A Guardian Rises

A human spacecraft enters Mars’ orbit and descends onto its surface during the “present day”. Three armed astronauts exit the spacecraft. The astronauts traverse the Martian landscape until they find the Traveler. Rain begins to fall on Mars.

The Speaker: We called it the Traveler, and its arrival changed us forever. Great cities were built on Mars and Venus. Mercury became a garden world. Human lifespan tripled. It was a time of miracles. We stared out at the galaxy and knew that it was our destiny to walk in the light of other stars - but the Traveler had an enemy. A Darkness, which had hunted it for eons across the black gulfs of space. Centuries after our Golden Age began, this Darkness found us and that was the end of everything. But it was also a beginning.

Cosmodrome, Old Russia, Earth

Ghost searches for his Guardian amongst the wreckage of cars. Several Fallen are shown in the distance. Ghost scans a skeleton in one of the cars.

Ghost: Ouch…

Ghost continues searching for his Guardian. A Fallen Captain tracks Ghost from afar. Ghost finds his Guardian.

Ghost: Is it possible?

Ghost: There you are!

Ghost resurrects the Guardian.

Ghost: Guardian… Guardian? Eyes up, Guardian! It worked… You’re alive! You don’t know how long I’ve been looking for you. I’m a Ghost. Actually, now I’m your Ghost. And you… Well, you’ve been dead a long time. So, you’re going to see a lot of things you won’t understand.

Fallen cry in the distance.

Ghost: This is Fallen territory. We aren’t safe here. I have to get you to the City. Hold still.

Ghost disappears.

Ghost: Don’t worry, I’m still with you. We need to move, fast.

Ghost: We won’t survive long out in the open like this. Let’s get inside the Wall.

// OPTIONAL

If the Guardian doesn’t head to the Wall.

Ghost: I didn’t bring you back just for you to die again, we have to move.

// OPTIONAL

If the Guardian doesn’t head to the Wall.

Ghost: You can hear me right? We are going to die out here. I need you to trust me on this. We’ll be safer inside.

The Guardian heads inside the Wall.

Ghost: Okay… I need to find you a weapon before the Fallen find us.

The Breach, Old Russia, Earth

Ghost: Quiet. They’re right above us.

The Guardian goes up the stairs and enters a larger area within the Wall.

Ghost: Hang tight. Fallen thrive in the dark, we won’t. We need more light. I’ll see what I can do.

Ghost: Another one of these hardened military systems… And a few centuries of entropy working against me.

Ghost turns on the lights. Fallen are shown nearby, heading towards the Guardian.

Ghost: They’re coming for us!

Ghost: Here! I found a rifle! Grab it.

The Guardian acquires a Khvostov 7G-02 auto rifle.

Khvostov 7G-02

Ghost: I hope you know how to use that thing.

The Guardian continues through the Wall. A strange sound is heard.

Ghost: What was that?

The Guardian defeats the Fallen which they encounter while continuing through the Wall.

Ghost: There’s more ahead! Keep it up!

The Guardian finds a loot cache.

Ghost: A loot cache! Let’s see what’s inside…

The Guardian acquires a Preacher Mk. 20 shotgun.

Preacher Mk. 20

The Guardian continues through the Wall and finds several tripmines.

Ghost: Tripmines! Don’t touch them.

The Guardian continues through the Wall, defeating the Fallen which they encounter.

The Guardian engages another group of Fallen Devils.

Ghost: The Fallen have a tighter hold on this place than I thought. Just a little bit further. Let’s hope there’s something left out there…

The Guardian finds a way out of the Wall.

The Divide, Old Russia, Earth

Ghost: This was an old Cosmodrome. There’s got to be something we can fly out here.

A red flare is shot into the sky.

Ghost: Incoming!

A Fallen Ketch appears above the Cosmodrome and a Skiff deploys several Fallen units.

Ghost: Fallen ships! This close to the surface?! Move!

The Guardian defeats the Fallen.

Ghost: I’m picking up signs of an old jumpship. Could be our ticket out of here.

Dock-13, Old Russia, Earth

The Guardian finds a jumpship.

Ghost: There’s a ship! Clear them out!

Rahn, Devil Captain appears. The Guardian defeats Rahn, Devil Captain.

Ghost: Alright, let me see if I can get us out of here.

The Guardian approaches the jumpship.

Ghost: It’s been here a while. Hasn’t made a jump in centuries. We’re lucky the Fallen haven’t completely picked it clean.

The Guardian: Will it fly?

Ghost: I can make it work.

Ghost starts the jumpship’s engines.

Ghost: Okay… It’s not going to break orbit, but it just might get us to the City. Now - about that transmat…

The Guardian turns around. Riksis, Devil Archon appears from a hole in a wall nearby.

Ghost: Bringing you in!

Ghost transmats the Guardian into the jumpship.

Ghost: We can come back for them when you’re ready. Let’s get you home.

The Guardian departs in the jumpship. The Exo Stranger watches as the jumpship flies away. The Guardian flies to the Last City and arrives at the Tower.

Ghost: Welcome to the last safe City on Earth - the only place the Traveler can still protect. It took centuries to build. Now… we’re counting every day it stands. And this Tower is where the Guardians live.

The Exo Stranger

Category: The Exo Stranger

Arm Yourself with Knowledge: Asterion Abyss