CHOSEN Chapter 2: The Life Non-Exotic I managed to get out of that crappy ship. All this talk about Guardians and Ghosts and Towers was making me think of… D&D? Huh. “Shucks buster, chap! This is bloody beautiful!” Daltec called out, rather happily. “Now we can show you to Ikora. I guess she’s in need of a Warlock, or whatever.” “Uhh, who’s Ikora?” I had asked, rather scared of my Ghost’s outbursts. “Ikora is your Vanguard you dumb f-” Daltec grabbed the Ghost, and threw it into the ground. “Ikora’s ya master. She handles the trainin’ of the Warlocks, and sends her ‘Not-So-Hidden’ on missions, those that we Grunts ain't havin’ the pleasure a’ goin’ on.” Bjorn filled in. We came into a large hall, decorated with the Banners of the mighty triangles. At the beginning of the Table was a woman, with short, red hair and a Runed Shotgun. “Name’s Ikora. I'll be doing your quests and sorting your rewards. You’d better do well out there, Walker. Take this as a starting to your Guardianship.” She handed me a Ring of some kind. I looked to the others. “Just put it over your arm, here.” Zeta showed the place the ring would click in, and it lit up, not powerfully, but not that Dull. “Get going, Guardian!” I just went to the ship and slept. “Chosen, bloody Hellfire, what’s up with you?” I looked up, a Human stared right back at me. He had upon his shoulders a large cloak and a Die between his Index and middle fingers. he sounded British as well. Most like Dal... “Well, seems like your brain was a little… Damaged during the Transition to the Light, if my scans are correct. Take this, using it seems to clear and repair one’s mind.” A Rifle was dropped into my hands, my HUD lit up. A Fate of All Fools? “Sorry, gotta go. Have a good one, and remember to take Daltec onto the raaaa…” And like that, the Mysterious Stranger was gone. I guess that this was what Zeta had talked about, an Exotic, was it? He'd probably just say that it was a crappy gun, so I'd better keep this thing a secret. Ghost flew over to me. “Having that weapon below Level 20 is against Vanguard Regulations!” He zapped it and it disappeared. A yellow flash came up on my HUD, and the Words ‘Fate of All Fools’. “Did somebody say ‘Vanguard Regulations’?” Daltec walked into the room, sporting a weapon, a very old one. “That’s against the rules to-” The barrel of the gun was lying on the eye of the Ghost. “Uhh, sure…” “Listen, mate. It's just in your inventory. Just call up your Ghost if you want it. Now let's go to th-” Suddenly a loud cheer came from outside. We ran out there. “Looks like Saladbar is here.” Daltec said. “Come check it out!” I walked out after him. Who was Saladbar anyways? I ran after Daltec. His Exo ‘skin’ shining in the sunlight. “Ummmm Daltec! Who's Saladbar?” A brown haired Huntress ran past me too the Salad guy. “Blimey. Lord Saladin is a great hero, the last of his kind. You must be bloody well dumb to not realise this”. My Ghost flew to Daltec. “He's a FRICKING IMBECILE! He'll never turn out to be half as good as your average Future War Cult SCRUB!” The brown haired Huntress ran to the door only to be stopped by a frame. I had no idea who they were and thought they were an idiot. A New Monarchy Titan punched through the frame and it fell. “HEY YOU NEW MONARCHY SCUM! IT'S CALLED A DOOR!” The Titan turned around. He walked up to me and Daltec, who had called it out. His Kalipolis armor glistening. “Listen kid. You have one chance. Join me or suffer the consequences.” I looked to Daltec who was frozen with… fear? Surprise? “Sure?” I said. Daltec took a wooden sniper rifle off his back and shot the Titan in the head. “Don't go with these sods, mate. They’re bloody ridiculous, and I doubt that they even recognise an Exotic, even if it were hung in front of their stupid faces”. Hideo then walked out to see Saladin. He spoke. “On the representation on the superior faction of the Tower, I Executor Hideo, Welcome you back Saladin.” The Iron Lord turned to him. “The Vanguard is also a faction. My apprentice is the Titan Vanguard. You will do best to remember that. EXECUTOR Hideo.” THE New Monarchy Representative looked in shock. “Let's move on from what I did to War Cult spies in the Faction Wars sir. I meant no offense!” “Hey Governor, you own a Last Word?” Daltec called out to Saladin. “Because the Shots that are being fired today are simply exquisite, one may even say, Exotic.” Ghost turned in Disgust. “Go to the Hellmouth you illiterate Hunter!” “Ha Ha Ha. Ha Ha. Ha. Ha…” Daltec pointed the rifle back at the Ghost. “You can insult my class”. “You can insult my Faction”. “You can insult my weapon”. “But never… Indicate. That I. Am STUPID!” Daltec used his Rifle to hit Ghost. The little white machine was sent flying into the Traveler, and ricocheted back just as quickly, and cracked open. His shell shattered like Glass across the Tower Plaza. “You… you… Demonic lump of… gears!” He cried out. I kneeled. “Are you okay?” I asked. The Ghost zapped me across the Plaza. What a ghoul. Ghost Jokes for the win. As I followed a fuming Daltec to his ship, I heard a voice, as I realised that my Comms were still online. “... The G….t took the Bai…. Yes I am sure that it got into hi……. Maybe he'll be smarter this time around…” Zeta walked up to them. He then was holding a bright orange orb in his hand. “Bombs Away!” He said. He threw it off the Tower. It bounced off the Wall and came back up. “Oh Shi-” My head felt warm. But I didn't get stuck. I looked back. Two Titans were talking. One of them got stuck. “Bacon! Watch out!” The Shorter one said. ‘Bacon looked up. “Balls!” His head blew off. Daltec looked towards the explosion. “Blimey, I ain't fixing that. Can’t really”. The Green Eyed Brown Haired Dead Orbit Huntress ran to ‘Bacon’. They said something. “Erax! Get help!” Saladin walked next to me. His mere height shocked me. He was TALL. And he had a Hunter Cloak. He gently walked to the blown up Guardian. “Take him to the infirmary, quickly!” The Iron Lord grabbed the Guardian’s Ghost. It was colored red. “This one too. And that shattered one I found on the ground earlier. It looks like some illiterate Hunter whacked it with a No Land Beyond”. Daltec stopped, turned around. He started walking. Running. Sprinting. Then Blade Dancing until he came up to the Iron Lord. Saladin turned to him. “Ha ha Guardian! Save your Arc Blade for when you need it!” He tossed a bounty to Daltec. “Thanks, but I need this blade riiiiiiiight now!” Daltec slammed the blade into the tower floor, blinding everyone. The Flash cleared, and Saladin was missing a sidearm. “Rahool! Did you take it!?!” He asked the Cryptarch. Rahool replied in the only way he could: “That's a rare specimen.” I was disoriented, and threw up over the railing, and saw Daltec sliding down the edge, falling onto his ship. “Huh, did not expect that”. Saladin leaned on the railing. He looked in shock at the Hunter below. “What the bloody SIVA?” Daltec was not transmatting into the ship, but rather surfing the winds with it. I looked to my Ghost, surprised that Daltec would steal so easily from a great hero. Bjorn spoke up. “It's okay, man. I'll get ya Sidearm back, just give me the time ta find it in ‘is lootpile. Tha’s all”.