[i]Before the events of House of Wolves...[/i] Chapter One: Unforeseen Entrance “Yes, My Queen, it will be done.” “Be certain that no Guardian enters the Reef, Seska. I wouldn’t want to… ‘encourage’ you to visit the Prison again. Variks has been getting rather antsy.” With a graceful and respectful bow, Seska Valentine exited the Queen’s Chamber. Being a Queen’s guard was often arduous. Mara Sov was so pompous and impatient. All she would do is command, command, and command. “Does she even have a life?”Seska asked herself. “Friends? Lovers? Anything?!” It was, of course, no matter to her, as the Queen herself had reminded her over and over again. Valentine escorted herself to the ship port and hopped into her ship. “You are cleared for departure,” a female voice stated through the comms system. “Acknowledged,” Seska replied. Seska reversed her ship away from the port and sailed off into space. “Damn,” she whispered to herself. “Another day of doing absolutely nothing. Guardians never even attempt to come here! I despise the Queen, I wish she would just die and have someone else take over.” Seska sighed. “At least her brother’s kinda cute.” The guard halted her ship and positioned it behind debris to act as camouflage. She laid herself back and closed her eyes. Seska began to dream of a life beyond guarding the Reef. She imagined being on the front lines; in battle against her foes. She imagined being a hero; saving countless lives. She imagined being a martyr and dying to save her people. It’s what she wanted most. She opened her eyes and her heart jumped. Seska was no longer in her vessel. She appeared to be in some sort of isolated chamber. No doors, no windows, just metallic walls. “Hello,” she called out. “Is anyone here? Where am I?” She turned around to notice an aphotic entity floating towards her. “Wha- What the Hell are you?” Seska trembled. [i] It’s disheartening, isn’t it?[/i] The disembodied voice did not directly emerge from the entity; but rather radiated throughout the room. [i]Being forced to serve an arrogant monarch? Not allowed to embrace your hopes and dreams? Having them crushed like flies? Happened to me once.[/i] “Who are you?!” Seska cried out in anger. “What do you want from me?!” [i] Ah, yes, the question every peasant inquires. What DO I want from you? It’s quite simple; I want you. I want your mind, your body, your soul. I want you to SUFFER. I want your fear and trepidation to fuel my onslaught. [/i] “I’m not afraid of you! I’ve fought countless enemy species!” [i]Ignorance begets confidence, I see. You have no idea what you’re up against, Seska. The Fallen, the Hive, the Vex, the Cabal; they’re NOTHING compared to ME. I’ve squandered eons in the Darkness, attempting to devise a method in which to eradicate other species. Physical combat is not my prowess; but psychological combat is. You can’t fight me like you can your other pathetic excuses for adversaries. [/i] Seska reached for her gun, but her firearm was nowhere to be found. She squinted her eyes at the entity. “Are you a different part of the Darkness?” [i]PART of the Darkness? I AM THE DARKNESS.[/i] The room began to shake and crumble. Seska nearly collapsed to the floor. She yelled at the top of her lungs, “Why are you after ME? There’s nothing special about me!” [i]IT’S NOT WHAT YOU ARE, SESKA. IT’S WHAT YOU WILL BECOME. I WILL QUELL YOUR EXISTENCE BEFORE YOU DISCOVER YOUR FUTURE THAT YOU HAVE YET TO EVEN FATHOM.[/i] Seska screamed, but then found herself back inside of her ship. Sweat was trickling down her fluttering body. Her breathing had severely intensified. She rose up from her seat and visually examined her environment. There was no evidence of her leaving. “Was it a dream?” She asked herself. She seated herself and checked the time. “Oh, shit! I’ve been asleep for ten hours! The Queen will be expecting my report!” The guard rebooted her vessel’s engines and warped back to the Reef, but what she discovered was something she feared the most. The Reef had erupted in flames. The deceased carcasses of guards were scattered across the vicinity. The Queen’s chamber was nothing except razed. “Oh my God..." Seska whimpered. "What the Hell happened? Did something sneak past me while I was asleep?" [i]It’s terrifying, isn’t it?[/i] Valentine gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. [i] Watching your whole world crumble around you? Seeing everything you know vanish in the blink of an eye? Knowing that everyone you know is dead? Happened to me once.[/i] “You.... You attacked them?!” [i] I had informed you that I was going to attack you psychologically, didn’t I?[/i] “This isn’t psychological! You slaughtered them like pigs!” [i] So close-minded. It will be your downfall. I didn’t kill them; they killed themselves. I simply gave them a little… ‘push’.[/i] “You probed their brains, didn’t you? You messed with their minds!” [i]Now you’re fitting the puzzle together! All you need to do now is connect the final piece; YOU![/i] Images flashed through Seska’s mind; memories she never experienced. She saw rotting corpses, destruction of cities, and plagues murdering millions. She cranked up the engine again and launched herself and her ship off into the emptiness of space.