This was pretty much my first story, but here ya go. Before we begin I'd like to express the three types of special text I'll be using. Bold is emphasis, italic is omnipotent being telling the parts without the main, and underlined is deeper conscious. [b][u]Arttu and the Ahamkara | Complete[/u][/b] [i]He stands in the shadows, waiting for the next guardian he'll send on the way to their destiny. The nine command him.[/i] Arttu walks slowly to Xur, he didn't want to be noticed. Today Xur was below the FWC though so it was pretty obvious to any who saw him walk down those steps what he sought. Arttu mastered the ways of the gunslinger, and with his trip mines he was nearly unstoppable. Setting the trap was easy, it's deciding who to lure first that's hard. "Greetings guardian. Do you wish to see my wares?" Xur called as Arttu approached. "You know that's why I'm here. What have you today? I've heard rumors..." Arttu was cut off by Xur, he didn't speak; simply held out the gauntlet. The gauntlet clearly crafted from the now extinct ahamkara. The rumors were true. "...how much?" Arttu asked. It was clear Xur knew he wanted it, the price would probably be higher. "All I seek is the coins you carry." That wasn't much, only about 15, why was Xur giving me a deal? Probably better not to ask. "Deal." Arttu replied, handing Xur his coins. Arttu walked away, past dead orbit, past the sights of Holliday and the vanguard frame, out to the wall overlooking the city. He put on his new armour. [u]Venus[/u] ~ [i] The titan felt the bullet slam into the back of his head, it didn't matter though, his helmet could stop a Cabal slug. He quickly turned to meet his opponent but saw nothing but the whip of a cloak, long and thin black with a grey circle at its base. He recognized that cloak, it belonged to Arttu, he had been stopping him this entire match. They were the last two left, and the titan was proud and thought Arttu saw who it was so he turned to run, he was wrong.[/i] They were in the Shores of Time, Arttu was ready to win. He shot the titan and turned to run, back from point C through the cave to wrap around back to B. He stopped in the cave, this was where he'd set his trap. [u]not there, oh bearer of mine[/u] A chill went down his spine and he started walking a little more, this was where he'd lay his trap. [u]yes, now the titan will [b]burn[/b][/u] He tossed his trip mine and crouched into the corner, just poking out enough for that titan to see him. [i]The titan gazed into the cave, he quickly saw the barrel of Arttu's scout rifle poking out from the corner, and didn't see that familiar flash of that dreadful trip mine. He charged into the cave, fist of havoc ready.[/i] ////BANG\\\\ [u]yes titan, burn[/u] A now familiar chill went down Arttu's spine again, the match was over, he had finished it. ~ in the tower ~ "You cheated somehow!" The titan explodes at Arttu. "I stopped to check for that Damn trip mine, it wasn't there!" Lord Shaxx stepped between them. "Arttu did not cheat, I was watching closely. He considered throwing the trip mine where you would see it, but must have realized because he placed it farther ahead." He said calmly but firm. The titan walked away mad, muttering under his breath casual slurs about hunters in general. "That was impressive guardian." Lord Shaxx said, a smile in his voice hidden by his helmet. "It was for situations like that, that i created the crucible. You will go far." ~ [i]Arttu doesn't sleep well that night.[/i] Arttu leans up against the railing, looking down at the city he protects below. It was peaceful. Everything seemed...viscous? Lately like everyone around him was a wild dog baring their teeth. The city burned. [u]Waiting[/u] He made his way to the cryptarch, people stepped up to him holding engrams to be decrypted, but they didn't touch the ground. One guardian received a shard from his and he actually bit at Master Rahool. [u]Ryluth[/u] He went to the Arach, looking for new boots, and found they all felt as if they were a small horrible animal. Not fitting snugly on his slender legs, but devouring them. [u]Venus[/u] He made his way to the Speaker, perhaps there was something wrong with him, everyone was smiling and watching him. Their mouths were over stuffed with large teeth. [u]Ishtar[/u] He noticed Xur by the large doors, his hood was down, he saw his face was nothing but a large toothy smile. They were more like fangs, fitting snugly within each other. But still, he seemed somewhat sad, as if he had played a cruel joke on Arttu and now regret it. [u]Search[/u] He climbed the stairs and saw the Speaker, his ghost was gone, back turned to him. The Speaker turned, his mask was removed, there was nothing. [u]Peace[/u] [i]Arttu shot awake in his bed.[/i] "...something..."Arttu said to himself panting in a cold sweat. "...is on Venus..." He stood up from his bed. "...and I think I know what." ~ [i]Far off in the Ishtar Sink on Venus Ryluth waits. He is a surviving ahamkara. When the order was put to end their existence a deal was struck, they would not interfere with the human race, and the humans would leave them in peace. Who knows what may have caused him to start speaking to Arttu. All we can say for sure is that Arttu is listening.[/i] I touch down in Venus, there's an ahamkara here I just know it, but where? Why has it been speaking to me, and what does it intend to show me here? Arttu sets off on his sparrow, cloak billowing in the wind behind him, he passed fallen and vex alike just waiting to feel that chill. He made his way to the citadel, heavily guarded by the vex, and felt it. That horrible chill, that horrible chill that he'd grown to love. He was closer now. There were guardians beneath him, someone was hurt bad, they just stopped a vex sacrifice. He kept going though, he knew the ahamkara was close. There were two minotaurs standing in his path, he made short work of them with his trip mine. They didn't even fight back, almost as if they didn't see him. [i]Ryluth wakes from his slumber, knowing Arttu approaches. His time would be coming soon, and Arttu would be the catalyst to his power.[/i] Arttu made his way farther than he has ever before, his missions from Cayde-6 seemed to avoid this place, but he began to hear something. Something in the back of his mind was guiding him, making sure he got to where he was needed to go. There was a large mountain in the distance, he knew the quickest path. It came to a sheer drop, with a narrow path along the wall, but he knew where not to step. There was a cave, and something new spoke, something that didn't want him to go inside. He ignored it. [i]The ahamkara sighed, knowing his visitor was at his doorstep. He chose this place because it felt formal and traditional, a guardian comes to the mouth of a cave with a question, and a voice answers. But this, this would be different, this guardian would come inside the cave and ask no questions. Only listen.[/i] ~ Arttu stood against the railing again looking over the city, gazing out over the peaceful calm of the world below. He had no memory of going to Venus, he had no memory of his dreams of teeth, but he had an urge... An urge to do something he didn't quite understand. Arttu had a deeper understanding of things now it seemed, like he almost felt the flap of the wings of the birds in the tower resonate in his head, like...if he wished it...He could stop them in mid flight without even moving. [u]slow[/u] A chill ran down his spine, but also the spine he wore on his arm, he liked it. He concentrated on those birds, on their wings, on the resonate thud growing louder, and then... slower. The birds no longer darted across his view, but gently floated past, almost as if they didn't need to flap but were told to. The chill began to sting, and then it was gone. The birds darted out of his vision and down below to the city. Had they actually slowed? He thought about it, and decided it was impossible. Perhaps he should see the Speaker about taking a leave of absence. Then he remembered something, not entirely though, just that half thought of a memory running away from you. The speakers face, a solid black...no not solid, a deep black with something inside...Something with teeth, and the memory was gone, but the unease was still there. Maybe he should see Cayde-6 about taking that leave... [i]Lord Shaxx had been keeping an eye on Arttu since the other day when he had shown signs of being guided. He was sure it was nothing, sure that the Hunter was just clever and really got the drop on that enraged titan, but if he did stop... if he did check for the flash in that cave...There was no way he could have missed it. Shaxx had a sinking feeling in his stomach that the titan did look, that the titan looked for the flash and didn't see it even though it was there, because to him...It wasn't.[/i] "Ah! Arttu!" Lord Shaxx boomed as Arttu walked by. "Back to try your strength in the crucible? Back to show off your skills with that deadly trip mine of yours?" "Actually Lord Shaxx, I was going..." Arttu was cut off. "C'mon guardian, just one match. Word has spread and people want the challenge of going up against you!" "...Yea sure, one match." ~ Rusted Lands ~ /Maybe I am fine, Arttu thought, being in the field again feels natural. Like this is where I'm meant to be./ (Continued in comment)