It was just an ordinary day in the last city. I walked through one of the more… rundown strip districts of the city slums. Everywhere I went I saw suspicious looking characters giving me dirty looks of disdain. I challenged every look with one of my one, and every time they looked away before things got too out of hand. I sighed. The city guard wasn't the most liked at the moment, no guardian was in these parts of the city. They had suffered worse than everyone else during the red legion’s attack. The city guard at the time had ignored them, instead opting to save the “law abiding citizens of the city”. It made me physically sick at the thought that the city guard would do blatantly ignore everyone else here. It was because of this that the people in the poorer areas of the city despised guardians at this point, even the ones who did go to save them. But that was a smaller number than it should've been. I decided to stop thinking like that right now. It's not like anyone’s listening to my thoughts anyways. I was on patrol to make sure that everything stayed nice and orderly here. Now that the city was still under construction crime rates had gone up, especially in these areas. They had suffered so much worse than most other areas during the attack. I walked down a street that was still torn up by the attack. Guess no one bothered to begin reconstruction here. Everywhere I looked I saw even more destruction and poverty than before. Sections of the street were broken apart, houses and shops collapsed, families destroyed. Even months after we took back the city the effects of the red legion’s attacks were still visible everywhere here. As I looked around I saw people staring at me, coming out of alleys to get a good look. I looked as many in the eye as I could just as before, but it was different this time. I saw absolute hate and disgust in everyone's faces. Everyone’s. I rested my right hand on the sidearm holstered at my hip, no longer feeling safe, as I continued to make my rounds. People kept looking on with looks that made me uncomfortable as I passed. There were mumbles as I passed. I made sure to look around so if anyone did start any trouble, I'd be ready. I turned a corner into what looked to be the town square for this part of the city slums. It was just as run down as the rest of the slums in this area. There was a wooden stage in the center, a podium in the middle with a man standing at it. A large crowd of people had gathered in front, listening to what the man was saying. I decided to stay at the back of the crowd and listen in, just in case it was something of interest. I managed to hear the middle of the man's speech as I listened in. “.....have invaded our planet, our people! And infected them with ideas that this thing should be worshipped as a god!” As the man finished his sentence the people cheered in agreement, “But it shouldn't! It came hear, bearing false gifts and promises, and brought our destruction. Which is why…. the Traveler and its guardians need to be cast out from our planet!” There was even more cheering at that. I silently made an infuriated exhale of breath. Anti-Traveler groups. These guys were the worst. I was brought out of my thoughts as the man began ranting again. “It is the Traveler that the cabal came for, and it is because of it that so many life's were lost,” he slammed his fist on the podium as the people cheered, “We have warned the vanguard of what would happen if they did not leave and take their traveler and guardians with them, but they have been ignored. Cast off as harmless threats. Well…” he moved to the back of the stage and motioned to somebody on the other side. Then he walked back to the podium as three figures in chains were brought on to the stage. They were guardians. A hunter, titan, and warlock. All shackled together. Their armor was dirty, banged up, and very damaged. And they looked scared. All except for the warlock, who looked out to the crowd with cold eyes. “...now is the time for action,” the man finished, “We have warned them, now they shall be punished for not listening.” He finished. But I had had enough. I spoke into my comms. “Dispatch, this is Renford, there's an Anti-Traveler group here with three captured guardians. Requesting backup.” I said. They responded immediately. “Roger that Renford, we've locked onto your position and have sent all nearby city guard to you.” The panicked voice said. “Now we must force their hands!” The man shouted, pulling out a hand cannon. I've had enough of this. I ran through the crowd, pushing and shoving, and leaped up onto the stage, sidearm drawn. “Stop right there,” I commanded, “You're not gonna hurt anyone.” Before the man could process a response, a cold, evil laugh echoed all around us. I looked around for the source, but it seemed to be coming from everyone. As if the laughter was responding to our futile attempts to find it, it broke out into insane mischievous bursts of laughter. “Oh, isn’t this adorable,” a new voice rang out mockingly, “Can I come play too?” It asked just as mockingly. Then, a warlock clad in black and gold robes dropped from the rooftops onto the stage. He landed in a crouched position, his head bent down low. He got up slowly, raising his head to show that he was grinning like a madman. His cold smile sent shivers down my spine and froze me in place for a second before I got my senses about me. He was human with a handsome face, his brown hair parted to his right side. And he had a big, jagged scar below his eye. I managed to raise my sidearm and pointed it at him. “Sir, leave now. I’ve got this covered,” I commanded. He just looked at me like I was an annoyance. Like he couldn’t believe that I had spoken to him. Like I was an insect and he was a god. Then he turned back towards the crowd. “People, please. Is this any way to treat your saviors?” He asked, like it was still some kind of joke. When he was met with a chorus of boo’s he dropped his hands. “Look, I know that the vanguard never cared about you people, they left you to fend for yourselves. But, I can offer a new order. One that will make sure that everyone is protected and that no one is left to die. What I offer, is a [i]warlock [/i] order.” He smiled that same, mischievous smile that also seemed to say “I’m your friend, you can trust me” yet still sent shivers down your spine. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. What he was talking about was… is… a class war. The crowd talked amongst themselves, trying to process what he said. “Look, I know you haven’t had much rain to trust a filthy guardian,” he said, as if he was on their side of guardians being evil, “But I’m trying to help. The Vanguard is a disease, poisoning this city with its lies, but I’m the cure. And together, we can make a better government with a superior class being the ruling authority,” That got a few head nods and agreements. “As if!” Yelled the speaker from before. Walked to the warlock’s side and got right in his face, “We would never work with you demons! You promise greatness but you feed us lies- ughh” He was cut off as the warlock’s left hand lashed out onto his throat, choking him. He never even looked at the man while doing it. “You should know never to speak to your betters,” he said. Then, his hand glowed with solar power. “No!” I Yelled, but it was too late. The man choked and gagged as the warlock burned his throat. You could smell his skin boiling, hear it popping, and see the smoke coming off of his neck. The warlock let the man go and he collapsed to the ground, dead. His neck a charred display of flesh. There were screams from the crowd as they saw the dead speaker. “Hey!” Someone yelled. I looked to my side to see two more city guard guardians running down the street towards us. Finally, backup has arrived. “Well, that looks like my cue to leave,” the warlock said, clapping his hands together. “To those who believe in my cause, seek out my followers and my knowledge. I will seed disunity between the classes and will continue to plot the warlock’s rise to power.” His body started to glow, superheating with solar power. I realized too late what was happening. He took one last formal bow. “I am Mandike” “EVERYBODY GET DOWN!” I yelled. I dived for the three guardians still chained to the stage. [i]BOOM[/i]. The warlock exploded in solar fire. The explosion destroyed the stage and threw me to the side before I could reach the trapped guardians. I hit a nearby building and my vision blurred, before everything went black.