Excerpt 002: Traveler's Rest

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Last City, Earth

PARTIES: Three [3]. One [1] Ghost-type, [1] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [rekindledtitan ], One [1] Unconfirmed, designate Willis, Verity [brave_heart_verity ]; [other parties redacted]


ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Verity Willis; Earth; The City; Vanguard; Blaze-37; Glass-smiths


An Exo ought to be good at waiting. They're soldier and machine both, trained for stoicism and designed for tireless analysis. Blaze sometimes thinks she’s the only one built who ever gets bored. (Aside from Cayde, maybe, and he makes it sound like he's had a very long time to learn.)

Her patrol concluded without much incident, she paces back to the Forum, guns still dozing at her back and her Ghost zipping curiously from one side to the other ahead of her. It murmurs its observations to her in passing, and she responds gladly. A fight would be better, but she’ll take the idle chatter. Her memory is brimming with new half-processed data, even from one patrol in the Nexus – odd discussions heard and alien kitchens smelt, the weird spiky grass in the park crunching under her boots, so many- one hundred and forty-three new faces since the last trip, ninety-one human by visual-

But she isn’t one for dwelling on things. So she circles the Forum to take in the sights, cutting her route through the spot where she and Verity last spoke to make sure of spotting her friend.

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you." Being considered sensible is a high compliment to her. Not worrying isn't always one of her best skills, but she's working on that too.

It really says something about a place when the soldiers feel lucky for having the easy job. Her newfound urges to help people are going to go into overdrive around here. Not that she sees herself as any better or better off, but she might be able to offer the city resources they don't have and that Blaze and Ghost might not think of. Goodness knows they're offering her a kind of help nobody else can.

She's trying to avoid the puddles, but she won't slow things up much. All those long runs with Samus have paid off in that regard. "Do all the soldiers see themselves as the lucky ones? Or is that your own personal kind of optimism?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Not sure. We're all lucky to be Guardians, that's for sure." And not only because the alternative is being a corpse in the wilderness somewhere. Her life is a hell of a lot simpler than a civilian's (in some ways, if you don't let the encounters with malevolent metaphysics get to you). Plus, space-magic powers, awesome equipment and a city full of people who think you're a hero.

"The way I see it though," Blaze continues almost idly, "before the Collapse, war always meant humans against their own people." She doesn't care what differences they saw. They're all the people she was built to protect. "Hnh. You probably know what that meant better than I do. What kind of things they did to each other. Some of the dumb reasons they came up with. How many soldiers ever get to truly know they're acting for a good cause? That it's a worthy fight? Not just for land, or money, or because their superiors don't know when to shut up and listen?" She shakes her head. "Can't be many. But I do. I have that, and I'm glad."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yeah. I know what people can be like." She's seen what people still try to do to other humans where she's from. It's terrible and a big part of why she spent so long hating everything. "You're right. You are lucky."

[rekindledtitan]

She nods solemnly. There's not much to add to that speech. But she trusts Verity's judgment, so it's good to hear her friend concur with her reasoning.

The elevator they step into is pretty spacious, though they're the only passengers for the moment. It's well-lit, too - perhaps the architects wanted to have mercy on any claustrophobes. Blaze doesn't let the silence last any amount of time: bad enough they have to stand in a box for minutes on end.

"Not far now. How's your arm?" she asks, as they start dropping.

[brave_heart_verity]

Elevators don't bother her. Irrational fears don't do well up against the curse. Another unexpected perk. She'll lean against the back wall, make a mental note of the controls, and then return her attention to her friends.

"It's sore but okay. A little itchy. I'll be sleeping on my right side tonight, but that's not so bad."

[rekindledtitan]

"That's good. It looked pretty uncomfortable back there." What does that even feel like, when you have skin? It must be so weird.

The only other passengers they pick up on their way down are a human Titan and a couple of civilians. Blaze exchanges polite nods with them - and in the case of her fellow Guardian, a glance at each other's mark. But the Warlock orders dwell in the upper floors of the Tower, so Verity and Blaze will be the first people to step off, into a wide hall.

Once the doors close behind them it might take their eyes and optics a second to adjust. The ceiling slants downward to the left, and most of the light comes from thin windows, casting bars of bright sunlight across the shadowed room. Down the center are a number of pedestals bearing artifacts or holographic displays. With a thoughtful 'hmh', Blaze shrugs and heads for the end. "At least there's only one door to try."

[brave_heart_verity]

"It wasn't great, but, better than the alternative." Of course, now that they're talking about it and she's thinking about it, it's hurting more. Great.

The other passengers get polite nods from her as well, but she edges closer to Blaze when the elevator starts filling up. The passage they step out into isn't quite what she was expecting. "It's like a museum." She'll try not to fall behind, but there's a lot of interesting things to look at, even if she doesn't know what half of them are.

"You've never been here before?"

[rekindledtitan]

There are some very peculiar things there: relics gathered by Warlocks past, an empty case marked 'Fragment of Glass'. It's hard to say whether the holograms are diagrams or art pieces: some focus on geometric relations, mandalas illustrating the cosmos. Not all the runes marking them derive from Earth. All of them are trying to convey some meaning, though.

"Never had a reason to come," Blaze answers. "We went to take a look at the halls of the Titan orders, way downstairs. But I don't really know any Warlocks." She slows down for a second to take a look at a hologram she recognizes: the triad of sparking blue clouds, a molten orb, and a tiny purple nebula, linked and intertwined within a complex cycle. It's pretty, at least. Less weird than the next stand, where there's a trio of rather large fossil vertebra. Or rather, two replicas. The only real bone is the one plated in silver.

Verity doesn't have to worry too much about being left behind: the Ghost is trailing as well, sweeping the blue light of its scanner over the displays. "Warlocks like to encourage curiosity, I think. I suppose that is what drives them."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Curiosity killed the cat," she murmurs when she stops to study fossil replicas. "But satisfaction brought it back." On point with the audience, or too close to home? She's hoping for the former.

"Curiosity drives innovation and invention. It's not a bad thing to encourage." How the Warlocks would love the museums back home. Pity she can't bring them. Too many questions she's not sufficiently able to answer, and everyone would end up in a SHIELD holding facility.

But she can bring them books. That's almost as good.

[rekindledtitan]

"You're getting it," Blaze chuckles. She can't be sure that's the basis for a few local philosophies, but it's likely.

"No. Warlocks unravel our enemies' secrets as well as what the Light can do. I'm just not convinced they need to get as mysterious and cryptic as they do," Blaze comments. If they got arrested by SHIELD, the Warlocks would probably find that fascinating too. Books require less comical reality-hopping shenanigans and won't make the Commander yell at anyone.

The Ghost drifts up while she's examining the fossils, true and false. Verity might be able to detect that the silver-plated bone is far less dead than it appears. But it's quiet, for now. "Ahamkara bones, from Venus. I've never seen a full skeleton."

[brave_heart_verity]

It'd all be great fun for the Warlocks if it weren't so likely to end badly. It's not like SHIELD would let them go just because the world is ending. "Are they cryptic because they don't want people to understand, or because they forget they're speaking a foreign language?"

Magic is a decidedly foreign language even when it's in English.

"Ahamkara. Is it silver-plated because it's not dead?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Honestly? Hard to tell sometimes. I have to figure they're trying to explain, it's just not easy. Human languages weren't really meant for this stuff, you know?"

Her question makes both of them look surprised at her. Then Blaze drops her gaze to give the bone a hard look, as if she expects it to own up.

"I... think so. It's probably just a precaution for this one. Silver is supposed to help with damping the, er, auditory hallucinations," it adds as Blaze opens her mouth to ask.

"Hmm. Guess the Ahamkara really were strange." She sounds a little wistful. She gives Verity a shrug, though. "Maybe later we'll find someone who remembers them. Or at least knows the stories."

[brave_heart_verity]

"They really weren't."

Her curse is all kinds of surprising to other people. She's used to it, and to how people react. (Like that, when she's lucky.) "Huh. I haven't heard anything, so I guess it's working."

Ghost gets a grateful smile for the explanation before she looks at Blaze again. "I'm not sure you want to give me the idea I get to ask the Warlocks infinite questions. I might never stop."

[rekindledtitan]

She did warn them. It's just a bit unexpected when someone remarks on things you can't see - but nothing to be troubled by, at least to Blaze.

"Ah, don't encourage them too much." Blaze presses the pad by the door, producing a soft chime. "Besides, if we ask a Titan we'll get to understand the story." There will also be about five hundred percent more punching in it.

There's a robed woman at the door when it opens, a tablet in her hand and a Ghost peeking over her shoulder. Blaze lifts a hand in greeting. "Hi. Blaze-37 and Verity Willis. We're looking for the Glass-smiths. Hirune Markel's team."

"Ah- well, that's easy-" The Warlock's eyes take in Verity as she lists off a short string of directions. There are two machines in the group: she can count on at least one of them having a reliable memory. "Just... knock before you go in."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'll be careful." Stories with punching in. Where has she heard that before... right. Asgardians. But it's a type of story she can understand and that's not a bad thing.

Verity turns to the door when it opens and gives the woman and her Ghost polite smiles. She mouths the directions to herself after they've been relayed; maybe her memory isn't so unreliable, lady. The sight of another Ghost does bring to mind a question for when there's another private moment with her friends.

[rekindledtitan]

It's definitely not a coincidence that Norse myth tends to influence Titan iconography in particular. But they're pretty fond of legendary warriors in general.

"Thanks for the help." Blaze gives her comrade a nod, and off they go into the halls of the Warlocks. There are a few others about, and not all of them are space magicians, but the colorful robes are the ones most in evidence. The architecture is simple, but not overly harsh; the floor is tiled quite prettily in simple patterns of grey and blue. Carpets tend to meet bad ends in the Tower. Blaze gives it all a curious but brief look, focused on finding the side passage they're supposed to turn down. Her Ghost pays more attention to the doors and people they pass.

"So about this team," she remarks, once there aren't too many people about. Not because she's thinking of being overheard, it's just easier to talk. "Figure I oughta fill you in a bit."

[brave_heart_verity]

Yet another reason they're friends: they both love (some portion of) the Norse gods, and neither of them drink mead.

She's paying a little bit of attention to everything. There's just so much to see. But finding the path is primary. It's good there are lots of different kinds of people around. Being over insular wouldn't be good for anyone, especially not in a place like this.

"Okay. I'm guessing they don't actually make glass?"

[rekindledtitan]

It's a pretty specialized club but they have great drinking games.

"Not that I know. There's this place on Venus called the Vault of Glass. It's a place where realities - all realities, all possible timelines - come so close they touch. Heh. Sound familiar? They say the Vex who created it can use that, control the boundaries somehow. Even rewrite the fabric of reality to suit them."

[brave_heart_verity]

Drinking games where nobody wastes all the honey because seriously, mead is gross.

"Huh. I wonder how many places like that exist?" Are there other Nexuses(Nexi?)? Are they all one big one? She wouldn't know how to even begin to find out. "That sounds dangerous. But I suppose the ones who get to use it know what they're doing."

[rekindledtitan]

"No idea. I mean, if the Vex can create one, who's to say how many other species ever figured it out. Across all of time and space? In every universe?" She shakes her head. Let's not even contemplate what it means if the Vex in one reality are aware of/synonymous with the Vex of all the others.

"It's incredibly dangerous, though. At least for intruders. The Vex use it to create weapons that can restructure reality - write the target out of it so that they never existed. And there's certainly no field that prevents violence. Anyway, these guys study the Vault and the data recovered from it. They're supposed to be experts on it- some of the best you can actually track down."

[brave_heart_verity]

"But are they all different, or are they parts of a greater whole?" Which has its own dangers. Dangers they've both witnessed.

"So... you're hoping they might know a little something about multiversal collapse?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Good question. For what it's worth, we've never detected the Darkness' influence in the Nexus. But the way geography works in a space like that, best to stay sharp." Which is to say, she has no idea how the geography works, or what 'distance' might hide creatures of Darkness and Light from one another.

"Exactly. If anyone here can find a way to set the bounds of reality straight, it ought to be them." How else to fight enemies who break those borders?

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yeah. There's no telling what will show up next." More demons or AIM or a vegan Loki. Oh gods. It could be terrible. Hopefully, it'll be cute, like Pikachu or the chao.

"That makes sense, and would be really helpful," she admits. But she's trying not to get her hopes up. That seems unwise. "I hope we're not bothering them."

[rekindledtitan]

"Hmm. It'd be nice if all the Guardians who ever got lost in the Vault just wound up in the Nexus. But I'll settle for friendly aliens. Those are great." That's one novelty she delights in, as much as getting to glimpse so many human cultures and experiences.

"Bothering them? We've got all this impossible data for them, and an urgent mission for the good of humankind. This is the stuff they live for!"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Maybe they will. And if they do, we know where to send them. But it would be nice to meet more friendly people, I agree." She finds humans alien enough half the time. People with fur or antennae don't much faze her.

She smiles in relief at that. Being interesting to other people is one of so many things she's still getting used to. "Oh? Well then. Let's not keep them waiting."