Entry 6

Koryl still insists that I write this journal. Don't Ghosts have a storage disk? I doubt he'd let me examine it to check.

Anyway, the battle's over. I have to admit, I didn't think I would arrive at the City in the middle of a Fallen siege. According to Jayden, they had never gathered in numbers like this before. Neither had the humans, in fact, this must have been the reason why they attacked.

Koryl points out to me that I did not introduce Jayden. Actually, we didn't talk much. He rescued me after my "landing", and we stayed side by side for the rest of the battle. He's a tough guy, a good tactician even though he tends to do whatever he thinks is best.

He's a Titan, from what I understood. The refugees began to classify the Guardians into several categories after the formation of the City, and the Consensus leaders stuck with the idea. Titans are strong and disciplined, and several of them had distinguished themselves in the defense of the six fronts. I've come across a few scouts; I think they're called the Hunters. As for me, I don't know. After seeing me handle the Light, I was told that I was a Warlock, like Osiris.

Osiris! The very first Light Bearer I met tried to kill me! As soon as the dust settled, I went to him to explain my way of thinking. What I saw was... unexpected. I learned that Osiris was the Warlock Vanguard, no less! Apparently, they were debating to appoint him as Commander. With all this mess, not counting the last Fallen to be hunted and the defenses to be fortified, I'm not likely to talk to him any time soon.

Entry 8

I don't think I've ever slept so well (come to think of it, I've only been alive for a few weeks, so it's not that surprising). The Last City is still just a patchwork of tents and old trucks, but the Wall has been repaired and consolidated. I was able to look at some plans, and the Consensus seems to want to make it higher. Much higher.

I'm having a little trouble fitting in, between the inhabitants of the City, the Guardians themselves and the clans they form, that's a lot of names to remember. Koryl, on the other hand, is like a fish in water.

Lots of questions are jostling in my head. Now that I'm under the Traveler, the universe has taken on a whole new dimension. I want to learn, but I'm afraid the Fallen will come back before I get the chance.

Entry 15

The construction of the City is progressing so fast! Only a few months after the Six Fronts, and the Wall is already masking the Sun over a wide distance. Dozens of buildings have grown around the sanctuary under the Traveler, and the work never seems to stop. I have seen Titans lifting steel bars three times their weight - armor included - and Warlocks floating concrete blocks like a sack of feathers. I am light years away from their level, but I have a good teacher: Ikora Rey.

What about Ikora? Several centuries of experience, a champion of the Crucible and years spent traveling the world in search of knowledge. I must confess that it is the last point that I like the most...

I ask her many questions. Probably too many because she keeps reprimanding me for my impatience. She told me that at times I remind her of Osiris, her own master. I don't know how I should take it.

Entry 22

This morning, something strange happened. The Speaker convoked me personally in the stone garden under the Traveler. I was surprised, and a little scared: I had never spoken to him, and now the leader of the Consensus wanted to see me!

He congratulated me on my progress. According to him, few Warlock had been able to invoke the Dawnblade so early. I was quite proud of myself. And then he changed his tone. I realized that these compliments were just polite words. He was not particularly aggressive, but rather... inquisitive.

He told me about the books I was packing in my tent, asked me what I thought of them, if Osiris had really authorized the borrowing of these works.

I told him that Osiris had nothing to do with it, but I didn't want to say any more. I didn't even know him; I wasn't going to talk behind his back...

The Guide looked irritated, but not by my answers. He asked me about my integration into the City, my relationship with other Guardians. I answered him frankly: Apart from Koryl, Jayden and Ikora, I didn't know many people...

He dismissed me shortly afterwards. I wanted to ask Ikora for explanations, but she was nowhere to be found.

Entry 23

Okay, my brain is still having trouble digesting what happened two days ago, so I'm going to try to make it digestible in writing.

The day after my meeting with the Speaker, Ikora sent me a message at dawn. All she said was, "Zara, gear up and meet us at Landing Area 17 in thirty minutes."

It was at the other end of the City. I did my best to make myself presentable, grabbed some cold rations and took the first transport. Of course, the traffic got stuck in the middle of the trip. Koryl found someone to give us a quick ride to our destination, and I arrived five minutes late.

Nice performance.

And there, second surprise of the day: Ikora and Osiris were waiting for me in front of a jumpship! I just managed to stammer an excuse, and the Warlock Vanguard invited me to board. I found myself in the hold with Ikora and Sagira, and we took off. Koryl, who knew the Osiris' Ghost, floated with her in a corner and they started talking.

We didn't have any windows, but I quickly realized that we were leaving the atmosphere. I asked where we were going... and Ikora answered: Venus!

Of course, thousands of questions jostled in my skull, so much that I didn't open my mouth until halfway through the trip. I finally questioned Ikora on the reason of our expedition and asked the most obvious and embarrassing question: Why me?

She replied that Osiris had to investigate a potential threat, hidden in the Venusian jungle. She pronounced several names: Vex, Ahamkara, Ishtar... They were not unknown to me, but I doubted that I was the best person to know about the legends lying dormant beyond Earth's orbit.

Sagira then retorted that it was not a question of sending the most competent. Although Osiris had studied these mysteries, the three Warlock were going to Venus to learn. He wished to take Ikora, and Ikora wished to take me.

Apparently, Osiris approved rather quickly. According to him, I had a "certain potential, already noticed at the Six Fronts."

"By the way," she added, "He's not going to apologize for that Skiff story. I'm sorry it fell on you, but he always does whatever he wants."

At this point, I was a little afraid to know him at the controls of the ship.

We plunged into the atmosphere of Venus. As the data I studied told, the Traveler had terraformed the planet during the Golden Age and human colonists had settled there, alongside some strange creatures. However, I did not know more, and bitterly regretted the lack of a window, until we landed.

From then on, we were in uncharted territory. Looking back, I don't think I've been this excited since I flew over the continent in a Skiff before I arrived in the City.

Ikora didn't show it, but I also felt her much more at ease beyond the Wall, with a whole universe to discover... Strangely, she was much more open to discussion in the middle of a hostile environment than in the Warlock archives. More passionate, too, more reckless. It's really another side of her personality. I wonder how many had the chance to discover it. Maybe that's what brought her closer to Osiris.

Needless to say, the Fallen were on the planet. We did our best to avoid them, but several groups attacked us as soon as we entered the Ishtar Academy, the objective of our expedition.

The discoveries we made... We returned to the City only a few hours ago, with enough data to keep us busy for the next ten years.

Osiris did not seem happy to return to Earth, but the message of the Speaker was clear. Saint-14 had been gone for some time, and the Consensus did not appreciate the fact that another member of the Vanguard had disappeared without explanation.

Ikora and I saved our research, then she sent me to rest. I'm pretty sure I saw her retrieve a data disk just before she left, just like I did. Who needs sleep when you consider the incredible creatures that live on the planet next door?

Osiris was particularly interested in the Vex. I must admit that reality bending robots deserve some attention. However, they do not look hostile unless we get close to their strange structures.

The Ahamkara intrigue me much more. We did not meet any, but if the archives of Ishtar say true, then there are dragons related to the Traveler walking on Venus. Their existence would make one hell of a discovery, hoping that they survived the Collapse...

When I think that I felt very small under this immense white sphere... I just discovered, once again, that the world was much larger than I thought. I can't let this opportunity pass me by. I learned more with Osiris and Ikora in a few days than I did in several months in the City! If they go back on an expedition, I must do everything I can to take part in it.

Maybe one day I'll be able to write a book, like them.

Koryl keeps telling me that I need sleep. Isn't he the one who's bugging me to write this damn journal?

…

Well, he's right, it's a logbook, not a scientific essay. I'll put my research in a separate file.

Tomorrow, back to training!

As long as Ikora doesn't challenge me into the Crucible...