Search #split or #splitfullstory to find other chapters! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [At this point, Michas had just finished recalling the disappearance of his father to Falkus.] “Wow.” That was all Falkus managed to say. He tried to speak more, but just kept opening and closing his mouth several times. “Wow.” Michas snapped out of his thousand-yard stare. “Yeah, he was an amazing man. Saved many lives. Killed more enemies than I can imagine. And yet…his own comrade got him killed.” There was a hint of venom in his words. Falkus tilted his head. “You can’t be serious. You blame this “Paetos” guy? He came back for your dad!” “After he abandoned him to save himself.” “He didn’t have a choice.” “He did. He could have stayed with Cyrus and my dad and maybe…just maybe…the two of them could have survived.” “But Paetos made it out alive. Maybe if your dad had followed, he would have survived too.” Too far. Michas snapped his head around to Falkus. “What…did you just say to me? My father is NOT a coward!” Falkus rose and took a step back as Michas’ eyes glared. Hands up in a defensive posture. “Bro, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that…” “How DARE you insult my father! The Vanguard left him to die! Their “rescue” was just a show! They never really intended to save him; they had to make sure they looked like they made an effort!” “Look, Michas. I understand you blame Paetos for your father’s death, but the Vanguard? You seriously cannot blame them for it…” But as much as Michas wanted to retaliate, he bottled it up inside and took up a calm facade. Sighed. “Just…go. Leave me be.” At that, Falkus turned around and ran back to the City. He didn’t look back once. Michas remained where he was for a few minutes. He blamed Paetos for the death of his father. Had the coward not run, Alrahn would still be alive. Or at least have a chance. And he blamed the Vanguard. Maybe if they had gotten off their high horses and tried to leave sooner, Alrahn would have been rescued. But no. Their egos and Zavala’s pride got in the way. For that, Michas knew he would have his revenge. After all, he didn’t see why everyone revered that damned Traveler and its poisonous Light. If it hadn’t shown up in the first place, there would not have been a Golden Age but there also would not have been a Collapse. Was he a Darkness sympathizer? Absolutely not. However….he did believe the Light had been corrupt. That the Traveler had simply come to Earth to use humanity as a shield against the Darkness. Michas did not like being used as a sacrifice to some unknown deity. He condemned the Traveler. He knew this line of thinking could cost him his chance at becoming a Titan. Of passing the Test. Whatever. If he failed, so be it. He’ll just have to exact revenge without the help of the Light. With that, he rose and started towards the City. Though, he did not run like Falkus had. Like Paetos. ——————————————————————— He passed. Top of his group, again. It seemed everyone had been there to witness the official induction of his class into real Guardianship. After the testing, all the passing trainees were herded into a back room, dimly lit. There, they were told that they had passed, congratulations, you’re about to go on stage as a group and be announced. Everyone except Michas cheered. He just wanted to leave. He was sick of this place. As soon as the new Guardians took the stage, everyone in the crowd began to cheer. It was intense. Some of the Titan inductees waved to the crowd, some stood a little taller. Michas just kept facing forward and walked. After they were all in place, Major Laazus spoke about his incredible Titan trainees and how proud he was, blah blah blah. Michas didn’t really listen. He didn’t care. He didn’t even flinch when his name was announced as Top Cadet. Didn’t bat an eye when they were officially given Guardian status. He did, however, snap out of it when a new figure came on stage. It was…no way. It was the Speaker himself; he actually managed to hop off his throne of blood and lies? This never happened. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great privilege to be here today. I wish to congratulate our newest Titans into the Light.” Cheering. “But this is not why I came here. I have come to personally select a candidate from each Guardian class to have a dinner with me in the Tower. It is natural that these candidates be the top of their class. I have already spoken to the Hunters and Warlocks; I come here for the final recruit. Would Mister Michas Damengar please step forward?” Cheers erupted. Michas stepped forward. “Welcome, my child. Please accept this invitation and meet me in the Tower North by 19:00.” Michas took the golden envelope and returned to his former position. While everyone was cheering wildly and the Speaker was waving it off, Michas stood, shocked. This is not normal, he thought to himself. The Speaker never shows up to these things. Why now? Why him? ——————————————————————— The Tower was incredible, he had to admit. He took his time walking to the Tower North, enjoying the scenery while he had the chance. So many Guardians. So many warriors, trained to fight to protect humanity. A little part of him kept watching, hoping he’d see his father strolling towards him. But this did not happen. Finally, he arrived and walked in. The Speaker was there, along with two young Guardians: a female Awoken Hunter and a male Exo Warlock. It was almost perfect; all three classes with all three races. But…no. No. Not possible. Standing behind the Speaker was…Paetos? Paetos. Older, more battle-scarred, but still the same nonetheless. MIchas was about to turn around and walk out when the Speaker saw him. “Ahh, Michas. Welcome. Please, come here,” he crooned. Michas reluctantly obeyed without making any eye contact with Paetos. The Speaker began again. “Listen, my children. I will get right to it. This is not a dinner party.” All recruits recoiled their necks in surprise. “I have recruited you, along with seasoned Hunter Paetos, for a special mission. Before your training began, you and all of your comrades were chosen by Ghosts due to your ability to wield and manipulate the Light. Now that you have all passed, you,and your fellow trainees, will be issued Ghosts. However, you three had the strongest of these Light readings, and thus I have recruited you for a mission. Are you listening?” All three nodded. “Good. If I am confusing in any way, stop me and I will clarify; however, I will talk with the assumption you all know what I mean. The Taken have begun to surface on Mars. After the Phobos incident, we have received reports of multiple Blight readings around the gate to the Black Garden.” “The Black Garden? It’s real?” Asked the Hunter. “Oh yes, it is real. And it is in trouble. The Vex know the Taken are on their doorstep, and they are trying to seal the Black Garden again. This cannot happen. I am sending you four into the Garden to stop whatever is sealing the fissure. Eliminate any Taken along your way. Understood?” All three younglings nodded. Paetos began to speak. “You three will be riding with me in my ship to Mars; it will be cozy, but you’ll survive,” he said with a smile. All three Guardians turned to him and stared. “All right then, not ones to talk. Got it,” he said under his breath. The Speaker began to speak again. “One more thing: you mustn’t tell anyone about this. Not yet. If the Factions got word of this incident, they’d all be fighting each other to save the Garden…for their own interests. Right now, the only other people to know about this other than the ones in this room are Zavala, Cayde, and Ikora. Keep it that way.” Great. The Vanguard know. And they send three young adults, fresh out of training to do it? thought Michas. Apparently the Warlock had the same thoughts. “Excuse me, sir, but I have just one question. Why us? Why not some other, more qualified Guardians?” he asked. The Speaker smiled. “Because, as I said, no one other than the Vanguard and us knows about this, and they cannot leave the Tower. Not now. And you three…there is something special about you three. Something powerful. Your ability to wield the Light almost rivals that of the Vanguard themselves. So I need YOU.” All three nodded. The Warlock stood a little taller. A long silence. Nothing spoken. Finally, Paetos broke it. “So, who’s ready to visit the Red Planet?” The trio, along with Paetos, began to walk toward the Hangars. Michas knew this was his opportunity to avenge his father. He could just blame it on the Vex or something. He could let Paetos get injured and then run and abandon him like the coward did to his father. No one would know. Michas was heading down a very dangerous path. His father’s lineage allowed Michas to channel the Light unlike any other; however, he also denounced the Traveler, and its Light, and tried to shut it out. This was a death sentence for a Guardian. Michas was becoming Split between the Light and the Dark. Which means the Darkness could affect him like any regular entity. Which was bad. Very bad. Because Michas’ Fireteam was not going to come back whole.