Cayde let Wren rest the next day but he knew things were not going to stay peaceful for long. He hadn't the heart to tell her what was happening behind the scenes. About the Hunters who had been infected by SIVA or just how much the infection had spread across the Cosmodrone. It wasn't just his scouts anymore. Zavala and Ikora also had to lend as many of their people as possible to make sure Guardians didn't cross the lines, but that was all they could do. They couldn't contain SIVA any longer. Something had to be done.

Two days after the wedding he was woken before dawn by a messenger from Zavala who had taken the shift overnight to watch the defenses. Saladin and Shiro had come up with a plan and it was time to act. Cerulean had also been called.

A harsh winter storm had raged since the previous evening, piling snow on the City to the extent that some sections were now out of power and Titan guards had been sent to evacuate the citizens from those areas to Vanguard sanctioned ones for food and warmth. Many Hunter dens within the City had also opened their doors to house civilians.

Banners which only days before had been bright and cheery were now torn from the excessive winds atop the Tower and snapped their ragged tails like angry dragons. Lighting flashed overhead as Cayde fought through the blizzard to reach the command center. He passed Shaxx who was instructing guards on what areas still needed evacuation. Zavala and Ikora were already present at the table, maps and books spread out between them along with data pads and holograms being updated with new visuals of SIVA's spread.

"I'm here Commander," Rorick said, trotting up behind Cayde. "The rest of my team are suiting up and will be on their way."

"No need," Zavala said. "This mission isn't for all of Cerulean."

Cayde cast a look of suspicion on Zavala who didn't even turn his head to him.

"I don't understand, Commander."

"Lord Saladin and Shiro have found a way to enter the replication chamber. If this goes well, we can stop SIVA from being produced and we'll only have to take care of what is already spreading across the Cosmodrone. It's risky and will require a small, specialized team, led by you. Choose two of your fireteam members to accompany you."

Rorick's gaze dropped a moment. "Commander, I believe Beorn and Wren are the best options for my team."

Cayde clenched his fists. Wren? A vice tightened in his chest and he glanced between Rorick and Zavala, even to Ikora, hoping someone would reconsider or call him out on his decision but no one did.

"Very well. I believe you've made a wise choice. Go and inform them. Your ships are being readied as we speak."

"What about this blizzard?" Cayde asked, looking for any reason for Cerulean to hold off until he had a chance to speak with Rorick. "They can't take off in this."

"I'm aware that the weather will make it difficult, but we can't wait any longer. The situation in the Cosmodrone becomes more dire every day. This is our chance and we must take it." Zavala stood a little taller, his eyes boring into Cayde's.

He knew.

"Go Rorick," Zavala said. "Contact Lord Saladin when you close in on the Cosmodrone and await instruction."

"Yes Commander." Rorick bowed his head and left.

"Cayde, perhaps you should get to the hanger and make sure those ships have all the clearance they need," Ikora said. Her expression was softer than Zavala's, more understanding of his fears.

"Yeah… yeah I'll go do that."

Cayde followed Rorick to the hanger, catching up to him in the hallway where he'd stopped Wren many times before to speak with her in private before missions. The crates he'd used to hide behind before were gone but he didn't care. Let anyone see. He grabbed Rorick's shoulder and pulled him around.

"Cayde?" Rorick's brow furrowed. "What's –"

"Why Wren?"

"What?"

"Why did you choose Wren?"

"Because she's capable. She's small, fast, and follows orders which is something I couldn't rely on from Franz. She and Beorn work well together, and I don't have to worry about them breaking rank with some hairbrained schem—"

"What about Sisre?"

Rorick clenched his jaw. "What about her?"

"You're only leaving her out because she's your wife."

"Cayde—"

"It's bullshit and you know it."

"Listen, I understand your concerns."

"Oh you do?" Cayde crossed his arms.

"Yes. Which—" Rorick sighed. "Fine. I'll admit that I don't want Sisre there because I know I'll be distracted by her presence. Over all the others, I trust her the most, but I also know that in a delicate situation like this, I'll be more concerned with her safety than the mission."

"And Wren?"

"I would give my life to protect Wren."

Cayde huffed and turned away, clenching and unclenching his fist as he considered the wall an alternative to Rorick's jaw, but Rorick caught his arm and his attention.

"I know how you feel about Wren, trust me, I do. If you were in my position, would you choose her to go with you? On a mission like this? Knowing what you do about SIVA and what happened to the Iron Lords, would you let her walk into that?"

"You damn well know I wouldn't."

"Then how could you ask me to do the same for Sisre?"

"But Wren is—"

"You have to trust me to bring her back alive. I'm telling you, Cayde, I would die to protect her. Don't doubt that. But I won't be distracted by her safety either."

"Hey, what's going on?" Beorn asked and Rorick let Cayde go.

"We're discussing your mission," Cayde replied as Sisre, Franz, and Wren caught up.

"Great, are we prepped and ready?"

"Not exactly," Rorick said. "This mission is time sensitive. Not all of us can go. Zavala gave me permission to choose the two who will accompany me."

Sisre hiked up her sniper with a smirk. "Good, I'm all set. Got a new ammo pouch from Banshee too it holds—"

"You're not coming."

Her smile faded. "What?"

"Beorn and Wren are coming with me."

"But Rorick—"

"We'll discuss this later. I made my choice and our ships are being readied as we speak. We have to leave immediately."

Sisre's hands tightened around the strap of her sniper and her expression danced between fear and anger. Still, Rorick didn't budge.

"I'm sorry," he said, holding out an arm to her. At first she hesitated, probably deciding if being upset was a good enough reason to withhold but she relented and went to him, burying her face in his chest.

"This is bullshit," Franz said. "We're supposed to be a team."

"We still are," Beorn said. "I'll just be one up on you when I get back is all. And you better treat me to dinner after so I can brag about how much better I am than you."

"I hate you," Franz grumbled but allowed Beorn to touch foreheads with him anyway. "The next cool one is mine, got it?"

"You bet."

"We have to go now," Rorick said. He gave Sisre one more tight squeeze and a kiss before reluctantly parting from her. "Come on, Beorn. Wren."

Beorn and Franz shared another forehead bump and Beorn followed Rorick. Wren gave a small wave to Cayde and a weak smile but Franz stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "You make sure that big idiot comes back in one piece, got it? I dunno what he'll do without me there to watch his back. You know how he is."

Wren grinned and hugged Franz. "Don't worry about it. I'll bring him home, promise."

"Keep those boys in line," Sisre said, hugging Wren before ushering her toward the hanger. "Now get outta here. The sooner you leave the sooner you can come back and we can all have a good laugh about this."

"I'll keep in touch," Wren said and waved them off as they exited, disappearing into the storm beyond the end of the hallway. "Hey, you okay?"

Cayde looked down into her big blue eyes and fought the urge to pick her up and run. Far away from here. Far from the hanger, the Tower, hell, far from Earth. Someone where no one would find them and… he sighed. He couldn't do it.

"I'm havin' a tough time with this, kid. Not gonna lie, I'm pissed that Rorick picked you."

"I can do this." She glanced toward the hanger. "Cayde… as much as I hate to admit it, I'm uneasy. I've been uneasy about all this. SIVA. I can't shake this feeling I've been getting."

"I'm gonna stay with you. As long as I can. I won't be able to talk much, but I'll be there."

They stood in awkward silence a moment before he couldn't help it anymore and closed the distance, wrapping her tight in a hug. He didn't care that they were right in the middle of the hall. He didn't even care if Zavala himself walked about the corner, fuck him. Too many Hunters never came back.

"You make sure you come home," he said.

"I'll do my best."

"I know you will."

He stood wrapped up with her for so long, hoping to prolong the inevitable.

"Cayde, I have to go now."

"I know. C'mon. I gotta make sure you at least get past this storm alright. And Sugarbird, you still have your spade?"

"Always."

"Good. Cuz I don't care what happens, I'm not leavin' you behind."

"I keep thinking about the Iron Lord's final descent into the SIVA replication complex," Lord Saladin said.

It was the first communication he'd had with them since leaving the Tower and his voice cut through the tense silence of the now three-member Cerulean fireteam.

"We were so young. So confident in our victory," he continued. "And yet we lost everything. Shiro has found something in Clovis Bray's data. A way to break the Splicer's hold over SIVA. One way or another, my long vigil is almost at an end, and I have you to thank. Let's finish this."

Wren peered down at the world below, covered in a blanket of snow A lone Guardian below on a Sparrow kicked up a cloud behind them as they patrolled the area. They probably couldn't see the other racing toward them but Wren could. Soon they'd cross paths and continue their scouting around the Cosmodrone.

The skies here were clear and blue. They didn't match the storms at the Tower which seemed to set the mood for the mission ahead. Somehow, it was calming. Just another mission. Just another bounty. Wren was suspicious that it was deceit.

"We've passed the border. What's our first step?" Rorick asked.

"When the Splicers started fusing SIVA into their systems, they created a massive network to control the nano-tech," Shiro said. "So, just like they took down our sensor grid, we're going to take theirs down. That should neutralize SIVA long enough for you to get into the replication complex."

"This is where my fellow Iron Lords lost their lives," Lord Saladin said. "SIVA must be stopped now and forever, no matter the cost."

Wren wondered if Cayde was already listening. She glanced at Kiran, who seemed to know what she was going to ask before she opened her mouth and gave her a reassuring nod. He was there. Listening. He was with her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, winding her fingers in the chain of the spade. It was going to be alright. They'd complete the mission and get home safe. Just like before.

They touched down in the Lord's Watch on a platform that opened above a snowy plain. In the distance something was billowing thick black plumes of smoke from an unchecked fire. Shiro gave them warning of the Splicers that were reported in the area before they mounted their Sparrows and raced toward the Giant's Husk.

In a single file line with Wren in the middle, they raced along the path between steep stone walls, dodging rocks and incoming fire from small Splicer scouting parties. They weren't important right now. Getting in and taking out that grid was more important and with the team being cut down to three, they simply didn't have time to properly clear the areas.

Thick bundles of SIVA cables wove in and out of metal structures along the way, pulsing red. They grew more abundant as Cerulean drew closer to the Giant's Husk.

"The Splicers built a fortress to protect the entrance to the complex," Shiro explained. "Shortsightedly, they decided to use the reactor for an old oil tanker as a power source. That's our ticket."

"Understood," Rorick replied, leading Cerulean to the left, toward a building that was incomplete. Either that or it had been cut in half. Wren couldn't decide.

Individual floors could be seen as walkways with stairs connecting. I beams protruded from them as if a floor or an extension of the building was meant to be there, but for whatever reason, no longer existed.

This area was swarming with Splicers. Too many to avoid like before and Rorick led them through part of the hoard to take cover beneath the bottom floor, behind some stairs and a wall.

"Not a great spot," he admitted once they were there. "But it should allow us some space to drop into cover if we need it. Take your time. I know we don't have much of it, but we need to try to make it to the reactor in one piece."

"Good thing I brought my scout rifle," Beorn said. "Should get plenty of range with it."

"The two of you should focus on the Splicers. I'm going up a couple of floors to let Brix scan the area for reading from the reactor core. While I'm up there I'll do what I can to take out enemies. Keep out of the main area though, if I need to take rocket shots I'd rather not have to worry about you two."

"Will do," Beorn replied. He and Wren knelt in the snow and worked together to pick off Splicers, Beorn with his scout and Wren getting any that got too close with her Better Devils.

Rorick slipped up through a hole in the upper level and disappeared, though they could hear his boots clanging on the metal over their heads and see him through the grating, at least until he ascended higher.

Some of the Splicers here didn't seem to be in great shape. Perhaps SIVA was too much for them to handle as they were more shambling that any Fallen she'd seen before. Their movements were strange, as if they didn't fully control their own bodies. Was this because of SIVA? Or something else? Again she didn't like not knowing exactly the extent that SIVA could infect a living being.

"Brix is picking up some high energy readings," Rorick said.

"That'll be the reactor," Shiro said. "Get in there and try swapping the reactor cores. That should take out the whole system. Defense, replication, everything."

"We'll work our way toward the coordinates. Cerulean, leave what's left. We have to move."

"We're on the way," Beorn replied. Wren followed him up through the hole Rorick had used and they kept close to the inner wall, out of the firing range of what Splicers were left.

Rorick covered them until they could reach him and delve deeper into the building. The first door they found they closed and barred behind them, hoping to slow any Splicers who might have followed. The rest of the building was likely crawling with guards. The less they had to worry about, the better.

Inside was dark and cramped, lights flickering all over. Wren fell in line behind Beorn but kept close to him, wishing Kiran could offer her light but it might draw too much attention here. Splicers could be heard before Cerulean even found them, their chittering and clanking of metal legs on the floor sending chills down Wren's arms.

The reactor room was overrun with SIVA. It had wrapped itself over everything, invading control panels, monitors, and computers. The whole room glowed red with it and Cerulean froze inside the door.

"Brix is saying we need to pull the fusion cells and swap them with their counterparts," Rorick said. "I'm going to take out that Servitor first. Get behind me." He fired a couple of rockets at it while Wren and Beorn attempted to clear the area of Splicers with their scouts. When the Servitor exploded, shrapnel shredded through some Splicers who were trying to hide behind the reactor. They stumbled and screamed before falling into open areas where they could be picked off. "Wren, do you think you could change those cells while Beorn and I work to clear the rest of the area?"

"I think so."

Wren let Kiran guide her to the first energy signature; a glowing blue orb inserted in the side of the reactor. She holstered her weapon and picked it up, immediately feeling the energy surge through her. A wave of nausea shocked her system and she almost vomited in her helmet.

"Keep your senses, kid," Cayde said quietly. "Don't hold that thing long. Swap it and get it done."

"Right," she replied through gritted teeth as she ran for the place Kiran showed her next. Energy bolts from Splicers tore through the air around her but she paid them no mind. All she could think about was putting the cell down. "Guys, I need some cover over here."

"I'm on you," Beorn replied, popping out between the reactor and a stairwell where he killed the Splicers who were pursuing Wren.

She placed the fusion cell in another slot and hesitated before picking up the next, dreading that shockwave of nausea.

"You okay?" Beorn asked.

"Who me? Of course," she gasped. "Just tinkering with an unstable Golden Age reactor infested with SIVA."

"Child's play," he laughed. "You got this. I'll cover you."

"Cayde has been a terrible influence on your sense of humor," Rorick said.

"You didn't have a sense of humor before me," Cayde said but Wren just shook her head and placed the cell in the reactor.

When she did she stumbled back, relieved to not have to deal with the nausea again, when the room began to shake. Small explosions from somewhere deeper in the area sent dirt and debris falling into the space. SIVA curled back on itself, retreating as sparks flew from the reactor.

"That was fast," Beorn said.

"It won't last," Shiro replied.

"Guardians, the SIVA complex awaits! You must hurry to the Archon's Keep," Lord Saladin commanded.

Another explosion rocked them, making Wren's knees buckle. She grabbed Beorn's arm as an entire section of the wall blew in and sunlight poured through from outside.

"Looks like a shortcut to me," Beorn said and Rorick led them out, past the masses of SIVA cables that now sputtered and arced with electricity.

They jumped down to the ground and mounted their Sparrows, taking off toward the next coordinates while Lord Saladin explained more of what happened to the Iron Lords. Their "need to know" status must have increased since the last mission.

"Originally the Iron Lords sought to destroy the replicator in the SIVA chamber. Jolder's explosion only damaged it, apparently, so when you reach the chamber you'll have to finish what she began."

"That won't stop the Fallen from using SIVA they already have," Rorick said.

"There's more than one battle in a war," Shiro reminded.

Rorick raced along ahead of them through the valley as explosions set off above them on either side. SIVA nodes were becoming unstable and blowing up as they passed, raining rocks, ice, and debris on them.

"Keep your eyes open," Rorick said, dodging a rockslide caused by one of the nodes.

They turned into the open area of the Archon's Keep, hoping that they would be more able to avoid debris in the open when on ear splitting explosion ripped apart the observatory in the distance. The three of them brought their Sparrows to a halt, tail ends whipping around with the sudden stop. Shockwaves rushed over the plains toward them as smoke and flames shot into the air.

"What was that?" Beorn asked.

"Saladin said the Fallen couldn't control SIVA," Shiro said. "I'm guessing disrupting their hold on it is causing some adverse effects."

"I wouldn't celebrate too quickly," Lord Saladin warned as Cerulean sped off once more toward the coordinates, across the rocky terrain and past Splicers they didn't have time to fight.

"Is that lava?" Wren asked as they neared a split in the earth.

"Looks like it," Rorick said. "Just follow me."

Wren did just that, launching over the streams of lava that boiled and burst below her.

They came up to the first building in the complex and an explosion knocked Rorick off his Sparrow and sent him sprawling away. Beorn raced along side him, blocking him, weapon at the ready incase any Splicers emerged behind the blast while Wren dismounted to check on their leader.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Rorick's armor was charred in places but none of it seemed damaged as he sat up and shook his head. "I'm fine. It'll take more than that to put me down for good."

He was on his feet quickly and leading them into the smoky interior of the complex, winding through halls that were largely lit by security lighting, which shifted from white to red in warning.

"Only a few of us reached the replication complex," Lord Saladin said. "The worst of Rasputin's defenses already blanketed most of this area. Frames, constructs… some things I had never seen before nor since. They felt no pain. No fear."

Wow, Lord Saladin sure did know how to inspire. All he was doing was making Wren rethink the entire mission and she didn't have room for doubt right now.

"All we've seen so far is Fallen," Rorick said. "We're at the Forge."

The area was new to Wren. It consisted of three plates of Fallen design, one of which was surrounded by a mote of lava or molten metal. A thick red haze filled the room which was swelteringly hot. The back wall completely uncarved stone. It was rough and covered in SIVA. A split at the far side on the bottom looked like a decent way through, but there were Splicers protecting it. Some of them anyway. Others lay dead on the floor. The explosions maybe?

Cerulean cleared many Splicers, then Rorick urged them through into the tunnel beyond before tossing a grenade back toward the room to take out any Splicers that were pursuing them too closely.

Wren hesitated near the mouth of the tunnel, until Beorn gave her a nudge.

"We're gonna get through this," he said and she forced herself to move, descending deeper, leaving the heat of the Forge behind.

"Last time, his presence was almost physical," Lord Saladin said. "It was as if he was trying to communicate with us, but we did not understand."

"How can you be certain Rasputin won't interfere once we're inside?" Rorick asked.

"The Vanguard believes him to be simply a Warmind. He hasn't been that in a long time."

Wren didn't consider this an answer at all. What wasn't he telling them?

The caves opened up and though SIVA was thicker here than before, clinging to nearly every square foot of the stone walls and ceiling, it was still wide enough that it didn't trigger as much panic for Wren. At least it was better lit down here. Until they reached a vent system. Rorick and Beorn charged right in, both of them having to duck slightly to make it through.

Wren didn't want to slow them down so she held her breath and kept her momentum, following Beorn so closely she almost tripped over him a few times. The vents made her panicked and uneasy. She felt the urge to run. Anywhere. As fast as possible, just to get out. When that fear began to overwhelm her, Cayde spoke.

"Don't panic. Breathe, kid."

She exhaled as slowly as she could but it came out shaky, her inhales just as uneven."

"It can't last forever." His comms began to break up and crackle. Would she lose him? What about Lord Saladin and Shiro? They couldn't go in blind. Maybe… maybe it was the blizzard? She couldn't quite place what might cause it to happen, but she had no choice but to keep moving.

They finally emerged on the other side and Wren got her chance to run, expend some of the panicked energy she had to suppress and take it out on some Splicers that were guarding the path. This area of the complex was in a similar style to what she'd seen with areas related to Rasputin. Diamon shaped doors, advanced architecture. All modern with sharp angles and smooth surfaces.

Rorick led them to a control room with a wall of windows and a panel of some kind.

"So when we stop the production of SIVA, because it'll be that easy," Rorick began with uncharacteristic sarcasm, "what about who is controlling it?"

Beorn's helmet turned ever so slightly toward their leader. The sarcasm hadn't been lost on him either. Rorick was getting antsy. Resentful even.

"I have some leads on that," Shiro said. "The Fallen chatter about some crazy Splicer priest who wants to play god. I'm kind of with Saladin on this one though. Zealots take a back seat to the heavy lifting."

Rorick sent Brix out to scan the console while Beorn and Wren got a look through the windows to the floor below where a large Captain patrolled with a scorch cannon.

"Hope you brought plenty of rockets," Beorn said.

"I can handle him," Rorick replied.

The door behind them slid open and they descended, Beorn and Wren keeping left to eliminate threats that were in the immediate area while Rorick kept to the right wall, peering out of cover to find the Captain before taking the offensive.

"The Captain is down. We can't kill everything, we don't have time," Rorick said. "I see another opening other there. Brix says it's the right way. Run for it!"

Wren followed them closely, keeping low to avoid getting shot in the back as they ran.

"Why aren't there ever any stairs?" Beorn said but Wren had no time to question what he meant.

She slid through the opening and immediately dropped to her side in a vent shaft that shot them down like a slide toward a vast open area. They dropped from the end and Wren's stomach lurched into her throat. Jumping because she wanted to was one thing, being dropped when she wasn't ready was terrifying.

Rorick and Beorn were able to glide down but Wren had to time her jumps more carefully or risk the drop breaking her legs or killing her. She still had to tuck and roll on impact, feeling jolts through her shins when she landed.

Beorn helped her up before they started running, ignoring as many of the Splicers as possible while they tore deeper into the complex.

"You're close to SIVA's dark heart, Young Wolves," Lord Saladin said. "Be on your guard."

They were greeted by flashing red lights in the haze and with one last platform, a few grenades destroying a group of Shanks that guarded the door, they were at the entrance to the replication chamber.

Every cell in Wren's body told her to run away but her boots remained rooted to the spot as the giant diamond shaped door bearing Rasputin's symbol slid open to greet them.

The only light within was a faint red glow from far down the hallway. Their Ghosts gave them some illumination, but it didn't cut far into the darkness. Strands of SIVA clung to every inch of space and within this place, it was silent as the grave.

Wren's ears rung and her heart beat painfully within her ribs. Every step was laborious as she fought her body in its urge to escape.

"I did what I could to protect their resting place," Lord Saladin said, grief tainting his voice. "But I knew what would happen if someone found it. We were touched by the Light… I… I didn't even know someone with the Traveler's gift could die. Until they did."

Cerulean exchanged glances and Wren stuck closer to Beorn's side.

"Find the replicator and deactivate it," Lord Saladin said, his tone more certain now. "Only that will stop the flow of SIVA, once and for all."

The end of the hallway opened and the replication chamber hung before them, held aloft by strands of SIVA itself. Here the haze was so thick it was difficult to tell the full size of the chamber until they edged closer, its silhouette emerging as a massive shadow through the fog. The bridge leading to it was narrow, only wide enough for them to pass single file.

Wren couldn't stop her trembling as the entered the chamber, eyes wide and breath shaky. An oppressive feeling of being watched never left her and her gaze darted around, sensitive to any movement.

But this place was silent.

Dark.

Ominous.

A fire burned to their right and hanging from above were black masses tangled with SIVA. One thing she was expecting, but didn't see, were the bodies of the Iron Lords. They had died here, right? But there were no bones. No pieces of armor. There should have been something, this place was protected entirely from the elements. Had SIVA broken then down to be use for… something else?

"I don't like this," she said. "I don't like this."

"Shh, we're okay," Beorn assured.

"What are those things?" Rorick asked, taking a few steps closer.

When Wren looked closer she could see the shape of them. Or more, legs. Dangling from the SIVA masses. And what appeared to be axes from mangled hands.

"They look… human?" she said.

"What?" Lord Saladin asked.

"Brix is scanning," Rorick said. "He… he says he can detect DNA. These… these things are human."

"Human? That's not possible."

"Look for yourself."

Lord Saladin was silenced by the images he saw, but Wren could feel the tension building. "Felwinter," he breathed at last. "Jolder and.. and Gheleon. I don't— Never mind, just initiate self-destruct and get out of there."

Brix came to the open and began to scan the terminal.

"Initiating self-destruct," he said.

A few white lights turned on across from them, making Wren jump and take aim. SIVA particles began to disconnect and buzz around the first figure.

"What's going on?" she asked, aiming at the corpse until it shot up into the ceiling.

The haunting voice of a woman following with a desperate "No! I have to!"

"We need to get out of here!"

The axe it held dropped from its hand near the end of the platform and Beorn didn't hesitate to take it while Rorick protected his Ghost. The corpse fell from the ceiling and stood; its arms replaced with SIVA made swords from the elbow down. It swung furiously at Beorn, knocking him back when he tried to block with the axe.

Wren opened fire on the thing, her shots casting sprays of nanites where they hit. Beorn pushed the corpse away and it stumbled back. He swung and the axe blazed with fire, sliding into the body.

"That thing is using the Iron Lord's armor!" Beorn said.

"You seem to be doing a lot of damage with that axe," Rorick said as Splicers appeared all around them. "Focus on the aspect and we'll work on clearing these Splicers."

"You just keep Brix safe," Wren said, terrified of Rorick's Ghost being out in the open. She tried to shield him, standing between the console and where Beorn was fighting the aspect. Braziers around the room glowed when he got closer. "Are those fires charging the axe?"

"I don't know," he shouted back, rolling away from the aspect as its sword like arm swung down to where he had been standing, lodging itself into the metal floor long enough to allow Beorn to slam the axe down full power.

Flames burst from the axe, tearing through the nanites like butter until at last its body shuddered and dispersed into countless blue sparks. Beorn let the axe drop, though he kept his hands firmly on the weapon.

"Beorn, the others are down!" Rorick said.

Wren looked up from mid to see the other corpses rise to the ceiling only to drop a moment later, swarming with nanites. One of them charged Wren, forcing her to run, firing behind her as she did. It swung its arms and she tripped over the body of a Splicer and hit her knees. She rolled and shot as fast as she could pull the trigger until she heard the click.

The aspect raised an arm to strike and as it came down Beorn jumped in front and blocked it with the axe, sparks erupting with the force of the hit.

"Run!" he demanded but Wren wasn't going to leave him.

She rolled over and snapped a new clip into her hand cannon, unleashing it all into the aspect until it recoiled and Beorn could slam the axe deep into its chest. It let out a strained roar and splintered, exploding into blue sparks as the one before and Wren covered Beorn from Splicers as he went to another brazier to recharge the axe.

"I could use a little help over here!" Rorick said and Beorn immediately ran to where he was trying to keep the last aspect at bay with rockets.

Wren whipped her head around to check on her fireteam, not realizing a Splicer at her feet wasn't dead until it reached up with a dagger and plunged it deep into her thigh. She cried out in pain as the blade pushed between the armor, the muscle and into bone. The Better Devils emptied into the Splicer's head and Wren fell back to the floor, blood trickling from the wound.

She knew she couldn't leave it in but taking it out would cause massive bleeding. Still, it had to be done. Whimpering, hands shaking, she grabbed the handle and yanked it out.

"Wren!?" Rorick shouted.

She couldn't see them from where she sat, but could only hear the fight between them and the aspect.

"I'm fine," she said voice unsteady as she cut a strip from her cloak and wrapped it around the wound. Blood soaked through quickly so she cut another and tied it tighter before forcing herself to stand. She limped over to her team, reloading so she could help the fight.

In her helmet, sweat dotted her brow and pain shocked through her with every step.

"What happened?"

"Splicer," she muttered.

Beorn killed the final aspect and leaned on the axe, panting.

"What's going on in there?" Lord Saladin asked.

"They're dead. Whatever they were." Rorick assessed Wren's leg. "Wren's been injured."

"I can help her," Beorn said. "You finish the self-destruct initiation."

Wren holstered her Better Devils and put an arm around Beorn's waist for support as they hobbled toward the exit.

The explosions were immediate, and adrenaline pushed Wren onward, ignoring the pain while they fled, Beorn half dragging her, Exo strength and speed on his side. Still, Rorick caught up and even surpassed them, weapon ready to combat any that might stand between them and escape.

SIVA tendrils lashed out at them as they ran, twisting into Wren's cloak, trying to twine around their legs. Anything to stop them. Anything to keep them. Blinding explosions continued along the hallway, forcing them off their feet a few times.

Pain slowed Wren, despite how hard she was pushing. Ahead the door was closing rapidly and Splicer guards blocked their path. She tripped, blood soaked through her bandages and into her boot. The room spun and explosions disoriented and blinded her.

"Run! Leave me!" she demanded of Beorn but he only hauled her to her feet, still stumbling, and raced on with her.

"Not a chance!"

The world went white and she was shoved forward, her helmet bouncing off the floor. Stars flooded her vision as she scrambled to her knees as Beorn's helmet rolled past her. She looked back over her shoulder. Beorn was several feet behind, half crushed under a wall that had exploded in on them. He must have pushed her. Exposed wires sparked from his body and his optics flickered when he saw her.

"Beorn!"

Ziro hovered, trying to heal him but to no avail. A SIVA tendril grabbed Ziro and Wren lurched for him, closing her hands tight around his little shell. SIVA wrapped around her wrists and pulled but Beorn weakly caught her legs. She could feel his grasp growing loose, his fingers unable to keep hold. She cried out as pain almost made her release Ziro.

The SIVA that bound her crushed tight and she felt the bones in her hands crack, pieces of Ziro's shell lodged into her palm as he shattered. She cried out but was trapped and refused to release him.

"Wren let go!" Rorick demanded. He'd snatched her around her waist and pulled, tearing her away from the tendrils that still made a move to grab her.

"Wait, Beorn!" she cried, scrambling back toward him only to realize that his eyes had gone dark, the hand that had kept her from being taken by SIVA was heavy on the floor.

"He's gone, Wren, we have to go!"

"I'm not— I can't!" she tried to grab at Beorn but shards of metal from his shoulders along with pieces of Ziro still deep in her broken hands caused her to recoil.

Rorick didn't wait. He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and ran.

"Go back!" she screamed. "You have to go back!"

"Dammit Wren, he's gone!"

Rorick passed through the gap and the doors slid closed behind them, cutting off the last view of Beorn, disappearing into the fire and flames.

Splicers had retreated, leaving only their dead behind. Rorick pulled Wren from his shoulder and cradled her. She couldn't top sobbing. Her breath came in short, labored gasps and she stared at her hands, blood soaking shards of Ziro's shell. How could this happen? How could any of this happen?

Everything had just been on fire and now they were in quiet. Calm. A few feet away from destruction and Beorn…

"We have to go back," she cried.

"We can't. We just can't." Rorick tucked her close to his chest and made the long ascent from the replication chamber in silence.

Rorick kept Wren with him in his ship. She wasn't fit to pilot her own back alone and she couldn't stop crying. All she could do was cling to Rorick and sob, eyes forcibly kept open because when she closed them all she could see was Beorn. He'd saved her. She promised to bring him home and he… he'd never come home again.

How would she tell Franz? How could she? Her chest tightened and Rorick tried to sooth her but it did no good. His gentle way only urged the tears on. Kiran healed her wounds but not everything could be so easily fixed. She held her hands clenched tight to her chest. Ziro had been right there. If only she could have gotten him out. If only she could have held on tighter…

Rorick never called the Tower when they were on their way back. He didn't let them know anything. Lord Saladin had informed the Vanguard of the mission's success, but they hadn't said a word about Beorn's death. Rorick absently stroked Wren's shoulder and on occasion he squeezed her tight. When she looked up at him he was always staring into the distance, clenching and unclenching his jaw.

What were they going to do?

They arrived at the hanger to a hero's welcome. As they were being pulled in, Wren's ship having been transmatted in by Kiran when they got close enough, she could hear the cheering outside.

She buried her face in her hands, overcome with shame. Tears flowed uncontrollably, even as the cockpit opened and Rorick carried her out.

The cheering continued for a moment as Sisre and Franz approached, then murmurs began to push through the crowd until there was nothing left but tension. The air grew heavy and she could hear Cayde demanding others to move out of the way.

"What… Where's Beorn?" she heard Franz ask but Rorick was already passing her off to Cayde.

"What happened?" Cayde asked. "I thought…"

"Where is Beorn!?"

"Get her out of here," Rorick said and Cayde hesitated only a moment before pushing his way back through the crowd.

Wren could hear Franz grow silent for a moment, then his wails echoed through the hanger.