The ~SIVA Crisis

The Tower,

The Last City,

Earth

“It wasn’t your fault.”

The warm flow of water ran in rivulets down his body, the steam and soothing words reliving the pain that I had witnessed today: Seeing Paledon dead as a rock. The pain still yanked at my heart, making me feel like I was dying. It was the fear caving in me. I sat beside Paledon in my en suite’s spacious shower, gently sponging the dried blood from Paledon’s skin; I had wanted to try and clean myself up since I stunk to high heavens, but after everything Paledon had gone through (I still don’t know what exactly happened) I wouldn’t hear of it. The thoughts swirling in my head as I got back to the Tower were sinister and worrying.

I could’ve lost him. I was just lucky that I didn’t.

“I just keep seeing you there. Dead. And bleeding,” I said as I continued to gently dab in the general area where his gash once resided. Paledon had winced at the pain he felt, but did nothing to stop me. “I hate to ask you this, but what happened, exactly?”

I halted my actions momentarily as I had noticed Paledon’s facial nuances getting ready. “Well…Kabril and I were in the Archon’s Keep. We were ambushed. There were so many Fallen, I don’t know how we managed to survive with just the two of us. Kabril was knocked out cold by the Captain. A special Captain. As if it was experimented on with SIVA. I chased after it to this place called Archon’s Forge. I challenged the Captain there and lost. Big time. Its blades were sharper than anything imaginable. It sliced right through my shields and armour. There was nothing I could do.

“Before I knew it, Ghost had moved me up top where I was left for dead. That’s when you came and saved me, I guess. I can’t remember because the last I remember was going to sleep…”

I nodded my head, without saying a word, my heart about to explode at the heart-wrenching story. I resumed soaking Paledon, noticing his eyes drifting close under the pleasant thrumming sensation of the water on his back; nothing beat a nice hot bath, let me tell you; but his eyes snapped open again at the sudden sharpness as the sponge wiped away the last patch of blood from his skin. “I worry about you. I always will. I’m fearful of the tragedy that could strike at any moment. We just got lucky.”

“Hunter…you don’t have to worry about me.”

“You died today! I could’ve lost you…if that had happened, I would’ve broke. I had a near meltdown when I saw you there. I cried. There were so many things my mind came up with, all these scenarios…”

He gazed at me with love and concern. His green eyes spoke volumes to me; he needn’t to say words, because, really, they spoke for him. Me bathing him, as strange as this was going to sound, was an oasis of peace, a perfect contrast to the cold, cruel place that was our world. In that moment, Paledon was the most beautiful being I had ever seen.

He already knew how I felt and how I was feeling: Scared. I tried to stare at him unflinchingly, to betray no trace of horror or fear, or any of the numerous emotions jolting down my spine—the very ones threatening to overcome me. Paledon had died today; and I wasn’t there to protect him.

Acting on impulse, not caring about the string of bruises that peppered his body, I pulled him in for a close embrace; I knew he would be able to take a bit of pain (Titans were tanks built to take pain). Our soaking bodies (I was still wearing clothes, not my armour, and he was naked) seemed to melt together like butter on warm toast; and we both shivered slightly at the tingly sensation.  Eventually, Paledon picked up on the notion that I was crying, silently, the tears flowing and immediately losing themselves to the water on my cheek.

We lay like that for several minutes, letting the water pound us. I didn’t care I was getting my good clothes wet. This was more important. Paledon held me tight the entire time—neither us moving or speaking, keeping ourselves closer for warmth. This form of silent, still intimacy was strange; an odd cathartic moment.  I felt as if I had broken myself by being with him; I was much weaker around him in the sense of my mindset being so focused on him. It was as if I had punished myself for failing the one I had, breaking myself piece by piece.

I knew I could expose my deepest fears, my darkest moments to Paledon, and I wouldn’t be scorned or turned away by him. The fact that I was hesitant infuriated me. I trusted him with my life, even my Ghost; that level of trust, to me, was infinitely deeper and more profound than understanding the literal Void.

“I could stay like this forever,” Paledon said, hinting some level of delight with his voice.

I smiled, nuzzling into Paledon’s neck. “I know what you mean.” My words were muffled, though I did hear him giggle lightly at the tickling sensation against his neck.

“But…”

“But what?” I said, moving my kisses to his shoulder.

“You promised to take me out later, remember? Our first official date, if you can even call it that? Plus we got debriefing with the crew later. At midnight, sharp.”

“Did I now? When did I make such a promise? Also, debriefing, me-briefing. Such an unnecessary process.”

“On our way here, silly.”

“You know what,” I said, “You’re right. I did promise that.”

Paledon stood, surprisingly overcoming the pain he was surely feeling and placed a soothing hand on my hair.

I threw a towel at him. “Go get dressed, you nut. I’ll be ready in five.”

“Aww, no fair. I don’t get to watch you bathe? What gives?”

“Go!” I said playfully.

“Fine.”

I bathed myself then got ready for a out night out.

I was going to be a perfect night.

Paledon and I sat at a low-standing drinks table together at some nightclub in the City. The evening was starting to wear on, and the streets of the City were slowly draining of residents. Besides, there was light rainfall, and nobody liked to get caught in the rain. Not even me; and I love the rain.

As we sat at our table, my ears caught unto the sound of the band playing on their small stage, a gentle ambient medley of minor-key jazz, and the wooden dance-floor before them already held a few early couples, taking advantage of the lack of crowds before the night drew onwards.

Paledon was drinking a martini while I was rocking some potato vodka. We were both reticent, despite the fact this was technically our first date. Oddly enough, this wasn’t our plan for today or even yesterday. Or even a week ago. On the way here, after we were transmated out of the Archon’s Keep, I suggested that we go out and do something, rather than reside at my dwelling. Incidentally, the reason I had taken Paledon out was out of fear that I would lose him again without having done anything with the featherbrain.

“So,” Paledon said. “Nice place, huh?”

I chuckled while saying, “Yeah. It is.”

He sighed. Pushed his drink aside. “Look, Hunter.”

I was aimlessly looking at a crowd of people who trotted their way in. Looked like a group of friends having a night out. My attention was seized when my name was being called.

“Hunter!”

“Yeah?” I cleared my throat, giving my full attention to Paledon.

“You’re thinking about what happened today, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry. I know this was suppose to be our first date and everything but—”

“There’s no need to justify yourself, buddy. You’re scared. Hell, if our situations were reversed, I would be too.”

“You know what’s different about all this? You actually died. Like, your Light was gone. If that wasn’t the case, I could just easily revive you. But you were dead. Then somehow I resurrected you with Light of my own. I’m not sure how, but I did.” I rubbed the back of my neck and leaned further back in my seat. Tears welled up in my eyes. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had lost you. The idea of being all alone in this universe scares me.”

Paledon reached for my hand. He squeezed it. “Hey…you brought me back. I think it’s a miracle. A blessing. A part of me wants to believe the Traveler has given us a second chance.”

I paused for a moment, listening to the ambient music. They had changed songs, and now the room was filled with a light, acoustic tune that rose unobtrusively above the buzz of the conversation. “I suppose. I’m just in shock is all,” I said between sniffles.

Again, Paledon wiped the tears and pain away from my eyes. “No pain tonight.”

I took his hand with my own. “I I…”

Paledon snapped his head to me. “You what?”

“I like you.”

“I like you too.”

I could see the fear shining in Paledon’s eyes, and seemed to realize what he was thinking. “You’re scared, aren’t you? Of SIVA?”

Paledon nodded. “Yeah…I’ve never seen something so potent before. Aside from Oryx. That Captain was empowered by SIVA and took me down with one swipe of its blades. It killed me for goodness sake! I don’t want to know what we’re going to be dealing with soon.”

“We still got a lot to learn about SIVA. I just hope we’re able to wipe its threat out once and for all.”

When shit got crazier in the club, I got us access to the VIP lounge, so we could have a quieter affair. Paledon had his arm wrapped around me as we descended the stairs to the lounge room. We sat on a sofa, and to the far left was a stereo system playing the light jazz music from upstairs.

We both leaned back into the sofa. I was gestured to Paledon’s side, which was still bruised and sore-looking. As I curled up to him, I asked, “How’re you holding up? Do you think you’ll be alright for tomorrow?”

Paledon prodded his side experimentally with a finger and winced. “It’s not as bad as it was, obviously. I should be at your place resting, but it’s whatever at this point. I’m used to pain. It’s what makes me a Titan.”

“You’re a perfect Titan,” I said.

A laugh escaped his mouth. “No, I’m not.”

“You can use two subclasses! That’s pretty damn hard to do. I, like most, can only use one.”

“Yeah, but I can’t do anything more than deploy a bubble.”

“That’s perfect in my eyes.”

For a moment, we sat there silently, but then my ears picked up the beat and synthesis of a song I admired. I looked up at Paledon resting so peacefully, the one man I loved so dearly, and had to suppress a horrible lurching sensation in the pit of my stomach. I leaned in and brushed the gentlest of kisses against his lips, still holding his hand tightly. “Can I have this dance?”

Paledon blushed a little and nodded mutely, getting to his feet alongside me. I felt as if my heart were filling my throat as I walked onto the sparsely populated floor (one of the benefits of being in the VIP lounge) with the Titan. I felt him place one hand on my waist and I mimicked his actions. There was a first time for everything, I suppose. As we began moving with the rhythm of the piece, Paledon took the lead.

Our movements were slightly uncoordinated, but the timing was precise, and I felt that I was, at least, not making a fool of myself. The room, if I forgot to mention, was darkly-lit; our feet scarcely sounding on the springy wooden panels, our shadows dancing in the flickering candlelight. I felt myself loosen up a little as I turned around whereupon we squatted, our arms extending out, then we jounced back up. “We really need to get dance lessons, aha,” I said.

“We do,” Paledon said. “But you’re perfect at everything.”

I pulled him a little closer. “You’re always going to come back, right,” I murmured, his voice cracking a little. I didn’t mean to say it, but the words had sprung from me, unbidden. “You’re going to come back.”

The dance became an embrace. We moved in gentle circles, but held each other close. To me, we were both alone with the music, and nothing else mattered but the man in my arms. Although the future seemed uncertain, the present became more precious than anything else in the world.

Not caring that there were other people in the lounge with us now, I leaned forward to pull Paledon into a lingering kiss. The other passerby around us cheered us on either because they saw how passionate we were, or because we were one of the many Guardians protecting the Last City.

Later that night, when the sky dwindled from a pale blue sky to a star-painted one, we both left the nightclub to go home. It was 10:30 p.m. on the clock and we figured to get some rest before our long debriefing.

When we got to my dwelling, we shut the door, and my first level of response was an enthusiastic kiss, which was far more engaging than the simple pecks we shared every so often. There was something different about it this time, and I couldn’t quite put my foot on it. Kissing was no longer as far as we could go. A surge of heat electrocuted ,e as the realization of what we were about to do became apparent.

Paledon didn’t seem to be oppose given the passion he was exuding while we shared a fiery kiss; he was lost in the moment. His movements lead me to the foot of my bed, where me gently laid me down before coming on top of me. Our kisses continued for several minutes, but soon I sheepishly trailed off after a second sudden realization. “Um, Paledon?”

Paledon frowned in concern. “What’s the matter?”

I felt like an idiot, like an absolute idiot, but there was really no avoiding it. “W-what do I do?”

Paledon chuckled. “I have no idea.”

For a moment, we just lay there panting slightly. Then, in a moment of brilliance, an idea popped in my mind. “Hey, do you remember when you walked in on me in the shower, earlier? After I told your ass to get ready?”

“I do…”

“Do…do you remember what I was doing?” I felt my cheeks blush lightly, but considering what we were trying to do, it wasn’t a big deal now.

Paledon smiled and laughed incredulously. “You were touching yourself.” His nostrils flared and his breath quickened, both a good sign in my opinion. I was right. Paledon was a silly Titan.

“Hey, to be fair, I was cleaning down there. It needs maintenance.”

“Lies. It looked like more than maintenance cleaning. You even had the most adorable look on your face, too.”

“Okay, okay. You made me crazy-horny and I needed to blow off some steam. Happy now?”

“Just goes to show you that I know you all too well,” Paledon said, kissing my neck, making me squirm like a worm.

“But, uh, I was thinking that if I can make myself feel good by doing that, I…could try it on you?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted them back. This was all embarrassing to me, okay? I wasn’t used to this.

“Hunter, you don’t have to ask. It’s okay. We’re both consenting adults,” he said, moving off of me then lying on the bed. “I’m all yours.”

He really does trust me.

Paledon unzipped his pants, took them off, and strewed them across the room.

I leaned in for a grateful smooch. “Can you tell me if I do it right? Just say something whenever it’s good or bad, I guess.”

“Alright.” Paledon’s chest was rising and falling rapidly now, and he was swallowing every few seconds; but he didn’t break eye contact. I probably looked as clueless as he did.

My hand hook as I trailed it down his belly, and over to his bird. He gasped and his eyes widened.

I wanted to stab myself. “Sorry, sorry! Too quick?” In the second it took for Paledon to reply, I savoured the fact that something warm and sticky was now dripping off my hand. There was absolutely no doubt that he wasn’t into it. Because he was.

“N-no, it’s fine. I just…haven’t felt that feeling before. I’ve never done this with anyone else. Not to mention I don’t, um, touch myself.”

“Ever?”

Paledon nodded, now constantly blushing as he too realized what was happening. “Oh, for the love of the Traveler, are we really doing this?” His voice was filled with excitement.

“I’ve only touched you once,” I said, giggling.

Every fibre of my upbringing was screaming at Paledon that his next words would be unbelievably deprived and that he should never say them.

“Perhaps you should change that,” he whispered, embracing the thrill of saying something so dirty to me. And here I thought he was an honourable, noble Titan; now he was just as dirty as me for ever brining this suggestion up; but then again, I was a grown-ass man in a relationship; if anything, I should be embracing this and going nuts (no pun intended).

I lowered my hand once more, this time taking a moment to tickle his inner thighs (which evoked a squeak) before attending to the main prize. I gently grabbed hold of his bird, leaking arousal, and waited for his tense body to relax.

Then, ever so slowly, I began to rub. Just tiny little motions at first; up and down, up and down, being careful my hand didn’t lose grip. And the longer I did it, the easier it became. In many ways, I had felt nervous about doing this, but I knew one thing from all of this: We loved each other. Deeply. Profoundly. He wouldn’t let me do something like this if he didn’t. We weren’t friends with benefits, but rather lovers.

I didn’t understand why I was so fearful. There was no judgement here, no reprehensible outcomes from he and I getting down and intimate with each other; if anything, it was something we both needed.

Soon my hand was completely slicked in Paledon’s arousal. That’s when I swooped in low and placed it in my mouth. I was holding his bird with my hand, while I suckled on it, savouring the taste.

A part of me felt dirty and slutty.

Paledon couldn’t hold back his little moans any longer. The mood solidified, brining with it a mature sense of purpose. We were seriously doing this. I couldn’t believe what I was doing: Lying next to my lover and watching him squeal and groan as I pleased him.

“H-Hunter-r-r-r,” murmured Paledon after each subsequent rub. “I think I’m…”

“Shh,” I said, hushing him. “Just let go and do it. I wanna look into your eyes as you finish.”

Paledon looked up at me, his face expressing more than words ever could. Beats of sweat were trickling down the side of his face, and he reacted instantly the moment I focused on the tip of his bird. “Hunter!” he whined, convulsing violently.

I withdrew from his bird and continued to motion my hand up and down while I drew him in for the kiss of the century. I stared into those eyes of his, just like I wanted. I got to watch every second of his first orgasm.

My hand was splattered with something very warm, and that’s when Paledon’s breathing increased tenfold; his limbs were digging into the bed with his brute strength, but it was his eyes that held his attention the most. Seeing every wave of pleasure hit him, watching him lose focus and shudder with the rest of his body was beautiful.

It was a good few minutes until Paledon stopped shaking, and another good few minutes before he could talk. “Hunter…” My best guess was that he was trying to say something meaningful while still recovering from his senses.

I hushed him again. “Just relax. You can tell me how awesome I am later.”

For the next little while we did some other “adult things.” I’m going to spare you the details since, well, it’s not for everyone’s eyes or ears.

Some part of me felt proud knowing that I wasn’t a complete failure in bed.

This was one of those moments I loved so much, when the jokes and the banter gave way to pure, unfiltered feelings beneath. We were open to each other. No underlying secrets. Just honesty. I had moved closer to cuddle Paledon. Wordlessly, he returned the affection with a few kisses on the forehead and a rub of my shoulder.

When we got his bearings together, he finally said, “I have no words for what just happened. That felt amazing.”

I snuggled even closer. Held him tightly. I rested my head on his chest. I could hear his heart beating fast with every passing second. “I’m so glad you came to visit me that day. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

Paledon laughed a bit. “Yeah. It’s funny how life works, isn’t it?”

I released a breath I had been holding in for a while, then letting silence overwhelm me once more before cracking it with friendly laughter. “Paledon. I want you to promise me something. Just one thing.”

He shifted a bit. Looked down at me. “What is it?”

“If we see this SIVA crisis to the end…let’s retire. I know a secret. Something Orion had shown me.”

“Oh?” he said, not sounding surprise. “What did he show you?”

“Well…there’s this temple deep in the Jungles of Venus. There’s this shard inside it. Some Vex creation. Orion believed two minds can be tethered to it so both live under one consciousness. I still haven’t found a way to take down the barrier around it.”

“So you want us to be together? Forever?”

“Yeah…I like you. A lot. You make me happy. You’re the only thing I got who I can safely go to when I have a problem or when I’m scared. Besides, you’re a Mercenary Sunbreaker. What could be hotter than that?”

“Was a mercenary. I retired from the cult.”

“You never did tell me why,” I said, looking up at him. “Could you tell me?”

“My Ghost had found me in the depths of Mercury, somewhere in the ancient Vex city that lies there. It was a living hell, let me tell you. The Vex ruled the planet. It was practically a machine…survival was no easy, but I knew I was a Titan, so I fought my way through an onslaught one day. I still hadn’t found a way to trigger my powers with the elements. So there I lurked around with no powers or abilities. I guess you could say I had my fist. I punched a lot of Goblins that day.

“Anyways, soon there was a much larger attack coming my way. With the amount of enemies en route to me, there was no doubt that I would perish, just after having been brought to life by my Ghost. I didn’t have a ship or a warpdrive at the time, so I couldn’t have transmated myself out.”

He paused for a minute, to catch his breath. I sat all stupid, listening to his story for the first time.

“So as I stood there, the blinding rays of the sun beaming down on me, the tall Vex structures casting shadows all around me, my heart pounded. I was scared and naïve. A kinderguardian with a Torch Hammer he scavenged from a dead Minotaur the day before. I was surprised that I even got it to work. I killed a lot of things with it, but it still wasn’t enough.”

His voice was choking with wretched emotion. It was as if the first moments of his life were cruel and dark. I couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like to be resurrected in a Vex city. “Paledon…it’s okay.”

“It was a scary time for me. I didn’t know how I survived, but I did,” Paledon said between sniffles. “I suppose the Traveler wasn’t going to let me die that easily. Even today.”

“You can resume whenever you like.”

“Yeah…so I lived life like that for, God, maybe a month. I eventually found a place called the Burning Shrine, according to my Ghost. It’s an arena Guardians use to compete in the Crucible. I’m sure you already knew that, though. When I came up to it, I felt the Darkness looming over me dissipate, as if I was safe from threats.

“Then that’s when I met her. She was a Titan forged in the fiery flames of the Sun. Nothing but pure Solar Energy. I was dumfounded. Scared. I didn’t know who she was, or what she was doing there. My Ghost had advised me to stay distant, but my heart told me otherwise. I stepped up to her. She presented me with an ablaze hand. I took hold on it. Felt it. Weighed it. It was scorching.

“But then the flames did something peculiar. They rushed out to me, embracing me with the burn. Anxiety crawled its way through my spine, putting me in panic mode. I tried to flee, but the Titan said, ‘Stop. You mustn’t fear the flame. It wishes to bestow its power unto you. Fear it, and it shall extinguish, leaving you sunless. You must channel your essence calmly and think brute power. Think of the Sun, the Light. And then you’ll come to understand its purpose.’

“So I did what she said. I relaxed, drew power from the Light, the Sun, with the help of this new flame. It and the Titan directed me to a short flight of stairs, where at the top of it laid an urn with a sphere of Solar Energy. The flames brought me up those stairs, and had me take hold of the energy. The feeling was unlike anything I still have yet to feel.

“For a brief moment, I felt a strong surge of power rip through me. I, tempered by the flames of the Sun, forged the Hammer of Sol by drawing power directly from the Sun. My entire form was engulfed by the Sol. After that, I found content by journeying with the other Sunbreaker Mercenaries. You see, Hunter, the Sunbreakers brought honour to the wild, never seeking safety in the City. We were bound by an oath: We sought battles and alliances beyond the Walls. We never stood in one place very long. Most often then not, we were travellers, delivering justice to threats looming over the various places in the Solar System.

“But unfortunately, my set of ideas changed over the years I was with them. I heard the incessant voices in my head telling me to fight for the City. Something drew me to the metropolis. The other Sunbreaker mercenaries threatened to never work with me again if I ever brought their flame to the last found rank amongst the City. I did what I thought was right.

“Now I’m one of them few Sunbreakers around, protecting the Walls and the Last City. There was nothing the other mercenaries could do since I had already mastered their untamed weapon beyond our understanding within the City. So that’s when I took an oath to protect the City at all costs.”

There was heavy silence between us. My eyes were dilated in awe as I stared at the person I cared so dearly for. “That was intense…Paledon, I never knew. You’re the only Sunbreaker I know. I can’t believe it, I’m with someone who was born on Mercury! How cool is that?!”

Paledon had gotten up to get a bowl of strawberries I had sitting on my desk. When he came to sit with me, he put one near my mouth. I didn’t hesitate to eat it. “Yup. I am born on the soil of Mercury.”

“You even used a Vex Torch Hammer?” I asked, chewing.

“Yeppers. I still have it, too. I just never use it because, well, memories and all.”

“Can I…can I see it?”

Paledon had his Ghost materialize the weapon in front of us. It fell on both our legs. I reached to pick it up. “Wow.”

“It’s something, isn’t it?”

As I examined the enigma, a question came to the mind. “Paledon.” I put the weapon aside. “Do you miss being a mercenary?”

“Not really. It was exhausting. We never really settled in one place. After a while, that wasn’t the life I wanted anymore. Besides, if I hadn’t resigned, we wouldn’t be together now, would we?”

I moved in for a kiss. “You’re right.”

“So, what’s your story, Hunter? I never heard the tale of how you got the powers of the Void. I don’t know any other Hunter other than you who’s a Nightstalker. I could be wrong though. The only Hunters I really hang around are you and Kabril.”

“Well, my Ghost found me in the Jungles of Venus. I was a lost puppy in the midst of a foreign place. With no ship or warpdrive, Ghost said I would be stuck there for some time, until he could track one for us to use. I had to learn to the survive in the wild. It’s what we Hunters do.

“My blade was my best friend. I used it to kill a Vandal, allowing me to retrieve it’s Shock Rifle. Those things pack a serious punch. Anyways, at some point, Ghost had warned me about some power surge occurring at The Citadel. The Vex were conducting some sort of machine ritual. There were quite a few Minotaurs kneeling down for a surge of Void energy. I guess they were using it to empower theirselves, I have no idea. Anyways, I assailed their little party, and won somehow. I was like you: I went in with no abilities. Just me and a weapon.

“I stepped up to the urge of Void energy beaming into the sky and that’s when it all hit me. It was something inexplicable. Somehow the energy infused me with the power of becoming a Nightstalker. I was so young, so naïve and determined. Unfearful. I had so much bravado then. I stared into the Void without fear. I channeled my Light and grasped its capabilities.

“Before I knew it, I had a bow of Void in my hand. That and a couple arrows. Let’s just say I did something that day that I’m not very proud of.”

“What did you do?” Paledon asked, placing the bowl aside.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I still get nightmares because of it.”

“Hunter…you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I just don’t want to talk about it, okay?” I snapped without meaning to. I took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Paledon didn’t respond with words, but rather a tight embrace. “I think it’s cool you’re a Nightstalker. It’s really sexy.”

“Yeah, it’s completely taboo.”

“Hey, Hunter…”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for an awesome night. I needed this.”

“We need to do this more often now. So what do you say? Would you want to retire with me after this crisis is over?”

“I’d like that.”

I smiled, then gazed over at the clock. 12:06 a.m.. “Oh, shit!”

“What is it?” Paledon asked as I got up from his hold.

“We’re late for our debrief!”

“Shit.”

We quickly got dressed, then rushed our way to the Vanguard hall.

Our way to the Vanguard Hall was slightly eventful. On our way there, we descried two Guardians fighting over something puerile: The soccer finals that were showcasing this weekend. Paledon and I could hear them yelling when we left our place of residence, and I couldn’t help but drink in the conflict that was brewing.

I loved a bit of drama in the Guardian community. I strove for it. It sounds silly and foolish for my age, but who gives a hoot?

Anyways, the argument was getting so heated that I had to break up the fight. I for one never really saw the interest in soccer. It was boring, long-winded, and there was always too much tension on the field.

By the time we arrived at our debriefing, Pathernax and Kabril were already engaging in conversation with Cdr. Zavala. Not sure what about, but they were talking.

When I stepped foot in the entranceway, everyone focused their attention on u, for whatever reason; it was like we were Eris about to throw her rock on Cayde-6’s map. “Sorry, I’m late,” I said, walking next to my favourite Vanguard, Cayde-6. “I lost track of time. You know how it goes.”

“So glad you could make it, Hunter,” Cdr. Zavala said diagonally from me. “Kabril and Pathernax told us about your act of heroism yesterday. Impressive work.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” I said, waving a hand in discontent.

“It wasn’t anything,” Paledon said as he stepped up to me. “You saved my life somehow. I don’t know how, but you did.”

“Even I’m impressed,” Ikora said, her voice calm and diligent. “What exactly did you do?”

“I revived him.”

“So he wasn’t dead then?” Cayde-6 asked. “That’s a buzzkill. And here I thought my favourite Guardian, a Hunter, no pun intended, would do something beyond a our capability. Disappointed.”

“Hey!” I said, pushing the goofball.

“Relax, I’m joking. I’m just as impressed as my other two colleagues here.”

“Alright, that’s enough chit-chat,” Cdr. Zavala said. “What’s our current status on the SIVA outbreak?”

“Well,” I started, walking around the table. “We’ve entered the Plaguelands, and let me tell you it’s a complete shithole. SIVA has infested the place with thick wires. The Fallen have a strong hold of the place, but it wasn’t until recently we seized their hold on military artillery, brought back to life with SIVA. We even got intel about these SIVA clusters scattered around the Plaguelands. Still, despite these recent events and findings, we have a lot of work to do. We have to deal with Archon’s Forge, and all the Splicer lieutenants.”

“We’ll worry about them when the time comes,” Ikora said. “What do these clusters entail?”

“They give us insight to SIVA and what it is. There like logs. Information we can use to our advantage.”

“And how many have you found.”

“One.”

“Actually,” Kabril said, stepping up to the table, then deploying her Ghost. “When I was scouring the area, I found at least 12 of them as I scouted the entire Cosmodrome and Plaguelands combined. Most of them are linked to the Clovis Bray complex, the Fallen, and the Iron Lords.”

“Interesting,” Cd.r Zavala said. He took hold of one of the clusters. “So what do they all mean?”

“I dunno. I haven’t had the time to decrypt all of them yet. Only one. Hunter found one too.”

“Care to fill us in, buddy?” Cayde-6 asked.

“I can read you what it says, if you like. Ghost, project cluster 1.5” My Ghost projected the cluster into a holographic projection, showcasing the log. “It reads, ‘What do you have to report, Dr. Zhang? Full functionality of the test nanites in our two hundred tasks across multiple trials and environments. They'll be what Clovis Bray is remembered for, hundreds of years from now. All that's left is construction of the replication chamber and initiation of production.’”

There was profound silence looming over us for a moment, before I mustered the courage to say, “I believe Clovis Bray had something to do with the development of SIVA. I don’t know why, but it’s a hunch I’ve had since Ghost read me this log. That’s our next area of interest, the Clovis Bray complex.”

“I can back that up too,” Kabril said. “Ghost, showcase dormant SIVA cluster 1.7 (Clovis Bray). I found it in the Rocketyard.” Another holographic projection with words. Kabril read it aloud. “‘Does the new research facility meet your expectations? It surpasses them. We presented you with this sample of SIVA on your desk six months ago, and the speed of our prototyping was the direct result of our generous budget. Clovis Bray prides itself on its talent and liberality, Dr. Zhang. From construction workers to researchers, we treat our staff royally.’” Kabril’s Ghost vanished after she read the log.

“Wow,” Cayde-6 said. “That’s enough incentive for me to believe this kid has got a strong lead. I’d say they go investigate the complex. It’s the best shot we got.”

“Agreed,” Cdr. Zavala added his voice sounding impressed. He stepped up to me and brought his hand out. “Look, Hunter. I apologize for how I acted a few weeks ago. I knew you were the best man for the job. I just get—”

“Jealous?” Cayde-6 interjected, sounding like a smart ass.

“Let’s go with that. In any case, I believe fully that you can do this. Go take your fireteam and investiagte the Clovis Bray complex. I’ll fill Saladin and Shiro-4-4 on the what our plan is.”

I shook his hand. “I won’t let any of you down.”

“Orion would be very proud of what you have done thus far if he were here with us.”

“So I’ve been told.” I let go of his hand. “Alright, I’m going to clear out of here now. Team, we should get some rest. We’ll move out sometime in the morning.”

I left the hall with Paledon.

As we walked away and through the Crucible Hall, Paledon said, “That went well. I think.”

“Yeah. I just hope these leads aren’t false.”

“There’s no way they’re false.”

As we ascended the stairs and made our way out, standing by the postmaster, a familiar voice sounded in the distance. I heard my name being called, but by who? Soon the realization stuck me. It was Mouse, an Awoken Warlock bearing a shaved head and amber eyes. He had a neat goatee too. “Hunter!”

“How does he always know?” Paledon asked.

“Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”

“You know what they say about the life you save.”

“I didn’t save his life.”

“Hiya, Hunter! Paledon,” Mouse said with a smile crossing his face.

I continued my stride. “What is it, Mouse?”

“So you know how you’ve been looking for new members for your fireteam?”

“Oh, here it is,” Paledon said between laughs.

Mouse gave Paledon a dirty look. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve made my decision.”

“Let me guess,” I said.

“I want to join your fireteam.”

“There it is!” Paledon said. “I knew it!”

“Ignore the featherbrain.”

“I know you haven’t filled the other positions yet, so I thought I’d ask you directly. It would give me the chance to get out there and be part of an awesome team. You know, I think it’s meant to be, you know? It’s fate. You’re the reason I’m here, Hunter.”

I stopped in my tracks. Looked at Mouse.“I told you, you found me.”

“I know, but you got me out of that Cabal onslaught. Back on Mars. You saved me.”

“You saved yourself.”

“Can you at least consider? I know you need another fireteam member. You only have four members.”

I waved a hand airily, then sighed. Placed a hand on his shoulder. “Alright. Fine. I’ll sign you on.”

“Really? Yes, I knew this was my fate!” Mouse gave me an unexpected hug, nearly knocking me back. My arms were flared out.

“Okay, okay,” I said giving him a proper hug. I forced him to withdraw. “Mouse, do you know the current outbreak that’s going on right now?”

“SIVA. Yeah, I know. I’ve been doing my part to patrol the Plaguelands. All by myself. But that’s going to change soon.”

“That’s great, but listen. We have a mission tomorrow morning. We’re going to be investigating the Clovis Bray Complex for any leads on SIVA. We need to understand it more before we confront the heart of the operation. We’re getting up at 10:00 sharp.”

“Alright,” Mouse said.

“Good. I’ll see you there. C’mon, Paledon.”

As we walked away, Mouse called me out again. “Hey, Hunter.”

“Yes?” I said, looking back.

“Thanks.”

I didn’t say anything back.