Tales of the Past: Delvin Caine

When the Light Dims

Delvin's eyes slowly opened, his ears ringing and his vision blurred. Even though he couldn't make out what was just beyond the shattered visor of his helmet, it seemed as though the room was spinning. His body felt so heavy to the point he couldn't even begin to summon any strength to move. It wasn't too long before Delvin's sense began to return to him.

The smell of smoke and the heat of the fire around him. The sounds of gunfire and explosions that seemed to have no end. The warmth of the blood that ran down the side of his face. 

As Delvin's vision began to clear, his eyes immediately went wide. The thoughts raced into his mind as he recalled what events had just transpired...

"We're...being attacked?!"

The words were deafening as they played over and over in his mind. Delvin attempted to muster the last of his strength to pick himself up off the hangar floor. As he painstakingly managed to get to his feet, he slowly began making his way to the center courtyard of the Tower. With his visor being shattered, Delvin quickly unfastened it before removing it and dropping it the ground.

The gunfire grew louder and louder as he climbed the stairs from the hangar. His chest grew tighter with every heavy breath he took. The despair crept in as he grew closer to the opening at the top.

Just as reached the archway that led to the central courtyard, he collapsed to his hands and knees from exhaustion. But as he looked to the sky, his bright icy blue eyes went completely wide. The airspace above was completely filled with Cabal airships.  His body trembled as he watched a device being laid out around the Traveler.

"How...did this happen?! How did they break through?! WHERE IS THE VANGUARD?!"

Delvin's thoughts we cut short as a cabal drop pod landed a short distance in front of him. His heart sank as he watched the large creatures emerge. He had neither the strength nor the firepower to defend himself. As the Legionaries took aim, Delvin slowly closed his eyes, accepting his death.

"FIGHT FOREVER GUARDIANS!"

A booming voice shouted as hailstorm of bullets ripped through the Legionaries. Delvin's eyes snapped open. His eyes darted around before landing on Lord Shaxx and a few other guardians he was leading. A sigh of relief escaped Delvin before a voice called out to him.

"Delvin! Oh thank the Traveler, I thought I lost you!" A ghost quickly fluttered from behind Shaxx and over to Delvin's side.

"Twilight...what happ-"

Another explosion went off and shook the tower. "I'm sorry but there's no time to explain right now! Here, let me heal you up" A warm light began emitting from Twilight's shell as Delvin felt the pain and exhaustion faded away.

"We need to get to safety and regroup with the Vanguard Guardian! On your feet!" Shaxx shouted as he helped hoist Delvin off the ground. The group began making their way to the east wing of the tower, heading towards the Speaker's chambers. "You be sure to stay close and keep your ghost closer!" Shaxx shouted!

Just as they had just passed the postbox quarters in the center of the courtyard, a missile from a patrolling thresher had hit just a few feet from them. The blast sent the group hurling in different directions. But in Delvin's case, he was sent over the railing and began plummeting to the streets below.

His heart racing as he fell, Delvin held Twilight close to his chest to prevent her from being damaged from the fall.
"Twilight, stand by for resurrection!" He shouted just before crashing through the top of a building and smashing into a tiled floor. The impact caused a small crater, leaving Delvin's body broken in many places.

A short moment had passed as he sprung back to life, gasping for air. His senses returned to him as he dusted the rubble and debris from his mangled armor. "What would I do without you Twilight?"

"Well, that's an easy question! You'd be dead." She joked as she hovered around him.

The two made their way out of the building as their gaze turned to the sky. Delvin watched on as the cabal ships continued to construct something around the Traveler. "What is that thing? Are they trying to capture the Traveler?" His question lingered for a moment as he and Twilight emerged from an alley way.

"I don't know, but whatever it is-"

In that very moment, it felt as though all the energy left both Delvin and Twilight simultaneously. Delvin fell to one knee before turning to his ghost.

"Twilight...what's happening...?"
His word weak and weighted. He watched as Twilight flicker and bobble around as she struggled to stay afloat.

"T-the light...it's...it's go-"
Twilight's glow faded just before falling to the ground. Delvin felt the disparity that he felt earlier creeping back in. He looked back to the Traveler and watched as a field of some sort close around it. With a slight gasp, he quickly stood to his feet. Gathering the strength he had remaining, he took up Twilight in his hand and began dashing down the streets of the city.

"We have to get out of here! Without the light...?!"

His thoughts came to a halt as he came to a sliding stop. Delvin watched on in horror as he witnessed a patrol of Legionaries executing lightless guardians and smashing their ghost beneath their feet. It wasn't long before they took notice of him and began opening fire.

"Shit!"

Quickly turning on the balls of his feet, Delvin began sprinting down an alley way just to his right.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! I need to get out of the city!"
Delvin leapt and dodged over stray boxes and bins as the cabal continued to lay down fire. Dipping and rolling down the many different paths, Delvin finally caught eye of a small breach in the wall that surrounded the city.

"There!"

Just as he spotted that glimpse of hope, a cabal legionnaire step in front of him from another alley. "Oh fuck!" As the cabal opened fire, Delvin quickly dropped to the ground and slid between the cabal's legs. Springing back to his feet, he vaulted off of a nearby dumpster and right through the breach in the wall.

After sprinting for a few more minutes, Delvin came to a clearing just beyond the trees and bramble. He glanced down to his ghost before turning his gaze back towards the Tower. His eyes grew wide as he caught a glimpse of a few ships just before they took off into different directions. Delvin felt a pain in his chest, realizing that one of the ships belonged to Zavala.

"...ward...YOU COWARD!"