Chapter XXIV: Hunted

Absolution Arc


Ishtar Region, Venus

Unknown Time, December 25, 2714

"Should be the last Taken."

"You think? They'll be back soon."

Reaper slumped against the cavern wall and slid down, hand on her Night Predator bow. Killing the Taken was starting to become tiresome, especially if the Fallen were also focusing their fire on her. The back of her helmet bumped against the stone and she looked up to the skies of Venus through a crack.

"Why'd he leave? It doesn't make any sense…" As much as Reaper wanted to cry, she couldn't.

"I doubt it was because of you. Spectre loves you, after all."

She faced her partner who was sitting across from her. Rose had her scout rifle at the ready and rested her arms on her bent knees. Spectre's dog sat down next to his current owner, the panting quick even with an oxygen supplier over its head. The Titaness-Huntress patted the canine and nuzzled his head next to her helmet like it was licking her face.

"I wish he would let me talk with him, even for a minute to know if he's okay…"

"You're not the only one, Reaper."

"Rose, it's Blake. We're done with our sweep near the Citadel. How's it looking on your end?" The black Huntress from Fireteam RWBY said from a private comms channel.

Rose pressed two fingers against her helmet. "The Cinders is clear of Taken for now. We're headed out to the rendezvous point soon."

"Meet you there." The line was cut and Rose stood up. Neo whined and slowly stood on all fours.

Reaper decided to tag along with Eroxs and Fireteam RWBY for some Taken containment to prevent it from spreading to other enemies the Guardians have faced before. She didn't want to just stay locked up in her quarters, moping around the disappearance of her boyfriend. Cloud, Aqua, and Leon were on Earth, Mars, and the Moon, but Lightning remained in the Tower to oversee the war with the Vanguards. Ever since her brother left, she took on the role of the Dark Knight Vanguard again, even if she was distraught. And to Reaper, she's doing one hell of a job at it.

The bow folded into a compact form and Reaper stowed it away at the small of her back, getting back on her feet and putting on her cloak's hood. Neo circled around her before nuzzling its helmeted head against her leg.

"Aww, thanks, boy." She knelt down and patted the German shepherd descendant on the head, which he barked and wagged his tail happily.

"Guess he likes you too." Rose patted the side of her leg and pulled out a dog treat. Neo came almost immediately when he saw the treat and Rose fed him. "Sniff them out, boy."

Neo barked and sniffed the air for any surviving Taken. He went in a circle and then against the cavern floor. A disappointed whine erupted and his ears lowered.

"It's clear. There won't be any ambushes anytime soon." Rose reported, translating Neo's findings.

Reaper nodded and saw Neo run in the direction of the rendezvous point. As cautious as the canine normally was, he seemed eager to get out of the Cinders. She could understand why. The Cinders didn't seem to be his favorite place, especially with the Ketch here in the Cinders. With Rose, the Guardians walked to the cave they came from, where Neo was barking for their attention.

The Bladedancer looked at her partner. "Can I ask you something, Eroxs?"

"What is it?"

"If Neo is Spectre's dog, how were you able to treat him like you were his owner?"

Rose cupped the underside of her helmet in a way Reaper would recognize as a child-like manner. "He told me that Neo is obedient to the ones he trusts. It was a little difficult to gain Neo's trust, but in no time, he started obeying me like I was Spectre." She explained.

"And how did you gain Neo's trust?"

"One half is your scent, and the other is how you treat him in particular. Like giving him well-done steak and treats."

"He's that spoiled, isn't he?"

Rose shrugged. "Guess all the fighting Neo does with Spectre makes him really hungry."

Reaper made a mental note about Eroxs's aura. She saw it fluctuate between indigo and violet as well as a faint hint of black, but above it all, it remained between those two. Something's off about her… she seems to be too young to be a Guardian.

The pieces didn't add up in a logical sense. A Guardian that seems to be younger than the norm? Coupled with experience of a veteran, especially with that scout rifle-scythe of hers? Fireteam RWBY was the first to break the norm, and then Eroxs came along. Reaper knew how her boyfriend can mentor other Guardians in survival and combat as harsh as Lord Shaxx, but taking someone like Eroxs under his wing in a snap? She figured that they had some history as friends, partners maybe. However, their relationship seemed more than mentor and student. No, it felt like a brotherly-sisterly bond.

"Reaper, are you okay?"

The Bladedancer snapped out of her trance and looked at the Titaness-Huntress. She nodded. "Just thinking about some things."

"Like what?"

"How old are you, Eroxs?"

"Um… forty-eight?" Rose answered uncertainly, like she didn't know herself. "Spectre said that I might've suffered from amnesia or something. The only thing that's been confirmed is that I'm around Ruby's age."

"You and Ruby are alike, after all. I would be surprised if you were sisters!"

Rose chuckled innocently. "I don't think I can handle Yang's puns and her ever-so doting love on her sister!"

A series of barks brought the two to their attention. Neo was running back to them and quickly turned around when he was close to their feet. He was snarling and barking at something.

"Neo, what's wrong?" Rose knelt down and looked in the direction that Neo was barking at. "Is it more Taken, buddy?" A snarl and more fierce barks were the canine's response.

Without warning, Neo ran off into the caverns. Rose commanded him to stay, but he didn't listen at all. She reached for the remote control for the collar around Neo to calm him down. It wasn't right to use it, as it brought electrical shocks to stop him. The remote was in her hand and her thumb was just hovering over the button. Something wasn't right. Rose could feel it in the air.

The Bladedancer felt it too. With her aura-reading ability, she was able to pinpoint what was in the air. In her vision, she saw something resembling the Taken aura when they were nearby, but it was pitch black like the emptiness of space. Like smoke or fog, the aura was coming from within the cavern.

"Neo!" Rose put away the remote control and ran after her father's dog. Reaper followed suit, but was a little behind given how fast Rose moved.

"Blake, are you at the rendezvous point?"

"Almost, Reaper. Ghost picked up a powerful energy spike near your location."

"Taken?"

"No. It's off the charts, even with applying the Taken's energy levels." Blake replied.

That already frightened her. Unbelievably, she took a copy of the report from their Infestation clean-up mission on the Moon and replayed Spectre's helmet feed of his fight with the Stalker. Could it be…!?

"Blake, hurry!" Reaper cut the line before Blake could say anything. She reached for her Night Predator and it unfolded in her hands, nocking in an arrow. The arrowhead burst with Arc electricity the moment the nock made contact with the string. As unprepared as she was to face someone like the Stalker, Reaper was ready to take the chances.

-Destiny: Skyfall-

The two Guardians found their way to Winter's Lair. Fallen were nowhere in sight, and the place was desolate. Most of the Fallen equipment remained in place, and only a few were discarded like a storm tore by.

Reaper stopped running and aimed her bow, eyes flicking about left and right. It was dark like a cavern would be, the only light coming from the Venus skies above. She aimed in correspondence with her eyes, the faint Arc energy serving as her makeshift lamp. Her breaths were heavy from the running. Dammit, where could you be, Eroxs? She lost her, having to resort to relying on the trail Rose left behind when she turns into a spiral.

"Eroxs?!" Reaper called out into the darkness. The arrow that was nocked lost its tension and the Sapphire Wire-made bowstring aligned with the limbs of the weapon.

"Neo!"

Eroxs was below where Reaper was standing, just on one of the platforms the Fallen made here. Neo was there on the platform too, tail raised aggressively. Reaper heard the canine snarl from her distance.

The cloaked Titaness approached her father's companion. "Neo, what's wrong?" She hugged the aggressive dog to calm him down. "Neo?"

Whatever light was left in the area disappeared, Darkness blanketing it all for a split second. A howl in the wind swept by, deafening the Guardians' ears and the canine to bark again. Ankle-deep fog emerged in the area, and chills ran down their spines.

Reaper's HUD flickered, rendering her tracker useless and every vital part of it scrambled. Rex tried to bring it back online, but it ended in the display in her helmet being corrupted and forcing a mainframe shutdown.

"There is no place to hide, Guardian of Light." A voice rasped in the Bladedancer's audio receptor. Each word felt like her Light was being drained from her, and the sting from a snake's bite pricked in her arms. She gasped and raised her bow, aiming to her left. A puff of smoke was all that was left. However, she saw the faint outline of who she assumed to be the Stalker.

Is this the Stalker?! I thought he would only go after Lightning and the kazoku!

"The Hatchling's crime will not go unpunished. Do you foolish Guardians think that there would be no mercy from such an action?" It whispered again, this time coming from right behind the Bladedancer. Reaper reached for her knife and turned around. She slashed nothing but smoke. Keeping her hand on her knife, she looked around, other hand holding the bow and arrow in place.

"I am your end!" A hand reached for her throat and she choked, dropping her bow and knife as she was spun around. Reaper's eyes met a cylindrical helmet with slit eyes for vision. The greatsword was in the Stalker's hand, illuminating a blood red. The Stalker threw her and she plummeted to the ground. Her form slammed against a rock formation and she cried out painfully.

"Reaper!" Rose ran to her side. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw how much damage was brought to the Huntress. Some of the rocks were impaled around Reaper's body and blood pooled under her. "Reaper…" She picked the Bladedancer up and set her against the rocks.

"Don't… worry about me." Reaper put a hand on Rose' shoulder, then handing her Spectre's custom Lex Prime. "I'm a Guardian, remember? It'll take more than a fall to kill me. Just give me time to recover."

Rose felt something against her side and turned her head. Neo was by her side, calmed from barking but just as aggressive as ever. In his jaws was Reaper's Night Predator, miraculously recovered in spite of the Stalker's presence here.

"Hey," Reaper called out and caught the daughter of Nero Pendragon's attention. "You know how to use one?"

"It's your weapon, Reaper. I don't think I should—"

"Spare me that talk. I saw you handle a Shadowshot bow. You can do it again."

Rose looked at the bow once more. She held out her hand in front of Neo, quivering and unsure. Neo came closer and dropped the bow in her hand, grip of the bow resting in her palm. She saw the encouraging look in her companion's eyes and inspected the bow. Her hand held onto the grip and held it tight, stowing away the Lex Prime on her belt and taking the quiver from Reaper. Reaching for her belt, she pulled out a smoke grenade and handed it to Reaper.

"Use it as soon as you can move." She turned to face Neo. "Stay with her, boy." Neo barked affirmatively.

"Gotcha."

A red glow was at the corner of Rose's vision and she threw down another Smoke bomb, enveloping the two as she pulled Reaper away and into a safer place. The Stalker's sword stabbed through the rock instead of through a Guardian, shattering part of it. They slightly struggled to free their weapon from the rock. They were on a higher elevation in the cave and Rose nocked an arrow before aiming at the Taken Dark Knight. Her hand holding the arrow quivered even when her grip with the bow was steady. She took a deep breath and steadied her aim. The targeting system on her HUD was still functional and calculated for a swift kill. Once it turned from green to red, she let go of the arrow.

To her surprise, she launched not one, but seven arrows at once. Each of the seven carried a different element, four of them the core elements the Guardians use in weapons while the rest had an icy, viral, and corrosive arrowhead respectively. The arrows fanned out horizontally, surely to not miss given the spread of the arrows. The outer arrows struck nothing but rock, but it was clear to see when three of the inside arrows struck the Stalker. Solar and Arc energy surged across the armor of the Stalker when the arrows pierced through their chest and shoulder, kinetic arrow that she was sure she fired right through the knee. The Stalker roared painfully and swung their freed sword in the direction of the arrows, wave of Taken energy forming from the sword and headed towards Rose.

Rose snapped to her senses and prepared another arrow, an ashy-gray glow along her arms. She had no time to question what was going on, but she has a faint clue to what was the source of this glow. Behind her helmet, her eyes glowed from green to the same color as the glow along her arms, and then she fired the arrow. Both arrow and wave of energy collided with one another in display of gray and cosmic, but in the end, the arrow pierced through and destroyed the attack. However, right before the arrow could hit the Stalker again, an arrow from the Stalker's bow split Rose's in half, its bladed arrowhead easily doing the job.

'Eroxs' didn't realize a gasp left her lips and hoped for the best as she wrapped her cloak around her reflexively. The arrow didn't hit her, despite her being in its flight path. She looked down and saw that she became invisible and that the arrow went through her. She reached for her other arm and it felt solid, like she was using optic camouflage. Reaching for her scout rifle on her back, she transformed it into a halberd, putting away the bow and slinging it across her back.

"You cannot hide from me, hatching," the Stalker said in a raspy voice, words echoing across the cavern. "You are making the same mistakes as your poor, pitiful father."

Rose slowly descended from above, weapon prepared and footsteps like a master Hunter, quiet and well cloaked. She held the weapon with both hands, minding her surroundings as to not give away her position. What the Stalker said about her father stung, her grip on her transformed Crimson Queen tightening. Anger washed over her over the lies spread about her father. There was no way he could be that way! In the midst of her anger, the end of her polearm scratched against the rock at her feet.

"Like thinking that the shadows is your ally!" A monofilament dagger was thrown in Rose's direction, Taken energy seething from the blade. Rose returned to existence and the dagger struck her, cutting through her left shoulder plate and even part of the cloth. A burning pain surged from where the dagger struck and Rose cried out, losing her balance and falling to the ground, Crimson Queen's blade impaled next to her. Reflexively, her hand covered her arm where the blade tore through, praying that she won't become Taken. The pain felt like her arm was cut off by a saw without any form of pain killer. Tears flowed from her eyes as she tried to hold back crying.

"Pathetic. I expected more from Pendragon's spawn." The Stalker appeared before the downed Titaness and started beating her with their armored boot. Cries came from her as the boot struck her at the sides and stomped on her torso. Repeatedly. "Without your father, you are just as weak as an infant. Shame too, because I was hoping for more of a fight from you."

As the Stalker continued to kick her to the ground, Rose held back the crying she would've done. She shouldn't be showing weakness, but it hurt trying to not show it. In a way, the Stalker was right. Even if she looks up to her father, she relies on him for the strength to fight. Without him, she's lost, no sense of direction…

Father… help me…! With the strength she had left, Rose tried to crawl away, only for one final stomp to her back, followed by a crunch of what she assumed to be armor and bone. A pained cry left her lips and she fell limp, barely breathing as tears blurred her sight. She could barely feel her lower body. Silent sobs erupted from her and the Stalker sensed her despair. They kicked her to have them see face to face and the Stalker stomped on her rib cage, armor and bones breaking. Rose could barely see the Taken Dark Knight, as she was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"And now, to break your father's spirit! With your death!" They raised their greatsword high, blade pointed down at her. "Farewell, hatchling!"

"No!"


A/N: *Pokes head out from corner* Hey guys, sorry for the update being two months instead of two weeks like normal. It's been hectic for me that I didn't have the time to write this one. Even this summer is gonna be another one of those times it may take longer than normal. I won't bore you with the details why, but I ask for your patience.

MrsDox234: Glad you enjoyed the last one! Hopefully this one wasn't too much of a downer…

Dragonscale1235: Thanks! Destiny and Warframe are my favorites too!

Anyway, till then, Guardians.