On-board Petra's Ship...
Austin's POV
Austin: Where's the body?
Petra: In the back, lying on a table.
Inside Petra's ship, as we headed back to Earth, I walked around in search of the exo's body. Finding him, I felt my heart skip a beat as I saw the bullet hole through his metallic head, above his horn, as well as the damage he sustained from before.
Cayde...
Placing my hand onto the Hunter's chest, a small envelope fell out from his pockets into the floor.
Hmm?
Picking it up from the floor, I flipped it around to see a simple line written on the cover: "To Whom it May Concern".
Cayde's usually not the type to write letters.
Ghost: Well... let's find out.
As I opened the letter, Ghost came out and began scanning the letter as I read it in silence.
"To whom it may concern,
Firstly, how's my hair?"
Looking back at the Exo, I rolled my eyes in amusement.
Yeah, he wrote this. Anyways....
"Jokes aside, if you're reading this letter, then I have gotten myself in a situation where death has finally caught up with me, preferably outside of the city walls. In death, I do not ask for much, as I've lived a grand rebirth. All I ask is that I be buried with my weapon beside me, and with my hood in one piece."
Looking back at the body once more, I saw his hood was tattered, but in one piece. As for his revolver, I found no signs of it's whereabouts.
"To those who've killed me and my Ghost, all I can say is congrats, and good riddens. To those who I've left behind: Little Red, the Sassy One, The Cat Girl, the Heiress, The Titan, who I keep forgetting his name. Lord Saladin and the Iron Lords, Lord Shaxx, and to all the others I've known in the Tower.
All I can really ask is this:
Tell Zavala and Ikora that this gig, this responsibility they handed down to me, was the best bet I've ever lost."
"Thank you,
Cayde-6"
Another tear dropped onto the letter as I began to close it, putting it in my own pockets as Ghost spoke.
Ghost: I'm sorry... there's nothing we can do.
Austin: I know.
Ghost: Petra. Where's Cayde's gun?
Petra: I didn't see it when I left with him.
More than likely Uldren Sov has it. That fiend.
Petra: We're almost there.
As I headed back into the cockpit of her ship, I noticed the Tower in the distance. That said, Commander Zavala's voice spoke from my Ghost.
Zavala: Unidentified aircraft. Please state your name and-.
Austin: Commander.
Zavala: Oh! Uhh... Guardian. What are you doing here in an unknown vessel?
Austin: It's-.
Ikora: You don't sound like yourself either, Guardian.
Austin: I'm not myself, and neither will you.
Zavala: Guardian?
Austin: Come outside you two. We need to speak.
Ikora: What is this about?
Austin: It's Cayde.
An Hour Later...
The Last City...
We all stood around the Vanguard meeting room table, our heads hung low as we all mourned the Renegade's death. While a few of us were in tears, Ruby, Yang, Ikora, Zavala, the rest of us shook our heads in defeat.
Ikora: He had the worst jokes. Even worse timing. I wanted to laugh... I really did. We should've been there.
Ruby: I wish I was, too.
Jaune: Don't we all?
Ikora: This wasn't your fault. Any of you. This... is on the head of Uldren Sov. But if he thinks what he's done is the end, he's wrong. It's only the beginning. We're going to fight him.
Feeling something poke me from behind, I turned around to see a female Titan in full suit. Gold and red, with a small red mark in her side, she apologized to me with a quiet, but familiar tone.
Titan: I'm sorry to disturb you, but.... Lord Shaxx has asked me to give you these.
In her other hand lied the Last Word and an odd white and gold mask. Taking them both, I nodded in silence as the Titan whispered one last time before leaving us.
Titan: I'm sorry... about your friend.
I am too.
Ikora: Did you hear me? All of us. Every Titan. Every Warlock. Every Hunter. Everyone. We will take the Reef by storm.
Commander Zavala and I exchanged worrisome looks as Ikora continued.
Ikora: And then we will mount the head of that son of a bitch on his precious throne. For everyone here....for our fireteam.... for Cayde.
As we all exchanged looks, Zavala responded.
Zavala: No.
Ikora: Excuse me? What did you say?
Zavala: We are not an army. We are not conquerors. We are Guardians. We need to keep our eyes here. On the city... the people... the Traveler.
Yang: Zavala, you can't be-.
Zavala: The Reef was lost the moment it lost its Queen. So if another Sov wants those stretch of rocks, let him have it. He isn't after your planet.
Ikora: But this is Cayde we're talking about! To do nothing is just ..... it's....
Zavala: Say it.
Blake: Cowardice.
Ikora: Exactly that. Thank you.
Taking off the helmet and giving it to Ghost, I put on the One Eyed Mask and reloaded my old weapon of choice.
Zavala: It may be so, Miss Belladonna... but I refuse to bury any more friends.
Austin: Then you won't have to.
As I approached the body, I placed the letter on top of it, letting the two read it as I began to leave.
If he wishes to pretend he's Dredgen Yor, then I'll be his Shin Malphur.
Austin: Uldren Sov....is mine.
As I began to leave, the others soon followed behind.
Ruby: No. He isn't. Uldren Sov... is ours.