DEEP

     His mind says he should be uneasy with this being, but with the way it had been kind so far to him; he sees no reason not to put his trust in it. If it was indeed to be a friend to him, then he’d be lucky, he figures. It’s like a ghost, like a spectral ghost type of ghost, which bodes ill for fighting. Something he definitely notes; though he stores it way in the back of his mind as he takes a seat with it, curiosity the only readable emotion in his gaze. So far, it’s been a warm conversation, and it seems to be inviting him to get comfortable. There has been no reason to assume anything other than this being will become one of, if not the, closest friends he’ll have. 

     “ I think, if you’re not too bothered by it, I might just call you friend then. ” He’s got no other name that comes to mind for it just yet; and since it’s stated Cayde as a friend, he sees no reason to not make it a two way street. “ For now, anyway. ” Until a better name can be found, really. But friend works fine for him in the moment. 

     “ If I will allow you ? ” Cayde echoes the statement, confusion filling his tone. He can’t fathom a reason he’d say ‘ no, do not inform me ’. Should he be thinking about that ? There’s no reason not to. He looks down for a moment, squinting as he thinks for a good minute. No, he can’t think of a single reason to distrust this friend. He’s already decided to put his trust forward; there’s no sense to revoking it. A nod, to himself more than to anything else, before he looks back up at the being before him. 

     “ I don’t see a reason against allowing you to keep me informed. I’d very much appreciate it as opposed to anything else; I doubt there’ll be anyone else who is going to come out and help me. You’re the only one I see around, so that means you’re probably the only one who wants to help. ” He’s lucky to have so much at the fresh start; he’s not about to throw it all away. 

     “ I guess if I want to start, well… Were you and I related in some way before, well, me ? I would assume there’s something here that I’m unaware of, especially if you’re helping me, and if that’s true then you know a lot more about me than I do. I really don’t even know what I am. In the sense of, I know there’s something more to me than just an Exo; I’m not a regular run of the mill type, I can sense it. But that doesn’t mean I understand any of it. At least, not right away. And, well. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s gonna be a lot easier to hear it and know about it in place of, y’know, having to experiment and figure it out as I go. ”

   Friend. He would not be the first to do so as the Dark held so, so many allies across unimaginable expanses of cold dust and searing stars. A metaphorical smile arrives within the twisting interior as the figures head follows twisting movement. “It does not bother me at all, Cayde.” It keeps the name on a tone of cordial nature.

   “Yes, not all who come into my care wish to know, so I do not tell if they do not ask.” Shoulders of the dark rise into a shrug, and fall once again when the Exo continues onwards once more. Hands settle onto the knees of crossed legs when he answers in turn. “There is another, out here. One like you but so very different and she will be.. unhappy, with the route you have taken. That will pass and I would like you know beforehand that her anger is tempermental. Do not blame yourself for doing what was right, and your own decision in the end.” 

   “I will help you through all things to come. To some degree of certainty I can say that she may very well want such too. We need time, which we have an infinite amount of, so long as you are willing to try.” 

   The inquiry is met with short silence, an unanswer that mulls through its endless intelligence. How far could it go so early? 

    talk about discomfort .

    shiro took a quiet inhale as he felt the coldness course through .  yeah ,  he thought it’ll feel cold ,  but not this cold .  he’s going to have to force himself to get used to it ,  or at least force himself to focus on literally anything but .   ❝ that’s ,  uh  …  that’s no problem ,  at least i remember where they both are . ❞   he has that going for him ,  at least .  now the issue would be getting there .  he is no way in hell going on foot ,  and his ghost is too mad at him to even have her as an option .

    shifting on his feet ,  he clapped his hands together .   ❝ so  –  exactly how would this work once i retrieve the body and ghost ?  i’m curious . ❞

   It has not yet taken his Light, that act would come later, and bring far more pain than Shiro has yet to realize. For now it is simply subdued. Silence answers questions for several seconds as the Darkness finds itself comfortable sitting within his lifeforce. Curious things, Exos are, more so than even that of the Vex that willingly worshiped it.

ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɪɢɴᴏʀᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss. sʜᴇ sᴀᴡ ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇʀ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏsᴍɪᴜᴍ ᴋɪɴɢ. sʜᴇ ʙᴏʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇss ᴛᴏ ɪᴛs ʀᴇʙɪʀᴛʜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜs ᴏꜰ ꜰᴜɴᴅᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ. sʜᴇ ʙᴀʀᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛs ᴘʀᴏxʏ, ᴀᴋᴋᴀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴍ ᴏꜰ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs. sʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ sʜᴀᴘᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴀᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴍ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ᴋɪɴɢ.

ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇʜᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴍᴀɴʏ ɢɪꜰᴛs. ᴛʜᴇʏ, ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sɪsᴛᴇʀs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇᴛʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴠᴇ, ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇʜᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴀsᴛɴᴇss ᴏꜰ ᴇɴᴛʀᴏᴘʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏɪᴅ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇᴄᴋᴏɴɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴇᴍᴘᴛʏ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪɴɢs.

ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡᴇᴀᴋᴇɴᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴇʀ ʏᴇᴛ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴄᴋʟᴇss ᴀʀᴛɪꜰɪᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴅᴀᴍɴᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴀʙʟᴇᴅ ɢᴇɴᴏᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴀ ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴꜰᴏʟᴅ, ᴡᴀs ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ.

ᴛʜɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ʀɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴏᴜs ᴛʜɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍ. ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜᴛs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜsᴀɴᴅ ʟɪꜰᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ sᴀᴛɪsꜰʏ ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss ᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.

“ɴᴏ,” ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅ-ᴋɪɴɢ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀs sɪᴍᴘʟʏ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ɪɢɴᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ; ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴɪꜰɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛs ᴡᴀʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ɪꜰ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʙᴇ. ɪꜰ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ʟᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ʜᴏʟᴅ. “ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛʙᴇᴀʀᴇʀs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏʟ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴇxᴛɪɴᴄᴛ ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs sᴏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴍᴏɴɪᴛᴇs, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴄᴜᴍᴇɴᴇ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀɪsʜɪʙᴇᴛʜɪ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴍᴏɴʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʟʟ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ ʏɪᴇʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ.”

ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴠᴇ ɢᴏᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋs ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛʀɪᴏ ᴏꜰ ᴜɴʙʟɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴇʏᴇs ʟɪᴛ ʙʏ sᴏᴜʟꜰɪʀᴇ. “ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴛᴏʏ sᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴅᴜᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴜᴘᴘᴀɴᴄᴇ. ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴊᴜsᴛʟʏ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ ɢɪꜰᴛs ᴏꜰ ʜᴜʙʀɪs, ᴘᴀɪɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ…ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴛɪᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ.”

   Black tendrils of gore slip from bones, rot, fade away into the very substance of the dirt laden floor. Sick and dripping with the remnants of corpse decay that will forever linger after a demise taken by force to unlock powers of old. Abilities far beyond tender lines of life and death that held essence of creation lingering just somewhere in the middle. The specter of Akka writhes across the flat surface of a Throne carved out of the far more tangible, curling, coiling loosely around Oryx until its gaping maw comes to bear down on the trio that stare back in equal. 

   “Words hold no meaning until you make them mean of past occurrence.” 

   The Dark lingers in a silence that could shatter the thickest panes of glass, eventually turning and unwinding itself from about the King, leaving slabs of slick meat behind that drift into nothing under immediate decomposition. Soon an elaborate display of bone cleaned by a billion beatles weaves through pillars. 

   “These ones are resilient. Humanity. Unlike others we have encountered. I wonder if the Light has finally found that which can stand against us, one of your spawn have fallen already. Permanently.”

   Unnatural are the following movements as curved bone draws into itself, a ball of ribs and vertebrae dark as the very space between stars. They seem to melt into another mass of a different shape. Reminiscent of the dead Son, a crown of points tips back to allow the visually similar persona to catch Oryx’s eyes. 

   “Others will follow. I implore you act-” Anger sparks to life within the voice that drives itself like ice picks into the inner ear of the so-called God. It smothers breath in lungs, attacks the very Worm that keeps him alive, aims to inflict reminding fact that the paracausal entity would move on from the Hive should they fail to fulfill their use.

☼ - Vadim is frozen in fear, simply clinging to Zufash as she clings to him.  They leave a bloody streak on the floor as they’re dragged into the other room, towards a window that shows the City below.

Zufash screams when Vadim is hoisted up by the entity, losing grip of her father and falling to the ground.  She whimpers in fear, and Vadim tries to reach out to her through their bond, letting her know everything will be alright, even if he does not quite believe that himself.

Vadim crans his neck to look at the City below, and his heart is in his throat as he sees the burning buildings beneath them.  So much destruction - how long will it take them to come back from this?  He musters the energy to glare at the Darkness, a hollow laugh leaving him.  A trickle of blood comes from the corner of his mouth, evidence of further internal injuries.

“The Traveler is our ally, our benefactor,” he rasps.  “But Humanity can and will save itself.”  He flinches when the glass begins to crack, having an idea of exactly what’s coming.  And then the glass shatters and he can feel the wind on his back.  Then the Darkness takes a step towards the display window and he finds himself clenching at its arms desperately, even though to touch it burns.

“No!”  Zufash has managed to stagger to her feet despite her wounds, and takes a step towards the pair, Light whirling around her like a storm.  The markings adorning her body glow with light and Light, her eyes a brilliant white.  “You will not take him from me!”

The Warlock gathers the Light to her, pulling at every reserve she has, and takes a step forward.  And then another, and another, until she’s standing right next to the entity.  “LEAVE US!”

Thrusting her hands outward, Light glowing in her palms, she shoves the entity back, away from the window.  And soon as her hands make contact there’s a brilliant flash of Light.

   Vadim receives no reply for a speech of the Traveler’s doing, of Humanity, of things he does not fully understand. No Human could ever know in the entirety of their rather short lives just what the Traveler was capable of doing and to the extent of what it had ever done. The Dark knows well enough all those things and more. 

   It is about to release its grasp around red stained robes and pry his own away if need be when Zufash calls out. Darkness humors her and turns its attention with the Warlock still dangling over oblivion. Amusement takes a sharp take away into curiosity towards the act before it. It can see and feel the Light within but there is no fear. 

   It has never known such, and never will, not in its infinite expanses.

   The form does not shy away or cower when she stands beside it, silent still, a sudden screeching yowl ripping out of it on contact. Sizzling like water on a burning surface it pulls apart into strands of dark being outshined by her Light, claws releasing from the Speaker’s clothing. It turns and careens into the floor in thick splotches of marred dark on its surface.

   Darkness writes but no other sounds of agony leave it, a laugh rather. It rattles away and endless chattering sound in the face of an adversary that can harm it. 

   “I will never leave, little one. Your kind are stuck with me until your Light no longer exists!” Words come from nowhere and everywhere together, a surge of the same power rolling through the ship in wake of Zufash’s power. Like a bolt of Arc it dances across once polished metal coated in trails of red, swirling colors among shimmering white.

    not even a few seconds and already shiro can feel the second thoughts forming in his head .  fingers tapped lightly against each other ,  constantly reminding himself that he’s doing this for cayde  –  that’s what he’s here for ,  after all .  or at least ,  pressured here for .  there was a deep breath ,  ready to make the deal .

    ❝ yes …  yes ,  you heard correctly , ❞   starting off great ,  shiro .  fingers tapping at each other sped up the movements .  keep cool ,  keep level-headed .  everything will be fine .  do it for cayde  .   ❝ i’ll do anything you offer me to do .  execute other guardians ,  rip the light from them ,  anything .  i am more than willing to give up my own light to bring back an …  old friend .  i can only assume i have to do a few things before the deal itself can be made . ❞

   It seems pleased by his rather blatant willingness to be traded in for another life. The trio share a bond inseparable by only that which could never truly be fought, only ever starved; death would take them all eventually despite their best efforts. A maw of endless black opens and the snake strikes forward, seemingly at the Exo’s throat, lacking the pain. 

   Fangs drive into wiring as ice, twisting body slithering forward and down into his armor until it seems as if the serpent has vanished. It envelopes his core and sits tight around it, words reverberating within Shiro’s now smothered Light. “I have plans for you, and the others. Your Light will suffice for the time being. I need.. the corpse, the ghost, both if at all possible if you want him with retained memory.” 

“Ah, so we finally accepted those taken are mine now? Good. Now I aint gonna tell you how I’m gonna stop you. You think I’m stupid?”

“In what language should I tell ya the same? You ain’t gettin’ my ghost”.