The Cabal base had gone dark. The Better Devils felt heavy in her shaking hands as orange flashing lights lit up its sleek surface. Every step of her boots echoed in her ears but she couldn't stop moving. The whole world seemed so intense and yet… how had she gotten here?

That part was a fog. A blur.

Cayde was running intel but he was also here with a few Hunters, running through the base as a team to push the Cabal out. A group of teams… or one?

Wren shook her head. She couldn't remember. Didn't she have a couple of Hunters with her? She peered over her shoulders but she was alone in the corridor. Where did they go? They… did they die? Maybe they got shot and without their Light they were gone.

Her stomach twisted. She should remember if they died.

"Wren!"

She jumped. Cayde?

"Wren help me!"

"Cayde? Where are you?"

Comms began to static heavily but she could hear him ahead, his screams a faint echo. She sprinted toward the sounds, coming to a sealed door. Inside the sounds of a fight intensified but no matter how loud Cayde called for her, no matter how hard she slammed against the door, it didn't open.

"Let me in you son of a bitch!" she screamed and the door slid open with ease. She tried to run through but her legs felt they were made of lead. Even when she saw Cayde laying there, missing an arm, shredded metal jutting in all directions, sparks flying… she couldn't run.

Ghaul laughed as he watched her struggle to move. It felt like her feet were being sucked into the floor itself but all she could do was watch as Ghaul's foot crushed into Cayde's chest.

It was oddly silent.

There should be crunching. Electricity arcing. Cayde's mouth was open but there was no sound. Why? Her lungs burned. She knew she was screaming but nothing was coming out. Even when Cayde's hand hit the floor and the light faded from his eyes, her ears rang to make up for the silence.

And she couldn't move.

Ghaul vanished.

Cayde was dead and there were… more.

Hunters.

Dead.

All over. Everywhere.

"You could have stopped this."

Wren turned to see Beorn, a few feet away, watching her with a tired expression. She couldn't move but he walked over the bodies slowly, stepping carefully toward Cayde.

"It's sad it came down to this," he sighed. "Really sad. I guess it gets complicated from here."

"No. This isn't real. You're dead."

"I guess Franz would see this as even."

"This isn't real. It isn't real. It isn't real!"

"Wren! Wake up!"

Her breath burned her throat when she inhaled to Kiran floating inches from her face.

"You were having a nightmare," he said. "Are you okay?"

Wren couldn't speak at first. She pressed her palms into her eyes until they hurt but the shaking didn't stop. They were all vulnerable. What happened to Beorn, could happen to him. To Cayde. To anyone.

"We're about to land but if you need to go back we can."

"I don't…" Wren shook her head. "I don't understand."

"We were headed to Titan but after you fell asleep things changed. Zavala is moving everyone from Titan to the Farm to protect the civilians there. They're sending us to the EDZ in the meantime. We're supposed to let the Commander know when we land."

"Right…"

"If you're not okay then we can—"

"No. I'm fine." Wren sat back hard and stared out the glass of the cockpit at the clear skies overhead. It was shortly after dawn. The skies were pale blue and birds flew carefree.

"You can't hide things from me, Wren. I know you're in distress. I can feel it."

"I know. I just don't know what to do. How long's it been since… since Beorn? Or the invasion? Everything seems like it was years ago and I can't… Time is slipping."

"If you need to take a break we can."

"I can't do that and you know it. Stepping back now means someone else will have to take my place and I can't put anyone else at risk because I'm…"

"Struggling? Can you at least let Cayde know?"

"Guardian, can you hear me?"

"I'm here, Commander."

Kiran's shell spun. He was annoyed that the conversation was shut down but Wren was okay with it. She wanted to tell Cayde she was tired. That she needed proper rest, but when she thought about what was at stake? The lives that could be lost doing what she could do without fear or permanent consequences? There wasn't another option. She knew it, and so did Kiran.

Zavala began to speak again but Wren' mind still swirled with thoughts of what could happen. What might happen. The nightmare of Cayde, the bodies piled high, Beorn… not only the dreams but his death and the way she reacted after. Was this punishment? Some cosmic way of prolonging her suffering when she wasn't okay yet anyway? Nothing that was happening was okay and yet—

"Wren?"

"Sorry Commander I… the comms broke up a bit," she lied.

"Things are going to be rough down there so I had Holliday leave something special at your drop point."

"Woah, woah, woah… how special are we talkin'?"

When Cayde spoke, Wren gave a sigh of relief. It was as if the dream was real and she needed some sort of confirmation that it was only a nightmare. Not only was he safe, he seemed in high spirits.

"Just land, Guardian," Zavala said. "Storm the facility and board the Cabal Carrier. No matter the cost, we must board the Almighty."

"Wow, check that out," Kiran said as the ship began to circle the drop zone.

Wren peered down but before she got a good look she was transmatted out, only a few yards from a tank. Zavala got her a tank?

"Wow? What does wow mean?" Cayde asked.

"Wow means, I have a tank."

"A tank? You got her a tank? You never got me a tank."

"Calm down, cowboy," Wren said, trying to make light of things. As if she couldn't see him being crushed by Ghaul every time she closed her eyes.

"As your Vanguard," Zavala said, "Cayde will run intel on this mission. Along with me."

Wren's cheeks burned as she pulled her helmet on, happy none of them could see her. She slipped from professionalism with Zavala listening in. If only she could slip through the cracks under her boots.

"I'm entering the tank now, Commander."

While she prepped to leave, Cayde razzed Zavala about saying he was needed. Of course, Wren assumed he would but she had to wonder if it was also in part to take the focus off her slip up. Kiran flitted around the inside of the tank, scanning everything he could.

"So," Cayde said. "when you told our little Cardinal here that you needed me, did you by chance… cry?"

Even that made Wren pause. She smirked when Zavala ignored the question.

"Holliday, what's your status?"

"Let the record show: no denial. Still hurt you never gave me a tank."

"I'm headed back, Commander," Holliday replied. "And you don't get tanks cuz you'd break 'em. And Wren? If you need another one you let me know. Plenty where that came from."

"Oh, I see how it is," Cayde complained. "I get nothing but she gets as many as she wants."

"Don't whine," Holliday chuckled.

Wren drove the Drake through the corridors of the Cabal base, destroying anything she came across. She only wished it could feel like retribution for everything they'd lost in the attack. For the lives lost. Had the Red Legion felt the way she did now? Riding in a tank, out of danger but still able to see the lives they crushed. Instead of vengeance, she felt as she thought they might, and she didn't like it. They deserved it, she fully believed that, but it made her feel like them. And she was not them.

"Thresher ahead," Kiran said and Wren blinked out of her thoughts.

The ends would justify the means.

She turned the corner and sure enough, there it was. A Thresher opening fire on the Drake. The tank rocked with the blasts and fire erupted around her, blinding her. She returned fire but had no clue what she was aiming for. Heat began to seep through the outer shell of the tank and Wren held her breath as she tried again to fire at the Thresher.

"Let me help," Kiran said, and Wren felt the controls shift. He'd hacked it. "Fire!"

The explosion of hitting the Thresher roared through the corridors and within seconds the fires cleared, leaving only smoke and debris.

"You doin' okay?" Cayde asked, an edge of worry in his upbeat tone.

"I'm fine."

"We're under heavy fire," Kiran said. "The caves look pretty sturdy but the Cabal are shooting rockets at us like the whole place won't collapse."

"Collapse?" Chills raced down her arms and her palms began to sweat. She glanced up toward the roof of the tank, guts twisted at the thought of being trapped in here. Mountains of rocks heaped up, cutting off all light and air.

"Wren?"

Kiran's voice was hollow, far off, as if he was under water.

"Wren, it's okay it's not going to collapse," he tried to assure. "Cayde, help!"

"Hey, Sugarbird, can you hear me?"

Gunfire all around shook the earth and rocks tumbled down from the ceiling of the cavern, crashing into the top of the tank.

"The Cabal have a lot of firepower in here and we have some debris falling but Wren—"

"Kid, you gotta snap out of it and drive. Keep moving forward. Can you do that?"

Wren nodded absently but it wasn't until Kiran pushed her hand on the controls that she came to and kept driving the tank, allowing Kiran to hack it and assist with aim while she did her best to get them out of there. No one would be equipped to come get her. She'd suffocate and no one would come for her. Not even Cayde and if he did?

She couldn't put him at risk like that.

"Kid?"

"I'm here. I'm here."

"Good. Keep movin', got it? What's the Drake lookin' like?"

"Not good," Kiran said. "We took a lot of damage."

"That's okay," Holliday said. "I stashed another one close to where you are."

"We're coming up on it I think. And a door we can't blast our way though. Wren, you're going to have to find the control room. We can swap out Drakes then. You gotta get out of this one!"

"Okay," Wren replied, feeling the heat of the outer armor as flames blazed across the exterior of the tank. Too much damage. The damn thing was on fire and she was trapped inside.

"The coast is clear," Kiran said after helping Wren shoot down the last Thresher.

She didn't wait. She flung open the door and ran, far from the burning tank and into a side room beside the door Kiran referred to. Once inside she dropped behind the consoles moments before the Drake exploded. Heavy shards of armor plating shot out in all directions, one of which shattering the glass above her head before lodging into the back wall of the control room.

"What the hell was that? Kid? You there? Kid? Sugarbird? I'm comin' in after you, just stay put!"

"I'm o-okay," Wren breathed. "Don't come here. I'm okay. T-he Drake blew up but I'm f-fine."

"Gather your sense, Hunter," Zavala said. "Take a breath and keep moving but be careful."

"Don't push her," Cayde said. "She needs—"

"We'll discuss this later," Zavala cut in. "Wren, are you able to open the door and continue into the base?"

Wren clutched the knee plates of her armor and forced herself to take deep breaths.

"Wren?"

"Yes, Commander. I can."

She pulled herself to her feet and shakily worked her way through opening the doors. There was a moment of hesitation when she got to the door of the Drake but she had no choice. Keep pushing or put others in danger so she entered and began to drive.

"At least we're not in the caves anymore," Kiran said, trying to be cheerful.

The base was quieter that Wren would have liked, despite being relieved to not be under constant fire.

"Heads up," Holliday called in. "That carrier's engines are spinnin' up. Might wanna pick up the pace!"

Wren pushed the Drake as fast as it would go.

"Thumos is on that carrier. He has a way to infiltrate the Almighty," Zavala said. "Move!"

"I'm doing the best I can!" Wren snapped.

"Keep calm kid, please," Cayde eased.

"We cannot afford to let them get away," Zavala reminded.

"Can you two stop?" Kiran said. "We have a tank to deal with!"

The Cabal tank was much larger than her little Drake and attracted more fire than she could handle. Her rounds didn't seem to do much damage at all to the tank and her frustration mounted along with her fear.

"Screw this!" she said. "Kiran, set the Drake's rockets to fire automatically. I'm ditching it as cover so I can run around. I don't have time to deal with it."

"Kid, that's a bad idea, trust me," Cayde said. "You step outside of that Drake and you're screwed."

"I can't stay in here. This might be the only chance I get."

Wren didn't wait for confirmation. She abandoned the Drake between shots from the enemy tank and laid low, taking cover behind crates and boulders, sticking to the shadows as the Cabal focused on the Drake that was still firing at them.

She snuck around behind their forces and into the next area only to be stopped by a gap between the platform she was on, and the one she knew she had to get to.

"The bridge is up," Wren said.

"Oh, your tanks don't fly?" Cayde said dryly. He was struggling and Wren could hear it in his tone.

She didn't like his worry.

"Yeah they uh… aren't equipped for that," she tried to joke as she climbed atop a massive crate, looking for another way across.

"I think we need to go back," Kiran said. "I think I saw a ramp going up into a control center. We should try there."

Wren nodded and headed back, listening as Cayde and Zavala tried to break down some of the tension surrounding them.

"So uh… if it wasn't to give me a tank, then why did you send our favorite Guardian after me?" Cayde asked.

Zavala hesitated, but apparently, he was willing to try. "I find your high-risk, high-reward combat maneuvers to be effective and… inspirational."

"Yeah, well, a tank could have been a million times more inspirational."

Wren made her way to the first door which slid open, bringing forth a wave of War Beasts. She tried to drop a Solar grenade to take them out but was too slow and one of them caught her with its blades, tearing across her hip and dropping her where she stood.

Blood leaked between her fingers as she pulled out her hand cannon and opened fire on the remaining beasts. They lunged at her, skittering around on claws until they could right themselves and attack again. Their own blood pooled under their paws from the blast and Wren did her best to drop them as quickly as possible.

"Are you alright?"

She wasn't sure who asked. The voice came with the intense throbbing across her hip. She fell onto her butt against the doorframe as blood soaked her armor. Her fingers pressed against the gash in her flesh and she could feel the wound split open. Bile rose in her throat.

"Hold still."

"Guardian?"

"I'm coming to get you."

"No," she insisted. "Kiran, heal me. Don't send anyone in here."

She gritted her teeth until Kiran's healing warmth spread out from the wound and she could stand again, though unsteady on her feet. Blood rushed to her head when she braced against the door and reloaded the Better Devils.

"Update, Guardian."

"I found the bridge controls, Commander," Wren said, pulling the giant switch. In the window she could see the bridge extend, allowing her passage. "I've got these. Just… please don't let anyone come after me."

"You can do this," Zavala said. "We have faith in you."

Wren couldn't help but feel his words were hollow. What choice did he have? Risk one Guardian who could still survive, or kill many more that he wasn't willing to risk? She wished she could say she appreciated what the Commander was trying to do, but knowing the options only made it feel insincere.

She raced through the tunnels, blood squelching in her boot while she avoided combat where she could and killed the Cabal she couldn't sneak past.

"You got one more tank coming up," Holliday said.

The last thing Wren wanted was to get back in another Drake but she knew she was still too far away to go on foot. Again, no choice. As soon as she was in, Kiran floated around her, hacking into the systems before resting on her knee. He stared up at her expectantly, as if he knew she was almost over the edge. She rested a hand on his shell, gave him a few comforting strokes, then went back to driving the tank as fast as she could through tunnels, burning bridges, and through hoards of Cabal.

With all this, there was no chance the whole base didn't know she was headed to the carrier. If they left before she got there, it could put many more at risk.

"We're almost out of the tunnels," Kiran said and Wren realized she'd not exhaled. Finally! One step closer to this being over with.

"Good," Zavala said. "The only thing standing between you and the Almighty is Thumos, the Unbroken. He's a Blood Guard. One of Ghaul's "chosen". The Red Legion will die for him. Why don't you help them with that?"

Though his confidence in her abilities was meant to inspire her, all she felt was dread and the trembling of her own body. The scent of her own blood mixed with the acrid burning of machines and fuel. They turned the corner and there it was! The light of day.

Outside a golden glow surrounded the carrier.

"Dammit!" she spat, slamming a fist down on the console. "They shielded the carrier."

"Look over there," Kiran said. "Those generators. We can take them out and board the ship."

"This is taking too long!"

"Stay calm and take them out. It'll be okay."

The minutes ticked by like hours as she destroyed the generators, the barrier sputtering, flickering, then going out for good but the ship was beginning to rise.

"It's taking off!"

"Don't worry about it," Cayde replied. "A couple rockets in the tailpipe ought to do the job."

"Kiran?"

"Aiming. Fire!"

The missiles erupted from the Drake and landed dead in the center of one of the thrusters in the back. Explosions lit up the sky but it wasn't strong enough to rock the ship, only lower it. The place would be crawling with Cabal trying to fix the ship and take her out before she could get to Thumos. She'd have to move fast.

"Kiran, set up the missiles to keep launching while I run. I need the distraction," Wren said while she prepared to duck out the back.

"All done," he said. "The carrier is grounded. We'll have to get to Thumos before they can repair the ship."

"Good work, Wren," Zavala praised. "And Cayde? When all this is over, we'll talk to Holliday about getting you a tank."

"Aww, missed you too buddy."

"Maybe stay focused?" Wren snapped, unable to stop the shaking of her hands as she gripped the Better Devils. She was forcing herself to keep moving, knowing that failing would mean deaths of many others, but these two were joking?

"Kid, I'm sorry. I—"

"What do you see?" Zavala asked.

"Tanks. A lot of them. No Cabal here yet."

"They'll be focused on the ship. Chances are, they won't see you as a threat. You are one and they are many. We can use that arrogance to get to Thumos before they have time to fight back. But I must urge you to be cautious. Hawthorne had a run in with Thumos while you were off world."

"They don't call them Blood Guard for no reason," Hawthorne said. "Hope you're luckier than the last group that went against him."

"What do you mean? You've been sending fireteams out?" Wren asked. "I'm the only one who should be doing this."

"While I agree with you, we have no other choice," Zavala said. "We must protect the citizens and whatever assets remain from the City."

"No one else should be risking their lives. I can—"

"You are only one, Guardian. You are where you can do the greatest good, but that does not mean the rest of us are helpless. Now focus on finding Thumos. He'll be on the command deck, no doubt."

Wren gritted her teeth, kept low, and snaked her way through tunnels and corridors where she was practically unnoticeable. The shadows and narrow places were perfect for her smaller frame.

"Find him and break him," Hawthorne said.

The first room Wren came across had a Cabal presence. They were on high alert. Guarding an elevator of some sort. She ducked into the shadow of the door and watched them. Their patrol was orderly. Timed almost. She could get around them.

"What are you thinking, Kiran?" Wren asked.

"I think we need to get to a console. According to information gained by other scans, I can say with certainty that the bridge is above us, but I don't know how far."

Wren kept left, ducking under and behind tanks, taking her time though she knew she didn't have much to spare. Getting caught here would mean fighting and that would be a losing battle. There were too many of them. Escaping once Thumos was taken care of would be hard enough.

She crouched below a ramp leading to a higher platform where a Centurion and two Legionaries were speaking. They huddled around a console for a moment, then the Legionaries bowed to their Centurion who turned and left. He walked toward the elevator which was lowering for him. A Cabal ship sat on the platform. A perfect place to hide. Getting there would be a problem however…

The Legionaries walked down the ramp, passing Wren by a few inches. As soon as they joined the rest of the patrol, she pulled herself up the ledge to the platform and kept low while nearing the console to let Kiran out to scan. He only took a few seconds but Wren found herself holding her breath. The elevator had gone up with the Centurion but when Kiran vanished again it began to descend.

"Clear?" she whispered.

"Clear."

Wren quietly snuck across the bridge to the elevator but nothing happened. She leapt up on top of the ship and saw a hole in the wall, like a level where the elevator might stop. Once inside she made her way through the corridors, looking out for the Centurion.

"Be careful out there," Hawthorne said. "That team I lost to Thumos? They were good people. Some of my best."

"Wren can handle it," Zavala said. "She's a Guardian. It's what we do."

"Not anymore. Last I checked, without the Light? You and me are no different."

"She has her Light," Cayde butted in. "And she's gonna be fine."

Wren turned a corner seconds before a door slid closed on her. The Cabal on the other side had no clue she was there but when she approached, nothing happened.

"Dammit," she muttered. "The door is locked."

"Look around. There's always another way," Hawthorne offered.

"Up to the left," Kiran said. "There are some vents that should get us there."

Wren removed one of the vent covers and hot air rushed out at her. Steam from within caused condensation on the walls and as she climbed in and replaced the vent cover, she wished there was another way. Even in her suit the heat was oppressive and the way forward was full of gears and pistons, parts moving in all directions. She gathered her cloak and twisted it before tucking it into her belt. Getting snagged in here could mean a horrible death.

"Wish I could be there," Hawthorne said. "Pull the trigger myself. For my team."

"You'll get your chance," Zavala assured.

"I'm counting on it."

"Who did you send out?" Wren asked.

"No one you knew, I don't think. They were with me before the attack on the City."

"Focus, kid," Cayde said.

They came up on another vent but this time it was an exit. She removed it and set it aside before dropping into a corridor where several Gladiators stood at the ready, speaking to one another and a small band of Psions around them.

"They're talking about repairs," Kiran said. "We don't have much time left. At least they don't know you're here yet."

Nearby a room of massive pistons worked overtime, surrounded by guards. Getting past the Gladiators would cause too much noise. She'd be found out within seconds. But maybe if she could sabotage the pistons, it would be enough for the Cabal to investigate.

A barrel of fuel seemed a nice solution. It was only about half full but it was light enough that she could carefully push it toward a piston. One good push and she could possibly duck behind one of the pillars behind it to avoid the blast. Sneak past the guards while they figured out what happened and tended to their wounded, plus it would add some time to their repairs.

Easy.

Wren laid on her back, hoping if she couldn't roll to the pillar fast enough, at least the heavy metal platform might block a good deal of the explosion. She pushed the barrel over the edge and dropped a grenade on it before the Cabal could question the noise. Her helmet pressed to the platform, out of the majority of the blast but the heat was concerning.

Ears ringing, she rolled away from the edge where the barrel was now on fire and the pistol made a splitting scream of metal shards being lodged in its mechanisms. Cabal started yelling commands and an alarm rang out through the sector. Every hand rushed to put out the fire and shut down the damaged piston while Wren took the opportunity to escape.

She raced through empty halls and into a hanger where she froze on the spot. The place was swarming with Cabal. The hanger doors were wide open and wind sucked at the air in the room. Wren's cloak snapped out of her belt and she quickly gathered it before rolling into shadows in instant before a Psion's laser landed on the place she had just been standing. The Cabal was suspicious only a moment before returning to duty.

"We have a problem," Wren whispered.

"What can I do, kid?" Cayde asked.

"I'm in a hanger that's crawling with Red Legion."

"Great. Send me the coordinates and I'll be there—"

"Sit down," Zavala demanded. "Holliday, how far out are you from Wren's location?"

"Not far. I can be there in a few minutes. Hold tight Wren, I'm comin' in. And uh… keep away from the door would ya?"

"Don't have to ask me twice."

Wren watched as the minutes stretched on for what seemed like hours, holding her breath every time a Legionary walked by until the attention of the entire hanger began to shift to the hanger doors. They opened fire on a ship that came in hot, shooting missiles at anything explosive. Wren ducked and drew her knees to her chest as the hanger erupted into gunfire and explosion.

Holliday definitely did her job. By the time the smoke and debris cleared the hanger was destroyed. Tanks and space craft were on fire, blown apart. Cabal lay dead in heaps and the smell… it made Wren's mouth go dry. The acrid taste would linger.

"Alright, Wren. I've done my part. Now go get Thumos for us. I'm droppin' off some goodies for ya."

"Thanks. Wait… is that a rocket launcher?"

"You got it! I made sure to snag a little one."

"A little one?" Cayde snickered. "Still twice her size."

"I thought she could use it. Thumos won't be easy and a few rockets lodged up his—"

"Alright, Holliday," Zavala butted in. "Head back to base. Wren, you get in there. Keep us updated."

The Bridge was silent.

The doors slid open to a ramp that led up to a command center facing a curved wall of windows for viewing outside of the ship. There were more doors on both sides of the ramp, likely for a crew to man stations under the command center itself.

She soon found out she was wrong. Wren hoisted the rocket launcher onto her shoulder. Two steps onto the ramp the sun broke free of the clouds outside and she tried to block the glare with her arm as three Centurions rose from a elevated platform in the middle of control center.

Two smaller Centurions headed down the ramp toward her, only stopping when she shot a rocket between them, blasting a hole in the ramp and making both Cabal fall off toward the doors. Wren teetered back with the force of the shot and she struggled to correct her balance before running toward a side ramp where she had the cover to replace the rocket.

It was immediately apparent that one of the smaller Centurions was badly injured. Armor cracked open around gaping wounds on it's left side and its leg was shredded. Didn't stop it from shooting at her. Blood pooled around the area where he was stuck, sitting in front of a door. The other smaller one tried to defend the injured one but he was also in rough shape. His shield was down and Wren took that opportunity to fire another rocket it his feet.

He roared and tried to dodge out of the way, but the blast covered too much. Wren fell back that time, ears ringing from the rockets. The first smaller Centurion was dead. She was sure of it. But the largest one who had been watching from the back, was angry enough now to get involved. She could feel the floor tremble with his footsteps.

Thumos the Unbroken.

That might mean something good. Those big heavy Centurions were so slow. She hoped that might play to her advantage but before she could figure out her next move, the pillar she hid behind erupted with gunfire. Thumos held nothing back in his attack on her. Light flashed, rockets roared, and rounds pinged off metal. She couldn't stay here but running would be too much of a risk.

"What's goin' on in there?" Cayde asked, his tone laced with worry.

"No time," Wren replied. She reloaded the last rocket and aimed it around the corner. Despite not being able to see to aim, the explosion was enough to get Thumos to stop shooting for a second.

Wren darted, leaving the rocket launcher behind. Thumos was on her so fast she hardly had time to get to the top of the ramp before she was forced to find cover again. He kept his distance, choosing to attack from the bottom of the lamp. Made sense. She was smaller and weaker than him, but she had the high ground and his military training would make him hesitant to charge straight up the middle.

"Update," Cayde said.

Wren gritted her teeth.

"That's enough," Zavala said. "Cayde, we need to have a conversation once this mission is over. For now, I think your presence is needed in the barn. Holliday's ship will be heavily damaged when she comes in."

"I'm not—"

"Cayde," Zavala snapped. "Assist the mechanics."

Wren's gut twisted. She didn't like the idea of being separated from Cayde. Not totally. She worked so hard to find him, only to learn his plans would have kept him away from her forever. Had she not found him when she did? He could have—

A gunshot pierced the console over her head, snapping her back to reality. She lay on her belly and crawled forward, using the higher ground of the ramp to help protect her. Keep her shielded while she shot at Thumos with her Better Devils.

From here she got a better view of the room. The two smaller Cabal were dead. There were holes in the floor and scorch marks all over. The wall where she had been in cover before was blackened and practically destroyed. Thumos obviously didn't care about the repairs on his ship, he only wanted her dead.

Thumos himself was on one knee, blood pooling under him. That didn't deter him, however. If nothing else, he was firing more heavily on her than before. That paired with his rage filled roars and grunts screamed of his fury and desperation. His desire to kill the mouse at the cost of house.

Wren continued the barrage on Thumos. Gunfire and grenades. Until Kiran whispered that her Super was ready and she finally stood; planting her feet and allowing the warmth of the Golden Gun to race through her. The fiery gun formed in her hands and the last thing she remembered was firing on Thumos as one of his rockets sped toward her.

The last thing she remembered was blinding light and a deafening explosion.

There was no time to see Cayde here. He barely had time to reach down to her when Kiran brought her back and her lungs burned with her first inhale. Dust settled on her helmet and when she stood up, the battle had yet to go quiet. Debris fell in chunks all over and wind sucked at her from behind. The wall of windows must have bore some of the damage that killed her from Thumos because there were a couple of clean holes with spidering cracks. Might be a decent escape.

"Update, Guardian," Zavala said.

"Thumos is dead," Kiran replied.

"Good work. Recover the keycodes and return to the Farm. We're tracking down his ship so you can get to the Almighty. We'll be expecting you soon."