Prolog: A Gardener and her Sprout

[Sol System: Earth - URNA (United Republic of North America) Vanguard Outpost]

{General POV}

The Outpost was quiet. No sounds could be heard in the small building. It was located off the coast of the pacific but, for the most part, almost never saw any use. In fact the only resident of this outpost was a single man. Or rather a single "Guardian". 

An inside joke for the occupant as most Guardians had written him off centuries ago. Another one who would simply be lost and forgotten. Tucked away in this small outpost in bum fuck nowhere, he reclined. But like all Guardians he had a companion. A Ghost.

Ghosts, small specks that were once part of... The Traveler. A Being capable of miracles! By it's nature they were a teraformer. Capable of changing a world to be inhabitable where no one thought possible. But such a being had an enemy, The Witness. 

A game of tag that would put humanities survival on the operating table. In the end as Humanity was about to become extinct, The traveler would give to humanity a chance. She cut away parts of herself into the Ghosts. 

The Ghosts had a task given to them. To find their partner. So they did. And when they did a miracle happened, they resurrected them. Reborn into their undying life. No memories of their prior life, they would be first known as the Arisen. Human, Exo, Awoken it didn't matter. Under the Light they would all be the same.

They would gain access to a great power known as the Light. It typically formed into three forms; Arc, Solar, and Void.

Sadly humanity in all it's forms was a waring race... And so The Arisen would next become The Warlords. Arisen who had claimed a territory to defend against the other races such as The Fallen. They would form villages and fortresses. Others would covet their territories and so the wars began. 

Many centuries had to go by before the people united together to build The Last city. Many lives were lost in those years. And so the Lightbearers had to earn their new name, Guardians. 

Separated into three classes they would focus their efforts on their talents and interests. Hunters were known far and wide for their scouting escapades and their desire of their freedom. Warlocks known for their scholarly nature and mindset of know thy enemy personally. Titans, The wall by which our enemies would break. Known for their stubborn and direct nature as they proved the best defense is self offense. 

The Last City would face many difficult times throughout it's existence. From sieges by the fallen, to a full blown invasion by the cabal, To even an attempt at mutiny. The last City would stand in spite of these events. 

And So comes close to the present. A new face had joined the Last city. Found by their ghost out in the ruins of Old Russia he would be found to have a very strong connection to the light. Far greater than many guardians. 

The Guardian was an Exo with blue paint on his face. After joining up with the vanguard he studied with the best Titans to learn the ropes. He would go on to start volunteering for some of the worst missions, and he would thrive.

And overnight he became a true embodiment of what it meant to be a Guardian. 

With his strong connection to the light he stood head and shoulders above what others could do. When the threat of the fallen had died down he moved his focus to the moon where the Hive had awoken. 

Threat after threat he would succeed in defeating them all. Even slaying Gods.

Whether it was the Red Legion during the Red War, to the Witch Queen's theft of the Traveler, he would be there. In the end he would move with the Coalition forces to confront and kill The Traveler's enemy, The Witness. 

The Coalition, A joint force of several races and groups. The Vanguard of the Last city of Humanity, Empress Caiatl and her War Council of the Cabal, Mithrax, Kell Of the House of Light representing the Eliksni (The Fallen), And Mara Sov Queen of the Awoken people. 

As they confronted The Witness inside the Traveler, The focus of our story... was reclined in his chair as he awaited the fate of the universe. Whether it would fall to the Witness or not was barely a question in his mind. 

Because unlike other Guardians he held a secret. This wasn't his second life. His second life was the one he could no longer remember. It was during the Golden age of humanity before the Collapse. His first life was in another version of earth. 

He had Transmigrated into this universe all those years ago. At first he was confused as his situation. Then he became ecstatic as he learned of where he was and the new abilities he would gain. 

Then he found out the hard truth. He couldn't wield the Light. The only abilities that stood him apart from the lightless was his unaging body and his Ghost's ability to revive him.

As the years went by he saw the great events of the past. Even as no one trusted the Lightless guardian he would stand firm. 

Alas it would become too much by his third century. All that was left was a bitter "old" man. Even as he was able to out shoot every guardian alive. Even as he could go toe to toe in a fist fight with the best... he had no respect from them. 

He was hopeful though. He knew of the future where Guardians would one day wield the dark and maybe he could one day wield it as well. And so he waited.

And when the time arrived he was part of the secondary response teams to Europa. He moved about the frozen wastelands of Europa with his trusty Ghost Sparkles. Affectionately called Spark between themselves, she would be his ray of Light. But they were disappointed once more as they were cut off from the connections to the dark and in turn access to Stasis.

In disappointment they continued on. As time moved forwards they visited Neomuna on Neptune, only to find strand avoided them as if they were the plague. Once more unable to utilize any form of power... he returned to his post in the West Coast of the URNA. 

A little place out by the beach of what used to be California. As he was snoozing away the apocalypse his Ghost moved through the air listening to the frequency of the Vanguard Network on any news. 

As she heard from the radio of the defeat of the witness, she cheered loudly startling her powerless guardian awake. He fell from the chair in his panic. 

As he came to his senses The Guardian quickly figured out what happened as the deep purple shelled ghost was dancing around while celebrating. 

As he stood the Ghost turned towards him saying with a chipper voice of a young girl, "They Won! They Won! Yay! No Yeetus Deleting us today! We Won!"

 a gruff voice rang out from the Guardian, "Easy Spark, no need to burst a socket now."

"Ughh, Come on! They just beat the big bad guy! We should celebrate! please please please!" she said as she circled him in the air. 

With a chuckle the Guardian began to walk forward out the room without saying anything. Spark followed him immediately and questioned, "Where are you going?"

To which he replied, "We have a celebration to attend, don't we?"

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[??? POV] 

As I sat upon the high rises above the last city, watching as floating lanterns filled the skies I thought back to these 400 years. 4 centuries of living, 4 centuries of questioning just what I was doing here?

My Ghost Sparkles resting on my lap as we watched the lanterns that denoted all of the sacrifices these wars have cost. My gaze drifted to the tower as I saw the Vanguard seated overlooking the city. An Exo in resplendent armor joined them in their seats.

A smile tugged on my face as I watched them rejoice. I was reminded of my first life as I watched from behind a screen this exact sequence of events. All I was left at this point was a bitter old man... but these moments where I was able to see everything coming together was always a bliss.

Patting Spark on my lap I said, "After the celebration well go to the Pale Heart."

I could feel a small section of her shell rise like an eyebrow. Questioning my words. So I answered, "Its time we meet your mother." She seemed to "deflate" at my words but that was understandable as she was right by my side all these centuries. 

And as we gazed into the night sky she was there, The Traveler. The iridescent triangle portal was waiting for us.

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Our Jumpship, the Gloriole jump, was on a flight path through space. It was a few days after the celebrations died down. As we approached the traveler our comms came alive as we were hailed.

"Unidentified vessel please respond, This is the H.E.L.M hailing on Vanguard frequencies." Keying the mic on our coms I responded, "H.E.L.M, this is Outpost Vegas Vanguard leader. Squawk code V767." 

A confused, "Vegas? and these codes are ancient! Who is this?" A chuckle left me as I reclined in my seat of my ship. Answering the man on the coms I said, "Should be, I've been around for a long time. Perhaps you've heard the nickname the lightless guardian?" 

A realization must have struck the man as all I heard on the coms as I continued to approach the Traveler was, "Oh..."

With a sigh into the mic I said, "Well be going through now. Anything else?" 

The man must have done this job for a long time as he spat out, "What are your intentions for entering the Pale Heart?" An interrogation question but not uncalled for. 

Looking to the Ghost next to me I said, "Maybe... just maybe... finding some answers."

The voice on the coms gave a long pause, but just as we were about to go through the portal he said, "Good luck, Guardian."

The portal led us through a winding passage of debris. As it became more stable we moved through with greater ease. Dodging the large objects that looked to be formed from random sections of the European Dead Zone. But soon enough we made it through the passage and were moving through a passage of light. 

It was the first time in so long I felt at peace. My ship disappeared in a flash and I was left falling from the sky, but no worry crossed my mind. I touched down on a pink colored glass like platform. Surrounding me was more of this material in a flat circle. 

My ghost moved from phasing and was by my side as we took in this space. Perched across from us was a bird, a hawk that shown in silver blue lighting. And as I stepped forwards our surrounding changed as a forest came to life around us.

Starting from my foot the grass sprouted around us in a flash. The vast silver white was replaced by the canopy of trees. As I continued forward we soon saw a new world before us.

And it was beautiful. A wonderful open plain with a shore to an ocean of water. The sun rising into the air as it overlooked the plain. Hills covered in grass and ponds of water dotted our vision as we found ourselves on a cliff face. 

Then it was the Light. It was in everything. The Air, The Grass, The Sunlight, all of it. Pressing a button on the side of my helmet it gave way to reveal my face.

A gruff man in his 30s with long and loose brown hair and the beginning of a scruffy beard. Time may not have passed his features but it showed in his eyes. But for once in a long time, they shone with joy.

Pure unbridled joy in witnessing the scene before him. He is slightly distracted as the silver blue hawk squalls out as it breaks into flight. A sigh leaves him. Relief filling his soul as he basks in the light of the Traveler.

"Lets go Spark." he eventually says as the Ghost bobs and says, "Yeah, can't keep my "mother" waiting!"

A chuckle leaves him as he begins to drop from the cliff face. A journey through the unknown awaits.

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[H.E.L.M Vanguard Orbital HQ]

A few important people were aboard the H.E.L.M at this moment. A palpable air of tension was present in the few logistical personnel left on the bridge. 

Present were the Vanguard Leaders. Crow, newly inaugurated Hunter Vanguard. Ikora Ray, Warlock Vanguard leader and commander of the Hidden. Zavalla, Titan Vanguard leader and Vanguard Commander. 

There was also another face there as well. An Exo Titan, The Traveler's Chosen champion. After a long pause Zavalla spoke first, "So... any information as to why an Old Vanguard Code was utilized to infiltrate the Pale Heart?" 

Crow spoke up next looking from his files he had in front of him, "The old vanguard code was from the early days apparently. Lotta records were lost during the red war but the Hunters were able to spare some stories."

"I don't need stories I need to know what is with the man." Zavalla snapped back.

Ikora stepped up next saying, "He's an old one. From the Arisen days apparently. Most of my hidden were originally trained by him as a firearms instructor." 

"The Hunters are in the same boat. Most didn't care for him as his... affliction, is well known through the grapevine. But, they would always be happy to learn from the man. He was an all rounded instructor for most of our new lights." Crow was in disbelief in the relaxed way in which the hunters mentioned the guardian.

The Exo resting on the wall of the room spoke up. "When I began training, he was the one to lead most of my non light affiliated training. Everything from wilderness survival, to hand to hand combat. The old man could really throw a punch, but never underestimate being at range with the man. Could give most Hunters a run for their money when it comes to gun slinging."

"So why." Zavalla started, "Why did he, for some reason, go rouge?" 

A pause around the room that no one broke until finally, the Guardian spoke, "The comms guy who spoke with him said, "Answers". If anyone had a right to ask the traveler for some..."

The last was left unspoken as the Vanguard leadership collectively relaxed a small amount. They knew of him. Cayde and Shaxx had even been the one to recruit the man long ago. He brought the Lightless all the way from the Americas to the Vanguard city. 

Zavalla spoke up breaking the silence, "Guardian, find him and bring him home. I can't claim to know how he feels... Even losing my light for this short time can't even begin to comprehend what he went through. But... that doesn't mean he gets to go AWOL all of a sudden."

"Copy commander. Well head out immediately." He replied. 

 Crow spoke up before he could leave, "Hey, what's this guy's name? Most of the Hunters I spoke with only called him the instructor or the Lightless?"

 Ikora answered, "His name? It's Argus... Argus Carmichael."