Festival of the Lost

This is my entry for the Halloween 2019 competition. It's based on the videogame "Destiny", a large Sci-Fi open universe shooter game. I had an idea to write a story based only on the dialogue spoken by one of the more annoying (well, in my opinion) characters, Tess Everis. She is a humanoid alien owner of a store that sells items that adds a bit of bling to your character. I mention Ikora, Cayde, and Zavala who are the Vanguards (leaders) of the Guardian Classes - Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans respectively. The mute Guardian is a fan theory. Tess's colour change is my idea.

Italics denote Tess Everis Dialogue from the Destiny Fandom Wiki. Note that each line from the Wiki is also on a separate line so it's easily identified. There's only 25 lines in the original game, so not a lot to work with.

Thanks to Taken for editing and comments about the Destiny universe.

I hope you enjoy it. All comments gratefully received.

Travellers light!

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Tess listened to the transmission in her ear.

"Uh-huh..."

"Checking my records, Warlock..."

"Hmm, well, what the Tower wants, I guess it gets..."

"I can do that..."

"Check in again, soon."

She disconnected the call and nodded to a Titan that had run up to her store, then immediately transmatted to his ship in space.

"Goodbye, Guardian."

She shook her head sadly. Not everyone was prepared to buy her exotic and very fashionable goods for the quite reasonable prices she was asking.

Tess turned and looked out from her store. The Tower was full of happy people in Festival of the Lost masks. Humans, Exos, and Awoken were all enjoying the Festive Season, even though they knew their lives were a sliver away from total annihilation by their enemies. She had heard from a Cryptarch that he believed the Festival to be a relic from an ancient era - a Human Holy Day called Halloween. She didn't know if that was true, but it would be nice if some ancient festivals were still commemorated in a fashion. And she did like fashion.

"Sigh - City looks peaceful down there..."

She turned around as she sensed someone behind her. A large, lightly armoured human Guardian and his hovering Ghost had walked up to her store and was glancing over her various goods for sale.

She observed him carefully. He wore a Master Rahool Festival Mask, along with the distinctive Gunslinger Cloak of a Hunter. Tess was a trader in exotic items and Guardians, particularly Hunters, found all sorts of interesting items in their travels. And there had been some unique items discovered she had been prepared to trade nearly anything for.

He was big for a Hunter - more like a Titan, and one she didn't think she knew. Very nicely built though. She may be an Awoken, but Human males definitely excited her. She put her hands behind her back and smiled brilliantly at him.

"Hey there, Hunter."

"You look lost, Guardian."

He lifted his mask and smiled back. Tess cocked her head and looked at his face. Her brow furrowed. She didn't recognise him at all - dark hair, a square jaw, deep set blue eyes, a hawkish nose, and a cheeky, cocksure grin. She prided herself in knowing every Guardian in the Tower, but he had to be newly resurrected. She slid back to her professional demeanour, luminescent eyes glittering sharply.

She nodded to him and bowed slightly.

"So many Guardians... Sorry. I sometimes forget faces."

"Tess Everis. I work for the Vanguard, or the Tower, it's complicated..."

"What can Eververse do for you, Guardian?"

His Ghost drifted over to her and spoke, "Good morning, Tess. Ikora asked us to investigate an anomaly she sensed in the Badlands. This Engram," the Guardian pulled a deep purple item out of his backpack, "was being protected by the Cabal. It's giving off very strange energy readings that I can't decipher." The Hunter carefully placed the Engram on her counter.

Tess looked closely at the item. It certainly buzzed with unusual energy. She hovered a hand just off the Engram and could feel its energy starting to sing to her. It affected her in a way that she hadn't felt in a very long time. She looked hard at the Guardian and sighed. Being the seller of high-quality exclusive items meant she had to maintain a certain demeanour, but the presence of so many exciting Guardians made her question her attitude at times. She shook her head, puzzled. That wasn't a normal thought for her.

"Hmm, that will be interesting."

His Ghost continued, "The Cryptarch wasn't interested in deciphering it. He said he sensed that it wasn't worth his time and that we should talk to you. Particularly if Ikora was involved in its retrieval."

That definitely was interesting. Master Rahool normally never turned down a cipher challenge. She took a closer look at the Engram.

"You know, Ikora always seems to know what people want out here, it's weird."

She examined the markings on the Engram again. They weren't created by any of the Tower races, but she was sure she could decipher it. It was almost like it wanted her to reveal its hidden message.

"Hmm."

She shifted uncomfortably. There was definitely an energy that was affecting her, and that was making her nervous. Tess lightly touched the object, and her head was filled with ethereal music. She quickly withdrew her hand, her body shivering from the touch.

"That's new."

She wanted to open the engram. She sensed the secrets it held, and she longed for its power to wash over her. She gave one last try at restraint.

"Guardian, you know I can't help you unless Cayde gives me the thumbs up."

The ghost spoke, "Cayde and Ikora both wanted us to go and look for this item. Zavala didn't care. Cayde seemed to think you looking at it was going to be funny, but he wouldn't tell us what he thought was the joke. Although..." The ghost's voice trailed off thoughtfully.

Impatiently, Tess asked,

"And?"

The ghost seemed to give an invisible shrug. "He thought you and my Guardian could work closely together on whatever the decoded engram revealed. I really don't know why, but it's like Cayde had some idea of its potential." It zoomed closer to her. "Can you decipher it?"

The crackling energy was making Tess irritable, and her desire for the Guardian flared. That annoyed her more than the ghost babbling on. Sometimes during resurrection Guardians lost their voice and the little light-bearers had to talk for them, but by the Traveller, they were all annoying.

Tess rubbed her temples with both hands.

"That won't be easy."

Engrams were usually encoded with ancient patterns for weapons and armour but sometimes with other information. This one had energy bound into it that only seemed to affect Awoken by heightening their desires. All desires. Tess had heard rumours of such traps being created by the Cabal with help from their Psions, but she had never expected to encounter one. It both thrilled and terrified her, mainly because she could feel her self-control slowly slipping away.

Finally, the message the engram was singing to her broke her will. The Plaza was always busy, but Tess just had to - no, desired - no, needed to have a small amount of time alone with the Hunter. She looked around the Tower Plaza, then gestured to the Guardian, ushering him to the back of her store. His Ghost tried to go with him, but Tess just held up her hand to stop it following. Her feelings were embarrassing enough and she didn't want any witnesses to what she wanted from him, even though the Guardian and his Ghost were neurally connected.

Once the door had closed, Tess muted her comms device and stepped over to the Hunter. She ran her hands down his broad armour-covered chest, then reached up to kiss him roughly. Her lips scratched against the stubble on his cheek, and her passion flared again. The contrast of his soft lips to the rough texture on his face nearly drove her self control off the Tower's parapet.

The Hunter went to put a hand behind her head. Tess grabbed his large hand, shook her head, and placed it on her breast. The Hunter smiled and put his other arm around her waist, squeezing her taut, pale blue body between his hands. She sighed contentedly. The short distance away from the Engram had lessened its effect on her, but other emotions were taking over. It was a long time since she had been held by a male of any species, and she now realised how much the loss meant to her.

Tess could feel the Hunter's weapon grow hard against her thigh, and she moved her hand down to feel its calibre. It felt like he was concealing a large hand cannon in his trousers. She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows.

He grinned and gave her the "Blowing a kiss" emote. Mute Guardians had a special language they used when their Ghosts weren't around, or they wanted to communicate directly with another person. There was no mistaking that emote; Tess knew from his look exactly what the Hunter wanted blown. The tingle of the engram was still there in her mind, but its effect was now minimal. It had performed its function - confusing the target Awoken's senses and making them perform acts they would never rationally consider doing. It was a surprisingly subtle weapon for the Cabal to have created.

She knelt down on her store's immaculately clean floor and released the Guardian's weapon from its holster. It was enormous. She had seen quite a few examples of human genitalia, and this was a very impressive male article. She gently grasped his penis and started stroking it. Tess was fascinated by his tool. She watched as it seemed to grow from a hand cannon to a scout rifle. Surprisingly, Human and Awoken physiology were very similar, and Tess knew where she wanted that large piece of human anatomy. Heat was starting to rise from her loins, and the normal pale blue colour of her body started to deepen in response.

Tess inhaled the scent of the Hunter's body. It was intoxicating, heightening her desires even further. She had never felt like this before with Humans or Awoken. The silent song in her head pushed her forward, ever closer to the Hunter's treasure. Her mouth automatically opened and she felt her tongue extend out and flick his tip. The taste was exquisite. She closed her eyes and groaned in anticipation of feeling his body assaulting hers.

She opened her mouth wider and let the Hunter slide all the way down her throat. He gave a whoosh of breath as his testicles hit her chin. Tess let his penis linger in her throat, then slowly drew away. She savoured the salty taste of his meat's juice, then rapidly pushed forward and back trying to cram as much of the Hunter into her mouth as Awokenly possible.

The Guardian started to respond to her assault, pushing his hips back and forth in time with her actions. Tess glanced up to see his eyes shut and a totally blissful look on his face.

"Hunter, the Speaker wants to see you. Now." His Ghost had managed to find a way into the store and had hovered directly in front of his face. It looked down, and seemed to give Tess a disapproving look. For an inorganic object, they managed to give off feelings that people could easily identify.

The Hunter threw his arms in the air and gave the sadness emote.

Tess withdrew and grimaced with the news. The Speaker did not ask for a meeting with a Guardian unless it was vitally important. She stood up and delicately dabbed his fluids off her lips, then gave him a long kiss.

"Let's see what the night could have brought you."

Tess slowly removed her clothing revealing her firm, and now deep blue body.

The Hunter gave the Touchdown emote. He then followed with the Thank you, Heart sign, and Call me emotes, and packed his weapon away. He gave her one last, long look and stalked angrily towards the door with his impatient Ghost following.

Tess could see him having a mental argument with his Ghost. He turned and waved, and she waved back as he slammed the door behind him.

"Traveler's Light, Guardian."

"See you around."

"Good luck."

Tess slowly got dressed and put on her professional front again. She looked in a mirror to make sure her normal, calm colour had returned before walking to her front counter. She sighed with unfulfilled regret and glanced at her communication device. Only one call...

"Yes, Zavala? I got the message."

She watched her Hunter sprint across the plaza as she listened to Zavala's latest complaint, and smiled to herself. This Ancient Festival was looking better already.