Act V - The Dark Below
Chapter 14 - Impending Threat
[Old Russia, Cosmodrome, The Blast]
From within the confines of my Jumpship, the three of us listened to Eris and her story of the Moon. ~We went to the Moon seeking vengeance, but it found us first: Crota, the Son of Oryx. We'd never faced anything like him. In the end, only I was left. Crota and his armies destroyed our Moon. If we don't stop them, I fear Earth will suffer the same fate~
"We got this, Eris, everyone, let's to this," I replied, and upon reaching the entryway to the Devil's Lair we finally had boots on the ground. The moment we set foot inside the lair we found not just Devils but Hive, the two factions in an all-out war on the other side of the basin. "What the...?"
"We missed the party." Morbin cocked Judgement, while Zane took point, taking out a Vandal and two Thrall with a knife and two rounds to the back of their heads. We followed, the Fallen far too busy with the invaders from within the facility ahead
The Blast was absorbed in battle. A Skiff dropped off Fallen troops, running into the fray. A piercing, inhuman shriek shook the air, and a large, more feminine Wizard appeared behind the group of Hive. With another shrill cry, it created several summoning circles, calling more Thrall to the fray, alongside Cursed Thrall.
~With the increase in Hive the Fallen eventually uncovered them, revealing to us their commander's location, Sardon now commands the Hive spawn on Earth. Search The Grottos. Find this monster, and see to his end~ Eris informed us darkly, while I tapping a finger to the side of my head
"Eris, there's something else, a Wizard, bigger too and... ugh, laughing." It was a loud, mocking cackle, even while Morbin and Zane cleared the enemies in our way I felt as though her glowing blue eyes were locked to me, as if daring me to strike her, and in my chest, I felt the urge to do so, but why?
Eris' voice carried only vile words at my report. ~Omnigul! If you can, destroy her here and now, Guardian. Lay that witch to rest~ Wow, Eris really didn't like her. But what was Crota's top general doing out here? I thought she was more methodical than the rest?
I gasped, running over to Morbin. "Get down!" Zane ducked too, a bombardment of Arc blasts from Omnigul sailing over us, followed by a glow toward our left. She wanted me to distract them! Cursed Thrall!
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
We all stared in surprise, seeing the line of Curse Thrall erupt into bones and chitin at an Arc rail striking the first. I turned around, shocked to see a Vandal and three Dregs standing over us, firing down upon the Thrall that gathered. They were... helping us? The House of Devils was advancing with us?
"Why..." I murmured, Morbin raising his shotgun to their heads, but I quickly put it down, earning a glare from under his helmet but I held it down firmly. "Wait, just... trust me."
"No, not when it comes to Fallen," I know he hates Fallen but we could use this. He and I didn't move, with Zane looking between us and the Fallen. Slowly, the strain on my hand lessened. "...One chance or I start blasting."
"Thank you," I breathed, standing up to meet the Vandal face-to-face. "Why are you helping us?"
It spoke in a raspy, rugged voice, with a few grunts, happily though, Ghost translated a bit. "Okay, what I got from common phrases used by the Fallen, she said, 'Devils and Undying are enemies, Hive are the enemy of both, our enemy is our ally.'"
"So she wants to team up?" Zane asked, earning a nod from the Vandal, outstretching Hard Luck he took down three Thrall without looking, pumping his fist high with delight. "Awesome!"
"Hmph, so you aren't afraid ~FOOLISH FOUR-ARMED FOOLS~ Yeah, what he said," Morbin grumbled, but he ultimately glided down to the dirt below. "Stay out of my way and we'll be fine."
~Someone's got a stick up their-~ Rika grumbled
~Let's not! Ahem, make the unstable robot scarier...~ Ghost nervously added
"He really doesn't like Fallen, does he?" I didn't answer Zane, finding it both confusing and sad, whatever happened must have more to do with Deus, but what? In any case, I looked to the Vandal and nodded, holding Stranger's Rifle tightly
"If you can get us through we can find their commander and take him out, then we'll go for the Wizard." Again, I received a nod of approval, and a part of me felt strange working with Fallen, especially those that probably hate us for killing Sepiks Prime. A mutual trust, that's all it was. "Alright then, let's go!" We and Zane charged in after Morbin, the small ground of Fallen following us closely with a war cry among their kind
Omnigul saw this, and I swore she grinned, summoning another army of Cursed Thrall while the Knights advanced and Acolytes held strong against the Fallen to the far right, or until buckshot tore through them. Morbin landed, smacking a Thrall in the face and firing another round through two, using his free hand to slam a void fist into an Acolyte, absorbing its energy for himself.
Zane jumped atop the building to my right, using the height to cause a wave of blue light to simultaneously explode around us, myself and the Fallen laying into Omnigul, the blast of her own Thrall disorientating her for a moment. A Knight charged me, my aim remaining on Omnigul as I saw the flash of green slice the Knight's arm off, followed by a horizontal spin that decapitated it.
*Blam-Blam*
Two shots to the head and a knife took down the last two Knights, with Dregs following Zane's example, tearing apart the Thrall while Zane ran behind them, taking off their heads with ease. Omnigul summoned a black cloud to obscure my sight, firing several accurate bolts into me and the female Vandal, the two of us knocked back. I grabbed one of her arms, pulling her back onto her feet while she raised her Wire Rifle, both of us unloading through the smog, decimating Omnigul's shield.
"DIE!" From afar, Morbin held a mystical ball in his hands, unleashing a large nova upon Omnigul, while her attention focused on the blast. With a cackling laugh, her body was consumed in an emerald fire, vanishing before the Nova Bomb could detonate, but said sphere of Void Light traversed the battlefield, clearing the way forward with a shiny blast and rainfall of chitin
"Dammit - Sorry, Eris, she got away."
~It does not matter, she is within the Cosmodrome, this will make it easy to track her down in the end. Proceed with the mission, Guardian~ Eris ushed us onwards, even while Hive continued their assault, but we had our opening. Zane waved me over, Morbin throwing a Thrall into the support beam above
Another line of grunts and raspy words reached my ears behind me, it was the Vandal again, bowing with two knives in her lower hands. Ghost? "On it, she said, 'Must fight, Devils unyielding, name is... Silvis', huh?"
Even if it were a Fallen, I raised my fist to Silvis victoriously and regrouped with my fireteam, hearing her let out a war cry a moment later.
"Here I thought I'd never see another friendly Fallen." I know, Ghost, who knew?
[Cosmodrome, Refinery]
It was strange going back the way we'd typically travel, and having back-up from the Fallen we slew the God of, I guess they're not all bad, just... like us I guess. Upon entering the Refinery again, a loud metal grinding sound quaked from around the corner. With a silent nod, I took point to investigate, slipping my head around the wall for a better look.
Three Acolytes were kneeling in a summoning circle, a green cloud swirling above them. Zane crouched his way over to the adjacent wall, while Morbin hid behind a buried forklift, our weapons trained on the Hive, in a countdown between Rika and Ghost, we took their heads clean off.
Sadly, the noise intensified, and the cloud grew with Zane pushed me back with his sword carving up through the snow, slamming against the crackling cleaver in a Knight's hand. It resembled that of a Sword Prince, my HUD marking him as a 'Blade of Crota', great, more of them.
Zane flashed us a peace sign and swiped the Knight back into a chunk of the ceiling. "I got this."
With a powerful lunge to the Knight's stomach, Zane slammed it back against the wall, carving through the chitin with a graceful pivot under its own right swipe. Zane's right arm tucked over his left, swiping up through the Knight's forearm, amputating it. The Knight swung down from the left, dashing the snow while a hand shoved the face of the sword away, Zane slanting up sharply through the left arm, severing it too. Completing his execution Zane slammed the blade through the Knight's throat, twisting then carving right, beheading the Hive completely with a burst of chitin.
The Blade of Crota fell to the floor, leaving behind in a veil of light its sword, crackling with mysterious energy. At first Zane went to lift it, but I felt a flurry of fear override my senses, snatching the sword before he could take it, he turned to me, seeing that I was completely fine, was I fine? Why did I do that? Argh, again with this paranoia!
"S-sorry, just... last time you touched a blade like this you... changed." Before I could offer it back his hand rested on my helmet, patting me while I froze up, face burning
"Don't worry about it, trust me, you're gonna love that sword in a second..." He pointed toward the shutters ahead, Thrall swarming from within. He pushed me forward. "Have fun~"
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"Don't you - Nevermind..."
Pushing aside my thoughts I held the sword in both hands, feeling a strange, ominous power hidden inside the blade, whatever it was started to pulse, probably best I use it quickly. Gliding above the Thrall they gnashed their teeth and scratched the air, and with a sudden slam, my body struck the ground, sending a shockwave powerful enough to wipe them out completely, leaving behind a wave of blue embers.
"Woah...!" This sword... it was powerful. For probably the first time in a while, I let myself grin with anticipation toward the sounds of Hive in the Refinery's adjoining room, Thrall swarming from the other side of the disabled laser grid
Swinging forward my body flew into the open warehouse, knee cracking against a Thrall, with both hands I slammed down again, a sheen of midnight blue across the sword as Thrall shattered before my eyes within the crash of thunder. I swung again, gliding far toward three Acolytes on a small platform, the Sword struck the first, followed by two more lunges to decapitate the second, the third severed at the waist.
The sword was starting to crackle green, veins of energy snaking along the edge, this didn't feel right but I still had Hive to deal with. Ignoring the glow I ran for the Hive terraformed land down a train tunnel, seeing two Knights raising their Boomers at me. Thrall scrambled in from behind them, claws radiating too.
I slid under the first, cutting it and two more Thrall in two. Jumping high I flew over the last two, my blade brought down on the two Knights, stunning them from the impact, turning with the weight of the sword's power my body carved through the Thrall in an impressive arc, followed by an uppercut to the first Knight, splitting its chitin down the middle. A blast of a Boomer struck my side, so with the sword now crackling with unstable energy I inverted my grip, throwing the weapon like a spear, sinking it clean through the Knight's head with ease.
"Had fun?" Zane called to me, waving once while Morbin stole the engrams that littered the ground, handing them out to Deus. Taking a second to catch my breath, I looked to my right hand, the sensation lingering
"Yeah... that sword, it was... really powerful." I wanted to use it again, but that felt wrong, ugh. I sighed, closing my fist. "I guess the power of the Hive can be intoxicating."
"It is, hence why myself and Eris always look for ways to use their stuff without being corrupted, Thorn would be a perfect example," That was true, from what Taka told me, the weapon Zane used in the Vault of Glass, Lumina, was once a legendary weapon called 'Thorn', and that it belonged to a corrupt Guardian. Tapping my shoulder we turned our attention to the tunnel ahead of a buried train cart. "Guess we go down."
"Yeah..." It was covered in that strange chitin of the Hive, with glowing crystals protruding in bundles against the walls. I took point, the three of us trudging our way into the Grottos, our boots echoed each time
~I survived for years in the tunnels under the Moon, using the shadows as the Hive do. Keep your eyes open~
After a short walk of silence, we came across the waterlogged cavern past a fallen lantern. The entire cavern gave off unpleasant energy, Hive runes were dotting barricades of the Hive and the walls of the caves, glowing ominously. From how Zane reacted to them with his hand tightening around Hard Luck, it was clearly a bad omen.
"Well, that's convenient." Morbin pointed out the larger smog of darkness resting above a small pool of water, energy crackling around it. That must be Sardon. "We're surrounded."
"What?" Me and Zane blurted out, all of us back-to-back, facing the Hive that somehow snuck up on our radars, watching eagerly from the shadows and walls surrounding the lower level of the cavern. They could have struck, and yet no Thrall were present, only a few Knights and Acolytes, were they waiting for...?
With a roar, a strange, heavy sensation pulled me nearly off my feet, suppressing my Light like how I first encountered a Darkness Zone, my HUD displayed it as a 'Dark Burden', crap. In a splash, a large, goldish Knight stood proudly with his cleaver, eyes trained on the three of us.
[Sardon, Fist of Crota]
"We... should start running..." Zane murmured, backing up a little while Morbin tried to jump, but he only got around a typical height for one
"Great, he suppressed our momentum ~I WILL SEVER YOUR KNEECAPS~!" Morbin screamed bloody murder
Sardon baffled me further, taking only a single step, he dropped the sword into the water, claws closing to form fists that broke apart with blue fissures of energy, the sword lost its glow and crumbled completely. Was he going to fight us with his bare hands?
"Wow, another first, today is weird." Not right now, Ghost. But he was right, first, we fight alongside Fallen, and now a Knight, one of Crota's generals was wanting to punch us to death instead of using a sword. If this were any other situation, I might have found it laughable, but deep inside me something couldn't help but make my heart tick faster at the challenge. Sardon still didn't move
"Guys, take care of his Hive, I got this." I declared, pushing Stranger's Rifle onto my back, cracking my own knuckles with a shimmer of fire across them
"You can't be serious?" Morbin grumbled, then I saw him lean over to Zane. "I think it's finally happened."
"She's got the 'Titan-Complex' after all? Yeah... want to make a bet who'll get the most kills? Rika... record this..." Zane insisted with a whisper, despite me clearly hearing them
~You bet - oh, whoops, that was through the coms, hehehe...~ Rika too...
"I don't see you two moving!" They jumped back, cocking their weapons
"On it!" They replied, running toward the way we came, the Hive following them, leaving me with Sardon who looked from the Hive to me, stomping closer with his fists low for only a second. With surprising speed, his right arm folded, and I braced with my arms on fire
"Come on, I've taken worse than a punch!" What was that? Do I... really have a complex?
Sardon's punch crackled with that same energy as before, this time, a felt the impact rattle my bones, the blue shockwave I used with the sword before tore through me, sending me flying into a nearby boulder, I gasped, arms shaking as pieces of my gauntlets fell apart. Breathing heavily, I felt my body sink into the stone a little.
"No... my arms are..." I couldn't believe it, he broke my armor and through my Light? "My arms cracked... I couldn't take it... argh, it hurts!" I hunched over slightly in agony, feeling my arms twitch
The Fist of Crota looked completely unfazed, though it did stop to analyze me for a second, I went to raise a fist but I nearly screamed when his own left hook slammed into my side, something inside me broke and I was sent hurdling into the large column to my left, body tumbling to the ground in agony. Sardon looked toward me, growling angrily while punching the wall I was previously against, was he... angry at me?
"Get up, Red! Don't go bossing my around if you lack the guts to stand your ground!" Morbin yelled from afar, his fingers jammed into the skull of an Acolyte, using it to block incoming shots from a few ahead of him. "Grit your teeth and bite back."
Slowly, I acknowledged him and pushed myself up again, armor cracking, say for Alpha Lupi, but the side was torn a bit, dammit, he can damage Exotic-Tier armor too? Panting I clenched my fists, enhancing my arms again with furious flames, Sardon noticed, doing the same with that Hive magic again. He took the lead, throwing numerous punches toward me that thundered through me with enough force to break apart my armor again, my feet barely managing to stand strong as I felt blood flow from points across my body, bones creaked and muscles nearly tore open.
"I... I...!" I'm an idiot! Why did I do this it makes no sense! What did I have to prove, what am I doing! "Ceres you idiot what are you trying to accomplish!?"
"Look out!" I couldn't react to Ghost at all. My lungs collapsed against my voice, blood flying out my mouth as my helmet fell apart, revealing how broken my spirit was. His fist collided with my stomach, hurdling me across the Grottos and into the pond, my eyes hazy while blood blinded my left eye
*Pow-Pow-Pow-Pow!*
"Tisk!" My eye cracked open a little, seeing the blue shockwaves pass through a black and white wall, taking on the hits that would have killed me. "Come... on..." Morbin...! "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!?"
He's taking each punch for me, I'm... just in the way... am I that weak now? I was sure I'd gotten stronger since the Vault of Glass, but compared to this single Hive Knight, I'm... still too weak. My legs were trembling and my body wouldn't move. Morbin grunted again, his armor taking a serious blow while his very Exo body was torn into slowly, he couldn't keep going, not at the rate Sardon's punches were thrown with the strength of a bus.
Zane himself was pinned down by the Hive, his sword stuck in the walls of the cavern. Even he was at his limit, running low on ammo just from where I could see, they'll keep coming, overwhelm all of us, we'll die down here after everything.
I can't just sit here, If I didn't move, Morbin would... would die! All because of me! "Useless bastard! You're gonna break now, is that it!? The power to escape death and this is all you've got!?"
Why am I... feeling this way again...?
"Zane... I understand what you're trying to tell me but this is different!"
"I can do this alone, only until I get strong enough!"
"I'd beat him!"
"I can win!"
"You need not cry, Ceres... do not waste tears on guilt, save them for... times of joy... bliss... and sadness for others, never for the guilt that is never yours."
I hadn't let go, I wanted to prove I was strong, that I took Zane's words to heart but they still never sunk into the deepest parts of me, I put on a brave face and marched on all this time. I still couldn't do it, I couldn't stop from thinking of what I failed to do right, as a leader, as a hero. My fist finally clenched, my teeth ground to dust.
"If I couldn't move on... then I'll..." I strained to move, but my body was starting to listen again
Morbin coughed, stumbling back from another one of Sardon's fists, he looked ragged, metal torn and his armor chipped away at the chest and face. Hie eyes continued to shimmer a reddish-orange, clearly trying to stay in control of his personality, but he hadn't used his Light, not until he spoke up.
"You think I'll just be a useless shield? I'm not a thick-headed Titan you shriveled up gnat..." Morbin spat, his left fist suddenly surging with Void Light, crackling just like Sardon's fists. "I'll take every ounce of pain you've delt to me... I'll send it back tenfold..." His eyes turned red, jaw unhinged. "I'LL FORGE A FIST TO SHATTER YOURS!"
Even with this power-up, Morbin couldn't focus, his balance was off and if he tried to use his Light now it may end up backfiring. He needed more time. Sardon's fists came hurdling down on Morbin, but instead, I took the lead, guarding my body on fire with an enraging inferno in my eyes as the blaze took the punches head-on.
"I'll regret nothing! Not now or ever again!" I screamed in my head, holding my ground against the quakes send through my body, but I wasn't budging, not again, not now! His fists made my feet uproot stone to hold strong, while a wave of air pushed against me more. "I will do what I can! I'll become the leader they deserve! I'll protect everyone!"
Each hit broke my body, but I simply forced my Light to forge new flames, wrapping around my arms to brace each new set of blows, Sardon was getting slower, but his punches didn't waver once. "If my flames die then I'll fuel them again! Stand strong! Protect your friends! Even if it meant your life!"
Sardon stumbled back, his right fist falling apart, even so, he charged with a roar, his left still infused with Hive magic. I pulled back with my left too, screaming loud with fire in my voice, eyes burning bright as our fists connected, a burst of blue and orange flames bathing the Grottos in light. The recoil broke his final fist, leaving Sardon without a means to fight, while I fell backward off my feet, a cold hand wrapping around my back as I watched with my right eye.
"...Thanks, I can handle this now," Morbin grinned, his Void Light pulling Sardon closer by just the gravity alone. "Like the Worst One would say," Morbin lurched forward, his fist aimed for Sardon's face. "GET REKT!"
His fist collided perfectly with Sardon's face, the unstable Void Light carving through the golden chitin and through flesh and bone, the head disintegrated in seconds while nearly bringing the cavern down atop us from the very power unleashed in a single Void punch. While rock crumbled and the air released the last echoes of the fight, Zane stumbled over, the Hive fleeing for their lives out of fear.
"You two are like a sword and shield, nice." He gave us a thumbs up, my hand shakily rising to do the same, a genuine smile on my face
"Hmph, not bad, Red." I didn't quite hear him, my head was buzzing, but that 'Dark Burden' finally lifted away, giving our ghosts time to finally heal us
~You've done it. Now that Sardon has fallen, come see me. There is more to do after you recover. The rest of Crota's disciples will not cease until Earth is ready for their master's return~ Eris informed us, and while Ghost looked to be talking to me I couldn't hear him, as Morbin's arm was too comfortable to move from
"...I swear I... will... protect you... both..." With a heavy sigh, I finally passed out.
To Be Continued...
Now that is how you do a boss fight! The 'Fist' of Crota really does like using his fists this time around, I got inspiration from somewhere so that's why I changed up the fight, it gave more context to Ceres' overall mentality after the last Act. I hope you enjoyed, seeya in the next chapter, Guardians!
Next Chapter: Dark Soul
The battle to stop Crota's wakening continues with a distress call from Rasputin himself. Even with only a day to recover, Fireteam Horizon must march on toward the next wall in their way.
