Paradox: The Dredgen Yor Journals 12

Hi, all! This is another facet of Rezyl Azzir/Dredgen Yor (gamer tag Basket34Ball) Paradox story, told from the perspective of James' rival Dredgen Yor in a series of journal entries. This only complements the series, so you won't get the full experience just reading this. This is a link to the Table of Contents: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/222610151?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=0 If you're ambitious, here's the first part to get you started: [url]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/222438285?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=0[/url] Hope you enjoy! ____________________________________ [u][b]Entry 9,452[/b][/u] ^You.^ Malphur. ^Never thought I'd see you again.^ If I had Glimmer for every time I heard that...Anyway, here I am. ... How've things been? ^Bad, like they usually are, but getting better. Something we don't get around here to often.^ Didn't think you'd rebuild. ^Many didn't. But with the Fallen clearing out, it didn't make sense for Palamon to remain ashes. Despite the history, people are willing to come.^ ... And Courtney? ^...She knows she's your daughter, but doesn't know you. People won't let her forget, either. It ain't her fault.^ ...I never wanted this... ^That's irrelevant at this point, isn't it? What's happened has happened. We all got to live with it...some more than most.^ What's she like, now? ^To be honest, I don't think [i]she [/i]knows. Mostly, I think she wants your ghost to die, but doesn't know how to make it happen. On good days she goes by Courtney Bray, tries to distance herself from you as much as possible, hoping no one makes a connection, and wants to make up for the wrongs you did. On bad days, though, she's Courtney Yor, and thinks the only way to blot you out is to be a darker shadow than you ever were. My girl, Pari, ran into her one of those days.^ Oh God, did she...? ^Hell no. I raised her right in the wilds. She held her own.^ That's good. ... Where is she now? ^After that last little incident, she got suspended from the City for a good long while. Decided to help rebuild Palamon. She's been having a few good days.^ She here now? ^Yep, just inside the building I came from.^ Thanks...for everything. ^Don't thank me. Even after all these years, I still don't know why I let you go. Might not do it a second time.^ I'll keep that in mind. ... You still recording, Shrimp? Good. Stick with me, this could be rough. *sand shifts under boots and knocking against wood* ::It's open.:: *creaking hinges and the sounds of water running and dishes clinking* Hello. ::Hi. There something I can do for you, stranger?:: ...I'm just looking for my daughter. ::We don't have any kids here. You might want to check the directory and see if you're in the wrong town.:: ...I might just do that. Sorry for disturbing you. ::Hey, stranger. What's her name?:: Courtney. ::...Huh. My name's Courtney.:: Heh. It's a pretty name. ::If you say so, stranger. Good luck.:: ... Because I don't think either of us are ready for the truth yet, Shrimp. And after what Malphur said...she doesn't need that. Not now. If she wants me, she'll find me when she's ready and wants to. Oh, we're not done yet, little buddy. This was just the first stop. [u][b]Entry 9,453[/b][/u] *sound of soft footsteps closing in, echoing through the prison walls and stopping suddenly* #I don't know how you're alive, but you've reaffirmed my suspicions that Hunters can't help but fabricate tales.# But we'd know all about that, wouldn't we? #What did you hope to gain coming here? Killing civilians? Assassinating the Vanguard? Me?# Don't make up that bull. I was declared dead over 20 years ago. None of the guards recognized me, but I still told them who I was. It certainly wasn't to make things easier on me. #Then what did you hope to gain?# What do you think, James? I'm here to have a pleasant chat. #We've rarely had pleasant chats, Dredgen. Our last one was positively hostile. You can understand why I might find it hard to believe you're here for "pleasant" conversation.# Fine, I'll jump into it, then. We're related, James. ... #Guards? Get this lunatic out of here and into a proper institution. He's not Dredgen Yor; he's mad.# And some madman knows your real name, Speaker? How about other tidbits, like I married your girl and had a couple of kids with her? That she...and I...Travis... #I would be interested in knowing how you came about this information, but this act is hardly convincing, sir. I do commend you on your disguise. I'll come back when you're ready to conf--# Damn it, James, just hear me out! Shrimp, show yourself. See? It's [i]my [/i]Ghost, James. You have a Ghost too, right? Have it scan mine, you'll see it's Shrimp. Shut up, I know that's not your actual designation. @It's the genuine article, all right.@ #...What the hell are you saying, Dredgen?# We're brothers, James. Rezyl Azzir had two sons, and I was the eldest. My real name...my real name is Daniel. #Now I [i]know [/i]you're really Dredgen Yor. No one else would come up with such an outlandish lie to escape imprisonment.# I know what I've done, James. I'm not looking for a pardon. This is the truth, and I've been coping with it the last 20 years. I have proof: Shrimp knew it all along. Play back the conversation between...between our parents. //[i]...telling you, Alexis, Osiris said Daniel can't be a Guardian! Light doesn't take to him right, but whenever he's exposed to the forces of Darkness, he grows stronger! He's an...an anti-Guardian![/i]// \\[i]I can't believe you'd say that about your own son! He's just a baby, and you're not even giving him a chance to make a choice![/i]\\ //[i]The Vanguard wouldn't give him a choice! They'd think he's a blight to the city![/i]// \\[i]We can't just throw him over the walls and be done with him! I [/i]won't!\\ //[i]Osiris already knows about him; what do you think we can do?[/i]// \\[i]...What if...what if we put him up for adoption? Without Osiris knowing? It gives him a chance to prove himself, Rezyl![/i]\\ Cut the feed, Shrimp. #...That doesn't prove that [i]you [/i]are Daniel Azzir.# Oh yeah? Have your Ghost scan [i]me[/i], then. See what the genetics says. ... @I...I can't believe it...he's right. You're blood brothers.@ ... #I have a granddaughter. She was born with Darkness in her, much like you. I blamed her father and his strange abilities, and to an extent his mother, the former Reef Queen. But now that you're here...I see that it was [i]my [/i]lineage at fault.# Darkness comes to all of us, James, some more than others. It has to, to balance Light. It's up to us to choose what we listen to. #And now you're giving me big-brotherly advice. You've had time to assume your role while in exile, haven't you?# Yeah, I guess. Among other things. #So, what are we going to do with you? You've done terrible things, Dredge. Nobody would be against giving you the death sentence that everyone already believes you received.# That I deserve. #That remains to be seen. I don't sense the evil that comes with being taken by Darkness from you, and the guards didn't find Thorn or any Hive arcana on your person. I think you've made great strides to be a better person.# No. I'm the person [i]she'd[/i] want me to be. #...Ah...Tell me, have you seen...what's her name...Courtney, since your return?# I did, but she didn't know it was me. #Why not?# I killed her brother and abandoned her in a burning village, for God's sake! Malphur told me what kind of life she's lived, basically having everything about her tied to me. She's lucky she hasn't been burned like a witch. She's not ready to meet me. [i]I'm [/i]not ready. #It's been 20 years, Dredge. It would go a long way to make amends, I think. Unfortunately, I can't let it happen in the City. You're officially dead, but only so long as no one recognizes you. And we took in several refugees from Palamon.# So I'm still in exile? #It'd be for your--# Don't get me wrong, I don't mind. It figures, after all I've done. But you know there's one place I gotta see before I go. #I can make that work...if you do me a favor in return.#