The Next Steps

Max and Lilli raced back to the City to deliver the bad news: Leviathan was kidnapped by the Spawn of Crota. As soon as they landed their ship in the Hangar, they ran up to the plaza and reported to the Vanguard. Zavala's eyes widened, "Your fireteam leader was kidnapped!?"

"Yes, sir," the Hunter replied.

"By the Hive, you said?" asked Ikora.

"Yes, ma'am."

Cayde raised his hand, "And did he say anything on the comms about his attackers?"

"No, sir. He just screamed," Lilli recalled, "In fact, everything was screaming on his end."

Cayde nodded, "Yep, it's the Hive. Those guys love to scream."

"Cayde!" Zavala boomed, "This is no time for jokes!"

"Boys!" Ikora rallied, "Focus! One of our own was taken by the Hive, we must reclaim him. Now, what do we know?"

"Leviathan was kidnapped," said Zavala.

"No doubt by the Hive," added Cayde.

"The Spawn of Crota are planning something terrible on Earth," Lilli added.

Max declared, "My Ghost said that the Spawn comes from the Moon."

The Vanguard collectively turned to Max and asked, "THE MOON!?"

Max was baffled, "Uh, yeah. What's wrong?"

Zavala shook his head, so did Ikora, "We can't save him now."

"What do you mean by 'can't'?"

Ikora rested a hand on Max's shoulder and said, "The last time a fireteam of Guardians set foot on the Moon, they never returned."

Zavala commented, "And that was in response to another failed battle on the Moon's surface. Heh, 'failed battle'? More like 'brutal massacre'."

"Come on, guys!" Max cried out, "You've got to help us!"

Zavala shook his head, "Our decision stands. Besides, our hands are tied."

"Hey!" shouted Cayde, "Don't I get a say in this?"

Zavala ignored him, dismissed Max and Lilli, and went back to his 'conquest of the Cosmodrome' plans.

Lilli heaved a sigh, "Well...that's that."

Max eyed her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we can't save him," she repeated.

"Can't we ask whoever's in charge of the City?"

"The Speaker?" Lilli laughed, "I wouldn't be surprised if he dismissed us, too."

"Why would he do that?"

"Why wouldn't he? He's a politician first and a leader second, they all are."

"They?"

As soon as they walked out into the Plaza, Lilli opened her arms perpendicular to her chest and spun around, "Look around you, Max. What do you see?"

Max took in the view, "A city? A plaza full of Guardians?"

"Look deeper; do you trust this place?"

Max paused, "I don't know..."

Lilli approached her partner, "Max, this place is crawling with politics, ideals that create rifts between people, their friends, their families, and their goals."

"It doesn't mean that they're evil."

Lilli sighed, "I came to the City when I was young. My mother, my sister, and I escaped from a terrible place known Palamon. The Mayor there was ruthless and cruel; almost no one escaped under his authority."

Max was shocked, "Oh my, I'm sorry."

Lilli continued, "The worst part wasn't escaping with only our cloaks and each other in the pouring rain, nor was it the number of nights we slept without a roof over our heads. No, the worst part was being shoved away at the gates, all because we didn't have some piece of paper that the Mayor wouldn't give us! Do you know who it was that denied my family?"

Max shook his head.

"It was Leviathan!"

Max's eyes bulged.

"I'm afraid so. So tell me, why do you want to rescue him, even when he ridiculed us so much?"

Max took a while before saying, "I don't agree with his ideals, either. He fetishizes you, bullies us, and even hates anyone who stands in his way."

Lilli nodded, "Exactly!"

"BUT! That doesn't mean that we judge his fate."

"Why can't we!?"

Max paused, "Because we need to do the right thing."

Lilli scoffed, "Good luck with that."

"Besides," he quipped, "we need to prove him wrong!"

The Hunter looked baffled, "How!?"

The Warlock explained, "Right now, he hates us, all because of some made-up misconceptions that formed inside his circuitry. If we can prove those misconceptions false, maybe he'll start to like us."

Lilli sighed, "Fine, Max. We'll go to the Moon and save him. But don't say that I never warned you about him."

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Leviathan woke up to find himself strapped to a flat rock, roughly the size of his body, being carried through a dark chamber by magic. Two wizards floated in front of him while one other brought up the rear, all three held reverent poses as they moved, proceeding slowly through their Chamber of Night, singing in throaty voices. Thrall and Acolytes bowed before the Wizards, joining in their song, then following them to the heart of the Chamber.

Leviathan grunted, "WHERE AM I!? WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

"Hush, creature!" The Wizard said from behind, "Soon, you will see what true power looks like!"