Destiny | The Blackened Heart | Discontinued

15: To Be a Gunslinger

Everything feels different walking down the Vanguard's stairs this time.  So much more real.  There are threats out there, beyond the Hive and the Fallen.  And it's my job to hunt them down.  I can't tell if the shiver sweeping through me is from fear or excitement.  

A little of both?

"Ah, you're still alive," Cayde says by way of greeting and I raise an eyebrow.

"Were you expecting me otherwise?" I inquire, a slight grin on my lips.  

He shakes his head, optics closing for a moment.  "That's not surprise in my voice, that's relief.  When Hunters fall in the wilds they fall alone.  You leave the Tower?  Might be the last time I see you."

Again that rock hard sense of realism hits me like a ton of bricks.  "I see."

"Don't let that happen, you hear?"

"I hear."

"Come back alive.  Or... as close as we get to it anyway," he adds in a mutter, staring blankly at his map for a moment.  Then he shakes himself.  "I have something for you.  A couple somethings actually.  Ghost?"  Cayde's Ghost gives a little nod and produces a folded length of cloth.  Giving it a shake to unwind it,  Cayde holds out the new cloak before him.  "This Nagari Cloak is yours now.  You've killed and died for us.  I figured you could use something better than..." he pauses, frowning at the scarf around my neck. "That."  

North gives a little huff and the Hunter shoots him a guilty look.  

"No offense little guy."

"None taken," North replies unconvincingly.  

Chuckling, I release the makeshift clasp and slip the scarf from my shoulders, laying it gently on the table beside the map.  Taking the new cloak from Cayde, I sling it around my neck and tie off the ends.  It falls to my hip, the left side, sewn diagonally to meet the right.  Golden trim lines its white edges, slashed through by two thick bands of matching color.  

I let my hands fall to my sides and give the Vanguard a warm smile.  "Thank you." 

He waves a hand dismissively.  "No problem.  You're my favorite person remember?" 

I huff a laugh, shaking my head.  "Right, Cayde.  Now about teaching me more.  I had a question for you." 

"Fire away," he replies, leaning one elbow on the table.  North gives him a warning glance, which he doesn't catch. 

"Rose asked if I was a Bladedancer.  What might that be?"

"Aaah Subclasses," he drawls, sighing heavily.  "Where to start?"  After a moment's pause, he pushes himself up off the table, clapping his hands together and pointing them at my nose.  

"Okay.  So every Guardian has Light.  Plain, base power.  We all got it.  Now there are three more refined forms of this power, and these are Arc Light, Void Light and Solar Light, and if you want more details on them ask Ikora because I didn't pay attention when I got this lecture."

Across the table, the Warlock Vanguard gives a pointed cough, shooting Cayde a disapproving frown.  

"Moving on," he continues, dodging her gaze.  "These can all be learned though some have difficulties with one form or another.  All classes handle light differently.  It's what differentiates them.  For example, Titans make a cool bubble out of Void Light for their buddies to hide in.  Warlocks use it to twist reality into a massive explosion."  He shrugs nonchalantly.  "Some more different than others."

Another pointed cough from Ikora. 

Cayde clears his throat uncomfortably, shrugging his cloak off one shoulder.  "What the others do, I'm sure you'll learn from them, I'm sure.  We only need to talk about ours for now.