Light. Exploits; Book I.

Part 25. The Heart of A Guardian.

I was stuck, in a sense.
In limbo.
My body was dead. Surely and truly.
But my mind... My mind continues churn.
Millions of thoughts and ideas.
Songs and hymns.
Curses and charms.
I wondered if this was what I was like before I was found.
Before I was a Guardian.
Was I just a presence in the universe?
Just a ethereal mass of thought and Light? Doomed to wander tirelessly until I would be found?
After what felt like several eternities, my eyes finally shot open.
I felt my body; the pain, the blood.
All was still there.
Well... I guess I'm alive... I winced to myself.
Ghost? I called.
GHOST?! Ghost can you hear me!!!
Silence.
Darkness.
Not my Little Light.
No... I said, wincing as I sat up.
I gasped as I stood, blood cascading from my wounds.
Ghost?! Rei?! Can you hear me?! I call.
Nothing.
I stumble into the inky darkness, terrified I was alone.
I don't know how far I was walking until I felt something pulsate.
A power unlike anything I'd ever felt.
It throbbed and came to life below the ground.
From beneath the dirt and soil, light poured from under my feet.
I stared in awe at the sight, taken back by this.
What... What is this... I whisper to myself, backing away until I bump into my murderer.
The Minotaur from before had followed us down.
I had just enough time to see it was a Minotaur before it wrapped its hand around my throat.
I gasped and choked as it lifted me up, turning its arm into a blade again.
Tears ran down my cheeks; from pain of wound, and fear of death.
I grabbed the hand that held me with my still working hand.
A last futile effort to live.
Just before it lunged foreword, something lashed at it.
I was dropped on my back again.
I screamed from pain, but was in shock of what just happened.
A arm, or tentacle, of what was clearly Vex origin, had taken hold of the Minotaurs legs.
It was struggling in the air, suspended from its duty of killing me. It thrashed violently, punching the arm that held it.
In a moment, a second arm took its upper body.
Both arms tore away.
All I could see was the primed Torch Hammer it wielded and is still darting eye.
I was gasping and heaving.
Whatever that was, just tore a Minotaur in half like a piece of paper.
I feared my fate.
The ground trembled again.
Opened up a hole in the ground.
Big enough for something massive to rise through.
It was another Minotaur, but it was stories tall.
Far larger than any I had ever seen before.
I sat back and could only stare in awe. There would be now way I could fight in my current state.
It fixed its gaze upon me, a light in its eye illuminated the ground around me.
It shimmered like millions of glints of Glimmer were a mere few centimeters below the dirt.
It balled its fist and brought it down slowly in front of me.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't think it was going to squash me like a bug.
It opened its hand, holding nothing.
And it waited.
I looked at its hand then up to it.
It had a white light darting softly in its iris.
I looked back at its hand, and it wiggled it gently.
It was trying to move me.
Why? I ask dumbly.
Then it screeched, and looked just past me, as more Vex came to being from their teleportation.
I covered my ears as it wrapped its hand around me and lifted me into the air.
I heard its Torch Cannon fire and felt it stomp the ground, destroying all Vex around us.
When I was in its hand, I finally noticed something different about this Minotaur.
Aside from the fact it didn't kill me.
It was white.
Not off-silver like the Precursors in the Vault.
But pure, pearl white.
Soon it stopped moving.
I felt it move is hand down until it opened it again, showing me a mass of what appeared to be Light.
White Goblins, Hobgoblins and a few Minotaurs were on one knee before it.
The giant one tilted its hand gently, signaling me to leave its grip.
I do so promptly, leaving bloodstains upon it.
Sorry, I say, only to realize how stupid that was.
It too fell to one knee, and waited.
Then the mass of Light began to writhe and come to life.
Someone walked from it.
It was Rei.
She had her helmet off, but seemed unharmed.
I gasped, the Light bouncing off my eyes, and was relieved to see her okay.
Rei... I say small as I limped to her.
Warlock! She cried and the Vex all stood up and circled me.
Relax... Rei said softly.
They're not going to hurt you.
They lifted me up and brought me closer to the Light.
I looked at my hand as the flesh was replaced.
I felt my bones mend. My pain subside.
The Light was soothing.
Almost like a hum of a woman signing softly.
Rei... I say back to her. What is this...?
I think these Vex are the Protectors of The Heart that Eva told us about.
I stared at the Light.
Then... This is The Heart... I say softly.
Yeah.... I think so...
I felt the Light of my Ghost.
Guardian! Oh what a find this is! It said happily.
This is no Heart at all! This is an essence of The Traveller! It exclaimed.
Are you sure? I ask.
Positive. The same Light courses through you, Rei, and, oddly enough, these Vex.
I looked at the Vex around us.
Who created them? I ask.
I'm not sure, but they told me they serve the Traveller by choice.
Whoa whoa whoa, back up, I say.
They do what?
Ghost lets out its electronic chirps and beeps.
Yes, they serve the Traveller. By choice. They protect its essence upon Venus.
But the Traveller didn't create them? I ask?
It pauses. I'm not sure. There are signs... But I can't decipher them. And I don't know of anyone reasonable enough to ask to try.
I look back at the essence.
Well... If the Vex care for it... Who are we to take it? I say.
What? Rei steps up beside me.
We came all this way to leave empty handed? She asks sunken.
Yes. But not empty minded. We know it exists. And that there's at least some place out here safe for Guardians. I say looking at the Vex.
Maybe we can hope there are other places like this for us. I say softly.
Rei looks at the Vex, then the Light, then back to me.
Dylan. I say.
Huh? Rei says.
My name. My name is Dylan. I say finally.
I told you I'd tell you if you got me out alive.
Rei smirks and chuckles softly. Even after you saved my ass, you still have the decency to tell me?
She sighs happily. Where were you when I wasn't a Guardian. She says trailing off.
These words strike me.
What? I ask.
I'll tell you some other time. But thank you. For trusting me. I know some of my questioning got to you.
I smile a small smile.
Thank you Rei. For pushing me. I honestly had second thoughts when Eva told me I'd need a Titan. I was lucky to get one so skilled.
She laughed and put her arm over me.
Listen to you, giving compliments. Like the perfect little success story.
She and I waited there for a while as our Ghosts pulled all the data they could from the clusters around the essence.
Which there was a lot of, by the way.
After we finally returned to the Tower, and gave our findings to Eva, I thought Rei and I would part ways.
But she stayed close by.
She sat with me as I indulged my insatiable hunger for knowledge in the Library, and we laughed among other Guardians as we all shared our stories.
And she saw me have a bit of a breakdown as I began to hone my Voidwalking abilities.
She helped me much with that over the course of a month.
Until finally, I received a message from her. To meet her. Ghost said she was somewhere out in the Cosmodrome.
I followed the coordinates and found her sitting on a forgotten plane wing, no helmet, her hair flowing in the breeze.
I sit beside her.
I've decided to go to the Reef Dylan, she says almost sadly.
I bow my head, partly to sadness, and partly to knowing I can't convince her to stay.
I wish you luck Rei, my friend, I say softly.
Remember on Venus? When I said 'where were you when I wasn't a Guardian'?
I took a moment to reply.
Of course I remembered.
But I had to prepare myself for what she would say.
Yes. I do. I reply easily.
Well, I remember when I wasn't a Guardian, she says with a little chuckle.
What? I say surprised.
You do?
She nods her head. Yup. Don't worry the isn't anything really special. Just how I died and lived before what I am now.
I look out over the tundra.
I loved talking with Rei.
She was so very intelligent. Wise beyond her apparent age. I would miss her deeply.
And, well, I wish I had someone like you when I wasn't a Guardian. You're a good friend Dylan. Any Guardian would be lucky to have you when the chips are down.
My eyes started to well with tears.
Part joy and pride.
Part sadness.
It was bittersweet.
Really...? I ask softly.
She smiles and looks at me.
Really truly, cutie pie.
I leaned my head on her shoulder. She took my hand.
And we sat there. Holding and being with one another.
A moment of peace that comes far too few and far in between.
It's time for me to go now Dylan, she said standing.
I stood with her, still holding her hand.
I didn't want to lose her.
Hey, look at me, she said shaking my hand gently.
As I did, she pressed her lips against mine.
My eyes widened to see her wink at me and smile.
She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close to her.
I relaxed and went with it.
Held and embraced her.
The only Guardian I'll ever say I loved. 
She pulled her lips away from mine finally.
I'll see you around cutie, she said with a wink before she vanished to orbit.
I smiled, holding on to the memory.
The kiss.
The love between her and I.
Come Darkness. Hell or High Water.
Never, ever would I forget her.