Chapter 41: The Great Ahamkara Hunt (6)
A/N: We went from 52 to 59 ratings/reviews!!! Nice, keep it up guys. I love to see the feedback in the reviews. Also helps new readers decide if they want to read the story.
Anyhow, enjoy the chapter, give stones!!
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Praedyth inched closer to Void, slightly intrigued by the hilt of the arc saber.
"You wield a sword?" He asked, voice laced with a hint of excitement.
"May I?" Praedyth outstretched his hand.
For some reason, Void felt like he couldn't refuse, and unsheathed the saber. Presenting it to Praedyth, as he gently laid it in the warlock's hands.
As Praedyth inspected the saber, Void observed the legendary warlock in front of him. The Living myth, the man erased from time itself.
Praedyth seemed, unreal to say the least. Void looked right at him, yet he felt like he was staring at an apparition. His appearance was subtle, one that no one would notice.
He donned a tattered blue robe, gray armor underneath. His arms were wrapped in strange white bandages. There was nothing special about it.
But Praedyth's aura was frightening. As a warlock, he didn't have the habit of hiding it. Hence, Void was able to experience it, to the extent that Void didn't understand how light could be so dense.
It almost felt like Praedyth was wearing a second armor made purely of light.
Void focused his eyes, as they peered through Praedyth's stats.
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Name: Praedyth
Age: ????
Race: Human
Sub-class: voidwalker
Light = ????? (Unrestricted)
Level= ????? (Unrestricted)
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'I can't see through him', Void narrowed his eyes.
"Eliksni tech. Fascinating isn't it. A saber engineered with an arc core, harnessing the electricity as a blade."
Praedyth swung the saber around, adjusting his grip.
"Perfectly balanced blade."
The eccentric warlock finally traced his finger along the sharpened edge, as it nicked his finger, but instead of blood, a wisp of light dripped out, seemingly stitching up his wound.
"A good sword. You've got a keen eye to have picked this up." He chuckled, tossing it back.
Void grabbed the hilt and sheathed it again, taking a relaxed breath now that there wasn't a crazy warlock swinging a sword near him.
"Thank you. I guess I did get lucky finding this sword. I almost died for it too." Void snickered, recalling that day.
"Ohho? Did you now, I suppose every hunter has an odd weapon or two they risked their life for." Preadyth chortled, recalling Pahanin's antics.
"Now then, let's go. We can't keep them waiting." He snapped his fingers as the pages in his room came to life, assembling into a neat grimoire that jumped into his arms.
Void was impressed by his stellar skill as he nodded, "Please, lead the way."
Praedyth lead Void towards the roundtable room, a placed filled with holograms, screens and various other terminals constantly spewing out data.
As the two walked inside, Void saw Kabr already tinkering with the holograms, while Pahanin scoured the data nodes, running from terminal to terminal.
Kabr turned around, seeing the two approach as he gave a faint smile.
Void's eyes peered through the titan,
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Name: Kabr
Age: ????
Race: Human
Title: The Legion less
Sub-class: Defender
Light = ????? (Unrestricted)
Level= ????? (Unrestricted)
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"So?"
Praedyth flicked his wrist as the grimoire flew to Kabr, landing softly in his palm.
"He passed, barely."
Void furrowed his brows, "Barely?"
Praedyth rolled his eyes as he shoved Kabr aside and began flicking through the holograms.
"Yes barely, if you didn't notice the looping spell, I would have failed you. But, fortunately, you've got a good head on your shoulders." Praedyth paused, his hands froze.
"Ah, but you did manage to notice Pahanin. I was shocked. Your senses.... are exceptional." He smirked.
Kabr's eyes widened, "He did...what?"
"Surprising isn't it. That bastard can trick his own shadow, but somehow got detected by him."
Praedyth continued browsing through the holograms, Void glanced at a few, but they only seemed to show planets and moons in the solar system.
"Oi, is it true?" Kabr shot Pahanin a glance, as the hunter was still scrambling from terminal to terminal.
"Yes." Pahanin replied hastily, still absorbed in his work.
Void glanced at the hunter, this time with his skill.
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Name: Pahanin
Age: ????
Race: Human
Sub-class: XXXXXX
Light = ????? (Unrestricted)
Level= ????? (Unrestricted)
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Kabr's eye was full of awe as he glanced at Void, "You're better than you look."
Void sighed, "You know, I appreciate the compliment, but I do have one question."
Kabrs sight focused on Void , "Go on."
Void walked towards Kabr, "The Vanguard told me you request a Nightstalker. But, it just doesn't make sense."
His words made Praedyth and Kabr give him a confused look.
Void pointed to Pahanin who was still scurrying back and forth, "That guy, he's a Nightstalker isn't he?"
Not letting anyone interrupt, Void continued, "I have never met him, but I know he can run circles around me if he wants to. Tell me the truth, why did you request me?."
Void concluded Pahanin was a Nightstalker the moment he had somehow trapped him in the dark. Yet the system showed that he wasn't?.
Regardless, if they had someone this stealthy, why did they need him?
So he couldn't help but think why the fireteam had requested him to join.
Praedyth and Kabr shared a glance, followed by Kabr swaying his head.
" Your questions are appreciated Void, but unfortunately I cannot give you an answer yet. Don't worry, it's nothing related to the hunt." Kabr replied
Void's ears perked up, "Yet?"
Kabr nodded, "I plan on telling you, once we think you're ready."
"As for Pahanin. He, isn't a Nightstalker like you. That bastard grew up in the dark ages. He learned to adapt and survive with what he had. The concept of a Nightstalker wasn't yet invented. You'll be surprised with his abilities if you get to see them."
Void looked at the titan with curiosity, but soon an ecstatic shout snapped the three of them out of their talks.
"I found it."
Those three simple words had Praedyth and Kabr running to the terminal as they huddled around Pahanin.
"Hey, get...I said GET OFF ME...You'll mess up my helmet." Pahanin flung his arm, getting out of their small huddle as he wiped off the dust from his armor.
Void was slightly surprised at the hunters demeanor. He acted cold initially, but he could see that with Praedyth and Kabr, there was a slight spark, that just struck warmth within the trio.
Void felt his eyes turning hazy as he recalled their penultimate fate, 'Ah...it stings.'
'Praedyth, the warlock erased from his own timeline. Kabr, the titan who would face a legion for centuries in a time loop, and lastly Pahanin, the hunter who would somehow escape, losing part of his sanity. Eventually dying to Dredgen Yor.'
'Wait'
It was at this moment, that a thought struck Void....'Dredgen Yor?'
His mind raced back to the day he fought Shin Malphur.
'Why didn't I realize it sooner.' His thoughts were in disarray, as Void sprained his memory, recallinh what Shin said to Wei.
'-The last titan to survive was Rezyl Azzir, but he's ancient history....' Void immediately froze.
Dredgen Yor was an alias for the titan Rezyl Azzir.
'Dredgen Yor...is already ancient history. The future, has changed.' Void's eyes went wide.
He looked at the trio once more, particularly at Pahanin as the hunter squabbled with his team.
'Pahanin's future has already been changed. If so...could I really change the future for everyone else?' Void questioned himself.
Void was not one for ideals. Unlike the idealists, he knew what he would face in the future. He trusted his ability and luck. But something like changing the future was far too uncertain. He wasn't that strong yet.
However, as he watched Pahanin still alive, while Dredgen Yor had already been defeated....Void felt a hope blooming inside of him. He recalled the future of Wei, Eriana, Sai, Tevis...Cayde....All the one's he had grown slightly close to....
For the first time, Void truly felt that with his meagre power, perhaps he could make a difference.
Caught in his train of thought, Void was lost in a trance.
That was until Kabr and the trio stopped bickering and finally began focusing on their terminal.
"Void, care to join?" Praedyth invited, Void felt a jolt as he snapped out of his daydreams.
He walked towards the trio, reading the data they had found.
"This is?"
"The Vanguard instructed each team to find the Ahamkara. The creatures are apparently scattered around the solar system. Our team chose Mars."
Void nodded, as he began reading the energy signal from the planet's surface.
"At first we looked over it's moons, but found nothing. However, a few days ago, for some reason, the energy signal on mars spiked. Exactly at the same time as the terraforming on Venus." Praedyth commented.
"So the Ahamkara are on Mars." Void concluded.
"That is what we think. The Vanguard told us to wait for the awoken treaty, but we think it's better to go alone and verify the search. What about you?" Kabr chimed in.
Void stammered hearing his words.
"Uh..I don't think that is possible." He replied, with a slightly flushed face.
Praedyth looked at him questioningly, "Is there something wrong with the data?" He asked, refusing to believe it.
"No, no. The data seems fine but..."
Void sighed, "Err, you see...I-I don't have a jumpship capable for interplanetary travel." He stuttered.
Preadyth immediately gawked at him with a deadpan look as Pahanin face palmed while Kabr was simply left speechless.
"..."
"Are you serious?"
"...yes"
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter, quick release because I am happy that I got a lot of new reviews!!! The stones help as motivation too!!! Thank you so much for giving the reviews. Comment what you liked, and ask if you've got any questions!!!