Survivors Ch.4: Interim

Table of Contents https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/229522482/0/0 [b]Note: Words spoken in the Eliksni language are italicized[/b] "Those Hive didn't look so tough," Noel dismisses, "I've eaten things that looked scarier!" We're at a square table in a bar. I'm sitting at the corner, facing the entryway, and there's an empty chair between Noel and I. A brunette woman sits next to Noel. Two Vandals, a redheaded man, and a black male Exo sit across from us. We're all City Guard members, though I don't know any of the others' names. Socializing isn't something I do often. I'm in my armor, with my helmet off, and everyone else is in civilian clothes. Noel is an average sized man, and his short brown hair is swept back, giving an unobstructed view of his bright hazel eyes and childish grin. "No, you haven't," a Vandal slurs. "Yeah, that's easy for you to say, Noel," the man japes, leaning in from the corner of the table opposite me, "You get to relax in the Tower watching video feed while the rest of us get shot at." "Hey, it's not all fun and games for me!" Noel replies, pointing at everyone , "I miss fieldwork. The amount of paperwork I have to deal with would kill y'all in seconds." "Let's not talk about paperwork, please," Avery requests, sitting down next to me. She's a white Exo, very small, with orange eye and mouth lights. Next to someone as mountainous as me, she looks like a child. She sips her drink, then sighs, "We're all off duty." "Speakin' of," the woman inquires, nudging Noel with an elbow, "How in the name of the Traveler did the ENTIRE Vanguard get off duty at the same time?" "Hey, keep it down," Noel shushes, "We don't want to draw a crowd. You know how many ladies are after me." I look around the bar. There's only a few civilians, and some are stealing glances, but it doesn't seem like anyone is planning on approaching us. "You see any ladies after Noel, Keis?" The man asks sarcastically. [i]"Probably want to kill him,"[/i] the Vandal clicks. Everyone laughs at that. "They'll have to beat me to it," Avery mutters. They all laugh harder. "Seriously, though," the woman insists, "How'd you all get out?" "The Kells are leading the watch on the Cosmodrome for awhile," Avery explains, "And without any extra search parties to sort, we got a small break." "Well, I can cheers to that," the man chuckles, standing and lifting his glass, "To the Vanguard being temporarily nonexistent." We all raise our glasses. "You know," the Exo adds, "Being quieter wouldn't really help. Avery's got the most recognized face in the City, other than the Consensus." [i]"Yes,"[/i] the second Vandal agrees, then indicates me with a sweep of his arm, [i]"And Keis is still wearing his armor."[/i] "He brought his sword, too!" The woman guffaws, pointing to the bar's entryway, "It's propped in the corner!" "What the heck, Keis!" Noel chides, "Are you ever really off duty? I shrug, "I'm always prepared." "Plus," Avery adds, "He's got Wall duty in two hours." "Well, I guess we can't all be off for long," Noel sighs, "And trying to make Keis stop thinking about combat for ten seconds is pointless." "Why are you so attached to that old broadsword anyway, Keis?" the man questions. "Oh!" Noel snaps, smacking the table and nearly knocking over his chair as he stands, "I love this story! I'll tell it!" "Who told you?" I inquire. "Avery did," Noel answers, jabbing a thumb at her. "Guilty as charged," Avery admits, "He wouldn't stop nagging me about it." "You're horrible, Noel," the Exo criticizes. "Here's the story!" Noel claps, ignoring the snide remark, "Back in the old days, before the Eliksni came and before the universe was graced with my birth, there was trouble in the Cosmodrome. Travelers passing to and from the City were getting attacked by raiding parties, so the City sent out some soldiers to go beat the crap out of whoever was causing the problem." Avery leans close to me and whispers, "Well, he hasn't messed it up so far." "Keis and Avery were two of the soldiers," Noel continued, "And they went into the Plaguelands to the Warlords' territories. They found the Warlord who was closest to the attacks and knocked on his door. You know what happened next?" Noel pauses for dramatic effect. "Get on with it!" The second human urges. "The Warlord comes out begging for help!" Noel resumes, "He says that some Warlords calling themselves the Iron Lords are goin' on a rampage, takin' over territories. And anyone who doesn't join 'em gets killed!" [i]"So they were the ones attacking travelers,"[/i] the second Vandal deduces. "Yup," Avery affirms. "So the Warlord tells the soldiers where the Iron Lords are living, and how to bargain with them," Noel renews, "When the City's soldiers got to the place, they met the nine leaders of the Iron Lords and made a deal." "How did they bargain?" The first Vandal asks. Noel swishes his hand through the air like he's holding a knife and explains, "Those guys were nuts for sword fights, like knights in old stories. Most Warlords were like that, since guns weren't very common, but the Iron Lords had this whole chivalry thing goin' on. So the deal was single combat, with seconds. If the Iron Lords won, the City would leave them alone. If the City won, the Iron Lords would stop their raids and stop expanding. So Keis and Avery got picked." "This sounds like it's gonna be exciting," the Exo predicts, folding his hands on the table, "Another one of Avery's famous adventures. I'm surprised we haven't heard this before." "I didn't do anything," Avery retorts, sliding her finger over the edge of her glass and smirking, "Keis is the one who handed their butts to 'em." Everyone looks to me, and Noel's smile widens as he returns to his tale, "So, one of the Iron Lords gave Keis that broadsword and a shield. His opponent was a lady with a battle-axe and shield. The lady starts swinging at him, and bashing with her shield. And-" Noel stops and suppresses a laugh. "What?" The woman questions. "Well," Noel chortles, "In Keis' defense, he had never used a sword before. The lady eventually knocked the sword out of his hand." Everyone oohs apprehensively. "Anyone want to place bets on whether or not Keis survived?" Noel inquires, indicating me with a casual flick of his hand. "We can all see he survived, you idiot," the man chaffs. "It was worth a try," Noel shrugs, then returns to the story, moving in mimicry of the fight, "He dodged the axe a few more times, then grabbed the handle and punched her in the face! She stumbled back and he kicked her to the ground, then he picked his sword back up. Before she could get up, he stabbed at her a few times. She parried some, but he finished her off." The woman whoops, "Way to go, Kei-!" "Shut it!" Noel interrupts, smiling to show he means no offense, "The Iron Lords still had their second. The second was another lady with an axe and shield, and she was raving mad. She lunged at him, hackin' and slashin' until Keis got a slice in and killed her." "Can I cheer, now?" The woman asks. "No," Noel answers, "So, the Iron Lords followed their end of the agreement and the City's soldiers went back home. Eventually, the other Warlords got too scared and teamed up to finish off the Iron Lords. And we all lived happily ever after. The end. You can applaud now." No one claps. "You suck, Noel," the man jibes. "What?" Noel inquires. "You just slapped in the ending," the man replies. "Imagine you were writing a story about Keis' adventures," the Exo explains, "The readers would've been all interested and excited. Then you ungracefully spit out a rushed and boring description of the end. You completely killed the readers' interest!" "But I told the whole story," Noel returns, then sits and turns to Avery, "Did I miss anything?" "Yeah," Avery remarks, "The part where Keis sweeps you off your feet and carries you into the sunset." They all crack up. "I'd rather kiss an Eliksni!" Noel gasps between giggles. "Try it, and I'll kill you," the second Vandal hisses. I shake my head and say, "I'll never understand your jokes, Noel." "And that," Noel wheezes, reaching past Avery to pat my back, "Is why you're still friends with me!"