I strolled down a long hallway lined with glass and the occasional door. Inside each of the first few, there were Guardians either shooting targets, testing their supers, or otherwise goofing off with others. One such room even had Commander Zavala, who was punching a simple punching bag by himself. I reached one that was unoccupied and quickly stepped inside. The rooms were all the same, simple squares with a catwalk lined with railing running around the walls and a staircase leading downward into a pit, basked in incandescent lights from the ceiling and floor. I quietly stepped down into the pit and absentmindedly started controlling my breathing as I stopped in the middle. Small holographic lights flickered and scanned me briefly. "Designation... Josiah Robinsun." A soft disembodied male voice spoke. "State your training exercise." "Just give me something to test my skills in melee and my Ward." I said as I glanced around. "With your current condition, I cannot comply with that request. Protocol states that you should be resting." "Well I don't care for protocol. Just let me do something." "Supervision will have to be required in order for you to proceed. Shall I?..." "I don't care who you send." I said, cutting the voice off. "Just let me do this." The voice was quiet as soft beeps sounded in a rythmic pattern. "Very well, supervision has be called for. Loading a scenario now." The pit around me shimmered as it turned into a grassy terrain. Four Fallen Dregs phased into existence and growled, drawning their shock pistols and shock daggers. I cracked my neck and my knuckles. "Let's go." The Dregs quickly advanced at me, opting for melee first. I got into a stance and lashed out at the first. My fist connected with its jaw and it screeched as it evaporated from view, being taken by the Void. For a holographic projection, they felt very real and had mass to them. I grinned and lashed out another punch at the next, causing it's head to twist backwards as it body slumped past me from its momentum. The other two stopped and chattered a bit before opening fire with their pistols. The small bolts whizzed towards me in a small corkscrew spiral. I sidestepped the bolts and willed a grenade to appear in my hand and I chuckled it, planting it right in the face of one. It squealed in pain and the explosion took it twice over. The final one began to panic and pulled out a grenade, throwing it at me as I advanced. I simply batted it out of the way and it spiraled into the pit wall and exploded harmlessly. The Dreg chittered and backed away, swinging it's dagger and shooting to deter me. I simply took some of the damage and grabbed it's arm, bending it oddly before cracking my fist against its shoulder. It cried in pain and fell to the ground pitifully. I looked up at me slightly before I put my heel into it's face. The hologram burst into pieces as I stepped away from where it should have been. "Stage one complete." The voice said once more. "Loading second scenario." Soon a pack of four Dregs appeared along with two Vandal snipers. The jittered and yelled at me as the let loose their bolts. I simply put up a Ward and watched them fail. The pain from activating it stung my sides as I glared at the enemy. The Dregs jittered slightly before deciding to charge in. The Vandals all waiting patiently, my head in their scopes. The Dregs quickly entered my Ward, swinging violently. I blocked each blow and retaliated back, sending one into the Void and the other three as shattered corpses on the ground. The Vandals growled angrily and simply waited for the Ward to end, standing perfectly still and quiet. I growled in frustration and dashed forward, letting the Ward drop. One fired a quick shot that missed due to my sudden movement and the other hit my shoulder, causing me to stagger. My rage boiled as I lunged forward into one. It growled and tried to pull out it's dagger as I quickly slammed both fists into it's face. It's still moved slightly as I repeatedly pounded it's face in. The hologram faded as the butt of the wire rifle from the second Vandal crashed into my head, sending me sprawling to the ground. The Vandal hopped on top of my slashed at me with its dagger, hot searing pain beginning to form in my chest. I lurched in pain and landed a swift elbow to the Vandals side, causing it to stagger as I shoved it off. I then quickly got up to my feet and gave it a solid kick in the side, then a jab to its jaw and temple. The hologram shattered once more as the voice spoke again. "Stage two complete. Loading scenario five." The landscape changed to barren snowy wasteland as several Captains appeared as well a few sniper Vandals on the balconies. They all roared at me as they charged forward, shock blades out. I spawned my Ward once more and slammed my fist into a Captain, barely phasing it as it took a swipe at me. I dodged and landed two more strikes, breaking it's shields and sending it reeling. I snagged one of the blades from its hands and jammed it into it's jaw, causing it to gargle and fall over dead. The other two Captains didn't miss a beat as the charged forward together. The sniper Vandals were shooting my Ward, deterring me from stepping outside. I formed another grenade in my hands and threw it at one of the Captains as it entered, letting it freak out and escape to not hurt it's ally. The second lunged forward and slashed twice, breaking my shields. I gave it a quickly jab and a kick, but it blocked my kick and jammed the blade into my stomach, lighting a fire inside inside me. I yelped in pain and grabbed it's arm tightly. I yanked with all my might, almost tearing it's limb off as the other Captain stepped in and shoved me to the ground. I started to get up but the Captain's foot buried into my chest as it reared back and slammed it's blade into me. The second joined in as quickly slashed at me, sending my body into serious shock and pain. I gasped for breath as they suddenly dissapeared and the voice spoke once more. "Stage five failed." I growled and hit my fist against the white floor of the training room and slowly got up, my body shaking in pain. "You alright bucko? That looked painful." I turned to see Cayde and Zavala standing on the catwalk, looking down at me. Cayde had a slight worried look but Zavala looked blank faced as always. I grunted and stood up, the pain settling into as dull throb. "I'm fine.." "From personal experience, being gang-stabbed by two or more Captains is not fine." Cayde leaned forward and pointed at me. "Trust me on that one." "Fine then..." I started for the exit. "What your just gonna leave and not try again? Well that's pretty bad sportsmanship." "I'm done for right now." "I doubt it." Zavala spoke up. "You don't seem like the type to let it go that easily." Cayde elbowed him in the ribs gently. "Was that reference intentional?" Zavala gave Cayde a sideways glance of annoyance as Cayde held up his hands and smiled. "No need to be a shamed, plenty of Titans can be fangirls too." "Why are you guys even here?" I said angrily. "Cause the system told us to... and I was stumped on a four letter word that means novice so I can to freshen my mind a bit." I turned quickly to look at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" Cayde blinked. "What did I say?" I slanted my eyes as my HUD began to blur due to my rage. "Are you saying I'm weak?" "Not necessarily but you said it, not me." Cayde scratched his nose absentmindedly. I tensed up. "I'd stand down if I were you." Zavala spoke again, this time with a more serious tone. "Or what?" "Oh snap. He just called you out." Cayde snapped his fingers in emphasis. "SHUT UP!" I yelled. "That's 56 Glimmer that the Speaker owes me now, this keeps up I might just crest 100 before the deal is up." Cayde gave a big grin. My resolve cracked and started forward, my eyes blurring to random shapes and colors. "Why you..." My vision suddenly did spirals as I felt my body slam to the floor. I yelled in pain and anger and looked up as Zavala hopped over the side of the railing and landed infront of me. "Calm down, your going to hurt someone..." "Are you saying I can't handle him?!" Cayde said. "I can totally handle him!" "Both of you shut up!" I tensed as I tried to stand. Zavala held up his hand. "I understand your anger but you will not strike a superior officer..." "Does that make you superior to me?!" I yelled as I hopped up, rage building. Zavala's eyes grew cold as he glared at me. "No... It just means you won't be able to strike me." https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/208175980/0/0 link to chapter 33 https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/208708543/0/0 link to chapter 34.5