A/N: Enjoy Chapter.
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[Consensus Hall]
The room was draped in silence.
Sunlight filtered in through the stained glass, painting the room red. Then, every eye in the chamber turned as the heavy doors rattled.
Void walked in, flanked by two Praxic Fire guards, restrained with magnetic cuffs. His eyes darted across the room, scanning every face present. Eventually, his gaze settled on the light cage at the centre- He could see his blade encased within.
Whispers rippled through the Consensus, some shifted in their seats with unease, others were stiff-backed but wary. Zavala sat like an iron statue, his expression unreadable, beside him was Ikorra, her arms rested on the table as she watched Void's every move.
Cayde sat a few inches away from the Vanguard, teetering on the edge of mixing in with the Hunter squads. His eyes followed Void while he stood waiting to be called.
Eventually the whispers died down, and The Speaker emerged from his room. He scanned the crowd, faintly pausing at Void and then he walked to the centre of the hall.
"Is everyone present in this room?" His voice echoed, the speaker looked to Zavala who nodded, "Then let us begin this Consensus trial."
"What are the charges against the accused?"
Aunor stood from her seat and approached the centre, with a swipe of her hand Toland's video played, "From the video we have reasonable proof that Void attacked Toland. The old warlock sent out a distress call to the Praxic Fire."
The crowd listened with bated breaths.
Then, Aunor frowned, "But when we reached, all we found were a shattered ghost and the warlocks body. Void's sword was lodged in Toland's chest. We have six eye witnesses". Six Praxic Fire guardians stood at her call, and then sat back down. Everyone in the hall had acknowledged their presence.
The Speaker's eyes narrowed, he nodded and gestured Aunor to be seated. "What of the accused? What do you have to say?" He looked to Void.
Before Void could speak, Shaxx stood up. A murmur spread through the room, the air tensed. Then, Tevis stood at this side. It wasn't long before countless guardians did the same. They all looked towards the Speaker.
"Shaxx, Tevis. I can hear your discontent" The Speaker's voice was light as he faced the two senior guardians.
The warlord crossed his arms, "Before the trial goes any further, there is something I must say. It is, of utmost importance."
Several guards had surrounded Shaxx, but the Speaker waved them off and invited the warlord to the centre, "Please, voice your thoughts."
Shaxx eased up, but his voice seemed troubled. He spoke low, "When the war was at its worst, when everything seemed to go wrong. When the mighty had fallen, when our champions were slain and...when the sky came crumbling down."
Shaxx paused.
His eyes drifted to Void, the hunter flashed him a faint smile.
"When we were at our lowest. Void was the sole reason we kept going. He risked his life against the Hive to secure our retreat. Without him, many of us would not be standing here."
The room fell silent, a sombre lull gripped the hearts of those seated.
"Perhaps...even I wouldn't." Shaxx spoke, his voice coming to a rest.
Tevis chimed in, "I can say the same. And I know many of you would too". He looked at the guardians in the hall.
"I understand. To deny Void his achievements would be unfair. The City is undoubtedly indebted to him." The Speaker continued, "But the matter at hand, remains unchanged. The shattering of Toland's ghost, and his murder remain unexplained."
The Speaker directed Shaxx and Tevis to their seats, "The trial will continue. Before we discuss further, does the accused wish to address the room?"
Void sauntered forward. He moved, like a shadow given shape. The magnetic cuffs around his wrists hummed. His footsteps were measured, deliberate. As he walked to the centre of the room, the sunlight simply brushed past him, as if he was a phantom.
He was unfazed, his gaze was unreadable, and his spirit unbreakable. He walked as if he was the one to deliver judgement.
He stopped. Looked at the Speaker. Then at the Vanguard. Then at all of them.
Without a word, he jerked his arms apart—crack—the cuffs split and hit the ground.
The room froze.
A surge of energy pushed outward, just enough to make people flinch.
Void raised his hands slowly.
Instantly, a dozen guards drew their weapons, Hunters rose with their guns in hand, Warlocks tensed, ready to blast the hall to kingdom come. Cold sweat ran down their spines.
"Thank you all, for gathering at such a short notice." Void rubbed his wrists.
Ikorra sighed, and then raised her hand. The room seemed to settle.
Void chuckled, "Please, sit down, I have no intention of hurting any of you, for now."
His words caused some to smirk, others recalled Toland's video and shuddered and some simply felt a lump in their throat.
"Continue your talk Void. Don't keep us waiting." The Speaker calmly reminded.
"Of course" Void paused. He glanced around, addressing everyone in the room.
"I killed Toland. That much is true."
Murmurs ran through the chamber, Zavala frowned, Shaxx stood motionless.
Void looked towards the static field, his blade shimmered inside. He could feel it calling to him.
Then, a warlock from the crowd stood and huffed, "So you admit your crime? Is that all?"
Void's eyes turned dark, his voice was low. "Crime?" He raised a hand, and Obsidian played the full video. The holographic footage lit up the dim room.
It showed everything.
How Toland had taunted him, how Toland had hummed the Deathsong. Void gestured, countless holographic pictures spread across the room. Scans of Toland's Hive Journals. His research, his thoughts. His experiments.
The Consensus was gripped with a horrifying silence. What was all this? They had known Toland was an outlier. They had known he was obsessed. But what they saw was beyond obsession— It was akin to worship.
The silence echoed.
No one spoke a word.
Then Void continued, "I did not act out of hatred," he said, "Toland stabbed the City in the back. He was the one who triggered the Hive Ritual in the war."
Void's voice was leaden, no one present could question his words.
"What I did, was necessary." Void grit his teeth, " To leave Toland alive would be a disgrace to those who perished."
"What I did, was right, it was justice." Void stopped.
A Titan rose, "Toland was a sinner, but even those can be redeemed. The City could have used him. There are not many Guardians, and we need every soul. Every light, and his is forever lost."
Another spoke up, "Toland was... twisted. But he had knowledge we needed. His death closed doors we can't reopen."
"Toland was a criminal. But who gave you the right to execute him?" A Warlock spoke up, "We could have imprisoned him, utilized his knowledge for the City for us. Centuries of knowledge on the Hive is now lost!"
"You asked—who gave me the right?"
He raised a hand.
The room dimmed. Shadows stretched. The stained glass flickered, as if light itself hesitated.
The static field cracked. Then shattered.
His blade leapt to his hand, dark and gleaming.
"It's not who gave me the right." Void's voice dropped. "It's who's going to take it from me."
The blade pulsed once.A phantasmal Ahamkara roared to life, its translucent form coiling around his shoulders—horned, grinning, ancient.
Void shifted his stance.
Then—bang!
Smokescreens erupted across the rafters. Grenades hissed as they dropped, blooming into thick violet plumes that swallowed the chamber. Not Vanguard-grade. These were custom.
Shouts rang out. Weapons lifted. A Praxic Titan charged through the haze.
Too slow.
Void flickered.
His cloak whipped behind him like a living shadow. The sword in his hand caught the light for a split-second—just enough to blind.
Clink.
A crushing arc cut through the air and dropped the Titan flat. One strike. Not dead—just out cold.
Void turned. Through the fog, he saw them. Ikora. Zavala. Cayde. Watching. Silent.
'That level of tactic won't work on them,' he thought.
He smirked.
Ikora narrowed her eyes—but nodded. Void returned the gesture.
Then, slowly, he raised the blade high overhead—both hands steady. He drew a breath, deep and sharp.
'Zamyr' The name echoed in his skull like a drumbeat.
The sword trembled in his grip. Toland's soul, now devoured, stirred within.
"Cleave."
Void swung.
A harrowing force screamed out—soundless, but deafening. The blade tore at the seams of reality itself. Shadows buckled. The Light recoiled.
The room split down the centre, stone and steel groaning in protest. Every Guardian felt it. Like being chewed on by something that should not exist.
When the smoke cleared—Void was gone.
The Hall stood scarred and hollow, its centre gouged open like a wound.
Far above, a rogue ship screamed to life—blasting from the Hangar, streaking across the Horizon. The City forces scrambled. Jumpships rose from their docks. Pursuit was immediate. Ruthless.
But he was already gone.
And the Consensus—shaken, scattered, uncertain—reached a single, quiet verdict.
Void was to be exiled.
No pardon. No return.
The City stirred. The factions fractured.
And somewhere, far beyond the walls, a new legend was born.
A day marked in fire. A name written in shadow.
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[Lunar Base, SkyWatch]
As day bled into night, the fires burned low. Clusters of Guardians circled the flames, their armor dimmed, voices soft.
"Wait—so who was in the ship?" Levi asked, brow arched.
The Nightstalkers and the Crucible squad leaned in, eager for the answer. They'd been wondering the same thing since the news broke.
Void just chuckled.
Ikora's face flashed in his mind, and for a moment, the smoke seemed to twist into her silhouette.
But no matter how much they pressed him, all he said was, "A magician never reveals his tricks."
Eventually, the crowd gave up, their curiosity turning elsewhere. Meanwhile, high above, the City still hunted the rogue Jumpship.
But down here?
The Nightstalkers carved out one final night. A quiet send-off. Just for him.
As the fire crackled and the moon crept higher, the question everyone held finally slipped out.
"Where will you go now?" Bandit asked, unable to help himself.
Void tilted his head, thinking. "Got places to be. Things to explore."
There was a glint in his eyes now—untamed, alive.
"I think I'll go to the Reef."
Tevis rubbed his eyes, sighing dramatically. "They grow up so fast."
Laughter erupted around the fire. It was a deep and shared laugh, one you could never forget.
One by one, they drifted off. Armor clinking. Ghosts blinking. Night settling in.
Eventually, Void stood alone.
He looked out toward the distant shimmer of the City, just barely visible beyond the curve of the Traveler. Quietly, he raised his hand.
His Jumpship blinked into the sky above him, its engines pulsing low.
He stared for one last second. Not back. Just… long enough.
And then he transmatted up.
With a soft hum, the ship angled toward the stars and shot towards them.
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A/N: Throw some STONES! Leave a Review!!!!! We've officially concluded this arc. Next Chapter will be for a new volume!
Thank you all for reading.