[The Cathedral]

The sun sank low, golden light drowning the evening sky, clouds marred the horizon.

Suddenly a sonic boom exploded through orbit, as a sleek black ship tore through the Cosmodrome towards the Plaguelands.

Boosting towards the mining tunnels, the ship decelerated using it's omindirectional sonic thrusters, coming to a gentle stop near the mining tunnels, as a lone figure transmatted down from the ship, and quietly descended into the dark dreary mineshaft.

'Let's see, he pressed this one.'

Void retraced Pahanin's footsteps as he caressed the cavern wall. A few tries later, his hand grazed a hollow spot, runes shines as the walls crumbled, revealing the Cathedral's entrance.

Not wasting anymore time, he paced towards the control room.

"What's this about a briefing?"

Void spotted Kabr and Pahanin gathered around the control terminal.

"Right on time. We're analyzing our entry point."

Kabr gestured Void to participate as he swiped the hologram, enlarging it for all to see.

"Entry point? Were the energy signals not accurate?"

Void spun the image, surveying the topology. 'Rocky mountains and an endless desert.' He frowned.

"No, the energy signals only helped us narrow it down to a planetary scale. If anything, we're searching for needles in a haystack."

Kabr sighed, flashing an irritable frown, Pahanin nodded, seemingly agreeing.

"Surveying all of Mars is impossible. It would take us years. Even if all of us split up."

Void contemplated for a strategy yet his head was completely blank.

'Ah...I wish a quest marker was here.' He lamented.

He didn't think that locating the Ahamkara itself would be a huge challenge. 'I mean, they're practically dragons, where would they hide?'

Or so he thought....

The trio stood in solemn silence, coming up completely blank in terms of a plan.

"But wait. How will the other teams locate them?" Void furrowed his brows. Surely someone had figured out something?

Kabr and Pahanin shared a glance as the two continued to sigh.

"All other fireteams have a very narrow search location. It can't be compared to a planetary energy signature."

"...Are we fu*ked?" his shoulders stooped low.

"Not yet. Catch"

A voice interjected, and Praedyth walked out of his study, disheveled and lethargic. He chucked a hollow spherical node to Kabr.

"The Ahamkara emit paracausal radiation, A wavelength detected by sensitive light alloys. All we need is a compass to tune out the noise."

Kabr spun the ball as he found a small luminescent white shard suspended at its center.

"Is this.."

Praedyth grinned, with slight pride.

"A shard of the traveler. If you're looking for paracausal activity, there's no better material. It's extremely sensitive, and will fly to the closest source."

Void's eyes widened as he inched closer to the ball.

"Are you serious?"

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It piqued his curiosity, but seeing as Kabr was holding it...

'Perhaps I should calm down.'

"I thought the speaker demanded all the shards be returned. This...is quite troublesome." Kabr grew solemn.

He handed the Orb to Pahanin, who examined it with great interest. A few mumbles followed as Pahanin muttered under his breath, closely eyeing the orb.

"..um" Void's hands itched as he stood waiting for his turn.

"The speaker won't be concerned. He owes me one, just make sure no one else knows of the orb."

Pahanin nodded deeply, handing over the Orb to Void. But just as it hovered above his palm, Praedyth flicked a finger as it swooped back into his hand.

"Wh-what" Void flinched as the orb slipped through his fingers.

Praedyth shot him a wary glance, "That means you need to keep your mouth shut. If anyone finds out about this, you're in deep shit."

Void gulped, he knew the severity of the situation. Shards of the traveler were exotic. The great machine had long lost parts of its exterior coating through the first collapse.

These small shards that rained over earth were quite shocking. They provided great abilities to the guardians. Almost to a fault, because it also attracted prying eyes.

Void understood that guardians....were volatile people. They held a certain thirst for power. A hunger to prove themselves against the world. To face the darkness. But that cultivated greed. Greed wasn't bad, but when it exceeded one's limits....things turned sour.

Guardians would sooner kill each other endlessly than surrender the shards. That was when the speaker stepped in. Gathering the remaining shards and destroying them through unknown means.

Void looked expectantly towards Praedyth. He didn't know how he had a shard, but it was an opportunity of countless lifetimes.

"Fine, but if a single word comes out of this. It's your ass on the line." Preadyth caved and handed the Orb over.

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Name: Praedyth's Compass

Rank: Legendary (Artifact)

"Even within the darkest depths, under the deepest oceans or beyond the seven skies, the compass will always guide you towards the energies of the universe."

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Void caressed the orb carefully as he felt a jolt run through his body.

"Wait"

Praedyth frowned, as he rubbed his nose. Raising a brow at Void, he leaned closer.

"Did you finally wash your cloak?"

A stiff frown etched onto Void's forehead as he tightened his grip around the orb.

"Uhm....SO, how does this thing work anyway."

Preadyth rubbed his chin as he studied Void's face.

"Hmm. It's quite a simple principle. You'll need a fast ship, circle around Mars a few times. Analyzing the orbs reaction through a few rotations will allow us to pinpoint the area with the highest density of Paracausal activity."

"That's it?" Void was astonished.

Praedyth, on the other hand, cackled like a mad dog.

"What? You expected some complicated formulas and spells? We both know you're too retarded to even comprehend those, so I kept it short and simple."

Void's brows twitched, as he narrowed his eyes.

"Huh? Old man, you're practically ancient. I am surprised your aged mind can even remember formulas. Let's not mention that you gave me centuries old engrams to decode either."

He scoffed looking at Void fiddling with the orb.

"Alright, that's enough, give it back, you'll damage it with your brute hands."

"Tsk."

Void reluctantly passed the orb over, he rubbed his fingers together, feeling lingering power on his skin.

Kabr chimed in solemnly.

"Pahanin, show Void the gear, and pack everything up. We're leaving soon."

The hunter nodded, as he turned towards the door.

"Follow me."

Void thought nothing of it as he tagged along with Pahanin. He considered it a boon. Although Pahanin wasn't very social, his gadgets and artifacts were always legendary. It wouldn't hurt to see what he had worked on.

The two hunters scuttled out the room, leaving Kabr and Praedyth behind.

They shared a glance as the air grew heavy.

"Any progress?"

Kabr's words were vague, but the warlock frowned, knowing exactly what he meant.

"No. I don't know who made it, or how it's there. But that Vault is impregnable. There's no other way to enter it."

Preadyth shook his head with a deflated sigh.

The two shared a second of silence, as the titan continued.

"We've spent a decade, waiting, studying. It's clear we need a more direct approach."

Kabr insisted.

"No. The vault is dangerous, Vex networks scour the place. There's only one way in, and that's suicide. There's no data on anything inside, spatial coordinates are disrupted through unknown means."

"It's a trap Kabr, a deathtrap designed for those who dare try. The vault is a curse. It plagues the mind, it draws you in, but the moment you enter, it's like you've vanished from this world."

Praedyth's voice carried slight terror, his face turned pale recalling the archaic vault deep in the heart of Venus.

The Vault of Glass they called it. A decade earlier, their fireteam had found it, there was only one way to enter, through legions of Vex, unlocking a gate leading to a never ending chasm. Knowing it was impossible to trek through, they had given up.

Biding their time, collecting information and gathering equipment. Yet, they still couldn't figure it out. Something deep within the Vault called to them, it urged them to rush inside, like an itch in the soul.

Praedyth wished to forget the Vault, to move on. But alas, Kabr had other plans. He couldn't let the titan rush in alone, hence, he tried and he kept trying. Not willing to see the man he admired walk to his death.

Praedyth's gaze softened as he glanced at Kabr, a solemn frown growing on the titan's face.

"Try again. We need to try again Praedyth. You know it. There's something that calls us, beckons us inside. We can't stop now."

Kabr felt incensed for a second, as he heaved a sigh.

"Kabr please, I implore you to see reaso-"

"No. Not now, we can talk after we finish the hunt. Until then, please keep working Preadyth."

Kabr interjected, leaving before the warlock could reply.

Praedyth glanced at Kabr's departing back, words stuck on the tip of his tongue, he clenched his fists and exhaled a sigh.