Earth, Sol System
The Last City, Tower

Vanguard Room

It was said that Commander Zavala, leader of the City's defenses and Titan Vanguard Representative, never slept while anyone watched.

Tonight, that was the case. Zavala was alone in the Vanguard Room, studying recent reports from the Russian Cosmodrome. Ikora Rey had already retired for the night, and Cayde-6…

...Cayde-6 was off doing his own thing. Zavala gave a half-groan of frustration, and a half-chuckle of amusement as he remembered some of Cayde's earlier missions, some from before he was in the Vanguard.

"Hey, fancy seeing you up this late."

"Speak of the devil" Zavala murmured. Cayde-6 entered the room, twirling his Hand Cannon, Ace of Spades.

"What is it, Cayde?" Zavala asked.

"Got an interesting report from my team in the Cosmodrome." Cayde said, looking over his maps. "You know how the Devils have been tearing the place apart?"

"Yes, to what end?" Zavala replied.

"Well, they stopped." Cayde said. "There's barely any crews present. Those that are still there...they've been rather slow. Methodical. Methinks they're looking for something, or they're under attack from something or someone else."

Zavala looked at the Exo Hunter with some curiosity.

"What might that be?" the Titan finally asked.

"Not sure." Cayde replied. "The Devils have usually been tearing into the Hive-occupied areas of the Skywatch as of recent times. It's not like them to just...stop what they're doing and fall back. It's strange, for one thing."

Zavala found himself agreeing with Cayde, which was rare.

"Do we have any Fireteams currently in the Field?" Zavala asked.

"Just one, and I'm pretty sure we both know which one." Cayde said. "Fireteam Horizon's just gotten back from a mission on Venus, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a detour. I'll get them on the line."

Cayde nodded to Zavala, and he left. The Titan Vanguard looked at his work, and decided it could wait...at least until the morning.

====

As three retrofitted Arcadia Jumpships entered Earth's Orbit, the occupant of one gave a sigh.

"Figures." James Mendoza, a Human Hunter, groaned.

"What is it?" Evs, James's Ghost, asked.

"Cayde-6 just tasked us with another mission." the Hunter said. "And we just got back from Venus, pillaging the House of Winter's Ether supplies."

"Don't remind me." said Anubis-3, an Exo Titan. "Those Fallen fought hard."

"Their lives depended on that Ether." said the final Guardian, Rainea Thoren, an Awoken Warlock. "Quite literally."

"Indeed." said her Ghost, Storm. Anubis's Ghost, Dust, affirmed that statement with "And there's still more to be done, Guardian."

"So, what's the mission?" Anubis asked.

"Apparently the Fallen in the Cosmodrome have been looking for something." James said as the Jumpships turned towards Old Russia. "Zavala and Cayde need us to investigate."

"Well, we are the best." Rainea said. "Albeit a little low on ammo, however."

"We'll be fine." Anubis said as his Jumpship took the lead. "What's the parameters?"

"Simple. Find out what the Fallen are up to." James replied. "And bring back any intel that we can find."

====
Equis

Canterlot Gardens

"Well, that's that." Nolan said, with some robotic exhaustion in his voice. "Any questions?"

"I would have some…" Twilight said. "But I think that I'm too overwhelmed."

Everypony laughed at that, including Fizzle. They had spent what seemed like hours being told by Nolan of the Sol System, Golden Age, The Collapse, and the Guardians.

"Now that we're all informed and up to speed…" Nolan said. "I have to go."

"Why?" Celestia asked. "We only just found you."

"Because I have to keep searching for my Guardian." Nolan replied. "I will never rest until I have."

"Can't you choose one of us?" Rainbow asked.

"Unfortunately, no." Nolan replied. "I can only choose from the dead. Those who have proved their worth through bravery and sacrifice. Believe me, I see potential in all of you...but not Guardians."

Rainbow looked slightly crestfallen, and she pouted a bit.

"I'm sorry, but that's how it is." Nolan said.

"Forgiven." Celestia said. "Is there any way we could accompany you to the Sol System?"

"I'm not sure of that." Nolan said. "You would need things I'm not sure you have. Either a warp drive and a suitable ship, or some kind of portal that could reach that far out."

"Portal…" Twilight murmured. "Portal! The Mirror Portal! We could try that!"

Celestia smiled brightly as she exclaimed "Of course, Twilight! Brilliant!"

"Um, Mirror Portal?" Nolan asked. "What's that?"

"It's an artifact in my possession." Twilight said. "It takes whoever enters it to a world of humans. Maybe we could use it to reach the Sol System."

Nolan thought for a few moments.

"Alright, take me to it." he said. "I'll see what I can do with it."

====

Without another word, Twilight teleported them to her castle basement, where the Mirror Portal was stored.

"Impressive." Nolan said. "Your kind can teleport?"

"Magic." Twilight said proudly.

"You'll have to teach me that." Nolan replied. "Let's have a look here at this portal of yours."

As the Ghost scanned the Portal, he murmured to himself, occasionally firing beams of energy at it.

"Alright, I think I have it." he said. "If my calculations are correct, we should end up right on the doorstep of the Last City, on Earth."

"Great!" Twilight said. "Let's go, girls!"

"Not yet." Celestia said. "Fizzle, go with them. Keep them safe."

"I understand." she said. "I won't let you down."

Twilight watched as she entered the Portal, followed by Nolan. The other ponies soon followed, and the last thing they saw of Equestria was Grubber and Celestia waving goodbye.

====

As the ponies' vision cleared, they saw one thing was for certain.

They weren't in the Last City. They were in some kind of ruined bridge, with strange, rusted metal shapes all over.

"Great." Nolan said. "My calculations were...sort of correct."

"Where are we?" Fizzle asked.

"The Old Russian steppes, about five hundred miles from the City." Nolan said. "This place isn't safe, it belongs to the Fallen."

"Fallen?" Twilight asked.

"Scavengers from another world. They worship machines." Nolan said. "And despite their appearance, they are skilled fighters with a fair prowess in technology. We need to get moving before they find us."

"Right." Rainbow said. As they followed Nolan's lead into the Wall, they didn't know they had already been found by their adversaries. Two Fallen Stealth Vandals watched them from their position atop some rocks. They barked into their comlink, and began to follow the mysterious strangers.

====

Author's Note

Update!

Next time-The Fallen Devils capture the Elements and Nolan, and prepare to offer them to their Kell. The Guardians arrive, having followed Nolan's distress signal....

Next time-Chapter 1-Wielders of the Light