Light, Blades and Powder

A new light shines... (Pt 1)

When I died, at first there was nothing, and for the longest time that was all- and not a 'bad' nothing, it was almost soothing. My conscience adrift, my soul at peace. But where am I specifically? In limbo? How long have I been in here? Or is it Out here? Time doesn't seem to pass here, I mean I feel like I'm 20 again. I walk on air toward nothing, each step a new feeling, like constantly switching from grass to concrete to metal to cotton to whatever else, then there's that scent that smells like a fire. I wince, my eyes feel like they're burning, adrenaline building up. Suddenly, for what felt like an eternity, I hear another voice.

"Guardian..."

It's closer, the slight whistle of the wind growing. If I hadn't died, where have I been? And where am I going?

"Guardian. Eyes up Guardian!" My eyes open almost by themselves, my senses overloaded. My pulse racing and my heart suddenly beating again, the air nice and cold. I saw the blue sky, clouds in shades of white and black, the snow. Lots of snow. I look up at last and see...

"What in actual fu-?"

"Easy there, let's not use such language on our first interaction. It's good to see you, you've no idea how long I've been looking for you! Ahem. Sorry, lemme restart. I'm a ghost- more specifically I'm your ghost."

"My 'Ghost?' Don't look a damn thing like me." I chuckled nervously, my head trying to understand where I even was, let alone the floating talking lightbulb that greeted me upon my awakening.

"Listen, Hunter, I get you're stressed and want answers, but we need to get out of here first, it's not safe. I saw Cabal movement around the perimeter." She spoke in a hushed tone, turning around and floating toward a building, mostly frozen. With no other options, I followed. We entered the building, some sort of secret military B.S, looks super advanced on first sight.

"Hunter? What makes you think I'm a Hunter?" I asked my 'Ghost' with intrigue.

"Just trust me, you'll understand. Basically it means you're not afraid of taking risks." She sounded upbeat, which I had to admit helped with my current state of mind. Moving through the facility, I felt a constant sense of danger, like we were being watched. "So, you got a name Hunter?"

I thought for a moment as we ran down the corridors. "Shit, I uh, I don't remember." I looked down with worry. "I think it started with an 'I.'" I guessed with a sigh.

"Never mind that, I'm detecting Red Legion nearby. We need to get you a weapon." Ghost floated ahead of me, a blue light scanning the walls and floor, her looking around frantically. "Oh! In here, there's a hand cannon you can use!" I nodded, kicking the door down and rolling in to avoid any surprises. Nothing but old furniture resembling a break room, and a dead... Robot? Dead in the middle holding what appears to be the hand cannon.

"What's that? Like, what is he?" I asked as I delicately removed the weapon from their loose clutch.

"He's an Exo. Once human, still as human without the limit of mortality or whatever else humans need to do like-. Wait, incoming!" Ghost yelled, and without even thinking I rolled to the left, bullets the size of babies missing me by the graze of my clothes. I held the cannon up and aimed, muscle memory from either my last life or just instinct let me connect my first ever shot fired to the head, the alien twice my size falling instantly, it's blood everywhere and cranium nowhere to be seen. Shit, that felt good! The adrenaline, all of it! I didn't have time to admire my handiwork though as two more of those Red Legion folk were coming in. "Clear them out, exit and then hang a left." Ghost instructed. I gunned them down so easily it felt like I'd been doing this a lifetime. I exited the room turning left as instructed, running down the linear hall. "We need to leave the facility, find a ship to The Last City." Ghost stated with her thoughts in the run, the whirring of parts hinting she's in a panicked state.