Author's Note: The first of many Beyond Light and Season of The Hunt stories yet to come with Viper-7. Write up any suggestions for what you may curious to read about with V this season. Beyond Light and Season of The Hunt is definitely going to be an emotional roller coaster for this Hunter.

The Hunter stood in the Beyond. A cold and desolate field of ice. In the distance stands the Ziggurat and further beyond the Ziggurat stands another one of those Pyramid ships. He turns to his right to see his Ghost Aria staring out to the pyramid lost in deep thoughts, "What's bothering you?" The Hunter asked. His ghost turns and looks at her Guardian the infamous Viper-7, "I'm worried about you V." The Exo smiled as best as he could and patted the spherical piece of her ghost shell, "Thanks. Where would I be without you partner?" She perks up a little and lets out her trademark sarcasm, "Still deactivated and dead in that music store on Earth." Viper chuckles as they make their way to a familiar spot within they Beyond to rest.

He barely sees the tiny campsite in the distance as the winds start to pick up and the storms Europa is famous for begin. Aria quickly transmats back into Viper's bag so as to not get blown away by a powerful gust of wind. The trek through the snow was slow but manageable. He wasn't cold or rather he wasn't cold the same way a human would be. He didn't feel the wind biting against the metal casings of his face or his body shivering from the winds that caused his personalized Vanguard Dare Cloak he wore all the time to flail wildly within these violent winds. What he felt was more so the concept of being cold. His movement felt hampered and sluggish as a byproduct of his Exo body trying to simulate human traits within a robotic body.

As the winds howled one final time he could feel the storm coming to an end and the camp within his sight. He was here to meet an acquaintance who had a lot of explaining to do. He looks at the campfire which had been blown out and covered in snow by the recent storm. He brushes the snow off the campfire before creating a burning knife of solar energy and throwing it into the campfire to ignite it. The fire roars with a fury as the knife ignites the wood instantly and Aria transmats beside her Guardian to warm up from the cold. Viper-7 sits and stares at the fire he created with his Solar Light. His looks at his right hand and has Ice slowly start to form around it. Aria turns and looks concerned, “Still wondering if Stasis was a mistake.” The Hunter chuckles, “A little. Is it weird I find this power less terrifying then Void Light?” A familiar voice appears from behind and answers, “It’s because you wear it well.” Viper turns to see her, “Well hello there Ms. Stranger. Oh should I call you Elsie?” The Hunter acts charming and friendly but the two ladies can tell his mind is racing in every direction. Europa has been both an adventure and hell for this Exo. The Exo Stranger grabs one of the picnic chairs and takes a seat by the campfire and looks at Viper-7, “Either works for me V.” Viper corrects her, “Viper.” She chuckles, “That’s right. I haven’t really become your friend or rather I’m not your friend in this timeline.” Viper shakes his head, “Timelines huh? You know with everything I’ve learned with Braytech and how we’re created.” He says as he points to both himself and Elsie, “I’m surprised I haven’t had an existential crisis of some variety yet and now you’re telling me there are other timelines where-“ “We’ve had this exact same conversation.” She cuts him off finishing his sentence for him.

Viper looks mildly annoyed before he sighs in exhaustion, “Can I ask questions about the other timelines or do you have no time to explain these things as you’re infamously known for according to our mutual Exo friend.” She chuckle again almost happy to hear his dry wit like seeing a friend you haven’t heard from in ages or in this case a friend you never really connected with in this timeline, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh.” Viper nods his head, “It’s fine…it’s weirdly refreshing to hear you happy.” Elsie sits back on the chair before looking at the fire, “I know most of the questions you have. You always seem to ask the same three questions in every timeline we have this conversation.” Viper looks intently at her, “Did the Darkness corrupt me in your Dark Timeline?” Elsie nods, “That’s one.” Viper looks at the fire, “Do you know of my real past?” she nods again, “That’s two.” Viper looks solemnly at his cloak, “Could we have changed his fate in another timeline?” Elsie nods one final time, “And there’s number three.”

Viper looks at Elsie, “So?” Elsie leans forward and looks at Viper, “I’ll be honest Viper. No Exo should recover their lost memories to answer one question. Not because your past is a horrible one. But because some things are best left forgotten because of the Collapse and what it took from all of us.” Viper looks down at the fire, “You’ve clearly had practice in how to answer these questions. Do I dare ask how many timelines you’ve had this exact same conversation?” Elsie looks off to the pyramid, “More times than I can count.” Viper looks in her direction as well, “It’s strange. We treat them as the biggest threat but they only attack through others. The unseen foe-“ She finishes his sentence again, “that tempts others to do its bidding.” Viper looks at Elsie bothered yet again by her finishing his sentence word for word, “But that is how The Darkness acts Viper. You felt it when you first summoned Silence and Squall.” Viper looks down at both his hands thinking of the two Kama’s of Ice he created, “The sound of it whispering temptation into your mind. The desire to give into the whims the Dark offers you.” Viper breathes in deeply remembering all too well how consumed his mind was giving into Stasis the first time. The sensation of ice crackling on his armor. The rush of power that surged through his body. The actual enjoyment he felt as the Eliksni of House Salvation screamed in fear and pain over his powers freezing and shattering them into diamond dust that scatters with the rest of the snow that covers this icy wasteland. He felt unstoppable and terrified of himself at the same time. Since making his communion with The Darkness and gaining full control over Stasis he can still hear the whispers trying to tempt him with this power but the Hunter has managed to find ways to keep himself grounded to reality and won’t let the whispers turn him against those he fights for.

“So do I ever give in to its whispers?” Elsie looks silent as she turns her head back staring at her fellow Exo, “I honestly can’t say for certain Viper. This point in your timeline. It’s almost comparable to teetering on the edge of a knife. You’ve already said it yourself. Should you be worried if you haven’t had a breakdown yet with everything you’ve encountered with Eramis and my father’s research into creating the Exo’s.” She leans forward and says grimly, “You’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s yet to come.” Viper leans back and crosses his arms before his trademark sarcasm drips with every word he speaks, “That doesn’t sound ominous AT.ALL.” Elsie leans back and shrugs, “Time is a difficult thing to explain Viper. There’s one thing I want to change every time with each timeline but I’ve done it over so many times that everything starts bleeding together that I’m no longer sure where it started and where it ended.”

Viper looks at her sympathetically and sighs, “Does that include Cayde?” She looks at him gently, “His death was necessary Viper. You know exactly why it needed to happen and what could’ve happened if it didn’t.” Viper looks down at the fire somber, “I know. Riven would be at our doorstep. The Bitch Queen would’ve gotten into The Distributary, and we’d have all probably been destroyed by the Hive of her court at that point.” She nods quietly knowing full well there’s nothing she could say that would really comfort him, “I just wish I could’ve been there one last time. Either died by his side trying to defend him or at least putting the bullet in Uldren myself.” Elsie nods quietly, “I know…V…I mean Viper.” Viper looks at her and smiles as best as an Exo can, “Call me V Elsie. You’ve earned it.” She smiles back, “So what are you going to do?” Viper stands up and Aria who’s been quietly listening this whole time floats up to her Guardians eye level, “The only thing I know how to do.” He summons his sparrow and mounts it, “Become stronger and become the Hunter I need to be. Someone Cayde would be proud of to call his pupil. Someone who can look out for The Hunters when that time comes. Someone who can truly wear this cloak and what it represents.” He revs the engine of his sparrow, “I’ll hopefully see you soon Elsie. Tell our mutual friend that I have some potential exploring we should do in the crypt.” Elsie nods and waves as he speeds off into the unknown of Europa’s icy plains. She stands there for a couple of seconds watching him drive off before quietly disappearing.