Through Time and Light [Cayde-6 Fanfiction]

Chapter 8 Into the Depths

Liv felt a restless energy pulsing through her as she stood on the edge of the Tower’s balcony, the wind brushing through her hair. Below, the Last City glowed, a bastion of light against the encroaching dark, but tonight it felt distant—disconnected from the battle brewing within her.

The figure in the shadows hadn’t just planted doubt in her mind; it had left a mark on her soul. She could feel the Darkness watching, lurking, waiting. Every step she took felt heavier, as if fate itself was twisting around her, trying to trap her in its grip. But Cayde's words echoed in her mind: We make our own path.

Later that morning, Liv found herself in the Vanguard war room, standing in front of Commander Zavala and Ikora Rey. Cayde was beside her, his posture relaxed as always, though Liv knew him well enough by now to see the tension beneath his calm façade.

“I’m concerned,” Ikora said, her voice quiet but firm. She fixed Liv with a piercing gaze. “You said this figure knew about Cayde’s future—about what you’re trying to change. That’s not something we can ignore.”

Zavala nodded, his arms crossed over his chest. “We’ve seen the Darkness play tricks before, but this sounds... different. If it’s true that it’s aware of your presence here, then you may be drawing attention to yourself in ways we didn’t anticipate.”

Liv clenched her fists, trying to suppress the growing anxiety gnawing at her. “I didn’t mean to... I just thought I could save him. That’s all I wanted.”

Cayde placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice cutting through the rising tension. “No one’s blaming you, Liv. We all know why you’re here. But the Darkness plays dirty, and now it’s got its eye on you. That means we have to be smart about our next moves.”

Ikora leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. “There’s a place. A place I’ve been researching that might hold answers. It’s old, and dangerous, but if the Darkness is adapting to you, we need to understand why.”

Zavala glanced at her sharply. “You’re not suggesting—”

“I am,” Ikora interrupted. “The Black Garden. It’s a place where the Darkness’s influence is strongest, and if Liv’s connection is deepening, we may find answers there. But we’ll need a fireteam.”

Liv felt a chill at the mention of the Black Garden. She’d heard the stories—Guardians had fought there, risking everything to stop a threat they barely understood. And now she was being asked to walk into its depths.

“I’m in,” Liv said, before she could second-guess herself. If there was a chance the Black Garden held answers, she had to take it.

Cayde nodded beside her, the ever-present grin sliding into something more serious. “Of course you are. And I’m not letting you go in alone.”

The journey to the Black Garden was as perilous as Liv had imagined. The portal, located on Mars, hummed with ancient power as Liv, Cayde, and Faelyn stood before it, their weapons at the ready.

“Not too late to turn back, you know,” Cayde quipped, glancing at Liv with a playful glint in his eye. “I hear there’s a great ramen place back in the Tower. We could hit that instead.”

Liv smiled despite the tension. “Tempting, but I think we’ve got more important things to handle.”

Faelyn, who had been silent for most of the briefing, finally spoke, his voice low and steady. “Once we enter the Black Garden, the Darkness will try to disorient us. It’ll push us to our limits. Stay close and don’t lose focus.”

Liv took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Let’s go.”

With that, they stepped through the portal.

The Black Garden greeted them with its surreal landscape—twisted stone formations, overgrown flora, and a sky that shimmered with an unnatural, otherworldly light. The air was thick with tension, as if the Garden itself was alive, watching their every move.

“Creepy,” Cayde muttered, scanning the area with his hand cannon drawn. “And not in the fun, haunted house way. More like the ‘you might die horribly’ kind of way.”

Liv kept her focus on the path ahead, but she could feel it too—the weight of the Darkness pressing down on her. It was like the Garden knew her, sensed her presence, and it was waiting for her to make a move.

The fireteam pressed forward, navigating the winding pathways that led deeper into the heart of the Garden. The further they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became, as if the Garden was trying to swallow them whole.

“I don’t like this,” Faelyn said, his voice tense. “It’s too quiet.”

As if on cue, a low, guttural growl echoed from the shadows ahead. Liv’s heart raced as she saw the first movement—a dark shape slithering through the mist, its form twisting and writhing unnaturally.

“Hive,” Cayde muttered, raising his Golden Gun. “Why is it always the Hive?”

The creatures emerged from the shadows, their deformed bodies glowing with the sickly green light of the Darkness. Liv drew her weapon, her hands steady despite the fear crawling up her spine. “We can handle them.”

The battle erupted in an instant. Liv fired off a round from her hand cannon, her Light flaring with each shot as she cut through the Hive’s ranks. Faelyn unleashed a wave of Arc energy, clearing a path for Cayde, who danced through the battlefield with lethal precision, his Golden Gun lighting up the Garden like a beacon of hope.

But no matter how many they killed, more seemed to take their place. The Hive were relentless, driven by the Darkness’s will, and Liv could feel its influence growing stronger with each passing moment.

“We need to keep moving!” Faelyn shouted over the din of battle. “They’re trying to trap us here!”

Liv nodded, her mind racing. They had to push forward, no matter how many enemies stood in their way. This was what the Darkness wanted—it wanted them to falter, to lose hope.

But Liv wasn’t going to give in. Not now. Not when they were so close.

With a final burst of Light, the fireteam cleared the immediate area, the bodies of the Hive littering the ground around them. Liv panted, her heart pounding in her chest as the oppressive silence returned.

“We need to find the heart of the Garden,” Faelyn said, his voice steady but urgent. “That’s where we’ll find the answers we’re looking for.”

As they ventured deeper into the Black Garden, the atmosphere grew heavier, the landscape more twisted and surreal. The air shimmered with Dark energy, and Liv could feel it pulsing around her, whispering in her mind, tugging at the edges of her thoughts.

But she kept her focus, pushing forward alongside Cayde and Faelyn. They were close now—she could feel it.

Suddenly, without warning, the ground beneath them shifted. Liv stumbled, her vision blurring as a wave of Darkness crashed over her like a suffocating tide. She gasped, struggling to breathe as images flashed in her mind—visions of death, destruction, and loss.

She saw Cayde, lifeless on the ground, the cold grip of the Darkness wrapping around him.

“No!” Liv shouted, fighting against the vision. But it wouldn’t relent, the images searing into her mind like a nightmare she couldn’t wake from.

“Liv!” Cayde’s voice cut through the darkness, and she felt his hand on her arm, pulling her back. “Liv, snap out of it!”

She blinked, gasping for air as the vision faded, the Black Garden returning to focus around her. Cayde was there, his face full of concern, his grip firm on her arm.

“I’m okay,” Liv managed, though her voice shook. “It’s trying to get into my head.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Cayde said, his voice serious. “We need to move, now.”

But even as they pushed forward, Liv couldn’t shake the vision. The Darkness was playing with her, showing her what it wanted her to see. It was trying to break her spirit, to convince her that saving Cayde was impossible.

But Liv wouldn’t let it win. She could save him. She had to.