Through Time and Light [Cayde-6 Fanfiction]

Chapter 3 The Weight of the Light

The following morning, Liv found herself in the Crucible, a vast training ground in the Tower where Guardians honed their skills. She felt a tightening knot in her stomach as she stared at the battlefield ahead of her, watching experienced Guardians jump, dodge, and unleash powerful Light abilities with precision. Every time they moved, it was like poetry in motion-a symphony of skill and power she had only ever seen through the screen of her computer.

Now, standing at the edge of it all, she felt like a child playing dress-up in armor that didn't belong to her.

Cayde, leaning against the wall nearby, grinned as he watched the others spar. "Don't sweat it, kid. First day's always the hardest. The rest is just muscle memory."

"Muscle memory?" Liv muttered under her breath, staring at her hands, which felt awkwardly heavy in her gauntlets. What muscle memory? She wasn't a real Guardian. She wasn't built for this. 

Her Ghost floated beside her. "You'll need to trust the Light, Liv. It's inside you now. You just have to let it guide your movements."

Liv wasn't sure how to let the Light guide her, but she nodded, trying to look more confident than she felt. Cayde pushed himself off the wall, his trademark swagger in full display as he approached her.

"Alright, newbie," he said, pulling out his Golden Gun and twirling it effortlessly. "Let's see what you're made of. Ever held a gun before?"

Liv's heart skipped a beat as he handed her a sleek, silver hand cannon. It felt surprisingly familiar in her grip-like an extension of her body, yet still foreign. She had used hand cannons countless times in the game, but this was different. The weight was real. The recoil would be real.

She hesitated, and Cayde raised an eyebrow. "You okay? You're not gonna freeze up on me, are you?"

"No," Liv said, her voice firmer than she felt. "I've got this."

They ran through basic drills-aiming, shooting, dodging. Liv struggled at first. She missed her targets, her shots wide and clumsy. She fumbled with reloading, and her attempts at using the Light to dodge or move with agility were slow and awkward. Sweat poured down her face under the helmet, and every mistake only heightened her anxiety. She knew Cayde was watching, and though he made lighthearted jokes to ease her tension, she couldn't shake the pressure.

When it came time to spar with a fellow Guardian, Liv was paired with an experienced Titan named Brask, who towered over her. His armor gleamed under the Tower's lights, and his hammer-wielding presence made her nervous.

"Don't worry, kid," Brask said with a grin. "I'll go easy on ya."

The sparring session began, and Brask came at her with full force, despite his words. Liv tried to dodge, but her movements were too slow. His hammer grazed her, sending her sprawling to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and for a moment, she lay there, staring up at the sky, feeling utterly defeated.

Her Ghost floated over her. "It's alright, Liv. You just need time to adjust."

She gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, determination flaring in her chest. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to channel the Light as the other Guardians did. When the session ended, she stood, bruised and exhausted, watching the other Guardians walk away effortlessly, their skills second nature.

Cayde strolled over, his hands casually in his pockets. "Well, you didn't die. That's a win in my book."

Liv shot him a look, frustrated. "This isn't a game, Cayde. I'm not like them. I don't belong here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who said you have to be like them? You're here for a reason, remember? The Traveler picked you, not them."

Liv looked down, her fingers tightening around the gun in her hand. "But I can't even control the Light like they do."