S1-193
Nightmare Hunt - Fear

4:09 PM
11/23/3273

Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Hellmouth

Music
Destiny 2 - Necropolis

Ada-1 had been relieved of duty so she could sort things out, and knowing her relationship with Hayden-10, she did not return to HQ alone.

"Crota's Brood had an appetite for destruction that knew no bounds. Thus, Phogoth, the Untamed was created. To enact the will of evil upon all. Were he to have succeeded, we might not stand here today. Phogoth is fear incarnate. There's no Nightmare more fitting for the Pyramid to bring forth. And no Nightmare more fitting for you to slaughter." Eris transmitted as Michael made his way through the Hellmouth.

While Michael stood guard to keep the entrance to the next sector on his route clear, he heard a familiar sound. Seraph energy.

Riding on his Seventh Seraph Vector, Mark-18 rallied up with the Pilot. "Hello, Michael."

"Mark." He nodded.

"I heard what happened to Ada. I hope she's OK. I can only imagine how worried Hayden was."

Before Michael could reply, a certain Hunter dropped in. "Hey, Michael. Hey, Mark." Dr. Anastasia Bray had arrived.

"You know what we're doing here, Ana?" Michael needed to be sure.

Ana nodded. "We're hunting apparitions of dead threats. Nightmares."

"That's the general gist of it. Let's move." Michael went on ahead, followed by Mark-18 and Ana.

With the team together, Michael and co. headed into the fortress.

Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
The Gatehouse

"Hostiles spotted!" Michael exclaimed, laying down some fire.

One Acolyte, upon death, released a Warmind Cell. Mark-18 ruptured it with the last of his Seventh Seraph Carbine's magazine, clearing the area. "All clear." He reported, affixing a new magazine to his rifle and pulling back the pin.

In the next room, Ana opened fire on the Hive with her Polaris Lance, decimating them all without a magazine swap. "Your ammunition conservation has been noted, Ana. How would you like a place in our Pilot ranks?"

"Let's discuss this AFTER Operation Shadowkeep, and not during it, OK?"

As Michael nodded in agreement, his Ghost appeared. "{More Hive up ahead. I'll clear them out.}" Rocco floated further into the Hive fortress, the sounds of ballistic weapons firing and Hive weapon discharges echoing back from the tunnel seconds later.

Michael and co. caught up with the Ghost, seeing the Hive get torn apart by Pilot Sentries, with Rocco overseeing the decimation. "Michael, your Ghost is a tactical genius."

"Rocco's real good with Frontier technology." Michael stated, his Ghost returning to him as the Pilot Sentries vanished. "Let's move."

Exiting the chamber, Michael and co. crossed a couple of bridges, one of which was collapsed.

Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Circle of Bones

Music
Iron Man 3 - Battle Finale

Entering the Circle of Bones, they could hear intense combat.

More Hive were there. But at the same time, they were already engaged in combat, fighting against what looked like Iron Man... or... Iron Men?

"{No life signs. Those are Tony's suits, running in auto-pilot.}"

Michael chuckled. "Rocco?"

"{Oh, I hear you. I've signaled the Iron Pilot.}"

Within seconds, a suit of blue and silver armor flew in, retracting the plates of its backside for Michael to step inside as Rocco stowed his Pilot equipment. "Welcome back, Michael. Iron Pilot combat armor suit online. Protocol 2."

"{Wait... I'm picking up the Light of an inbound Ghost.}" Instead of a Ghost, a brand new suit flew in, armed with Stark Industries repulsor weapons and micro-missile launchers. The suit opened fire on the Hive Ogre in the sector, completely obliterating it.

"More Stark tech detected ahead." The Iron Pilot reported.

With the Hive cleared out, Michael flew to the entrance to the next sector, waiting patiently for Mark-18 and Ana. "Let's do this."

Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
The Summoning Pits

Upon entry, it was revealed that the Nightmare the Fireteam was hunting was already in combat.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Nightmare of Phogoth
the Untamed

"{That's the Nightmare of Phogoth. Let's get it.}"

"Stark armor recognized. MK44, code name: Hulkbuster." The Iron Pilot reported.

"{Life signs inside the Hulkbuster. Tony's fighting the Nightmare of Phogoth in person.}"

The Nightmare of Phogoth swiped its claws at the Hulkbuster, only for Tony to block the attack, landing a devastating blow straight to the face. The Nightmare reeled back from the punch, then began letting out a beam of Void energy. A repulsor blast from the MK44 directly to the face staggered the Nightmare Ogre.

The Nightmare of Phogoth triggered its invulnerable state, calling in Hive reinforcements. Downing a group of Thralls, Mark-18 took advantage of a Warmind Cell to blow out a chunk of the opposition, followed by Michael using the Iron Pilot's repulsors to finish off a couple of Knights.

With the Nightmare exposed, Tony fired off some heavy duty missiles from the Hulkbustor, knocking Phogoth down.

Another pulse of scarlet, the Nightmare was invulnerable once more. "Jarvis, I need you!" Tony called over the comms.

That different suit from the Circle of Bones flew in, unleashing a payload of Light-infused explosive heavy munitions, targeting the incoming Hive reinforcements. "{I'm here.}" A Ghost's voice came from the suit! "{The Circle of Bones is secure. Let's end this.}"

The Nightmare of Phogoth was vulnerable again, allowing Tony to use the brute strength of the Hulkbuster to grab the Nightmare's wrists as the monstrosity attempted to swipe at him again, keeping it still so that the others could finish the job.

Michael [Unibeam] Nightmare of Phogoth, the Untamed (Hidden Swarm)

Music
none

"{The Nightmare of Phogoth is no more, Eris.}" Rocco reported.

"And we grow stronger yet." Eris transmitted.

Sending the Shadow a message, Rocco watched as a Taken rift formed next to the lingering orb of jade energy. The Shadow's skeletal hand came out of the portal, retrieving the Essence of Fear.

"Interesting seeing you here, Tony." Michael remarked, exiting the Iron Pilot.

The Hulkbuster's faceplate retracted, revealing Tony's face. "Thought I'd lend the IMC some help with Operation Shadowkeep on behalf of the newly reborn Stark Industries. My first creation in our new Golden Age was a modified suit, specifically built for my Ghost, Jarvis."

The modified suit in question walked up to the group before transmatting away, leaving a Ghost in its place. "{I wanted to help in battle. Tony gave me the means to do just that.}"

"I'd expect nothing less from Stark ingenuity." Michael nodded.

That went very well.

And Tony named his Ghost after the first AI in Avengers: Assemble. Not sure what happened to JARVIS in that show. He just sort of... vanished.

Anyway, I will see YOU... in the next installment. Buh-bye! (Heh. Markiplier reference.)