When we got to the Tower, we hit the ground running, literally. Toland, I thought excitedly, I didn’t know why Echo was worried. Toland was a legend, the Vanguards said he was insane, shattered, but Ikora disagreed and Ikora’s never betrayed my trust. We ran to the hall of the Vanguard, but it was deserted, books maps, and an assortment of other things left out on the large table. We turned to the north elevator and opened the door. A frame stood just inside, it looked at us for a moment and said, “Grant Porter and Sierra-7?” I nodded, “The Vanguards await you on level two hundred and forty.” The Tower had two hundred and thirty five levels of labs, studies, quarters mess halls and training facilities open to guardians. Levels 236 – 240 were reserved for the Vanguards and the Speaker and levels 241 – 245 were the shops and the hangar. “Looks like we’re expected.” Said Sierra excitedly, she was just as excited as me to meet the legendary warlock. We stepped into the elevator and quietly waited out the short trip down with the frame. The doors opened up to the three Vanguards, Eris and the Speaker in a heated argument. They stood in the center of an empty rectangular room that looked out over the city. “We have no evidence! We cast him out for a reason, he’s mad!” Zvalla shouted. “Even if there’s no evidence, you would ignore an early warning to what could damn well be the greatest threat we will ever face?!” Ikora responded, equally aggressive. “Toland is not to be trusted-” The Speaker started calmly “Why?” Interrupted Eris, “Because he knows about you’re past?” “Hate to crash the party,” Cayde stepped in before Zvalla could, “but our… advisors are here.” He turned to face us, still standing in the door of the elevator. The rest of the group turned as well, while the door closed behind us. We’d stepped into deep water. “Guardians,” the Speaker nodded, “Toland, the Shattered, decided his agenda is more important than exile.” He started to say something but was interrupted by Ikora. “He has information that concerns you directly.” She said “He’s sick. It’s the ravings of a lunatic.” Zvalla countered. “Oryx,” said Cayde-6, “He claims Oryx is coming. For you. However he has no proof of this.” “Can we speak with him?” asked Sierra. “No.” Said the Speaker quickly, “No, you may not. Your assistance will not be required. Dismissed.” He spoke calmly, yet deadly serious. “The one of which you speak,” spoke a low, gravelly voice from the corner of the room. We all turned to look, “is not wrong.” It finished as it emerged from the shadows. A cloaked, hunchback figure stepped into the light, it’s face wasn’t visible except for two glowing yellow iris’. It looked much like Xur of the Nine, but the robes it wore were lighter, shades of grey instead of pure black, they were much cleaner, not torn or dirty. “I am Orek, Agent of the Nine.” It began, “and Oryx comes for his revenge.” It seemed to hold its head higher than Xur did despite bearing the same title. “His word counts for nothing”, said Zvalla, “we are not acting on the words of a madman and a being of darkness. There is still no evidence.” “How is this not enough for you?!” Ikora exclaimed “The Nine wish that you do not fall by Oryx’s hand.” Said Orek “Enough!” commanded the Speaker, “Go,” he said to us, “speak with Toland. This is evidence enough.” He sounded almost concerned. Zvalla began to speak, but the Speaker turned to him, “Do not question what the Nine have told us. Toland will stay as long as he can help us.” He said threateningly. “Level two thirty eight.” He said to us before walking out of the room. Eris, Ikora and Cayde stayed behind, while Zvalla left and Sierra and I quickly returned to the elevator, excited and terrified. I’d never seen the faculty of the Tower so divided. The elevator opened into a short hallway that lead into five rooms, all the doors were closed and it was completely quiet, yet I could tell which room Toland was in. I stepped out of the elevator and turned to the right. As I walked down the hall I could feel an unpleasant, chilling aura, like death and ice, growing stronger. I knocked on the door of the room at the right end of the hallway, and opened the unlocked door. We entered the unlit room, he sat on the floor facing away from us in a black, hooded cape. His head was down as if meditating, he seemed to radiate a dark, cold energy throughout the room, as if your bones were slowly turning to ice, from the inside out. Suddenly, he lifted his head and said, “Hello.” The cold vanished and the lights in the room came back on. I was startled, yet relieved as warmth returned to my body. “So,” he started, his voice was somehow more…human, than I expected. “you’re the god-slayers, huh? A little underwhelming, but I suppose your actions speak for you.” He stood up and turned around. His face was hidden by an elaborately decorated metal mask with a grill over the mouth. The mask was covered in carvings of snakes, serpents and fangs, with three circles where his eyes should have been. He wore all black clothing with high black leather boots and several pieces of armor crafted from bones. At his side swung the broken sword of a Hive knight. “I’m-“ I started. “I know who you are,” he smirked, “you’re the ones who killed Crota. You’re the reason Oryx is coming. He wants revenge, and he won’t stop at you, he’ll hunt down every living guardian, and kill them…or worse.” Something about the way he said that made me not want to ask what as worse than death. “You’re going to ask how to stop him?” he guessed. I nodded. “You don’t yet, you stall him. Phobos. Oryx will go to Phobos, the moon of Mars, to Take the Cabal.” “Take?” I asked, his chin sunk as if rolling his eyes in annoyance. “You’ll see. I suggest you get there before he does, he will only grow stronger. We’ll talk more when you get back. If you get back.” He sat back down, the same way he had before. There was so much I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want to spend any more time around him, he wasn’t very…sociable. I guess he let “one of history’s greatest warlocks” go to his head during decades of seclusion in the darkness. We turned to leave, as we walked out the door, he turned his head and said, “One more thing, you’re more scared of him, than he is of you.” I could hear the grin in his voice. We kept walking. Echo appeared next to me, “I don’t like him.” He said once the elevator door closed. “Me neither,” replied Sierra, “I can see why Zvalla doesn’t trust him.” “I don’t like him either, but he gave us valuable information. I guess we’ll see if we can trust him.” I said, “Let’s get going.” Prologue/directory [url]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/139146382/0/0[/url]