A spark in the dark, Part 3

"Join me under the Tree." Zara confirmed receipt of the message and Eris cut off the communication.

The Pyramid suspended above the Cradle appeared as they approached the surface. Koryl teleported them to the center of the stone structure, which had recently been cleansed of the Taken infestation.

Eris was waiting for her in a makeshift camp. The osseous roots of the Tree curled up on themselves and tinged black as they rose to the sky. A translucent veil marked the demarcation between Light and Dark, distorting the image of the overhanging ship.

"Zara." The Ghostless Guardian was bent over a journal bound in Hive leather. "Why did you want to see me?"

"Hello, Eris." The Warlock advanced to the camp. The smell of burning oil mingled with the sulfur fumes. "I know you're very busy right now, and I'd do anything to help you, but..."

"Get to the point."

"... I need your expertise."

A joyless smile twisted the Hunter's lips. The green sphere spread an ominous glow over her face.

"What is it?"

"The Darkness sent me a vision last night, through a dream. I followed their message to the Moon, but Savathûn's interference prevented me from receiving it."

Eris leaned over and stared at her without uttering a word. The insistence with which these three masked eyes scanned her made her uncomfortable, but she was used to it and did not show anything.

"The Seed of Silver Wings is our only countermeasure against the Witch Queen's intrusions. We have not yet managed to find Nokris. When we do, the messages of Darkness will become clearer."

"Is there no other way? If Queen Mara would allow us to use the Oracle Engine, maybe we could get around the interference."

"I'll think about it. For now, you have no choice but to wait."

Zara sighed. Even though she had expected it, she was disappointed by this answer.

"It's like this damn curse. We're reduced to waiting and fighting while hoping for a solution to present itself."

"This is how Savathûn proceeds. This is why we must not give in."

"Of course. Thank you, Eris. If you need anything..."

"I'll manage on my own. Go back to the Vanguard, they need you more than I do."

The Warlock complied and returned to her ship, leaving the Guardian to her dark thoughts.

One week.

"Hey, Zara! The crate 126b goes over there, that's container 128!"

"I'm sorry, Ana. My mind was elsewhere."

The Hunter rolled her eyes and walked away mumbling something about Warlocks. Zara branched off and stored her load in the right place, then returned to the cargo ship to get a new one.

Ana had returned from Mars with several tons of Braytech equipment. Having nothing else to do, Zara offered to help her, a Warlock being more efficient than a frame to carry heavy objects.

However, she was not very focused. Every night since her return to the City, the same nightmare came back to haunt her. As a result, her body was resting, but not her mind. She had no news of Eris but did not want to disturb her unnecessarily. If there was any news, she would contact her.

"Koryl, the label is on the top, can you read it?"

"116a," answered the Ghost as it rose above the enormous container.

Zara nodded and grasped the handles of the metal cube filled with equipment and briefly closed her eyes. The weight of the object decreased, then disappeared. The Warlock lifted the container effortlessly and moved to the proper storage location. At least she did not lose her abilities. She just had to wait a little longer. The Young Wolf would stop Nokris.

Two weeks.

Zara rubbed her eyes and grabbed the cup of coffee just out of the machine. She dipped her lips in it and cursed as she replaced the hot beverage. In front of her, Willow raised an eyebrow. Jayden remained impassive.

"You don't look well," the Hunter observed.

"I had noticed."

"I rarely saw you die so often during a Strike."

"I'm just a little tired..."

"Zara." Jayden took her hand. The touch was cold, and she shivered.

"Is something wrong?" the Titan asked. "You've got some serious shadows under your eyes. And you're very pale..."

"I am an Awoken."

"You know what I mean."

Zara let go of the Exo's mechanical hand and took a sip of coffee. The liquid went down her throat and spread a delicious warmth in her chest.

"I'm fine, I assure you." With one look, she urged Koryl to keep silent. The Ghost seemed angry but said nothing. "I'm just stressed about the evacuation."

"Who isn't?" Willow said. "Leave her alone, Jayden. If she has something to say, then she'll tell us, yes?"

The Warlock nodded, and the fireteam finished their breakfast before going back to work.

Three weeks.

"Two Hex, Clover, Plus, Diamond, Hex, Clover."

Zara drew the last symbol and fixed the sheet on the board. There were already fourteen more drawings, sorted since the first night. The six missing combinations came from sleepless nights, or from the series of short naps she took, to avoid at all costs falling into REM sleep.

But fatigue always caught up with her in the end, and she inevitably returned to the vision of the Corridors of Time. So, she tried everything to avoid finding herself in the white sphere, and each time she took a different path. But nothing changed.

"Have you tried going through less than seven doors?" Koryl was scanning the symbols, trying to make a connection between the combinations.

"Yeah. Nothing happens, the time is like... frozen. The dream only moves forward if I go through the portals."

"How long did you wait?"

"Two days ago, twelve hours."

"You slept a lot less. How is that possible?"

"It's not normal sleep. It is a paracausal entity that causes them."

Zara sighed, "Maybe I could be stuck in these corridors forever..."

"And..." Koryl hesitated, "I heard that you wake up for sure if you die in a dream."

"I tried. Nova bomb at point blank range, electrocution, kinetic explosion, energetic..." She stared at her Ghost. "It's like when you're with me. Moments later, I come back to life."

A wince of aversion deformed the Guardian's tired face.

"The Darkness wants to show me a world where the dark doesn't exist. A world where you have nowhere to hide... And where even death is forbidden."

"What an odious lie," Koryl spat out. "Reassure me, you don't believe a word they say, do you?"

"Of course not. But..." The Warlock stared at her hands, trembling with fever. She had stopped going on mission for several days. Only Eris and Ikora knew the affliction that overwhelmed her. "If I can't get rid of these visions, the message will eventually reach me. And I'm afraid of what might happen next. To you."

"We should recall Eris. Nokris can wait, there is certainly another solution..."

"No. We have to trust the Young Wolf. He will succeed."

"Ikora, then!"

"The exodus and preparations are more important than an ailing Guardian."

"Don't say that."

"It's true, though."

Zara's gaze got lost in the sky of the City. The Traveler watched them in the night, eternally silent. A touch of anger seized the Warlock, who abruptly turned away from the alabaster god and returned to her bunk. Nightmares did not strike twice in the same night. She had a few hours left to try to rest. Koryl came to curl up in her arms, and sleep took her away.

Four weeks.

A scream, sounding like a cry of pain, woke her up. She realized it came from her throat. Trembling with fear and cold, she ran her fingertips over her eyelids to check that her eyes were still in place.

In her dream, she had torn them off so that she would no longer have to endure the ubiquitous Light.

Koryl was floating next to her shoulder, looking sad and helpless. He did not say anything, because he knew very well what had just happened.

Zara took a deep breath and stood up. She mechanically grabbed a sheet of paper and began to draw. Dawn broke over the Wall, bringing a soft orange light through the blinds.

"Plus, Two Snakes, Clover, Diamond, Hexagon, Plus."

Zara rested her pencil and massaged her temples.

"Koryl, is the café open at this hour?"

Eager to help, the Ghost nodded and headed for the window. Just before passing through the opening, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Incoming transmission. It's Eris."

"Answer it!" The Warlock rose abruptly and staggered before standing in front of him.

Koryl transmitted the connection to the Vanguard terminal on the desk.

"Zara, do you copy?"

"Perfectly, Eris. It's good to hear you."

"I just briefed the Vanguard. Nokris is defeated. Savathûn's interference has been repelled."

"What did you learn?"

The terminal fell silent for a while.

"The Guardian received the message from the Darkness in its entirety. I will send a report to all the Hidden before leaving Io."

"Where are you going?"

"New forces are in motion. I will go to Europa."

Zara did not ask for more. If she had learned one thing after all these years with the lone Hunter, it was her unwavering determination. There was no point in discussing her choices.

"You're going back below the Moon," she said. It was more of a statement than a question. "Be careful."

"You too, Eris. We'll see you later."

The contact was shut off. Zara put on her armor and equipped her weapons. Fatigue still weighed on her shoulders, but she had a duty to perform. No Guardian worthy of the name stopped fighting when the Darkness was at the City's gates.