Angel's Lament

Hello and Welcome Back to Angel's Lament! Something I have meant to say for quite some time now but have kept forgetting to say is this, it has to do with Biotics and the way I use them. I will try to stay mainly on how they are presented and used in-game but I will make exceptions to that if I want to make something happen, like you will see and have seen in previous chapters.

Chapter 22: Angels Wrath Part II

They moved through the first few chambers in tense silence, at least the Normandy's remaining crew did, Jane couldn't say much for her present escorts. The 'Angels' as ever were stoic and efficient in how they acted, not seeming to be held to normal human emotions like worry or dread like Jane and her whole team were. It was strange being in their presence, their constant companionship somehow both forgettable but also unavoidable, as though they were some ethereal entity in her midst and not just fellow soldiers accompanying her to an objective. It was somewhat off-putting but Jane was able to deal with it pretty well, though the same could not be said for everyone.

Jane could tell a few of the present crew were entirely unnerved by their companions but that they were too afraid to do or say anything about it. Some were subtler than others, with Kasumi able to keep her only sign being her occasional sideways glance at the nearest Angel. While others like Zaeed were becoming nearly entirely overwhelmed by the new company, the Bounty Hunter seemed to watch every Angel all at once in his best attempt to map out an escape route. This brought a small smirk to Jane's lips, if at least only for a second before reality came back into focus and all that had happened recently took its hold again on her mind.

They were now in another large corridor that was nearly the same as the last being made with the same nasty biological substance as all the rest of the ship was. To make things worse the whole ship itself had a pungent odor, it was hard to describe but it was almost like a musk hanging in the air, one that spelled dread and loss for those in contact with it. This foul smell and the dark atmosphere of the ship weighed in Jane's mind pressing harder on her already taxed nerves. She knew inside that she was becoming unnerved but her desperation to save Kaiden outweighed her rationality.

After passing through another few corridors with the same silence continuing, finally, someone broke the silence, but it was not who Jane had expected, it was the Chaplain Effriel. His voice was calm like a gentle breeze yet it contained a cheerfulness in it that was nearly contagious. "Take Heart, Mortals, For My Brothers and I stand with you in these dark times, and with our aid, you shall see your companions saved from these foul creatures and their dark plots thwarted."

The Chaplain's words had some effect on the team, though mainly to Alexandra, Jacob, and Joslyn. The more cynical of the group were less aided than the rest, with Miranda focusing more on what she could uncover from the words than how they were truly intended. Jane was able to take some comfort from the Chaplain's words, though she couldn't help but think about how with each second that past was another second the Collectors had to do something horrible to Kaiden and the rest of her crew.

Jane's thoughts were suddenly pulled out from under her as new sounds filled her ears, those of concentrated gunfire and the shrieking of Collectors.

...

They had finally arrived at where Terminator Squad Beltos had halted in their advance to the processing pens.

Antros had been able to hear the noise of his brothers battling for a few minutes but now it seemed the Mortals could hear it based on how they all collectively flinched and held tighter to their weapons. Chaplain Effriel had attempted to calm them when he had heard the noise but it seemed to have only affected the more faithful of the group. But this all mattered very little, what did matter was their entrance into the fight.

As the sight of Antros's brothers came into view he turned on his Vox unit and speakers to speak both to his brothers and to the Mortals on what he desired. He allowed his voice to wonder in its strength to show his fervor in engaging the foul spawn before them. "Brothers, Mortals, we have arrived at the Vanguard, now we shall relieve them and charge forth in their stead. Brothers allow the Mortals to use us as mobile cover, and do your best to protect them from the onslaught. Mortals, you, in turn, will support my Brothers you stand behind, whoever is not their focus shall be yours. We will find the Pens a few halls down from here where we will rescue your companions, we will free them, not you. But now let us charge forth like a spear thrust through the hearts of our foe, and may our light cleanse the abominations before us! Ave Imperator!"

With that said, Antros quickened his strides to a run, Nikolaus and Donotriel following swiftly on his flanks, blades raised and bolters primed to deliver their holy retribution. They passed by the Mortals, taking care not to knock them over, and charged past to strike into the depths of the enemy's ranks alongside their honored Brethren. The brothers in Tactical Squad Tolmeron behind them setting up to support and to protect the Mortals.

Antros was the first to pass the Terminators in Squad Beltos raising Vitarus in one swift motion, and setting it alight as he let the blade fall upon its first foe. The filthy creature being cut in half and set alight in the same moment, its body burning to ash in the next. After that Antros's blade-work became like a dance, one that was linked with both Nikolaus and Donotriel, but also with Squad Beltos as they instinctively moved their aim to aid in the offensive. The Dance they engaged in was lethal and with every movement and pull of the trigger spelling the death of an abomination. In but a few seconds the Collectors were thrown entirely off-balance as the fight they had once held in stalemate was suddenly thrust far from their grasp.

...

Jane was left nearly speechless at what was happening, Lucius and his apparent bodyguards had suddenly thrust themselves into the heart of the Collectors' offensive. But then instead of being torn to pieces like any normal person would they had suddenly cut a swathe through the Collectors in almost the same fashion as a trio of dancers. Their every move in tandem with one another, their every movement spelling death to more than one Collector Drone, or foul Husk. Not only had that happened but also their weapons had suddenly lit up, with Lucius's own sword bursting with flames so hot they burned Collectors to ash in milliseconds after every strike of the blade.

Though Jane and the majority of her crew had been struck dumb the Angels moved along with near alien proficiency as though what they saw and were doing was entirely common and routine. The Angels providing cover fire for Lucius and his guards in all but the same second as their assault. Sure she had seen the Angels fight in hand to hand but never to this strange a degree. It was all so striking Jane nearly lost her sense of self and the very reason for her being here. After what felt like hours with how much had happened, but in reality, it was only seconds, Jane collected herself and assessed the situation in the space of another second. When Jane was better adjusted she was able to see more clearly what was happening.

They had just entered into another massive chamber like the one Jane had gotten pined in not too long ago. The room was filled with hundreds of Collectors, both dead and alive, their dead beginning to pile so high they became an obstacle for their fellows as much as cover from the Angel's onslaught. The room was empty of containers and boxes unlike the last one giving it an even more spacious look. But this emptiness was quickly fading as the dead piled all around the room, giving it a gruesome visage from the shear slaughter happening.

The room was also a junction point, leading to four separate corridors, each one pouring with Collectors and Husks ready to die in the hopes of wearing down the Angels. But they would not be given the chance as Jane's team and Lucius's Angels arrived to slaughter them.

After readjusting herself Jane was able to raise her rifle and fire accurately into the horde of Collectors as they continued their charge to their deaths. Jane herself was able to put down 10 monsters in the space of only three seconds as aim wasn't needed with such a vast mob ahead of her. Jane was quickly joined by the rest of her team who followed the example of their Commander and the Angels, letting loose their own weapons and abilities on the horrid swarm of monsters ahead of them.

…

Antros flung his blade right, cutting through four Collectors, before suddenly thrusting his sword to the left eviscerating another three Collectors each one sent screeching to the embrace of the Immaterium as their souls were freed from their twisted and corrupted bodies. Antros sensing more than a few spirits joy at their misery finally being ended. But he paid such sights and feelings no thought his entire mind and body focused on the vengeance he brought for the Reapers and the hatred he felt for their vile kind.

The whole room was filled with noise, a powerful cacophony of a thousand noises, one part the foul shrieking of twisted abominations sent carelessly to death, and the other part the holy retribution of human weapons, be they the sacred roar of Bolters or the melody of the man-made Element Zero firearms. The whole amalgamation of noise sounding like a battle in itself. A battle against which would prevail, the holy will of man, or the foul ambitions of the Reapers. A battle the Blood Angels would see to its end.

Antros added his own voice to the Cacophony that filled the room, bellowing in High Gothic challenges and curses to his present foes, daring them to strike him down if they were the instruments of such elevated beings as the Reapers claimed to be. Yet none could even touch him nor his brethren. Swifty Antros was Joined by the Brothers of Squad Tolmeron and Squad Beltos, each of his brothers roaring in their own voice their hatred for the foes before them and their desire to see their enemies put to the sword. Nikolaus and Donotriel, though, continued their fight in silence out of respect for their sacred titles as Sanguinary Guard. Even some of the Mortals added their voices to the melody of the battle crying their own rage into the darkness of the swarm, this only fanning the flames in Antros's heart and the hearts of his brothers.

Antros twisted his blade in a spiral slashing through nearly a dozen Collectors as he continued to stride forward, ever deeper to the horde. The Collectors continued to try and swarm him but Antros and his guards were near untouchable to the foul creatures, their movements and strokes perfectly synced to cover one another and to aid in protecting each other. Their movements were so well synced that not even the paint on their armor had been chipped even after a full three minutes after engaging with the swarm.

The three continued their fight with the Collectors that allowed their brethren and the mortals a chance to mow down the horde. Soon the mob of creatures began to recede as the sheer might arrayed against them became clear. The foul horde being sent to flight as the creatures again fled from the light and wrath the Blood Angels brought with them.

Finally, after several minutes of continued slaughter, the Collectors halted their Assault, the horde becoming a small rabble before finally the mob was dispelled.

…

Once the last of the Collectors and husks had been killed the room fell quiet as both Jane, her team, and the Angels stopped their yelling as well as their shooting. The strange silence that now reigned feeling almost natural and in a way cathartic to Jane's worried mind. After that things blurred a bit for Jane as the Angels regrouped and then separated with Jane and her team continued with Lucius, his team, and the strange armored walker they had.

Jane had only noticed the Walker as they had left the room she had been saved in. It was a bizarre moment when she finally saw it, the sight nearly causing her to raise her weapon on instinct alone. It was a strangely designed vehicle, with almost the visage of a walking box with arms. It was also strange in how it differed from most things doing with the Angels as in its decoration. Which there was nearly none, the whole vehicle looking plain with the exception of the damage it showed to have so prominently. The wear and tear were so extreme that some portions of the vehicle seemed to no longer function but despite this the damage the walker still gave Jane the feeling that it contained a dreaded creature within as though the vehicle was built to contain something rather than transport it.

Jane couldn't explain why she felt so off-put by the walker but she simply knew inside that machine something was not right. But aside from that, the machine had proven to be quite the powerful weapon, As during the fight it had unleashed a truly devastating payload of liquid flames from its hand-mounted fire cannons, that sent more than a few Collectors charred remains to the ground.

Now though the group had finally continued on their way, Lucius and his guards taking up positions at the front, with the Walker coming next, then the other Angels taking up position after with Jane's own team forming up behind them. Jane felt somewhat annoyed at being forced to play second fiddle in the rescue of her own crew but she did her best to keep such thoughts as passive as they could be made.

...

The next while was filled with a series of smaller skirmishes against the more ranged forms of Xenos. Most of them being what the Human Normals called 'Collector Guardians', which seemed to be a heavier variant of the Collector strain as their carapace armor was thicker and their strength greater. But these creatures still fell like chattel to the Wrath of Angels, their bodies obliterated by Bolter shells, promethium, or from the brutal melee. The team with each enemy slain ever closer to reaching their destination of the Processing Pens where the crew of the Normandy was imprisoned.

After passing through a final corridor they came to their goal, it was a hideous chamber made from the same biological substance as the rest of the ship, but this room was designed for a heinous and vile purpose. Lining the walls were individuals holding 'cells' running the full length of the walls like sores on a body. These Cells were more akin to sacks, each filled with a strange yellowish fluid that their poor prisoner was suspended in, in an unconscious state as they floated in the sickening liquid. Most of the room's cells were filled but with far too many people for them all to be the crew of a small ship like the Normandy.

The room was also filled with a very large contingent of Collectors, mainly of their more disciplined and powerful varieties, like the Praetorians and Captains, each being well represented in the chamber. Along with the elite variations, there were also the basic troops and fodder of the regular drones and the husks. All these troops immediately reacted when Antros and his brothers were visible in the rooms limited light, the foul creatures running to cover, firing at them, or in the case of the fodder, run shrieking at the Blood Angels in the vain and hopeless venture to slay the Astartes.

In the same breath as the Collectors attempted to launch their offensive the Blood Angels retorted with their own weapons, Bolter's roaring as they sent shells flying towards their corrupted foes. The horde of expendable creatures being torn to shreds as they hopelessly charged the Sons of Sanguinius. While the horde was engaging the more elite troops began to make their hateful presence known as they began to unleash their own abilities on the Angels. But the Blood Angels were not so easily cowered as they stood defiant of their enemies for as long as they needed.

…

Jane was able to get a good look at the room before she was forced to hide behind the closest Angel as the Collectors unleashed their full barrage on them. But as Jane expected it did little to phase her present company the only signs of it doing anything being the scratches and gouges their armor slowly began to accumulate as the fight continued.

As Jane prepared to poke out from behind her cover Lucius suddenly called over the noises of the fight, his voice somehow piercing the calamity of the battle like a blazing sword through flesh. "Mortals let us cease this room from the clutches of our foes, but do not yet attempt to free your companions, we do not know if these malicious and loathsome Xenos have set up some sort of failsafe to ensure they get what they desire from their prisoners. So take heed of this and only move to save them when authorized to by me or by my brethren. Now, Brothers, Charge with me so that we might crush our enemies under the heel of our boot!"

Lucius said that, and like he always seemed too, ran yelling into the Collectors' formation, fiery blade raised, his bodyguards close on his heels, and the massive Walker coming close after. The massive machine unleashed entire storms of flames as it went, burning whole squads of Collectors to ash as it lumbered forward with the others. The offensive of Angels ripping the Collectors apart both at a range and in hand to hand combat as the Angels attacked nearly as one their movements and aims seemed to overlap and actively cover one another.

Jane moved to follow with the Angels, her squad forming up with her, the team doing their best to assist the Angels in their relentless charge of the Collectors. Jacob and Zaeed got the most kills as the team pressed forward in the shadow of the Angels and their furious assault. Jane herself was able to score a few kills but as the Angels pressed on it became more and more difficult for her to support them with only her heavy pistol. This caused Jane no small part of discomfort as her desire to help and be of us drove her to take more hazardous shots and to aim less disciplined.

Eventually, the desire to help in a more meaningful way got so strong Jane broke formation from her present cover and began to try and run up behind the Angels. This only caused her to become something of a hazard to them as the ones near her were forced to slow their movement to protect her.

…

The squad vox link suddenly clicked open, the lively voice of Lieutenant Tolmeron came over the comms. "Chief Librarian, the Mortal Commander seems to have become too enthusiastic and is becoming a hazard to our brothers as well as to herself, I advise we do something to stop her before her team attempts to aid her or she injures herself."

Antros responded immediately, doing his best to hold back his annoyance for what he was hearing. "Understood Brother Lieutenant. Orders are to cover her as best as you can for now and hope that she retains her composure soon, as we cannot waste our present advantage. If she does not regain herself I will deal with her. Now charge on Brothers, and may we bring honor to the chapter!"

Antros refocused his mind on the fight bringing Vitarius down in a mighty slash destroying several Husks in one fell swoop their screams silenced once and for all.

…

Jane continued to follow on the heels of the Angels her mind, a buzz with her bottled emotions, her anger at the ignorance of her superiors, her grief at all she had lost in the two years of her death, and her despair at all she feared to lose. All these feelings swirled around her mind as she followed in their shadow her mind only hoping that with her help she would ensure Kaiden's safety.

Just as Jane was about to try and use her Biotics a voice suddenly erupted in her mind, the voice was somewhat familiar but the sudden intrusion on her mind sent Jane momentarily into a stupor, though despite her stupor her mind still clearly remembered what the voice had said. "Control yourself!"

…

Antros couldn't help but sigh as he turned back to the battle, his mind thinking on the Mortal Commander as he continued to cut down his foes before him, either with Vitarus or with his heavy bolt pistol. 'Why did I allow her to join us? I had hoped she would be able to prove herself to me, but all she has done is prove my suspicions correct, she is not yet ready for what is to come. But I must make her ready.'

With those thoughts in mind, Antros continued to cut down his foes, his mind also thinking of ways to ensure the Commander would be ready for what would come next after the Reapers finally invaded. His mind came to one possible answer but it was one he disliked for its brutality, but Antros's pragmatic side agreed with it fully. In the End, Antros made his decision, one he hoped he would not regret.

...

Jane attempted to recover from the strange voice that had boomed from within her own mind. 'The hell was that?' Being the only constant thought her mind could come up with. After a moment of silence from within her mind Jane prepared to move her lace back to her squad, but before she could turn around her mind suddenly felt the undeniable urge to look to her right.

She looked and what she saw sent her heart racing. Jane saw Kaiden, he was on the first row, his unconscious body free-floating in the alien liquid. He looked almost peaceful the way his face looked so calm, but Jane's body immediately came alight with all of her worst thoughts about what could be happening to him in the cell.

Jane ran to the pod once she regained some of her senses, her body shrieking at the fear and dread her mind began to run with. She was so enthralled in seeing him and running to him she was completely oblivious to Miranda as she tried to stop her, Jane in sheer instinct given the Cerberus Agent a right hook to the side of her face, sending Miranda flying several feet back due to a mix of shock and the power Jane accidentally let out in the Moment.

Shepard continued to run towards the Cell, entirely unaware of the scenes around her as the Angels broke the last of the Collectors, sending them scrambling away. While the Normandy crew attempted to run after their Commander in the hope to stop her from endangering the rest of the lives of the innocent people trapped in the cells. Jane pushes on unaware of all of this, her mind solely focused on saving Kaiden.

Jane made it to the cell and began to wildly smash it with the back of her pistol and her balled fist, the surface of the cell only rippling under her assault. After a moment of failure, Jane stood back and aimed her pistol at the cell. She shot three times, her bullets breaking through the cell barrier. But instead of bursting open as Jane had hoped it would, rather the Cell resealed after a few drops spilled out. But that wasn't the worst part of what happened. Next, the Cell shook then two holes opened in the back of the cell, a red-hued liquid pouring as they opened.

Jane panicked again and shot the barrier until her pistol auto-ejected its thermal clip. But this did nothing, the barrier again reforming every time it was punctured. At this point, the red liquid reached Kaiden's foot, the instant it made contact with his armored boot the paint disintegrated. This sight made Jane's heart plummet like a rock in the ocean. Jane doubled her efforts to break her way into the cell, frantic and near delirious.

And for all Jane's panicked efforts nothing happened, the cell remained whole and the Red Liquid crept farther along. The armor that came into contact with the liquid dissolving in a matter of seconds. Jane began to breathe sporadically, her mind fogging up and her motions beginning to turn sluggish as she began to hyperventilate. Just as Jane was losing consciousness she heard the panicking voices of Joslyn and Alexandra, along with the crashing footsteps the Angel's walker.

What will happen next? Is Kaiden going to be alright? What about the rest of the Normandy's crew, what will happen to them? Hopefully, you'll find out soon, and thank you so much for reading, I hope this was entertaining at the very least.