The Last City

Void slumped on the ground, feeling as though he had exhausted most of his light energy after using the super. His Ghost hovered nearby, concerned.

"Guardian, are you alright? I've healed your injuries, but my light is still suffocated by the dark here. Can you move?"

Void checked his HUD. There were no enemies left alive. "Looks like we succeeded in clearing the hive nest," he said aloud.

His Ghost responded, "Hmm, yes, Guardian. My sensors show no more hive activity in the vicinity. Any idea what we will do now?"

"Light up the compound," Void suggested. "There must be some electronics still on the grid with latent power."

"Affirmative, Guardian. Just give me a moment," the Ghost replied and flew off to tinker with the electric panels. As the Ghost worked, Void opened his system screen to review the previous prompt.

=======================

{Legendary Guardian System}

Host has unlocked a new mission.

+Golden Age Scavenger (1/15):

Objectives: Clear Golden Age vault encounters in the Cosmodrome(1/15)

Rewards: +Golden Age Schematics, ++Golden Age Blueprints, +Golden Age Access Key

Remark: "The past haunts us, Guardian. Make sure it's put to rest."

=======================

The mention of Golden Age schematics and blueprints piqued Void's curiosity. The system wouldn't highlight these rewards unless they were important. Feeling a surge of satisfaction with his powers, he reflected on the battle. At first, he hadn't been sure he could use shadowshot, but his performance had left him in awe. The raw power of the shot had shaken the foundations of the vault. It might not compare to a high Warlock's nova bomb, but it still packed quite a punch.

Hunters, he reminded himself, weren't meant for mass destruction. They trained to focus on eliminating a single target, and their abilities reflected that. Nevertheless, the hive swarm was dead, and he was very much alive.

Just as he regained his senses and scrambled up from the ground, another prompt appeared.

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{Legendary Guardian System}

+Level up 1 ---> 2

Combat perks

++Subclass xp

===

Void quickly pulled up his status window.

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Name: Void Blade

Class: Hunter

Level: 2

Light Level: 5

Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 2/10 *

Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level)

Primary: Traveller's Chosen*(0/0) 5LL

Armor: (Head) > Trashed Mask

Secondary: None

Armor:(Gauntlets) > Golden Age Grips (Common): 3 LL

Heavy: None

Armor:(Chest)> Golden Age Vest (Common): 4 LL

Ghost Lv1

Armor:(Boots)> Scorched Hunter Strides 3LL

Combat Perks: (2 Unlocked)

~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight.

~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy.

===

The new perks weren't bad. The ability to instantly explode grenades could turn them into mini rockets, and Void realized that the perk didn't specify whose grenades.

That meant he could target enemy grenades, forcing them to explode prematurely. It was a deadly advantage.

With his level increased and his subclass upgraded, Void contemplated his next skill. After some consideration, he decided to go with shadestep, which would allow him to evade at close range, potentially coming out unscathed.

Without this perk, it would take years to master the skill, but with it, he could gain an edge that only dedicated hunters could match.

Lost in thought, Void was interrupted when the lights in the hall flickered on. The Ghost had been successful in restoring power. Slowly, the whole compound lit up, though a few security panels went haywire before shutting off.

The Ghost flew back.

"Guardian, I've accessed the database for this vault. It's a storage facility from the Golden Age. Better yet, I found four ship hangars hidden beyond that gate. There must be ships we can salvage."

"Hidden?" Void asked. "No other mechanisms?"

"Likely not. The motors have decayed, probably due to the hive's presence. We'll have to rip through the wall."

Void inspected the wall. His hand traced a small dent that indicated a hidden mechanism, but the trigger was gone.

The walls were made of steel alloy, strong enough to withstand orbital strikes. Still, if the hive had eroded parts of the wall, their claws might hold the key.

"Ghost, search for a special hive compound in the thralls' remains—anything with corrosive properties," Void instructed.

"Got it," the Ghost replied, scanning the room and marking fragments of hive bone and fangs. Void gathered the corrosive pieces, testing them on the wall.

Sure enough, some fragments left distinct creases in the steel.

The Ghost analyzed the fragments. "These are made of a special mineral, corrosive and radioactive. We can fashion a blade, but it won't last long. It requires constant blood flow to remain intact, much like human teeth."

Void considered the plan. "We don't have a crafting station, but maybe we can use the power grid to melt the hive fragments and forge a blade."

"That's a brilliant idea, Guardian," the Ghost said. "I'll access the power grid while you gather the materials."

Void scavenged the area, dismantling an old robot for its parts. He found a durable carbon fibre alloy stem to use as a handle and fashioned a makeshift hammer from the robot's shoulder joint.

The Ghost reappeared, and together they set up a crude forge using the power grid.

Void pulled a live wire, directing a powerful arc of electricity through the hive fragments. Pain surged through him as millions of volts jolted his body, but the Ghost healed him as he worked.

Despite the crude method, Void successfully melted the hive fragments into a blade.

===

Learned Crude Crafting 1/10

Crafted: Crude Hive Fang

===

Void grabbed the blade and jammed it into the carbon fiber stem. It wasn't exactly stable, but it would have to do.

He wrapped copper and gold wire around the handle multiple times, tightening the blade as much as possible. It wouldn't fall out for now.

Without wasting any more time, he attacked the hangar panels. After a few hours of digging, the poison had corroded through the thick protective layer. The electronic mechanism beneath was exposed, and after a few prods at the wire, Void managed to short-circuit it.

The hangar immediately sprang open, the doors swinging upward to reveal what had been hidden inside.

"Guardian, these are... Arcadia-class jumpships," Ghost announced.

Void saw four of them, draped in white cloth, concealed inside the hangar.

"Try seeing if you can pilot any of them," Void instructed.

"Affirmative, Guardian." Ghost sprang into action.

Void could tell that Ghost was more eager to return to the Tower than he had let on.

A few minutes later, Ghost gave the signal, and it was clear that the ship, although old, was ready to fly. However, Void knew it wouldn't survive planetary travel—some things never changed.

"So, how do we get this thing out?" Void asked.

"Don't worry, Guardian. Most hangars have a low fly exit. I'll trigger the doors from here and connect you to the ship's transmat system. You can board now," Ghost replied.

"Alright, let me know when we're ready."

Void clicked the transmat on his grips and was instantly seated inside the ship. He had to admit, the ship looked even cooler in person. The seat, the controls—everything felt surreal. It was like actually piloting a spaceship.

A few minutes later, a warning light blinked on, and a secret exit in the hangar wall opened, clearing away debris as it did.

Ghost transmatted back into the ship, and they were ready to go.

"Alright, Guardian. I've already set the coordinates. You can relax now. We'll reach the Last City in about two hours, using the orbital route."

With nothing else to do, Void quickly drifted off to sleep during the journey. The G-forces as they ascended to orbit were insane—faster than an F1 car or even a sonic jet—and this was just basic Golden Age technology. It made him excited to see what other advanced tech was out there.

Eventually, Void woke and glanced out of the windshield, spotting the Traveler's silhouette looming over the Last City.

"We're home, Guardian. The last city on Earth. Humanity's last survivors hold up these walls, and we're here to protect them," Ghost announced.

Void could see the Tower clearly. It was pristine—nothing like the ruined version he remembered from after the Red War.

As the ship slowly docked in the central harbor, Void transmatted out and landed in the hangar.

A blonde woman, dressed in black overalls with a red scarf, approached, fussing with a clipboard. Her hands were still covered in mechanic grease.

"Hey, Guardian! What do you think you're doing bringing this scrap ship into the service lane? Can't you read the signs? Parking's over there, hotshot!" she barked.

Of course, it was Amanda Holliday—the Tower's prime mechanic and lead machinery consultant.

Void stood there, unsure of what to say, but before he could respond, Amanda continued.

"Can't you hear me, Guardian? Move the ship to Zone A3 and park it with the rest. This harbor is reserved for mainten—wait a minute... No record of this ship landing here, no radio frequency, no authorization code... You're... new, aren't you? Freshly risen."

Amanda's sharp eyes scanned the clipboard, checking for any mistake on her part.

"Yeah, I am. Name's Void. Sorry for the mess. Took me a while to get here," Void apologized.

"No, no, that's alright. But to think we've finally got a new one. You need to visit the Vanguard. They'll want to hear your story. Matter of fact, you're the first new Guardian in months. They've been stressed, but you showing up is a good sign."

Amanda smiled, her initial frustration melting away.

===

+ New Mission Added:

The Vanguard Awaits

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