[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/249365809?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=0]PART I[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/249794710?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=0]PART II[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/249827426?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=0]PART III[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/250251175?sort=0&page=0]PART IV[/url] ________________________________________________________________ “How’d he escape?” Sage asked the Warlock. He was following up on a report about a fireteam being wiped out in a Lost Sector by the EDZ. Only one survivor emerged from the fireteam, a young Awoken Warlock. He had managed to track her down in the Tower and the two now faced each other by the hangar. Ilya sat in front of him and sighed in frustration. Sage watched her Ghost as it looked at her, full of concern and worry. “He’s overwhelming… I’ve never seen anyone so vicious… Except…” she paused, unsure of whether to finish her words and instead just looked at the Hunter. Sage raised an eyebrow, “Got it.” It seemed his efforts in the Crucible had made him known to quite a few people. "Can you give me any specific details about him?" "He has this sword... It's not like any I've seen. The handle looks like its made of bones and he..." "Go on." "I think... I think he was pulling the bones off of my friends to..." She felt sick to her stomach as she recalled the scene, "I think he decorates it with bones..." A frown crossed Sage's face, "Did you catch anything else about him?" "I need to know," Ilya started, "What are you trying to do?" "I'm not [i]trying[/i] to do anything. I'm [i]going[/i] to stop him." "By what? Talking to people?" she let out a pessimistic chuckle. “I want to take him down. Let me help you.” Sage shook his head, “Listen kid, you were lucky to get out of there alive. The fact that your Ghost was able to escape and get help was a miracle. Don’t push it with a second encounter, you understand?” The last known encounter with The Reaper had ended in multiple casualties. Two from Ilya’s fireteam and their Ghosts, another three outside of the cave, one of which was left without a Ghost, and one last Guardian-Ghost pair by the Cabal firebase. They had put up a fight and managed to make The Reaper retreat, but not without losses. "Ilya," her Ghost started, "I know you, but maybe he's-" "No!" A righteous anger filled her. Her friends had been killed by that man and yet he still breathes. There needed to be justice. “You don’t get to tell me that! Neither of you! I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!” “Like what, die? That’s what’ll happen, kid.” “My name is Ilya, and that monster killed my friends!” Her Ghost looked between the two and then went to her side, staring down Sage with Ilya. Sage responded with a low voice, “Listen… you know this guy ain’t like anyone else. You saw him first hand. Him and that sword… they devour the Light. You were lucky to even get your hand back.” He recalled his recent conversation with Lord Shaxx about Hive swords. About how a sword of this type could be made only from Hive materials and magic and a special steel called Hadium. An extremely rare steel they had only found on the Dreadnaught. “Do you even know who he really is?” she asked him. Sage paused before answering, “I have an idea.” “Say it.” He shook his head, “What are you getting at? It would be irresponsible to throw out any baseless accusa-“ “Alter-7.” Her words confirmed his theory. This time it was Sage’s turn to let out a frustrated sigh, “How would you kn-“ “His Ghost called his name,” she said indignantly. “First, quit cutting me off!” Sage looked away from the Warlock for moment before turning back to her. His thoughts went to that name: Alter-7. An Exo, a Hunter, a Crucible Champion, and one of the six that went aboard the Dreadnaught with THAT Guardian to kill Oryx. He was more than a worthy foe. He was a god-killer. Sage knew they couldn’t approach that Guardian for help, not after what happened to Cayde-6. Sage hated admitting it, but they would need a legitimate fireteam to take him down. It was with resignation that he continued, “Second… If you’re going to join me then we’re going to have our work cut out for us.” “Rei,” Ilya started with her eyes looking into an invisible distance, “she… she would always watch the matches on the Crucible. Always cheer for him. He was her idol and she wanted to meet him one day. She wanted to-“ Sage put a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, we’ll get him, alright?” She eyed the silver shotgun at his waist and then looked up at the Hunter in the white racing helmet. The red cloak he wore made him easily recognizable, not to mention the Ahamkara spines on his arms. “You sure he won’t pick you off with your flamboyant outfit?” she joked, trying to pull back from the bitter thoughts. “Not if we get him first,” Sage smirked behind his helmet and held a hand out to her. “Come on, we’re gonna need a third.” Without any hesitation she took his hand and rose to meet him face to face.