Chapter 4: Unguarded

We stare at Zavala in disbelief. He's so clinical. Emotionless. Like everything I've heard about him. Some things never change.

"Ikora's gone?" Ana asks.

"Along with everything else. Whatever you have come to find, it is not here. Best you go."

"No, wait. We could use your help," Ana pleads.

He turns and hobbles away on his crutch. Ana throws her hands up in frustration. I shake my head, but she follows him with Rasputin at her side.

"Commander, this all goes back to Savathûn. If we can eliminate her for good, maybe there is hope…"

He stops. "There isn't."

"You can't just walk away. Ikora wouldn't…," she says.

Zavala turns to Ana. "You're just like her. Always were. Stubborn and self-righteous. That's how she ended up there." He points to the rubble. "Keep going, and you'll meet a similar fate. I'm sure Savathûn would happily abide."

"Ana, this is seeking blood from a stone. Let's go," I say. Surely, she sees how broken he is.

"I'm not leaving. Without Ikora, he's all we've got!" Ana exclaims.

"He doesn't want to help us!"

"You're a coward!" Ana screams at him.

"A coward? I did everything I could to save the City. And her. But we were at odds. Just like the two of you. It… was our downfall," Zavala says. He shakes his head and sighs. "Looks like it'll be yours, as well."

"Commander…"

"I don't command anything anymore."

That quiets us.

"I never had the opportunity to apologize, make things right. The next time I saw her, it was too late. Don't make the same mistakes I have."

I see how much this pains Ana. Damn it. Fine, I'll help.

"Ana doesn't recall this, but our father… what I remember of him… was a stubborn man. He and I would fight all the time, but I never walked away without telling him that I loved him. The one time I forgot, he never came back. We've made mistakes, Zavala. All of us. We won't repeat yours this time… if we fight together," I say. Zavala looks me up and down.

"So you're the fabled Elisabeth Bray, I take it."

"I am."

"We could have used you sooner."

"Like when the Pyramids arrived," Ana chimes in.

"Our troubles began long before they showed up," Zavala says. "They were just the leaves of a tree planted long ago. The Vanguard ran some cloak-and-dagger missions a while back in the Black Garden. We tried to suppress the Black Heart. It ended up corrupting the Guardians who came into contact with it. From there out, Dark Guardians spawned… and Darkness slowly spread."

"I'm here now. That's all that matters."

"Who's the other Exo?" Zavala asks.

Rasputin announces himself.

"You have the Warmind? Incredible. Still… why would you need my help? He's infinitely more capable than me."

"Rasputin is a weapon, but we need to know where to point him," Ana replies.

"Which is why we could use whatever information you have to find Savathûn. We thought that if we could ally with Darkness and Light, we might stand a chance. Find symmetry where staunchness failed," I propose.

"That old song," he muses. "Even if I could help, the Warmind won't be enough. Not for what lies beyond Savathûn. She is only a pawn."

"Meaning what?"

"You want the real Witch—you want Eris Morn."

Chapter 10

Category: The Bray Family

Chapter 7: Commandeered

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Book: The Dark Future

Chapter 5: Almighty, Once

Chapter 24

Category: Eris Morn

Chapter 5

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Rasputin

Chapter 5: Almighty, Once

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Ikora Rey

Chapter 5: Almighty, Once

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Savathûn

CHAPTER 5: NEW GODS

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Warminds

Chapter 5: Almighty, Once

Chapter 3: Towerless

Category: Zavala

Chapter 5: Almighty, Once