The Guardian's story

by Lon35hadow

Touch of Darkness

Only a few hours have passed since the attempted assassination on Lone, and Cybis, Rhino, and I were standing guard outside his and Luna's room, the Ghosts being inside. Celestia was still gone, trying to contact this time line's Oryx. "Already, shit's hit the fan," Rhino said. "Just our luck, right?"

"Rhino, now's not the time," Cybis said. "Especially since we're outside their door."

"Just trying to lighten the mood," he replied back. "Let's just hope he doesn't try to kill us."

"Yeah," Rhino said. "One god trying to kill us is enough right now."

"That, I agree with," Cybis said as we heard hoofsteps coming from down the hall. I turned to face it, and saw Celestia, with a squad of guards, making their way here.

"I was able to contact my father," she said, and her tone was. . .well, let's just say it made me uneasy. "He wishes to speak with whichever one of you is the leader."

We're so screwed, Rhino said.

"That would be me, Princess," I said.

"Then follow," she said quickly before turning around, and walking off, the guards following.

Tell Noland to get resurrection ready, I told Rhino and Cybis over the mental link. From there I followed Celestia, the only sounds being the hoofsteps of her and her guards, as well as my footsteps. We walked for about an hour until we came to a room, where she told the guards to wait outside, and the two of us walked inside.

Once inside, she said, "Before I let you speak to my father, I must know: are you and your comrades here to kill us simply because you are of the Light, and we are of the Darkness?"

"No," I said quickly. "At least not as long as you don't try to kill us. We have no issue with your family whatsoever. And besides," I said, raising my left hand and creating an orb of Darkness. "one of our adventures kinda gave the power to tap into the Darkness."

She judged me with a critical eye. "Just because you can use the Darkness doesn't mean father will trust you," she said.

"I'm aware," I said.

"Then I hope you don't throw up," she said before her horn lit up in white and black, and there was a flash of light. As it faded, and I could see, there was only one word that came to mind.

"Shit." Where we were was in the final room of the Oryx raid. And there were quite a few Knights and Wizards, including the sisters, Crota, Alak-Hul, who was Oryx's foster son, according to the Grimoire, two wizards wearing Hive fashioned Regalia who I assumed were Savathun and Xivu Arath-Oryx's sisters-and a large knight that resembled Alak-Hul without the helmet, and, at the edge of the walkway, facing us-facing me-was Oryx himself as he appeared in the game when you first face him on the Dreadnaught. I'm so fucking screwed. And that's not counting the horde of Acolytes and Thrall. Yay.

"So, this is the mote of light you spoke of, sister?" Crota said as he tightened the grip on his sword hilt.

"Yes, brother," Celestia said.

"Yeah, before your family decides to slice me into bits and then possibly just erase said bits," I said nervously, "can I just say you're taking this well, considering the you from my timeline didn't know. . .any of this," I said, gesturing to the Exalted Hive, "before I arrived, and only found out because of something with Luna and her being a control freak. After trying to turn us to stone for no reason, I'd like to point out!"

"Memory spell," Celestia said in a deadpan to me.

". . .Fair enough."

"Silence," Oryx said in the voice from the first cinematic, the one where we flee from Phobos. "You are lucky we do not kill you where you are, Light soldier. The only reason I have not allowed it is simply because you assisted Sekana, even knowing what she was. I allowed your audience here because I wished to know why. If your answer is satisfactory, you can leave."

"Right," I said. "And really, the reason I did was because, even if the one from my timeline did something to make me mad, only an idiot would hold a grudge against a past version of the latter, especially when I come from a thousand years later. Though I should warn you all, when this timeline's version me arrives, don't be surprised if they shoot first. Long story. Look, I didn't ask to be sent back in time, it was all an accident with tech, magic, and Arc energy. But before you decide to kill me for being a 'mote of light', I would like to point out that there is a potential civil war brewing on Equestria, and the other two there won't be able to hold out forever."

"Yes, my niece told us of this," one of Oryx's sisters said. "Though we would be happy to help her, why would we assist four beings of Light?"

I simply looked at her. "Look Savathum, Xivu Arath, whoever you are, did you know one of said beings is technically your niece too, as she is sister to Celestia? And me and the other Guardians have access to Darkness." To prove that last point, I created an orb of Darkness, and simply flicked it in the direction of a cluster of Thrall, which, by pure accident, made them Taken. "Yeah, um," I said as I looked at them, "the end result you see was not what I was going for." As silence pervaded. "I''m. . . just gonna jump over the edge now to save you all time."

"No," Oryx said, making everyone look at him.

"Did he just tell a being of Light to not kill himself?" I asked. "Because if I'm the only one who heard that, I think I've finally lost it."

"No, I heard him too," Celestia said. "He said no."

"Then I'm not crazy," I said. "Why?"

"Because for all the planets I have seen that have had the Traveler there, none have so much as attempted to use the Darkness, let alone enough to create Taken," Oryx said. "Even if it's accidental. That alone is worth at least knowing why."

"Because you can't have one without the other," I said. "Kind of simple, really. "Everything Light has Darkness in it, and vice versa. I mean, most would just assume the Darkness is about destruction, but the fact the Hive essentially thrives in it shows it just isn't. And besides, if it wasn't, how do you explain your daughter controlling the most powerful source of light in her solar system?" I shrugged. "If you want my honest answer, though, it's because the way I see it, you guys are just called the Darkness because you opposed the Traveler, who, quote unquote, brought Light to various civilizations. They needed something blame for their downfall, and didn't want to blame themselves for accepting the Traveler, which, when you look back, caused more destruction than you all did. Your home world, for instance."

"A scholar, then, if he knows of our home world, sister, brother," the other sister of Oryx said. "I will admit, I am impressed."

"Can we get to why I asked for an audience with you all, even knowing what you all think of the Light?" I asked.

"Sekana already told us," Alak said. "The reason why father allowed an audience with you-"

"Do not speak for me, Alak," Oryx said. "The reason why I granted his request was to see if he could be trusted. As far as I am able to tell, he is," He then looked at me. "That does not mean I will not be watching you, Guardian."

I was about to reply when a stabbing pain hit me in the head, and I clutched it. Josh, if you can hear this, we have a huge ass riot outside about us killing those assholes from earlier for protecting Lone! Even a few guards are in that riot! Only reason they aren't inside is because of a spell on the gates for the castle! Cybis yelled over the link.

"What, is there not enough Light here for you?" one of Crota's sisters hissed.

"No," I managed to get out. "Celestia. there's a riot going on outside the castle, with guards in the riot group, trying to get inside. Even if you hate me, do you really want to see Luna lose her love?"

"He's right, father, much as I wish he wasn't," Celestia said. "Even if she is the Traveler's daughter, she is also my sister, and I will stand by Luna."

Oryx was silent for a few seconds before he said, "If that is your decision, daughter, then I will stand with you on it. Your family is our family, after all." He then looked at Crota and Alak. "You two, accompany your sister and help her however she deems fit."

"Father, you can not be suggesting helping the Light!" the other sister of Crota said, getting a glare from Oryx.

"We are not helping the Light, we are helping Sekana," Oryx said. "Light, I wish to speak with you. In private." Yay. A personal audience with the King of Darkness. Even considering what just happened and what I said earlier, I'm still terrified. "Now." Even more so.

From what I could tell, Oryx's children, sisters, and everyone else left, leaving me and the Taken King alone. "So, why?" I asked.

"Because you said you are from a different time line," Oryx said. "I've encountered beings who can travel through time. I wished to know if you are one of them."

"The Vex?" I asked. "No," I said as I reached up and took my helmet off. "I'm fully organic."

"I can see that," Oryx said. "I wonder how it is you are able to use both Light and Darkness without being killed," he said. "It should be impossible for vast amounts of both to exist, and I can sense a great potential for both in you, but you have not yet fully reached it, yet you are powerful enough to create Taken."

"Well, it might be the fact my two comrades and I can fuse into one Guardian with all the traits of our three classes," I replied. "Which, if I'm right, boosts our Light and Darkness capability."

"I will have to see that, then," Oryx said. "Light, as much as I shouldn't, I wish to reward you for assisting my daughter, even knowing who and what she is. Sekana told me you and your comrades arrived with no weapons, something every warrior should have. As such, I give you these," he said, and three swords of Taken color with void energy around the blade appeared.(1) "All I ask in return is that you do not let any harm, physical or emotional, come to Sekana."

"I'll do what I can," I replied as I put my helmet back on, and took the swords. "My thanks, Majesty."

"As I said, simply ensure no harm comes to my daughter," he said before a rupture opened behind me. "That will take you to where Sekana is. I suggest you hurry, Light, if you wish to keep your word."

"Right," I said before running through the Rupture, and straight into hell itself.

Author's Note:

Let's face it: the reason why Oryx is after our ass in-game-personally-is because we killed his son, and the Grimoire shows that he does love his family. In this timeline, Crota's still alive, so no reason for him to personally hate Josh and the others.
1:Dreadfang

Comments

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

Hoo boy, things just got interesting!

[SilentMech]

Honestly, the in game cinematic says why Oryx even bothered to show up. Normally he is off doing stuff in the background, but you kill Crota, and now you have to deal with Oryx. Because parental bonds aren't exclusive to humans and awoken.

[The oracle]

Josh got the Dreadfang without having to kill Malok? Lucky SOB!