Chapter Eight: Painful Visions Everything was dark, and it was this darkness that filled Mar. He felt nothing, saw nothing, he could only think. He had no control over the thoughts that came unbidden to his mind now that everything had changed. The only thing his mind kept coming back to was the devilry that now, seemingly, consumed his soul. If it was not the Light, then it must be the Dark, and he could not let it go. It was the only thing he could see. He kept wishing he never came down this hole, never followed that light that led him to this God forsaken cave. Mar begged himself to be dreaming, for this all to be fake, but he knew it wasn’t that easy though. Purple and blue lights flashed in front of Mar as he felt himself twist in his place. Searing pain swarmed through his body, and it felt as if his very flesh was being torn and burned. Mar tried to scream, but it did not work. As suddenly as the pain started it stopped, and the lights came to a stand-still. A brilliant, blinding flash of white washed over his eyes stealing Mar’s vision from him. It forced him to his knees, and he instinctively tucked his face into the bend of his elbow, turning his head away from the light Grass grew beneath him, soft and plush in a rustling breeze. Mountains rose around him, covered in trees and moss. Mar stood and looked to his surroundings. He found himself in the middle of a small clearing, broken, sagging buildings crowded all around him. Resting behind him, a Fallen Skiff that’s ultimate demise resulted it being turned into a pile of scraps that dug deep into the soil of the ground. And for some reason or another, he felt as if he was here before; he knew this place. Two Titans and a Hunter, rushed past Mar in a whir of metal and steel armor. The trio disappeared from sight as they vanished down a dark hallway that led down into the bowels of one of the abandoned structures. More Guardians ran through the area while a few stayed here, hunting the Fallen and Vex that battled here. Mar watched intently, wondering just what exactly he was seeing, and questioning as to why he was here. Unexpectedly, another burning pain spread down his back, and slid around to his torso. He crashed to the ground in agony. After what seemed an eternity, but was really only a minute, the acute pain subsided. Slowly, Mar stood and looked back at the Guardians that remained. He noticed Vex clouds appearing all over the place with more Fallen skiffs inbound. Enemies began swarming around a small group of Guardians that were in the middle of it all. Seeking refuge under the Fallen Skiff that had crashed nearby, they huddled together like dogs escaping the falling rain of a summer storm. Mar just watched as both sides devoured each other. Vex, Fallen, Guardians; it didn’t matter to the relentless number of fiery rounds that skipped along the ground and flew through the air smashing into anything the artillery came into contact with. Mar’s eyes widened and, shortly thereafter, his heart filled with sorrow as he watched a Vex Minotaur move on a slow death march towards the Guardians. He watched the Minotaur walk down behind a pile of rubble, fading away from his sight. He started to run over when he saw the stranger, suited in armor, rush out of the pit. He stepped back and watched as the man charged forward into the battle. He had both blades out, slashing through metal and flesh. Mar stood near the top of the gaping hole, keeping the swirling swarm of enemies from locating the hidden warriors. The man began to throw knives, seemingly with no end, and they found each mark with an accuracy that was unrivaled by any other. With each dagger point digging into the hard skulls of the Fallen, and soft white bellies of the Vex, every blade that struck pay dirt disintegrated into a purplish-blue vapor. Mar stood and watched the stranger, faster than anything he had ever thought possible, demolish wave after wave of enemy forces. No matter how many came, He continued to hold them at bay. As Mar watched the onslaught continue, his jaw hung open in utter disbelief. How could this be happening? What was going on? Who was this stranger?, defeating a countless number of endless drones and Fallen? He had barely any time to even begin to wrap his head around it when all to familiar stabbing pain shot down through his spine and spread out along his back. His knees wobbled and then buckled. He collapsed into a pile of pain that lay quaking and convulsing on the ground. The unbearable sensation burned and seared upon Mar’s torso, and much to his dismay, lasted considerably longer than the last. Everything went dark again, before a new scene formed around Mar. He found himself covered in mud, rain tinking off his helmet. Mar was on a path through a mountain range. The rocks climbed high above him. Mar looked around, expecting the see the stranger, somewhere in the rain. Mar found the stranger, sitting against the rocks, covered in mud, and sitting next to something else. A Fallen the size of a Kell sat hunched next to the man. Its armor was black as night, the chest piece could still be seen rising and falling. The Fallen was breathing heavy, as if in danger or hurt. Mar looked and noticed what was wrong. The bottom two arms of the beast had been severed. Mar also took notice it’s cloak was in pieces, this Kell, had been banished and shamed. The stranger was talking to the Kell, in a comforting tone. Mar came closer to hear what is was. “Sevrick, my new friend, you have several paths to take now. One path will lead you to darkness, turning you into a monster. Another will take you crawling back to be a Dreg once again, or more likely killed for everything you have done. The third path you can take, is to come with me. I can provide you shelter, a new life. You can be the first Kell to fight for the Light. The Guardians are not evil, they attack because the Eleksni attacked them. It will be tough, but you can join me and prove to them that the Eliksni are still good. If they want to live in the light, this is the only way. You will always have a choice to change who you are, you just have to take a step forward, please Sevrick.” Mar fell back, taken by surprise that the stranger was offering Light to a Kell. Before he could watch more the pain came back. Blinding him to what was happening. Once the pain had passed, he was able to roll onto his knees and prop himself up, resting his palms on the ground. Mar was breathing heavily, still recovering when he looked up, he found himself back at the tree. He was back here, in the same peaceful place where he had found comfort and serenity not so very long ago. Mar eventually was able to stand on his feet as he took a couple of sharp inhales of oxygen into his lungs, he noticed that he was not alone. He felt the same strange feeling come over him as another scene began to unfold in front of him. Standing in front of him, once again, was the stranger, only this time, his helmet was off. He stood facing away from Mar, watching another that was laying upon the grass. It was a female, still wearing her armor with the exception of her helmet. She was laying back in the grass, exhausted. Mar stood nearby, watching her. He looked on as he listened to himself speak soft, kind words to her at her. “There is more to life than breathing. You must not despair, you are stronger than you now and it is this strength that will guide you. Look within yourself, Bree, and you will see a beautiful soul that is trying desperately to escape. You mustn’t dwell on the past, for if you look back, you will be lost.” The stranger that had just spoken to this woman called Bree, looked up and directly at the Mar who felt beaten, broken, and lost. Mar looked forward, finally seeing the face of the Stranger. Mar knew, who this man was, he could not help but know. The man that stood before Mar, staring straight at him, was Mar. Before him was himself, suited in armor, speaking to Bree. The Mar decorated in armor stared straight into Mars eyes, and spoke kindly. “Look into the future, there you will see, everything will all soon be clear.” Everything went white after that. The pain and agony surged and bubbled through every inch of Mar’s body. Every part, every inch, every molecule of his body felt as if it were being eradicated out of existence and into Hell. His nerves were screaming, everything cringing. He could not stand the pain, he could not deal with it anymore, nor did he want to deal with it anymore. Then, everything went black again. Rise of a Legend Chapter 1: The City https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/120713153 Chapter 7: Away from the Light https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/130399543