A/N: Well…this was a quick turn around.

Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fanfiction. Destiny and all of its supplementary materials are owned by Bungie, including liberties I take with the lore. I only own Fireteam Storm and other OCs. Please support the official release.

Wei Ning's visual design based on the comic by Fishuus on Tumblr, I highly recommend reading it.

Saga 02: The Monster of Luna

Arc 02: The Dark Below

Chapter 14: Verok

Wei…

The last few weeks I've combed through the letters we sent...You made me so sentimental. The times we shared together I had never felt more alive than when I was with you. Now I feel hollow. This crushing emptiness in me that I could never fill without you.

Because no one could ever replace you.

More than anything, I hate the idea that we will be remembered as tragedy. That's not true. For now, as the ship named for my vengeance flies me and five others to Luna, I will remember the happy times.

Remember our first meeting? Your laughter made the glasses clatter. You bought three rounds for the entire room. Pahanin introduced us. You sat down next to me and plied me with questions about Stormtrances. All things that, on any other night, would have annoyed me. But that night, because it was you…I knew then and there that I never wanted to be without you.

So, I reserve the distinction of tragedy for the monster that took you from me. But I know it's what you would hate the most. You, who were always so full of laughter.

I hope you, wherever you are, can find it in your heart to forgive me. Maybe then I can forgive myself.

"What are you writing?" Eris asked, bringing the Warlock out of her thoughts.

Eriana looked, folding the letter up so Jax could scan it. "Nothing," she mumbled. "Just…memories, you know how it is."

Eris said nothing, looking down solemnly. "If…" she started tiredly, turning away. "If it helps you cope."

The weariness of the response stung Eriana more than anything Eris had screamed at her the night before. The Sunsinger fidgeted a moment, then turned to her friend. …If Eris could consider her a friend, that is.

"Eris?" she said, looking at her.

The Bladedancer glanced at Eriana, taken aback by the sadness in her eyes. There was nothing but hum of the ship's engines between them. For a moment Eris could see the woman Eriana used to be. Eriana's bottom lip quivered, trying to stop herself breaking like a dam.

"I-I- I know, Eris," she said, the statement framed in an apology.

Any retorted Eris had planned evaporated instantly. Eriana continued, her inner despair present on her aching face. "I…I do know."

Eris's face went cold, fall into stunned silence. Eriana's face contorted, however brief, in grief. "I-I..." she took a deep, sharp breath before speaking, straining against herself to get the words out. "I can't stop feeling so hopeless…"

Eris Morn floundered, trying to find the words to say. None came. Eriana grit her teeth, swallowing her sadness before standing up. In an instance she was gone, barging past Eris to the cockpit. The Hunter could hear her order the others to prepare for transmat.

Eris couldn't even fight back anymore.

The Moon
Ocean of Storms
Archer's Line

(Seeder Ships V2- Promethean, Archival Mind)

The Moon's sterile air was rancid. Whatever atmosphere the Traveller had created for this rock was slowly being stripped away by the sickly green winds that occasionally ripped through the air. Churns of the old accelerator building wailed in the air like ghosts, chilling anyone near it to the core.

It had been so long since Fireteam Noble had been here, and yet everything reminded them of that day 5 years ago. Shrieks emanated from the cracks below, and the massive fissure that dominated the skyline of Mare Imbrium loomed over them in judgement: Why did you come here?

For now, Fireteam Noble had congregated inside the admin building of Archer's Line having cleared out the House of Exile within. Toland had taken charge of the little group meeting and was in the process of drawing a crude map of the immediate area, marking three separate spots with crosses.

"There are three entrances into the Hive's warrens," he explained. "From there, we can follow the tunnels all the way to the Stills at the bottom of the Hellmouth. All of them I've studied relentlessly."

"Wait, how do you know this," Omar asked. "We're the first people here since…" A lump quickly formed in his throat as the Hunter looked to his companions. "Then."

"Oh, you poor unfortunate soul," Toland chuckled, leaning back. "Lunar Interdiction is a guideline, at best."

There was an uneasy silence amongst the group. They all knew what came out of that Light-forsaken pit the last time. Neither of them particularly enjoyed the thought of going back into it. Toland continued, point to each cross in tandem.

"The obvious entrance is the Hellmouth," Toland explained, eying the room. "But I doubt, from a pragmatic point of view, that doing the same thing as last time will work out differently this time." His finger drifted to a cross near their position. "THIS is the closest, but also the longest route into the Stills. I doubt the Hive will let us get anyway near Crota from here. Which leaves…" Toland prodded the furthest mark on the map. "The Temple of Crota itself, the quickest route to the Pit itself." He leaned back again. "I must so, I do love the irony there."

"Where's the Temple?" Sai asked, voice barely audible.

"In the equally ironically named 'Anchor of Light'," Toland chuckled, looking around with a wide grin. "Don't you love irony? I do!"

Sai merely responded with a middle finger, prompting Toland to laugh more.

"You do know the official procedure!"

Eriana rolled her eyes. "Stop laughing, if you know how to get us in then get us there!"

"Oho, I will gladly do so," Toland chuckled, teeth bared. "…Ethel."

"Fuck you."

The walk across the crater filled plain was largely uneventful, aside from signs of Fallen scavenging marked by green banners. Sai frowned, turning to the others. "Fallen?"

"What are they doing here?" Eriana asked, turning to Toland. "I thought the Hive routed them out during the battle?"

Toland didn't look, just continuing his pace. "The Eliksni desire a home above all else. As long as they are in reach of the Traveller they will pick at whatever hole they can crawl into. Not even Sardon's Swarm Princes can keep them away. Eliksni are nothing if not persistent."

They group kept on under the creaking beams of the Line's accelerator, Vell taking point with Toland. The old Warlock eyed him. "Eager."

Vell ignored the remark. "So…this Sardon is one of those Swarm Princes?" he asked.

Toland thought for a moment, relaxing his shoulders. "In a stretch of the concept." He peered down his aviators at Vell's expressionless face. "He's their lord and master, and there are his generals."

"Sounds like my kind of fight!" Vell snorted with boisterous laughter.

"What isn't?" Omar chimed in from the back.

Vell waved a hand back in response. "Those Swarm Princes, they led those Knights-"

"Blades," Toland corrected.

"-To slaughter our brothers and sisters. If the one who leads their charge is within reach, I mean to end him." Vell passed a sad glance to Eriana. "All of them…"

Toland looked between Vell and Eriana, the hostility to the Titan not lost on him.

"We are here for Crota," Eris reminded Vell. "Not Knights."

"They're more than Knights," Toland replied.

"They look like Knights," Eriana grunted.

"That's like calling you a tin can," Vell retorted, annoyed.

"Excuse me?!"

Vell sighed, backing off slightly. "I'm saying calling them Knights is an understatement."

"Go on then, big shot," Omar said pointedly at Toland. "What are they then?"

"World carvers," Toland replied nonchalantly.

"Meaning?"

Toland levelled a bored stare at the Hunter. "Those swords are neither steel nor bone. There's a dark purpose to their edge."

"Darker than death?" Eriana asked, her bluster belaying a hesitance.

"Death is a mercy compared to the Blades."

"Then it must be done," Vell said firmly, turning to the group. "Know that I have faith in your Light, as I do my own."

"This isn't about faith," Eriana snapped. "It's about vengeance."

"It's about the only thing that matters," Vell clarified. "Victory. It's about doing what we must to end this terror."

Silence. The only response was a dull Sai Mota. "Hear, hear!" she shouted.

Toland put a reassuring hand on the Titan's shoulder. "I have no doubt the Fist will welcome your challenge, Titan." Toland turned to the rest. "Come, Crota's Temple is up head. We can make a plan of attack from a few of the old K1 buildings near it."

"Those Blades cut down more Guardians than I can count," Omar said bitterly as the group trudged along a ridge above one of the Moon's many crevices.

"Hundreds…" Vell murmured.

"Thousands," Eriana remarked coldly. "The Consensus should have known better."

"I tried to warn them," Toland shrugged.

"Guys!" Sai said in a hushed shout. "Something's watching us."

(Katsubou- Elfen Lied OST)

Eriana instinctively raised her Fighting Lion, but Toland stopped her. Instead he threw a large, cataclysmic Nova Bomb at a small nearby cave. There was a panicked shriek and the scuttling of a Hive Wizard. Eriana nodded to Vell. The Titan grinned, kicking off the ground like a thunderous missile towards the fleeing Wizard, clobbering her as he landed before pinning her to the ground.

"I got 'er!" he shouted triumphantly.

Fireteam Noble rushed to Vell's position, the Titan struggling to keep the flailing, screaming Wizard in check. It pushed Vell over, pinning him and snapping at his face, Vell struggling to keep its lashing jaws at bay.

Toland barked something alien, something in the strange language he revealed in the City's sewers. The Wizard stopped instantly, looking over Toland. "You…you speak Royal Tongue?" she rasped, glancing over the other Lightbearers.

Eriana felt its eyes narrow on her. She stepped back uncomfortably, her own eyes glancing at several Solar-inflicted wounds across its chest.

"You…" the Wizard rasped with a cackle.

Eriana's eyes widened. Without warning she pulled out a large, scoped hand cannon and fired once into its chest. The Wizard grunted, rolling over with manic laughter.

"What the hell, Eriana?!" Vell snapped.

"I-I know this one…" Eriana gasped, voice hoarse as she barely maintained her composure. "It was here, on that day."

"And Verok remembers you, little light," the Wizard seethed. "You were here when the sky burned. Verok warned you. Verok knows. Verok always knows."

"W-what did you do to her!" Eriana screamed, firing again.

"Ohhhh, dear…" Verok sighed mockingly. "Did you forget? I remember what you did to me." The Wizard gestured to the scars on her body. "Oh, so very well."

The Wizard, Verok, screamed, pushing the Guardians back with a sound that burned their very souls. Toland covered his ears, watching Verok lunge at Eriana.

"I said we were the same back then!" she snarled, knocking down the Sunsinger with deceptive strength. Verok grinned as Eriana struggled under the Wizard's power. "I remember what you told me, too. Do you?

"Get off me!" Eriana shouted, struggling as Verok's claws stroked the metal temples of her head.

"Allow me to remind you," Verok cackled.

Eriana's screams echoed Mare Imbrium, flashes of events from long ago flooding her mind. The screams of the dead, the echoes of gunfire and cracks of Light.

The faint melody of music.

A familiar warmth in the laughter echoing through the noise…

Earth, The Last City

The night before

(Graffitia- Green Day)

The City's night scene was bustling with drunks and partygoers, Lightbearer and Lightless alike revelling in the shining glow of the Traveller's lit underbelly. It'd been a few weeks since the victory at Twilight Gap and many of the City's denizens claimed the siege to be over. Others, New Monarchy in particular, were heralding this as the onset of a new Golden Age.

Many were inclined to agree, although there were just as many that were more than a little sceptical.

In one of the many bars that littered this particular district you may have been able to hear the shouts of a Titan cut through the cheers and the music.

Stood on a table in combat pants and a vest top was a woman of Amazonian height. Her skin was tanned, with slight Old Asian heritage and littered with several scars from fights long gone. Her eyes shone with an amber glow, as though you could see the Traveller's Light burning within her. Ever the showman, the Titan swaggered about as she told the Lightless of the City of the heroics in Twilight Gap and beyond.

"And then the break the wall," she said, her husky voice low with dread, motioning the crowd to stay quiet. "You could hear a pin drop in the chaos. Lord Saladin orders a retreat…all hope was lost for us then."

"What happened then, Wei?" a man asked eagerly.

The Titan closed her eyes and grinned, her brunette fringe hiding one of her eyes. She stood tall. "I hear it over the comms, as mighty as the thunder itself."

Wei Ning took a deep breath, catching herself with a small laugh as she shook her head. "Fucking 'ell…" she chuckled, enticing a murmur of laughter from the crowd. Wei took another deep breath. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!"

Her shout shattered the glasses behind the bar, much to the chagrin of the bartender. "You keep wrecking my property and I'll throw you out, Wei!" he chided. "Titan or not!"

"Hey, we shoulda had him at Twilight Gap!" Wei cheered, gesturing to the bartender. The man shook his head and picked up the glass. Wei stuck her tongue out, continuing her story. "Shaxx rips through the comms like…like a nuclear BOMB! We rallied and pushed forward until…"

Wei paused with a cheeky grin. "Well, half the fun is making up your own ending," she chuckled, much to the crowd's dismay.

"You can't blueball us like that!" another man said.

"Yeah, tells how you won!" a woman from behind asked.

"Everyone will tell you differently," Wei shrugged. "You ask Saladin, he'll tell it was Shaxx recklessness. You ask Shaxx, he'll tell you," she coughed, voice deepening. "It was the glory of the Light that one us the day!"

Laughter broke out again. Wei thought for a moment. "Wanna know how he lost that horn?" she asked cheekily.

"Wei, stop teasing them," came a sassy voice from behind the crowd.

If Wei Ning's eyes could shine brighter, they would have. Dressed in semi-formal blouse and skirt was Eriana. Wei smirked at the Exo, sauntering off her perch towards her girlfriend. "Now, Eriana here," she said to crowd. "Won the battle for me."

Wei wrapped on of her arms around Eriana, kissing her. The Exo blushed in response. "If she weren't there I don't know what I'd do!"

"Run away?" Eriana snarked.

Wei gasped, crouching before her and taking her hand. "My love, you have wound me! I'm wound! Wound, and out of booze!"

"For crying out loud…" Eriana chuckled, hiding her face in embarrassment. "Wei, I need to talk about…" she glanced at the crowd. They were Lightless.

Fragile like glass.

She turned back to the Titan. "Vanguard business."

Wei glanced up, then to the crowd. "Sure, sure!" she said casually, waving off her fans.

(End Graffitia)

"Where are we going?" Wei asked cheerfully, dragged along by the considerably smaller Eriana-3.

"Away from the noise," Eriana replied.

Wei pulled her hand back, dragging Eriana into an embrace from behind, her arms wrapping around Eriana's slender waist. Eriana held them, looking up. She didn't need to see Wei's face to know she was grinning like an idiot.

Still.

"Breathe, my dear," Wei said softly. "You seem…flustered."

"Well, I mean…" Eriana started. "I don't really want to do this in front of…everyone."

"Oh, so it's not Vanguard business?" Wei asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Shut up!" Eriana pouted, the lights representing her cheeks turning red.

Wei laughed boisterously. "C'mon! I know a good spot."

(Life Eternal [Piano]- Anton Ostrovskiy)

Wei took Eriana's small hand in hers and smiled. Eriana returned it and the pair walked through the brightly lit City streets. Eriana felt Wei's hand squeeze her own.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Later," Wei replied, leading her up a small skyscraper.

"You do know I can floof us up there?" Eriana teased.

"Yeah, but I'd rather not attract the attention," Wei replied with a shrug.

"You! Not wanting attention?" Eriana gasped, placing a hand on Wei's forehead. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Wei grinned. "Just…" She sighed. "I'll tell you when we get there."

The spot Wei talked about was one of favourites. Eriana knew this much. A small roof garden hidden away from prying eyes. There were several of them in the sprawling Last City if you knew where to look.

The couple sat on a bench, listening to the breeze. The moon shone down on the pair of them, watching them.

"I wish every night could be like this," Eriana said, resting her head on Wei's soft shoulder.

"Yeah…" Wei smiled softly, looking up at the night sky.

Eriana glanced at her then the shimmering glow that hung above them. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I'm just nervous, that's all," Wei replied, her face flushed with embarrassment. "The battle tomorrow. It's gonna be a big one. Generation defining, Hideo says."

"Tch, that moron…" Eriana replied.

"Like him or not, he's right," Wei sighed, looking at her palms. "It'll be a turning point, one or the another." She clenched her fists, flexing them. "I've never doubted my fists in battle before, but…this one is different. Like…will my fists be enough."

"Hey," Eriana said with a faint smile, holding one of Wei's hand. "The last and surest argument, remember?"

Wei smiled in return. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh! Well, it's er…not exactly tell," Eriana said, holding out her hand for her ghost to materialise something, a small knapsack.

"Oh?" Wei asked. "What's in the bag?"

"Only one way to find out," Eriana replied nervously. "Open it."

Wei smiled, gently taking the bag and opening it with utmost caution before holding the item within. It was soft, a faded bark-brown with a golden plate piece that looked like a shoulder pad. "…A new mark?" Wei gasped in surprised, looking at her girlfriend. Eriana looked away. Wei looked puzzled, turning to the piece of cloth in her hands. "A new mark that…huh. This looks familiar…" Then it clicked. "Eriana, are you regifting?"

"You Titans do it, right?" she asked. "Repurpose a gift a friend gave you to give it back, to show you care for them." Eriana's fist clenched slightly. "It's made from my old robes."

Wei felt her tears well up slightly. "Eri…"

"I thought…well, I thought you're old one looked a little ragged and…" Eriana trailed off. She always did need to over explain when she was nervous.

Wei smiled, gently squeezing the fabric. "It's very soft."

"It's not that soft!" Eriana replied quickly, looking away again. "I thought your old one was getting a little ragged, and this would be a good way to…uhm…"

The Titan smirked. "Dress me up?"

Eriana frowned, prompting a laugh from Wei. "Just kidding, go on."

"Wei…" Eriana said nervously, taking Wei's hand in both of hers, holding it tight. "Wei. Will you join my fireteam?"

There was a silence between them. Only brief.

Wei took Eriana's hands in her own, leaning into a gentle kiss. "You don't even have to ask," Wei replied. "I'd follow you to the end of the galaxy."

Eriana welled up, smiling as she returned the kiss in the gaze of the Moon above.

"I love you, Wei."

"I love you too, Eriana.

Next Time

The Battle of Mare Imbrium