To Stand Tall
Chapter 1: Eyes up Guardian.
“Guardian? I know you’re alive Guardian, eyes up.” I opened my eyes and shielded them from the blinding sunlight. “There we are. Don’t know what we did, but we’re not on mercury anymore. Looks like a part of earth, but my scans don’t recognize anything.”
“Ghost. Can you give me an idea of where we are? Zavala was expecting a report, can’t do that if we don’t know where we’re at.” I got up and brought my rifle up, a Cuboid Aru. “Where in the name of the Titan are we?”
“Well, like I said, no idea. Scans don’t know anything. Good news and bad news.” The ‘Kill Tracker’ ghost floated around me. “We have a ship and a sparrow, that’s the good news. Bad news is that they don’t work like before. The ship’s engines have suffered damage to the power regulators and the sparrow is attached to it. So, loose the ship, loose the sparrow.” ‘The Tale Tale’ and the ‘Jagged Darksun’ sat to the side. “We have our gear and inventory.” Devastation complex armor and the ‘Mask of the Quiet One,’ and the ‘Mimetic Savior Bond’ mark. ‘Annual Skate’ hand cannon, and the ‘Orthrus’ grenade launcher. All painted in the ‘Noble Constant Red’ for a noble Titan look. “At least we have our light still.” Sunbreaker subclass, ready to use. “So, first thing first, I’ll try to contact other Guardians before we go anywhere.”
I looked around us, a large forest to our left and open fields with mountains in the distance to our right. “Can say this isn’t the worst situation we’ve been in. So, did our lunch survive our unexpected journey?”
The ghost rolled its eye and transmated a small box into my hands and a can. “That Ramen shop always gives us a free box snice…...you know.”
“Yeah, Cayde…...let’s not talk about that right now. I hope the other Guardians managed to get to Prince Uldren and end that bastard’s life.” I sat down on a convenient boulder and went to remove my helmet but stopped. “Is the air clean?”
The ghost looked around. “Yup, good to breath.”
“Thanks Ghost.” I removed my helmet and set it to the side before I started eating. “Beautiful place. Looks like those pictures of Europe before the war.”
“Correct. Almost like Sweden or part of France. Hopefully no Fallen are here.”
My green eyes looked to my ghost, my tanned skin getting even more tanned in this warm sun. I brushed my hand over my lack of hair. “Don’t jinx it. This weather is nice. Wonder if there’s any locals.”
“They’ll be terrified of you I’m sure.” Obvious sarcasm is obvious.
“Yeah, I’m sure they will little light.”
“Don’t call me that.”
I chuckled as I observed our surroundings, finishing my meal. “Any signal?”
“No. No good news either. We’re in the dark. Titan, our best bet is to do what we do best.”
I grabbed my helmet. “Kill copious amounts of Fallen, Vex, and so on?”
“Well. Yes, but no. We explore!” I chuckled as I secured my helmet and stepped towards my sparrow. “I did use the radar on the ship, we have a small settlement nearby. A town of sorts might be something there.”
“Got it. Town, which way?”
“Go…...south, south-west. Alright Titan. Hit it.”
“Hitting it.” I pulled the throttle and the Sparrow took off with speed. “If there are locals, we’ll stop just short. Don’t need people shooting at us.”
“Right. Like you don’t enjoy that.”
“Can’t deny the thrill of a good firefight. But without our fireteam, we’re not engaging any hostiles without any intel.” It didn’t take long to get to the town, it was surprisingly close. We stopped behind a grouping of trees and got behind cover. “Let’s see what we see.” I used the ghost as a flying eye linked to my helmet. “Hey, Ghost, you are seeing this, right?”
“I am, and I have a LOT of questions. They look very strange.”
“So do you. But, they don’t look like those of the darkness. They look friendly, maybe we could peacefully introduce ourselves?” I stood up from the brush and put away my rifle. “What’s the worst that could happen?” I jinxed it, I heard a small gasp and I looked down. Three small ones stood there, all looking at me. One in awe, on in disbelief, and one seemed scared. “Uh……I come in peace?” And they take off screaming. “That went well…...”
“Could have been worse, I’d suggest we possibly retreat.”
I waved him off. “No. We just got found out. Let’s get this over with. We’re going in.” I shook my head as I started walking into the town. “This is going to make things very difficult. Opinions Ghost?”
“Don’t let them see you.”
“Very funny.” I noticed all the residents from earlier had gone. “So, seeing this now. Giant…. let’s say castle. Made of crystal?”
“Seems like it, maybe an artificial crystal, doubt its actual crystals. Maybe magic?”
“Magic, Ghost? Really?”
“Just a suggestion. Also, I wished you had less intimidating armor.”
“Its my favorite set. Plus, I think it’s good looking. Makes me look fearsome.” I casually walked down the little road, trying not to look like a threat.
“The helmet dose not help, I’m just saying.”
“It makes me look like one of those old noble knights, right? The little chainmail in front, the horns. It looks amazing.” I stopped as I noticed it got eerily quiet. “Well, this got a hundred times creepier.”
“Don’t. Move.” A voice from behind me was authoritative sounding and sounded like a woman
I raised my hands and, well, didn’t move. “I’m not here to hurt anyone.”
“Sure, and I’m the queen of the Changelings.” The what?
“Come on Twi, let’s just beat this creep. It doesn’t even look that tough.”
“Rainbow, no. We don’t know what it can do. There are six of us. We can handle it.”
I tried to turn around. “Hey! I said don’t move.”
“Okay…. Okay……” Alright, think, what to do? Can’t engage, they’re not the enemy. Use the Sunbreaker just to get away? No, bit too risky. I closed my helmet out-coms. “Ghost need our ship.”
“On the way. Just a few moments. Might want them to keep their heads down.”
“Roger.” I turned the coms back on. “Hey, might want to get your head down. Fair warning.” I turned around to see what I was looking at. “Anthro horses? Something new.” I started stepping back from them as they stepped towards me.
“Hey! I said stay still!” The lavender one, who had wings and a horn looked kind of pissed. Average Tuesday.
“Gotta go!” The ship flew over me and transmated me inside. “Alright Ghost. Let’s get out of here!” I hit the throttle and we shot off past the crystal structure. But, as soon as we got past the structure, the ship stopped. “The hell?” The engines were at full. “Ghost?”
“Somethings holding us, an energy field of some sort. I don’t know exactly. Shall I engage weapons?”
“No! We’re not hurting them!”
“We’re being dragged back. Not looking good!”
I pushed the throttle more. “Come on! Do we have the jump-drive ready?”
“In atmosphere? I can’t tell you what would happen.”
“I don’t care, do it!” I watched the panels show the charge building. “Come on!”
“Its going slow. Like we’re being drained.” Our power was fluctuating.
I tried to force the engines and feed them more, but we barely moved. “Ghost! Come on!” I saw the lights go green. “Do it!” The engines burst with power and the jump drive shot off and we were tossed through the sky. Towards the mountains. “Ghost! Mountains!”
“I see them, hang on!” The ship pulled up hard and the G’s pushed me into my chair. “By Mars’s rear end! Ghost!”
“Balancing out, wait! Stopping!” We were brought to a sudden stop as we just cleared the mountain and now we had a white anthro horse with wings, horn, and a flowing rainbow mane. “Uh…...I think she’s angry Guardian.”
“Ya’ think? What is she doing?”
“She forced us to stop at that speed….so…no clue.”
She spoke, but we couldn’t hear her. “What is she saying?”
“A lot of questions, very angry, and annoyed. Want to hear it?”
“Sure.”
The intercom buzzed before I heard her. “I demand to know who you are? What you are? And why are you here? I won’t let you- “I turned it off before taking a breath. “Okay, Ghost. I don’t think we can run.”
“Figured. So, land and talk? Hope not to die?”
“Sounds good. Open coms with her.” I’m no stranger to the female figure, that is a female, for sure. “I am Wolfgang, Titan. Guardian of the Last City on Earth. I mean you and your people no harm. I will land where you tell me to and we can talk. I mean no harm to anyone here, I promise. I serve the Light and the Traveler. I say again, I mean no harm.”
She paused and watched us. “Land in the courtyard below us. We shall speak, Guardian.” She let us go and went down to the courtyard.
“Ghost, take us down.” We went down and gentle landed. I was transmated out and immediately surrounded by what looked like guards. “Understandable.” I put my hands back up. “But, since I am not going to attack you. I ask you do the same. Unless you want to fight.”
One guard stepped forward with his sword. “You don’t scare us creature.”
“Good. I was hoping that was the case. Thank you for confirming that. Now, I was supposed to talk to someone?”
“Guards, stand down. I shall deal with it.”
I noticed the one from before walking up, she looked regal. “Your Highness, of course. Guards, Princess wants us to stand down. Be ready.”
Princess? Alright, easy. As she approached, I kneeled before her with my head lowered. “Your Highness.”
“Ah, it seems to know respect. Rise stranger.”
“Thank you, Princess.” I relaxed and put my hands behind my back, standing at parade rest. “I am Wolfgang. Titan and Guardian of the Last City of Earth.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Princess Celestia, I rule Equestria with my sister Luna. If you please, remove your helmet.”
“As you wish your Highness.” I had my ghost dematerialize it and let the Princess get a good look at me. “I am a human. Not what you were expecting?”
“Not really. You said you mean no harm to my ponies?”
“That is correct Princess. Ghost?”
My Ghost materialized next to me. “Yes, hiding me would be problematic.”
“A ‘Ghost?’ Interesting. Thank you for not hiding that. I appreciate your honesty.” She motioned me to relax. “I hope you can forgive my hostility towards you, things have been troublesome in the past.”
“I understand exactly what you mean. Its nice to be able to talk without conflict.” I looked around at the building around us. “If you are a Princess, I assume this is your castle?”
“Yes. You are correct. Since I can count you as not a threat. Shall we talk over, let’s say, tea?”
I bowed. “It would be an honor your highness.”
My Ghost floated around me. “Look at you, making friends with the royalty already.”
I smacked the Ghost away playfully with a chuckle. “Your humor is appreciated Little Light.”
“I will delete your ship Titan.”
Celelstia gave a short giggle at our banter. “It seems that even though you’re a warrior of sorts, you can still be humorous. It will be refreshing with you around. Follow me.” She took through a door and into a hall in which I followed, the guard had only three follow us.
When we reached a smaller room, one that looked like it was made for small diplomatic meetings, we took our seats. The chair groaned at the weight of my armor. “I hope my appearance doesn’t intimidate you. The enemies we fight are far worse then how I look.” I offered a smile, giving her the chance to know I am relaxed.
“I am to believe you. I will be honest, I’ve never heard of this ‘Earth’ or ‘Last City.’ I’m sorry.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this. A world at peace? A rare sight for sure. I can’t tell you how long I’ll be here your Highness. One moment I’m with my fireteam and other Guardians and then I’m here. I want to go back, but I have no idea how. I have no way of contacting them.”
“What were your Guardians doing?”
I sighed and looked at the table as I tapped my fingers. “We were after a person who was wanted by every single Guardian. We all wanted his head.”
Celestia was taken back by my words. “You……wanted to kill this……person?”
“Yes. We all did.” My tone became solemn. “He killed one of ours. He made it personnel and we made it our mission to tear him apart. We were angry. For once, the Guardians acted out in the desire of very personnel revenge.”
Celestia nodded. “I can understand that. We’ve all done things we might regret.”
I smirked. “We weren’t regretting it. We enjoyed it. It gave us a sense of accomplishment. We relished in tearing him down, piece by piece. He was willing to tear apart all that we and died for, we would return it with interest. We don’t enjoy the act of war, but…...we do what we have to.” I looked at her. “Does that make us the monster? The one you see me as? I’m not an idiot, I can see it your Highness.”
“I never- “
“Said anything. Its in your eyes, so much emotion. A Warlock would know your secrets, A Hunter your tricks, and a Titan your weaknesses.”
“For a warrior, you are certainly wise. You’ve fought for as long as you’ve lived. I am sorry for treating you in such a way. But you understand how something such as yourself would be a threat to our idea of peace.”
“Yes. A strange armored individual flying around in a strange object that could lay waste to a whole small town.” She stared at me in awe and curiosity. “I’m just saying that to say that. Not a threat.”
Celestia’s expression turned tense. “What will you do. If you are stuck here. I can’t have you roaming around freely, and I can’t throw you in the dungeon either. What will you do?”
I looked at the cold tea in front of me, watching it. “I have a request.”
“Speak.”
“If there is anyway I can help, I want to lend my hand to you and your ponies. As a Guardian, it is my duty to aid those in need.” I stood up. “That’s all I request.”
Celestia stood up as well and surprisingly with a smile. “I will offer you this. For as long as you are in Equestria, you are to stay here at the castle unless I order you otherwise. You will serve in proxy with my day guard. Is that adequate?”
I bowed. “Yes, your highness. Thank you.”
“Your armor colors will take time to get used to. They’re not the gold we use.”
“Ghost?”
“Yes. We have the ‘Golden Trace’ shader available, shall I?”
“Yes.” The color shifted as it changed to a black coat with a golden trace on the edges. “Is this better your highness.” My helmet rematerialized on me.
“I am eager to see how you handle this. In a month, I am having my student, Princess Twilight -you met her- have a friendship festival. I will use that as a test of our trust. I do not trust you fully yet. We shall see though. I will have you under guard and escorted to your room. Meals will be brought to you and you will not go anywhere without at least four guards.” She was serious. “Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, your Highness.” Guess things aren’t as easy as they seem. Nice, but strong and not willing to let some random stranger go free. I like her work ethic. “Let’s see where this leads us Ghost.”
My Ghost shook his ‘head’ and sighed. “You know, you always find us the most interesting situations, never a dull moment.”
I smirked as I followed a guard down the hall. “Never a dull moment.”
Author's Note
Alright. I know this is out of blue, but I had this idea in my head and I really didn't want to loose it. Let me know everything you think. If this is garbage and should go, tell me. If you think it has potential, tell me. I want to know. Can't wait to hear what you all think, later everyone!
