Chương 6: Vanguard Summons
Void stood still in the hangar as Amanda walked away. Staring at the prompt in front of him, he felt a slight anxiety begin to build. Anyone in his position would probably feel the same.
After all, who were the Vanguard? They were a group of Guardians who had lived for centuries defending the Last City. They were at the peak of their class, the culmination of hundreds of years of training and combat—absolute monsters in the shape of Guardians.
It would be foolish to think these people were entirely sane. Now that Void was actually in this world, the Vanguard seemed far too distant, their immense power obvious.
The Vanguard held full authority over the City's Guardians and were responsible for strikes and raid missions. They were also the ones holding back corrupted Guardians from resurfacing.
Though it was a rough process, the Praxic Order would investigate any Guardian suspected of wrongdoing, and by the Vanguard's hand, their Light would be extinguished.
People thought Guardians were immortal, but Void knew better.
"Nothing kills you faster than a Guardian," he muttered.
Suddenly, the idea of answering to an immortal authority seemed questionable, but Void didn't have a choice. He wanted to be an independent Guardian, like many others. However, to achieve that level of independence, one had to demonstrate power.
Currently, Void's power was laughable—a mere spark of Light that could be easily snuffed out. For now, he would wait, bide his time, and grow stronger.
Eventually, Void began pacing toward the elevator. For now, he would comply with the Vanguard.
Once he reached the elevator, it took him to the top floor of the Tower, which provided a literal breath of fresh air. The Tower was humanity's stronghold, where futuristic design met cultural culmination. Void walked toward the edge of the main bridge and peered down.
Below him, the Last City sprawled in all its glory. Millions of people lived here, under the Traveler's protection. Void could see thousands of homes and factories, banners and flags decorating the balconies, celebrating the Guardians and the peace they had brought.
As Void gazed down, he realized something he had never considered before—the Tower was actually a skyscraper. It housed Guardians at the top, but what about the rest?
The Tower was a meeting point for technologies from other planets and Earth. Void saw it in the infrastructure: everything was automated through robots and AI. Science had advanced far beyond what he had thought possible in his previous life.
As Void finished wandering around the Tower's annex, he received a notification from Ghost.
"Guardian, Vanguard has sent a request for your presence in conference room A290," Ghost informed him.
It seemed his sightseeing would have to be cut short. Void began descending the labyrinth of stairs within the Tower, eventually reaching the 290th floor, where there was quite a commotion in a nearby room.
Approaching the room, scanners swept over Void's body, and the energy shield blocking his path was removed. He could hear voices coming from the secured room beyond the checkpoint. As he stepped closer to the gate, it scanned his identity and allowed him entry.
The mechanical lock whirred, and the door slid open, revealing a long conference table. At the far end, three figures were locked in an argument.
"Cayde, I've already told you—you can't assign Hunters to patrol missions for 'fun.' Those Guardians have responsibilities to fulfill, and you can't abuse your authority," said Ikora.
"Ikora's right, Cayde. The Guardians trust our judgment. It would be wrong not to show them sincere leadership," Zavala added.
"Relaxxx, you're taking this way too seriously. All I said was that there could be a potentially important archived document in the Fallen's hands, stored in their camps. How was I supposed to know he'd rush in and die immediately? But it's fine—I rescued him and his Ghost, and he got revived. So, what's the big deal?" Cayde replied nonchalantly.
"The big deal is that you had him risk his life for a document you made up. Does Vanguard authority mean nothing to you?" Ikora slammed her hand on the table.
"Alright, alright. I take my job seriously. Look, I even apologized to the guy and gave him a new gun from my personal collection. He was happy about it, so what's the problem?"
Cayde rambled on as Ikora glared at him, clearly unimpressed.
"Fine. I won't do it again. Pinky promise," Cayde said with a half-serious gesture.
Zavala, noticing Void's presence, spoke up. "You two can continue this later. We have a new guest. Welcome, Guardian. Good job making it to the Last City. The Vanguard welcomes you with open arms."
Seeing he was invited to approach, Void walked toward the three figures at the end of the room.
Ikora turned to him with a nod. "You must be our new Hunter. I am Ikora Rey, the Warlock Vanguard. Welcome to the Last City."
"Thank you. My name is Void Blade," Void replied briefly, not having much else to add.
"Cool name. I dig it. I'm Cayde-6, your Hunter Vanguard. If you need help, I've got your back," Cayde said, with a grin.
"Thanks," Void responded.
"I am Zavala, the Tower's prime strategist and Vanguard leader," Zavala added. "Void, is it? I will remember that name. I hope your joining us is something to celebrate for years to come."
Zavala extended his hand, and Void shook it, immediately feeling the overwhelming power difference between them. Ikora's presence was just as intense, and Cayde, while lighthearted, had a dangerous air about him, as if his playful demeanor concealed something far more lethal.
"Your Light is strong for a newly risen Guardian," Zavala commented. "The Vanguard has much to discuss with you, but first, I believe we owe you a day's rest. I've sent the details to your Ghost. Spend the day in your quarters and rest. We'll see you on the front lines tomorrow."
A faint white marker appeared on Void's HUD, indicating the location of his room. Nodding, Void turned to leave, but Cayde stopped him.
"Hey, hold on, Void. Something's missing," Cayde said, studying him. "Ah, that's it—you don't have a cloak. That won't do. No Hunter of ours goes out without a cloak. It's bad for my reputation."
Cayde fiddled with a tablet for a few seconds. "There we go. I've issued you standard city gear in your room. Better equip that than what you've got on now. Also, your firepower's looking weak. I've given your name to the Gunsmith, so make sure to pick up a better weapon."
"Thanks again," Void said, heading out toward his room.
Void hadn't expected the Tower to be so big. "Ghost, which floor is our room on again?"
"Floor 285, Guardian. Your room is already marked," Ghost replied.
Navigating the Tower, even with directions, took Void about ten minutes. He finally found his room—number 234. As Void touched the handle, a green light popped up and scanned him.
Access granted.
The door clicked open, revealing a spacious interior—closer to an apartment than just a room. It had a bathroom, a bed, and a lounge for reviewing daily tasks. There was even a TV with holographic functionality. Near the bed, a neatly wrapped parcel sat to the side.
"That must be my supplies," Void muttered.
But what Void really needed was a good night's sleep. The exhaustion of fighting and training over the past few days had caught up with him. The moment he hit the mattress, he fell asleep.
[8 Hours Later]
Void stirred, sinking into the soft mattress as cool air blew pleasantly through the room. He felt at peace.
"What... happened?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, still groggy.
"Ghost? You there?" Void called out.
Ghost floated over. "You're finally awake, Guardian. I was starting to worry. Whenever you're ready, you can equip the new gear we got. Cayde didn't hold back on the equipment."
Ghost spun near the crate by the bed.
"That's right, the equipment!" Void said eagerly.
He opened the crate to reveal a standard Hunter vest, helmet, grips, strides, and a specially made Hunter cloak.
"This is some serious gear," Void remarked, running his hand over the materials. They were durable yet lightweight—perfect for a Hunter.
Void donned the new equipment and checked his stats:
Name: Void Blade
Class: Hunter
Level: 2
Light Level: 6
Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 2/10
Satisfied with his new appearance, Void smiled. He looked intimidating, outfitted in the War Mantis armor.
"How do I look?" Void asked.
"Stronger than ever, Guardian. Let's pick up our weapons from the Gunsmith. Zavala probably has some missions for us soon," Ghost said.
"Ghost, you've been with me since I revived, but I never gave you a name," Void mused.
"Most Ghosts don't get named until they find their Guardians. You could name me if you want."
Void thought for a moment. "How about Obsidian?"
"Obsidian? Because my shell is black? Well, it's not what I expected, but it'll do," Ghost—now Obsidian—replied.
"Let's go, Obsidian. We've got a long journey ahead."
Void wondered what path lay before him as he joined the Last City's greatest warriors.
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