Chapter Fifteen
Fireteam Cerulean stood before the Speaker at the first light of dawn. The group of them was tired, worn down from the previous night's festivities, but none of them dared show it. The giant armillary sphere nearby spun slowly, its mechanisms gliding smoothly in an endless loop, a faint breeze wafting past them with every pass of the massive metal rings.
Wren kept toward the back of the group, only half listening to the Speaker. Her hands gripped behind her back and fidgeted under her cloak. She'd been able to avoid seeing Cayde and she wished they could be on their way so she wouldn't have to.
"We've come to understand the vast potential of this fireteam," the Speaker said. "It's come to my attention that there may be Hive on the Moon performing a ritual to drain the Traveler's Light. We don't understand this power, but we do understand its dangers. Go to the Moon, Cerulean, and destroy the source of this power."
"We'll do our best," Rorick swore.
"I expect nothing less. You and your team are dismissed Rorick. You must leave immediately. If you require provisions, we'll send a team out later with whatever you need."
"Thank you." Rorick bowed his head to the Speaker, then turned to his team. "Let's go."
Wren nodded to the Speaker and left, following the group toward the hanger. They passed through the courtyard and Wren tensed. She resisted the urge to look toward the command room and kept her attention ahead, until Beorn and Franz fell back beside her.
"Looks like you're the only one who doesn't feel like shit," Franz smirked.
"Nonsense," Beorn said. "I feel fine."
"Yeah, well, you're an Exo."
"I meant to check in on you last night," Beorn said, turning his attention to Wren. "We're you feeling unwell?"
"I was just tired is all."
"Understandable. I think I slept more the first few months of being a Guardian than I have since. It's exhausting until you can get used to it."
"Probably a good thing you left early," Franz said, stretching his arms over his head. "I had to drink that crap Sisre uses to get rid of hangovers."
"I had that yesterday morning," Wren said. "Frankly, it's enough to make me not want to drink again for a while."
"You got drunk?" Franz gasped. "Without us? Jeeze, Wren. I thought we were friends."
Wren chuckled and shook her head. "Trust me, I didn't do it on purpose."
"Well, you'll have to invite us next time."
"If there is a next time."
"You're a Guardian now," Beorn said. "There will be a next time."
Wren didn't like the way he said it, or the way Franz's smile faded. It didn't last, however. The Warlock perked right back up and smiled and broad, toothy grin.
"Then there'll be plenty of time for us to get drunk together and cause some trouble."
"You're impossible," Beorn said. "Look, Franz. Holliday got your ship painted."
"Awesome. Let's go take a look. C'ya on the Moon, Wren."
The pair of them waved their goodbyes and headed off toward the first dock where Franz's ship had been freshly painted black with gray and lime green accents. The Warlock symbol was proudly emblazoned on each wing and Wren had to admit it was impressive.
Franz hauled himself up onto the wing, Beorn keeping to the catwalk to circle as much of the ship as possible. The two of them chatted and laughed and thanked Holliday for the fantastic job. The blonde woman didn't notice Wren as she passed and Wren was glad for it.
She slipped on by and quickened her pace when a voice called out behind her.
"Wren!"
It was Cayde. She pulled herself up into the cockpit of her ship, pretending not to hear him over the roar of engines starting on other craft, and the clattering sounds of mechanics hard at work. He called to her once more and she closed herself away, not daring to glance down at him though she could see his form stopping in her peripheral. He waved an arm at her but she turned away, occupying herself with buttons and gauges that meant nothing in the moment. Anything to keep from looking at him.
A call went out to clear the docks and she could see him backing away until at last she couldn't help herself. Her eyes went to rest on him and the pang in her chest made her regret it. The ships around him caused his cloak to blow back and slap against the metal rails of the catwalk. His blue eyes shined intensely up at her but his face remained nearly expressionless. He picked up a radio from a console beside him and spoke into it.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Wren," Kiran said, gently, hovering over her shoulder. "I really don't think he meant to leave you out there alone."
"He had options."
Kiran floated up to look down on Cayde but didn't say anything else about it. Wren took one last look at him, inhaled shakily, and turned her back. It was harder to do than she thought it would be and she fought with herself to stay looking forward.
"You know…" Kiran began slowly, "maybe it'd be a good idea to admit that you care more than you thought you did."
Wren set her jaw. "I don't care at all."
"I know you're proud, but you don't have to be with me. If you're hurt, and I know you are, it's okay to say so. You have every right to be upset, but you also need to get the other side of the story before casting judgment. He is a Vanguard after all. Who knows what he got caught up in?"
"I still think he could have found a way to let me know."
"At least talk to him about it when we get back."
Wren huffed through her nose, unable to stop herself from looking back at the catwalk an instant before being released for flight. He was still there.
"Fine."
Cerulean took the high ground overlooking the entrance to the Hellmouth, Rorick and Sisre at the forefront of the group. Hive wandered about here and there but for the most part the area was clear. Wren scanned the surroundings, taking it in when she hadn't been able to the last time she was there.
Deep cracks and gouges in the Moon's surface glowed with green light from beneath. Thick tracks from manmade vehicles cut into the pale, rocky, surface. Craggy, mountainous terrain loomed over the entrance to the Hellmouth and the crater that bordered the right side of the area seemed vaster than it had before once she had a chance to slow down and observe.
Flak had rejoined their team and for now, was keeping his distance from her. Wren wondered what Cayde had him doing while she was destroying the Sword, but the curiosity wasn't enough to make her want to ask. He had been out of the way and away from her. That was good enough.
Brix hovered close by Rorick's head, speaking so low Wren could barely hear him.
"The ritual could be happening anywhere. If us Ghosts can scan some of these cracks we might be able to map below the surface and pinpoint the location."
"Alright," Rorick said, turning to them, "we should split up. Beorn, Sisre; you two sit back here and cover us. The rest of us should find cracks deep enough for our Ghosts, and scan from there."
Wren nodded confirmation and hopped off the ledge to walk toward the crater. Hive were still in the distance and didn't seem to notice them, so her Better Devils remained holstered, though she did pop the clasp just incase she needed a quick draw.
She could hear the others fanning out in other directions until at last is was just her own bootsteps. The cracks were deeper than they appeared from far off, the glow intensifying to nearly white light the deeper they went. How was that possible? The darkness within the caves had been stifling; nothing like what she was seeing from above.
Kiran emerged and drifted down into one of the cracks until she could barely see a difference in his light and that of the crevice. She kept an eye out around her for Hive while Kiran worked, but saw none nearby.
In the distance, Rorick punched a Thrall and the creature crumpled to ash. Flak was nowhere to be seen, but she caught the tail end of Franz's robes as he crested a hill farther away from the Hellmouth.
"Almost done," Kiran said. "There. I don't have enough on my own but I'm sure the others can fill in the blanks. Feels close though."
Wren made her way back up the hill moments before Franz returned, flying along the edge of the crater on his Sparrow. He slowed near them but didn't dismount.
"Vira scanned the far cavern and said she felt it was too far out. Whatever is happening down there, it isn't in that direction."
"Kiran said it was close toward this middle section," Wren said.
"Hey, Rorick is signaling us to join him," Sisre said, sniper rifle trailed on their fireteam leader. "Let's go."
"What about Flak?" Beorn asked.
"Screw him," Franz huffed. "He'll see us and catch up."
Wren and Sisre exchanged glances. They had reasons to dislike the Hunter, but did Beorn and Franz? Last Wren saw, they were talking and laughing, drunk, at their party just the night before. Had something happened since then?
"I know you're tired, but that's no reason to be hostile," Beorn said and Wren's suspicions faded. "Here he comes now."
Flak rode by without a second glance and Wren prickled. Franz grumbled under his breath and sped off toward the Temple. Beorn quickly mounted up and raced after them, falling in close beside Franz.
"Wonder what that was about?" Sisre asked.
"I have no clue. Maybe Beorn's right and Franz is just tired."
"While I can't be mad at him for not like Flak; I'd totally understand if he didn't, I can't help but wonder why."
"Ask him later. I'm sure he'd gladly spill the beans."
"True," Sisre said, her Sparrow appearing before her.
"Maybe they'll help me paint my Sparrow," Wren mused as she mounted her own, green paint flecking off in the movement.
Sisre laughed. "Wouldn't hurt to ask. And you could ask them what's up. Anyway, I'll see you there."
She was off in a flask of blue flames, tearing across the rocky terrain, Wren hot on her heels. They came up into the circle with the others, their Ghosts hovering, sharing information until at last Brix separated himself from the others to speak with Rorick.
"We believe the activity is coming from inside the Temple of Crota. We should head there."
Rorick nodded, his helmet turning toward the rest of his team. "Looks like we're headed back to the Temple. Stay together and keep your eyes peeled for Hive. I can't imagine they'd allow a ritual like this to go unguarded."
Cerulean sped along the narrow canyons in single file, Wren at the end of the line, until they came upon the area where Wren had first met Sisre. The tower was crawling with Fallen, as was the deserted base on the left wall. They dismounted and curved left, picking off the Fallen who were trying to guard what resources remained.
Being at the back, Wren didn't have a reason to taking a shot; instead keeping out of the way for the rest of her team to do their jobs until at last they were funneling through the same sliver of a canyon they'd traversed to save Rorick. Halfway through static came in over the line and Wren paused to pick it up more clearly.
"What is that?" she asked.
"Not sure," Kiran replied, "there's too much interference. Maybe it's the Speaker."
"But the others aren't acknowledging it. Is it coming to me directly?"
"Looks like it, but I really can't get it to clear up. Just head into the clearing ahead and maybe I can fix it once we're in the open."
"Should I tell the others?"
"Not yet. Let's see if we can get it to clear up."
Wren trotted to catch up to Beorn, who hadn't noticed she'd lagged behind. The static continued to buzz in her ears, but she couldn't make heads or tails of it. There seemed to be several different things clipping together. As they neared the door where the dead Guardian had been discovered before, a voice came in loud and clear, making Wren jump and turn around as if someone had snuck up behind her.
"You're interesting," the voice said. "Not entirely, but you have promise."
Wren froze, scanning her surroundings incase the speaker was close by. "Who is that?" she asked Kiran and Sisre turned.
"What?"
Wren held up and hand and spoke to Kiran. "Can you tell who's sending that?"
"No clue. I'm losing the signal."
The others had stopped but only Sisre approached Wren. She didn't speak, only stood close by, rifle at the ready.
"I know what you're about to do," the voice said again. "It's brave, but there are enemies out here you wouldn't believe."
"Out where?" Kiran asked.
Silence.
Goosebumps raced down Wren's arms.
"Go down and face the hive. If you live, come find me."
"I lost the signal, but I do have some partial coordinates," Kiran said.
"Where was she broadcasting from?" Wren asked.
"Venus. The Ishtar region."
"What's going on?" Sisre asked.
"Remember the last time we were here, and I said I saw a woman or… or someone watching us? I just received a transmission from someone. I think it might be the same person. She said that there are enemies we can't imagine and that if we live I… or we, should go find her."
"What a crock of bull," Flak snorted. "You expect us to believe that some random person is having private conversations with you?"
"What's your problem, buddy?" Franz asked, stepping between Flak and Wren, arms folded across his chest. Wren prickled. The last thing she wanted was for Franz, or anyone else for that matter, stepping in on her behalf.
Flak stared up at Franz but Rorick put a hand on his chest, forcing him to take a step back.
"That's enough," Rorick said, helmet turned to Franz. "I believe Wren. She has no reason to lie about something like that." He turned to Wren. "She said to face the Hive? So, we'll face the Hive. Either way, that's why we're here."
Flak stepped back from Rorick's hand which was still planted firmly in his chest. He huffed, the faceplate of his helmet facing Wren before turned to go into the Temple. Gunfire echoed after him but the rest of the team stayed where they were.
"He should be reported," Beorn said flatly, staring at Flak's form as it disappeared into the shadows.
"I can handle Flak," Rorick said, readying his auto rifle. "This team is still new. We've been part of fireteams with worse growing pains than this that eventually evened out and made us stronger."
Wren and Sisre exchanged glances. No doubt Sis wanted her to spill what had happened between herself and Flak, but Wren wasn't willing to do that. Flak was making himself look bad without her help. If he kept going at this rate, Rorick would figure it out on his own that Flak wasn't just a growing pain; he was trouble. She just had to be patient a little while longer.
"Let's go." Rorick led the way into the main room beyond the door. Flak had taken cover behind one of the partial walls and was firing his hand cannon at an ogre that was stuck on the lower level. Sisre finished the beast off with a couple well placed sniper rounds, and with one last piercing shriek, the Ogre faded to ash.
The remainder of Acolytes were quickly disposed of and the team dropped down one floor at a time, then to the right, under the area they had just come from. Massive opaque windows she had admired before only served to remind her that there was only darkness beyond. She took one last look over her shoulder before rounding the corner.
A Wizard on the far side of the room shot Arc energy at them, but the blue bolts only splashed against a room that seemed suspended in the middle of a walkway that was built into the right wall. A couple Acolytes stood in the open room and dropped quickly.
Cerulean followed Rorick without a word as he pushed onward, the team shredding enemies in their path with little trouble. Wren wished they could work like that all the time, not just in combat. It worried her. As much as she hoped Rorick would see Flak's attitude for what it was and eventually decide to put him on report, she had to wonder if his abilities in a fight would sway that.
Beorn suffered for Wren's distraction. An Acolyte shot him in the shoulder, knocking him off the walkway. Wren grabbed at his hand but his fingers slid through her gloved hand. She didn't know if she called out to him, or if any word escaped her as she threw herself to her knees to look over the edge. A gasp of relief and she put her head on the ground when she saw he'd landed safely on a platform below.
It was a close call and a lucky chance. The platform couldn't have been more than ten feet wide, the pit below extending too far to see. A couple more feet and he'd have been lost to them.
"I'm alright," he called up as the last Acolytes fell.
Franz clutched his auto rifle and looked over the edge as Beorn boosted himself up onto the platform. "Could you be any clumsier?" He grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him into a quick hug before the pair of them reloaded their weapons; ready to proceed.
Wren's face flushed and she lowered her face a little, ashamed to admit it was her fault Beorn had been knocked off in the first place. She'd have to put aside her concerns about Flak and focus on the mission at hand.
Rorick reloaded as well, then motioned for them to move. Their boots scuffed and tromped across the honeycomb patterned tiles and half-finished stairs as they descended farther. A few lanterns here and there kept them from having to use the lights of their Ghosts but the next corner they rounded stopped them in their tracks.
"Holy shit," Franz muttered under his breath.
Brix emerged in a flicker of blue and drifted toward a massive structure in the middle of the cavern.
"Hive Seeder," he said. "There have been too many of these sent to Earth as is. We need to finish this or there will be many more."
"Do we have time to take scans?" Beorn asked.
"Nope," Sisre said, raising her sniper. "We have company."
A couple of Knights rushed through a doorway to their right, swords held high. Cursed Thrall rushed forward with the more aggressive type Knights until they neared the fireteam; slowing to clutch at their guts before exploding in a flash of molten organic matter. Their blood sizzled on the rocks around them and the team backed up, firing into a group that pursued them.
A Knight broke lose and slammed his blade into the ground beside Flak, who dodged out of the way not a moment too soon. The creature screamed and swung again, grazing the top of Flak's helmet when he rolled back. Two quick shots rang out and the Knight dropped, only its armor left in a pile of ash.
Flak's hood fell around his shoulders, a deep cut in the material where the Knight's sword made contact. He clenched his fist and stood and although he didn't say anything, he also didn't go running off ahead of the team again.
Rorick tilted his head slightly and said, "Brix says we need to go farther. We're not there yet."
"About that scan…" Beorn said.
"Permission to stay behind," Rorick said. "Once your scan in complete, head to the surface. We don't need to be separated down here."
"I'll stay too," Franz said.
"Watch yourselves."
The pair of Warlocks nodded their agreement and Beorn pulled a tablet from his bag as Franz turned his back to his friend to keep guard. Their Ghosts drifted slowly up the sides of the Seeder, speaking quietly to each other.
"Keep moving," Rorick said, taking the lead once more to guide them into the depths. They descended several more staircases, Wren keeping to the back of the line until Rorick stopped so quickly the rest of them nearly ploughed into him.
In the next open chamber, a Hive ship slid through a portal, dropping more Hive to the floor. Thrall landed with sickening crunches, their boney limbs cracking with the force, but they flooded forth unphased. A Wizard hovered over them, clawed hands flexing in anticipation.
There was no time to fall back and regroup. The Wizard spotted them and with a piercing scream the Thrall whipped their heads toward the doorway where Cerulean stood at the ready, lining up shoulder to shoulder as the wave of Thrall rushed the stairs, some choosing to spring to the ledge before the team of Guardians.
Arc energy splashed around their feet. Sisre's sniper roared in Wren's ear. Even through the helmet her ears started to ring, the buzzing deafening her on the right side. The Wizard cried out, but the Thrall needed Wren's attention more. Wren backed up a step as the second shot fired but continued firing into the Thrall. Their bodies exploded from the rounds and only two were able to get close enough to take swipes at them.
"I think we're clear," Sisre said. "You okay, Wren?"
Wren shook her head, but the ringing persisted. She wished she could rub her ear, but the helmet was in the way. "Yeah. I should have known better."
"Tough lesson," Sisre laughed. "Come on girl, let's move."
Rorick jumped from the walkway and glided out, the others following. Wren hopped across the half pillars and rock formations toward a massive arched doorway, managing a headshot on a Knight that ran through the door. Three more followed the first, who was stunned by the blow. One more and it dropped. She didn't bother looking at the others, trusting her team to take care of them.
"We're close," Rorick said.
Soon they came upon a door, the first sealed one they'd seen since they'd unlocked the first. That place seemed so far away. Thinking of how deep they were in the Moon, made Wren's skin crawl. She glanced back the way they'd come; to the silent, empty halls.
Brix appeared again and hovered before the door. "This is it," he said. "The ritual is happening right inside. I feel it."
"It's oppressive," Kiran said, barely audible over the ringing in her ear. "Be careful."
The doors began to open, and Brix was gone in a flash. Three sections of the door slid apart revealing a chamber with three Siphon Witches performing a ritual on a large black rock that glowed with green light. Swirling tendrils of darkness emanated from the surface like fog. Wren's stomach twisted and she resisted the urge to vomit.
"Keep cool," Sisre whispered before raising her rifle to take a shot before the doors could fully open.
The Siphon Witches were more aggressive than normal Witches, but that was to be expected. A group of Guardians had disturbed their sacred ritual. Energy erupted from their palms, arcing across the room to strike the still opening doors.
Rorick didn't wait for them to finish. He rushed the door, spinning out of the way of a blast, his auto rifle shredding into one of the Witches. She shrank away from him in a cloud of inky, poisonous mist. Rorick flinched, dropping to a knee at the edge of the mist bubble which lingered even after the Siphon Witch fell.
"You okay over there?" Sisre called.
"Holding together." Rorick stood and walked toward the rock in the center of the room. "What is this?"
Before anyone could answer the squeal of an opening door caught their attention. Wren turned to look behind her an instant before being struck by a blinding void blast. Her entire body was engulfed in a cold chill, her skin prickling as though a million daggers pierced her at the same time. She didn't have time to cry out before everything went black.
The darkness around her was infinite. She stood in an abyss on a floor that was seemingly nonexistent but for a faint reflecting of herself. However, when she looked down, she found her reflection had no face and her stomach lurched. This place had neither light nor sound, a far cry from the chaotic sounds that erupted an instant after her death.
"Kiran?" she called into the void.
"Over here," a voice replied.
Wren turned to see Cayde, his back to her.
"Cayde?"
No response.
She took a step closer and he didn't move.
"Let's go," he said at last, but still he stayed facing away from her.
Tentatively she grabbed his cloak and he led her onward, into the emptiness.
"Where are we going?"
"Home," he said.
He led her in silence until fractals of light began to fall like snow until she was blinded, blinking until at last she opened her eyes to Sisre's helmet. Her fists loosened, the feel of Cayde's cloak vanishing as the Hive ritual chamber came back to view.
"First death?" Sisre asked, extending a hand to help Wren up.
"Yeah…" Wren glanced back at the floor where she'd fallen. Cayde. She'd spoken his name in her dream. Had she also said it out loud? No… no, she wasn't sleeping. She wasn't dreaming. She was dead.
"It's not that bad," Rorick said. "Now that you know, you don't have to fear it."
"Unless your Ghost is dead," Flak said flatly.
Rorick barely turned his head toward Flak, otherwise ignoring his comment. He faced the floating form once more and their Ghosts emerged. "What is it, Brix?"
"Whatever it is makes me sick to my stomach," Sisre said, stepping back.
"It's a shard of the Traveler," Brix said at last, a hint of confusion in his voice. The energy surrounding what Wren had previously thought was a rock, faded to reveal a shining white piece of the Traveler before dissipating in a swirling mist of light. "They were using it against the Traveler, but we've freed it. They can't use it against us anymore."
"And to think," Kiran began, "the transmission from Venus said there is far worse out there."
"I don't want to think about that," Sisre shuddered.
"Neither do I, but it's time we head there and see what all this is about."
"Where do we go from here?"
"We head back to the surface," Rorick said. "We can report to Zavala and find out our next step. There might be more to this person on Venus than meets the eye. I don't want to go there and risk it being a trap."
"A trap for what?" Flak scoffed. "One scrawny little Hunter? Please. Until I see this mystery person, I don't believe it."
"You don't have to," Rorick snapped. "You only have to follow orders."
Follow orders was exactly what they did. Once on the surface Zavala expressed the same concerns as Rorick and felt the private correspondence was too suspicious. For the moment they were to hold off on taking any sort of action as another issue had arisen on the Moon for them to take care of.
Beorn and Franz transferred the data they'd uncovered about the Hive Seeder, as the pod had launch locations for several other Seeders. Zavala immediately dispatched teams to those areas to destroy the ships and eradicate whatever Hive might have spawned from them.
"There's a shrine below the Hellmouth," Rorick explained. "Brix dredged up an old recording from the Warlock, Osiris that states the shrines should be destroyed. Zavala agrees. While we're already close, we'll delve into the shrine, destroy it, and scan for additional data."
"So, back to the Hellmouth," Sisre said.
Wren remembered the way. She remembered the dark corridors and stairwells. But this time there was an enemy she wasn't expecting.
Fallen.
The cavern that opened on one side to the crater beyond echoed with gunfire and angry screams before the Guardians arrived. A Fallen ship hovered on the canyon side, firing at a Knight near the opposite door. There was no chance for the sword bearer, but the creature charged the Fallen anyway.
"Grenades," Rorick said, lobbing one toward a group of Thrall that were tearing a dead Dreg to shreds.
The rest of Cerulean followed suit and the cavern erupted in a chaotic blast of light.
"I need a rocket launcher," Rorick grumbled when the Skiff turned its fire on them.
"You keep saying that," Sisre chuckled. "Move aside. I got this."
The rest of the team stood back in the safety of the stairwell while Sisre dropped to take aim on the Skiff. Wren was tempted to peek around and see if Sisre could take down the ship on her own but the massive explosion and sounds of crushing metal as the ship fell to the crater below was enough to convince her it was possible. She'd taken the ship down in less than ten shots. Wren was highly impressed.
"I could do that," Franz said, fist on his hip.
"Here," Sisre said, holding her rifle out to Franz who proceeded to hold his right shoulder and rotate it high over his head.
"I would but my shoulder's been real stiff today."
Sisre laughed and shook her head, slinging the rifle over her shoulder. "Sure thing, hot shot."
"Is this where you went to destroy the Sword of Crota?" Beorn asked Wren.
"Yeah. Just a little farther."
"The shrine must be beyond that point," Rorick said, reloading his weapons. "Be ready. Brix says there are more Hive in the chambers beyond."
They followed him through bone littered halls until they reached a door that had been sealed before in the room where she'd defeated the Swarm Princes. It felt strange to be back in that space. She half expected those Princes to rise from the depths of the pool at the far end, but the waters were still once the Thrall and Fallen were gone.
"Here we go," Sisre said, falling in line behind Rorick at the entrance to the doorway that led farther into the depths of the Hive fortress. Wren stepped in behind her and peered into the cave beyond.
It was a far cry from the room they were standing in. There were no steps, no tiled floor, no elaborate pillars. Only rough walls and smooth floor underfoot. Those caves didn't last long. Soon rocky walls gave way to carved ones and Kiran's spoke to her.
"We think the Fallen are saying there's a Baron here, probably close by. We're to keep quiet and on alert."
The other Guardians slowed their pace a little and Wren knew their Ghosts were also letting them in on what was happening.
"Wonder why a Baron is bothering with this place," Kiran mused.
The Baron wasn't as well guarded as Wren had been expecting. A few Dregs patrolled the small, circular chamber and the Baron himself was like a sitting duck. The whole thing felt odd. Why would a Baron come alone with hardly a guard at all? He was easy to pick off and had no escape route to speak of. Either the Fallen were more foolish than Wren thought, or they had a reason to believe they had the upper hand without much of an attack force.
Sisre fell back to the end of the line with Wren as they trudged deeper still into the fortress. Bones and barnacles crunched under their boots to the point that Wren hardly noticed it unless a slimy substance oozed onto her boots when a particularly large barnacle would erupt.
"So," Sisre said quietly, "where did you get off to last night? All you said was that you were leaving. Did you meet up with you-know-who?"
Wren clenched her jaw. "No. But I did see Koro."
"Oh yeah? What happened?"
"If I tell you what happened, it stays between us."
"Promise."
"I went to meet Cayde at the North Gate but…" Wren glanced at Beorn who walked only a couple of meters away. "He never showed up. I just ran into Koro on the way back."
"Cayde stood you up?"
"What? No. I mean, yeah, but it wasn't a date or anything so I don't think it could be considered being stood up." He cheeks burned under her helmet. Why was she defending him?
"And you're not mad?"
"Oh, I'm definitely mad. He could have said something, and he didn't. I sat out there—" she cut herself off, ashamed to admit how long she'd waited for him. "He could have sent someone to tell me he wasn't coming, and he didn't."
"Is that why he came to the hanger before we left?"
Wren nodded. Kiran's light shined bright before her, illuminating a dark, narrow tunnel cut into the rock.
"What did he say?" Sisre asked.
"That he was sorry."
"Did you accept his apology?"
"No."
Sisre nodded slowly. "You going to talk to him about it when we get back, or just let it go and cut things off on a personal level? I mean, like I said in the ramen shop; Cayde's a nice guy but I've never seen him with anyone romantically. I just don't want you to fall for him and get hurt."
"I told Kiran I'd talk to him. We'll see."
Up ahead Rorick made the signal to stop and the team halted. "The Ghosts' scans of the tunnels confirm that the fortress is more sprawling than we originally thought. The tunnels go on for miles, but we don't have time to chart them now, but Brix thinks we're close to the shrine. Is everyone ready?"
They all nodded and pushed on. At one point the cave opened up and their Ghosts' lights were no longer needed. They walked down a ramp to a round platform, but Wren was confused at what she saw there.
To the right the cavern opened up and dropped far beyond what she could see, but a bright, white light illuminated the space. How was there so much light here? Was this a canyon that led to the surface? It was so bright she couldn't handle looking at it long enough to make out what it was.
A roar echoed from below and the platform shook under her boots.
"I don't want to know what that was," Kiran said. "But something tells me we're about to find out."
"This is taking forever," Franz complained. "Why can't the Hive just build bases like everyone else?"
"Patience." Beorn nudged his fellow Warlock. "The information we bring back will be of great use."
Franz muttered something under his breath but Wren didn't catch it. She understood his frustration. It seemed they'd been walking for hours, and perhaps they had. Farther and farther they ventured until she found she wasn't on high alert as she had been when they'd first descended. Instead the trek had given her time to think about her earlier death and the vision she saw in the darkness.
Was it normal to see people in death? To talk to them? It'd felt so real. She wanted to ask Sisre but she didn't want to explain what she'd seen. Nor did she want to lie. Maybe when they were alone there might be a way to ask without giving away what she'd experienced.
"Woah," Franz breathed as they rounded the next corner and Wren looked up from Sisre's heels to the chamber before them.
For the most part it was just like any other they'd passed by in their miles of walking, but on the opposite side was something that didn't quite fit in. A massive tunnel with cables, wires, and tubing served as a door. It seemed much more Fallen than Hive and a blue light illuminated a band of the tunnel and curved around a corner where they could no longer see before starting its journey again at the beginning.
"It's like the lights are saying, 'Come this way.'" Franz said. "I don't like it."
"Could be a trap," Beorn said. "But we knew that coming in."
"The mission is to destroy the shrine," Rorick reminded. "Trap or not, we're moving forward. This is the only way. If there was another option, we'd take it instead."
They followed the tunnel until it opened into a cavern where a secured in a glass room was visible across the chasm. A massive sphere sat in the middle of the secured room on a pedestal, rings like an armillary sphere circled it but didn't seem to be moving. A stone walkway rounded to the right and had a few Hive milling about, none of them noticing the fireteam when they entered.
"That's the shrine," Rorick said. "We'll have to find a way in there."
"Well, let's do it then," Franz groaned. "I'm bored to death."
"Have at it." Rorick waved toward the Hive on the walkway.
Franz and Beorn ran toward the Hive, taking them down with ease.
"He's so weird," Sisre laughed, propping up on her sniper as she watched the Warlocks until they moved around the curve where a stone pillar blocked the view of the rest of the cavern.
An instant later the familiar roar of an ogre shook the ground under their feet and a blast of void energy flashed around the curve, following Franz and Beorn who were running full speed back to the group.
Wren laughed and shook her head, following Rorick and Sisre as they went to the Warlocks' aid, aware of how closely Flak was following. Although it was impossible, she could swear she felt him breathing down her neck, which pushed her to catch up with Sisre.
She dodged behind a half pillar when the Ogre's eye blast plashed against the other side. Void energy chilled her as it passed, flashing her back to Cayde in the darkness of death. As soon as the blast shifted, she ran from cover and fired a few rounds into the Ogre's disformed, fleshy forehead. It stumbled back and its Void blast ceased, allowing the others to finish it off.
Franz propped on his knees, holding a thumbs up over his head. "Thanks."
"Still bored?" Rorick asked as he passed, the slightest hint of a smile on his voice.
"Nope. No. I'm good."
"Then let's get moving."
The tunnel beyond was full of Thrall, but Rorick took them out with one grenade and walked through as if nothing had happened. Wren just wanted it to be over with. She thought of the battle ahead, and more, about walking all the way out of the depths of the Moon once they were finished. In a way, she was ready for it. Ready to be back on Earth, moving toward the next thing. But… there was Cayde. She'd have to talk to him about what happened and that made her want to stay in the Shrine and live there. She exhaled slowly.
"Are you okay?" Kiran asked.
"I don't want to talk about it right now," Wren whispered.
"What was that?" Sisre asked.
"Nothing."
Sisre faced her a moment more, then nodded before concentrating on the path ahead.
They rounded the corner to see the Shrine; not locked behind doors as Wren was expecting. It was an open room with a group of Acolytes knelt before the orb in the center. Did they really think an Ogre and a few Acolytes and Thrall would be enough to protect something so important? Rorick must have been thinking the same because he held up a hand to halt them.
"Keep your eyes open," he said quietly. "These can't be the only guards. Pick them off from back here and we'll see what happens."
Sisre prepped her sniper rifle while Franz and Beorn pulled scout rifles from their backs. Wren stepped out of their way, letting those with longer-range weapons take the lead. Gunfire echoed through the cavern and when the Acolytes were gone, she thought for sure something would happen. She expected more Ogres, Wizards maybe. But nothing happened. The room was silent except for the gentle whirring sounds of mechanical arms that pumped around the Shrine.
Rorick tread closer, cautious in his movements. They jumped onto the platform where the Acolytes had been when a sound behind them caused the whole team to turn around. The door they'd come through slid closed but there was no time to get through it.
"We'll handle that later," Rorick said when his team turned to him. "We still have a mission to complete."
Brix appeared before Rorick and the other Ghosts followed suit, Kiran popping up last.
"We need to scan the Shrine to see how to shut it down," Brix said to the other Ghosts and the group of them floated toward the sphere, Cerulean following, keeping an eye on them.
Wren's eyes trailed on the other doors around the room, still sealed tight. Her gut twisted. This was too easy. Kiran and the other Ghosts descended into a round room below the Shrine. It was a small, cramped space with a column in the middle inlaid in pale blue light. The Ghosts flitted about, Cerulean keeping to the doorways to allow their Ghosts plenty of space. Their lights scanned until one of them found a point and the others swarmed to assist them.
Brix turned around. "The signal is coming from far beyond the edge of this system. We're going to try to sever the contact without getting sucked into a trans dimensional vortex."
"We'll protect the Shrine," Rorick said. "Do what you need to do."
Brix made a nodding motion, his shell swirling before returning to the column.
"Uh…. Guys?" Franz said from the back of the group.
Cerulean exited the underside of the Shrine to see another door across from them opening to reveal a few smaller enemies and the biggest Knight Wren had ever seen. The massive creature glowed green between its armor and joints, its body taking up most of the doorway. It towered above the Acolytes that swarmed through the door by its feet. The Knight entered the room and raised its rifle high overhead and let out a yell that shook the ground beneath their feet.
Sisre slapped Rorick's shoulder with the back of her hand. "Why don't you ever have a rocket launcher?"
"I'll put in an order with Banshee," Rorick grumbled, drawing his auto rifle.
Cerulean scattered, taking cover in places that best suit their weapon ranges. Sisre dropped back to the door of the Shrine, her back to the column where the Ghosts were working and took guard. Her sniper rounds tore into the Knight's head, staggering it. Bits of armor that hadn't yet fused to its body dropped in chunks on the ground, scattering under the feet of Acolytes.
The Acolytes themselves were easy to pick off, their bodies turning to ash before most of them could take a shot. The Knight took off after Flak with alarming speed, firing its rifle at the dodging Hunter, energy rounds ripping through Flak's already tattered cloak.
Wren could hear Flak yelling and cursing, demanding they get the Knight off him. He disappeared into an area behind the Shrine and could no longer be heard, the Knight still hot on his heels, shooting into the small area. Wren froze. She didn't want to help him, and guilt dropped like a stone in her belly. Flak rolled from the other side of the room, but Rorick and Beorn had already gotten the Knight's attention.
A purple bubble sprang up around the Titan and Warlock an instant before the Knight's fist rocked the ground. Beorn stumbled with the shock but Rorick held his ground. Sisre raised her sniper rifle and Wren thought she'd try her Golden Gun again. She moved into position, the Knight still focused on Rorick and Beorn even though its energy rounds deflected off the shield.
Her body glowed, heat pulsing from the fiery gun in her hand. Solar rounds ripped through the Knight and the creature roared, dropping to its knees for Sisre to finish it off. Ash fell onto Rorick's bubble before it collapsed. Wren exhaled sharply and dropped the Better Devils in its holster, feeling her energy drained.
The Ghosts swarmed from under the Shrine, Brix in the lead. The others went to their Guardians and disappeared, but Brix stayed.
"The Shrine is weakened," he said to Rorick. "It can be destroyed now."
"You heard him," Rorick said. "Everyone back up and unload on the Shrine."
Cerulean put their backs to the wall and did as they were told. The Shrine swirled red and energy drew toward the sphere before it finally imploded in a blinding light. Pieces of metal rained down on them, but the Shrine was gone, leaving an empty mass of mechanical arms and braces.
"Good work team," Rorick said. "Time to go home."
"I guess you should think about what to say to Cayde," Kiran said privately.
Wren leaned against the wall. "I don't… I don't know."
Sisre came up to Wren, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. "So, you wanna chat now?"
The rest of the team went ahead of them but Wren hung back anyway to be sure no one would be within earshot.
"I'm not sure I want to talk about it," Wren said, walking side by side with Sisre.
"Ah, still trying to think about what to say to Cayde? Have you decided if you're going to forgive him?"
"Hard to say until we're face to face. I'm not as angry right now, but I'm also too tired to be angry."
"Be a little spitfire," Sisre laughed, bumping Wren with her hip. "Don't go easy on him."
"But don't be too harsh either," Kiran pushed.
Sisre shrugged. "You'll know what to do."
Wren hoped she was right.