Destiny | The Blackened Heart | Discontinued

10: The Next mission

"So, I picked up another engram from Riksis after you, ah, blew up," North informs me as we make our way out of the hangar.  "Here."  He transmats it into the air in front of me and I have to make an unexpected lunge to catch it before it hits the tiles.  I recover myself, gripping the glowing object in both hands and glare at him.  

"Just testing your reflexes," he chides.  I roll my eyes and turn the engram over in my hands.  This one is the same dodecahedron shape as the last, but instead of a creamy white, this one has a glowing green color.  

"There are different levels of rarity to your armor and weapons.  White is common.  Green is uncommon.  Blue is rare and purple is legendary.  The last is golden, exotic.  Those are very powerful and are on occasion of... questionable origin, so they are frowned upon by the Vanguard."  North pauses, tipping his optic at the engram in my hands.  "Before we report to Zavala about the Warp drive and Rose, we should see the Cryptarch."

"The one who decodes engrams?" I confirm, stepping out onto the Tower Plaza and stopping with a shiver as a chill wind swept past.  

"Precisely.  Our current Cryptarch here is Master Rahool.  Down the stairs to the left."  

I follow his directions to a small canopy, lit in the dim morning light by a trio of oriental lanterns.  Rahool himself is a tall man, robed in yellow and white.  A walnut brown shawl, wrapped around his head and neck partially obscures his pale blue skin, but the darkness of the predawn cannot hide the luminescent glow of his golden eyes.

"What do you have for us hunter?" he asks with a smile, as I stop before him, holding out a hand for the engram I carry.  I pass it to him, 

"Not sure.  I was hoping you could tell me," I reply, returning the smile.

He chuckles softly, turning to set the engram on a table behind him and picking up an eyeglass from a shelf on the back wall.  I lean, trying to see around his shoulder, but I'm too slow.  

"Ah ha.  There we are."  He turns around with a helmet in hand, passing it to me and giving me a light pat on the shoulder. "Be careful out there."

I thank him and step away, staring blankly at the helmet in my hands before shaking my head and passing it up to the ghost at my shoulder.  "How did he do that?" 

North gives the impression of a shrug.  "Don't ask me."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

He sighs irritably, then changes the subject.  "I found a few other engrams that I picked up, but that was the only one I couldn't decode."

"What did they give you?" I ask curiously. 

"A hand cannon, a pair of gauntlets and some boots.  Nothing exciting, but like Cayde said, they'll keep you alive as possible.  You'll need them." 

"That charming," I reply dryly.  "Where to next?"

"Report to the Vanguard.  We've got the warp drive.  And killed an Archon.  I'm willing to bet even Zavala will crack a smile at that." 

"Maybe."  I am rather doubtful, remembering his stoic commander's bearing.  "We found Rose too.  He'll be happy to have her back.  He is the Titans' mentor, like Cayde is the Hunters', right?"

"True."  North nods amiably.  "But Zavala's care goes beyond his own class.  He loves the City and Guardians alike.  And he's always willing to give a word of advice to anyone."  He pauses as we begin to descend the steps to the Hall of Guardians.  "But if you have questions like the ones you've been asking me, I recommend asking Ikora."

"Got it."  I can see Ikora's dark head now, as we continue down the hall past Lord Shaxx and his Frame, Arcite on either side.  Arcite is still typing and sorting through various boxes on his desk, but I can feel the Titan's keen gaze burning into me as I keep walking.  "Do you think Zavala will send us back out right away?"