time that day, both originating from the same source. This Vandal spoke, in human English no less. "..." Graham decided to remain silent on further matters. "What is the job?" The Kingslayer asks, looking back at Cayde-6. The Hunter Vanguard turns to Graham, asking, "Can you walk out? Make sure no others enter this place." Graham wishes that he could remain there and hear the job offer, but abides by Cayde-6's wishes. He walks out into the Rocketyard, and watches the Fallen and Hive battle, both ignorant of his presence, both simply wishing to end the other. Cayde-6 exits Kingswatch, and tells Graham to take him to them back to the Tower. Graham asks, as he summons his Ghost, "What's the job you gave her?" "Sorry kid, no can do," Cayde-6 says, "But I can tell you that her name is Roma, the Kingslayer. She bows to no house banner, rather serving the highest payer. And she's notorious for killing Kings." Graham leaves it alone at that, and as they return to orbit, thinks to himself, [i]Kingslayer. Quite an epithet to live up to, among others. Queen of the Reef, Kell of Kells. But can any best the Law of the Jungle?[/i]