Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The last city was all that the name implied. The desolate wastes that remained etched in Saeanna's memory stretched out in every direction from her eagle-eyed view.

    "We're almost there. The hangar has given us the green light to approach. Setting vector to bay 8. Are you ready, Sae?" Ghost toddled on the dashboard where she sat, watching her light bearer's unchanging face. This was supposed to be an exciting moment for any guardian but something foundational was broken. The fabric of the emotions that wrapped up her chest, her mind, her eyes, her stomach was thick and cloying. Saeanna felt that if even a single string was tugged loose, the entirety of it would unravel. She wouldn't die. Couldn't die… Despite the brave face she'd put on for Jolyon- The thought of him seared her stomach, molten grief twisting like a knife in her gut- she'd collapsed as soon as the ship took off.

    Saeanna had bled out, slipping into oblivion before Ghost could painfully inch toward her. As soon as the realization that the sweet escape of death had been torn away, it left her adrift in tears that boiled her newly healed body alive. Fighting a war on two fronts was exhausting and pretty soon, Ghost couldn't get a single response from the poor woman that wasn't through their bond. The hours before Earth were spent working through each stage of grief several different times. It was supposed to help, it shouldn't have gone this way, FUCK Why!? But as she screamed and cried and raged into the darkness, nothing answered her from the hollow cosmos.

    The only thing that saved her was Ghost. Her little light. Ghost talked her down from the edge of death several times, having to remove every weapon and sharp object from sight through the 30 minutes. As Sae seethed and paced the small area, Ghost was silent, ever watching and making sure to let her vent while keeping an eye on the flight pattern. And when sleep came for her, Ghost curled up on her chest. The familiar weight became a security blanket that helped her catch what little sleep she could. 4 hours didn't seem like much time, and it shouldn't have been enough to make as much progress as she had. No… It shouldn't have… But in the cold darkness, in the silence, as the walls keeping them at bay closed in, 4 hours seemed like an eternity.

    Despite constant reassurance from Ghost, Sae worried that living in this place would kill her. It wasn't the same… It was never going to be the same as it was. Even still, if this was to be her home, she'd have to make the best of it. Once Sae had announced that she was new light, the hanger ushered her in with an enthusiasm that sparked a flicker of surprise. Anyone could fly up and claim to be new light. Weren't they worried?

"Most of them aren't too bothered with strangers. If anyone wished a guardian harm, they'd be put down pretty fast." It wasn't that she had forgotten, per say, but Saeanna did occasionally need the reminder that guardians were on a whole other level than even the awoken. She had to keep in mind these people were immortals in a sense. A hyper petite blonde woman with a strange accent cheerily greeted her as she exited her ship, not worried about Saeanna's silence or the fact that Ghost answered for her. Her little light spun a convincing lie, one that described Sae as newly resurrected and eager to get settled. Amanda, she learned the shipwright's name, sent them on their way with a smile and a wave. Was there… no escort? She was free to just… roam? "You won't be a servant or a slave here. You are a guardian. This place belongs to the protectors of the light and that's what you are."

    A life with no one to serve besides the greater good? How did it work so effortlessly? Trying to piece together the unrecognizable feeling of freedom, they wandered up a long set of stairs and emerged into the courtyard.

    A gentle hum floated on the breeze, merchants heckled nearby, children laughed and ran between the legs of the adults; this place breathed. The tower moved like a well-oiled machine that never seemed to sleep. People of every race and creed, guardian or not, moved through the open courtyard beyond the hanger without a second glance at the obvious new person. It moved, stretched, and came alive beneath the morning sun. Too bad she didn't feel the same.

    Sae stared wide eyed at the colors, the guardians that milled around in their flashy armor, and shrank a little in the face of it. She couldn't run… Where would she go? She couldn't go home- No… This had to be her home now.

    *"Don't worry, Sae. We'll keep up the story we told Amanda and get settled in. A safe place to rest wouldn't hurt."*

    Saeanna opened her mouth, then thought better of it. Depression crept though her mind like a cancer. *"Okay…"* When had her ideas ever landed them anywhere but trouble? Little did she know, trouble in the form of a titan was about to find her.

*

    Wulf-9 turned as he tapped his fist against Lord Shaxx's shoulder in farewell and noticed a welcome sight he hadn't had the pleasure of seeing for quite some time. An obvious new light stood gawking in the center of the plaza, struggling to wrap her head around what she had wandered into.

    Wulf remembered faintly what it was like to be there; the wonder, anxiety, and overwhelming sense of being lost even amidst feeling like you were where you were meant to be. *"Well go on! Make a friend. She might even have those waxy snacks you like so much."* Hoti teased her guardian.

*"If you keep bringing up Crayola's I swear I will put you in a blue engram shell. Of course, I'm going to go help her."* He retorted back, lazily batting at his old friend.

    Wulf came to a stop a comfortable distance away, close enough so they wouldn't be overheard but far enough that he hoped she wouldn't feel too intimidated. After all, being a Titan and wearing the armor that he did, he always worried his presence would scare the little lights if he got too close. Wulf reached up and removed his helmet, settling it in the crook of his elbow, and gently recreated the noise of clearing his throat. "Hey there! I don't mean to bother you, but it looks like you could use a friend right now. My name is Wulf-9. I'm a guardian just like you and this is my Ghost Hoti. If you want, we could grab a bowl of ramen and a tall glass of water somewhere quiet so I can answer any questions you have." He tried to make the electronic bass in his voice as quiet as he could.

    The fear was expected. It was worse when a new light rose as an Exo, not recognizing the body they resided in. She did well though, her face composing rather quickly into a look of hesitant interest as she listened. A beat of silence passed as she stared at him. Then another… The new light opened her mouth to respond but nothing but a small squeak emerged. She looked down, her palm pressed to her throat as though it pained her. Was she injured? Her eyes swam apologetically and she held her hand out before her. The ghost that had been on her shoulder disappeared, rematerializing into her palm. The questions he had about why her ghost wasn't flying was immediately answered and Wulf fought against the rising anger that flared at the sight of the small, broken shell. If there was anything that pissed him off, it was seeing an innocent ghost harmed.

    "Sorry about that, for some reason she hasn't been able to speak. Her name is Saeanna and I'm Ghost! It's good to meet you!" Hoti circled Ghost with a worried whirr. "Ah… We were attacked by some fallen. It's nothing that can't be fixed. Sae was wondering what Ramen is."

    "Ramen is a type of soup from ancient Earth," Wulf responded, "Hoti, calm yourself. There is no need to bother them with all this worry."

    "I guess you're right, it's safe here in the tower after all." Hoti buzzed as she floated next to Ghost.

    "Follow me, Saeanna. I promise you'll enjoy it and I know a perfect, quiet place to relax. One of our leaders, Ikora, has a little meditation nook that should be empty this time of day. It has a beautiful view of the mountains. It'll help calm those nerves down." Wolf beckoned as he turned slightly.

*

    Food... He was offering food and company. Saeanna would have laughed at the impossibility of staying calm in such a situation if she were able. So instead of losing what was left of her sanity in front of their new friends, she simply nodded. The tall Exo was easy to follow through the throngs of people. Wulf stood nearly a foot and a half taller than her, his armor was not to blame for his bulk, and the bright blue and silver metal that composed his ornate chest piece and shoulder plates shone in the sun like a beacon. On the bright side, if he ever got too far ahead, all Sae would need to do is look for the giant, walking glowstick. His presence was like a ship in water, parting the crowd as though they were nothing but tide. It was impressive how he could look so imposing and yet still managed to be friendly to all those that called out to him.

     Sae decided to make herself as inconspicuous as possible as they walked toward what she assumed was this shop that sold 'ramen'. New faces, new sights, new buildings, new food... It was going to take a lot of getting used to. The one thing that was familiar was the jovial way that Hoti's frosted shell danced around Wulf-9's head energetically, chattering nonstop about patrols, something called the Crucible, and fallen raids.

    Ah yes... the fallen. So accustomed to seeing the ones that kept to the shadows in the Dreaming city was she, that Sae had nearly forgotten her first couple days of life. Before... Well, everything. In what looked like a central market, a small colorful stall was set apart from everything else. A loud commotion came from one of the seats, its occupant surrounded by several onlookers. "And then... 'BOOM!' the ground shook and he went down screaming with his ship!" The storyteller's arms went up over his head, brown leather gloves peeking over the heads of the audience that whooped at his words.

    "Cayde, my boy!" Wulf exclaimed as he threw his hands in the air. His helmet went flying towards the sky and vanished as Hoti transmitted it with a heavy annoyed sigh. "Do me and my friend here right and put an order in for some ramen."

    Cayde? Saeanna remembered that name. The man himself stood and lit up as soon as he spotted his old friend. "Wulf!! good to see you! Are you coming down from visiting Sha-aaaxxx who's your friend?" Ignoring the titan's request, he pushed through the crowd. Saeanna remembered her first night, alone in their shaky craft as ghost told her stories about the legendary gunslinger. This couldn't be the same man. He seemed… so normal… and an Exo! What wasn't completely covered with cloth was a bright, shining cobalt blue with electrifying eyes to match. With Cayde suddenly standing before her, Sae found herself so nervous that she could barely look him in the eye.

Ghost, however, had no such qualms. She shook happily in Sae's palm. "Cayde!! It's been a long time!"

    "Ghost!! looks like you got into quite a fight. I'll have Tess fix y'all up. So, this must be your guardian?" Saeanna inwardly cursed as his sole attention returned back to her. "I'm Cayde-6! The hunter vanguard. What's your name?" Was she sweating? Her face had to be red.

    It was obvious to the others how flustered she got and Ghost wasn't the only observer who chuckled. "Her name is Saeanna. She's a bit shy... She doesn't talk."

    "Saeanna..." Cayde's voice grew soft for a moment, looking her over as though she were a puzzle to be solved. After a couple seconds, he perked right back up. "I bet you're one of mine! Ramen's on you if she is!" Cayde tapped Wulf's shoulder with a fist before walking backward toward the ramen shop, leading them along.

    "Yeah judging by her build she's gotta be a hunter. Hopefully she's not as full of herself as you are." Wulf chuckled. As they reached the shop Wulf pulled out a stool for Saeanna. "When are you gonna give me free ramen for saving your ass all the time?" Wulf teased the old hunter as the two sat.

    "It's a privilege to save this handsome mug. Besides, when's the last time you've saved my ass? And no, the chicken incident does not count. Neither does the Sparrow race." Cayde tipped his drink toward the man tending the stall with a wink before turning to stare over Saeanna's head with a daring look.

    It was almost as though they were eating with an old friend instead of someone they had just met. Her heart twisted at the familiarity and found herself suddenly very homesick. Idly, she traced the broken edges of Ghost's shell as she listened.

    "I'll give you the sparrow race but by the Traveler the chicken incident counts." Wulf replied shaking an angry finger at his friend. "So, I assume you know your way around here Ghost, so I won't bore Saeanna with the details of the tower. I will say though, as much as he can be a pain in the ass, Cayde here will be important for you as you get accustomed to the place. He can give you tips on being a hunter, using your light, and offer you plenty of jobs and contracts to do. But for now, let's just focus on getting settled and eating."

    Wulf couldn't help but notice that Saeanna looked ragged and worn. She had obviously had it rough since she'd been resurrected. "Hey, Saeanna, don't worry. Life here at the tower and out there will be much easier now that you've got friends. And let me be the first to invite you to a fireteam. Cole and I would be honored to show you the ropes."

     Cayde's posture shifted, his eyes turning from curiosity to shock to worry back to a guarded neutrality at Wulf's words. Sae pretended not to notice, watching him from the corner of her eye as Ghost responded to the invitation. "We'll definitely take Cayde up on lessons. Once we figure out her skills, you'll be hearing from us about the fireteam. That would be amazing." Ghost couldn't wait for Saeanna to come into her own. It was almost a shame, how she'd been treated as a guardian while in the reef. The sooner she got a handle on her abilities the better. Cayde seemed super excited about a new hunter to "corrupt" while Saeanna pondered the concept of a fire team. The idea that she was actually safe here was a foreign one, a concept her exhausted, abused mind would wrap itself around.

    "Chicken incident, Cayde? What did you do?" Ghost 'tinked' back and forth against the wooden countertop, almost waddling in place where she'd been lovingly laid.  Saeanna perked up at the soup placed before her. The broth was a rich, clear brown. There were long, doughy strings accompanied by meat and various vegetables. Saeanna watched the two men beside her as they dug in, trying to mimic how their fingers gripped the "chopsticks".

    "Here, d'ya mind?" Cayde held out a hand, asking permission before touching the new light. He shared a look with Wulf over the young woman's head as she flinched.

    She was a delicate one, and he'd make sure to handle her with care. Saeanna blinked slowly at the metal man, taking in what she swore was a sincere look in his lightning eyes before assenting. Cayde's warm, gloved hands were gentle as he demonstrated how to settle the thin wooden utensils in her hand. "Like this. Good job! I may or may not have snuck a bunch of chickens into Zavala's office and I MAY or may not have gotten caught by Big Blue himself. Let's just say it took me weeks to get all the feathers out of my armor!"

    "I gotta say," Wulf began between bites, "the feathers looked good on you." Wulf turned to the new light as he finished his bowl, "Speaking of Zavala, once you've eaten and feel up to it I can introduce you to the rest of the vanguard. You'll love Ikora." Wulf wondered why Saeanna didn't speak and hoped that it wouldn't take long for her to get comfortable in the tower but she wasn't the first guardian he'd met who were the silent type.

    Saeanna nodded, polishing off her own food and scooping up her ghost. "First things first, gotta get Ghost a new shell. If y'all don't mind, I'll walk with you to the courtyard. Big Blue will get his big 'ole panties in a twist if I'm not back soon anyway." He groaned and stood, leaning over to conspiratorially half-whisper to Saeanna. "The paperwork is going to kill me!"

    Despite everything, she couldn't help the small upturn of her lips. The image of the Exo buried beneath feral papers was too funny. Ghost picked out a pretty, pearlescent blue shell, which Cayde payed for. Ghost relayed her protests and Cayde waved her off, nudging Sae's shoulder lightly. "As Vanguard it's my job to make sure you're all set. It'll do no one any good if Ghost isn't at 100%. You can pay me back later. I accept glimmer and ramen."

    Ghost, looking beautiful in her new shell, spun and danced around her head before flying over to properly greet Hoti. Cayde put a hand on her shoulder as the first genuine half smile he'd seen crawled across her face. "Welcome to the tower, Saeanna."

    "Titan, who is this new light with you?" A deep and stoic voice cut through the murmur of the crowd.

    "Ah Zavala, Saeanna meet the leader of the vanguard and the Titans." Wulf said as he panned a open palm towards the awoken titan.

    "Hello new light, I am happy to meet you." Zavala remarked as he came to a stop before the group. "Cayde do us all a favor and try not to corrupt this one."

     "Zavala!!! It's good to see you out of the office! I hear sunshine is good for you. Of course I will, she's one of mine after all." Cayde nodded sagely.

    Saeanna turned to take in the titan vanguard, intimidated by his size and piercing eyes. He was awoken, like her. Swirling light moved beneath his skin, an echo of the stars he came from. Even if he scared her a bit, he looked to be every inch of what a vanguard should be. Proud, stoic, and clad in pure white armor with only a few red designs. Ghost settled on her shoulder, wiggling a bit in happiness as Sae reached up to touch her shell lovingly. "This is my guardian, Saeanna."

    Zavala hummed, nodding toward her. "It's good to meet you. And I'm glad to see you've found you guardian, Ghost. Wulf, thank you for bringing her to us, we'll get her settled in and positioned with a fireteam."

    "Actually..." Ghost started, speaking Saeanna's thoughts. "Wulf offered us a place on his fire team, if he's still willing to have us. And if that's alright with the Vanguard."

"Hmm…" The Titan looked between the three standing before him, noting Cayde's enthusiastic consent to the arrangement. "It's unusual to be offered a fire team position without confirming your class but if Cayde ends up as your vanguard and all of you agree, very well. Guardian." Zavala stared directly at Saeanna. "Wulf, make sure you ask Cole about accepting a new member. It hasn’t been long, after all. Follow me. We have much to do."

*

    In the end, despite how tired and drained she was, Saeanna actually felt a glimmer of hope breaking through the ichor as she settled into her new home. Ikora was lovely, kind, and very patient. She helped explain the tests and what each one of the vanguard could do to help her as she grew and learned. A thrill of excitement raced down her spine at the discovery that she was, in fact, a hunter. Cayde's exuberance could be heard all over the tower as he celebrated the newest addition of his hoard of misfits. The Exo Vanguard stole her away, sweeping her toward his side of the table as soon as they reached the war room. She was given a sparrow, glimmer, and an apartment that would be hers and only hers. It wasn't super large, but it was more than enough. "Ghost…"

    "Yes, Sae?"

    Saeanna sighed as she turned the lights off in her bedroom. The fluffy comforter almost swallowed her whole as her body curled around an extra pillow she'd found. "I'm cold…"

    "I know, Sae." Ghost would never be able to understand the heartbreak her guardian felt, but she knew what the feeling of longing felt like. Maybe it was the same. And not for the first night, and certainly not for the last, Sae cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Text

    Saeanna gasped as though there were a hand around her throat. Cold sweat beaded on her skin and soaked into the twisted sheets that curled around her body like constricting snakes. Dreams… It was something that never really plagued her before. Now? They were nearly the bane of her existence. 

         Sometimes… the gentle glow of sunset colored eyes left her sobbing into the empty bed, craving the presence of a man that was so far away from her. Following phantom voices in her sleep left her wandering half-awake around her apartment, searching for the shadowy figure that sang lullabies to her through the night. He was always outside of her grasp, just around the corner, appearing behind her and dancing just beyond the reach of her fingertips.

     Other times, it was Icy blue eyes that had her screaming until her throat was raw. Knives stabbed her all over as her former queen flayed her skin from her body, whispering lies in her ear as ruby red drops of blood splattered against lavender marble. Laughter from a cruel not-Uldren taunted her, berated her for leaving, questioning the love she ‘claimed’ to have given him. 

Ghost never let the shadows that haunted her dreams torment her for long. She’d wake Sae before she could hurt herself or wander too far, urging her to return to bed. More often than not, she would spend the rest of her night sitting on the edge of her couch, staring at nothing in particular and trying to shake the images that plagued the stale thoughts that had accumulated through the night. The only thing that kept the exhaustion from entirely consuming her were the days when she’d spar with Wulf. It left her so physically exhausted, the dreams didn’t reach her. Only blessed darkness.

     “Eyes up, Saeanna. Focus on my hand.” Cayde’s urging pulled her from the spiral she’d almost fallen into. Remember silly girl, gotta pretend to be normal. Cayde had scheduled an hour a day with him to really get her training underway and to assess what kind of regimen she’d need in case he was off on mission. It felt like lying; everytime she pulled a punch, pretended to stumble, feigned exhaustion after a mere 30 minutes of sparring but she had to keep this secret. On the sidelines, her new fire-team cheered and shouted encouragement as Cayde deemed her ready for light-work. 

    It should have been strange, being the odd awoken out in a fireteam of Exos, but somehow it worked. Cole turned out to be quite a character and one of the most knowledgeable people she’d ever met. Ikora had sent a message through her ghost, asking Sae to visit the Warlock Vanguard's study at her leisure that morning to go over some basic information. Hastily dressing with shaking hands, Saeanna hurried through the morning crowd and tried to suppress the nervous tremors that seemed determined to dash her resolve to tiny bits. 

    Basking in the morning light, Ikora practically glowed as she sipped tea and spoke softly to an Exo warlock whose glowing green eyes locked on her form as soon as she slipped through the door. He stiffened for a moment, eyes raking over the submissive stance she’d naturally slipped into before standing with a wide smile. “Well hi there! Ikora was just telling me about the new hunter Wulf took a shine to. I’m Cole.”

    Oh… OH! Saeanna jumped slightly as the realization of who this was hit her like a brick tossed from the tallest walkway in the tower. They shook hands and she chose to sit across from them, facing the sun as they spoke of her resurrection and the strange circumstance that was her muted voice. In the end, Cole agreed it was time for them to have a new hunter and just like that, she had two brothers that supported her with pats on her shoulder and animated cheering accompanied by flying snacks of every kind. Today, it was something called ‘Popcorn’ with Extra butter (Wulf insisted).

“Alright, now we just gotta find out what kind of subclass you are. Have you felt any mysterious tingles? Maybe the smell of fire or Ozone?” Cayde lazily paced before her. 

    “She uses Arc.” Ghost’s reply was almost immediate, taking all three Exos aback. 

    “You already know? Well that makes the next part easy! Not gonna lie, I was hoping you’d be a gunslinger like me but being an arc user brings a good balance.” He pointed toward Wulf and Cole. Both of them had manifested sunglasses and silly hats made from fire and a glowing purple energy- Void, The word dredged up from the many Ikora told her the day before- respectively.

    Cayde laughed and noticed Saeanna removing her armor from her right arm, rolling up the sleeve to expose the branchlike scars that twisted across her skin. “Damn…” Wulf said behind her. Both men somehow made it to her side in less than a second and studied the strange phenomena as her eyes rose to lock with the bright orangish-yellow of Cayde’s. “Did this happen right after you were rezzed?”

    “Yes. The fallen attacked us and she lashed out with the light. It was too much too soon." Ghost answered. Saeanna waved at her arm and watched as Cole raised a finger to trace one of the light, silvery lines.

    “I see.” His head tilted to the side, metal features sliding into a smile. "These are a reminder. The light saves just as much as it harms. I’m glad you made it to us, even though you were marked." That was a week ago, and she was slowly learning to operate within the small team. Wulf was one of the funniest, most patient people she had ever met. His wisdom was deep and outside of battle, he was as calm as a stream. In battle though, he was certifiable. The roars that pulled from his chest actually had her recoiling slightly the first time she heard them. Cole ended up rolling on the ground, laughing up a storm as Wulf pulled off a perfect imitation of Shaxx as he demanded Saeanna stand and fight, even as she breathlessly ran away from him. So, this was a titan. He was an unstoppable force that bespoke his years of experience in fighting enemies of the light.

    Cole wasn't the type to tolerate idiocy or ineptitude, but he never turned down the opportunity to teach Saeanna about what it meant to be a guardian. With his easy laugh and sarcasm, Cole could have passed for being really young had it not been for the ancient knowledge in his eyes and the timeless grace that Sae noticed all Elder Guardian's had. A couple times a week, Cole drug her off to the library, Showing her maps and diagrams as he taught her about each planet Guardian’s patrolled and the different enemies the darkness sent after them and those under their care. 

    It was a day like this when a familiar voice called out to them from a nearby stack. “There you two are! How are my favorite guardians doing?”

    Cole nodded as Saeanna waved, pointing toward the piles of books as Cayde strode up to them. “Going over some basics. You tell everyone they're your favorite!” It took a moment, but the indignation finally flared as the vanguard’s words finally sunk in.

    “We’re good!” Ghost replied to his question, ignoring the amused look Cole gave her. The corners of Saeanna's lips twitched upward as Ghost bumped against the Exo Vanguard's upraised fist. “Cole was just showing us how to better manifest knives.”

    “Very nice! Handy skill to have. I didn’t wanna interrupt but I have a very important mission to send your fire-team on. Meet me at the ramen shop?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder and Cole sighed.

    “Sure, gotta grab Wulf but we’ll be there.”

    “Awesome sauce!” Cayde tapped the warlock’s elbow and gave Saeanna a small wave before jogging back toward the door. “Cole, if you make her into a warlock, I’m boiling every pair of boots you own and setting your sparrow on fire!” 

    “Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. HEY! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE IN A MEETING?” Either he was already out of hearing range or ignoring the question but Cayde didn’t respond. “Hope Zavala doesn’t tear him too much of a new one… Ready?” Cole’s question was cheerful, as though he’d completely missed the threats. 

*

    Cayde bought them lunch, his features shifting to the most serious she’d ever seen on his face. A guardian that had gone missing on the moon. A hunter. One of his. She could see the guilt and grief for the guardian’s life weighing heavily in the Vanguard’s eyes. His status was unknown but, on the moon… That was practically a death sentence. Within the hour, they had completed the supply run and were off in their ships en route to the last known location. “Prepare yourself, Sae. There aren’t just fallen here.”

    Cole’s voice was stern with an underlying hint of worry. For who or what, Saeanna didn’t know and she didn’t ask. “Hive...” The single word that came from Ghost sent a chill up her spine.

     Wulf immediately launched into an explanation, trying to prepare her for the horrors that inhabited Earth’s closest neighbor. The moon was their breeding grounds. Long ago, when they first came to the system, they decided to settle there and ravaged the landscape into the twisted visage she was looking at now. The Hive became a scourge on those who remained on earth, and it had eventually been decided to leave them alone, hoping that it would be enough for them. 

It hadn’t been.

 The hive had apparently tried branching out to other planets but by the time that happened, the Guardian's had grown into a force to be reckoned with. So far, Earth’s protectors had done well to prevent the spread.

    As Wulf spoke, Saeanna couldn’t have been more grateful that ships were generally one-person crafts. Had anyone seen the way her face paled, the gambit she played with her past would have been over. God damn fucking Hive. She’d hoped the ones in the reef would have been the last she’d ever see. But luck had never really been on her side, had it?

    When they finally arrived, Saeanna couldn't help the shivers that wracked her body. If she thought Earth was bad, the moon took the cake on the creepiness factor. The soft yet crunchy moondust beneath her feet echoed through the dips and valleys carved out by clawed hands. "Grenades are ready, Sae." Ghost bumped her cheek before de-materializing, leaving Saeanna to jog ahead to meet with the others.

    "The trail starts at the old substation, but past that we're left in the dark." Wulf reached beneath his helmet to rub the back of his neck, staring at the map Hoti produced.

    "There might be something left behind that would point to a hide out." Cole tucked his thumbs into the straps of his robe and looked around for signs of malignant life.

    "I forget hunters have little set ups like that… the tower is only a few minutes away, why not just come back to the safety of the traveler?"

    "The tower is too crowded. Too much noise, too many eyes. Can you blame a guardian that prefers the wilds for wanting to make a little home away from home?" It was an argument that they had often; Wulf would be bewildered, Cole would roll his eyes and explain, Wulf would acquiesce, forget the conversation ever happened, and then the cycle began again.

    Eliksni -fallen, she internally corrected herself- prowled through the old station like roaches in an abandoned apartment. Dispatching them was getting easier the more she was forced to pull the trigger. This house wasn't one she'd been acquainted with. She didn't know them. The trail led from one point to another until they finally picked up on the faint pulsing of a dying ghost coming from the other side of a nearby formation. "His ghost is alive, he could be too!"

    Wulf's panicked determination was infectious and she leaned forward over her sparrow, knowing it wouldn't go any faster even if the itch at the back of her mind said she needed to squeeze every second she could from the clock.

    All three of them maneuvered through a thin, deep crevice that opened into one of the strangest, most alien things she had ever seen. *"What is that?"* she asked Ghost, who remained silent.

    "The Hellmouth…" A deep, feminine voice crackled over their radios, startling a small squeak from Saeanna.

    "Eris! What can you tell me?" Wulf remained unphased with a single focus, practically leaping from his sparrow and motioning them toward a prone, twisted figure draped across the rocks. The hunter… Sae ran forward, kneeling just next to him as Cole kept his eyes peeled for enemies that could be lying in wait.

    Ghost began scanning the Exo's cold corpse. "It's gone… the light is gone. But how? Where's his ghost?"

    It was embarrassing, how long it took for Saeanna to recall who Eris was, but the image of the small, dark haired woman with the glowing eyes floated to the surface of her memory the more she spoke. Light was devoured by the hive’s darkness, one of the hive's most sacred hiding places, the fall of her fire team. This was the Temple of Crota. They had to go in there. The taken ghost was still alive and was fading faster than a falling star. "Yeah, but how the hell do we open it!?" Frustration welled in Wulf's voice. Cole approached the giant doors that were chained shut with ethereal looking metal.

    "Roger…" Cole's ghost manifested over his hand and flew forward with not a word, knowing what he had to do.

    "We… May want to move back…" Roger's deep voice called out to the others as he became a black and white blur, dipping to his guardian just as the first strand of chain seemed to dissolve. A deep rumbling shook the ground at their feet, rattling their bones as they watched frozen in their places.

    "Awe what the hell!?" Wulf yelled just as the doors cracked open with a shuttering boom.

    “We’ve woken the hive!” Ghost squeaked out before disappearing in a sparkling shower. Oh, to be able to run away like that. All three of them dashed back to the first line of rocks, trying to find what cover they could. A long, loud screech filled the air, heralding the arrival of the hive that began pouring from the now opened doors like a plague. Thrall, Acolytes, and Knights were met with 3 different caliber bullets, fire, electricity, and large purple maelstroms of void energy that rained down upon them. Had she not been in fear of her life, Saeanna would have considered it unfair just how quickly the hoard was destroyed. If only they had this kind of firepower at Mezun. "His Ghost is inside! We might be able to get to him in time!" Wulf charged ahead, shooting down anything that got too close with his shotgun.

    "Wul- Fuck! Come on, we can't let him go in there alone." Cole sharply pulled her to her feet and they raced to catch up to the rampaging Titan. Corpses littered the ground just past the entrance and their partner was chipping away at a hulking, grotesque mass of something firing laser beams from it's face like it was nothing more than a training exercise. Before they could finish picking off the Acolytes and Thrall that were left, Wulf leapt on top of the great fucker, driving the barrel of his gun into the base of its… head?? And fired off as many rounds as he could. The creature moaned, shifting forward and backwards before collapsing into a heap of ash. "You shouldn't run off like that! That Ogre could have killed you!" The worry in Cole’s voice was obvious as he chastised the Titan but Wulf wasn't listening. Instead, he dashed over to a thin pedestal where a small, black ghost had been chained.

    "It's... Fuck, It's gone…" Grief gripped their hearts and the weight of failure cloaked their shoulders as they stared at the small empty shell.

    “Not entirely…” Eris’s calm voice crackled to life. “Take what information it had. If the guardian was tracking something here, it had to have been important for him to dare the Hellmouth on his own.”

    Turns out, she was right. There was something. Crota was returning. The hive planned on reviving his body by pulling his soul from the ascendant realm where he had escaped to. The others were confused by Eris’s words, not having come in contact with the terminology before but Saeanna knew what that was all too well. There were other beings with the capability to pass into the otherworlds like the Awoken?

    Eris’s next words shook her to her core, pulling Saeanna from her thoughts violently. “Descend into the Hellmouth, find the library and stop them from resurrecting the monster that slays guardian’s for sport. Descend and put an end to Crota.” Kill a hive god? Saeanna's eyes widened at Eris's words and Wulf's stern nod. Well… Shit…

Chapter Text

    The Hellmouth turned out to be one of the most aptly named places Saeanna had ever seen. Down into the gaping maw they descended, working their way toward a singular point marked on the map Roger provided them. If she planned on spending any large amount of time in the field, she needed to look into some upgrades for Ghost. ”Considering how many we fought at the entrance, I expected to find more enemies in these tunnels…” Ghost spoke aloud the thoughts racing through her head. 

    Cole chuckled and pressed his cheek more firmly against the stock of his Pulse Rifle. “So eager for a fight? Don’t worry, you’ll get it. This is the home of the hive, little one… They’re here.” 

    As if to prove his point, a chorus of chittering seemed to echo through the thin, ever descending corridors. The sound reverberated and grew in volume, shifting into something monstrous. Ghost shook and wedged herself into the space between Sae’s neck and the bottom of her helmet. “I-I’m not looking for a fight at all, just making an observation.” A deep rumble beneath their feet made Ghost squeak and spin away in a shower of glitter.

    Saeanna shook her head as Wulf  let out a small chuckle at the little light’s reaction. But despite the silliness, Ghost made a good point. The waves at the entrance had all of them preparing for a fight unlike any other as they descended into the scarred depths of the moon, but so far there hadn’t been even a single thrall. As they crept along, strange symbols began appearing along the rugged ridges and grooves in the walls. At first, it was a rare occurrence but the farther they got, the more common and complex the sickly green images became. 

    The nagging sense of wrongness grew and grew, only interrupted by a new kind of ick beneath her feet. *”As if this couldn’t get any worse… I’m going to lose a boot in this gunk.”* The soles of her boots seemed to sink into the muck beneath her, making a wet *’Schick’* every time she took a step. 

     Saeanna grimaced and wiped the side of her boot off on a nearby rock for the umpteenth time. 

    ”It is a very unique substance… and so close to their ‘library’. I’m sending samples off to Ikora.”

    ”What the hell do you think it is?”

    ”From the acidity and general composition, I’m guessing it is some kind of amniotic fluid!” Ghost ignored the sudden, violent gagging sound Sae made and continued in her scholarly musings. ”This might give us some insight into the hive!”

     ”I’m sorry, did you just say- Could you not sound so excited about HIVE AMNIOTIC FLUID!? While the shit is soaking into my shoes! Why in the hell is it in the hallway??” The knowledge that Ghost had so lovingly blessed her with gave a whole new meaning to the word disgusting.

”Who knows! Hive mating rituals are largely unknown, like most of their culture. And while they are largely thought to be nothing more than mindless beasts, the fact that they have a library and birth young could prove differently.” Saeanna felt vomit rising in her throat and Ghost laughed lightly in her mind. ”Don’t ask questions if you aren’t prepared for the answer, Sae!”

    Okay yeah, that was fair. Trying to banish the squelching noises and their origin from her mind, Saeanna ruminated on the hive. After she’d fought them with… The awoken… Saeanna had gotten comfort from thinking the hive were nothing more than bogeymen, shambling zombies that had the brainpower of a bug. The fact that they were capable of planning, that the proof of their intelligence was literally carved into the walls around them, and powerful enough to do This to an entire planetary being was disconcerting to say the least. 

    Wulf held up his hand suddenly, causing his two teammates to freeze in their tracks. “Ahead… there’s movement.” Not only that, but the tunnel they were in seemed to narrow and plunge forward into pitch blackness. Not even the glowing symbols were present to light their way. Single file, Saeanna brought up the rear as they made their way through the tunnel that looked to be carved by clawed hands rather than tools. “Library should be ahead. Keep your heads down.” 

    Quick to follow, Cole and Sae flanked him, crouching behind a rather strategically placed rock just after the opening to their destination. It was kind of them to think of intruders when they built this place. It was smaller than she thought it would be, and the inhabitants of the room weren’t doing what one would normally do when in a library. ”I can’t believe I thought they could read…”

    Ghost laughed heartily at Saeanna’s words. ”Rude! Just because they are bowing to the giant scroll hanging from the ceiling doesn’t mean they don’t know how to read! Look at the Techeuns! They did that everyday for hundreds of years and are considered near to gods!”

    The sass of her ghost knew no bounds. The urgent need to laugh burned her throat, losing out to the jittery fear that laced her blood. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Small alcoves pockmarked the antechamber surrounding this, for lack of a better descriptive phrase, giant cylindrical scroll hanging from the ceiling. Maybe it was the cracked texture of the pages, the yellowing of the material it was composed of, or the creepy stone mausoleum it was buried in… but whatever the reason, it looked old. Older than anything she’d seen in the Reef. “We each take 3 and move forward to dig in beneath that structure while our ghost’s work to extract intel. Got it?” 

    The rest of his fireteam nodded at his words and as one, they moved forward, bullets cutting down the knights guarding the library in no time. “Hoti! You and the others get to work and stay low! We’ll cover you!”

All three ghosts began scanning everything in sight, pulling up things encrypted and otherwise. It didn’t matter. Anything could be the puzzle piece they were looking for and every bit of it was sent to Eris as soon as it could. As though an alarm had been set off, the very floor beneath their feet seemed to surge to life. The room flooded with hive, pouring in from the tunnels they just exited from mere minutes ago. “Here they come!”

All at once, their comms crackled to life. “Tell me you are still alive or so help me i will come down there mys-”

“No Cayde, You will not! Wulf! Respond!” Zavala did not sound as calm as he normally did.

“Guardians! You need to get out of there!” Eris’s voice sounded panicked, completely at odds with the low, monotone she normally used. 

    “No can do! We need to find Crota!” Wulf was exercising every ounce of his Titan jurisdiction as he pummeled thrall to death with the utmost prejudice. 

    “She’s right, Wulf. There are too many and we have a new light!” Cole gestured agitatedly over his shoulder as he slammed a fresh magazine into his rifle. It was true that Saeanna was holding up better than most after only being awake for a couple days, but that beginner's luck wouldn’t last forever. 

    “Wulf!” Ghost and Scara disappeared as Hoti called out to her guardian. “All done here!” 

    “Wonderful!” So like the titan that he admired, Wulf rose to his full height and smashed through the enemies that blocked the exit with a flaming hammer that rivaled the power of the sun. “Lets go! Hoti, get my transmat ready! We need to get outside!” 

    Her reply must have been satisfactory because he began fighting with the intensity of a God. Cole kept all three of them covered with a practiced ease. Saeanna wished that her training with the Crows had prepared her better as she twisted to cover their flank. Sae let out a harsh scream as her auto rifle tore through paper thin skin and skeletal bodies that seemed to claw their way from above and below them. Light couldn’t be shed, none of them wanted to risk their ghosts to the claws and gnashing teeth of the hive that pursued them. Between her grenades and the void traps Cole would toss behind them when he could, they worked together to stave off the hoards of hive that pursued them while Wulf smashed through the seemingly endless swarm that broke against his shields and hammer like waves against a bulwark. 

    Finally, their ghosts pulled them from the guts of the Earth’s moon and dropped them at the entrance of the Hellmouth where they began. It took a second for them to realize that there were, in fact, no more enemies and all three of them emptied the clips of their guns into nothing before slumping and stumbling slightly in relief. Saeanna outright collapsed and Cole knelt next to her. “It’s alright. You did good. Head between your knees, that’s it, just breathe. You’re safe.” 

    “Eris, did you get our transmissions?” Wulf walked a couple paces away, unable to sit still from the adrenaline pumping through his system. 

    A static filled crackle was all that answered him before a strange voice came through all three of their communicators. “You’re interesting… not entirely interesting but you have promise.” 

    “Who is that?” Cole asked, looking around the cliffs above them for any unknown dangers.

Roger materialized, expanding to try and gain a source for the radio traffic. “I don’t know… But I’m losing the signal.” 

     “Guardians. I know what you’re about to do. It’s brave, but there are enemies out here that you would not believe.” The woman’s voice had a strange accent and tone that spoke of a deep otherness that wasn’t quite right to the ears

    There were worse enemies?? Saeanna gasped and Ghost asked, “Out where?”

    There was a crackle of static and all three of the guardians thought they’d lost her for good before she came through one last time, clear as a bell. “Go down and face the hive. If you live, come find me.”

    “Signals gone, but whoever she is pushed through broken coordinates.” Hoti bobbed around Wulf’s head as she spoke. “Venus. Northern hemisphere, Ishtar region.”

    Saeanna stood, squeezing Cole’s gloved hand in silent thanks. Ghost performed a scan on her as she shook off her dizziness. “We should check it out.”

    “And you will.” Eris’s voice finally came through. “The intel you sent was more than we could have hoped for and we have several teams out hunting Crota’s hand. Come back to the tower. The Vanguard and I want to prepare you before we take any further steps forward.”

    “On our way Eris, be there in a few minutes.” Wolf nodded and turned to his fire team. “I have to say that went rather well! How does Ramen sound?” 

*

     As good as ramen sounded, there were other needs that needed to be prioritized. The FIRST thing Saeanna did was duck around the welcoming party that Cayde had orchestrated in the hangar to sprint up to her apartment for a very hot shower. Feeling more human than she had in what felt like forever, Sae dressed in loose pants and a flowing shirt and made her way to the war table. 

    “You are the new guardian, are you not?” A voice that was seared into her brain murmured nearby as she began to descend the stairs from the main courtyard.

    “Yes! She is.” Ghost answered as Saeanna turned toward Eris, who graced her with a small smile. 

    The woman must have been beautiful once had it not been for the hive. Three glowing green eyes veiled by a scarf tied across the upper half of her face regarded her for a moment before she stepped up beside her. “Eris will do, guardian. I’m not any more than an advisor to those who lead us these days. I hope you don’t mind if I accompany you to the meeting, I’m heading there as well.”

    Sae dipped her head, fighting back the urge to bow before power as they slowly made their way past Shaxx and a few others that milled around through the small space. “There are many things I wish to discuss with you but not here.” Eris said in a hushed whisper. “I understand the secrets that all of us hold close to our hearts. Do not be afraid.” Eris said quickly as Saeanna’s heart raced, afraid of what the other woman knew and how she knew it. “We have mutual friends. I hold darker secrets than that of betrayal and princes. I bear a message from a mutual acquaintance but it will have to wait. We shall talk later.” Those words nearly made her faint. She wanted so badly to turn around and demand answers but a very familiar voice called to them from nearby.

“Eris! Pestering Saeanna already? That's not nice, she's new.” Before the questions that burned in her chest could spill out all over the war room, Cayde threw an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward his side of the table. “Looks like the whole gang’s here! Let's get this party started!”

They were about to take part in a meeting. She couldn’t lose her cool in front of every leader the guardian’s had. There wasn’t a good enough excuse that she could come up with to explain a panic attack.

    Wulf gave her a large smile and a small wave from where he stood on the opposite side of the table with Cole and Ikora. “Feel better, Sae?” 

    “I don’t think that smell will ever come out of her armor but she does.” Ghost settled onto her shoulder, her eye blinking a few times as she took in the room.

    “Good. I’m glad you’re all here.” Ikora tapped a few things on the screen before her, bringing up a holo of the tunnels beneath the moon’s exterior. “The secrets of the moon had all of us stumped for so long but thanks to you three, much has been brought into the light. Ghost, those samples you sent me are going to be invaluable. I look forward to processing them.” 

    Saeanna felt her face going green at the thought of exactly which samples she was referring to and that had everyone else chuckling at her expense. “Don’t worry, that memory will fade in time, guardian.” Eris gestured toward the map, getting everyone else back on track. “The hive stand on ceremony, their ways old and long recorded in their very beings. Thanks to you, we know when and where this is to take place.”

    “We have a week before the hive try and revive Crota, according to this chart.” Swirling symbols and images swirled over their head. Saeanna could have never pieced any of this together but Eris watched as though everything innately made sense. “We have five teams hunting those that hold key pieces of his power. You three would be my first choice to send into the fire, but this threat of other enemies… It has many of us worried.” 

    “Whoever sent those coordinates reached out to you.” For the second time since she’d met him, Cayde’s voice grew serious. “This is not something I would normally send a fire team on, but it was decided that we don’t want to risk losing whatever information this stranger could have.”

    Cole nodded and took in the aura of every leader in the room. They didn’t like the idea of a wildcard pulling the strings and making decisions for them but… Not once in the hundreds of years that he’s known them had he ever seen this grim look of determination lacing every one of their features. The story of Eris was shrouded in more mystery and rumors than truth, but if it was enough to make the vanguard piece together a specialized team… Well… If did lend more credence to her story. 

    “We want you to investigate these coordinates. We would be handling Crota ourselves if there wasn’t an increased risk of attack against the tower.” Ikora placed a light hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Sae still needs more specialized hunter training but we can’t waste time with this. Look after her.”

When no one argued or raised a concern with the Vanguards decision, Wulf nodded and clapped Zavala on the shoulder. “Good. We’ll leave for the Ishtar Sink tomorrow. For now, take what rest you can find.” 

    “Food!” Aaaaand just like that, Cayde was back. His happy go lucky attitude snapping into place as though it had never left. “You three deserve some ramen. I’m buying this time! If you can beat me there.”

    “Wait! Argg!” Wulf stumbled as he dashed around the table, grabbing Cole and Sae by the arms. “Damnit Cayde!” 

    All they heard was manic laughing in the distance as the Exo Vanguard hauled ass toward his favorite ramen shop.

Chapter Text

       Dearest Saeanna, 

     I hope this reaches you well. There is much we need to catch up on but… We might have fucked up. It has to do with something called the black garden. It was… a terrible place. If you have to go, don’t. I can’t lose anyone else… A lot has changed and we need to meet as soon as you can. Please send my fondest regards to the lady passing on this message and let me know when and where would be best for you. 

       With much brotherly love, 

       Jol.

     The cushions of her couch could barely contain the swirling maelstrom of excitement and worry that warred in her mind. It would be impossible to say how many times she read over the message and her response. It had to be over a hundred but Sae couldn’t be bothered to care. She would need a week to return from Venus but she offered to meet him on earth, or maybe the moon if it was easier for him. Excitement pounded through her once again and a blinding smile stretched across her face. Of course she was going to meet with him! She missed him so much that just the thought of seeing her brother again threatened to make her shake out of her seat. 

     Eris had been more than happy to send her brief reply, pulling Saeanna into her home for a cup of tea and a parting gift. “We can’t accept this! This is… It’s…” Ghost stuttered as Saeanna’s eyes flitted between Eris, who was settling into an armchair across from her, and the helm that had been deposited on the table before her.

     The lightless woman only laughed and waved off Ghost’s protestations. “It is useless to me. After… Well, I haven’t been off earth much and I feel you would get more use out of it than I.” With a lazy weep of her hand, Eris brushed long, ebony hair over her shoulder while the other hand held a tea bowl steady. Come to find out, the regalia she wore everyday did come off and the hat she wore wasn’t glued to her head. It was such a shock to see Eris in nothing but a loose top and slacks, Sae had to make an effort to keep her jaw from detaching completely as it hit the floor. The vanguard advisor looked almost normal. Almost… The way her visage reminded Sae of the hive was a little unsettling but it was something she would grow used to.

     The tea in her own bowl was still scalding so she set it to the side in favor of turning the beautiful artifact over in her hands. The helmet was an exotic simply called the ‘Assassin’s Cowl’ and it had powers imbued into it that her ghost could utilize. A fine, glowing blue weave settled over a hard black mask underneath for a two-fold effect. It would disorient anyone that tried to look at her face while providing a secure piece of armor.  The thin strands of metal tinkled as she turned the helm over in her hands. And with that, Eris became someone she could call a friend. The woman was keeping her secret and helping her on her journey as a new light. 

     Shaking herself from her reverie, Ghost transmitted the handheld data pad away and the guardian sighed. Despite the worry over who Jolyon lost, and the looming foreign threat of some Garden on a far away planet, her heart was restful. It had barely been two weeks since she left the reef and already, she’d get to see Jolyon. Sleep took her quickly and she dreamt of a field of red flowers, strange beings made of metal, and a tall, familiar figure with black hair, his back to her as he stared off into a foggy green sky.



On Venus:

     Once upon a time, she thought the hive had been the most terrifying thing in existence. Luckily for her, Interdimensional time travel was a thing and the Vex were so much worse than her darkest nightmares. Venus was strange and wild and… Beautiful, in a way that stole her breath everytime she landed. For her work with the Crows, Saeanna had been to Venus so many times in the past that she couldn’t put a number to it.The civilization that had belonged here was completely retaken by the landscape. Verdant trees and crawling vines had consumed what must have been cutting edge architecture. But now, only ruin, a few fallen belonging to a nomadic house, and the Vex were all that broke the silence in the desolate city her fireteam landed in.

     The building they were in must have been beautiful once; a place of art and high society. Cracked sculptures and broken marble spoke of old wealth. It would have grieved whoever built this place to see what had become of it. Panting, Cole, Wulf, and Saeanna took in the piles of silvered wreckage and a milky, glowing substance that ran in rivulets around their feet.

     “Well fought.” A familiar voice no longer distorted by interference spoke behind them. The three guardians spun, Sae gasping as they raised their weapons. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here to help.” The first thing Sae noticed was the aura of… different… wrong that surrounded her. The armor was crafted to match the natural coloring of the exo material she was made from. Soft blues and whites offset the ick that crawled up her spine. It was almost as if her eyes couldn’t hold onto her form. Surprisingly, a small ghost with flowing wings appeared over her shoulder. This was who they were here to see… She was interesting, to say the least.

      “It’s you! You’re here!” Hoti spun into existence and bobbed in way of greeting at the stranger, who was eyeing the three of them as if they were ghosts.

     “We haven’t got much time…” The Exo walked toward them and holstered her pulse rifle.

     “Who are you? You’ve been watching us.” Cole didn’t completely lower his guard like their titan team-mate but then again, he couldn’t afford to. Where Wulf could tank anything, Cole was lacking in the resilience department. Ask him to tether and incinerate a servitor? No problem. Come after him with a hammer from the nearest department store? The rest of his fireteam will hear an exasperated ‘Guardian Down’ From Roger.

     “I don’t even have time to explain why I don’t have time to explain!” Alien static fills her comms and she whispers into the piece wedged into her ear, ‘I will, I will’.

     “You will what?” Roger asked and the stranger snorted.

     “I wasn’t talking to you, little light.”

     “I’m a ghost… actually.” Unlike Sae’s Ghost, apparently Roger didn’t appreciate the nickname. 

     With a twist of her metallic lips, her eyes roved around the opulent room they were in. “Many guardians fell… strong ones. But you made it here.” *Alien static* “Yes, I’m listening. They’re here, with me.” 

     “Who’s she talking to?” Wulf asked Hoti under his breath, but his ghost didn’t have an answer for him.

     The stranger spoke into her comm, expressing understanding before turning back to the three very confused guardians watching the spectacle. “You need my help, guardians.”

     “Is that why you brought us here?” Ghost asked her, really hoping someone would give clarity to the insanity.

     “ They  brought us here. The Vex. Evil so dark it despises other evil.”

     “You’re not a guardian…” Roger pointed out, making every guardian eye the thing they assumed was her Ghost warily.

      She walked around before them, eyes falling on a Vex that hadn’t quite died and she meandered over in a predatory way that was too tense to be called lazy. “No, I was not forged in light. But I believe where our paths cross, Ground… could break.” The stranger dug her heel into the vex core and shattered it, sending the fluid that seemed to be the Vex lifeblood,  splattering up her leg armor. “Have you heard of the black garden?”

     “We’ve heard the legends.” Cole responded. Saeanna had in fact heard of the Garden, but only from a secret communication that the others knew nothing of and she wasn’t about to expose her knowledge now.

     “The greatest threat to all lies there, where these machines are born. Find the Black Garden, rip out it’s heart, and only then will your traveler begin to heal.” 

     At the mention of the comatose traveler, all six beings perked up. Could this really heal the traveler? What was Jolyon doing in the Black Garden?? “Can you help us find it?” Ghost asked, her excitement filtering through the little light. 

     “My path’s my own.. I can’t.” The stranger’s answer was less than Ideal and more than frustrating. Didn’t she just offer her help!?

     “If we’re going to find the Black Garden, we need to see the awoken.” Roger’s suggestion was sound but it wasn’t something that Saeanna expected. Before Ghost could ask why, the stranger chuckled. 

     “Ah yes.. The Awoken. Out there wavering between the light and the dark. A side should always be taken, little light. Even if it’s the wrong side.” The stranger thought for a moment before a smile signaled the decision she’d made. “That is a good idea, they’ll know the best way to infiltrate the Garden. Their prince recently succeeded and… well, he might have been lost to madness. you’ll need to- '' Once more, that crackle of angry static could be heard and the Stranger spun on her heel without finishing her sentence. Her gun was in her hand instantly as she stormed away. “Too late, returning. How many? Hold position, kill the engines, and don’t let them find you.”

     In the resulting silence, Saeanna didn’t dare breathe, counting to ten while her fire team tried to process the information they’d been given. Burning nausea roiled in her gut and bile threatened to make an appearance as she tried to process the information they'd been given. “So…. how do we find the awoken?” Wulf asked.

     “They live all the way out at the edge of the darkness. The last place the light touches. Can’t we just stay here with the murderous robots?” Hoti responded and two of the other guardians laughed freely while Saeanna struggled to breathe, forcing a laugh from her chest.

     “No, little light.” Wulf responded, voice full of amusement..

     “Don’t do that!”

     The trip back to their ships took no time at all and all Saeanna needed was time; Time to process what she’d heard, to compose herself before having to face her team, to come to terms with the fact she’d JUST LEFT the reef and now she was forced to return. Facing her demons wasn’t the problem, the problem was facing them so soon! Has he really gone insane? The exo stranger had mentioned the prince of the reef came too close to darkness, that he was mad, but the entire flight from Venus to the reef, Sae tried hard to wrap her head around the idea that he was no longer the man she knew… And the hunter was coming up short. How could this place survive without his smile, his wit, his kindness and heart? Ghost silently warmed her shoulder, trying to keep her grounded as her mind spiraled. The journey flew by and all too soon, they entered the mass of twisted metal and ether that was the reef.

Chapter Text

     There wasn’t anything that could surprise her at this point. They weren’t shot out of the sky by their escorts, they were escorted deep into the reef per orders of the queen, and what expended her quota of shock was the fact that they were taken directly to the dreaming city itself. What was going on?

     They walked through the streets of a city she knew like the back of her hand. Every stare and whisper from the people she’d protected once upon a time cut her soul away bit by bit. Of course they didn’t know who she was. Saeanna had decided to leave her new helmet on while Cole and Wulf removed theirs, but even still it hurt. She couldn’t do this… she couldn’t do this !

     But she had to. A dark voice in her mind reminded her why she was there. This was bigger than herself and the man she loved. ‘Look on the bright side!’ It said, ‘You get to see him again. You can see him.’ It wasn’t much of a bright side but it was the only glue she could find to hold the pieces together. Composure was not something available in spades but there was nothing that could be done now. Those double doors were drawing close faster than she’d like. *” Ghost… We have to warn them about the Eliksni .”*

     From where Ghost floated over her shoulder, there was a slight click of surprise. *” But Sae… If we do that, they’ll suspect…” *

     *” If we go in there without them knowing, Wulf will shoot first and ask questions later. The last thing we need is to start an incident. This is bad enough as it is.”*

     Silence reigned for a moment before Ghost came to a decision. Cole jerked and looked at her like she’d grown a second head but blessedly, said nothing. He wanted to ask just how Saeanna knew the Awoken had a fallen house in their pocket but didn’t dare ask aloud. 

     * ”I told Cole. Roger is asking a million questions a second but I told him we would explain after… I figured that if someone had to know, Cole would be the most… Understanding.” *

     * ”Thank you, Ghost.” * She didn’t have to express that it was a good call. They both understood that if someone had to know, it was the least volatile. Wulf looked sideways toward Cole so she knew he got the message and he wasn’t going to ask questions. Cole was a shadow for Ikora. The man knew things… Well, except for that. Wulf didn’t need to know that though. 

     Everything was the same as it was… The walls, the floor, the ceiling were the same beautiful crystal. The columns and indoor flower beds were unchanged. There was still a pulsing energy that thrummed through her blood as soon as her foot made contact with the polished floors beyond the entryway doors. So much was the same but too much had changed. Saeanna’s steps faltered for a moment when she caught sight of who was standing before the throne. It wasn’t Mara. No, that would have been too merciful. It was the object of her dearest dreams, the creature that stalked her darkest nightmares since Venus. 

     Uldren.

     The once proud Prince of the Reef sneered down at the three of them as they were ushered to stand a few feet from the steps leading to the raised dias. The man lifted a finger and two eliksni appeared on either side of the throne, reminiscent of what happened when she’d first arrived but… It elicited no response from the three guardians before him. Other than a tick in Wulf’s jaw and a raised eyebrow from Cole, everyone’s weapons stayed hidden away. “Well, well… What do we have here?”  Uldren’s madness was evident in his eyes as he descended and moved toward them. His gesture s were erratic and the crazed look in his eyes made her look down and away. 

     “What’s this? Trespassers come to our city and can’t even look me in the eye?” It really was her mistake. She should have known better than to take her eyes off of him. One second, he was on the steps. The next, he’d moved. Uldren gripped the bottom of her helmet and jerked upward so that she was forced to look into his face. “Is this the cowardice they breed in the tower? I’m shocked.”

     “We didn’t mean to trespass. We only seek council with the reef’s queen about a matter of urgency.” Wulf took a half step to the left, an arm before her to try and put some space between his hunter and the Prince before them.

     “The queen herself judges who may or may not enter the realm. Me? I see no reason she should be available for whatever washes up at the reef. But here we are.” While his attention was pulled away toward the titan, his grip tightened on her. Pain seared the back of her neck where the helmet dug deep into her skin and she couldn't help the slight whimper that escaped her. The way her heart froze in her chest was secondary to how his eyes snapped to Saeanna’s face. Everyone was instantly reminded just how inhuman the Awoken prince was. There was… Pain… In his eyes. As if the helmet was non-existent, his eyes searched where her’s should be. Where the eyes of the woman he needed would have been. His presence pierced her soul and blatant confusion and hesitant realization danced across his handsome features.

     But like their past, the glass bubble that protected them from the outside world was shattered by a voice that made her teeth grind. “Uldren… That’s enough…” Mara’s calm voice held an edge that was too similar to a master calling her dog. Uldren released her as though she didn’t exist, the calculating look plastered all over his face was gone. 

     “Apologies… your grace.” It was odd to see him so openly enraptured with Mara. The prince ascended the stairs and knelt at her feet. If she wasn’t so shaken, it would have enraged her to see the possessive hand Mara laid on his head.

     “Queen Mara, We apologize for the sudden intrusion into your kingdom. We wouldn’t be here unless it were important.” Wulf was never one to wait, not knowing he needed to only speak when spoken to. Sae flinched but Mara simply chuckled. 

     “I understand. There is a new darkness coming and it's no surprise your people are reaching out.” She waved a bored hand through the air. “There is trouble brewing on the horizon and in dark places where no mortal should go. I have seen portents and for some reason, you three are always in the middle of them. Otherwise your ships would have been shot down before you reached our borders.”

     “What is it you want?” Uldren’s voice cut in, dark and full of territorial rage.

     “We’ve come to ask for help.” Cole answered simply as Uldren stood and moved back to the edge of the dias to look down upon them. “We’re searching for the Black Garden. We’ve discovered a new enemy on Venus called the Vex.” 

     “You want to turn it into a battleground? How unimaginative…” Even though Uldren’s voice reflected boredom, his face was a mask of worry, like a child whose favorite toy was about to be taken away. 

     “Do you know where it is?” Cole asked.

     “Everyone knows where it is. The hard part is getting in.” Mara remained surprisingly silent, but her eyes were glued to where Saeanna stood while Cole and Wulf sparred verbally with the Prince. But no matter how intense the stare from the Awoken queen, Sae couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man poking fun at her fireteam. He was… So close. Just within reach… 

     “Can you help us?” Wulf’s famous lack of patience reared its ugly head and his voice was full of barely contained frustration. 

     There was something… Off… In Uldren’s movements. For a few moments, he had been calm, relaxed, as he played his word games. As if a switch had been flipped, his stature went rigid and he snarled at the question. “Why would we do that???” He hissed through his teeth.

     “The queen requests counsel with her brother…” Finally, Mara spoke, and in doing so it instantly drew her brother to kneel at Mara’s feet. The exchange was lost to them as they whispered together. Saeanna tried to distract herself with the pulsing lights that thrummed through the stone at her feet, the small, imagined imperfections in the crystal, the number of pillars that lined the hall. Anything and everything that could take her from the fucking ridiculous situation that she found herself in. How had things gone so wrong, so fast? 

     “Yes, That’s good. That’s good. Why not? We’ll make you a key!” Oh God… Uldren had that tone of voice. The one he used on her when she first came into Mara’s service, when he would get up to no good and attempt to make her life a living hell. “How’s that? All we need is the head of a vex gate lord.” 

     All three guardian’s flinched. While none the of them had ever SEEN A gate lord, that did not sound good at all. “A gate lord…. Ah… we-” Hoti whirred worriedly before Wulf spoke up. 

     “Why do you need a Vex head?”

     “Oh we don’t. And I doubt we’ll get one either. But it’s your only hope of getting into the Black Garden.” Oh good grief, there’s the asshole she remembered. It was like looking into the face of the bastard everyone assumed he was during her first months of life. 

     “We will return.” Cole shrugged, trying to play off the negative thoughts with a nonchalant motion. 

     “Or die on Venus, either way.” Uldren crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk and she couldn’t take it anymore. she couldn’t fucking stand here and pretend that everything was fine. Ghost was quick to pick up on the impending Panic attack and told Cole they needed to leave immediately.

     “Your majesty, I request the ability to return to our ship along with my fire-team member.” Cole waved toward the seemingly composed Hunter and she nodded graciously. 

     “Of course. Please, see to your affairs.” It was all Sae needed to turn on her heel and stride from the room as fast as she could. She didn’t notice Cole at her heels, Wulf staying behind to speak with the queen, nor the dark form slipping through the crowd to follow them from the great hall. 

Chapter Text

      Saeanna stumbled out into the courtyard, gasping for air but not getting near enough. Her helm wasn’t constricting and she never had an issue breathing before, but now? It was tightening around her head in a way that was about to destroy her sanity. She wasn’t alone, there were eyes everywhere, these people would recognize her, she needed… She couldn’t… 

      Before she completely fell apart, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and she found herself being hauled away by a silent Cole. She tried to apologize, to explain that she would be fine, but she couldn’t find the breath or the energy to lie. Once they reached a darkened alley near the gardens, the helmet was ripped off her head, allowing the feeling of heavy claustrophobia to pass and Saeanna took the first real breath she’d had in the last hour. Hot tears streamed down her face as her friend rubbed her back with small circles. Not a word was said but his strong presence was enough to keep her stable. Wulf appeared with a familiar face that nearly sent her into another panic attack. 

      Jolyon wasted no time and didn’t bother to say anything to Cole before he knelt before Saeanna, pulling his adopted sister into his arms. He was a light in the encroaching darkness. “Sae… What are you doing here? This place is dangerous!” Jol pulled away, cupping her face and wiping tears away as he tried to take stock of her mental state. There were lines of stress bracketing his eyes and mouth that made her worry, racking up the nervous energy strangling her. “Shhh, little one. Just breathe, it's okay.” He was quick to pull her back into his arms, holding her and encouraging her to breathe.

      “I’m afraid we had no choice. There is alot going on…” Ghost answered and looked toward Cole and Wulf. “You probably have questions.” 

      Wulf, surprisingly, remained silent. The calm on Cole’s eyes was forced but she appreciated the attempt. “What’s going on? How do you know him?” 

      Saeanna watched the sharp planes of Jol’s face shift as he tried to think of the best way of telling them what he could without going into the whole truth. It would be impossible… Hiding her face in his chest, Sae tried her best to bury herself into Jolyon. Tears welled in her eyes again as she once again pondered the utter bullshit that was her life. How had it come to this? Memories battled with the events of the last day; Uldren holding her close, his hand yanking her forward as he expressed his disdain, his lips pressing kisses into her mouth, neck, and shoulder, the gleeful look in his eyes at the prospect of them not surviving their task. 

      *” Saeanna, you need to breathe! ”*

      Ghost didn’t speak out loud even though she floated over her shoulder, instead choosing to speak into her mind in an attempt to shake her out of her thoughts. A sharp gasp drew all three of their attention as she violently drew breath, having completely forgotten such a simple thing. “ *I… I’m sorry. *”

      “She hasn’t spoken, Jol. I don’t know why but… She can’t. She apologizes for… well…” Ghost sighed and circled her guardian. 

      “It’s alright. All of us have been struggling since-” Jolyon paused, chewing on his words for a moment. “-since the prince became unwell. We can’t speak here… there are too many eyes and ears nearby.” Saeanna appreciated him not using Uldren’s name aloud. Mentally, she wasn’t able to handle hearing his name and that simple fact made her feel weak.

      “We’re tasked to return to Venus.” Wulf nodded toward the hangar and his eyes grew sad as he refocused on Saeanna in the stranger’s arms. “She trusts you… so we will too. I can’t say I understand what’s happening but… Can you meet us there?”

       “I can.” Jol gestured around the woman shaking in his arms toward his dark garb. “ I’m supposed to be offworld right now so I won’t be missed. I’m glad I decided to hang around just a little longer, though.” One of Jol’s hands brushed over Sae’s hair and returned to wrap around her shoulders. “Saeanna, I need you to focus on me. It doesn’t feel like it right now, but everything will be okay. I have a plan, don’t worry…” 

      But even to his own ears, he still sounded unsure. It was enough though. It * had* to be. Saeanna took one more second to make sure her lungs were still functional before pulling away to give him a watery smile. “She’s glad you’re here. We should probably get moving.” Ghost said in her place.

       Wulf and Cole nodded in assent. “To Venus, then.” 

*

      Rain fell steadily on the small metal shelter they were using as refuge. As soon as they landed and stepped from their ships, the finicky weather on Venus decided to act up and dump buckets of water on their heads. All four of them spun around, trying to find the nearest cover and decided to take advantage of what used to be a ‘bus stop’ (Whatever that was). 

      “That’s some heavy shit.” Wulf finally spoke after Jol and Ghost finished telling them what had happened. Both Exos had remained silent for a time and their ghosts were huddled together beside them, listening as well. 

      “It is… and it’s no wonder you didn’t tell us. The queen of the reef attacking a lightbearer in her care?” Cole tossed away a piece of plant he’d been twirling between his fingers and sighed. “Your reaction to seeing Uldren makes a lot more sense. I was confused as to why you didn’t beat his ass for laying a hand on you.”

      “Well, had she done that, Mara might have forgiven her, but Uldren wouldn’t…” Jol stopped pacing and finally sat beside Saeanna. “Are you alright, sis?”

      ‘No’ was the short answer. She still feared what Mara would do if she caught wind that this conversation had happened but it was too late for that, she supposed. Instead of letting her dark thoughts pull her under again, Sae leaned over and rested her head on Jolyon’s shoulder. Ghost clicked and came to rest on top of The awoken man’s head. “She’s worried but… she has questions. Do you think it’s possible to help him? Is there a cure we can find?” 

      Jolyon sighed and reached up to move Ghost to his chest, leaning back against the rusty wall behind him. “It’s… complicated. The Black Garden is an entity in and of itself. I’m hoping that if you can manage to destroy the heart, it could remove the madness, as though it were some sort of curse. If *that* doesn’t work, nothing but time and reminders of who he used to be will help him.” Jol reached out and took her hand. “He’s never been fond of light bearers so taking him near the tower will do nothing but agitate him. However, before our… misadventure… He asked me to take care of you, look after you. If you'd be willing to meet with him, I think seeing you would help.”

      “It’ll take a lot of patience but both of us want to help him…” Saeanna smiled at Ghost. The love in her voice wasn’t something she was conveying from her Guardian. Those words and the emotion behind them were all her own. 

      Jol chuckled and nodded. “He’ll be back to his normal self in no time. There’s nothing we can do about the shit attitude he has, I’ve been working on that for years and he’s still an asshole, but the insanity… You will be the reason he finds himself again.” 

      Wulf and Cole looked helplessly between the two, surprised to see Ghost so comfortable in the hands of someone besides her guardian. Even more so in the hands of a man that served the Queen that had nearly killed her. Both still struggled to wrap their heads around the fact that she’d not only lied to them, but had a whole life before coming to the tower. It was unusual, to be sure, but not unheard of. From their sweet, loving Sae though? “I’m guessing we aren’t to tell the vanguard about this?”

      “No!” Ghost answered before Sae could make a move. “If you do, it puts Saeanna and Uldren at risk.” Ghost looked back at Saeanna, picking up on the guilt and fear raging through her heart. “She didn’t mean to lie, and she might not be quite the girl she’d pretended to be, but she still loves you. If she didn’t trust you, she wouldn’t have allowed either of us to tell you about her past.”

      Wulf had been acting out of character this whole time. Not once had his boisterous voice raised above a whisper and she worried that he might ask for her to be removed from his team. However, despite her fears, the titan smiled softly at her. “Sae… I won’t lie, I was angry before. But… I understand. You love that bastard and the trust you placed in us means the world to me.” He stood and sighed, resting his hands on his hips as he looked through the waves of water across the misty, derelict cityscape. “I’m fine with you staying, as long as Cole is too.”

      Cole took no time to answer, standing and crossing the small space to hug Saeanna. “I am. Thank you for telling us. I promise your secret  is safe in our hands.” 

      “Alright! With that sorted-” Wulf clapped his hands and rubbed them together vigorously. “We need to find something called a Vex Gate Lord… Would you like to tag along, Jolyon?” 

      The awoken man startled at her side, surprised that Wulf would be willing to fight alongside him. “Err… well… yes.”

      “Fantastic!” There he was! Their Titan had returned and Saeanna smiled up at him as Wulf held out a hand to her. “Come on, hunter. Let's save your prince.”

Chapter Text

      -Eris, I wanted to reach out to you with an update. Our mutual friend is with us now and we are working on finding a solution to the problem we discussed. The Black Garden might be the key and I’m praying this works. 

P.S.- Vex Gate Lords are a bitch to kill, but they do die.

      -Saeanna, I’m very glad to get your correspondence. I’m glad to hear you survived the Reef and Venus. Please keep me updated on progress. Good luck in the Garden and remember to keep your wits about you. 

P.S.- As Shaxx often says, ‘Anything can die if you hit it hard enough.’ That man is full of wisdom. There’s a tip from him that I’d like to pass along. Throw a lot of grenades.

      Saeanna allowed herself a small smile as Ghost played the message for her. It was something Shaxx would indeed say. In fact, she had heard the Titan yelling it at new crucible recruits on several occasions. Sae sighed as she materialized just outside her ship. The hangar was near deserted except for a very familiar crow smiling not too far away. “Hello, guardian! Glad to see you arrived safely.” Ikai nodded toward her as she approached. 

      As soon as Sae was within arms reach, he lightly touched her arm. “Sae, I’m glad you’re back. It’s been crazy since… you left.” Even though her helmet remained firmly on her head, he laughed quietly as though he could see her eyes widening behind the barrier. “Jolyon told me that you’d be coming. Only I know, don’t worry.” 

      Ghost spun around the Crow’s head happily. “I won’t be able to talk much soon, but Sae has lost her voice. She is so happy to see you, Ikai.”

      “Lost her- I see… I’m happy to see her as well. Hopefully I can meet the two of you in the field and we can catch up. There’s been quite a lot happening.” Sae nodded toward him and restrained the urge to throw her arms around the other man’s neck. Just seeing him boosted her spirits and gave her a spurt of strength she would need to face down Uldren once again. 

      Speaking of, the throne room was absolutely packed. The arrival of strangers must have spread like wildfire after their first visit and hearing that one would be returning seemed to have cause quite a stir. She was a mystery; a strange light bearer allowed into the City per invitation of the Queen, inquiring of a place only whispered about, and her helmet didn’t come off. Saeanna ignored the murmur that picked up as soon as she entered the open space and lifted her chin as she confidently walked toward Uldren. 

      When Cole suggested she return to the Dreaming City on her own, Jol and Sae had been appalled. Jolyon had argued that it wasn’t safe and without some sort of buffer protecting her from the Prince’s spurts of clarity, she would most likely be discovered. Wulf agreed with Cole, however. Thanks to Jolyon, they knew where the entrance of the Black Garden was and returning to the City was little more than a formality. If someone didn’t return with the damned things head, suspicion would immediately fall upon Jolyon. 

      The entrance had to be secured, especially with the uptick in Cabal activity on Mars. So despite the fear that lived in Saeanna’s eyes, they decided to split up. Cole, Wulf, And Jolyon would await her on Mars while she met with the Queen and her brother. The fact that there were so many people in the audience was more of a boon than she first thought. At least like this, if Uldren or Mara recognized Ghost’s voice, there would be nothing they could do in public. The trip back to the hangar, however… that would be a completely different story. But she would cross that bridge when she got to it, there was no need to stress about something that might not even happen.

      Uldren stood at the bottom of the dias, much like before. He smirked and crossed his arms as soon as she came to a stop before him. “There is no shame in running away, Guardian. Apart from the cowardice and failure of it, it’s an excellent strategy.”

      Sae couldn’t help the eye roll elicited from his words. Ghost was much more polite than she would have been. “We didn’t run…”

      Uldren’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t have a chance to speak before Mara cut in. “Was no gate lord slain, brother?”

      “Oh we slayed a gate lord.” Ghost’s voice was gleeful as she retrieved the hulking metal trophy from their ship and dropped it into existence right at Uldren’s feet. A murmur rose to a crescendo as the prince took half a step back from the smoking remains. “We need to find the black garden.”

      The entire courtroom fell still and silent as everyone stared at the sparks flying in every direction. The prince’s voice was soft as his eyes slowly raised to her. “They don’t even know where it is…” He was coming around. Her heart fluttered as that tug in her chest thrummed in response. A low voice in her mind breathed out a ‘ yesssssssss’ as his eyes once again searched, seeking what he longed for. 

      Mara’s cold voice cut through the silence. “Then let us tell them. Search the Gate Lord for that which gains them entrance.” 

      Fast as a whip, his contemplation slipped away and was replaced with anger and concern. Not… directed toward her, but… at Mara. He didn’t back away, but turned to half face his sister. “Why? If you wish them certain death, just kill them here!”

      What? Ghost and Saeanna shared a look as Uldren bristled. Was he trying to protect her? Did he want to kill them himself? It was low hanging fruit and Mara’s play on wisdom fell flat as she responded. “Often when we guess at others motives, we reveal only our own…”

      There was a desperation to his words as he stepped onto the stairs, a hand to his chest as though pleading. It was hard to believe that he would argue with her at all, especially in front of so many people but… That was the true mark of insanity. His mind had to be warring with itself and it didn’t pick favorites, lashing out at anyone and everyone despite the situation. “My motive is simply loyalty ; to a people, a queen, and a sister.” 

      “Then please. Take. What is. Required…” Mara didn’t like the display anymore than Saeanna thought she would. Without another word and with only a beat of hesitation, Uldren stormed over to the head and pulled a knife from his thigh holster. He still wasn’t angry with her, she realized. Whether he suspected her identity or not, he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. What raging emotion that oozed from him wasn't blind fury, but a twisted kind of frustration. Jolyon had told Saeanna and the others that the Prince had gotten nearly possessive of the garden. He wanted to preserve its beauty for his sister. She could see that in his face. He was fighting the blind loyalty for Mara, as his rational mind struggled to always seek logic and truth. Saeanna knew he was pounding at the doors of his mind to reach her, to answer that twin call in her chest even though his Queen was telling him that she was a traitor. 

      Uldren rummaged through the silver cranium for a few minutes before pulling out the once glowing eye. He made a show of smirking, holding the piece of glass above his head to present the dead thing to the crowd before pinning Sae with a glare. “Dead, unfortunately. A wasted journey, I’m afraid.”

      “Perhaps. But I think these one’s resourceful. We gift it, in sympathy for their traveler.” Uldren’s eyebrow twitched and his whole body froze at Mara’s words. Instead of more arguing, which she could see that being considered, he stalked forward.

      She couldn’t help but jerk slightly as he grabbed her arm and pushed the ‘key’ into her gloved palm. Saeanna looked quickly between the object and his eyes before settling on staring into the one that captivated her the most. “Mars. 84 north, 34 east. Meridian bay.” Every word sounded like a struggle. Uldren’s entire body was trembling as he tried to communicate something with his eyes. He was scared for her. He knew…

      “I have shown you benevolence, guardian. Should the awoken ever need an ally, I will call on you. And expect you to answer.” Mara held out a hand and Uldren, like the trained dog that he was, cast once last furtive glance at Sae and released her arm before turning to ascend the steps. 

      “She’s saying you owe us, Guardian.” Everything in her wanted to cry as she watched him walk away, not looking back once as he uttered the dismissal. The mixed signals were fogging her brain. Maybe… Maybe Jolyon was wrong and he truly didn’t want anything else to do with her… 

      Unable to do anymore than bow, Ghost acknowledged their words before they took their leave. “We understand… Your grace… My prince…” Saeanna kept forgetting what pain Ghost must be feeling, but the emotion packed in those two words nearly made her fall over. Her heart cracked once again, another schism to add to the others as she turned away. 

      *” That was a bit much, Ghost… I think he knows… ”*

      *” Oh, he knows. The way he’s looking at us speaks much louder than words. ”* They quickly exited the throne room and the sudden longing to remove her helmet overtook Sae. *”You should … It's not like they can stop you now anyway. Let Mara see that we don’t fear her… Give Uldren hope. ”*

      This could agitate him and send him into a rage. He could try and keep her from leaving. But as she stopped just beyond the entrance and turned to look back into the throne room, she saw the look Ghost was talking about. 

      Yearning. 

      Pure, unadulterated yearning. 

      Most of the crowd had forgotten about her, choosing instead to speak amongst themselves. Only Mara and Uldren watched her closely. Saeanna came to a decision, hoping it didn’t backfire horribly. *” Do It. ”*

      Ghost chuckled and transmitted her helm away as the doors began to close. She took a deep breath of air as her navy blue hair tumbled down her back. She had to look a mess; Sleep had been scarce, her appetite was non-existent, the task couldn’t wait so she hadn’t even had the chance to clean up after killing that Gate Lord, but none of it seemed to matter. Once again, their eyes met across the open space between them and lightning sparked. Despite the undiluted rage on Mara’s face and the hush that fell over the guards, Uldren took one look at her and smiled. There was no malevolence. No Hate. Nothing more than happiness and an unspoken glee at seeing her again. His eyes were clear and his right hand lifted to cover his chest where his heart hid. The bond was practically singing, causing her limbs to vibrate with need to run back to him, to hold him close. Just before the doors closed, she smiled back and hope caught fire, ready to burn her alive. There was a chance…

Chapter Text

    Hello to everyone! 

    I wanted to take the time to update y'all since it has been a while and everything is starting to settle on my end. Come to find out, the husband and I are expecting and we are both very excited. However, depression has come creeping in as this is our rainbow baby after we lost our first child almost 2 years ago. I'm doing much better though. I have a good support system, we finally got our own house, and things are settling. A new chapter is in the hands of my beta reader and I will probably be posting it tonight. I can't promise a chapter every week like I had been doing for so long, but I can promise that I will never abandon this and it will be finished. Thank you so much for keeping up with this story and being patient with me!

   Much love <3

Chapter Text

It was going too well. 

Everything was going too well. 

Saeanna should have known better.

    ‘Anything good and bad will come in threes’, Ikora always tells anyone who will listen and it was proven true in Saeanna’s life more often than not. First was their success in the Black Garden. While Jolyon had declined the invitation to re-enter the cursed place for his own sanity, he’d waited till they returned the following day. All three guardians had been tired and absolutely soaked through with radiolarian fluid, but they’d managed to do the impossible. Saeanna had hugged Jolyon tightly, not knowing when she’d be able to see him next and not able to bear the thought of leaving him without at least that. He’d met her hug with the same ferocious energy, arms coming around her middle tightly as he lifted her from the dusty green soil beneath her feet. Jol smiled against her ruffled hair, depositing a light kiss and whispering his farewells before they finally parted.

     The second was the death of Crota. A fireteam hand picked by the vanguard traveled to the moon and dispatched the nearly resurrected hive god. Nyx, Ghost, and Ashe had been awarded honors and titles by the Speaker himself and the whole city celebrated for days.

     The third came in the form of a recorded message from the Prince of the Reef himself. A report filtered in from Jolyon first. After the Guardians destroyed the heart of the garden, Uldren… Uldren had been pure chaos at first. But as days passed, the prince seemed to settle. Jol told her of his stillness, the watchful eyes that seemed to be acclimatizing to everything around him. Then, he began questioning how things had been done while he’d been incapacitated and stepped back into more active roles amongst his people and scouts. There were even days, Jolyon told her, where everything came rushing back and he’d have to leave the palace and visit their garden. More often than not, he’d spend hours up there, alone or with his adopted brother, to just stare at the sky or stare at nothing at all while he tried to process what had happened to him. 

     Two weeks had passed and, with Jolyon’s enthusiastic help, they both agreed it was probably the safest time to broach the subject of meeting off-world. Not on earth, but someplace neutral where they would have some modicum of privacy. Uldren had apparently not only been excited for the meeting, but insisted on arranging it himself.  A mission to Venus to check on the progress of the vex incursion. It was believable and no one could blame him for wanting to get into a more active role. There hadn’t been more than a few sightings in the past weeks and the master of crows could use some fresh air. Too much had fallen on Jol and Uldren worried for his safety. While the stunt Saeanna had pulled was good for Uldren’s mental health, Mara’s moods had gone haywire immediately. Jolyon was watched like a hawk until it was certain he wasn’t contacting anyone on earth. Thankfully, Eris was an old contact from the Moon as well as a friend of the queen. It seemed that spies never lost their value, and Eris was happy to provide that value so long as she could continue helping her new friend. It threw off the scent of suspicion and she was overlooked. It seemed those that were running things while Uldren recovered his faculties were less than competent. In fact, the prince had laughed when he’d found out how his brother and lover were communicating. So simple, and yet effective enough. 

  
     So once the plan had been made and the meeting spot agreed upon, Eris had received a message from the prince himself. He expressed his thanks for keeping on top of things with his right hand man and for taking care of his butterfly.  Saeanna had cried listening to it the first time and had to play it back twice more before Eris composed a reply. 

     Her bag was packed. Everything she needed for her week on Venus was together and stored on her ship. Sae might have been jumping the gun as there were still several *measly days* before she needed to leave but… The excitement that had her dancing around the apartment in spurts and the happiness that burst across her mind in scattered light and color couldn’t be ignored. Several people had caught her smiling for no reason like an idiot at the most random times, but those who knew the situation couldn’t bear to tease her about it. 

     A knock on her front door interrupted the frantic cleaning of her kitchen and she practically skipped to the door. Normally, seeing Wulf or Cole boosted her spirits but the grim look on their face had her sobering instantly. “What’s going on?” Ghost asked, her own voice betraying her worry.

     “We need to get to the war table.” Wulf was curt, his speech clipped. not once had she seen him like this. 

     “Alright, let us wrap up-” 

      “No, Ghost, we need to go now.” Out of character to the point of sending her into shock, Wulf grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of her apartment. The entire tower was in an uproar, guardians and civilians alike scrambling toward ships or posts to support those racing toward the atmosphere. 

     “Wulf, what the hell is going on?” Ghost asked, looking around and floating above the two as they raced through the crowd. 

     “You’ll see. Cole is already at the war table. There’s been.. a problem.” 

     “No kidding…” Saeanna thought to herself as they descended the stairs two at a time, pushing through the groups of people to stand beside Eris and Cole. “ Ghost… What Am I looking at?” 

     It was an expanded hologram of Saturn but… there was a full on battle taking place in its destroyed rings. Large hive-like ships were floating among the rocks while… “The awoken are fighting off a threat. It arrived less than an hour ago and already there have been heavy losses on both sides.” Cole answered out loud, no doubt responding to Ghost’s inquiry. “There are guardian’s leaving now but considering how this fight is going… They’ll most likely arrive too late.”

     “The Queen’s flagship is highlighted in gold, the Prince and his squad in blue so we can keep track of the royal family.” Eris explained, and immediately Saeanna’s eyes locked on the tiny blue dot zooming ahead of the others, dodging around clusters of enemies and debris with practiced ease. Was Jolyon in the squad with him? Was Petra on the Queen’s ship? So badly did she crave answers but her thoughts were a jumble and he couldn’t think to ask for details, so instead, all four of them watched with grim expressions on their faces as the battle unfolded before them. Like a fly in the face of a dragon, the Queen was the first to make a move. They watched her power rise, a wide tear opening in the fabric of space as ten large balls of energy emerged from the ascendant realm. They raced forward, protected by Uldren and those battle ships at his back and hit every one of the targets the queen aimed for. every one of the medium sized onyx hive ships broke apart and explosions wracked all along the hull of the flag ship. She wanted to cheer, a few guardian’s did, but… Silence fell over all of them as soon as they realized what went wrong. It did nothing. Nothing at all. Power welled up from the center of the enemy's ship and they could do nothing as the maw of the dragon opened and fire erupted. She watched Uldren race back toward his queen, watched the Awoken forces scatter, and then… Nothing… the space surrounding the intact hive ship was empty… All of it’s enemies destroyed in one fell swoop. Saeanna’s eyes remained fixed on the spot where the little blue dot had been, her lungs seizing in shock and protest. 

     “Cole, Saeanna needs privacy.” Eris quickly wrapped an arm around Saeanna’s middle as she nearly doubled over. “Her secret is still hers and she… No one can see what’s coming. You and Wulf have to get her back to her apartment.” 

     “Sae?? Sae answer me.” Large hands gripped her shoulders as her eyes flickered, trying to process the impossible situation she had just witnessed. ‘ no… ’

     “He’s gone… Oh, traveler, Sae.” No one’s voice broke though the shrieking silence that filled her mind. A piece of her began to die and she felt the bond in her heart grow taught to the point of pain. Her hands flew to her chest, trying to hold it together as she felt it begin to tear. 

     The air around her shimmered as Ghost activated their transmat. A blinding flash of light was quickly followed by her knees hitting the smooth floor of her kitchen. The room spun as the last fibers holding that pulsing bond together finally faded, leaving her hollow and broken. ‘ No! ’

     She felt her lungs try and sob, but they failed. Saeanna felt her eyes burning but she was too stunned by pain to truly feel the tears she needed to shed. Her stomach heaved and although she didn’t seem to be occupying her body, she felt wetness splashing her knees and heard someone’s concerned voice nearby. He couldn’t be… Wulf lifted her gently and carried her to the shower, clothes and all, and turned on a hot stream, trying to provide comfort as well as a way to clean her of her own vomit. It was like everything was in a third person perspective. She saw herself laying on the white tile, clothes plastered to her while Wolf tried to rub life back into her limbs. Cole paced just outside the door, ranting about how they had to leave. “Everyone is already on a ship. The vanguard is scrambling to move on the ‘Dreadnaught’, they are calling it. If that thing moves any closer to earth-”

      “Cole! That’s enough!” Wulf’s voice boomed, startling her and making her limbs seize for a moment. the Exo looked down at her pale face apologetically. “Give her a minute. She… Needs a chance to catch her breath. We’ll make sure Earth is safe, but she needs us first.” 

     It came in waves, but the warm water was helping to return feeling to her limbs. although… She wasn’t sure that was better than the numbness that had fallen over her. It was like they had been doomed from the very beginning. They had been so close… She would never see his smile, listen to his voice, hear him singing as she drifted to sleep ever again. Hell, they had never been assured of getting that ever again but.. She missed the life they had for such a small period of time. For immortals, it was less than a blink but… she prayed that the memories would never fade for her through the ages. She began crying at the mere thought of losing even the memory of his warm smile. Wulf pulled her close and tried to shush her, rocking her quietly as she cried into his metal chest. Even when the tears stopped, her breath was short and hiccups wracked her occasionally. 

     “Dreadnaught.” - Wub wub-  

     Something in her chest buzzed, pulsed at the word that filtered through the static. Was this what had taken everything from her?

     “Oryx- calling h- Taken King.” - WUB WUB-

      She shouldn’t be craving the stabbing heat rising in her chest, but it was something other than the black void threatening to consume her. Jolyon. Petra. Uldren. Jolyon. Petra. Uldren.  The names of the three people that had become her found family circulated her brain. Their loss was unbearable so instead of sinking, she fully embraced the tidal wave encroaching on what was left of her rational mind. Before the tears could return, they began to boil in her head and chest, rising as magma before it could crystallize in its sadness. ‘NO’

      Saeanna’s eyes finally lifted and took in the room. Cole and Wulf continued to speak but she still couldn’t hear everything that was said. And poor Ghost…. She was sitting quietly on the sink, eye dim and shell drooping as she also tried to process her grief. The little light also lost her partner. They both loved him and he… Uldren… Her heart shattered again as his name conjured images she wanted so badly to cling to, yet they were killing her. A beep came from all three of their ghosts, her own hesitantly rising up and floating to her shaking hand that Sae extended. “Cayde?” Wulf’s voice sounded concerned but he made sure the vanguard remained off speaker as he continued to rub soothing circles into Saeanna’s back. “I understand, We’ll be ready as soon as you give the word.” 

     “Does he have a plan?” Cole leaned against the doorframe, his form finally stilling as he tried to contain the nervous energy that flooded his sensors. 

     “A mission, just for us. They are retrofitting Eris’s ship with stealth tech so we can sneak up on the enemy ship and set up a transmat zone.” His eyes flicked down to Sae and she shuttered, struggling to sit up. He helped her, arm on her back to help steady her as the world spun. ‘I have to focus… There is too much to do, I can’t wallow in this when we have a shot to end those bastards. Remember how to breathe, how to walk…’

     “Sae, take your time. This pain, this… wound… I can’t heal this and if you try to take on too much you’ll get yourself killed.”   Ghost’s voice sounded shattered, like an old radio that had taken a couple of rounds to the speaker. 

     “I can’t!” Sae flinched. She hadn’t meant to sound so harsh. ”I won’t stop until all of those bastards are dead.”  The gray remained, the world around her was bleached of color, but the rest of the numbness that had consumed her was being overtaken by that simmering, blinding rage. 

     Ghost looked worried but didn’t bother trying to dissuade her from this path. Instead, Sae watched as a steely look bolstered the light coming from her eye and she rose to face the others. “When do we leave?”

Chapter Text

     Two hours… Two hours of thinking, raging, pacing her ship, radio silence. Two hours of travel that reminded Ghost painfully of their first trip to the tower. Except this time… They were returning. Except it wasn’t to go home, it was to visit a graveyard. And it certainly was a graveyard. The remains of the Awoken fleet were floating amongst the starlight and silence. Ships that may or may not have belonged to her family and fellow crows. This was all that was left of her heart, and it showed with every ragged breath she took. Her team silently offered their support as they searched the ruins for any sign of life. Hope slipped through their fingers like sand as they neared the dreadnought, however. There was no life, of a single survivor in the wake of the darkness before them. 

   Wulf had always been a leader. Whether it be on the field of battle or in the games Shaxx would host, his voice could be heard over throngs of people and the sound of gunfire. It seemed to fall short as he watched Saeanna rip and tear through an endless storm of Oryx’s twisted creatures in her pursuit of the Taken King. Even as he nearly screamed for her to wait for them, the hunter seemed to be possessed by something dark and driven to kill everything in sight. He felt helpless as her anger and pain drenched the bonelike structures composing the hallway in Hive gore. 

     Ghost tried to keep him as updated as possible, tried to temper the blinding despair that soaked her very soul, but there was nothing any of them could do. So instead of trying to stop the torrent, they all did what they could to make sure Saeanna survived every encounter she threw herself into. Had it only been a day? Hours? All they knew was that by the time they caught sight of the hellish creature that was Oryx, they were shrouded with Viscera and exhaustion. “The transmat just finished setting up. We should get comms any moment now.” Cole spoke just before the comforting crackle of communication came from all of their Ghosts. 

     “Guardians! Give me an update.” Zavala’s firm voice was a boon to all of their minds. 

     “Commander, the transmat is down and secure. We’ve located Oryx and the portal he used to escape but…” Wulf reached out to touch the writhing black and green surface, only to jerk away as a jolt of dark energy shocked him. “It looks like we can't get through.” 

     “You must be ascendant.” Eris’s ominous voice clanged through her head like a bell. “The ascendant plane can only be accessed by those that have touched it before, and it is rare indeed. Those that defeated his son, Crota, have tasted of that realm upon his death, and they have been traveling for some time. They should be there to face the monster within the hour.”

     An hour was too long. God knows what forces the taken king could recover in that time. Scowling, Saeanna moved to kick the invisible barrier, pain be damned, but nearly fell through when her foot passed through with no resistance. If Cole hadn’t been there to pull her away, she would have found herself alone on the wrong side of a veil. Shocked silence fell over all of them; staring at the barrier, Saeanna, and her offending foot. “Well… It looks like those three are not the only ones that can chase after Oryx.” 

     Nervous laughter from the command center was the only response to Ghost’s words for a solid minute. Cayde’s voice was hesitant as much as it was resigned, already knowing the answer to the question he was about to ask. “Please tell me it isn’t-” 

     “It is. Saeanna-” Wulf held up his hands in a placating manner, trying to turn the loose cannon away from the churning cogs smoking up her thoughts. “I’m ready to take him on just as much as you, but let's take a moment to breathe. The others will be here soon and you can go in with backup.” 

     “He is building up his resources! We have him on the run! We can’t stop now.” She screamed in her head. Ghost was quick to try and relay her message as best she could before her guardian imploded. Thoughts were racing. When had she encountered something like the ascendant plane? Rings of gold flashed through her head and she nearly gasped aloud at the realization. The Halcyon ring. She could do this! Saeanna argued with her titan friend, knowing she should wait for Nyx and her team, but wanting to do something, anything! “At least let us scout out the area. This should remain open so we can stay in communication. It’s only for an hour and I swear we'll be careful.”

     “Wait here with us, please. We just tore a hole through his forces, fought for god knows how long. You need rest, we all do.” Wulf’s words were agitated, the tightness in his voice gave away just how much he was restraining himself. 

     “I have to agree with your titan. The pain will not fade so easily and none of us want to watch you throw your life away needlessly.” Eris, unsurprisingly, was the one that spoke. She knew what it was like to be lost to the hive more than anyone else. 

     “But Saeanna does have a point.” Cayde chimed in. Of course, none of them knew the extent of her pain and rage, and Cayde being the hunter that he was, understood the value of forward intel. “Grief has its place but she isn’t stupid. if we have a better understanding of what they will be facing, it could get Nyx and the others the foothold necessary to take him down.”

     Zavala sighed as Cole and Wulf began protesting. But while they argued, Saeanna had already made up her mind. Scouting. Nothing more. Ghost only had the chance to buzz in protest before she leapt through. Wulf roared in rage and reached to catch her, recoiling once again as he was repulsed by the damned veil. “Sae! Ghost, for the love of- Answer me!” 

     But there was only silence. It seemed that nothing escaped the clutches of the Taken King once it passed into his realm. Vehement cursing was seconded by Cole and Cayde as the realization dawned on all of them. They wouldn’t be hearing from their hunter for the next hour. They only prayed she would stay alive and stay away from Oryx for that long.

Chapter Text

      The veil peeled away and Saeanna stumbled forward, nearly hitting her knees as her eyes tried to adjust. Where were they? Thick, inky blackness rivaling the depths of space surrounded her on every side and she couldn’t get her bearings. “We’re through!” Ghost spoke through the comm channel, tilting this way and that as they waited but nothing, not even static, answered them. “Well… this isn’t good…” 

      A prickle started at the base of her spine and worked its way up her body. Ghost’s shell was a comfort in her hand as Sae pulled her partner close to her chest. ”Better hide away, little light. Who knows where this bastard is hiding…”  She didn’t have to ask twice. Using Ghost to try and cast away this darkness would be nice, but with the high risk of being found and her Ghost destroyed with barely a chance to defend herself? It wasn’t worth it. Flickering a few feet ahead of them, a white flame ignited. It beckoned like a safe haven, though something told her it was anything but. Oryx was toying with her, wanting to make her a broken marionette dangling from dark strings of taken light. But what choice did she have but to play along? In this suffocating blackness he called his home, Saeanna wouldn’t be able to get the upper hand easily. So, she acted the part of a moth drawn to a flame. Her steps only faltered when a deep voice danced around the edges of her hearing. or… was it in her head?

      / “Little creature, all alone. Tell me, are you brave or merely stupid?” / Okay, maybe going on her own was a bad idea. She cloaked herself as the flame shot forward and traced an ominous sigil onto an enormous door that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Creaking open as if tugged on by thousands of invisible hands, A dimly lit hallway was revealed. Everything in her soul screamed not to move, but what was she here for? That hall led to the den of the beast. The one that ripped Uldren, Jolyon, Ikai, and so many others from her. Steeling herself, Sae crept forward, footsteps silent on the obsidian stone beneath her feet. 

      / “You will not speak? Pity… Maybe you can scream for me, just like the others did with their last breaths .”/ The voice rumbled like earth collapsing into an avalanche, twisting and transforming into a chorus of pleading screams. Most voices she didn’t recognize, but a few… Her teeth nearly cracked as she heard Uldren begging for Mara’s life, screaming in defiance over and over. /“ It is what you’re here for, isn’t it? I know that rage, that fury driven by vengeance. That is why I am here, you see. ”/

      Even as he spoke, the screaming didn’t stop. Pillars lined a long hallway before her and she collapsed behind one, hands over her ears as she prayed for relief. She had to compose herself. She couldn’t cave! Yet like nails digging into her brain, images of the ships ripped to shreds trailed behind the sounds of pain, fear, and death like an old friend. 

      / “Do not worry, creature.” / The voice was right beside her, echoing from the blackness at her shoulder. Saeanna’s heart leapt into her throat and she spun away, rifle in hand as she stared into the darkness. Has she ever stopped to wonder if something preyed on them in the darkest corners of a room? It was a novel feeling, now knowing that something stared back. / “Death will end your suffering. ”/ He sounded coy, a hint of false sympathy dripping from his words as if he knew a secret she didn’t. With a violence that she didn’t prepare for, her rifle was ripped from her hands and clattered off into the distance just as something seized her. Joints popped, muscles screamed in protest as the hand that held her entire body squeezed. /“ But the escape of death will not find you , I won’t allow it. Your light is mine! ”/

*

      That hour had been the longest of his life. And so had the next, and the next. Every second seemed to wear Cayde-6 to the bone. He paced, raged, and even threw a few choice words at Zavala when the titan tried to calm him. She was his hunter, damn it! And this…

      This was his fault. 

      He knew Saeanna looked up to him. And though he didn’t understand what had hurt her so badly, he should have known better than to say what he had. The woman was shrouded in secrets and it was something he was content to let her have. Not once had he thought of prying, though he could have. Maybe he should have… As always, he was the fuckup, costing the lives of good people with careless words and actions. Those things had weight, and he was afraid he’d just drowned Sae with them. Cayde always wore his regret like the cloak on his back, and right now it was strangling him, gnawing at his heart and mind. Just like Andal, the mere possibility of Saeanna’s death was consuming him from the inside out and all his fireteam could do was wait and watch with sad eyes. 

      Finally. FINALLY, the crackle of static filled the room. Shouting was all they could make out as the voices of her comrades stumbled over each other. Each one made a bid to be heard first and the information was lost in the chaos. Nyx, Ashe, Ghost, and Wulf spoke over one another, creating a cacophony of panicked sound that made his circuits fry. “ENOUGH!” The roar he unleashed was enough to rain silence on every channel. “One at a time! I need an update on my hunter!” 

      “She’s… She… I can’t…” Ghost was sobbing, a mess but clearly there.

      “She’s??? You can’t what?!” Fear lanced Cayde and it was obvious he was trying hard not to snap on the little light.

      “Alive, Sir. But… We need a medical team in the hangar when we arrive. Along with Eris.” Wulf spoke quickly, sounding barely more composed than Ghost. Eris? He turned to look at the hive woman but she only responded with a solemn nod. “We’ll be there in an hour. She’s being held in stasis in her ship’s transmat core. We’re hoping it will be enough to save her.”

      “Let us pray that it isn’t too late…” Those cryptic words were enough to make his eye twitch but if Eris was the only hope of saving Saeanna, he wasn’t about to ream her ass. Big Blue, however, seemed determined to catch that ass beating. 

      “Zavala, shut the hell up!” Stalking from the room to keep from delivering just that and to escape the oppressive stares, Cayde quickly moved through the courtyard. He only broke into a run when he hit the stairs leading to the hangar. “I need all of the ships in this area cleared now!” 

      Amanda pushed out from beneath her baby. Her blonde hair and freckled face was streaked with grease and ruffled with annoyance. There was a well known rule in her domain. She was the queen of this hangar and no one gave directions without running them by her first. Who did he think he was, ordering her help about like that? But one look at his face was enough to change her tune. She joined him, quickly turning to back up his orders and helping to clear the space. Their work was efficient and he filled her in as they went. Amanda didn’t know Saeanna very well but after hearing the situation and pain in her friend’s voice, she was quick to do all she could to get ready. An hour? From Saturn? If the ship arrived in one piece, she’d have her hands busy getting those engines rebuilt.

     As promised, Saeanna’s Solpiercer blasted into the tower’s airspace when promised, smoking and looking fit to shake apart. Its forward thrusters were completely gone, causing the wreckage to slam harshly onto the scarred stone of the hangar. A wave of heat washed over all those that had gathered near the stairs but that didn’t deter a certain Exo. Cayde rushed forward despite several calls of warning behind him. Humans wouldn’t be able to stand the explosion if anything went wrong, but he could. Or at least he’d have the best chance. His momentum was lost, boots protesting as he skidded to a stop as soon as a shimmer distorted the air in front of him.

      Saeanna shouldn’t have been able to stand… Her armor had been ripped to shreds, hanging from her frame like shingles on an old house. Her brilliant skin was pale, unnatural considering her awoken heritage. What should have been dark blue hair looked dipped in grease and hung about her face like a curtain. Most shocking of all, though, were her eyes. They stared ahead, soulless and glowing green like… like… Eris. “Her light…” He barely registered his words, voice sounding far away as he took a hesitant step toward her

      “I can’t touch her, Cayde.” Ghost spun around her frantically, trying over and over to make some kind of connection and failing. “Be careful!” Her thin voice stopped him as Cayde reached forward to take hold of the stunned hunter. “She fought the others when they tried to touch her.” 

      “We have to do something.” Ghost clicked sadly in response to his words, holding her tongue as the tips of Cayde’s fingers gently moved a few strands of filthy hair from Saeanna’s eyes. She jerked, gasping as though ready to fight or run, but upon hearing soft words of comfort coming from her vanguard, Sae froze. Her body shook slightly as his hands took hold of her shoulders, but she didn’t fight him. And when the cone of sparkling light seemed to touch her one too many times, causing her to wobble under the weight of all she endured, Cayde was right there to catch her. His arms banded about her body to make sure she never hit the floor. Had she always seemed so small? So light? There had been several times he’d scooped her up in excitement after a successful mission, or occasionally when she brought him a bowl of ramen while he worked. Now… Holding her close, her body seemed almost hollow. Like her insides had been carved out and replaced with nothing but darkness. A pained whimper escaped her cracked lips as black tears began tracing tainted lines down her face. It was like the corruption had nowhere else to go. He didn’t wait for the rest of her fireteam to arrive before turning on his heel and rushing her over to the medics that waited a safe distance away from the smoking ship behind him. 

      Every step of the way, he remained by her side. Cayde would  be there when she came back to him. She had to come back…

Chapter Text

     Cayde had never understood what drove Eris. After going to the moon and returning lightless, she remained solemn but still had a flicker of something that drove her, kept her alive. It was a reminder for all of them of the possibility of what could happen and too often, he would wonder what he would do in her situation. In this moment, however, no other thought crossed his mind except ‘thank god, thank god, thank god.’ Everyone in that room couldn’t be more grateful for her survival. As those that had worked over her slumped in relief, wiping sweat and tears from their face, a realization settled over them. In Eris’s words, it had been a close thing. Too close… It took 2 days of strange hive magic before Saeanna’s light finally returned to her body. Physically, she had been healed, but there was only one catch; Her mind was damaged and could only be healed with time. 

     But it would be okay! Time? Never heard of him. And apparently Time had never heard of Cayde and his stubborn streak that could make a saint swear. So for the entire week that followed, he poured every ounce of his energy into making sure she was surrounded by friends and light. If nothing else but to remind her that she was safe and far away from whatever hell she experienced. Eventually, the empty stares slid into something resembling life. Her reactions came quicker, eyes flickered up more often, smiles shifted from hollow to mirthful. When the hospital finally cleared her, Cayde got to be the one to take her home. (internally he cheered at that fact.) While Sae acknowledged the others, interacting with them as much as she could, there was something about Cayde that made her seem a little more sane. It was almost like smiling wasn’t so painful. As though she were made of the finest china, Cayde took her hand and looped it over his arm to help her stand. “We could just transmat, y'know. It would be faster and involve less…” His hand waved in the air as if trying to summon the words he lacked. 

     Sae just shook her head with a small smile. Ghost had finally finished packing up all the small gifts and trinkets her visitors brought her and bounced ahead of them alongside Sundance. “She could use the air. Besides, if it gets to be too much, you’re here to help us.” 

     “Alright, but we’re takin the back way. The courtyard is usually really busy this time of day.” Ghost did little more than bob in agreement at his words. Their path was indeed quiet and abandoned. Only their solitary figures wandered through the gardens that rested above the war room. It was a rather well hidden, well maintained refuge that Ikora took pride in caring for. Most guardians were too busy to visit, racing across the tower so they could get back out into the field. It ended up being a blessing in disguise. There was a quiet magic in the way her eyes lit up at the feeling of the sun on her face. Soft petals greeted her fingers as she took in every flower and leaf like it was her first time seeing them. “Would it be alright if I stop by through the week? I know you might want some time to yourself but-”

     She stopped him with a hand to his arm and Ghost settled on her shoulder. “She’d like that. Wulf and Cole can be a bit much sometimes.” Her words comforted him more than he let on. If there was anything to be said about Cayde-6, he was a handful all  of the time. But despite all of the things that came with him and the reputation he created for himself, he wanted to be there for Saeanna. He wanted to make sure the smile that was there stayed on her face. 

     Wulf and Cole descended upon the two as soon as they arrived, clucking like a couple of overbearing chickens. Cayde, true to his word, did what he could. As soon as his day was done and he could escape Zavala and his seemingly never ending pile of paperwork, he took over until the small hours of the morning. He’d always bring her food and corny jokes to try and lift the oppressive darkness that clung to the corners of her mind. And one day, it was almost like they had the old Saeanna back. “Honey! I’m home!” Cayde called out with a chuckle as he pushed the door open with a boot. Juggling the take away containers in his arms, his eyes scanned the apartment until a mess of blue hair poked out from around the corner. 

     “Cayde! Welcome back.” Ghost called out and raced to keep up with Saeanna as she dashed around the corner. After a long day of being mother-henned by Wulf, she was ecstatic to see Cayde. Though… A frown plastered across her face as she took in the boxes full of fragrant food.

     “What’s that look for? You know I always bring the good stuff!” His voice held the perfect amount of teasing and indignation. 

     “Yes, but She told you she wanted to make dinner for you tonight!” Sae’s pout was adorable and he couldn’t resist pinching her cheek once his hands were free. 

     “She did, but she doesn’t have to go to all that trouble. I don’t mind swingin' by someplace before stoppin' in.” 

     “Maybe not, but we went to the store and everything! She wants to take care of someone other than herself. Apparently, it’s driving her nuts to be coddled so much.” Cayde grumbled but Ghost rushed over and lowered her voice. “C’mon, Cayde, let her cook for you.” 

     He thought for a moment, leaning against the counter and staring at her hard for several seconds before finally coming up with a solution. “Alright, we’re gonna fight for it.” 

     “Fight?” Ghost sounded appalled but he held up a hand with a smug smirk. 

     “We’re gonna settle this like adults. Hands up!” Cayde placed his fist on the opposite palm and the lightbulb popped on in Sae’s head after a moment or two. To say their battle had been fierce was an understatement, but at the end of the day, her paper beat his rock and he was forced to secede three days a week to the hellion in front of him. “Gosh darn it, Sae… Ugh, fine, fine. But I get to grab ramen sometimes. My pride couldn’t take it if you ended up taking care of me. That’s my job, missy.” He couldn’t help but flash a smile and ruffle her hair as she unboxed their dinner. 

*

     It had been a calm week, so the frantic call he just got from Ghost was more than concerning. “Cayde, Ghost is patching through now. She sounds scared.” Sundance twirled around his head and he nodded, striding away from his desk, much to Zavala’s displeasure. 

     “Don’t worry, Big Blue, just… give me a second.” Cayde wasn’t deaf, and he knew Zavala was pitching a fit about ‘favoritism’ but Ikora was quick to chime in with a few quick words, telling him to stuff it. He wanted to take the time to laugh about the entire situation but his train of thought was de-railed as soon as the line was opened. 

     “Cayde! Cayde I need you here ASAP! She-” Her words came out in a flurry, making him pick up his pace for the door. 

     “Hey now, slow Little light, I’m already on my way. Take a breath and tell me what’s goin' on.” 

     “She was getting out of the shower and the power went out. The dark triggered some kind of panic attack… She lost it. I had to leave the bedroom. She has a gun, Cayde!” There was so much fear in her voice that Cayde couldn’t stop a measure of despair from creeping around his throat like a hand intent on choking him to death. 

     “Where’s Cole?? It was his night, right?” 

     “He was called away by Ikora. Sae didn’t think anything of it and I… I thought she would be okay!”

     “Alright. I’ll be there in just a second. Hang tight. Sundance?” 

     “Gotcha!” And in a blur of light, his surroundings disappeared and his ghost dropped him directly into Sae’s living room. Ghost flew to him and he caught her as she bounced against his chest. 

     “I’m here, I’ll make sure she’s okay. Have you called anyone else?”

     If a machine could sound tearful, Ghost had it down pat. “No, just you.”

     “Good. Keep it quiet unless this goes badly. Dance, stay here with Ghost.” Sundance brushed her shell against Ghost and they migrated to the back of the couch, watching him as he approached her bedroom. The door gave way to the blackness within and before he could say a word, the ominous, telltale ‘Snick’ of a hammer being pulled to full cock had him freezing in the doorway. He didn’t know where she was, but something told him that wasn’t what was important right now. The light on her nightstand… that would be his destination. “Saeanna… My name is Cayde-6. You know me. You’re safe in the tower. I’m your vanguard, Sae. You’re safe in your apartment in the tower. I’ll never hurt you, you know that.” Over and over, he repeated his name and how safe she was like a sacred mantra in a holy place. And in a way, he supposed he was praying. The last thing her psyche needed was to have accidentally killed him in a place where he couldn’t be revived until reinforcements arrived. So Cayde prayed to whatever god still existed as he slowly moved across the dark space until the corner of her nightstand pressed into his leg.

     Finally, blessedly, the area was illuminated in a soft glow, but it didn’t make too much of a difference to the other occupant. It took every ounce of his being to remain calm and approach slowly. Saeanna looked fit to shake apart. Her form was twisted in such a way so that it took up the smallest amount of space possible in the corner. And pointed right for the door where he had been standing, wobbling slightly, was a rather hefty hand cannon held aloft.

     Cayde was unsure how to proceed when he finally reached her, and like the idiot he was known to be, he reached out and touched her shoulder. It had roughly the same effect of dunking a sleeping cat in a bucket of water. Saeanna’s eyes flew open and the sound of a shot rang through the room. It didn’t even graze him, but it didn’t matter that she hadn’t incapacitated him. Not a second later, he had his hands full with a hunter whaling on him. He had to say, even in a blind panic he was impressed with how many hits she landed before he finally got his arms around her from behind. Sae struggled with every ounce of ferocity he knew she possessed and in a bid to make sure she didn’t hurt herself trying to take him out, he ended up falling backwards. He did land a little hard on his ass, but it was a better position to wrap himself around her smaller body and hold her secure against him. “Saeanna! It’s me! It’s Cayde! Darlin, I need you to stop. Don’t hurt yourself, it’s just me!” Those thirty seconds felt like a lifetime, but eventually his words sunk through the violent haze that blinded her. Like a switch had been flipped, she went limp in his arms and he collapsed back into the wall behind him. His body went from restraining to protective, curling over her as though to protect her from the imagined terrors plaguing her. The gun was prised from her hands and skittered across the floor from the force he used to slide it from them. 

     “C- C-” She was… trying to speak??

     “Shhhh Darlin, it's alright. It’s gonna be okay, you didn’t hurt me. You’re safe here, Sae.” When she finally lifted her eyes, there was a lingering fear, but sadness and regret took the forefront. Tears streamed down her flushed face and he lifted his hands to cradle her cheeks. She sniffled once before very literally crumbling back into his chest to sob into his gray tee, gasping breaths wracking her body. The material would most definitely be stained but he didn’t give a single damn. 

     After her broken sobs shifted into soft hiccupping, he moved a hand to the crown of her head, softly stroking the still damp hair from her face. “I’m gonna move you to the bed and get you settled in, is that okay?” Her silence was punctuated with her fingers twisting tighter into that tear stained cloth. Honestly, he was surprised it didn’t tear from the strength of the grip she used. It was barely there, but after a few heartbeats, she nodded her assent. It was an easy thing for Cayde to stand with her in his arms. (Pistons and thrusters for the win!) He took the opportunity to call Dance and Ghost into the room, letting them know that it was safe for them to enter. 

     “Sae?” Ghost asked shyly as she sidled up to her guardian. Weakly, Saeanna reached up to caress the shell of her heart and soul, letting her know that she was still here, still alive. 

     After they were situated with his back to her headboard and her body curled against his, Cayde finally had the strength to speak. “Saeanna, I-... I’m so sorry about what happened. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” Her head rocks side to side, silently telling him that he didn’t have to apologize but he felt in his soul that he did, and he wanted to. “No, Sae, just let me get this out. Please. I shouldn’t've said what I did. No matter how many years I’ve lived, I never seem to learn and… I don’t want- I Can’t lose you. Not because of a hive god, not because of my stupidity.”

     Her eyes were wide as she watched him speak, and thankfully she didn’t try to interrupt or stop him from saying what had been weighing on his mind for weeks. Nothing else was said, nothing else needed to be said. It was beautiful, the way she forgave him and if he could shed tears of the Traveler’s light, he would have. The both of them simply relaxed in each other's arms, the silence broken only by slight sniffles or whirring machinery as his hands occasionally moved to gently run over her shoulders as a comfort. And when it finally came, the weight of sleep was a blessing as it overtook her exhausted mind. It would have been a sin to wake her, but he didn’t feel he belonged there. In her bed. Not yet. So as carefully as he could manage, Cayde extradited himself from her tight grasp, tucking her in and settling in the soft chair at her bedside. It was going to be a long night but he swore to himself he would make sure the lights stayed on for her.

* 

     The following day, Saeanna woke to find sunlight streaming through her bedroom window, the smell of bacon and coffee wafting in from the kitchen. Last she remembered, she had been alone and in the shower… but then she also remembered strong arms holding her together as she… A blinding flash of pain radiated through her head and she dug the palms of her hands into her eyes, trying to dispel the sudden pain. What was that?

     Confused and with the memories from the night before still very murky, she wandered in to the kitchen, wearing her soft pants and an oversized tee she did not remember owning to find Cayde standing in front of her stove. The image was so startling, she couldn’t do anything else but stand in the doorway, shellshocked as she took him in. Normally, at this time of day, he was already at work, but here he stood, wearing the frilly apron she bought on a whim humming to himself as he battles popping grease to retrieve slightly burned breakfast foods from a hot skillet. Ghost spun into existence at her head and bobbed silently, making her smile as she watched. 

     This was peaceful… Besides the off key singing, that is. He was lost in his own world, humming morphed into enthusiastic singing just before he turned around and clapped eyes on her standing in the doorway. “LaSt FrIdAy NiGh-AAH! OH MY Cotton socks- you scared me!” Nothing could have stopped the burst of surprised laughter that escaped her. “Sae! You’re awake! Holy smokes you are quiet, well, of course you are, you’re my hunter after all!” He followed his words with a small wink that made her smile widen. Waving the spatula toward a chair at her island while he put their food on a plate. “It's not be the best but I figured some food might be nice. C’mon! Sit down and shower me with praise! I tell you, I feel like I was made to be a housewife, in another life.”

     “I’m surprised you didn’t burn the apartment complex down.” Ghost teased, making Sae giggle snort as Cayde huffed in indignation. 

     “Please! Little ‘ol me? I’ve never set a single thing on fire in my life!” And with that, she knew he was teasing. Laughter filled the kitchen as she picked up her silverware and Cayde settled in next to her. Despite the fear of burned bacon, the food was good. After a few bites, though, she noticed that he had yet to touch his food. With a questioning tilt of her head, she looked over and met his electric blue eyes. “You know… last night was a little rough and I was thinking.”

     “That’s dangerous!” Ghost’s words made Cayde chuckle. “She doesn’t remember a lot of what happened last night, Cayde. A crippling pain starts up every time she tries to remember.” 

     “Then don’t push yourself.” Cayde laid a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention back to the Exo. “Either way, we need to find a better solution to the rotation. Soo… I was thinking… On the nights when Wulf and Cole can’t be here, I stay the night!” Her brows immediately furrowed and he turned to face her fully, quick to try and abate her fears. “Don’t worry! It’ll be like a sleepover! We can make pillow forts and watch old vids over a bowl of popcorn or ice cream and I can take the couch- '' His words trailed off as she started giggling, the volume slowly rising until she neared hysterics. “You never take me seriously…” 

     The way he pouted sent her into another round of laughter. Ghost chuckled and bobbed around them as he spoke. “Of course she does, Cayde. Sae was only worried for your comfort but turns out she didn’t have to. It sounds… fun!” It worried her… what happened last night. It wasn’t that she wasn’t excited to have these awesome, ridiculous sleepovers with Cayde but whatever prompted this must have been bad. Of course he was light-hearted, not one to bother her with the nitty gritty details more than necessary. Regardless, she worried. But even through the gaps in her memory, she could see how much he cared. Sae knew that, for the first time in a long time, she was well and truly safe.

Chapter Text

     There were many things that had happened in Cayde’s life that left him baffled. Most of it was his fault, to be fair, but something told him that the note he found on Saeanna’s counter had nothing to do with him. Her rooms had been dark and cold when he came to stay that night, which was the first and second clue that something was wrong. When there are three things that make the synthetic hairs on the back of your neck stand up, you should probably be worried. 

     And worried he was. 

     The note had been brief, and not as bad as what he initially assumed. Saeanna had written in her neat, flowing handwriting that she had to leave the tower for personal business and wouldn’t be back for a week, maybe two. Well, shitfire! She was his hunter, of course her business was his business! What could be so important that she just didn’t tell him outright? There was only one person she trusted more than him, so he turned on his heel and marched back toward the Command center in search of his warlock counterpart.

     “Cayde, she cleared it with me only because it’s a matter requiring tact and subtlety.” Ikora, as always, maintained a rather dignified air about her, even as she insulted him. 

     “And? I can be tactful and… Subtle.” They both knew that to be an egregious lie, but Cayde was trying to hold himself together as it was.

     “I promise she is safe and will return soon. You can ask her when she gets back but… This is one of those rare things you might want to let her process on her own, Cayde. She trusts you, and has come to care for you, but let her work this out.” The Exo sighed, knowing that Ikora was right. They all had their fair share of demons and death, he supposed she was ready to face this one head on… He just wished she didn’t have to do it alone. 

 *

     The hellscape that was her heart hadn’t been given the chance to rest like it needed before the cracks in its crust began to seep burning magma. Uldren had been royalty, after all, and despite the deaths of its Queen and Crowned Prince, the pomp and circumstance of the Dreaming City never stopped. One time, Uldren had taken her to the outdoor garden reserved for graves. He’d told her about all those lost in their flight from the Distributary and the grief the entire city felt when they had to lay their dead to rest. Like anyone in love with a man that could be taken away, she had hoped that she’d never have to live through such a thing. Hope blazed that he would never die, that once they found each other again they would have the chance to make his home better. But hope, like so many other tantalizing things that dangle just out of reach, was nothing more than a hollow dream… The worst type of demon. A shell with nothing more than a rotten core of heartbreak and despair. 

     It was strange, seeing the familiar light of the dreaming city shine down on cut stone streets like normal. As though every doorway and window weren’t draped in black cloth. As though lanterns burning with a blue light for memorial weren’t hanging from every post from where she stood at the docks to the palace. Blue flame… meant to bring the lost dead home to rest. Would he finally find the peace he so desperately wanted here? Saeanna adjusted her mask and set off into the streets. She didn’t attend the service proper. No… They would be singing songs of lament to empty caskets. There were no bodies… none that they could find, anyway. Sae didn’t know if she could set foot back in that palace even if she wanted to and the mere thought of having to sing anything for Mara made her sick. Petra had wanted to meet her afterwards, to give her something. Whatever she wanted to give the guardian was going to wait, so Saeanna wandered to the place where she would most likely find Uldren, if he were here. 

     The garden was the same as it always had been; From the first time she’d spied the prince grieving their fight until just before he’d left, before Mara betrayed them all. A faint pulse beat beneath her breast and she placed a hand over her heart. She hadn’t told Ghost. When she’d returned to herself in the tower, that faint thrumming had returned and she loathed it. Once upon a time, she thought it had been her connection to Uldren. It had been the one thing she could rely on to tell her he was still out there waiting for her, but now she knew it was a lie. She paced around the inside of the ring of pillars several times until she collapsed onto the familiar stone table. 

     How many nights had they spent here? The serenity of this place remained and- Her train of thought cut off so abruptly, she couldn’t contain her gasp of shock. The gentle breezes had always been musical up here, twisting through the stones and crevices of the mountain as they ascended to this place. But there was something… Humming… was it humming? There was no way… Ghost appeared at her shoulder and Took in her pale face with no small amount of worry. “What’s wrong?” 

     “Do you… do you hear that?” Saeanna asked but Ghost rocked back and forth in lieu of shaking her head.

     “No. What do you hear?”

     ”Singing… I hear Uldren singing.” If Ghost could cry for her guardian, she would have. Settling for the only comfort she could give, Ghost settled into the crook of her neck and vibrated softly in her own sadness. Sae knew Ghost probably thought she was insane… maybe she was. But if this was insanity, she didn’t want it to end. Tears pooled on the stone beneath her head as she lay still as a statue, eyes closed and listening to Uldren sing for her one last time. 

*

     “He really did love this place…” Petra’s voice shocked her out of the meditative state she had slipped into, causing her to jerk upright so fast her head spun. 

     “Petra! We must have lost track of time. We’re sorry…” Ghost spoke over her yelp of shock. Saeanna’s hands quickly wiped what moisture that remained off of her face as Ghost resettled on her shoulder.

     “Don’t apologize. When I saw you weren't at the services, I knew you’d be here. It’s fitting… Uldren hated being caged in the walls of the palace.” Saeanna flinched but remained silent, sitting with an arm wrapped around her middle. “I… I should be the one to apologize for what happened that night. Mara was many things but I couldn’t help but love her, even if she had been a monster.” 

     It was cathartic to hear. Ghost’s voice shook with the emotions she wanted to express and it broke her heart. Ghost had loved him so dearly, and she wished with every ounce of her being that her little light didn’t have to go through this. “It happened though, and it showed her that this place hadn’t truly been her home, not for the reasons we thought. He made it home for us.” 

     “You have every right to be here, Saeanna. You served this kingdom, you are awoken, and you are the chosen Consort of the Crowned Prince.”

     “Not anymore. We want to stay so badly, to mourn h- Uldren-” Ghost’s voice cracked as she said his name, but she pushed through. “-and the others as they deserve to be mourned. Neither of us can stomach standing beside an empty coffin, Petra. He shouldn’t have been killed, he deserved -” She stopped herself as her voice began to rise. Saeanna felt the clot of loss rising in her throat to choke the life from her. Petra stepped forward and hugged her tight as she cried. 

     “You’re right. He didn’t deserve that. He deserved happiness and we all hoped his sister would see that truth before the end.” Saeanna growled at the mere mention of Mara but kept her mouth shut. Petra sighed and stepped away, pulling a long, wrapped object from her back. With steady hands, she carefully held it out for Saeanna to take. Her demeanor shifted from the friend she knew to Queensguard, officially tasked with carrying out the will of a member of the royal family. “He wanted you to have this, in the event that something happened to him.” 

    It was Uldren’s sword, the one with glowing gems and carefully crafted wings. The one he’d used to save her when they’d first met. Saeanna didn’t know where the tears were coming from, but they fell regardless. Her hands shook as she carefully traced a finger along the subtle curve of the spine. “We’ll take good care of it. Thank you, Petra…” 

     Petra nods. “I know you will. Take good care of yourself. Both of you.” And with that, she turned to disappear into the fading dusk, leaving her to drown in the memories pouring into her mind. It was like a reel of old film that warped as it burned. Their meeting, the way they fought, the way he’d kissed her for the first time, his hands tracing over her arms as they lay beneath the stars, the sharp line of his jaw as she looked up at him, tucked close to his chest. This was the final chapter and it cut her to the bone… 

     Hours later found her empty and drained. Her tears had dried and it left her feeling… vacant, yes, but she was also left with a keen understanding that this was no longer her home. Those memories they made together would be kept in her secret heart, but there were people that truly cared for her elsewhere. Joints stiff and cracking, she touched Ghost’s shell where she rested on Saeanna’s shoulder. Uldren had taken her to the garden where they buried their dead what felt like a lifetime ago, but here, in the soil of this place, their garden, she buried her sadness like an axe in the ground. She couldn’t love him anymore than she did at that moment, but he was gone. Ignoring the traitorous thrumming in her heart and turning her face toward the wind carrying the voice that she knew would follow her for the rest of her life, Saeanna turned and left the dreaming city behind her.

Chapter Text

     “Damn Cayde! You could pull your punches, you know.” Amanda called out with a low whistle from beneath the bird she was wrenching on. The back of Sae’s wrist was used to wipe away the blood collecting on her chin as she cracked a fierce smile. While appreciating the sentiment, neither one of them was about to start pulling punches. Ghost and Sundance, who were watching their guardians pummel each other for the nth time that day, knew that the weight behind those swings wouldn’t be alleviated. And as if there wasn’t enough of an audience, Shaxx and Wulf chose that moment to enter in a way that only titans could pull off. Loudly, and full of so much energy that it made her feel old.

    With a booming laugh, Shaxx clapped his hands in typical Shaxx fashion. “Nonsense! One should never pull their punches. Always go full force against your opponent.” The two men settled beside the ghosts as they watched Sae and Cayde circle each other. Sweat dripped from Saeanna’s body, soaking the sports bra and black shorts she wore. Every piece of her ached but only in the best way. Sae signaled for a time out to rewrap her fists, to which Cayde enthusiastically agreed to. Had he been human, Cayde was sure that he would need a mop to clean up the veritable lake of sweat he would have produced by now. There was one thing that could be said of his hunter; she knew how to wear him out. One minute, she was walking to the hangar with him, happy and content. The next, she has gone feral and is actively trying to rip his head off! On days like today, He had to wonder what was eating Saeanna… Taking that moment to cool off, Cayde took a moment to pop his exhaust vents a bit to air out. At this point, the thin tank top was little more than a hindrance. He yanked it up and over his head, leaving him in nothing but his gray sweatpants. 

     “How's it going, you two? Come to enjoy the show?” Sae asked as the expert on hand wrapping (Wulf) helped her. It was almost funny. They had asked Amanda to spar here for privacy but somehow it had turned into an attraction for their friends to come and witness. It wasn’t like she was the only one getting her ass whooped, though. Every now and again, she would get the upper hand on the Exo and send him flying across the mats. Cerulean and gold machinery whirred, drawing her eye. For the millionth time over the past 6 months, Saeanna caught herself staring at Cayde’s exposed torso and had to ask… Why couldn’t the man keep a fucking shirt on?

     All of this started because she had returned to the tower a little more exhausted than normal. Her vanguard had nearly gone ballistic on her for no good reason… Okay, maybe he had a point… At first he hadn’t noticed how often she’d been gone, how much work she’d been taking. Cayde just kept assigning her missions and she would take them one right after another, oftentimes completing several patrols while she was out traveling the various planets. However, one day, he noticed his desk was suspiciously clear of paperwork. When he’d enquired about it, Zavala had congratulated him on FINALLY getting caught up. 

     Cayde had frowned in the face of that information. Oh hell no, he had a reputation to uphold, and he was never caught up. EVER. Then he thought about it and realized he hadn’t seen Sae in over 2 weeks. It had sent him into a tizzy that hadn’t abated until she had returned several nights later. She dragged herself through the hangar looking like death warmed over and thinner than he had ever seen her. And yes, that included when she had arrived as a new light. So he’d pulled out every stop he had in his box of charms and convinced her to go get some late night ramen with him. She had laughed at one of his silly jokes, and the sound sang out beautifully. That night he enjoyed spending the largest chunk of time with her than he had in a while. This had to change… She was literally driving herself into the ground. 

     So the next day, when she had come in for a mission, Cayde had looped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her from the command center. He proposed a sparring session, one she had hesitantly agreed to. After thrashing him rather soundly, it was obvious to both of them that he needed to get some exercise in. After she made a comment about him letting all that ramen get to him, he flew at her. After that, they had sectioned off a corner of the hangar and would meet everyday. Afterwards was usually dinner, that eventually led to a night of movies/games/dancing after that. Her vanguard very quickly became her best friend. Meanwhile he’d succeed in bringing her back to him and away from the endless void of space that had claimed too many hunters.  

     Hell, there were even times when he got to join her on random patrols as long as Zavala approved first. It had been a good exercise for him, since he had gotten a little too rusty sitting behind a desk in the tower. So on days like today, they stretched and took out any and all frustrations on each other while calling it “Relaxation”. After another round where Cayde managed to knock her on her ass, Wulf stands and makes his way over to the hunter that had just collected herself up off the ground. “Sae! I see your vanguard is putting you through your paces. A thought occurred to me; Even as a Solar hunter, he could probably teach you some useful tricks with your light.” It wasn’t an uncalled for suggestion. Actually, it was a good one but just the idea turned her stomach. 

     “Sorry Wulf, We were just about to call it for today. Saeanna has a few errands to run.” Ghost, sensing her guardian’s distress, zoomed over to speak to their fireteam lead. 

     “Oh? Already? But we were just getting to the good part!” Cayde jogged over but she stepped away, shooting him an apologetic smile. 

     “Did we forget to mention? Sorry Cayde. Maybe Wulf can finish up the rest of the hour.” Ghost bobbed in lieu of farewell and followed after her guardian who was well and truly running from the hangar. Later that night, a knock on her door surprises her. She put down her rifle in a clean spot not occupied by spare parts and oil, then opened the door. 

     She shouldn’t have been surprised to see Cayde leaning against the doorframe with a curious look on his face. “Hey, there’s my favorite hunter!” Saeanna smiled and waved him in, nervous about him asking after her strange behavior earlier but not enough to bar him from her home. He stood over her project with a thoughtful look until she joined him. “This is coming along nicely! I like what you’re doing with the receiver.” Sae nodded and touched his arm, a tilt of her head and a smile showing him that while she was happy to see him, she was confused about the late night visit. “Look, there’s this really neat place I wanted to show you tonight. It's here on Earth so Big Blue can’t be too mad about it. I haven’t been there in a while and… well, I wanted you to come along.” 

     Ghost materialized over her shoulder and booped his horn in greeting. “Sure thing, Cayde. Should we bring anything in particular?” 

     “Just your cloak and a gun, in case of vandals- OH! And the trusty sparrow. I hope it’s tuned up and ready to go!” Saeanna smiled and nodded. She knew to keep the land vehicle in good repair at all times thanks to her vanguard’s proclivity for random races and trips. “Sundance will shoot you over the coordinates. I’ll see ya in a bit.”

     This was… strange… to say the least. He hadn’t mentioned her quick escape at all and wanted to leave the tower? and be out after dark? What was going on?? Without wasting any time, she dressed in A black long sleeved shirt, Black cargo pants, and clipped a dark gray wool cloak over her shoulders just in case it was indeed cold, like he said. The festival of the lost was right around the corner and the temperatures were in a constant state of flux. The flight only took an hour at most and he was already waiting for her beside his own sparrow with a bright grin on his face.  “Ready to go? Come on, it isn’t far. Race ya to the cliff!” 

       ‘The Cliff’ in question was a spot on the far edge of the winding cove. There were several beautiful spots overlooking the ocean but… what was so special about tonight? By the light of the moon and the Aurora Borealis overhead, the two hunters raced through the abandoned village nearby, up and over dilapidated roads and bridges, and up hills till they came to a screeching halt, neck in neck with each other. “Hah! I won!” 

     Saeanna gaped at him, tapping his shoulder lightly as Ghost materialized to voice her indignation. “Did not! We got here a quarter of an inch before you.” 

     “Nuh uh! See, my baby is the fastest sparrow there is and- OOF !” Sae had thrown a playful punch at the Exo’s side, causing him to laugh and dance away out of her reach. “Ah haha okay, okay fine, we’ll call it a tie. this time! Next time, I’ll beat you and rub your face in it.” Saeanna only giggled as Cayde teased her, sticking her tongue out at him to which he responded in kind. “Alright, let's get to the surprise!” 

     Sundance appeared and Ghost greeted her while Sundance laid out what Cayde had brought. “We figured a nice night by the sea would help, Saeanna.” Sundance bumped against her cheek before spinning away. A blanket was spread out on the grass, along with a basket of different food for them to munch on. 

     “Cayde, this is… thank you both.” Ghost said, hovering over the prepared space as Saeanna settled on one side of the blanket. 

     Cayde joined them not a moment later, reclining back in that carefree way he had. “Of course! I noticed you were getting a bit antsy in the tower. This is one of my favorite things to do when I need to escape a bit.” Sae nodded and they passed around different snacks, varying from bags of different kinds of nuts, to popcorn, to chocolate dipped fruits. Saeanna munched thoughtfully and watched the bright colors dance across the night sky, the reflection on the ocean settling a piece of her heart that she didn’t know had come loose. After a little while, Cayde cleared his throat a bit and looked over at her. “Ya know… I noticed you don’t use your light as often as normal.” Saeanna looked at him and quickly looked away, taking a deep breath. Before Ghost could say anything, however, Cayde held up a hand and rolled onto an elbow to look at her. “Before you feed me some bullshit line about it, just know that I can tell when you are deflecting. And as much as I hate to pull the vanguard card, I will if I have to.” Saeanna winced and he put a hand on her forearm, a pleading look on his face. “I’m just worried about ya. You know you can talk to me about anything…”

     Saeanna looked at him for a few seconds and really thought. Had it been anyone else… she probably would have fed them some bullshit excuse and they would have bought it. But they weren’t Cayde, and they couldn’t read her as well as he could. With a sigh she looked back out over the ocean, nodding to Ghost to explain. “When… When we were trapped in Oryx’s throne world, he… Used her light to torture her. Over and over… All she can remember is the cold heartless feeling that it gave her. She hasn’t felt comfortable using it since.”

     “Oh… Well that explains a lot…” Cayde looked off to the horizon as well, trying to think of a way to help her. The light had always been his best friend, he couldn’t fathom a time in his life where he hadn’t trusted it. Then, an idea clicked in his head. It was something Andal had taught him years ago.  “I… have an idea.” Cayde stood and held out his hand to her. “Do you trust me?” 

     Without hesitation, Saeanna reached up and put her hand in his, allowing him to help her to her feet. “That’s my girl. C’mon, It’s a neat trick I learned forever ago.” Cayde kept a hold of her hand and led her out onto the rocky outcropping away from the blanket and food. “I don’t want to catch anything on fire, you’ll see why.” Saeanna tried not to let her face go pale at his words, reminding herself over and over again that she did, in fact, trust him not to set HER on fire. 

     Hunters, by definition (according to what Cayde says), always live on the edge. The edge of the light and the darkness, life and death, the step between a blade and a bullet. So he positioned her a foot in front of him, so close to the edge of the cliff they were relaxing on that had they been anything other than hunters, they might have been a bit nervous. Both of his gloves were tossed to the side and he held an open palm to the sky, reaching between them. At first, she was confused, wondering if she was meant to take his hand, but her question was answered as she watched beautiful solar light begin to well from the center of his palm. Like a small fountain that was gaining pressure or speed, the little wells of light bubbled up higher and higher until particles of solar light sprayed upward and arched over their heads in every direction. Small embers flared and sparkled in the night, warming the air around them and making her giggle softly. 

     Saeanna’s blue eyes were alight with wonder and she soaked in the feeling of his light surrounding her. She startled slightly when she felt the bare metal of his free fingers brush against one of her hands, bringing it up to hover over his, palm upward to mirror what he was doing. The first instinct she had was to flinch away. It was the normal, inborn instinct of every living thing to not touch fire. Cayde’s cheeks lit up as he realized, giving her a bright smile and a soft, deep chuckle before guiding her back to his hand. “Trust me, Darlin’.”

     And she did, Implicitly…

     She still cringed slightly, much to his amusement, as the sparks brushed and floated against the back of her hand. They didn't burn, dancing in almost a happy way against her skin before the motes of light melted and waned like the first snowflakes of winter. A strange tingling in her hand started and at first, it tickled. Sae snorted and looked up at Cayde, who was watching her face intently. Cocking her head to the side, She wondered about the strange look on his face before she felt warmth filling her palm. That same welling light filled her palm, but this time, the motes of fire were encased with tiny arcs of electricity. When the pressure finally hit its breaking point, Saeanna couldn’t help the gasp that was wrenched from her chest. It was his light that was flowing through her, but it was calling to her own. Solar energy was accompanied by little showers of something akin to electric blue fireworks. Fairy dust and embers floated down on their heads and she smiled at the warmth of his light, of her light… 

     It was then that she understood. No matter what Oryx had done to her, she was still Saeanna. A hunter, a guardian of the tower, and a wielder of the Traveler’s light. Eyes wide, Saeanna looked into Cayde’s eyes, noticing that he hadn’t looked away from her face once, choosing to watch as the realization set in. His electro blue eyes softened, facial plates relaxing slightly when he realized it had worked. “There you go. What do you feel?” 

     She felt safe. Well and truly safe for the first time in months. She felt pieces of herself falling back into place, rising from the ashes of a life long dead. She felt . She felt…

      “ Warm ”

     The word crept from her lips like it didn’t want to be heard. Her voice was quiet, and rough from disuse but… she had most definitely answered him. Sae held his gaze, watching as his eyes grew wide and was stunned into a silence that spoke more than any combination of words could have. “I feel warm.”

     Saeanna lowered his hand, moving it slightly to the side so she could step forward and wrap her arms around his waist in a tight hug. These past months had been hard and it wasn’t like she didn’t understand what he had been doing for her. Sae understood what he had sacrificed to be by her side almost constantly since the battle at Saturn. Feelings of gratitude swelled outward and she couldn’t help but sigh as his arms wrapped around her shoulders to hold her close. She had forgotten just what the touch of another person could do for her.

     The hunter vanguard was damn near shell-shocked, unable to do more than hold her close as his mind swirled. She was… hugging him… When was the last time anyone had honestly touched him? She SPOKE! That was huge! He was so proud of her, so happy that his plan worked in so many good ways! It wasn’t often that one of his plans ended well, so when it did, it was cause enough to celebrate. And by ‘celebrate’, he meant getting some rest because it was well past both of their bedtimes. “We should head back…” Cayde whispered the words into her hair, and she had to agree. It had gotten late and Amanda would have words with them if they woke her up trying to sneak back into the hangar if it was too late.

     Amanda doesn’t catch them as they scurry past, a wide smile on both of their faces. The tower sleeps around them, the lights of the stalls casting the majority of the courtyard in a soft, atmospheric glow that made her heart happy to see. “Thank you…” Saeanna says softly as they reach the front door of her apartment. She means it, with every bit of what she is. Cayde jerks slightly, still not used to hearing her voice, but quickly collects himself. 

     “What are vanguards for, am I right? Though… They probably wouldn’t pack food… So I guess we’ll have to chalk it up to what friends would do.” He rubs a soothing hand across her shoulder and down her arm to her elbow, giving her an affectionate squeeze. His eyes brighten, his posture straightening a bit as though he’s remembered something. “Hey! Remember that old world movie I found a couple weeks back? Maybe we could watch it. We can make snacks and…” 

     He was adorable, honestly. Neither of them wanted to leave the other. He wanted to stay and she wanted him to as well. So, Saeanna nodded and invited him inside. They baked some cookies, made some hot cocoa, and settled in to watch a movie called ‘Casablanca.’ It was a good one that had her holding onto his arm for dear life. That movie led to another during which Saeanna ended up passing out, her head resting against his shoulder. Cayde looked over carefully, a smile breaking out across his face at just how sweet she looked curled up next to him. With all the care in the world, He managed to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her close to his side. 

     Saeanna wakes two hours later to a dark living room, curled up next to something warm but hard. Cayde passed out beside her, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders and curling down her back so that his hand was settled on her waist. She didn’t fight it, not like she should have. Instead, she curled back up into his side with a soft groan and let the faint sounds of whirring and clicking machinery lull her back to sleep.

Chapter Text

     The Dawning. 

     It seemed like the city took every opportunity it could to celebrate, and for good reason. There was so much death, so much peril from every source imaginable that it felt like any break they got was too short and never enough. Between Hive gods, Vex Gatelords, and Fallen Houses banging on the door of the tower what felt like every other week, a respite was much needed and well deserved for the guardians that held these terrors at bay constantly. 

     Technically, it was Saeanna’s second dawning since resurrection, but only the first one she had the opportunity to celebrate. The first year, she was in the reef alongside Uldren. It was nearly the day of remembrance and the memory of her time in Mezune was crippling. Ghost encouraged her to get out of the apartment and it took several thinly veiled threats to get her to move. “Saeanna, you need to get out of this room and touch grass!” Ghost chirped while she cycled through her inventory of shells. They had gone round and round for the past hour but the despondent guardian refused to untangle herself from the veritable mountain of pillows and blankets.

     “Ghost… It’s cold outside. The bed is calling to me and I would be a bad owner to leave it abandoned in its time of need.” Of course Ghost was correct, and of course Sae was going to deny it till the day she inevitably turned to space dust. Ghost’s poor shell would explode if she admitted that truth. 

     Whether Saeanna would listen or not, her Ghost had a duty to make sure her guardian didn’t rot in the miasma of her own mind. And so, being the good partner that she was, Ghost zapped the blankets off and deposited them across the room. It was almost funny to see the way Sae gasped and nearly fell out of the bed to escape the sudden rush of chill. “The bed will be there later, the snow may not! Up!” Ghost deftly dodged a pillow and clicked in annoyance.

     Why? Why did the universe hate her? The awoken woman huffed, burying her face in the pillow for a few more moments before obeying her little light. Dressed in a black turtleneck, thick leggings, boots, and a wool hat and coat, she steeled herself to face the world outside. Crisp, winter air was sharp on her face, but that first deep breath was bracing and filled her with a sense of excitement that stemmed from… she wasn’t sure where. Everything around her was so foreign and yet… and yet it was beautiful. Sparkling snow and the sounds of bells filled the air around her. Festive music and twinkling artificial lights decorated every window, door, and roof all through the city. It was as if every street and house had been transformed overnight. There was dancing, singing, and even the guardians took the time to join in. Cole and Wulf danced through the streets dressed as old world deer with big red noses and striped sweaters. They busied themselves with handing out candy to children and Sae found herself laughing at the sight. It was a time of joy, a time to cast aside the sorrows of the year prior and allow happiness to reign, if only for a little while. 

     Cole had been all too happy to fill her in on the dawning traditions. When she spotted guardians decorating their ships, he had been the first one she’d sought out. “Oh that! I forget this is your first! It’s the time of the dawning.” It was later in the day and her warlock companion was busy organizing some manuscripts for Ikora. Cole shifted a stack of books from the desk before him to the floor, replacing it with a similar stack that made her head hurt just looking at it. “Those that first founded the city were determined to adopt some of the traditions they discovered in old books and vids. The dawning has always been a fun one. Trust me! Watch this, you’ll get the gist. Only two days and then you’ll get to see the tower all decked out.”

     The vid he’d given her was an old movie called, ‘A Christmas Carol’. The images of lights, trees, foods, cookies, and presents were enough to get her genuinely excited. She watched it twice and when Cayde came to check on her that night, Saeanna had pulled him into the living room to watch it once more with him. At first, Cayde was confused but as soon as his eyes fell on the title screen, his entire body seemed to light up in excitement. He had insisted on snacks, making large mugs of hot cocoa and a bowl of popcorn for the two of them to share. The cuddle session they had was epic and like so many other nights before, she found herself dozing against his chest as Scrooge was assaulted by the ghost of Christmas future.

     The entirety of the next day was spent shopping and cooking. Cookies and gifts lined her kitchen counter and Ghost had helped her package everything in bright, shiny boxes and bags. Saeanna had been determined to make something for the few friends that she had; her fireteam, the vanguard, and Cayde. Months had passed since their night on the cliffs, the night where she had spoken to him. Even with the shame of not being able to speak to anyone else, he never faulted her for that silence. Her words were her own and she had every right to withhold them until she was ready. 

     The small box in her hands felt like a lead weight and she quickly transferred it to the pouch on her hip with a sigh. Saeanna wanted to get his gift out of the way as soon as she could. Bright and early on the morning of the festivities, she donned her best cloak and a beautiful black and silver gown that Eva Levante had given her. She had been excited to see him, to show him her dress and to give him the gift she had worked hard on, but as soon as she entered the main courtyard, she lost her nerve. Cobalt blue glimmered in the morning sun as he shouted directions for decorating the various buildings. The finishing touches were underway and it would be rude to bother him… So she decided to deliver the other gifts first. Amanda Holliday gave her the biggest smile, Shaxx scooped her up in a hug similar to the one Wulf had assaulted her with. Cole patted her on the shoulder and Banshee took his cookies with solemn thanks. 

     When hunting the Vanguard through the crowds, Ikora made it easy. Even in her normal work garb, Ikora was a beautiful woman. For the dawning though, she wore deep blue robes with small patches of silver and sky blue that sparkled in the afternoon glow. Not only was she radiant, but she waved to Saeanna and took the initiative to approach. “If it isn’t Saeanna! You look stunning this evening, my dear. And I see Ghost has dressed up as well! You both look festive.”

     Ghost was quick to bob in acknowledgement, giving a happy spin to show off her chocolate shell. “Thank you, Ikora! We were just looking for you, actually. Sae and I wanted to wish you a happy dawning.” 

     Ikora smiled as she pulled out a carefully woven net of shiny string, gems and glass hanging all through it. Twisting it this way and that in the sun, the light catches and creates a chaotic masterpiece of dazzling, skipping refractions. “For my ‘Office’? Oh this is beautiful. Thank you Saeanna.” The hunter hadn’t been expecting the hug she received, but she was happy for it nonetheless.

     Ikora insisted on accompanying her through the tower to hunt down Zavala. Apparently, the Titan Vanguard was one of the original founders of the tower and while he approved of the dawning he wasn’t likely to take part in many of the festivities. They found him on a balcony, overlooking the guardian courtyard with a wan smile on his face. “Saeanna, Ikora, I didn’t expect to see either of you away from the main event. To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

     “I had hoped you would come find me, but when Sae said she had something to give you I decided to tag along.” Ikora’s voice was playful as she addressed the awoken titan.

     Zavala, in a strange show of affection that she hadn’t ever expected to see, took Ikora’s slender hand and kissed the back of it with a warm look in his eyes. “I was going to make my way through the crowds before night fell but it seems I no longer have to.”

     Sensing this was something she shouldn’t be seeing, Saeanna turned her face to look out over the city, taking in the lights as she waited for the two vanguards to finish their conversation. Not that relationships between guardians weren't allowed, it was merely frowned upon because of the nature of their work. Of course, it still happened but… Zavala? And Ikora?? Her face began to heat as she thought of the implications and was only shaken from her thoughts at the sound of Ghost’s voice at her shoulder. “Yes! We made something for you. It was a bit rushed as we weren’t sure of the customs but we hope you like it! Happy dawning, commander.” 

     Zavala opened that small box and the light twitch of his lips was enough to send a flash of happiness through Saeanna and her Ghost. Zavala was quick to train his face back into a mask of careful neutrality as he tucked the crocheted mittens into his belt. “I appreciate the gift and for thinking of me.” 

     “Of course!” Ghost replied cheerily and Zavala moved away from them, trying to find another secluded corner no doubt. Ikora rolled her eyes and approached the railing that Saeanna was leaning against. The view from up here really was spectacular… “So! Only one person left on our list and then we can enjoy the rest of the night.” Ghost said aloud and Sae quickly waved her hand through the air trying to get her to be quiet before Ikora offered to help with the problem that was Cayde but it was too late. 

     “One more? Shall I guess who it is for?” Ikora’s knowing look made Saeanna blush and shake her head as embarrassment welled. “Let’s see… I saw you leaving the hangar earlier, which rules out a couple of people. Cole and Wulf have passed by you several times, so I know it isn’t them… Could it be my troublesome hunter you seek?” 

     Sae wanted so badly to melt into the grate below her feet and disappear into oblivion. Apparently the look on Sae’s face only made Ikora laugh. “I see… well, If i’m spying him correctly, it seems as good a time as any.” Ashamed and mortified at having Ikora, his fireteam member call her out, Saeanna hesitantly lifted her eyes and found him almost immediately. Somehow, he had managed to scale the eververse building and was sitting alone on the roof, observing the milling crowd beneath him. Excitement shot through her and before she could think better of it, Sae flashed Ikroa a smile and dashed down the steps. Wall to wall, the guardians were packed into the courtyard. It didn’t look so full from above but in all honesty, she didn’t mind. After months of training with the crows combined with what her fireteam and Cayde had taught her, it didn’t take long to traverse the crowds. 

     Unfortunately, It had taken long enough for others to find Cayde. Surrounded by admirers on all sides, Saeanna felt what little courage she had built up begin to slip. Would it be bad to give him the gift tomorrow? Maybe he wouldn’t mind if she left it in front of his door… As soon as she had made up her mind, Ghost appeared before her face, trying to hinder her movements. “No!” Ghost hissed as she tried to duck down and around the small machine. “Sae, he won’t mind! Trust me, those guardians won't be there forever and you can-” 

     *”I don’t want to hover, ghost… It’s okay, he’ll find it. It really isn’t that big of a deal.”* Saeanna muttered to Ghost, shaking her head and using her hand to move her little light to the side. Sure, they had gotten close but Cayde was always so very friendly with his hunters. He was her friend and there was nothing to suggest he was spending this time with her out of anything other than obligation. ‘Lies… You know those are lies.’ There was that little voice in her head that, unfortunately, spoke more truth than she would like. Right now seemed like the perfect time to ignore those words, to ignore the gnawing pit of self doubt and worry that filled her.

     What Saeanna didn’t know was that she had a guardian angel watching over her. Ikora had been with Zavala for so many years, she couldn’t remember what it was like being without him. Cayde… was never one to be tied down, but she saw just how much Saeanna meant to him, she saw just what they could be and how good they would be for each other. And so, with no shame at all, Ikora had joined the small betting pool that had arisen in the wake of their little training sessions. The warlock Vanguard had bet too much money to see this fall apart so quickly. With all haste, she rushed across the lawn and sidled up to Cayde. His admirers were in awe to be in the presence of two vanguards which gave her the perfect opening. “A little bird told me someone was looking for you.”

     “Oh ho? And who would that be? I’m right here.” Cayde chuckled and looked over at his friend. 

      “True, but this person is… a little crowd shy.” Ikora took a sip from her drink as she pointed toward the back of a hastily retreating Saeanna. Through the swirling lights and colors of the twisting crowds, it could have been hard to make out just what she was pointing out for any bystanders. For Cayde, though, his eyes locked on the awoken woman’s form instantaneously. It was as though she were magnetizing, and maybe she was… 

     “Ikora, do you mind-” 

     “Go, Cayde.” He didn’t even have to finish his sentence. At the end of the day, Cayde was her best friend and she cared about his hunter and her happiness. Ditching the crowd of people on Ikora, Cayde was quick to chase after the hem of the cloak that was fluttering around the corner. 

*

     “You should have gone up to him. They were just well wishers, it wouldn’t have been that bad!” Ghost was turning circles over and around Saeanna’s head. She knew that her little light only wanted what was best for her but… There were too many memories, too many feelings, and too many people to face down any more fears than she already had. Saeanna remained silent, her gloved finger tracing patterns in the snowfall that had gathered on the bench beside her. It had been a good day, a fun day. There was something so rewarding and fulfilling about seeing the smiles on her friend’s faces, getting to experience all of this with people that had found their way into her heart. And it was because of this that she let Ghost fuss. Ghost was also willing to accept the budding emotions that were growing inside Saeanna's worn and tattered heart, in a corner Cayde had recently claimed for himself. 

     Cayde’s footfalls were silent, cushioned by the soft snow that was falling around them. Had she not been so distracted, maybe Sae would have noticed him sooner. Gloved hands covered her eyes from behind and Saeanna gasped, her entire body freezing for only a moment before a familiar voice in her ear had every bit of that tension melting away. “Never thought it would be so easy to sneak up on you, Sae.”

     Saeanna was quick to smile and touch his wrists, bringing them down so she could twist and get a good look at the mischievous Exo behind her. “Cayde! I wasn’t expecting you.” 

     “I could tell. you were hightailin’ it out of the courtyard so fast, I almost lost sight of ya.” The small garden Saeanna had found was one of the many tucked away throughout the tower. Whoever created them had hidden them just so they would be hard to find but easy to get to once you’d been there. “What were you runnin’ from?”

     “Ah…” What could she say? Should she admit to running away from him? The crowd around him? Or maybe the feelings, the emotions, the images of him that were beginning to plague her day in and day out. 

     “We have a present for you, but… Saeanna felt you were too busy.” Ghost, traitor that she was piped up and Sae batted at her with a frustrated noise before huffing and settling back down on the bench beside a laughing Cayde.

     “Awe, it’s alright Darlin'. I understand, there were alot of people after me back there. Thankfully, a certain warlock helped me escape.” Cayde winked at her and Sae couldn’t help the wide smile she gave him in return.

     “I didn’t want to be a bother.” 

     “You’d never be a bother to me. I’d shoo them all away in a heartbeat for you, don’t ever think otherwise.” Cayde sounded serious, looked even more so as she stared up into his glowing blue eyes. His voice box let out some static as he cleared his throat and looked down and away. “Actually, I got somethin for you too. I’m glad I caught you before the end of the night.”

     A small, white box materialized in his hand and Saeanna eyed it curiously, all hint of negative emotion gone. With a nod from him, she hesitantly reached out to take the box. “Oh! Here… Happy Dawning, Cayde.” He accepted her gift with a smile, but his eyes were glued to her face, obviously waiting to see what she thought of the contents. The marbled box was slightly pearlescent and a sheer white ribbon tied at the top. The lid came off easily and inside was… a note? Carefully, she opened the small slip of paper to find two words written in Cayde’s beautiful, yet messy handwriting. ‘Look left’. Look le-?

     Turning toward him with a furrowed brow, Sae’s mind raced with a million questions that rampaged. All of it froze, coming to a screeching halt at the brush of cold metal against her lips. Ice skittered over her skin before heat licked up after it. Her eyes widened for a moment, taking in every minute detail. His eyes were closed, warm air puffed across her face as his… his lips pressed against hers. Silence surrounded them, the soft patter of snowfall was loud where it shouldn’t have been more than a whisper. It felt like the entire world fell still around them and she sat frozen until Cayde pulled away. 

     At first, she was too stunned to do more than stare at him in shock. Of course, he took that as rejection, maybe even mild horror and he pulled away a bit more. “That might’ve been too much too soon, I’m s- OOMF!” His arms had to circle her waist to hold her steady as she practically flew into his arms. While Sae’s movement forward had been frantic, the way she explored him was gentle, almost careful. Her calloused hands traced the contours of his metal face as she kissed him back carefully. His lips.. they weren’t solid metal like she thought. They were soft at times, malleable against her kisses but as his grip on her waist tightened, she felt them firm up as he pulled her closer. The world around them remained still, like a seized breath waiting to be released. It was… not what she expected, and a part of her rejoiced even as another, broken part mourned. 

     She pulled away again, her eyes remaining closed and her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out just what to do with the sudden influx of feeling she was wrestling with. Cayde remained quiet, choosing to observe her instead of interrupting her train of thought. “I… I liked that…” Her words should have been more confident but they came out as less than a whisper.

     Cayde’s cheeks lit up with a golden glow, a rough chuckle escaping him as he lowered his forehead to press against her shoulder. “I liked that too…”

     One deep breath through her nose… a second… and then a third as the world around them released and began moving one more. “I liked that, but I don’t know-” What could she say? Her past was a well kept secret that only a handful in the tower knew about. Saeanna desperately wanted to tell him everything and her fingers began to tremble as she traced them over his cheek. Warm leather caught her fingers and pulled them flush with his chest.

     “Listen, I’m in no rush. The fact that you aren’t mad at me is enough to keep me happy for a long time. Whenever you’re ready for me, I’m here.” There was a spark in his eyes she hadn’t expected. What had she done to deserve him? And little did she know, he was asking himself the same thing. As if drawn by an invisible force, their foreheads pressed together as they simply enjoyed the ability to be close.  

     The moment was shattered, however, by the sounds of loud whispering nearby. Confused, the two hunters dropped into a crouch and snuck over to the exit of the garden. Much to their surprise, Zavala and Ikora were standing a little ways down the path, seeming to be arguing about something. “It’s inappropriate! Someone could claim favoritism and his reputation would be ruined!”

     “Oh shove it, Zavala. You owe me 10,000 glimmer!” Ikora whispered back, triumphant in the face of Zavala’s sour look

     “It looks like our friends were placing bets without telling me! I feel like I should be offended.” Cayde chuckled as Sae elbowed him in his synthetic ribs. “Oooooow, that hurt. So cruel.”

     Sae snorted and allowed herself to be pulled into his chest. It was only a half hug, at best, but it warmed her from the inside out. “So, I’m guessing you would have bet ‘for’ instead of ‘against’?”

     “You’re damned right, darlin. I’m optimistic. Say! Do you wanna go dancing next week? There’s this nice little spot-” Saeanna watched his eyes light up, the even timbre of his voice, and admired how expressive he was with his hands. Of course she agreed to go and she decided right then that she wasn’t going to regret a thing.

Chapter Text

     The vestiges of sleep were torn away like a sheet in the wind. Gasping, Saeanna struggled to breathe for a moment while soft hands danced across her shoulders. The muted light emanating from the Exo beneath her chased away the gnashing ghosts, banishing them back to the depths of her mind. Ghost spun overhead as Cayde brushed the damp strands of hair away from her forehead with a worried look in his eyes. “Hey there, Darlin. It’s alright.”

     Sae looked around frantically, coughing lightly trying to dispel the soreness from her throat. “Wh- What?” The last thing she remembered, she had been sitting on the couch, watching a movie. And then- 

     “You fell asleep, Sae. That was quite a nightmare…” And it must have been a doozy. Even Ghost looked shaken from what she had seen in her guardian’s head. 

     Saeanna reached up and pulled her little light close to her chest, letting out a ragged breath as Cayde pulled her tight to him. It wasn’t the first time she’d had a nightmare, but it was the first she’d had in front of him. With trembling fingers, she pressed her palm to his side and allowed her head to fall back to his chest. “I know what it’s like-” Cayde cut himself, sounding for all the world hesitant to speak. “Do ya wanna talk about it, Sae?”

     Her head shook, unwilling to share with him what haunted her worst dreams. Her past and everyone that had belonged to it were dead. There was no real reason to fear telling anyone the truth of what happened, but… She couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not to Cayde, not to Ikora… 

     “That’s alright. Hey, c’mere.” His lips were soft against the top of her head as he settled back into the couch cushions. ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ played on, as though nothing had happened and Ghost was quick to pause the movie at Cayde’s behest. The heat from his chest warmed her from the outside in and a smile twisted her unwilling lips into the semblance of a smile. “You missed half the movie, y’know.” 

     “Cayde, we’ve seen this 5 times already.” Saeanna giggled into his shirt and he ruffled her hair in a teasing manner.

     “Yeah, but it’s a good one! Let me tell you about it.” And so he did, diving headfirst into a story that she already knew by heart, but it made her laugh anyway. His hands alternated between gesticulating wildly as he over exaggerated every detail, and falling to trace soft lines and shapes along her arms and back. 

     “You know… I don’t feel like I deserve you.” Saeanna spoke into the lull of quiet that had descended when he finally finished his rendition of the classic they seemed to watch at least once a week.

     The stillness that overtook him was almost sharp, the gentleness fading into something more intense. His hands squeezed her lightly as he placed a kiss against her forehead. “Now, why would you say something like that?”

     “You’ve done so much for me… you continue to do so much and I don’t feel like I give enough in return.” Her heart sank as the truth of her words settled into her chest. She felt so powerless, so weak and tired and-

     A finger and thumb pinched her chin and forced her eyes to raise, to meet his soft blue eyes. “This isn’t something you have to pay for, darlin’. What I do for you, I do for my own sanity as well as for yours. I do this ‘cause I care about you.” 

     His voice modulator fluctuated slightly as he said the words, belying the emotion that backed the honesty in every syllable. Wary eyes traced the sharp lines of his face, hand raising to cup one glowing cheek. With a slight tilt of his head, he accepted the gesture and leaned into the touch. It had always been an easy thing, accepting his affection and giving it. There was never an uphill battle, never a fight, never a sense of wrong. The comfort of the couch only lasted for another hour before they both caved and stumbled to her bed. 

     When she had first suggested him joining her, Cayde had refused, insisting to stay on the couch. ‘For his sanity’ as he had put it and the thought had her blushing every time she thought about it. After a couple days of her badgering, he finally agreed but ONLY if they were separated by a blanket. They were both adults and she knew what her words might insinuate but it wasn’t what she wanted. His comforting presence always helped her sleep and that was a rare commodity for someone like her. “Alright, let's get you wrapped up.” Mischief flashed in his eyes as his hands held up the top sheet.

     Sae gave a faux offended gasp and turned to run, knowing damn well she wasn’t going to get away. She didn’t *want* to get away. Sae ran around to the otherside of the bed, jumping up onto the mattress with a breathless giggle as he chased behind her. They raced down the short hallway that led to the living room and then back to the bedroom before his arms came around her middle, effectively trapping her in the sheet. A sharp squeal left her as Cayde hoisted a thoroughly bundled saeanna up into his arms and promptly deposited her onto her side of the bed with a huff. “You barely put up a fight tonight!”

     “I’m tired…” Her muffled words came from the Saeanna burrito. Her face was completely covered, hair sticking from the top of the wrap in a haphazard way. And she was  tired. Normally, it was Cayde that dozed during their movie nights and Saeanna the one shaking him awake to get him to bed. 

     Peeling away layer after layer, Cayde chuckled when he finally revealed her pouting face. “I know. Let's get you to sleep.” Cayde pulled his Tee over his head, tossing it toward her clothing bin before crawling into bed beside her. They lay there, his body curled over hers as they began to doze. 

     Once again, the thought ran through her head that there would be no one punished for speaking the truth; Mara was dead, along with her threats. So was… And Cayde… She could see where their relationship was heading. From staying the night, to sleeping beside her, the soft kisses were stolen all around the tower any time they could escape the eyes of their companions. He deserved to know… “Sae, are you sure?” Ghost’s voice was soft and hesitant, but there was no negativity there. She was hopeful, fully willing to trust Cayde with everything. 

     Saeanna acknowledged the words that were spoken in her head and looked up at the man whose arms were wrapped around her. “Cayde… Can I tell you about something?”

     “Of course, you know you can tell me anything.” Cayde backed away a little, noticing the serious demeanor that fell across her features. “Is this about the-?”

     She nodded, sighing heavily. “I want you to understand… Why I have them, Why I was so quiet for so long. Everything, as much as I can bring myself to say.” The blanket pooled around her waist as she sat up and stared at the wall opposite the bed. “When I was first resurrected…” No… that wasn’t right. With a curse, she rubbed her forehead and tried again. “When I came to the tower, I wasn’t a new light.” 

     Silence filled the air, thickening it and she worried about his reaction. “I figured not… The way you moved was all wrong.”

     “I swear, I- Wait… really?” His words distracted her long enough to pull her from the apologetic spiral she was about to fall into.

     “Yeah. The way you fought, the way your eyes would sharpen when certain things were said. And you seemed scared. Sure, the fallen are scary but… not enough to cause that much trauma.” Cayde spoke slowly as he thought about everything he had seen and noticed. “And then there was your stunt with Oryx… and the whole ascendant hooblah.”

     “Ascendent realm.” Saeanna chuckled as she shook her head and looked back toward the wall. “I was… scared… I can’t say everything but I’d like to tell you as much as I can.” His eyes softened and he nodded, opening his arms to let her fall back to his chest. She told him of going to the reef and the strange thrumming in her chest. She told him of Mara and her introduction to the crows. Of Jolyon, and Petra, and Reyna and the betrayal. She did not tell him of Mezun nor of Uldren. She couldn’t stand to relive those memories and she carefully danced around his name and influence on the story. She knew Cayde didn’t miss the way her voice stuttered to a halt, nor the way she would hesitate as she tried to map out her story so that it never gave everything away. 

     When she got to Mara’s betrayal, Cayde cursed and held her tighter. He remembered the hollow look in her eyes when he met her, the way Ghost’s shell had been cracked, how she hobbled, and a quiet felt rage filled him. It wasn’t becoming to hate the dead, but he would have been willing to kill the Awoken Queen had she still been alive. “She threatened my life, Ghost, and the man I loved if I told anyone what happened.

     “You loved someone… back there?” Cayde hesitated to ask, but he had to know the truth. The way she had reacted when the Awoken army was destroyed, the rage she went into, the deep sadness… His theory was confirmed when she nodded with a somber expression. “When you were gone for that week?”

     “His funeral…” It was all she said, but it looked as though that was all she could say. 

     “I see… I’m sorry.”

      Saeanna waved him off, shaking her head. “I… Thank you. I can’t say his name but he meant the world to me. you’re the first person I’ve told any of this to.” 

     “Well, I feel honored… Thank you for telling me. I promise I’ll keep it to myself. Cross my heart.” Cayde crossed the synthetic flesh on his chest before holding up his hand with a small smile. It put her mind to rest and she felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

     “Wait, you aren’t upset?” Saeanna’s brow knitted in confusion. He seemed rather blase about the whole situation and it didn’t sit well with her. 

     “Why would I be upset? You aren’t the first guardian that hasn’t come directly to the tower. There are alot of light bearers that live out there, away from the Tower and the Traveler.” Cayde waved his hand in the air, gesturing toward the ceiling to emphasize what he meant. “And with what you went through, I can hardly blame you for not telling us the truth. Mara has a lot of fans, a lot of people that would be willing to feed her information. So no, I’m not upset.”

     Cayde ran his hand over her hair as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. They whispered words in the dark, soft giggles punctuating soft words as he told her stories and wistfully planned misadventures. Sae’s eyes began to droop, body twitching slightly as she tried to fight back unconsciousness in favor of staying up. “Sleep, Saeanna. I’ll make sure you’re safe.” He spoke the words into the crown of her head, holding her tightly as she drifted into a blessedly peaceful sleep.

*

     Saeanna swore on everything that was holy that if Cayde didn’t stop fussing over her frankenstein of a lantern, she would set the damned thing on fire and just use the spare he brought. Pieces of thin rice paper fluttered in the air and littered every surface of the small room they were hiding away in and it was beginning to collect in drifts like the glittering snow that was piled outside. Of course she appreciated his help and he had been very supportive as she showed him the monstrosity she had attempted to construct just for tonight. The dawning was wrapping up and that meant ‘paper lanterns’. It had been such an amazing idea that used to fill her with warmth but now? All she felt was frustration. 

     Amanda had told her that Cayde loved the tradition and so, in her spare time, she had been working on making her own by hand. The admiration for the art and the excitement for the craft had driven her to buy all the supplies needed and… Well, It was coming along terribly. Thanks to his affectionate nature, Cayde hadn’t left her with very much spare time and the damned paper seemed to hate her, ripping if she looked at it hard enough. The labor of her determination looked more like a patchwork zombie than anything but unless she could find a vendor with paper lanterns still in stock, it was going to have to do. “I have to say, Darlin’. It’s rather impressive that this thing is holding its shape. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty!”

     Cayde noticed the sidelong glare she shot at him and held his hands up in surrender before she threw a dagger at his face. “No, Cayde, it’s a perfect replica of Zavala’s hopes that you’ll turn into a responsible vanguard. AKA: It’s in shambles. Just pitch it!”

     “Ouch! That hurt.” Cayde chuckled as he went back to tweaking a few of the bindings toward the badly wrapped base. “It still has potential and we have time. Let me work in peace, woman!”

     Saeanna sighed and strode over to the small window that overlooked a quiet part of the wall. She was unwilling to fight, especially with how nice the morning had started. Like a summer breeze, the memory overtook her. The slanted sunlight had greeted them as they slowly woke, causing her to burrow closer to the exo behind her. “Hey there, Darlin.” His voice was groggy, but awake as his arms tightened around her middle. 

     “Mmm… Good morning.” Saeanna rolled over and they tangled around each other. It was then that she noticed the sheet was missing but neither of them seemed to mind. “Did you sleep alright?” 

     “Yeah, though it seems something got lost in all our tossing and turning.” Cayde smiled down at her and lightly brushed her hair from her face. “The missing blanket aside, I have somewhere I want to take you tonight. It’s the last night of the dawning.” 

     “Have something special in mind?”

     “You’ll see. Trust me, you’re gonna love it.” He propped his head up by his hand and looked down at Saeanna. Her blue hair was splayed out on the pillow like a halo. Her skin shimmered and the light seemed to ripple in the wake of his fingers as he traced them down her shoulder and arm. 

     Saeanna hummed and, as though a second sense overtook her, she realized just how late in the day it was. “Cayde! Didn’t you have stuff to do with Zavala today??” Panic laced her blood and it only grew worse as Cayde rolled his eyes playfully.

     “Sure, but I had an angel in my arms. I was more than happy to blow off my plans.” Cayde pressed his face into the side of her neck and she wiggled indignantly. 

     “Caaayde, I’m more worried about- GAH! That tickles!!” She couldn’t even finish her thought, the fear of Zavala losing to the small kisses to her neck and searching fingers that wiggled along her sides. Between the muted giggles, sunlight, and warmth, it took them over an hour to make it out of bed. They dressed, gathered their things, and before they left for the day, Cayde pulled her close and pressed a soft kiss to her lips in parting. It still managed to fluster her, the feeling still foreign and she wasn’t sure she would get used to it anytime soon. Hell, She wasn’t sure if she wanted to get used to it. 

     Sae was pulled from her musings by a low curse and metal clattering behind her. It was near impossible to restrain the heavy sigh that threatened to break from her chest as she turned away from the open area dedicated to storage and back toward the Hunter Vanguard. A sheepish expression greeted her and she noticed that an entire panel had given way beneath his fingers as he had tried to secure the thin rings of metal that were supposed to be holding the blasted thing together. “Cayde, light of my life, I think that’s a sign…” This time, he didn’t argue with her assessment and stared sadly at the tattered remains before him. “It’s alright! We’ll have a chance to make something together next year!” 

     With those words, he brightened and leapt to his feet. As he swept her into a hug, she realized it was less about the activity, more that she was planning for the future. Planning for a future with him. The realization stunned her for a moment before her arms slipped up and around his shoulders. It wasn’t how she had once imagined her future, but now? The idea was growing on her.  The mess around them was hastily swept into a corner before they readied the lanterns that he had brought. They might have been smaller than some of the others she had seen, but they were beautiful, filigree artwork along the edges that her fingers couldn’t stop tracing. 

     Beautiful hues of peach, red, and vibrant orange swept across the skies above the city as the sun sank below the horizon. Here soon, a different light would overtake the sky and a creeping feeling of anticipation and excitement fluttered in her chest. The little hideaway he had was honestly perfect; still in the city (technicalities were becoming the bane of Zavala’s existence at this point.), large enough to hide a decent stash of weapons and other creature comforts so someone to feasibly stay here for an extended period, and it was close enough to a rather large cargo port so it was protected and the chance of running across any kind of intruder was rather low. “C’mon! I saved ya a seat! It’s about to start!” Cayde called from his perch and Sae smiled at his enthusiasm. 

     Toward the back, a small vent exited out to a drainage pipe, of sorts. It was defunct, a remnant of the past city or just something that the architects of the wall included specifically for whoever used the secret room, they would never know. “This seat? This seat right here?” Saeanna smiled down at him as she pointed at the only open spot, as though there was anyone else there that could steal it from her. 

     In answer, Cayde shot her a gigawatt smile. “Only the best view for my best girl!” Damn… Sae stared down at him, blaming the light of the fading sun for the warmth. Carefully, Saeanna settled beside him on the ribbed metal and gingerly held the lantern he handed her. All across the city below them, small lights began appearing. They dotted the scenery and she couldn’t wait to see what happened when all of them were released. “Cayde… Thank you for bringing me out here with you.” 

     She knew she didn’t have to thank him. She was important to him and he was important to her too, but she couldn’t help herself. Cayde shot her a sideways glance, not answering right away as he mulled over his response. It wasn’t just for the lanterns or the company, though both of those things were very nice and very much appreciated. It was also for listening to her and for accepting her. for continuing to accept her. Gold disappeared from the sky and twilight truly began to fall before they could say anything else. It was slow at first, a lantern here or there being released before the rest. Both hunters smiled as they saw the solitary lanterns rising and drifting lazily in the breeze. 

     And then, as if a drop had fallen from the traveler, the light seemed to ripple and begin steadily rising from the center of the city, slowly spiraling outwards. It was breathtaking, in a way. The wave of lanterns almost look like a living thing, cresting toward the walls where their own would soon join. Carefully removing his gloves, Cayde summoned a small ball of solar energy and lit the wick that would carry them into the sky. The glow enveloped them both and for a moment, they were caught in the soft yellow light and the warmth of each other's presence. When the time came, he nudged her shoulder with a smile. “Ya ready, Darlin’?”

     “I am.” Sae said with a kind of solemn sincerity. And as their lanterns danced up and into the sky, Cayde wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It was a touch she leaned into, her head on his shoulder while the city became enveloped in the glow of hopes and wishes turned over to the universe.