A Legend Reborn.

A Name

  The guardian was livid as he was teleported, "What did you do that for!" He said to the ghost.

The ghost mocked him. "Oh, I don't know- for saving your life!"

"No- not that- you acted as a damn spark-plug! You stopped the lightning from hitting me directly! Why!"

"Because I felt like it!" The ghost said sarcastically, "It would've killed you otherwise, dumbass." The ghost retorted.

The guardian rolled his eyes, and ran his fingers through his hair. He calmed down after a few minutes, then smirked. "There's we go." He said.

"What?" The ghost replied, having lost his joking and sarcastic nature, his parts moving so that that it looked like he was squinting at the guardian.

"I got a name for you- Sparkplug- just perfect." The guardian chuckled.

"Why you little-" the ghost began to curse at the guardian, floating into him to try and hurt him. The guardian simply laughed it off, and moved the ghost away.

"Look who's talking-" The guardian said, raising an eyebrow. The ghost became a little more aggressive, each hit making a small tink noise. "So who's driving?"

"I am- I don't need you crashing into a satellite in the way back to Earth."

"Fine, more time for me to call you Sparkplug anyway." The guardian said, raising his arms in defeat before crossing them. He sat down in the chair, and watched Sparkplug work the controls, clearly annoyed by him. An uneasy feeling in his gut started to grow as the ship began to shudder quietly, slowly gaining volume until his ears were buzzing with the noise. Outside the ship, the stars began to turn blue, warping and distorting across the glass as the Guardian pushed into the back of his seat, his stomach churning. He shut his eyes, feeling to sick to see anything.

Before long, the Guardian pitched forward violently, as the stars gained their original hue. He opened his eyes, bearing witness to another planet; Earth. More memories flashed through the guardians head. He groaned, clutching his head.

Now, it was a city, the buildings rising taller than any he'd ever witnessed before. The ocean was stormy and unsettling, the storms above dark and ominous. Then, a familiar voice, kind and warm. This is our new home. Our next adventure.

"You alright, Guardian?" Sparkplug tapped the guardians shoulder. He snapped back into reality, his breathing short and quick.

"Yeah... Just some memories- that's all." He said, taking a shaky breath in.

"Best you not worry about those- usually their all bad memories. Most guardians I've talked to have had similar experiences."

As the ship punctured Earths atmosphere, they began to fly towards a massive orb, settled extremely close to the surface. It was white, almost like snow, with lines all over it. The bottom of the orb was dark and misshapen, like it was shattered by an explosion. Beneath it were glowing dots of fires.

"The last safe-haven of humanity." Sparkplug said, soaring towards the orb. "The last place that the Traveler can protect- I remember when he died, you know- he was so great and bright when he sacrificed himself- but now, he's a shadow of his former self, and gives off so little." The ghost had a somber tone, before increasing speed and flying down towards the surface.

Landing in the outskirts of the vast camp, the Guardian and his ghost wandered through a makeshift gate, two armored soldiers standing atop raised barricades, with rifles aimed towards him. If they hadn't seen his ghost, they may have shot him on the spot.

"Zavala! We've got a new one!" Called out a bald, bearded man, clad in a cloak of some kind, a golden mantle atop his shoulders, feathers sprouting from beneath it.

A bald, blue skinned man stepped a bit closer to the Guardian, looking him up and down. "Interesting- I've not seen a Titan of your build since I was a trainee. Saint!" The blue skinned man yelled.

The heavy boot falls of some monstrous man echoed from inside a tent. As the Guardian looked back, he bore witness to an imposing figure, armored heavily, his shoulders and chest broad, and his helmet towering, crowned by a crest of fine black needles, sticking upright, above a split face guard. Between them, a bright, purple light flowed along the length of it.

"New blood?"

"Yes- seems a lot like a Titan if I do say so myself."

"Agreed. What's your name, Titan?" The man's voice was raspy and static in sound, making the Guardian uneasy.

"I-I don't remember anything."

"As is usual," the man said, before turning back to Zavala. "Go and take this rookie to the range- arm him, then return to me; we still need to prepare for the next Devil incursion. Osiris, give me a heads up if you see anything"

"Of course, my friend."

"Yes sir." Zavala saluted, before slamming his fist against his chest. "Come, Titan." He told him, leading him out of the small circle.

"What's wrong with his voice?" The Guardian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't worry about it- he's just an Exo." Zavala told him. "I would guess you've never seen people like us before."

"Blue-skinned?"

"Yes, but not just me: Saint as well. But what I am, we are called Awoken; kissed by the Light and smothered by the dark."

"Say what now?" The Guardian asked, a little confused.

"I do not know of my past, much like yourself. But the Awoken were born when those of humanity sought to escape the Collapse and took to the stars to flee its wrath. They were... changed, to say the least. The light of the stars kisses our skin for eternity. I woke in a crashed vessel amidst a dry lake bed when my Ghost found me."

The Guardian looked down at his fists, clenching them.

"Come on!" he said to a woman. She had long brown hair, cascading down from her head, with skin like fresh cream. She was slim, her hips and shoulders only a little wider than her waist, but it was not that what drew the young man to her, but her one-of-a-kind, dark violet eyes, which peered into the very essence of his soul. "You and I both know that they don't need you on the Moon that badly."

"I have to," She said, kissing him on the tip of his nose, "God only knows how my boss will react if I get there after his initial tests begin."

"One more night? I don't want them to take my darling girl away from me before our trip back to Earth."

The young woman sighed, rolling her eyes at him, "I'll talk to you when we land, ok?" She said, leaning in as her lips met his, the young man holding her there for as long as possible.

That was the last time he'd see her.

"Guardian?" Zavala said to him, snapping him out of the trance he was in.

"Sorry," he said, "just... lost in my own thoughts."

Zavala nodded, "I suppose you know how to wield a weapon; The data your ghost had transmitted before you arrived said as much." He said, leading him to an extended rectangular area pointed away from the camp, one of the spots at the range already occupied.

"Shaxx," Zavala called out, and the man in the range turned. He too was heavily armored, his helmet crowned by a pair of curling horns, a mantle of fur over his shoulders.

"What is it, Zavala?" The man asked, turning toward them. He matched the guardian in height, and towered over Zavala "Another whelp to join the fight?"

"Indeed." The Awoken said, patting the Guardian on the back. "Take him from here- Saint has need of me elsewhere."

"Ah, handing him off to me are you?" Shaxx said, laughing a little. "Need me to show him how things get done out there?"

"He seems to already have exceptional training- we just need you to verify it and arm him."

"I'll get it done." Shaxx replied, nodded, "By the way, if you see Saladin, let me know- we need to talk about that wall Reyzl was so adamant about building."

Zavala nodded before leaving the two guardians.

"So, new blood, I suppose you don't know your name- that's normal- we'll give you one sooner or later." Shaxx said, turning to the side, before slamming a rifle against his chest, the force almost taking the Guardians breath away. "Have a go at those targets," he said, pointing down range to six practice dummies. "hit them all and I'll give you another weapon. We'll do so until you get a bullet from each gun in every target."

The guardian nodded, readying his weapon. It was much like the gun he had broken on Venus, but it looked freshly made, as much as a gun that was made long before he woke up could be, with rugged makeshift parts to boot. However, the handle felt strangely familiar to him, his hands shifting along the barrel guard to rest between it and the magazine slot. He almost hadn't realized he'd flicked the safety off, squeezing the trigger to test its give.

Within moments of him familiarizing himself with the gun, he aimed down sights, squeezing the trigger sparingly, three or four metallic rings filling the air as he fired, setting down the rifle after switching the safety back on. He moved to the spot next to his, grabbing another weapon.

His instincts took hold, loading and priming the next weapon to fire- three round burst, firing in short pulses with moderate recoil. He immediately aimed down sights and began firing, more metal ringing. After that, was a semi auto rifle, and a heavy revolver

The crack of gunfire echoed forth from the range, Shaxx watching in amazement at the Guardians inherent prowess for firearms.

"Bit of a trained expert," he commented. "Ha- I'd like to see what you could do in our little get-togethers outside this camp."

"What kind of get together are we talking about?"

"Call it a group of guardians honing their Light through intense training." Shaxx said. "But before that, you'd best go back to Zavala- he, Saladin, and Saint ought to see you now."

Returning to the small camp, the Guardian was greeted by not just Zavala and Saint, but two others; one donned armor that gleaned silver and gold, wolves heads carved onto the surface of the breast plate, flanking a tree. A great billowing cape flowed behind him, fur mounted around his neck like a mantle, his face almost cloaked by the surrounding dark colors. The other stood mighty and tall- almost knightly in appearance. He had a grandiose beard, rugged and graying like a mountain man, his head shaved clean with a tattoo on both sides; a wolf's head. Within his hand, a straight sword, its edge glowing with heat. He too was marked by the wolves flanking a tree upon his armor, only his was crafted of iron, rusting over from years of use.

"Rookie, I'd like to introduce the Iron Lords Saladin Forge and Radegast the First." Saint-14 began, patting the shoulder of Radegast, who still stood stoic as he watched the Titan below him.

"A name." Radegast growled, his voice a low thundering roar. "A name for a Titan." The Iron Lord watched the Guardian closely, his eyes like cold steel, making the Guardian uneasy, enough so for him to loose his voice.

"He is like the rest of us, Lord Radegast- he knows nothing prior to his resurrection." Saint-14 said, having taken off his grim helm, revealing machine beneath the metal plating. His eyes glowed a deep purple.

"Then perhaps we should gift him with a name." said Lord Saladin, "One that we may enjoy calling upon when battle is upon us."

"Yes..." Lord Radegast said, placing his palms on the pommel of the sword. He glared at the Guardian, his steely eyes unnerving in their inspection. The guardian did his best to stand tall and not seem weak in the presence of such a man. "A name that is worthy to be carved into a statue atop Felwinter Peak."

"Ares?" Suggested Zavala. To the Guardian, it was odd to hear that name- he'd heard it before; before his resurrection. Where had he heard it from?

"No- One's name must be a call upon the battlefield: a battle cry to rally to, to inspire and fear." Radegast said, "The Greek god of war is nothing but fear."

"Odin." Shaxx said, silently entering the room, "the Norse God of War. Famed for his efforts to halt Ragnarok and to preserve Asgard-"

"And took out his eye in the hopes of gaining knowledge." Radegast hissed, "A Titan must not think on the forefront of battle- they must act."

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Saladin Forge spoke, and from his voice, rang forth a symphony of both heraldic light and foreboding doom.

"Talos."

Around the fire, the circle of tents grew silent, as if the world itself was pondering the suggestion. The earth beneath them quaked as the Iron Lord spoke "Talos." Lord Radegast agreed, smiling beneath his beard. "A valid and exceptional choice, old friend." He then turned toward the Guardian, his thunderous voice shaking the rookie to his core. "Kneel."

Without second thought, the Guardian knelt. He gazed up at the Titan above him, as he took the sword in hand.

The guardian bowed his head.

"I, The Iron Lord Radegast, name you, Talos, of the Last City. This name is yours and yours alone. Hearken to it upon the field of battle, and let those around you rally to it, while those against you hear their doom." The sword tapped the Titan upon the shoulders, before being placed back beneath the Iron Lords hands. "May it serve you well in the years to come, Talos."

Alongside Radegast, Shaxx, Zavala, Saladin, and even Saint, slammed their fists against their chests, shouting the name. "Talos! Talos! Talos!"

And thus, Talos of the Last City was born.