Through Time and Light [Cayde-6 Fanfiction]

Chapter 6 Shadows of Truth

The silence that stretched between them felt unbearable. Liv had expected many things when she finally told Cayde the truth—denial, anger, maybe even disbelief—but not this. Not the quiet that seemed to stretch on forever as Cayde stared at her, his usual playful grin wiped clean off his face.

Liv could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the weight of the moment crashing over her like a tidal wave. She had known this was coming, known that telling him was the only way to save him, but now that the words were out, all she could feel was a terrible fear.

Cayde is going to die.

The truth echoed in her mind. She had said it out loud, and there was no taking it back.

Finally, Cayde exhaled, running a hand over his metal face, his voice low and rough. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Liv nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not from here, Cayde. I'm not just a Guardian. I know what's going to happen—how you're going to die. And I came here to stop it. Like I said when i first came here. This is what it's really about."

Cayde's eyes narrowed, searching her face as if trying to piece together the impossible. "You're telling me you know my future? My death?"

Liv nodded again, biting back the lump in her throat. "I saw it. In my world, it's... it's part of a game. But I couldn't let it happen. I had to try to save you."

He stared at her, speechless. The wind whistled through the Tower, the only sound in the quiet night. Liv wanted to fill the silence, to explain more, but her mouth felt dry. She had said what she needed to say, and now the truth was out there.

After what felt like an eternity, Cayde sighed and leaned against the railing. His voice, usually light and sarcastic, was weighted with a quiet solemnity. "You've been holding onto this for a while, haven't you?"

Liv nodded, her throat tightening. "Since the moment I got here."

Cayde glanced out at the Last City below them, his eyes distant. "And what about the Vanguard? Do they know?"

"About how I know your fate? No," Liv answered quickly. "I haven't told anyone. You're the only one who knows."

For a long moment, Cayde was silent. Liv could see the wheels turning in his mind, the shock slowly giving way to understanding—and maybe even acceptance. But there was something else in his expression too—something that made Liv's stomach churn.

"You're not just here to save me, are you?" Cayde's voice was low, almost a whisper. "There's something bigger going on, isn't there?"

Liv hesitated, her heart aching at the truth. She didn't know how much more she could reveal, how much he could handle. But she also knew that if she kept holding back, if she kept the bigger picture from him, she would only be leading him further into danger.

"I think... the Darkness knows I'm here," Liv admitted, her voice trembling. "I think it's watching me. I don't know why, but I can feel it getting stronger."

Cayde frowned, his brow furrowing. "So what you're saying is... we're in deep trouble."

Liv managed a small, shaky smile. "Pretty much."

Cayde chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. His gaze softened as he looked at her, and for a moment, the mask of the fearless gunslinger fell away. "Why me, though? Why risk everything to save me?"

Liv's heart skipped a beat. She had asked herself the same question a thousand times. Why him? Why Cayde, of all the characters she could have cared about in the game? The answer had always been the same, even if she hadn't admitted it out loud.