Destiny: The Legendary Hunter

[GaZe_Zero]

Good chapter, but I'll be honest I'm slowly losing the plot. I feel like Void doesn't have enough self dialogue, and tbh I even forget how he looks like besides the mask at this point. I really do like how the story is going, but I do think I lost the point somewhere.

Like one of the points is how Void became such a big shot. I mean I get how, but he is heavily out classed by the majority of the guardians just by how underdeveloped his light is alone. It would be cool to see more of the system/items/powers too.

 

[strangeroverthesea]

With Void looking to expand and refine his Light usage instead of having his sword of a brother carry him through dps and hitting things soaked in Darkness, I'm hoping his years as a warlock player comes back for inspiration.

Looking at his void and arc light and creating new niche/utility tricks or enhancing his preexisting abilities. using the Void to create a film/sheet/shield of Devour (how I see void overshield) and 'eat' bullets or just run into foes, use with hands to open anything locked or open new doors, maybe use it to shape materials into what ever shape he needs. Void smoke/energy or Arc formed into animal to unleash on a group of foes or a bird across a room on a Major for a status effect while he cleans up Minors, the light seems to like taking the form of animals in visions. Arc enhanced strength. looking into armour/tech enhanced with the Light, like the stuff from D1.

Do remember that the Class system is an artificial creation in ability usage, the Light is the Light and all abilities were made by Risen messing around, trying to replicate whatever they heard at a bar or fought against and didn't get Final Death'd, everyone can use whatever they want as long as they train it. the Classes are a social/cultural thing with specials attention to where people are effective, and the abilities are more what worked the most with everyone using it slowly refining it for everyone to use better, plus when the Vanguard was militarized (right around Battle of Burning Lake and Great Disaster, then hopes and dreams were crushed at the moon) they could know what the basic level of competence and usage was for deployment on a tactical and strategic level.

All that understanding of how the hive think, act and view the world, maybe twist it so he has a beginning point for rituals and symbols that draw power from the Sky, or just work with the warlocks. Quite a few perks on weapons seem like they would be paracausal enchantments or spells cast through the gun, instead of just tech explanation, that could be touched on as well as his RnD (firefly, surrounded, harmony, ect).

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Came back to this after a while, still as good as I remember.
the other Factions are gonna have to really up their game if they want to compete with VENOM for New Light's allegiance. especially if joining VENOM, the only faction that gives Special missions that advance the game story as well as epic loot crafted from all the cool tech we the players wanted to play around with.

I'm Really hoping that Void recruits more Eliksni into VENOM, ones that all have differing ways of doing things based on their house/upbringing, age and the foes they had to contend with. like a house winter splicer that still trusts in the light, due to the effectiveness of old school splicer teachings and splicer gauntlets to effect vex systems (Cryosthesia 77K lore tab). would be interesting to see debates between different splicers or house members.

with the expanded upon lead up to Dark Below/Crota's End. wondering if you gonna do the same with House of Wolves. potential allied operations between Void with Crow drones, House wolves with Mara-kell and Queens Guard. Also, i really, really hope you expand on the ending of House of Wolves, when Skolas pulls Wolf forces through time from the past. whether you put that down as simulated wolves, actual wolves from the past of our timeline or wolves from different timelines matters not to the end effect. but the idea of certain Captains, Silent Fang, or ambitious fallen (coming from a time when house wolves was in a secession crisis) would have very interesting interactions with between their older and younger selves. just really hope this plot point expanded on unlike the game where it just a excuses for wolves to spawn from vex gates.

where the pretty blue lava and volcanic activity of Venus? I don't see any mention of it. if it a reading comprehension problem my bad.

thanks for the story.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for reading chief. As for your concerns, firstly, I do plan on doing a lot with House of Wolves etc, you guys are all caught up with my free releases on every website, I do post some chapters ahead of time on Patre*n though. Anyhow, there's a lot to do with The Reef yet. And I think its pretty obvious both to you and I that Crota will be the big bad in the final arc of the first volume. The whole buildup to him has already established.

As for your talks about Skolas, yes that would be interesting to explore and see if I can make up some good Eliksni Characters to match, I have already introduce Kaviss from the Devil's, so maybe a few more wouldn't be an entirely bad idea. I'll have to study up more lore for it, though.

Finally, on Venus. To be fairly honest, I recall Venus from Destiny 1. Which to me was lush jungles, mossy plains and rocky valleys. I wasn't really that coherent enough to remember a volcano, but now that you mention it, its coming back to me though, so I might see what I can do later.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Uzoma flicked a coin between his fingers. "So we are all hearing the same thing, right? Big weird ritual going on, that might damage the Traveller itself. Plus, you want a Gate Lord's key, crack it open, walk into this place, break what should not be there and then walk out?"

Void nodded once. "That's the gist of it."

Uzoma muttered something under his breath, dragged a chair and propped himself down, "Right. Of course."

Isidel leaned her forearms on the chair's crown, "And you know this how?"

Void held her gaze. "I cannot disclose my source."

Uzoma squinted at him with a half smile. "That means the source is either very good or not trustworthy at all."

"Let's just say it's a bit of both," Void said. "Look, like I said, there's simply no way for me to prove it to you, and I know it's hard to believe this. But I do need you to trust me."

Alemyr exhaled through his nose, calm. "Ghostsword, your reputation precedes you. We've heard great things about your contributions in the war. But still, what you're asking us to do is a wild goose chase with no end. Besides, why does the City not know?"

"They cannot do anything with it," Void shrugged. "Broadcasting all this would only spread fear. That won't help at all."

Taeko-3 tapped a finger on the table, metal on glass. "Alright, relax, let's just do some calculations."

She raised her palm, and her ghost appeared, projecting a small hologram above the table.

"From Stoic's database, a Vex Gate Lord can open a portal into the Vex's frozen timestream. A place so far disconnected from our space-time that there's no other way to access it."

"The Gatelord appears for only seconds at each location, installing Vex gateways and guarding the entrance to their realms. In fact, the only time Stoic encountered one was during the largest Vex surge in the system."

Isidel cut in, "Bastard was only there for five seconds. That's all it took to unleash a vex legion and connect its gateways."

"In simpler words." Alemyr cleared his throat, "Even if we knew where a gate lord was. Capturing it would be nigh impossible. The moment you threaten it. It will disappear."

"But."

Alemyr added. "We can help you if you find one. Crack his frame, strip his cypher, turn his key into something you can use. Not just once, but indefinitely."

Gallida looked around the circle, reading faces. "Seems like that's the consensus, Ghostsword. Guess we couldn't solve your issue after all."

Void rolled the thought once and let it settle. "That's fine, I'll take that split. I hunt, you help break it down.."

Isidel gave a small nod. "That is best."

The Stoic had been quiet, hands folded, eyes on Void as the discussion went on. He lifted his head just enough to show that he'd been paying attention.

Void straightened. "And for the work, I will sponsor all the Glimmer and Tools. All of it."

Uzoma's smile sharpened. "Now you are speaking my language."

Isidel's mouth twitched. "Payment does make focus easier."

Void smiled, then looked to the Stoic. "There is one more thing."

The Stoic tilted his head.

"You, you worked on the City's spatial network, didn't you?"

For a fraction of a second, the Stoic's eyes widened. He had never thought something that old would come to light, especially by someone as young as Void.

"I've got a job related to that. It's for you exclusively. I also can't tell you anything beforehand." Void said.

Void gestured a coin with his finger, "What I can promise is that you won't regret. Your cut will be big enough not to worry about glimmer, ever."

Gallida's brows went up. Uzoma let a low whistle slip. Taeko-3 laughed softly into her palm. Isidel looked faintly amused, which for a Titan was the same as surprise.

The Stoic looked around the room, then his eyes shifted up, as if in thought. Eventually, he shrugged. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't a bigger challenge than finding a gate lord.

"I suppose I'll take that as a yes." Void crossed his arms, "You'll be working on something special."

"A Golden Age blueprint for subspace tech. If we build it, it changes how everyone moves, buys, stores, and shares. Since yours were one of the cleanest hands on the City's protocol, I think you'd be the right man for the job."

The Stoic watched him with keen eyes, almost as if inquisitive.

Void hummed in thought, "You don't have to be that worried. I've already got Marcus Ren and my own specialist on the team. I am planning to get Wen Jie, but she's hard to find."

Alemyr tilted his head. "You're calling on some big names. Looks like this will be quite the project."

"A network that answers only to us," Void replied. "Not to a Foundry or a Faction, or the City. Storage no one can skim. Doors that open for who we say, when we say. We seed it, we set the rules. I'd say it's the biggest project in the system."

"Ambition is cheap," Uzoma chimed in, "Enforcement is not. But seeing as you're already getting the big names involved, you're on the right track."

Void looked back at the Stoic, "I will also pay in more than glimmer. Hardware. schematics and materials. You'll get everything you need."

The Stoic's eyes warmed by a fraction, he glanced at Gallida, at Uzoma, at Taeko-3, at Isidel, and at Alemyr. No one shook their head.

"We've all worked at this lab for decades," Gallida said, laying the line. "Campus-9 stands. The work is shared. The records are shared."

"I get you," Void said. "Your team stays yours. Bring them as your core if you want. I am not here to steal you from them."

Uzoma tapped the table, "This sounds like a second job on top of the first. But hey, as long as you're paying."

The Stoic reached across the table with an outstretched hand.

Void's lips curled into a smile, and he shook it. "I'll send over the workshop coordinates to Gallida. While I know you guys do most of your work here. If it comes down to it. We might do the job at our workshop site."

"That's fine, we were bound to need to stretch our legs anyway." Alemyr shrugged.

Gallida clapped her hands once, crisp. "Then we are done for today. Uzoma, Isidel, Alemyr, Taeko, brief in an hour. Stoic, take ten and then go write the list this madman will have to buy for us to start working on a solution to crack a gatelord's encryption."

The Stoic's mouth tilted. It might have been approval, but Void could swear he saw a smug shift in his face, as if to say, 'Expect a long list'

"Do hesitate before you ask." Void cleared his throat.

"Relax, I am sure it won't be a lot, I think...." Gallida said, turning back to Void as the team began to peel off toward their stations.

"Yeah..." Void sighed. He waved to the others, already half turned.

Gallida walked him back the way they had come. Past the ringed conflux, toward the door that was not a door until it chose to be. At the threshold, the subspace pressed against his chest and then let go.

Void disappeared.

-

Outside, Campus-9 was still in ruins. The gate behind him closed as if it had never been there.

Void called his jumpship to the horizon and waited for transmat.

"Next step?" Obsidian chirped.

"Find a gate lord," Void answered. "Or find someone who knows where one might be hiding."

"Someone knowledgeable about Vex", Obsidian said. "I mean.... we do have him."

"Him?" Void asked as Obsidian project the image of a blue awoken warlock.

"Asher Mir."

Obsidian was already calculating the best way to proceed. "Ikorra can definitely connect us to him. I think she's among the few who have his contact."

"That so? Hit her up and ask for his location. I'm sure if we call him up, he'll refuse to meet." Void shook his head.

"Already on it. Sent a request for info on Asher Mir." Obsidian chuckled.

"Good."

Void's wrist blinked, his eyes shifted up, and he saw his ship hovering above him in the sky. The next second, his figure scattered into glimmer, and the jumpship's thrusters flared to life, shooting towards orbit.

=

A/N: HOPE you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry for the delay, got swamped by work!

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Also, come check out my book on RR if you like the writing.

Archmage Hero of the Academy

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Good chapter, but I'll be honest I'm slowly losing the plot. I feel like Void doesn't have enough self dialogue, and tbh I even forget how he looks like besides the mask at this point. I really do like how the story is going, but I do think I lost the point somewhere.

Like one of the points is how Void became such a big shot. I mean I get how, but he is heavily out classed by the majority of the guardians just by how underdeveloped his light is alone. It would be cool to see more of the system/items/powers too.

Click to shrink...

I would say that I am genuinely working on every aspect of what you've mentioned and slowly fleshing stuff out. My story is usually a slow burn but sometimes its overwhelming for sure, too much is going on. I will be sure to take that into account.

 

[Writers-Ablood]

[High Orbit, Between Worlds]

Void's jumpship cruised steadily into orbit and accelerated. The thrusters flared and stars stretched into thin lines across the horizon, as if someone had dragged a brush through wet paint.

Void had barely settled into the calm when his wrist buzzed.

Obsidian flicked a small icon into the corner of Void's visor.

[INCOMING CALL: IKORRA REY]

Void stared at it a beat, then accepted.

Her voice cut through the silence.

"What are you up to?" Ikorra asked, "And why did I just get a request from you for Asher Mir?"

Void exhaled through his nose and leaned back in the pilot's chair. "Because I need him," he replied.

Ikorra didn't bite. "That's not the answer I'm looking for."

Void glanced to Obsidian and raised his brow, but the Ghost rotated slowly, pretending he was not listening.

He sighed.

"You already know I was on Venus when that ether bomb went off. I'm just trying to make sense of what I saw. I was in the middle of the Vex and Fallen skirmish, and since I already know enough about the Eliksni, catching up on the Vex didn't seem like a bad idea."

"Besides. The Vex didn't react as I expected them to, and that rubbed me the wrong way." Void shrugged, "I figured it wouldn't hurt to consult an expert."

Ikorra paused.

"You were on Venus," she repeated, and it sounded like she was filing it away for later. "And you think Asher is the best person to talk to."

"Isn't he the only person to talk to?" Void replied. "Most people in the City hear 'Vex' and start praying or shooting. Asher actually understands what he's looking at."

"That may be true," Ikorra chuckled. "It's also true that the last time you met up with an aforementioned expert from the City, you stabbed him through the heart. "

Void's brow lifted. "Oh, please, you really think I'd do that to him?"

"No. No, I don't." Ikorra exhaled through her nose, "But people talk. Some of this talk naturally reached Asher's ears. Which is why, after your debacle with the City, he went and became a recluse."

Void gave a small chuckle, as she'd just said something funny. "Seclusion doesn't mean hidden, Ikorra. What did he even do that for?"

"Well, considering he and Toland were both present for the lunar missions with your team, he might've been under the impression that you'd search for him as well to...even the odds."

Silence.

Void pushed on anyway. "Really? That's the excuse? "

"I can't force him to think a certain way, Void. Fact is, Asher Mir isn't looking to meet anyone right now. Not even us."

"I didn't ask if he was looking to meet." Void pinched the bridge of his nose. "You've got a new system now. You've got eyes everywhere. Don't tell me you don't know where he is."

Ikorra didn't deny it. That was answer enough.

"All I'm asking for is a location," Void said. "I'll take care of the rest."

"You always say that," Ikorra replied.

Void's voice softened, just slightly. "Because I mean it."

Another pause. Longer.

Then Ikorra finally spoke again.

"He's on Io," she said. "Last I heard from him, he found something there. Strange Patterns. Vex structures that don't match what we've logged before. He went quiet and stayed quiet."

Void's visor flashed as coordinates dropped into his comms channel.

[COORDINATES RECEIVED]
[DESTINATION: IO]

Void sat forward again, hand resting on the edge of the console. "That's all I needed."

Ikorra's voice sharpened. "Now listen to me. Asher is not going to be happy you showed up. He is not stable in the way most Guardians are stable."

Void's lips curved. "None of us are."

"Void."

"I'm not telling you not to go," Ikorra said. "I'm telling you to go carefully. And if Asher Mir isn't willing, then don't push it. The City relies on his Vex knowledge a lot more than you'd think."

Void looked out at the stars. "I hear you," he said.

Ikorra didn't sound satisfied, but she didn't argue either. "Good."

The call cut.

Obsidian's eye brightened as the jumpship's systems adjusted.

"Route set," Obsidian said. "Io in line. Jump ready."

Void nodded once. "Do it."

The stars pulled inward. The ship's hull groaned softly as space folded, and it disappeared.

—

[House of Winter Court]

The Fallen stronghold reeked of ether and scorched metal. It was packed too tight, too loud, too tense. Dregs scurried along the edges of the chamber with their heads down, hauling crates and patched rifles like ants moving food through a nest that had been rattled.

Above them, banners of House Winter hung in tattered strips. Not proud. Torn. Stained. Still there, but only because no one had the time to take them down.

Draksis, Winter's Kell sat at the centre of it all, perched on a throne built from plated scrap and salvaged human steel. His lower arms were wrapped in thick bands of wire and armour straps. His upper hands were bare, claws stained dark where oil and blood had mixed.

A holo-table in front of him projected casualty numbers. Squad counts. Supply reserves. Ether stores.

Everything was in ruin.

A Captain stepped forward first, head lowered but not too low.

"Great Kell," the Captain rasped, "our forces are compromised."

The Kell's four eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"The Vex assault was heavier than expected," the Captain said. "They pressed into our ranks even as we withdrew. It was… relentless."

Another Captain moved beside him, voice sharper. "And the Strange Machine Spawn in the deadlock. The one with lightning."

A ripple ran through the chamber. Even Dregs paused to listen.

"He tore through both sides,"

Draksis inhaled slowly, ether lines along his neck flaring faintly. He stared at the projections until the numbers blurred into one dull truth.

Loss.

He spoke without raising his voice, but it carried anyway. "We rebuild."

The Captains exchanged glances. One of them started to speak again, but the Kell lifted a hand.

"I said we rebuild," he repeated. "No raids. No strikes. No glory runs to feed ego. We lay low until our numbers return."

A murmur spread. Frustration. Hunger. The House of Winter wasn't built to hide. They were built to take.

The Kell's patience snapped.

He slammed his upper hand down through a datapad resting on the edge of the holo-table. The device cracked with a sharp pop. Sparks jumped. The projection flickered, stuttered, then stabilised.

The sound silenced the room.

Winter's Kell leaned forward, claws digging into the metal edge. "Do any of you doubt me?"

No one answered.

Then a new figure stepped out from the line of Captains. Taller. Leaner. Armour darker, etched with marks that looked like they'd been burned in rather than painted.

Grayliks, Winter Baron.

He bowed, slow and controlled, then lifted his head. "Great Kell," he said. "We did not return empty-handed."

The Kell's gaze shifted to him, sharp with interest despite himself. "Speak."

Grayliks snapped his wrist, and a small projection flickered into the air. Not a battle map. Not a supply chart. Something stranger. A cryptogram module. Golden Age in design, but modified with Fallen hands. A layered tool meant to break locks that weren't meant to be broken.

"We secured this from the old archives beneath Ishtar," Grayliks said. "In the chaos. While the Vex were occupied."

The Kell's posture eased by a fraction. Ether lines dimmed. He stared at the projection like it was food.

"This," he said slowly, "is useful."

"It is," Grayliks agreed. "It will open doors. It will turn human secrets into Winter secrets."

The Kell nodded once. He almost looked pleased.

Almost.

Then Grayliks continued, voice dropping a touch. "But I must warn you. While we extracted the technology, I watched the Vex."

The Kell's eyes narrowed again. "You already said they were occupied."

"They were," Grayliks replied. "But not with us. Not with the Guardian. Not even with the stolen archive."

The room felt colder. The Dregs stopped moving again.

"They did not care that we took from them," Grayliks said. "They were moving too hastily. Too urgently. They were gathering. Building. Shifting units through the network like something had sounded an alarm."

Draksis let out a low scoff. "The Vex always move. That is what they do."

Grayliks didn't back down. "Not like this. This was not routine. It felt like… preparation."

Draksis leaned back in his throne and spread his hands. "Preparation for what?"

Grayliks hesitated, and that hesitation said enough. He didn't know. He only knew it was wrong.

Draksis's expression hardened. "You're spooked."

"I am cautious," Grayliks corrected.

But Grayliks immediately got waved off with a rough flick of Draksis's wrist. "Then be cautious quietly. We have losses. We have rebuilding to do. We do not waste thought on Vex."

Grayliks's jaw tightened. He bowed again, slower this time. "As you command."

He stepped back from the court. As he turned to leave, the Kell had already returned to the casualty projection, eyes burning with the sort of anger that only came from being forced to wait.

Grayliks walked out of the chamber, the air outside cooler, quieter, less crowded. A line of Captains waited in the corridor. They straightened when they saw him.

Grayliks didn't waste time.

"Watch the Vex," he told them. "I don't care what the Kell thinks. If they move like that again, I want to know first."

One Captain's mandibles twitched. "You think they're planning something."

Grayliks stared down the hall, as if he could see through walls and time if he tried hard enough. "I think they already started."

The Captains nodded, uneasy but obedient.

-



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[Writers-Ablood]

A/N: Enjoy the extra-long chap AND Checkout my Patreon for more.

patreon.com/Writers_Ablood
-

Void's jumpship tore out of hyperdrive as stars snapped from long white streaks back into sharp points. The hull shuddered once, a hard vibration that ran through the seat into Void's spine. For half a second, the cockpit lights dimmed, then steadied.

The next second, the maw behind the Jumpship closed.

Void heaved a sigh, and as he looked ahead, he saw it.

Jupiter.

Not just big. Massive. A bruised giant, banded with storms that rolled like slow muscle. The Great Red Spot sat there like a wound that never closed. Lightning flickered inside the clouds sometimes, distant and quiet.

Void didn't blink. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, watching Io, one of its moons, slide into view beneath the curve of Jupiter's shadow.

Io had always been a strange moon.

It wasn't dead like the others. It shimmered with colour, pale gold ridges and dark plains and strange bright streaks that cut across the surface like someone had spilt paint and never wiped it. Thin haze clung to parts of it, and the whole moon carried a soft glow.

Void sat back slowly. "Io, what do they call it again?"

Obsidian floated up beside the dashboard, eye bright. "Sanctuary of the Warlocks."

"Right."

"City records explain that when the warlocks first found this place, they felt attuned to it." Obsidian's shell turned as he scanned. "Energy everywhere. It's… dense. Like the air itself is full of something. They never could explain it, though."

Void stared out at Io, quiet for a beat, his thoughts ran wild.

He knew why the air itself felt dense, why the energy field of this moon was so...freeing. As the last place the Traveler terraformed, the moon retained some of the Traveler's energy. Which led to the pyramidion. A vex project aiming to turn this entire place into their network.

Though no one knew that right now except him.

He flexed his fingers once, then pointed forward. "Find Asher. Track his signal from orbit."

Obsidian's eye flickered, "I can track him, but...Signal's weak."

Void's brows rose. "Weak?"

Obsidian replied, irked, "Weak because Io's energy is messing with my comms. We'll be off by maybe a hundred meres?"

He hummed, then nudged the ship into a slow descent.

As Io's horizon swallowed him, the cockpit rattled faintly. Light stretched across the canopy in thin ribbons, almost like an aurora but steadier. It made the ship's frame look older. Dustier. Like it had been flying longer than it actually had.

The jumpship angled toward a jagged stretch of cliffside. A long stair of rock carved up the face. Not by intention, but by centuries of action. As if by pilgrims who followed the same wayward path to climb up.

The ship touched down with a soft thud. Dust puffed around the landing struts, then settled like tired smoke.

Void transmatted out into the open air.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. Clean, almost sweet, like wet stone after rain. The second thing was the silence. Not dead silence. Just a quiet that made your own breathing sound too loud.

He rolled his shoulder once and looked up at the cliff.

"Obsidian."

"Signal's up there," Obsidian said. "Somewhere. I can't pin it exactly."

Void took them two at a time at first, then slowed. Not because he was tired. Because he wanted to feel the place.

Every few metres, he ascended, paused and looked out.

Below him were Io's gardens. This was wild growth. Rolling fields. Weird flowers with thin stalks that bent toward nothing. In the distance, he could even spot some old Vex spires, half-buried and silent, as if the planet had swallowed them and forgotten.

Void reached the top and stopped for a breath.

He stared out across the view, then let out a slow exhale. "Yeah. This place is special."

Obsidian floated up beside his shoulder. "In my experience, special places usually try to kill us."

Void smirked. "True."

He tapped the side of his visor. "Ping the signal again."

Obsidian's eye flickered.

"It's nearby."

Void's gaze drifted down over the terrain ahead.

A field of craters stretched out in front of him. At first glance, they looked random. But the longer he stared, the more he saw it.

It wasn't random. At least it didn't feel like it.

Void's eyes narrowed, but he couldn't put it into words. Eventually, he chose to ignore it and moved between craters. His eyes flickered blue as Void tracked the faint residue of energy that didn't belong to wind or stone.

A few minutes later, he saw him.

Asher Mir stood in one of the larger craters, surrounded by equipment laid out in neat lines. Tripods. Small lamp modules. The whole setup looked like it had been built by a man who hated clutter but loved control.

Asher himself was hunched over a console, muttering to it, fingers moving fast.

Void stopped at the crater lip and watched him for a second.

The man looked thinner than Void remembered. Not weak. Just… worn. Like his mind never got rest, even when his body did.

Void cleared his throat.

"Asher."

He froze.

An instant later, he turned fast, eyes wide, hand snapping toward the weapon at his belt. His gaze flicked to Void's face, then to the sword on his side, then back to Void.

For a moment, Asher looked like he expected to be punished.

Then his mouth tightened, and his expression shifted into that familiar dry irritation.

"Of course," Asher said. "Of course it's you."

Void walked down into the crater at a steady pace, hands loose, posture relaxed.

"Asher Mir," Void said. "Didn't think you'd be hiding out here."

"I'm not hiding," Asher snapped. "I'm working."

Void stopped a few steps away. "You're alone. On Io. Surrounded by gear. That's hiding."

Asher's eyes narrowed. " I am not gonna argue the specifics with you. Do you want something, or did you come to loom dramatically over my research like every other Guardian who thinks curiosity makes them intelligent?"

Void's lips twitched. "Bit of both."

Asher stared at him, tense. His eyes flicked again, to the sword. Every fibre of his being reeled at the strange aura emanating from the sword. It was faint. Far too faint to be noticed by the untrained.

But he was a warlock. One who'd dedicated himself to unearthing the secrets of the Vex. Even these faint fluctuations felt like tremors to him.

Void noticed his glare, but didn't say a word.

Then Asher spoke, words fast like he wanted to get ahead of the conversation before it turned ugly.

"I had nothing to do with the Moon," Asher said. "If you're here because you think I'm responsible for whatever happened with Toland, you've come to the wrong crater."

"My assignment was observation," Asher continued, jaw tight. "That was it. Watch. Record. Report. And he still slipped through cracks I didn't even see." His voice faltered for half a second, just enough to show it hit him deeper than he wanted.

Then the bitterness returned. "So yes. I failed. You can enjoy that if that's what you came for. Now leave me to my work."

He looked down at his console as if he ignored him, then Void would disappear.

Void exhaled, slow. "I'm not here for revenge."

Asher let out a humourless laugh. "Right. Because you have such a reputation for mercy."

Void's eyes stayed calm. "Asher."

Asher didn't look up.

Void took one step forward.

Not threatening. Just closer.

Asher's shoulders tensed anyway.

Void's voice stayed even, but colder. "If I came here to kill you, you wouldn't have finished that sentence."

Asher's fingers froze above his console.

Void continued, simple and clear. "Let me make it clearer. If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't even get a chance to be scared."

Asher finally looked up, anger flashing. "Is that supposed to reassure me?"

Void sighed. It was clear that Asher Mir wasn't interested in talking to him. Just like Ikorra had said, the incidents on the moon had hit him hard.

And now, he was slowly becoming a recluse. If Void didn't address it now, he knew Asher Mir would be perfectly content being holed up alone for centuries to come. But that wasn't part of the plan.

So, Void simply moved.

A blur. A crackle of lightning.

Asher felt his hard stand on end, and his eyes widened. Void wasn't in front of him anymore.

Void was behind him.

He tapped two fingers lightly on Asher's shoulder.

Asher stiffened like he'd been jabbed with a needle.

Void spoke right beside his ear. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Asher swallowed. The anger drained out, replaced by something quieter. But as he glanced behind him, Void wasn't there.

Asher's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a pit in his stomach as his gaze slowly drifted to the front.

Void was already back where he started, hands still loose, posture still calm.

Asher stood there, breathing a little heavier now. Then he dragged a hand down his face and let out a long, irritated sigh that sounded like it hurt to do.

"Your mastery over your powers is frightening," Asher said. "Fine. You've made your point. Congratulations. You can kill me whenever you want."

"As I said, I am not here to hurt you. And I do not hold you responsible. What I am here for is entirely unrelated." Void frowned, "But I can't tell you that unless you trust me."

Asher's jaw tightened, "Fine. Let's say I trust you. What then?"

Void nodded once, serious now. "I need Vex knowledge. Real Vex knowledge. Not Tower rumours. Not fireteam theories. I need someone who knows how to read their behaviour."

Asher's eyes narrowed again, this time with interest.

"And why," Asher said slowly, "would I help you?"

Void looked past him at the crater field.

"Because the Vex are moving earlier than they should," Void said. "I'm sure you've kept up with the news. An old Vex archive was discovered back on Venus. I went there, saw it myself. I know for sure that the Vex are planning something, but without your help, I can't do anything."

Asher stared at him for a long beat, then glanced down at his equipment. Though Void's words concerned him, Asher scoffed. He turned back toward his console and began tapping commands, hands moving fast again as if he could hide behind the work.

"If you're going to claim that the Vex will do something major, at least find a better excuse than Venus." Asher said, "Because I also heard that you personally wiped out their forces in bulk. I may be a recluse ghostsword, but I am not a fool."

Void smirked. "Well informed. I guess you're not as much a hermit as you look"

"So is that it? Your big reason?" Asher continued his work.

Void's smirk faded. "No. Unfortunately, there really is a big Vex disaster. I can't tell you everything because I do not know the details either. What I can say is that I need to access a place through the Vex network. And for that, I need the key of a Gatekeeper."

Asher didn't answer immediately. But then he spoke, quieter now. "What are you trying to find in the Vex network?"

"A restricted space. One where the Vex are performing a ritual. A dangerous ritual. And if I don't stop it, we all will pay the price." Void nodded.

Asher paused and took in a breath. "Like I said, how would I even help you? What would I even know of Gatekeepers?" He chortled.

Void took a few steps towards his table, his gaze still staring down the endless field of craters. "It's not that you know nothing. But you choose not to."

"What?" Asher replied, face scrunched up, "What the hell are you saying?"

"But see, what you do know is guilt." Void tapped the table to interrupt Asher's reading.

Void tapped the table again, this time with some force. The loud taps made Asher flinch, and then Void sighed.

"Are you gonna keep running from it? Convince yourself you don't have it? What's the game plan here?" Void turned and looked at Asher, and their eyes met.

"The greatest Vex Scholar of the City, a recluse. A man who values his work above all else. That's what they all see, don't they? But not me." Void rolled his hand into a fist and clenched.

"I see a broken man. One who couldn't stop the slaughter, one who blames himself for letting it happen." Void continued, "And so he punishes himself. Goes on a journey to do whatever he can to make it right. Hides from those around him because he doesn't have the heart to face them, because he couldn't accept failure."

Asher felt his face heat up, his heart raced, he stumbled for words, but they just wouldn't come out.

"You can hide. But the thing is, Asher, what about when it happens again? What about when this disaster strikes? Or another? Will you run away from it again? Will you estrange yourself from everything and everyone you know, just because you couldn't figure it out?"

"You think that makes you a self-sacrifing hero. No. It only makes you a coward, Asher, because you're running from your problems." Void grits his teeth.

"No one's always right. No one." Void took a step back, "Not me. Not you. Not the City."

"You..." Asher felt his blood boil, his pale blue skin flushed a tinge of red as he sprang up. "So what should I have done? Grovelled and asked for forgiveness? Admitted that I failed? That hundreds died because of me?"

"Because I was too foolish to see through the tricks of a man under my watch? Is that what it is? Is that what you want!"

"No. All I ask of you is not to give up. To not turn your back when others need you because you're afraid that you'll get it wrong again." Void shook his head, "Choices must be made, Asher, even if they're wrong choices."

Void chuckled, "Because otherwise, all you'll do is watch as it happens."

 

[Odd1todd89]

Thank you for writing

 

[Writers-Ablood]

Asher Mir shifted uneasily. He just stared at Void, unsure of what to say or do.

Void stayed still and let the silence do its job.

Eventually, Asher exhaled through his nose and looked away. "Fine," he muttered. "I suppose...I." His voice trailed off as he stared into the distance. Eventually, Asher took in a breath.

"I will help you." He rubbed his face and pressed his palms over his eyes, holding them there for a brief second, as if draining out his exhaustion.

Void's shoulders eased a fraction. "Good."

"Don't look so relieved," Asher snapped, already annoyed at himself for agreeing. "Helping you doesn't make this easier. A Vex Gate Lord doesn't just appear. It's not easy to find, not even for me."

Void nodded. "I know. We need to try anyway. Believe it or not, you're my last hope. I've already done what I can."

Asher's jaw tightened. He rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing as he turned the idea around in his head. "I thought you'd have at least planned it out more. But you're just insistent on finding this key."

"Well, it's the one method I am sure will work," Void said. "We need that access to the restricted space."

Asher clicked his tongue. He paused, then looked back. "Do you even know any other way into that Vex space?"

"No," Void replied.

Asher muttered something under his breath that sounded like a curse and a prayer combined. "Fine. At this point, there's only one thing left to do."

"That would be?" Void raised a brow.

He took a deep breath and cleared the table in front of him. Asher took out a satchel from a nearby cache and searched through it till he found an old codex. Asher took one look at the book's cover, and his eyes flashed with a century of memories long forgotten.

A moment later, he set it down on the table and gently dusted it open.

Asher smiled

"The Vex are mysterious. Far too mysterious. There is much we still do not know. And much that might never. Fortunately for you, I've compiled my knowledge." Asher flipped to the next page. "Well, at least for the first century or so, after that, I lost track." He shrugged.

Void leaned closer, examining the frail pages of the book as Asher skimmed through the words. His eyes widened.

It was an old logbook, filled to the brim with mentions of strange Vex sightings.

"First, we must know the basics. Vex are creatures of patterns, probabilities, and predictions." Asher explained. He continued, "Their actions, be it seen or unseen, eventually boil down to their current understanding and estimates. In short, aside from a few outliers, if we analyse the context, then a simple mix of reason and relation can easily be derived from the actions of the Vex."

"And once we have that-"

"We'll uncover the underlying variables that actually make them tick." Void stepped closer and leaned over to read the codex.

"You're not as dumb as you look." Asher gave him a simple nod back. "Overall, yes. As such, in your case. What you're looking for, is not just a gate lord, but the reason that follows a gate lord."

"See here..." Asher muttered as his fingers danced along the lines. "Ah. A somewhat recent one. A warlock spotted a Gate lord for a brief few seconds. Yes.." Asher hummed, "I faintly remember this. Interviewed the man myself."

"Is it...The Stoic?" Void cut in.

"Huh." Asher's eyes darted towards the name, "You...how'd you know that?"

"Because I already asked him." Void sighed. "As far as I'm concerned, the man has no leads."

Asher's eyes narrowed. "As I said, it's not about the leads. All we need to do is understand why the gate lord showed up in the first place." His focus shifted back to the page. But as he read the incident report, his face scrunched up.

There was simply a profound lack of precedence.

Nothing unique had happened before or after the Gate lord had shown up. There had been no indicators, no strange sightings. Nothing.

One second, it was there to trigger a Vex warp; the next, it was gone.

Watching Asher read the same passage over and over again, Void shook his head, "Look, there's nothing there. The man himself didn't know why either."

"Fine, fine...Just..look for the next one."

"Hmm, this, Kyoko Swiftriver..." Asher tapped the name with a finger, "No..she's already..."

"Then maybe...."

Asher's words trailed off as he entered a trance, going through the book page by page to look for any mention of a gate lord that he had logged.

But no matter what he found, nothing had any concrete leads.

It was as if no one in history had hunted down a Gate lord. Or even if they somehow had, there was no record of them in Asher's book, which spanned across decades.

As Asher's finger lingered on the last and earliest mention of a Gate lord, he frowned. "This...would be the end of all guardian encounters with the Vex. If we go back any further, we might as well start frisking through Golden Age records."

"So that's it? There's simply no way to find a gate lord. At all?" Void's brows furled.

Asher snapped his fingers, and the codex vanished. Instead, his ghost appeared.

"I didn't say that. Not yet anyway." Asher cut him off. "Besides, it's ridiculous to expect to solve your problems this fast. I can't perform miracles."

"Well, looks like I'll need one for this to work." Void stepped back and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I still haven't looked through some other old datasets. I had hoped I wouldn't need to. But, with how we stand, there isn't much choice."

Asher swiped his hand, and his ghost projected a few lists. Centuries hold, half-decoded transmission.

"These are.." Void instantly recognised the odd symbol at the top. A strange semi-circular lilac stamp.

"The guardians weren't the only ones who fought the darkness, ghostsword." Asher chuckled wryly. "If anything, the awoken have been fighting far deadlier battles on the edges of space. Their records must be far more detailed. As long as it was in the solar system, if anyone encountered a Gate lord, it's definitely listed here."

"Still, to think you have access to their archives." Void nodded. Working in the Reef, he knew how impossible it was to get the Awoken to share anything.

"Please. I was once a part of the royal court. It won't be hard to pull a few strings. However..." Asher glanced at him.

"The awoken Techeuns...aren't a fan of the existence of this encrypted data. So keep your mouth shut about these records."

"What records?"

"Good." Asher turned his attention towards the projection, his eyes flickering with long forgotten memories. "For now, just give me some time. The moment I learn anything, you'll be the first to know."

"I trust you," Void said.

Asher chuckled. "Not much of a choice there."

Void smirked and sent him a comms ping.

"My workshop. Reef-side. Thieves' Landing. If you want access to real equipment and not whatever you're building out here in the dirt, you come." He paused. "And if you don't, fine. But the door's open."

Asher didn't answer. He just stared at the coordinates. A few breaths later, Asher begrudingly saved the coordinates to his nav.

Void turned away before he could change his mind. "Thanks." The next instant, Void triggered his transmat and vanished.

Asher watched him scatter away, eyes following the black ship on the horizon.

A moment later, he faintly muttered.

"Don't make me regret it."

—

[Workshop, Thieves' Landing]

Void stepped through the workshop door and immediately heard something scream.

A jetpack roared down the hallway like a bad idea that had gained momentum. It clipped a hanging light, spun sideways, and slammed into the wall beside Void with a crunch that shook dust out of the ceiling.

Void stopped dead.

He stared at the smoking wreck. Then he pressed his palm to his face.

"Pahanin," he groaned, voice flat. "Can I have one day. One single day. Without a droid trying to rip me in half."

From deeper inside, Pahanin and Kaviss emerged mid-conversation, both holding a datapad as they murmured about their experiments.

Pahanin glanced at the crater in the wall. Then back at Void.

"What droid?"

Void lowered his hand slowly. "That one."

Pahanin leaned to the side and gestured with his chin.

The metal shifted.

A figure crawled out of the rubble, coughing and laughing at the same time. He dusted himself off.

Marcus Ren straightened up, grinning from ear to ear. "That was sick," he said, eyes bright. "It worked. It actually worked."

Void's stare went past him to the man-sized hole in his wall. Then slowly back to Marcus.

Void cursed under his breath.

Marcus didn't even notice him and simply looked back at Pahanin. He gestured wildly. "Okay, so it needs stabilisers, yeah, and maybe… maybe less fuel on ignition, but the lift was clean. Clean. You saw that right."

Void pinched the bridge of his nose. "Marcus?"

"OH! Ghostword, you're back? Took you long, huh? I came to visit as you suggested, but you see-" Marcus started rambling.

Void cleared his throat and instantly cut him off. He pointed at the hole.

Marcus followed the finger, saw the damage, and paused. His smile faltered for half a second, but then he sheepishly scratched his head. "Well, y'know. Shi* happens."

Void exhaled slowly, like he was counting down from ten.

Kaviss clicked his mandibles in what sounded a lot like amusement.

The workshop lights flickered once, like even the building was tired.