Ashura stared at her ship as it sat docked in the bay of the tower. She ran her fingers over the dull side of the blade time after time. She kept repeating his last words to her over and over in her head. His promising tone, his gentle caresses of her cheek as he spoke to her. The soft look in his eyes as he spoke to her. She missed him dearly already, even though it had only been a week since he sent her back to the tower. Zavala, Ikora, and Cayde were still discussing how to go about attacking the dreadnaught. She saw movement to her right and glanced over to see Misra and Lion making their way over to her.

“Ooooh cool knife, can I see it?” Misra asked and Ashura thought it over shortly before she offered the exo the knife. When Misra touched the blade, a shock went through her system and she dropped it, causing Ashura to swiftly rush to grab it before it hit the ground. Lion shook his head at the Exo who was still shuddering from the shock. When she finally recovered, she was muttering something repetitively as if trying to make sense of it. “Prince? My Prince?” she whispered and Ashura reached to touch her once more, only for a jolt of static to hit her as well. Ashura shook her head clear of the image that had appeared in her mind of Clovis Bray. She herself stood there beside a desk with a lab coat on.

Perhaps she had been a doctor?A scientist?

Ashura shook her head to clear the thoughts away completely, only to look over at Misra. The Exo looked like she was having an internal struggle. Her glowing eyes flickered back up to Ashura and she breathed a mechanical sigh. “Who is the wolves bane?” she asked and Ashura looked back to the knife in her grasp. “My twin sister, and Uldren's previous right hand. She is deceased now…” Ashura said and Misra nodded. “I see… still cool blade. I’m still not touching it again though.” She said and Ashura laughed lightly. Misra looked over at her in slight surprise. “You just laughed... like... not even sarcastically... just... a normal laugh.” She pointed out and Lion threw his hands into the air. “See! That's what I have been saying! She’s like... actually happy. What drugs are you doing woman?” he asked as he shook her shoulders, which caused her to laugh again.

“Don’t worry about it. My drugs are totally legal.” She joked lightly, only to look back at the knife. “But something is wrong?” Misra asked and she nodded. “The Awoken were preparing an attack on the dreadnaught as well...” She sighed and looked up to the sky. “Oh... I see.” Misra sighed and patted Ashura on the head, which for the first time ever did not zap her. “It’ll be ok... Cayde sent out his first scout today, which means that the Awoken probably haven’t made their move yet.” Misra said and Lion looked between them, there was a completely different look on Ashura’s face than before. “Who was his scout?” She asked and Lion frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “I volunteered, but some other guardian seemed to have a much more impressive reason that it had to be them.” Ashura’s eyes slipped shut and she sheathed the blade.
She hopped down from her makeshift seat and they knew exactly where she was headed. She threw open the door to his barracks and he looked over at her in surprise. “Ashura, look I can explain.” He began and she looked at him with hurt eyes. “Why didn’t you come to me?” She whispered, her tone was hurt. “Ashura... please...” “You should have come to me... you should have told me the Awoken had made their move!” She snapped, grabbing him by the strap of his armor.
“Ashura... this is why we didn’t. We haven’t told anyone of the outcome yet.” He said and she bit her lip. “What was the outcome?” She asked and he hugged her to him.

“Ashura... there was a reason we had to send another guardian...”

:-:-: A week earlier :-:-:

He watched her as she left, he didn’t want her to go but even he knew she was safer at the tower at this point. He watched as her ship left the dock and he collapsed into the railing with a sigh. A gentle hand placed itself on his back and rubbed soothing circles between his shoulder blades.

“Brother... do you fear death?” She asked and he looked behind him to lock eyes with her. “Today... today I fear it.” He sighed and she gripped his shoulder softly. “We bow to no King brother...” She bit out softly and he nodded. “Of course, sister...” He sighed and she looked over at him with eyes harder than ice.

“Do not doubt her brother, she will be just fine.” she said, but he couldn’t help but zone in on the fear flitting through her mind. He didn’t know what she was scared of, but it was important. He looked back up to the sky as she walked away and he couldn’t help the sigh that escaped him as he thought about Ashura and Kira. The day he had come across Kira had been strange... in the very least. He closed his eyes and sighed, maybe he would think about them just a little more... Dwell on his memories as some of them genuinely gave him peace.

He had come upon the woman in the ruins of a building on earth. He couldn’t remember exactly what he had been searching for here, but when he saw her he knew he had to help her. She had been limping around using some sort of rebar to steady herself. When she saw him she had slumped against the wall and sighed. “Go ahead... end me.” She had said this so helplessly that he couldn’t help but feel for her. “What’s your name?” he asked and she looked up at him with sad green eyes. “Kira.. Kira Reyes.” She said and he gave her a swift once over. “Why do you think I want to kill you?” he asked as he crouched in front of her and began prodding the stump of her amputated leg. It was from the knee down, but that was a considerable issue in trying to maneuver.

“Everything else has tried and failed, so I figured you would want to kill me too.” She groaned as he hefted her onto her foot. “Well, I will probably be the only one who won’t want to kill you at the moment, as long as you give me no reason to.” He grunted as he hefted her onto his shoulder. “I’m showing you a kindness, so you have to help me.” he said and she shrugged. It seemed she hadn’t care what happened to her either way. He carried her back to his ship and she looked around with a curious gaze. “So like... you aren’t some kinda creep that takes little girls and hides them away for pleasure purposes are you? Cause I'm really not into that kinda thing.” She asked and he looked at her like she had lost her ever loving mind.

“Woman... what insolent fool do you take me for?” he snapped and she shrugged. “Hey man... I'm like... barely alive and you just came out of nowhere and picked me up like... yup here's another one. I'm keeping it.” She said and he pinched the bridge of his nose to ebb the oncoming headache. “If you must know, my name is Uldren. I am the Prince of the Reef.” he bit out sourly and her eyebrows shot up into her bangs. “Holy shit man you gotta understand I didn’t know.” She said and he stared back at her disdainfully. “Clearly.” he grumbled and she muttered under her breath something about a jerk.

He couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him as he thought about how he had met her. Her snarky comments were bothersome to him at first, but as time went on and she began remembering things, she became slightly nicer... or maybe it could have been the fact as her own death loomed even closer over her head she wanted to be remembered in a good light. He had tried his best, but time after time of seeing her hit her knees and cough up the same exact fluids Ashura did... it wore him down more and more each time. He thought back to how she had stood by his side through everything and he couldn’t help but sigh... He missed her.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him roughly. “My prince! We have to go! Those were guardians!” She snapped at him and he looked over at her, his eyes wide in shock. He... hadn’t meant for that to happen. His eyes kept falling back to the bodies of the nine guardians he had just gunned down with an air strike. He looked down at the men and women he had just murdered and he struggled to catch his breath. What snapped him out of his daze was a sharp searing pain across his cheek.
“Petra said she would handle it, we have to go... NOW!” she snarled and shoved him out of the pilot's seat. He couldn’t help but watch her from the daze. What had he done? He stared at his hands and his mind was envisioning their blood on his hands. “My prince... It was the lives of the few over the lives of the many!” She snapped at him and he looked at her with confused eyes. “The fallen and the Hive were going to overrun and escape the moon... You did what you thought was right, even if it hurts... You have to think that what you did was right.” She commanded as she steered the ship back towards the reef.
“Kira... I...” “You nothing. If you want to see yourself as a murderer and hold that title the rest of your life, feel free to... To me and to Petra... You made a split second decision that saved more lives than it took. You have to remember that always...”

Her words had stuck with him ever since that day... he thought back to how many years he had known her and the pain had begun to sting once more. ‘Six years... she stuck by my side for six years...’ Six years that woman had stood there, watching his back and keeping him sane... Well no... he couldn’t say it six years...

She had gone the moment she had heard about her sister having been revived... so four... they would have been partners for four years. Six if she would have survived. His eyes slipped shut once more as he dwelled more on his past.

She was excited, he had asked her about the past she was working on uncovering. She was an Exo mechanic in her past life. She worked at Clovis Bray and she continuously told him this. She was so excited to be able to start remembering things about her past life and she loved discussing it with him. “Did I tell you?” she asked and he looked over at her from where he was working on her cybernetic limb. “Tell me what?” he asked and she dug around in her little bag of wonders, she liked to call it.
She pulled a picture from the bag and worked diligently to rub the dust and dirt from the frame. “I have siblings... On the back it says Marie and Stephan...” She chirped and he looked over at the picture and his eyes were instantly captured by the silver eyed woman. “Is she a twin?” he asked and she nodded. “Yeah... turns out we were twins, although she went on to be a general surgeon while I got a doctorate in Exo science... Although I certainly wish I could remember it.” She said and he nodded.

“What are your siblings like?” He asked and she grinned over at him. “Stephan is... well... your typical older brother. Protective and caring, but also stubborn and annoying.” She said with a small smile. “There isn’t much I remember of him, but I am sure if I were to see him everything would probably come rushing back.” She said as she jabbed her stump into his side from the table she sat on. “So how much longer until you have finished the adjustments?” She asked and he rolled his eyes but leaned back away from the table.

He then pointed at the leg that lay open on the table, cables and metal plating scattered about. A look in his eyes that quite possibly screamed ‘You aren’t actually asking that are you?’ She just laughed at him and shook her head. He just watched her as she messed with her stump. She seemed so enthused with her stump that he had to ask her. “Who amputated your leg?” he asked and she looked up at him as she ran her fingers over the smooth stump, very minimal scarring was visible and a slow smile crossed her lips.

“My own sister.” She said and that caught his attention fully. “Why?” He asked and she sighed as she patted her hands against her legs. “From what I remember, we were under attack.” She rubbed the stump once more at this. “The building collapsed and I was trapped. My sister searched the entire building for me. She was ordered to evacuate, but she refused to leave me.” She said and he watched her for any expression, but there was nothing there.

“She found me what felt like days later, after everyone had already evacuated and been gone. I had given up hope and I knew I was going to die there. It was... Terrifying. The darkness was ebbing ever closer and I heard whatever had attacked us moving around overhead.” She whispered and he nodded, he understood how scary it was being trapped and not being able to escape. “I heard fighting and then I called for help. When the fighting stopped the rubble had started moving and I was scared I had called for help to the wrong side...” She laughed softly, but the sadness in her eyes had him feeling the same way.

“When I saw her face... I wanted nothing more than to cry. Her rage... Her beautiful rage. It was truly fearsome and she looked as if she were a war torn warrior. She was always the one meant to fight, always the one who defended me... She was... incredible.” She sighed wistfully. “If you ever have the chance to research a tribal warrior princess, do it. That is who my sister was. Healing those who needed healing, and dealing the final hand to those who deserved it.” She said and her eyes darkened.
“And I am the reason she is dead now.”

He watched her carefully, not understanding what she meant. She took a deep breath and decided to delve further on the explanation.

“When she had broken through the rubble to get me, she was already injured. When she came down for me, she had her med kit strapped to her back. She knew I was going to be hurt. She slipped down into the area where I was trapped and ended up slashing her thigh wound open even further. She was bleeding everywhere, but she was more concerned with getting me free.“ Kira said as she ran her fingers over the minimal scar.

“She offered her other knee to me and said, Bite. Bite as hard as you can or have to.” Kira said and Uldren stared at her with wide eyes. “So I did. I situated my jaw to get the best grip I could and once she raised that blade over her head... I bit down.” Kira said and He continued watching her as she spoke. “I broke a tooth off in the cloth of her pants, but she kept working. I knew she was in pain, but between my screams and her pained grunts, i couldn’t think of anything else.” She said and sighed as she looked up to the ceiling, tears falling from her evergreen eyes.

“She struggled to carry me out of that place... And when we finally made it out, she looked down at her leg and released only a laugh. It was such a sad one... I don’t know why I so vividly remember this... but I feel like it is important. She told me... Go home... go to your husband and leave me behind. She told me to let her die where she sat because she knew there was no one who could fix her.” Kira whispered and Uldren frowned as he closed the mechanical limb.

He turned to her and she looked like she wanted to cry. “What happened to her?” He asked and she looked over at him with those sad shimmering eyes. “I don’t know. Last I saw... I looked back and it looked like she was going to take the leg herself. I don't understand why I was brought back and she wasn’t...” She whispered and he shook his head. “You guardians are odd that way.” He sighed as her ghost hovered around her. “Miss Kira... Forgive me for choosing you, but I felt like you were destined for greatness. Something in me told me to choose you...” He said and she looked over at the ghost.
“You have nothing to apologize for, now I have to figure out what you think I am here to do.”

He continued setting up what he needed for the attack, his mind occupied by the twins while he did so. He had no issues with the thoughts of them. Their memories kept him going, kept the fear from creeping in. He closed his eyes and an amused chuckle escaped his lips as he thought about how Kira had been when she first heard Ashura had been revived as well as their older brother. It had been so hard to keep her from rushing to them. Now... that isn’t saying he was holding her hostage by keeping her in the reef, because he hadn’t done anything of the sort. He had just been waiting on the crows to tell him when the siblings had been away from the tower so she could ambush them.

Kira was ecstatic. She was jumping up and down in his ship and he had to roll his eyes at her. “Calm it down woman. You and that jumping may spiral us off into space and we will never be seen or heard from again.” He ground out and she looked at him with a purely shocked expression and he couldn’t help the chuckle that had escaped him. She huffed and turned to look at Venus as it came into view. She was struggling to contain her excitement as she could see a woman strolling down below. He landed the ship and she was gone in an instant. He followed her from a distance and kept an eye on them.

When the smaller woman saw her, she tackled her in a hug, screaming for the warlock to come over. He couldn’t help but feel slightly at ease due to the fact she seemed to be safe with her siblings. He watched as the hunter removed her helm and her pure white hair fell from where it had been pinned to her head. Silver shimmer caught his eyes and he couldn’t look away. He managed to rip his gaze away from the woman and he shook his head and looked to see a dark haired man hugging Kira. He turned to make his way back to his ship, he had felt that she was safe with her siblings. He supposed he had no reason to stick around because she would come home sooner or later.

The thought of that actually hurt him. ‘She will come home sooner or later...’ He bit his lip in slight agitation as he checked over the guns on his ship. “Some faith I had.” He grumbled to himself as he looked around to make sure the sights were clean on the outside of his ship. He stepped within and made his way over to check the calibration of the weapon sights. He moved them around and when they seemed to line up with precision accuracy, he nodded to himself. He stood and looked to the hunter cloak that was draped over the seat of his chair. His fingers very gently gripped the material and he pressed the hood to his nose slightly.

It smelled of her... Ashura...

He wrapped it around his shoulders and was highly amused at the difference in size between him and the smaller framed woman. The cloak fell just barely below the back of his knees, but didn’t even fully cascade across his back. She was so... Small. An amused chuckle escaped him as he draped it back over his chair. He brushed his fingers over the smooth cloth and nodded. He was going to fight so she could be safe. His thoughts lingered on her, the small woman who looked like he could crush her easily. When in front of him, her entire person fit within the larger frame of his own body.
How such a small woman ever thought she could go up against the most terrifying of enemies and not be maimed in the process eluded him. However, he was impressed with her. She was truly strong for such a small woman, but he still feared for her safety. He supposed that stemmed from his constant worry of not only his younger twin sister, but also Kira. He sighed and rubbed his forehead as he shook his head. Why was he surrounded by such short, stubborn, and reckless women all the time? He could see his sister smirking at him now. That damn smirk of hers whenever she was about to do something she knew was going to cause trouble, and yet... she would do it anyways.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Yeah, his twin had definitely matured over the years but she was still the same deep down and he knew it. Then there was Kira, his eye twitched at the thought of her. She would smirk at him and then go do stupid shit too. He rubbed his hands over his face as he remembered the first time Kira had come across a kell. One they were supposed to recruit for their side, but... thanks to Kira and hella own attitude, he never made it to their side.

He looked at the Kell before him and he seemed to be wary of the shorter woman beside him. He understood why, her official title among the Awoken was the Wolves’ bane. This Kell was one of the few house wolves Kells remaining. Kira watched him with amusement in her eyes. He watched her with narrowed eyes, knowing that if he didn’t keep her on a tight leash she was going to lunge for the Kell. “Join us.” he had offered to the kell, but the Kell only seemed more unamused with the idea.
“Take tiny one and go, we join no squishies.” the kell snarled and Uldren reached to grab Kira but he was too late as the small woman rushed forwards. He cursed inside his mind as he jumped back and away from Kira, whose body had erupted in electricity. Her electric abilities burned him even from a distance. “You have one more chance to reconsider.” He said and the Kell only laughed and swiped at him. Kira was much faster than the Kell had been though. Her electricity slammed right into his side and with a yell of pain the Kell disintegrated before him.
He stared over at the woman as she stood and dusted herself off. “Did you honestly have to do that?” he asked and she smirked at him. “Yes.” He rolled his eyes and checked to make sure his weapon was loaded as he turned around and eyed the smaller Fallen that had come crawling out when their master was killed. “You just like making matters worse... don't you?“ he asked and she smirked at him.
“Oh, but of course. Or else my name wouldn't be Wolves bane.”

He sighed as he looked over at his sister who was boarding her own ship. He took a deep breath and his eyes slipped shut as he stepped back on board his own ship. A feeling of weightlessness engulfed him. He wasn’t sure if it was some odd form of fear, or maybe it was his sister trying to comfort him. He glanced over at her from his ship only to see she was confused by the feeling as well, her confused eyes locked on him. Maybe the feeling was something else, he didn’t know. It sure as hell wasn’t some form of relief... maybe it was... acceptance.

That was what it was. It was acceptance. He pursed his lips and closed his eyes once more. He supposed if he died today he could accept the way he had lived. He protected his sister with everything his body could handle. He saved and befriended one of the most awkward and amusing guardians... and fell in love with his best friend’s sister.

Three women that he held dear in his life. A small smile crossed his lips as he thought of them. Mara’s smile and calming embrace flickered through his mind, followed by Kira’s grin and mischievous smirk... Then there was Ashura... Her loving eyes flashed through his mind, the feeling of her gentle fingertips fell across his cheeks. The lingering pressure of her kisses crossed his lips and he released a sigh.

He was going to make it back to her. He started his ship and took to the sky, the entire fleet following him up. He glanced behind him at the hundreds of ships that awaited his command. The largest of the fleet’s ship slowly came to hover near them. “Onward, my people.” Mara’s voice echoed through their ships and he took off. “We bow to no king!” She snarled and an army’s echo of “Yes my Queen!” flooded his comms. He swallowed and secured himself down in his seat. He rolled his shoulders back to relieve some tension and then he began firing at the fleet Oryx had brought with him.

Ship after ship went down around him and he looked over to his sister’s ship which held steady. He felt her light, it was becoming bright and unbearably so. Five of her destructive orbs formed in the air and a chill fell over him. He looked swiftly to where the orbs had flown towards the dreadnaught. His chest tightened as they destroyed a massive part of the enemy fleet, but when they hit the large vessel itself there was little to no damage. He felt her sadness seep through him and his eyes softened as he realized this was it...

“Forgive me brother... I had no choice... I did what I had to...”

Her voice echoed through his mind and his heart began to race as he felt her light begin to dim. he closed his eyes and began searching, trying his best to locate his sister. He caught the slightest glimpse of her light once more, but a rush of energy rocked his ship and broke his concentration on the light. Emergency lights began flashing all over in his ship and he gripped the navigation equipment tightly. He could barely contain his yell as his ship was sent spiraling out of control.

He was going down and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. His thoughts drifted to Ashura and he cursed under his breath. ‘You better come back.’ that had been more of a threat than anything else. ‘I’m begging you, if it seems to be going wrong... flee... please... flee.’ he sighed deeply as he saw the nothingness grasping for his ship. He smiled softly and thought about what he told her before she left. If he had given her anything, it was hope for him to survive. His eyes slipped shut and he embraced the fall. It didn’t look like he was getting out of this one alive...

“Forgive me, Ashura...” He whispered more to himself than anything as he pulled her cloak from the back of his seat. He held it close as he took a deep breath and steeled his resolve.

“I have made my mistakes... and now I am paying my debts.”

~With Ashura in present time~

She glanced behind her at the two hunters, they knew the reason she had volunteered to go to the reef. There wasn’t a soul in the tower who didn’t understand why she had to go herself. She had to know. She saw the reef come ever closer into view and there was an entirely different feel to it now than there had been when she had left. She closed her eyes and steeled herself for the news she was going to receive when she got there. With this desperate fear gripping at her soul, she knew it was bad.

They docked and she stepped out of the ship, she felt their eyes on her the instant she stepped out onto the outpost. She looked around and sorrow gripped her entire being. She looked around at each and every one of the usually friendly faces she had come to know and love. Brother Vance was the only voice she heard echoing around her.

“Blessed be the traveler. Blessed be the traveler who gives us our strengths and protects us in our weaknesses. Blessed be the traveler...” He kept repeating that and it gripped at Ashura’s soul. The desperate tone in his voice...

She looked over at the cryptarch who sat against the wall, their hood pulled over their head tightly as if to hide from the eyes of everyone else. She approached the tent Variks and Krux stayed near, only to see the opening drawn shut. She untied the knot and pushed the flaps aside, peeking in to see the fallen sitting there in their silence. “Queen of Kells, you return early...” Krux managed and she brushed her fingers over the large female’s face. “My kell... how do you feel?” She asked softly and Krux’s eyes slipped shut and she buried her head into Ashura’s hand. “Misses Queen Mara.” Variks said and Ashura offered him a hand as well, but he didn’t take it.

“Do you blame me for leaving?” She asked softly in Eliksni, causing the green clad fallen to look over to her swiftly. “Variks passes no judgement upon you.” He grumbled out softly and she reached to cup his face within her hand. “You are free to feel angry if you are, Variks...” She whispered and he looked up at her. “What do you feel?” He asked and her sharp eyes met his once more. “I am full of rage.” she whispered as she stood. She threw the flaps of the tent back softly, only to look over to where Petra usually waited. The woman was not there, so she was going to go find her.

She motioned for Lion and Misra to wait on her where they were and they nodded, although Lion seemed to want to look around. She made her way towards the barracks, but then she paused... Her shoulders slumped slightly and she shook her head. She was going to check Uldren’s room first. She approached his door and her hand rested upon the keypad for a moment before she released her held breath and entered to code to his room. Deep in her chest, she felt so much pain. Her hope of seeing those glowing amber eyes staring back at her in the darkness was crushed when the only thing she was met with was pitch black darkness.

She ran her fingers over the dimmer switch and turned the lights completely on. Everything in the room was neat and orderly, as expected of him. The only time his area was a mess was when he was working on something, but even then everything was still somewhat neat.  She looked around to see eight crows watching her with careful eyes. The legacy of her lover were these birds. “Will you follow me? I need your help to find him.” She said and they each exchanged looks with each other then opened their mouths to project a video.

The video was of Uldren as he was preparing to leave. “Ashura, if the crows are playing this for you... it means you have returned first. That isn’t a good sign and I just want to apologize. because if you are seeing this... I didn’t flee.” He sighed as he reached for one of the crows, only to gently ruffle its feathers. “However, unless you see my body, do not be so swift to believe I have perished. If anyone I'm sure you understand my apparent refusal to die. If you must search for me... Borrow my crows. You are renamed as their mistress in their memory banks. Feel free to use them to search for me and communicate with Variks, they will listen to him as well.” Uldren sighed, only to reach for another of the birds.

“Forgive me.”

She released a deep breath and watched as the crows closed their mouths. She fisted her hands and tried not to cry, but it was so hard... He knew he was going to fight. He knew he wasn’t going to flee. “That bastard.” She bit out as the first of her tears fell. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she rushed to wipe away her tears. She turned to see an awoken with bloodshot eyes and a lack of an all too familiar smile. She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tightly as the tears began to fall.                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    “Oh, Petra, what went wrong?” she sobbed and the awoken woman gripped her tightly. “We were so unprepared... so...brash...” Petra whispered, her tone broken.  Ashura fell to her knees, the other woman coming with her. “I need him back, Petra.” She whispered and Petra nodded only to brush the hair out of Ashura’s eyes. “I need my Queen...” Petra whispered and Ashura’s eyes widened as her jaw went limp ever so slightly. Ashura understood what the rose haired woman meant, even if she hadn’t voiced it.

Ashura opened her mouth to say something but a mechanical hand found its way onto her shoulder, which shocked her and she froze for a moment, her eyes wide as images flickered across her line of sight. She released the rose haired woman and took off outside. The sound of retching reached everyone’s ears and they rushed to see if she was ok. “Ashura?” Petra asked, reaching to carefully grasp her shoulder. “What did you see this time?” Misra asked and Ashura looked up at her with disgusted eyes.

“I saw in vivid detail the day I cut my own leg from my body.” She bit out and Petra stared at her in shock. “I had always wondered what happened, but I never wanted to ask...” She said softly and Ashura stood and looked around. Her gauntlet began shining with Cayde’s image and she looked down at it. “Yes?” She asked and his voice came through loud and clear. “We have lost track of The guardian we sent... Do you think you can attempt to reach the location of his emergency beacon?” He asked and she took a deep breath and nodded. “Of course, Cayde...” She whispered, but he knew there was something she wanted to say.                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 “Don’t you go missing on me too, Cayde. I’m not searching for a trifecta of missing men here... and I don’t want to be.” She whispered and she heard him sigh from the other end. “I can’t go missing, Ashura. They never let me leave.” “I‘m going to hurry to my ship... I suppose you and Zavala can brief me on my way.” She said and turned to Petra once more, only to hug the woman. “I will do everything I can to make sure I find them.” She whispered and Petra nodded as she made her way to her ship. Ashura snapped her fingers and the crows came out of hiding to watch her. “Go find your master.” She said, pointing at a few and they fluttered away.

“Find the Queen.” She commanded and more flew away. The rest seemed to watch her with curious eyes. “Six of you come with me. The rest of you... Look after the Reef.” She whispered and the birds scattered into hiding. Ashura lowered the entrance to her ship and the birds flew in. “Man I hope they don’t shit everywhere.” Lion grumbled as he boarded the ship. “Look here you idiot, they’re Exo birds. They can’t crap.” Misra growled as she followed him on board.

Ashura boarded her ship and set Zavala and Cayde up on speaker. “Does Ikora know he is missing?” Ashura asked and the two vanguard leaders looked at her in their holographic form. “Yes... I am well aware... and furious.” Ikora’s voice echoed through the speaker and Ashura nodded. “Where is my other mentor?” She asked and Eris’ image appeared in the holograph as well. “I am here.” She said and Ashura nodded. “So what am I headed into?” She asked and it was silent until Eris spoke. “Ashura, there is a weapon on the Dreadnaught you need to be aware of. I do not yet know the mechanics of this device... However we have been informed that it took out the entire Awoken fleet.” Eris said as her hands hovered around the orb in her grasp.

“I am well aware the fleet was removed from commission.” she bit out and Eris nodded. “Be wary of it.” “Ashura, I see you have some of my prince’s crows... is he faring well? What of the Queen?” Nina’s voice chimed in and Ashura’s eyes slipped shut as she tried to control her features. The anger dwelling within her was... uncontrollable. “Nina... he left me a recorded will in the crows.” She managed and she saw the looks on both Zavala and Eris’ faces.

“Ashura maybe you are too close to this...” Zavala offered and Ashura shook her head in anger. “Not a chance.” She bit out and he looked at her in surprise. “Ashura…” “No, this is my job. My lover is missing due to this creature… I am highly close to this and that means you’re going to get the job done no matter what. Do not doubt me, because this is an object of my rage.” She bit out and he sighed.
“Then listen to me, if you want to get through this alive, listening to me is a must.” She pulled Uldren’s blade as she listened to him discuss what her plan of attack would be. She knew she was going to follow what he wanted until it proved too difficult to do so. Her chest hurt and she couldn’t understand why things were happening this way… why did he not flee? He had promised her he would flee...

She glared at the knife in her grasp as she repeated the words he had said to her, in her mind. “As long as my blade still glows under the light of the stars... I still remain. The closer you are to me, the brighter it shines.” She glared at the blade with rage filled eyes. “You’re so full of shit, Uldren.” She growled as she held the blade up to the sky through the windshield of her ship, the same shimmer it always held reflecting back at her. She glared back at the dreadnaught, but the closer they got to the large ship, the more her heart sank. Her eyes became saddened as she scanned over all the destroyed awoken ships. “Ashura, we need you focused. Ignore the wreckage.” Zavala commanded as her eyes lingered on a piece of a familiar ship. Her throat went dry as she reached to touch the window of her ship.

A small black crow emblazoned the fragment of the ship that had floated past, this was not a part of Uldren’s ship... but the Queens. “Don’t worry Zavala... I am completely focused on taking this bastard down.” She hissed, her eyes still burning on the image of the black crow. She grit her teeth as she turned to see the team within her ship watching as all the destroyed ships floated past. As they neared the Dreadnaught, the large cannon began to glow. “Ashura get out of the way of that NOW!” Zavala yelled and she nodded as she strapped back in and took control of the ship. She gunned it straight up into the air and she gripped the controls so tightly her knuckles began to hurt.

The wave of energy rocked her ship and ripped off part of the lower end. Her lip curled up into a snarl as she jerked the controls back down. “Ashura what are you doing!?” her passengers yelled and she glared over her shoulder at them. “Shut it.” she snapped and they began to try and strap themselves down, but she released an unamused laugh. “I wouldn’t do that because we are going to need to jump.” She bit out and they struggled to put their helmets on. Hers enclosed her head and she climbed up to prepare to kick open the upper entrance to her ship. She was crackling with electric energy and the two hunters behind her grabbed her hands tightly, only for her to launch each of them from the top of the ship in beams of light.

They landed roughly on the bow of the ship rolling to a stop, their armor and weapons damaged greatly. They looked back over the edge to see her running along the top of her ship just to launch herself towards them with a streak of crackling energy following behind her. When she hit the ground, she did so harder than they had. Lion and Misra rushed over to her and they crouched beside her, only to be toppled over by an explosion that rocked the side of the ship.

“What the absolute hell is wrong with you.” Lion groaned as his ghost focused on healing his injuries. “This is insane.” Misra grumbled as her ghost healed her damaged circuitry. Ashura held her hands out and her ghost spat her cybernetic leg into her grasp. “You hit so hard because you were trying to protect that damn leg?!” Misra growled and Ashura nodded as she connected the leg back and zipped the hidden zipper around the join for her armor. “Ashura!?” Zavala’s voice echoed around them and they all sighed.

“We lost tracking for your ship! Are you there?” He called out once more and before Ashura could reach for her comms receptor, Lion and Misra grabbed it out of her reach. “We are here Zavala, don’t worry we are ok.” Misra said and they heard him sigh on the other end. “No thanks to this psycho bitch who crashed her ship into the cannon!” Lion growled and Ashura was slightly amused by the silence at the other end of the line.

“What the fuck, Ashura!?”

Ah... that was Cayde. A slightly amused smirk tugged at her lips and she sighed. “Now we are about ready to bring in the cavalry. Call in the lucky seven.” Ashur said before she stood and looked around her. “Ashura what is your mission?” Zavala asked and she looked up to the sky. “Scout diligently. Save the guardian we sent.” she said this as if she had been rehearsing it the entire way there. “Ashura... We sent you because we know you can help him. Please don’t be brash.” 

“Clearly the ship won’t take out the weapon for long, so let’s go.” Ashura said and sent her ghost to scan things. She looked up towards the upper area of the ship, eyeing the crows that looked down upon her. “Go. Search for the other guardian.” She commanded them and they scattered silently. “Ashura... there’s something else I need to let you know...” Zavala interjected and she paused to look down at his image. “What have you not told me?” She asked and he sighed. “Danny came to search for the other guardian.” He said and she sighed deeply. She hadn’t seen Danny in months... He had said he was going to go out exploring on his own, trying to learn of his past.

What part of his past could have led him here? “Zavala, why did he come?” She asked and there was a stern silence at the other end. “I told him not to go searching into his past life, no one understands... Now he does.” He said and she turned to head further into the ship. “He didn’t like what he found?” She asked and Zavala muttered something under his breath. “No, Ashura... it is more like he loved what he found and wanted to go back to it.” Ikora said and Ashura nodded.
“So, he came to die...” That was not a question, she knew. Ashura frowned but kept her mouth shut as she listened to the Vanguard conversing amongst themselves. “Zavala... I have a confession.” Ashura started and they silenced each other. “What is that?” he asked and she looked at the blade in her grasp. “I have been looking into my own past.” She said and there was silence. She knew there would be. “And what did you find?” Ikora asked and Ashura held her ghost out in front of her to search for a way across the chasm before her.

“I found out... I worked at Clovis Bray. I also learned recently that the reason I died was because I butchered my own leg.” She said and yet there was still silence. “Are you not interested?” She asked as her ghost illuminated platforms that seemed invisible to the naked eye. “No, I am...” Zavala said softly. “Good, because I want to know more. I need to know more.” She said and she could hear him fisting his hands from the other side. “Why?” he asked as she hopped from platform to platform, waiting only to let Misra and Lion on with her.

“Because what I found is important to me. I have reason to believe i may have been medical staff.” She said an Ikora spoke with a smile in her tone. “We could tell.” She said and Ashura watched as her group hopped off of the platforms to join her at the other side of the chasm. “I also have reason to believe that some things are... worth finding out. Exo were once humans, right? I’m curious in finding out who some of these Exo are. Nora said she cloned her consciousness into the database for Exo.” She said and Ikora seemed surprised about this.

“Cayde, where are you going? We aren’t done here.” Zavala called out to him and she furrowed her brow as Cayde bit back. “But I am.” Ashura wasn’t sure what had caused him to leave that way, but maybe he was worried about her. she followed the small pathway before her, Kabr leading the way for her. Misra grunted as she struggled to get through. “Man i hate small spaces...” She grumbled as she managed. Her ghost was scanning everything he came across, making comments on everything he thought was gross. Lion was silent for once, which was odd. His ghost was scanning everything as well, but it wasn’t saying anything vocally, probably transmitting data straight to Lion.

“Forgive us, Ashura. We don’t know why Cayde left that way.” Ikora said and Ashura nodded. “It’s alright, i think it has something to do with the fact i said i wanted to know who the Exo were before they became this way.” She said and Ashura turned to Misra with a small curious look. “Hey, Misra... what name did you wake up with?” Ashura asked as they entered a larger room where it looked like small rooms branched off from tunnels. Kabr revealed the bridges once more and they made their way across to the left where Kabr was interested in something. when they reached the area there was a large odd shard sticking up out of the ground.

The ghosts rushed over to it, seeing it was emanating power. “Ashura... what have they found?” Zavala asked and She reached to touch the shard but it shocked her and she stumbled backwards clutching her hand muttering a string of curses. “This is what is powering the weapon. Something tells me there’s more.” Kabr said as he hovered off in another direction. Ashura nodded as she looked around her, taking care not to touch the crystal again. She motioned for Misra and Lon to take the shard out and they nodded. “Alright, looks like we are going to power this weapon down for good. Lead the way.” She said and she heard murmurs from the vanguard.
She watched as they destroyed it and the aura of the black and white galaxy faded from her hand, her fingers stopped twitching sporadically and she furrowed her brows at the hand. “Don’t touch the shards.” She commanded and they turned to her as she was rotating her wrist. The feeling of being controlled was... bothersome. “That’s how he takes them, Eris... He has some ability, but I touched that shard and it was taking over my hand.” She said and Eris mumbled something under her breath. “Ashura, we have the seven out on other missions. They will accompany you there soon enough. Do you think you will be alright on the Dreadnaught until you complete your objectives?” Zavala asked and Ashura looked back at her team. “Yeah. I think we will be ok. We will find Danny and your other favorite guardian.” Ashura said with a smirk and they rolled their eyes at her.

“Oh Ashura, you know you are still our favorite strange one.” Ikora said and she rolled her eyes this time. “Because I am your only sassy strange one.” She chipped and Ikora laughed softly. “Ashura... You need to look at this.” Lion said as they rounded a corner and saw the second shard. There was a purple titan bubble in the room, but it was faltering. “What is it?” Ikora asked and Ashura frowned. “We found evidence of Danny.” She said as they approached the bubble. There was a broken ghost laying within and Ashura stepped into it, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as to avoid the blinding ability she knew the barrier had.

Her fingers brushed across the ground, searching for the ghost they had seen. When her fingers brushed across the smooth surface of its shell, she back out of the barrier. She cradled the ghost in her hands as she rubbed the dust and dirt from its shell. “Zavala, Ikora... What was thatthing you had to tell me... but didn’t? About the other guardian?” She asked and recieved silence. “Ashura.” “Is it Loki?” She hissed and Ikora tried to speak once more. “Ashura...” “Is... It... Loki?” She snapped and Lion tapped her on the shoulder. “Ashura... I knew it was Loki the moment we got here. I didn’t say anything because I-” Ashura turned to look at him with an angered look.
“Where is he?” she asked but a crow swooped in to land on her shoulder. “Mistess.” It croaked at her lightly and she ruffled its feathers. “Is he alive?” She asked and the bird opened its mouth to show her footage of her brother, still alive and well. She released a breath of relief, but then her eyes went wide as she saw creatures surrounding him. “Destroy these. I will go to him. How dare none of you tell me this.” She hissed and Lion rolled his eyes.

“No one wanted to tell you this stuff because A... You rammed our ship into the larger ship... B... You RAMMED our ship into the larger ship... and C... I don’t want to die today, but you seem to be trying to kill us. Fair enough explanation.” He said with a shrug and she rolled her eyes. “I knew he was ok Ashura... that was why I didn’t say anything.” Ikora said and Ashura nodded. She remembered when Ikora had told her of how it felt to lose a guardian. She breathed a sigh and took off running, following the crow.
When she rounded the corner she saw something that looked like a small court with a portal atop the upper ledge. A shudder rocked the entire ship and she struggled to keep her footing. She heard a pained yell and she looked up with wide eyes, searching for the source. When her eyes locked in the source, her eyes saddened. She crawled over to him and hugged his warlock armor lightly.

“Son of a bitch…” He managed as he turned to face her. “Ashura? What are you doing here?” he asked as he scanned the room. “Saving you.” She joked lightly as she helped him up.  “Ashura… I’m not the one who needs saving…” he said and pointed up towards the portal where a figure stood. The same odd substance that had tried to engulf her hand completely covered this being.
“But… they destroyed all the crystals…” she whispered and her brother shook his head and looked over at her. “That would have been me, but… He pleaded with Oryx… He pitted us against each other.” Loki muttered as he held his possibly broken arm. “Kabr, heal my brother please.”

Her ghost set right to it and the siblings looked over at each other and nodded. “So, how’s it hangin?” Misra chirped and the siblings turned to see the two as they strolled up. “We have a situation it seems.” Ashura said and looked back to the taken figure. Sadness shone in her silver eyes as she stepped up to challenge the taken figure and the knights beside it. “Forgive us, Danny… We never wanted this for you.” Ashura whispered and the person stop the platform jumped down in front of them, their body shivering uncontrollably. Ashura surely hadn’t expected him to speak, but when he did, those words hurt her more than anything.

“Kill… M-me.”