MARS
MERIDIAN BAY
Adolarn sprinted down another dim hallway before ducking into an alcove. He sank into the shadows of the darkened corridor, catching his breath. The seasoned hunter instinctively checked how many rounds were in his clip before looking up to make sure Daggerd had followed safely. After a few moments in absolute silence, it became clear that Daggerd was not coming.
The two had ventured deep into an underground Cabal base. The thick clouds of martian dust choked the light out of the hallways. Adolarn carefully retraced his steps back through the dimly lit maze, only to find his companion catching his breath in an alcove, hiding in the shadows of a darkened corridor.
"Let's go Daggy! We don't have time for you to slack off," Adolarn barked.
Daggerd did not move. "I can't do it. No way. I am not going in there," Daggerd said, staring at his boots.
"It's too late Daggy. We're in too deep," Adolarn stated frankly. "We've run through over a mile of tunnels and crossed off a small army of Cabal. There's no turning back now. We've gotta find Bracus Sha'ourg and finish this job."
Daggerd stood upright and tried his best to face-down the considerably more experienced Adolarn. "Buy why? Why do we have to fight him now? Can't we just turn around? Leave?"
Adolarn let out a deep sigh. "There's nowhere to run, Dag. The only exit now is through the Bracus' war room. And besides, that monster is sitting on a massive cache of relic iron. We need that relic iron."
"I don't need that relic iron," Daggerd spit.
Adolarn said nothing and checked how many rounds were in his clip.
Daggerd glanced at his weapon and realized he was on his last round. As he reloaded, he continued indignantly, "Why do you always get me into these dangerous situations?"
Adolarn laughed. "Me? This one is on you. I wanted to stay in the jungles of Venus. We could be camping right now. Hunting. Telling ghost stories. Instead, you had to go talk to your precious Vanguard and now we need to get relic iron or your friends will be mad."
"That's right! Relic iron!" Daggerd shouted. "Not the head of a ruthless cabal centurion! You twisted this whole thing."
"I don't have time to ride a sparrow all over this toxic desert of a planet looking for shiny rocks. You wanted relic iron. I found relic iron. Let's finish this and get out of here," Adolarn said as he placed his arm around Daggerd's shoulder. He began to lead him deeper into the compound as the hallway behind him filled with the gross electronic warble of a phalanx on patrol. "Also, you should stop shouting. Our new friends will become jealous of your natural vibrato."
Daggerd allowed himself to be herded down the hallway, but remained tense. "Can't we try something more diplomatic?" Daggerd quietly begged. "Maybe we could..."
"Maybe we could what? Ask nicely? Share the relic iron? Maybe the Bracus wants to come camping on Venus with us?" Adolarn was losing his patience. "We've been here for hours. Did you see any guest quarters? Any prison holding cells? Any prisoners of any kind? No. There is no diplomacy with the Cabal. Either we fight our way out or we become food."
"That's not true. The Cabal don't eat people," Daggerd said under his breath.
Adolarn checked how many rounds were in his clip.
Daggerd continued, "We should have brought a warlock. Our bullets barely damage these Cabal shields."
"No way! No warlocks! Ever! You know those guys skeeve me out! No way! No warlocks!" Now it was Adolarn who was shouting.
"Yeah yeah. I know about your stupid warlock issue," Daggerd said. Daggerd looked up at Adolarn, but Adolarn was frozen. He was staring at a doorway fifty meters away. In the distance, Daggerd heard the unmistakable thunking of Cabal footsteps. Daggerd knew what was beyond that doorway. The two of them stood in silence, staring at the doorway.
Adolarn checked to see how many rounds were in his clip.
"Are you ready?" Adolarn asked quietly.
Daggerd paused, and whispered, "For the Vanguard."
Adolarn whispered, "Sure," and checked to see how many rounds were in his clip.