Finally putting this out there and... done! If you missed the last chapter, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/222342350]here[/url]. To get to the master thread for all chapters, go [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/221708618?sort=0&page=0]here[/url]. Enjoy this chapter and leave some feedback! [i]The cold between the stars is unbearable. Do not despair, it is temporary, oh, listener mine.[/i] These words echoed through my head as Kelso was flying the ship. He sat there, grinning, still amused by my anger at him for killing me. I still did not tell him what I heard, and I cannot explain how I would have heard it if I was dead. I whispered to my Ghost, telling him what I heard and asking if any other Guardian had experienced this. He answered, "Strange that this happens. Only one Guardian has ever had this happen, but that was because... never mind." Ghost seemed to be concerned, as if what I heard could be dangerous. Nonetheless, I persisted him. "Tell me, Ghost. It will not do you any harm. I should be obligated to know what it means." He made a sound, as if he was sighing. "The Guardian was a Warlock, bearing a helmet made of the bone of a beast called, 'Ahamkara'. Wish-granters, solipsistic flatterers. From what I have heard, they are 'dragon-like' creatures, arriving here after the Collapse." Ghost began to trail off. "Ghost, what about the Warlock?" "Ah, yes, the Warlock! He called his helmet, 'Skull of Dire Ahamkara'. When the bones of an Ahamkara are used as armor, the bearer receives these auditory hallucinations. Ahamkara speak possessively, ending sentences with a phrase similar to, 'oh, listener mine'. The first time the Warlock died wearing the helmet, he heard that exact phrase!" This was puzzling. I have never heard of, let alone seen, such a creature. The whole idea seemed deluded. "What happened to the Warlock? And why did I hear it, if I am not wearing any bone?" Ghost replied, "To answer your first question, the Warlock continued to have hallucinations, eventually going mad. He exiled himself, and Guardians have searched for him for many years. The second question is impossible to answer." Kelso entered the room with a grin on his face, "Get ready, Kirk. I have just been filled in about a Fallen presence moving in old Chicago. Not Devils, but another... unidentified. Wearing white cloaks, insignia cannot be seen from long distance. We are going in close!" Kelso had an obvious fascination with the Eliksni. "I'm ready when you are. Kelso, I thought the Devils were the only Fallen House on earth. I know you said there are others, but what are the others?" Kelso looked more than happy to answer my question. "Well, so far you have seen the Devils. Another, besides those white-cloaks that have been reported, are the House of Kings. Secretive, never work openly, and almost never seen. On the Moon, you have the Exiles, with virtually no leadership. Venus, the House of Winter: wonderful thieves, kell recently killed. The House of Wolves, spread throughout the system after they broke away from the Queen of the Reef." Kelso took a breathe, just about out of it. "A few notable others are the House of Judgment with their single member, Variks, who is loyal to the Queen. Then you have the House of Scar, traversing the Reef to rebuild their house. Only a single ketch, surprisingly enough. A few others lost long ago, and a few others that I might not know of, such as the ones we are about to encounter." After Kelso was done with his long explanation of the houses, we landed on the surface, with some distance between us and these Fallen. Kelso took point through the marsh that surrounded. Odd that a large city like this could have any marshland; foggy and unpleasant, it was. Water entered my boot, and I saw some hope when we got onto a clear street. Kelso said to me, "These Fallen are up ahead. We are only here to see why they are here; scans say they have a Walker tank, and I don't think we want to face that." I did not know what a 'Walker tank' was, but it sounded like a form of tech that I did not want to become affiliated with. We heard footsteps and voices up ahead; Eliksni, unable to read. We peaked our to see a battalion of Fallen, and it seemed that they had brought an emissary. A cloaked figure approached the large emissary, holding out his hands to receive something. Kelso whispers, "I know Eliksni tongue. They are signing a treaty, and the Fallen seem to be presenting some type of gift to the cloaked figure. I wonder who he is..." The emissary handed him a weapon's case. Large enough to hold some type of gun or blade within it. I mutter, "It's an arms' deal. Kelso, do you recognize the insignia on the capes of the Fallen?" The insignia was a black skull painted on the white cloak. Most definitely Fallen, seeing how the skull had four orbital cavities. Kelso says with disgust, "Yes. The Fallen House of Bones. There has been few sightings, but they are confirmed present in the system. There was a time when the Tower saw them on Mars, but they were only there temporarily. Fourteen Guardians were sent all across Mars, and when one of them found the encampment," Kelso continued, "they all regrouped to fight. But the Fallen were too smart, and already knew of the hunt. The greatest of this relatively large garrison were sent with their crews, and they butchered the Guardians." Kelso looked as if he was still grieving for someone in this crew of Guardians. These pirates that loot our system are butchers and thieves. But one must wonder why this 'House of Bones' was here on earth, and who this strange man is. The cloaked figure walked off into the thick fog after a few "good riddance's" with the Fallen. The emissary and his soldiers marched back onto their skiffs, taking off to who-knows-where. Kelso checked his sensor and said, "Fallen are still here, but the Walker tank and the larger half of the forces are gone. I'm also tracking the hooded man; he is heading for a ship further down the street. We'd better move, but watch where you're going." We walked through alleyways to keep from attracting attention, and it seemed whoever we were following knows we are here. I whisper to Kelso, "His pace has quickened. We ought to move faster if we want to reach him. I hate to say it, Kelso, but we might not be able to avoid Fallen crews." Kelso considers me for a second. He knows we cannot keep moving through alleyways to reach him before he reaches his ship. "Alright; we will move through the streets, but quietly." We hasten while heading through the streets, already hearing Fallen chanting, but I still have not seen any. Something tells me they're waiting. Kelso says, "He's just up ahead! Keep going!" We ran the rest of the way, and Fallen poured out of the windows of the buildings like bugs. [i]Why are there so many?[/i] I thought to myself. The cloaked man was just outside of his ship. He wore a mask over his face, and bone on his arms and legs. He handed the weapon case to a Fallen who took it inside the ship. We ran toward him, stopping just twenty yards from him. Fifty Fallen stopped about fifty yards behind us, waiting for an order. The man spoke for the first time. "Guardians; welcome to Chicago! I am sorry that my escort group is trying to kill you, but that is the Kell's orders. Now, if you will excuse me..." The man turned around and only took one step until Kelso shouted. "Hey! You aren't leaving until we understand what is going on here! I am sorry that I must persist, but that is the [i]Commander's orders[/i]!" Bold move on Kelso's part. The man turned back to us calmly. "This is not any of your business, Guardian. Don't make them kill you. No, do not make [i]me[/i] kill you." Now he was being stern, securing authority. I replied, trying to show no fear, "This does not need to happen. We are here to find out what these Fallen have to do with you, and what deal you have made. We are not asking again; what is happening here?" "You want answers, do you? Have it your way... [i]slave[/i]."