Legends: The Final Spark
He feathered the trigger of his cannon three times. With each pull, a flash of yellow-orange light illuminated the pitch-black cavern. The last of this wave of boney frames fell to the ground, half crumbling to dust.
He slid his cannon into the holster at the side of his thigh and fell to his knees. His breathing was heavy. He was tired.
Further away, he could hear more waves of chattering death drawing closer. Their footsteps a thundering chorus in the dark.
He dropped to his knees accidentally crushing the skull of one of the fallen monstrosities. He wondered if they made it out. If his sacrifice meant something, or if it was just a waste. He had sent his Ghost with them, so that if he didn't make it out, another could be found to replace him. With the coming war, The City would need every Guardian they could muster. But this was his final fight.
He closed his eyes. He focused on his memories. The world around him faded as he retreated into his thoughts. The creaking of the structure and the sound of incoming Hive were drowned into but a whisper.
He saw his Fireteam. He saw the days when he had been training them. He saw their first official mission.
He saw the adventures they had gone on together. He saw the battles they fought and won together.
He saw his favorite smile, now long gone. He saw her final mission. He saw as her final magazine ran dry, she dropped her Scout Rifle, and turned to run.
He saw as a Baron leapt from the shadows and plunged his shock blades into her back. He saw as her Ghost materialized beside her, only to be grabbed and crushed by the same Baron.
He saw the Baron turn and glare at him, it's stark gold cape billowing in the wind. He felt his anger, pain, and grief.
He felt his rage burn and take physical form. Fire burst forth from the eyes of his helmet. He raised his cannon into the air and it was engulfed in sunfire.
He saw as he aimed the cannon at the Baron's head and pulled the trigger. A single bullet tore through the air, wreathed in an angry glow. It carried a fury six times stronger than normal. The round struck the Baron in the head. It tore through the four-armed alien pirate's shield. It burned through the scavenger's armor. And the Baron's body turned to ash.
He saw as his fireteam backed him, unleashing their ammunition on the remaining pirates. He saw himself duck, weave and tumble through the gunfire until he reached her body. He turned her over.
She coughed up blood. He comforted her and held her hand one last time. With her other hand she tossed one last grenade over the debris pile behind her. He raised his cannon and fired over the pile. The last of the Fallen fell, and the fireteam ran over to her. They reached her just in time to hear her last quip, and watched her hand drop from his and fall to the ground.
More tears ran down his face now.
He saw himself unclip his own cloak and take up hers.
He opened his eyes, a stream of tears flowing down his face. He still wore her cloak in his back.
Though he couldn't see them in the dark, he could feel the approaching minions of the dark. But accompanying them was something larger. Each of its footsteps was heavy and hard, and they shook the ground. A Knight.
Thoom
Thoom
Thoom
Thoom
He rose to his feet. About thirty feet in front of him, he could see the glowing heads of the Thrall round a corner. Behind them was the lumbering figure. Taller than a man. It's cleaver, as large as him.
Her smile flashed in his mind one more time. He remembered the promise he made to her.
And he smiled.
Inside him, the storm that was building was ready to be unleashed. He reached out with his right arm. The arc Light inside him traveled and focused in his palm. From it, came a staff, it's two ends sharper than scalpels.
He tumbled forward towards the oncoming horde and struck down the first one. With each strike, lightning coursed through their bodies and turned them to ash.
When the Knight approached him, he tumbled back and leapt into the air, only to bring the arc staff back down. His weapon tore through the monster, turning its bone to ash.
As this minion fell, he could hear the next waves coming very close. The storm in him still raged strong.
He rushed forward, screaming.
"I'll take you all on!"
He laughed.
Her final words echoed in his mind once more and he went deeper into the pit.
When you die, make it a good one. Better than mine.