Iksis opened his eyes. Below him, snow. Above him, the sky. This place looked familiar. The sounds he'd grown accustomed to were present as well. Gunfire. Shouting. More gunfire. An explosion here and there. He was still on the battlefield.

His hands then planted right into the fluffy cold mesh, squeezing it and hardening it as he applied more and more pressure. Then, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder. It was Theriad. The Hunter. One by one, the memories came back to him. Why he was here, and what he was doing. As the thoughts recuperated back inside his head, so did his awareness. First came the sounds. Gunfire, shouting, footsteps. Then came the visuals. He looked in the direction of his ship. Or rather, what was left of his ship. It was torn apart and left in a fiery mess right on top of the now-smashed MAG cannon. He winced at the sight.

Then, the pain came. All across his back. The Vandal let out a small screech at being surprised by the feeling. He could feel the metal pieces as they were ornately jabbed into his back, spread across the surface. The sudden flash of pain left him doubled over, his head near the snow as Theriad was shouting nonsense at the Fallen.

The pain that broiled inside his body began to transfuse. The wounds were being mended, the metal being plucked, transmatted, away from his body. Soon he was fine, and the extensive scratches and gouges that were once littered on his back were gone.

He felt an anger inside of himself. As though this feeling went beyond the pain he had felt. He had the sense of someone reuniting with their greatest enemy. A tugging in the gut. Something felt off with the air he was breathing. The sights he was seeing and the noises he was hearing. Everything tilted for the worse as Iksis had a slight moment of realization.

Iksis sprang to his feet, despite the pain up his back, sniffing out the source of the power. He scanned the battlefield, where hundreds of Fallen were behind cover, firing on the group. A wire rifle shot grazed past his face, off by less than an inch. Iksis was unfazed.

His eyes narrowed, just as he found the source. A large form in the middle of the battlefield, emerging slowly through the ranks and making its way to the group.

Aksis.

…

"The third MAG cannon is down! Request backup!" Ashur shouted into the comms. Theriad was to his left and could hear the plea for help from his Warlock friend. Theriad raised a handcannon over cover, then his head as he pulled the trigger. The Hunter couldn't see whether the return fire definitively hit specific enemies or killed any Fallen at all. He reloaded and plucked an auto rifle seemingly out of nowhere, raising back over cover to suppress the enemy.

"This can only help us for so long! They're moving up!" The Warlock shouted to his group this time. Marcus acknowledged this and stood to answer the call for assistance. Theriad could tell the Titan was drained, however. They all were.

Marcus placed a barrier in front of the group, towering about 7 feet tall and made out of pure light. "Fall back!" He shouted to the group while he maintained concentration on the barrier itself. The Guardians fled, Theriad carrying an unconscious Iksis.

Projectiles peppered the wall, leaving cracks and decaying its integrity slowly while Marcus focused more energy on it. The wall was big enough and tall enough to cover the group's retreat for a while as long as they stayed in its general vicinity. The wall healed the wounds, slowly mending the chips taken.

"Marcus! Go!" A voice behind him shouted. He risked a glance back and saw that his group was still running in the direction of a small collapsed building. He looked back ahead, seeing Fallen emerging with scorch cannons. One blast landed directly on the wall, threatening to blow it to pieces as it increased in intensity. Then another. And another.

Finally, the Titan dashed the other way as they detonated, sending a shockwave in Marcus's direction after destroying the wall.

He was thrown to the ground as Fallen blasts landed in the snow next to him. One smacked his shoulder plate. Then his back. They continued to mark his body, progressively hurting more and more.

He used what little strength he had left to draw a void aegis, a shield formed out of light itself. He raised it in the direction of the Fallen as it seeped his strength, slowly moving back to his group while the Fallen pelted his defense.

He took a small and short glance back to his group which had taken position in front of the building behind cover and providing supporting fire for Marcus's advance. It was time for the Titan to make a decision. He was either going to pass out on the battlefield from using the light too much and leave his ghost in the open, or he would be gunned down and leave his ghost in the open. Neither seemed like a good answer.

But before he could decide, a light TING! Resonated from the shield. The Titan realized all too late that a scorch cannon's explosive had latched to the shield. Before he could throw or toss the light shield aside it detonated and sent the Titan backward in the snow. His body smacked the ground with enough force to kill a human ten times over. He felt dizzy, and everywhere on his body hurt. Namely his ribs. He could feel broken bones puncturing his lungs and digging further every time he exhaled and inhaled. His breathing became raspy and short.

The Titan lay in the snow, looking at the Fallen onslaught ahead of him. Countless Vandals and Captains taking up positions behind cover fired on him and his group. But something behind them had triggered his attention. It was a large spider-like creature, covered in the SIVA nanite technology. It walked on not two legs, but rather many mechanical ones. It was moving through the ranks quickly to Marcus's position. But before he could react, his vision faded and he lost consciousness.

…

Iksis gave the warning to his teammates, noting exactly what that figure was. It trudged through the snow, smashing past the Fallen and moving to the Titan's position. Unlucky for the Guardian, he hadn't noticed yet.

Iksis would've shouted to him, but his voice was more than gone. Which is why it was appropriate for the Titan, Marcus's, friends to shout to him. But the sounds and cries of war drowned out their voices and the Titan was still none the wiser.

The Hunter to his left suggested rushing for the Titan, reaching him before he was either killed or passed out. Options which the group considered but couldn't afford. The Hunter, Theriad as Iksis knew him, cursed the group and continued to shoot at the Fallen approaching.

But then, something strange happened. The Titan was thrown across the battlefield and was rendered useless to defend himself. It was then that Theriad ignored their warnings and darted over the wall, rushing the 20+ foot gap between him and the group's cover, running for Marcus.

He reached the body before Aksis could. But maybe Aksis wasn't planning on reaching the Titan. The second Theriad got there, he was met by SIVA tendrils smashing into the ground originating from Aksis. The Hunter preemptively dodged and avoided being crushed. The moment after they impacted he ignited himself in a flurry of arc energy, drawing a staff from pure arc light from seemingly nowhere and taking a swing at the second one.

From there, Theriad dodged out of the way of many SIVA tendrils and whacked the others with arc energy as they disintegrated and dissipated into nothing. He continued this as Aksis advanced closer to the Hunter, pelting him with more SIVA tendrils that each threatened to crush the Guardian where he stood.

This fight happened while Theriad's allies remained stationary, watching the events unfold with awe while the Fallen did the same. No one moved except for the two figures in the center, clashing each other with arc energy and SIVA nanites. It was as though the two sides formed a fight ring and were watching the two of them brawl for entertainment.

Iksis raised his Wire Rifle, hovering the reticle over a Captain but scared to pull the trigger for fear of upsetting the perfect peace.

Iksis had also never seen Theriad move in this way. He had grown accustomed to his Hunter friend materializing a handcannon from solar light, and relying more on precision and accuracy than martial and physical prowess. He moved with elegance, as though the arc energy allowed his thin form to pull off feats that he previously could not. It was astounding.

Theriad dodged another tendril, smacking it while the arc energy chained all the way up to Aksis's form itself, shocking the spider creature and disorienting him for a second this time. He made use of the distraction and propelled himself up with use of Aksis's leg as a stepping stone. He leaped onto Aksis's form, jabbing the spear straight through his chest and using that to further move himself up the mutilated Fallen, reaching its shoulders this time with two knives in hand, both ringing with electric power.

"ENOUGH!" The Fallen mutant roared, though he didn't open his mouth. SIVA nanites increased in frequency and concentration across his body then exploded in a pulse wave that was sent outwards. This blast threw Theriad off of the creature and onto the ground, smacking the snow with a few loud and teeth-clenching cracking sounds as he made impact.

This time, it was Ashur who rushed forward. His body soared over the cover, quite literally flying to Aksis as flames cascaded his form. A sword was drawn from the sun's energy, and a wall of flame bombarded Aksis.

Before the Fallen could react, Ashur was already on the machine, plunging to the ground and sending a fiery shockwave forward, dissipating the SIVA sent his way. He went to slashing his sword across one of his legs, but hadn't prepared to deflect a leg smacking him aside. The impact itself faded the flames to nothing but a simmer and sent the Warlock soaring to the left.

But still, the Fallen and Outcasts remained motionless. It was in this silence that Aksis spoke to the remaining Guardians.

"You are the discarded of your kind. Those born of the traveler's light cannot even defeat me now. All this time spent waging war over a machine god and its bestowed powers, and my splicers found a technology to best its blessing. No longer do the Fallen have to suffer under the might of humanity because we have become better than humans. Better than Guardians. So confront me if you wish. Your fate will be the same regardless."

Iksis's mouth twitched. He remained stationary, ready to pull the trigger this time on Aksis while Ak'tal and Krastis rushed forward.

Aksis laughed, sending a swarm of SIVA to Krastis, which enveloped him and rendered him invisible while he simply swatted away Ak'tal. Krastis continued to struggle against the nanites, and Iksis could see the occaisional flame seeping out of the hive, but for the most part, he was held captive. Ak'tal tried to get up but was then pinned by another tendril. Meanwhile, the other Guardians were incapacitated.

"So, lone wolf, do you accept my challenge? Do you wish to face me?" Aksis asked. The words resonated with the Fallen Vandal. Lone wolf.

He remembered the Speaker's words. About using his light not to benefit himself, but rather to benefit his group. That he 'was no longer a lone wolf'.

"No. Because I am no longer a lone wolf. I fight for my group." Iksis said, drawing dual sabers and approaching Aksis.

He felt a tugging in his gut. Something wanting to come out. Slowly, tendrils of electricity moved around his body, and an aura was emanating from his body. He slowly walked to Aksis, who started laughing.

"What group? It seems that you are alone. No one to fight with you." He spat.

Then, the energy moved from imploding on his insides to exploding on the cold and wintery battlefield.

…

Theriad simply didn't have the strength to continue. He'd overstretched his own powers, using them far too much than he should have. He didn't combat that Fallen machine using Bladedancer techniques because he felt it the best option. It was simply that it was all he could muster. Bladedancing doesn't require tapping into the sun itself or pulling out of quite literally nothing. It was simple. Let the raw energy out. Don't condense it. Don't control it.

Regardless, it didn't matter.

He watched Iksis leave from his cover and approach Aksis while the rest of the Outcasts were entangled with SIVA. Must have missed that part. Theriad felt his eyes getting heavier, each second threatening to send him to sleep.

He refused to let his vision fade to black and instead watched his Eliksni ally confront Aksis, the two exchanging conversation that he couldn't understand. But then something weird happened. He saw the saber-wielding Vandal utilize arc energy, sending a small wave of the energy moving towards him, expanding outward. The arc trickled past, giving him an energized feeling, sending strange feelings to his gut and sending him into a state of adrenaline. The bruises and pains he felt were gone, and he could feel the light within him restored, as though he could use it forever without consequence.

He rose to his feet as Marcus and Ashur did the same, Theriad drawing a void bow in the process and taking aim at Aksis. Ashur drew his flaming sword, a gift from the sun, and sent his body ablaze while Marcus drew a void shield, holding it at his side. The three stood in a line behind Iksis. Ak'tal swiped his sword with his free hand, breaking the bond that held him to the ground and rising to his feet while Krastis ignited all of the nanites, waltzing back to the group and taking place behind Iksis.

To this, the Fallen mech looked stunned. Too bewildered to try and maintain the handicaps he once had on Ak'tal and Krastis. All at once, the group charged the Fallen, moving as one singular unit and banking off of each other moves and strategies. Theriad cast a Shadowshot to Aksis's left and right arms, tethering them to the ground and preventing SIVA tendrils from escaping his grasp. A third arrow was fired at the horde of Fallen, tethers and void chains latched out to his enemies and keeping them in place for a short time. To this, Ak'tal leaped forward and plunged his sword into the void anchor and sent more energy pulsing through it. This energy escaped through the anchors, sending this void light to the victims that were caught in its snare, killing all attached as the Knight swept through the crowd of Fallen, growing in power as more foes were slaughtered by his blade.

Iksis stood in one place, sending his energy pulsing through his allies as they went to work on Aksis. He watched Ashur plunge his sword into one of Aksis's legs, to which the outraged Fallen mutation managed to free one of his arms and send SIVA toward's the flying warlock's way. To counteract this, Marcus dove in front and took the brunt of the blow with his void shield, letting the warlock hack his sword across Aksis's face, leaving a noticeable slashing mark across his metal helmet. The Fallen machine groaned in agony.

Krastis went to work with Ak'tal managing to keep the Fallen masses at bay, sending flames toward the ones that threatened to attack and protecting his Hive ally.

The efforts persisted, and the group could tell that Aksis was growing weaker as time went on. But he was also finding a new sense of anger and rage that previously had not been there. He was getting desperate and tired.

He smacked the Warlock away, sending him plummeting into the cold sand below. The Titan, as expected, had attempted to block his maneuver, but Aksis had seen it coming and grabbed him, holding him suspended in midair with increasing pressure. He threw the Guardian above him, sending SIVA nanites in the form of a blade forward, impaling the Guardian and suspending him midfall. The shield faded from existence, as did his life force. He chucked the Guardian away, searching for the Hunter and finding him a distance away. Standing in front of Iksis. Aksis had a realization. It had appeared that their Fallen ally was granting them this source of power. Gave them the ability to mend their wounds faster than before and keep the gift of the machine god persistent.

The warlock had risen once more, and to counteract this Aksis had preemptively kept him at bay by pulverizing him with SIVA. But the Hunter was more keen on his senses than the rest. He had fallen back, and prepared a ranged option, forging a flaming pistol and taking aim at Aksis.

With a trigger pull, Aksis jerked back. And another. And another. The shots persisted, regardless of whether or not Aksis could prepare a SIVA barrier. He felt his life force threatening to fade away, and he couldn't see a release other than retreat. Victory was not an option for the Fallen right now. His wounds were almost countless and with serious degree. He would have to heal and return to fight them or let them track him down. Their persistence was going to be their downfall.

He saw the Hunter smirk as he finished his trigger-happy craze. A small, but noticeable, smirk of victory. The Hunter may have won this battle, but he was not going to win the next. This gave Aksis a sense of satisfaction. He looked at retreat in a different light now. Let them come and find him. It would be their demise.

"Your same presented persistence is why your Iron Lords failed. Why they are all dead. Chasing the threat of SIVA, seeking to master it, pushing and overextending as you will and ending up dead. Laid waste to. It is why the Fallen are superior. We don't need your traveler's blessing." Aksis spat. The look on the Hunter's face, as well as the lowering of his solar cannon, was enough to satisfy his retreat. With that, SIVA particles appeared around Aksis as he was removed from the battlefield and replaced at his source of power.

But what was left was the Fallen. He could see Aksis and Krastis taking cover behind a wall, pelting the ever-retreating Fallen. At this point, Marcus and Ashur had been resurrected and were moving towards the two Guardians with guns drawn.

To the groups left, in the open section of the MAG emplacement, a roaring was heard. Each of them simultaneously turned their heads to view the approaching sounds. They were met with the sight of Guardian gunships moving through the gap, their pilots materializing in front of them. There was too much left to fight for Theriad to dwell on Aksis's words. He raised his handcannon as familiar faces materialized around him, joining the fight and pushing the Fallen back. Making their way around the encampment and slaughtering all of Eliksni in their way. One by one.

Theriad saw Lord Saladin himself become present at the battle, followed by a line of Guardians charging straight into the Fallen. The Iron Lord separated himself from the final push, moving to Theriad and his group with three more familiar faces. Lexi, Amon, and Malcolm. Theriad avoided looking at Lexi but rather focused his attention on Saladin. The Iron Lord removed his helmet and prepared to speak with Theriad and his allies.

"Your steps taken to destroy the Replication Chamber will not be forgotten. Your services to me and the fallen Iron Lords cannot be repaid. But there is more to be done. The Replication Chamber is merely the first step in wiping out the threat of SIVA, as I am certain you all know. Good work Guardians." The stalwart Iron Lord announced.

But behind Lord Saladin, two more figures approached. Both robotic, and both the build of a Hunter. When they got closer, their identities were no longer a secret. It was Shiro and Cayde.

"Hey there Guardians. Good work on the turrets. While you were down here fighting countless Fallen, destroying SIVA, clearing a beachhead and so on, Shiro and I took to the daunting task of having to search through the Bray archives. Lots and lots of reading. Anywho, I learned something about the Replication Chamber." Cayde stated. Shiro and Cayde's ghost interjected right after, both saying, "You didn't read anything."

Their presence surprised Lord Saladin, who cleared his throat and stepped back, allowing for the two Hunters to explain what their discoveries were.

"The Replication Chamber can't necessarily be destroyed, you see. It can only be controlled. Which explains why the Fallen were able to use it in its weakened state. It can repair itself, keep itself maintained. Turns out SIVA's a bit more advanced than we had originally thought. So we can't destroy it." Cayde said. There was a long pause.

"But if we can't destroy it, how do we stop the Fallen from making more SIVA?" Ashur asked, breaking the silence. "Well, there is a way to control it. And it seems that the Fallen didn't account for this during their whole 'takeover'. If the Fallen seized control of the Replication Chamber, the only way they could have done so was to change the biometric identifier of the chamber to be able to produce it and control SIVA. Which means only an Eliksni can enter the chamber, and only an Eliksni can control the chamber. Lucky for us, we have just that." Cayde said, this time gesturing to Iksis. "But if they didn't do this, and somehow managed to control it without the Replication Chamber's help, which I doubt since they have 9 MAG cannons around the perimeter to defend it, we'll all die and this would have been for nothing." Cayde chided.

"Take me to the replication chamber." Iksis groveled. The Vandal was speaking to Cayde, who had already turned the other way and began walking from the group.

The Hunter Vanguard continued walking, but turned his head back and explained, "Me? Oh, I'm not taking you down there. No thanks. I have to get back to the Tower before Zavala finds out I'm gone." He then was transmatted away from the battlefield, no doubt to his ship to fly back to the Tower.

…

They moved through the replication chamber which was completely empty. Other than the dormant SIVA nodes and ever-moving SIVA tentacles, there wasn't much action to be had. Theriad, Marcus, Ashur, Iksis, Krastis, Ak'tal, Lexi and her group, and a few extra Guardians, as well as Saladin himself, followed in. Saladin's face was exposed, so the entire group could see his expression. It was grim. As though he had connected this place with loss and tragedy. But still, he held the unlit waraxe in both hands, its form threatening to catch fire at any moment.

The group remained quiet, tensing up more and more as the replication chamber was completely silent. Nobody dared speak a word. Everything about this place, the SIVA tendrils flexing and bending out towards anyone who walked past them, the infected atmosphere of the facility, and its dormant fell was nothing but creepy.

Each door they went through gave a friendly tone, lit up blue, and gave more offset to the entire scene. Everyone there knew that this facility was used for research. That it was meant to only feel empty, rather than menacing. But the Fallen and their grasp on SIVA manipulated the entire base. It all seemed alive but dead at the same time.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking and silence, they reached the large entrance to what was the Replication Chamber. Everyone stopped, raised guns, and waited for Iksis to step forward. He did so, as calm and collected as he could. The large metal doors lit up as the others had and slowly slid open, each panel retreating back and slithering from sight, revealing another hall that no doubt led to the Replication Chamber.

"This is as far as we can proceed. We will have to wait here. I wish you luck, Guardian." Saladin grimly stated. Iksis found more reason to enter the Replication chamber after he had called him a Guardian, rather than Eliksni, Vandal, or Outcast. Iksis knew his duties.

…

They had waited outside the chamber for what seemed like an eternity. Not a single word was mentioned, nor did anybody move. Saladin especially was silent and still. Like a statue. There was obviously something about this place that had set him off. Something that gave him this frozen look. But it wasn't just his expression that made everybody uneasy. Nobody wanted to venture inside as not only did they have confidence in Iksis, they didn't feel like dying if he had failed.

It had seemed like long enough without a report from the Vandal to warrant communication. "Iksis. How's it going?" Theriad asked.

Krastis had made an observation about his Hunter friend. He was a different person outside of combat, and a different person when in it. As though two halves of a whole merged, but he couldn't tell who was the true Theriad. In combat, his mood was grim. He seemed calculating, to the extent that he or Ashur would take notice of it. He reminded Krastis of a scholar, but of battle. A scholar of war. As though the motions of war and battle were familiar to him at all times. There was never a time that Theriad had a doubt, and very rarely did he speak during battle. There was always something to be done, something that could be done better. But when out of combat he was as ordinary as the rest of them. He seemed as though he was full of emotion, and a living breathing thing rather than a cold calculating machine.

"This technology is all foreign. SIVA is everywhere. However, I believe I have...erm… 'cracked the code'. These… mites… are deactivated. Should be safe to enter."

With that, the group turned to the door with guns drawn, moving past the door. For however tense they were, Iksis had been right. The technology that would usually be reaching out to them was completely still. To this, the Guardians lowered their guns. All but Saladin.

"Be wary. There may be an abundance of us, but that didn't stop SIVA the first time." He said in a grim tone. This alone made the fireteam tense up again. Even Lexi, who made it a personal goal to look the most stalwart of everyone in the group had the same nervous tone everyone carried with them.

Finally, they approached the large second set of plates that would give them access to the Replication Chamber. Saladin trudged forward, the door sliding open and revealing a large open room. There seemed to be two levels of the room. One that was raised yet level with the hall, with a console perched in the center and two sets of stairs descending to the second lower level, where two large pillars with various computer screens and nanites riddled about. These seemed to be producing the SIVA, or at least they were until Iksis had disabled them.

Iksis was at the center console and turned to his allies as they entered the room. "My Eliksni 'brothers' can no longer produce this technology. They will have to use what they currently have. This makes our job easier, yes?"

Saladin nodded. "It won't stop them from using the SIVA they already have, but this is certainly a start."

"If we cut off the Replication Chamber from the Fallen, could we somehow utilize it to produce SIVA for ourselves?" Ashur asked. "There is no certain way to tell. The first time the Iron Lords tried this, it fought us because Rasputin views us as a threat. Now that it has been severed from Rasputin's grasp… there is a chance. If it could blindly follow the Fallen's orders, surely it could follow ours. However, you do not have time to figure that out. The Vanguard, as well as I, need you on another assignment. It is time that we destroy the threat of SIVA." Saladin said. "Now that we have the Replication Chamber secured and our forces inserted as a beach head, we can concentrate our efforts elsewhere. Let the Vanguard's Warlocks figure this puzzle out." He continued.

…

The short journey back to the Tower was an awkward one, but Iksis was perfectly content with the situation.

Sure, he had plenty to be mad about. Aksis. SIVA. The xenophobic distaste for him and his allies. But he also had a lot to be proud of. He had proved indispensable during combat, and even saved his entire fireteam's lives. They owed their very existence to him. That was enough to make him eccentric for a long time, but what followed that was acceptance. Which explained why he was a passenger in Lexi's fireteam Javelin. He, the other Outcasts, Theriad, Marcus, and Ashur were all hitching a ride back to the tower. And one that was not asked of but rather offered.

Which brought him to the most troubling issue of all. Where was he going to find another Skiff? That was what had infuriated him the most. The fact that he no longer had his home. Sure, the Tower was a place for him to rest at night, but the Skiff was where the memories were. Where he truly felt he belonged. As the humans said, 'Home is where the heart is'. Iksis interpreted it as a home being where they felt they belonged, rather than where their heart was. That made the most sense to him.

He had also felt as though he was gaining more and more of an understanding of the humans and their customs, as well as their attitudes. The more he learned about the humans, the more he understood why the Machine God had chosen them over the Eliksni. Well, over most Eliksni.

In the Machine Gods eyes, its chosen are those best fit to fight its enemy, and the fittest to protect it. The Traveler, as the humans called it, would need to choose just the right candidate. So when the Whirlwind occurred on Iksis's homeworld, it only made sense for the Traveler to flee. The Fallen were not capable of fighting its battles.

Because where the Fallen were resourceful and were masters of foreign technology, they lacked the innovation that humans had. The humans could do more with the little they are given, and manipulate it in a way that the Fallen couldn't. In other words, they were more creative. And because of this, it only seemed right that the humans be granted this gift.

He certainly never viewed humanity as a true enemy to the Fallen. After all, they were taking refuge in the human's solar system and waged wars against humans during their weakest points in an effort to triumph. Iksis merely saw humans as the superior. But now that he spent more time with them, he realized that the Eliksni were not so different than the humans and that the reason they had failed was ultimate because the humans were dealt the better cards and as a result played them better.

He truly never wanted to kill Guardians. He understood their circumstance and knew the root of their aggression towards his kind. To an extent, he understands their distaste for him now. But it had always been a matter of survival. He had killed many, destroyed their Ghosts and scavenged the parts from before he was Chosen. Yet he never instigated a fight. He did everything out of a need for survival. Which sums up the Fallen collectively. However, they can no longer continue to live and continue as a species if they did not accept surrender to the humans. The Fallen were losing their command, losing numbers. They collectively didn't have the influence required to band together. Their Kells and commanders were dwindling in size. Leadership being transitioned only weakened the new leader further. The Fallen would have to move past their war with the humans if they wanted to survive.

So maybe the Traveler still had faith in the Fallen, maybe it never lost it. Obviously, he chose Iksis for a reason. That reason could be to unite the Fallen against the darkness, rather than assimilate them against the humans. But if Iksis's purpose was to unite the Fallen with the humans, what did that make of Ak'tal and Krastis?

…

The fireteams sank down the stairs leading to the Vanguard Hall, where they had been requested. It was time that they learned the endgame to SIVA and how they would finally stop it and the Fallen from attacking the city.

When they approached the table, Zavala wasted no time. "Guardians. You know the city owes you numerous favors. Uncountable, actually. But I'm not going to spend this briefing thanking you. There is a time and place for honoring your courage, which takes place after we deal with this threat once and for all. We are in the process of organizing a strike force, led by you," Zavala informed, gesturing at Theriad's fireteam and the Outcasts as a whole. "To destroy the Fallen utilizing the SIVA. we've pinged a source of Splicer activity. The wall of the Cosmodrome, where old Golden Age laboratories had been staged specifically for SIVA. We know, through the data supplied to us at the Replication Chamber, that this is where the Splicers are operating. The primary task will be to eliminate the Fallen commanding SIVA."

"Which we know for sure is that creepy spider-mech machine thing you fought during the Replication Chamber takeover." Cayde started. "Obviously more planning is required, but be ready for one hell of a fight tomorrow. For now, however, you've earned some rest. Report back tomorrow in the morning." He continued. He gave a small two-finger salute and returned to whatever he had previously been working on while Zavala stared daggers at his Hunter colleague. It was assumed Zavala had more to say, but Cayde shrugged it off and returned to what he had been working on prior. No doubt the plan of attack. "Oh, and when you see Saladin next, let him know I said hi." Cayde finished. With that, it was clear that they had been dismissed even if not by Zavala.

…

The remainder of that night had not been focused on dwelling on what was next with the Guardians, but rather how they could cherish the moment. The Outcasts spent their time with the Speaker, each one of them eager to learn the extent of their powers and find out more about the Traveler's decision. Meanwhile, Theriad, Ashur, and Marcus spent their time in the city.

The day had been long for Theriad. He was physically drained. Nothing left to run on, but somehow he continued walking with Marcus and Ashur, Amanda tagging along right next to Theriad. Regardless of how tired he was, he wouldn't spend a minute dwelling on the battle, but rather the good times, he had outside of being a Guardian.

There wasn't much the Hunter could be discontent with. He had great friends. Ashur, though sometimes cold and lacking empathy, had (almost) never failed to be there for Theriad. It was clear that, even though Ashur could not show it, he appreciated Theriad's friendship as much if not more than Theriad did. There was nothing that the two wouldn't sacrifice to save the other.

The same was with Marcus. It was because of this Titan that Theriad could say he was still alive. In many instances. He had been the voice of reason in many cases, and had kept the group together even when it had threatened to collapse on itself. But his bond with Marcus went deeper. He felt he could be entirely open with Marcus and tell him exactly what was happening, but also enjoy the good and simple times that were a rare commodity.

Then there was Amanda. Although two completely different and seperate halves, they worked insanely well together. Their relationship wasn't orthodox by any means, simply because of how different they both were, but somehow that made it easier to maintain and easier to appreciate. Everything about it was just perfect, even if it wouldn't work in theory.

The rest of the night had been a blur to Theriad once they reached and entered the Tavern. Theriad didn't drink, neither did Amanda, but Ashur and Marcus did so like it was the last time they would ever be able to. A fear that could be completely founded and legitimate, but Theriad tossed it aside. He'd never not returned from a battle, regardless how gruesome and difficult. He'd slain literal gods and destroyed entire timelines. There was no way that a few rogue careless Fallen were going to kill him.

It was simply the blend of his situation. Each part of the night formed together in such a way that time passed extremely fast, and before he knew it he was walking Amanda into their shared room. His need for sleep could easily be attributed to his inability to recollect the night's events or how they meshed together to lead him here.

He walked inside, swinging the door open and switching on the light, then finding himself in his bed with Amanda nestled in his arms. They had normal night-time conversations, Theriad explaining the day's events and what would happen the next day, and his overall schedule. She didn't necessarily like the idea of him having to topple the entire Fallen threat in one day. Not because she thought it dangerous, but rather because she didn't really like that the would be identical to that day's.

"Why is it you that has to fight tomorrow. Why not the other numerous Guardians?" She asked in a low whisper. "Being the best has its ups and downs." Theriad retorted, also in the same low-toned whisper Amanda had. "Can't you not be the best this time?" She joked. Theriad gave a slight smirk, looking back up at the ceiling. "I'm not joking, Theriad. I mean it. Why is it always you that has to deal with these problems? Don't you want to have a normal life? If not for you then for us?"

"I'm doing this for myself. I am doing this for us. If we want to be safe, to be able to call this place home and rely on it, I have to do what I have to do." He calmly stated. She looked away for a second, giving Theriad a taste of Amanda's real emotions. She wasn't as simple and cold as everyone perceived her. She had emotions just like any normal person did. Even if she didn't always let it show, they were always there with her.

"I just don't see why it has to be you."

Theriad gave a slight frown, then quietly muttering, "Me neither." and staring up at the ceiling.

Before he knew it, his eyes were closed. Unable to find the strength or willpower to open them back up, he submitted to the need for sleep.

Night terror time.

…

"It would seem that your options are limited, Hunter. Dwindling. Hope for your kind has flatlined. The minor threat, if you could even call it a threat, has done me a great service. The very thing prohibiting me from laying waste to your puny world and enacting my revenge is your pre-collapse machines. The luck your predecessors had bestowed upon you has run short. Because now, I can march right on your Tower's balcony and slaughter you 'Guardians', starting with you. I am coming for you, Hunter."

Author's Note:

Long chapter, ran through a lot of revisions. Give me dat good ol' feedback. Let me know what I could do better, or just general critiques that you guys have.

I'm planning on doing a lot with this story, a lot of different side stories and side conflicts that I hope to resolve within the story, so really, stressing this foremost, any and all feedback is appreciated and accepted. I'll put it in all caps for you:

PLEASE REVIEW!

Anyways, see you guys when I see you. Thanks for reading this whack story thus far and for your favorites/follows. Means a lot.