Rise or Drown
"We'll see that the Valus doesn't leave that land tank."
Nothing comes in response to Aro's declaration. Even Cayde felt the need to pause for a few seconds before continuing, telling them how he would facilitate their entrance. But besides that, nothing. No vocal disagreement. No enthusiastic consensus. It was hard to tell which was worse.
Mira turned her eyes from the ground to Aro, who was looking out into the canyon, past the wreckage of the Goliath. She couldn't begin to explain his sudden confidence; that they could ambush and assassinate a high-ranking Cabal commander in his own tank. At least he had the sense to pretend to be hesitant, she thought.
Unlike Aro, Mira could feel when eyes were upon her. She tore her gaze away from his head, turned and found May, staring back. Mira blinked. She released the fist she didn't even realize she had been holding. She forced herself to take a breath, then another. Felt herself relax, despite how little she wanted to.
It had been nice to speak with her again. An understatement; Mira missed her friend. She missed her team. She meant it when she said she wanted them to talk. The three of them, candidly, laying everything out in the open and working through it, like they've always done. And she did not want to wait. Luck is the only thing that has kept them alive since the day they first encountered the Heralds and luck did nothing more consistently than run out. She couldn't be sure which one of them would survive to the end. If any of them.
Aro spoke up, told Mira that she'd take point with him. They need to cause trouble with the Cabal gathering outside. If the Valus is to meet them, stalling his incursion, he needed to know for sure they were coming.
"No special plan here?" Asura asked, "Just make a mess?"
"And be ready to move into the tank on my word."
Now the agreement comes, though slowly. Sowing discord among the Cabal was something they could do, if nothing else.
There was only so much entertainment a destroyed Cabal tank could provide, sparking and sending off parts in fiery bursts. Sparrows were summoned, mounted and launched, in short-order and little in the way of further discussion. The Guardians tore across the canyon, towards the narrow pass that snaked between two mountainous walls on the other side of the Trenchworks and would lead them to the Valley of the Kings. When they reached the pass, Mira peeked out at Aro from the corner of her eye. She only hoped he knew what he was doing.
They reached their destination, the narrow pass exploding into the gargantuan Valley as well as the land tank, Cerberus Vae, nearly as big as the mountains themselves. Off westward, they could see the top of the King's Gate and before the tank, roiling around like ocean waves, was a platoon of Cabal. Not the largest Mira had ever seen but larger than she ever dared get close to. At least, before today.
Aro gave them their opening, leaping off his Sparrow as soon as he was noticed. The Cabal to notice him, a lone Legionnaire, took a speeding vehicle to the chest before it could raise the alarm. As soon as he landed and rolled to stop his momentum, he drew out his silver hand cannon and fired several rounds into a collection of oil canisters. The Cabal nearest were incinerated. The Cabal who weren't came gunning for them, just as intended.
Mira turned her Sparrow into the nearest gathering. Jamming a beeping knife into the dash, she floored it and then jumped. She hit the ground, rolled back to her feet and had her gun out in the time it took for the knife and her Sparrow to explode into flaming pieces of scrap. She opened fire before there was any chance of recovery, keeping close to a bundle of metal canisters wrapped in thick wire, so she could take cover when they finally returned fire. May had stuck to her flank for some time but then turned her attention onto another group trying to rush at their backs.
Shino, as he had since they arrived, stuck by Aro. It was clear what he was doing. He was making an effort. Mira only knew this because part of her wanted to do the same. But there's always another part of her. One that sees his face and sees eyes that burn like red-hot coals pressed to the skin. They would flash only for a second before her mind corrected itself but a second was more than enough.
Three Legionnaires moved in on her. When Mira pulled another knife from her belt, a cascade of Solar Light ran across the ground before her. The flames shot high into the air, separating them. She followed the trail back toward its origin and found Aro, his hand outstretched and shimmering with Light. He nodded once before turning his attention towards the Cabal assailing Asura and Crona. Something he could only do unperturbed because Shino tore apart anyone who got too close to him.
More than his face, it was what she felt around Pride that most unnerved her. 'Pressure' was how it was always described when spoken about by others. It was a shoddy one but she couldn't explain it any other way. It was like being locked in a small room with a ravenous Ogre. It was like death putting its cold hands on the back of your neck. Tense, trembling even but not squeezing; not yet. All you could do was stand there and wait for whim to strike it.
She watched gouts of Solar Light erupting from his hands and even up from the ground, scouring the sandy battlefield in casual displays of power she had never seen any other Guardian achieve. She watched and realized she felt none of that here.
The Cabal, who had been staggered by his Light, had recovered but not quickly enough. The flames warped with the speed with which Mira flew through them, knife out and buzzing like a live wire. One swung at her head, she ducked and slashed at their waist with the Arc Blade. She Blinked to the next one and sliced its helmet into two pieces before using its smoking body as a springboard to reach the next. Aro is not his brother. She said it in her mind over and over again, like a mantra that kept her focused, even as she landed behind the last Cabal and jammed her Blade into its spine.
She turned her eyes to the rest. Cayde had described a massive force but the one out here seemed…small. Her eyes then turned to the tank.
"Did Cayde ever send an estimate on enemy forces?" A lumbering Phalanx lunged at her with its shield. Jumping up, she pressed her feet to the shield's face and sprung away. A grenade clinked to the ground in her place.
"He didn't." Khan's response was punctuated with an explosion as well as screaming. "Cayde is one for exaggeration but not when it really matters. If the rest are in the tank, we'd better get to the Valus first before they can."
She had her Ghost connect her to Aro, relaying Khan's words to him. He turned his own attention to the tank while Shino behind him ripped the shield from a Phalanx and began beating it over the head.
Finally, Aro gave the order. "Move in!" He thundered and there was no hesitation. Mira shot a bullet into the head of a Cabal running up behind May and Asura before she turned to follow them toward Cerberus Vae's entrance. She was the last one through, those giving chase stopped by the wall of Solar Light that erupted behind her back, incinerating those closest and blocking off the opening.
Aside from the low red glow of dim lights and the hum of machinery, the tank's interior was dark and quiet. Those dim lights were enough for them to at least see where their feet were landing so with Shino taking point and the Valus' consistent and unmoving signal to guide them, the Guardians made their way further in.
Mira could feel her anticipation growing; for the battle, for what would come after. So, so many things needed to be said, needed to be let out and laid out. To Shino, to May, to Aro. But later, she said to herself. Later. Nothing else mattered for now. Just keep moving forward.
Aro is not his brother. Eventually, she would believe it.
Kain had mapped them a path around the major thoroughfares and distributed it to every Ghost so that they could avoid most of the Cabal forces, who were undoubtedly searching for them. A few pipes had to be crawled through here and there but given who the ship belonged to, only Shino had any sort of difficulty.
Kain was quiet for the most part, except for when he found it necessary to speak. Even then, his words were short and clipped. The Ghost radiated frustration, doubt and maybe even a bit of anger. At who, It didn't really matter. Aro struggled not to dwell all the same.
Any plans he had made for their time on Mars ended with the tank's destruction. Because of that, he was playing a lot of this by ear, though, not entirely alone.
Mira was speaking to him again. Shino was the bigger surprise. Unlike Mira, he had never tried to hide his distrust and disdain. It was all so sudden and strange and uncomfortable. But it wasn't unwelcome. If he had more time, he would wonder what had changed. If May or even Christine spoke to one of them. He very much hoped that wasn't the case. He hoped, instead, that it was because they were trying to trust him again. Despite…everything.
A sound echoed through Aro's head. It was laughter. Unlike most of the incoherent whispers, this was unmistakable. It wanted him to hear. He gripped Hawkmoon tighter and increased their pace.
"Aro." Aro stopped. He brought up his hand and the others stopped too. Kain directed his eyes downwards. Then, he took a step back. On the floor before him was a metal grate. Through it, he could see a large, almost cavernous room spreading out beneath them. "This is it."
Aro turned to the others. "Directly below," he whispered. A few looks were shared but nothing was said. Eyes turned back to him, waiting.
Aro returned his attention to the grate. He brought his foot down and dislodged it. Watching it fall, the sound it made when it struck the ground was almost deafening. Aro crouched and slipped through, gliding until he was closer to the ground before letting himself fall the rest of the way. He took in his surroundings, Hawkmoon raised. It was even more expansive than it had first appeared. Two heavy platforms attached to the walls hung above their heads, ramps connecting them to the bottom floor. Metal crates wrapped in steel wire sat atop them. At the head of the room, obscured in dim light, were two massive bay doors, sealed shut.
Kain spoke and he did so aloud. "Something is wrong with this room."
Asura came down next, quiet as a shadow and Crona after him. Both pairs of eyes turned towards the door, for it was where the Valus' signal was emanating.
"So? How are we getting through?" Crona's hand squeezed. Aro could feel static through his armor.
"Aro could knock it down," Asura suggested. Behind them, Mira, Shino and May dropped from the ceiling, Shino landing with a resounding thud.
Crona tore her eyes from the door. She looked to Aro. "Could you?"
"Should he?" May's voice drew all eyes towards her. "The signal isn't moving." She pointed. "And he knows we're here. We don't know what he has waiting for us."
"Then, we draw him out," Mira declared.
"Surprised we haven't, given how much damage we've done." Shino let his arms and weapon lie loose at his sides.
Someone replied to that. Asura, maybe. Whatever he said, someone chuckled in response. Aro couldn't tell who, It all sounded so distant. As did the rest of the world, all of a sudden. The air, the hum of machinery and even his silent Ghost were louder by comparison. His heartbeat and breathing seemed thunderous.
And before him, just as quietly as everything else, Aro saw mist begin to gather at the foot of the door. The whirring machinery gave a great whine and heave and suddenly, those doors began to slide open.
A hand on his shoulder made him start. Aro whirled around, breathing hard with Hawkmoon nearly half-raised. He found Shino had approached him from behind, taking hold of him. The others had gone quiet and were all staring.
Slowly, Aro lowered the gun, calmed his breathing. He looked back at the bay doors and found them still closed. He grit his teeth, felt his heart begin to beat even harder.
It was Shino, of all people, to ask him, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Aro lied, too quickly. He swallowed, forced himself to keep calm and clear and he failed. "Get ready, he'll be here soon."
Shino let his hand slip. He looked at Aro for a while. Then, he nodded. Mira turned towards the back, opposite the bay doors. She began to walk towards them. "I'm gonna go look for the exits," she said to them.
May followed her eyes and soon started down the same path but towards the far right corner. She muttered something to Mira, who then started towards the left.
The others stayed near him. They talk, exchange ammunition, check their weapons, adjust gear. Aro remained rooted to the spot, eyes on the doors he had sworn he had seen move. Around them, machines had gone quiet and the sounds of ventilation seemed to have fallen. It was as if the entire tank had gone silent. Aro couldn't shake the inexplicable feeling of eyes on his back.
"Mira, May, any exits?" He asked, still not turning from where he was standing.
Mira responded first. "Yeah." Aro heard the sound of a thud against metal. Then another, harder one. "And it's locked tight."
"Same on my end," May told them, "Not only that but it seems power's been shut down. Marie can't even hack in."
So the Cabal were coming to them. Realization spread quickly and wordlessly around the group. Aro only felt his stomach sink even lower. "Can power be rerouted from your end?"
Whispers, then, an answer. "We think so. It might take some time."
Aro was about to tell her to take it. Tell Mira to do the same and the others to spread out, be prepared to hold back whatever ambush was coming for them until one of the doors could be opened.
He was until Kain spoke up. "Aro," he said, aloud, "Over there by the door. Up top, far corner."
Aro's eyes went where directed. He saw a small dot of light, slowly blinking on and off, almost completely obscured by shadow. He started forward, towards it until both he and Kain could get a better view.
What they found was a small device, affixed to the upper right corner. A short antenna extended from its head and as Aro drew closer, static began whining in his ear. He looked into the corner of his helmet. His radar had disappeared completely.
He swore profusely.
"Shoot it," Kain told him. Aro's gun was raised and its trigger was half-down before he could even finish speaking. The device exploded into a shower of sparks and when his radar returned, it returned exactly how he expected and dreaded it to; filled to the brim with red.
Aro's gunfire startled the others. The red that suddenly filled their own radars startled them even more so. Aro started back, reloading. "Both of you get back to us. Quickly!" He rejoined the group and turned, Hawkmoon leveled at the bay doors. Mist had begun to gather at its feet.
"Aro!" Mira called to him and a second later, a loud crash reached their ears. Guns still raised, all turned towards her to see her waving from behind one of the taller metal crates, knocked flat onto its side.
Despite everything, a huffing laugh escaped Aro's chest. That was indeed better. "Go, go to her," he told the others, waving them away.
Away, they went, a full run to join May and Mira behind some sort of cover. Aro let them get ahead, turned to look back at the bay doors. They still hadn't opened. The Valus' signature was as strong as ever and as unmoving as ever. He was waiting for something, that much was clear. But-
Aro had seen a Psion lean out of its hiding spot on one of the platforms above, a sniper trained on one of them. The sight had appeared suddenly, behind his eyelids when he blinked and had disappeared just as quickly. Before he could even realize that it had not been real but another vision, the hand holding Hawkmoon raised of its own volition. The trigger was pulled, a shot let off and at the exact same time, down to the very half-second, a Psion stuck its head out, rifle at eye level, in the exact same place Aro had foreseen.
The bullet ricocheted off the Psion's rifle. The impact snapped its head back so hard, its neck very well could have been broken. The alien staggered, arms spread in order to regain its balance.
Aro didn't let it. Didn't even let himself think about what had just happened. He let loose another shot and this time, straight through the Psion's single eye.
The seconds that passed were the quietest the world would ever be. Without warning, the sound of stomping filled the room, echoing through and off every part of it. Hatches in the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling released and slid open, revealing large, heavy, mounted turrets and hidden doorways. The red on their radars drew closer, the heavy footsteps grew louder and louder.
From where the lone Psion had been standing, suddenly, nearly a dozen more had taken its place. Atop both platforms, on the floors directly beneath them, from every cranny and hidden corner of the room came a legion of Cabal, with their throaty roars and feet slamming against the metal floor so hard, Aro was nearly shaken off his feet. Like a wave, they flooded both platforms, the entire ground floor. The missing parts of the Valus' forces, the ones who hadn't been out in the Valley, ambushed by the Guardians as they were waiting for the order to move in on the King's Gate, were now ambushing the six of them.
Only then, when the massive room had been filled to capacity, did the bay doors at the very back begin to slide apart. Aro dove behind the fallen crate, moving as close to its center as space and other bodies would allow. The sound of a flare firing off reached his ears.
Valus Tau'aurc's forces opened fire. The Guardians desperately pushed themselves closer together as bullets and slug rockets tore through the world around them, ricocheting and exploding off their mediocre cover. To call the barrage thunderous was an understatement; Aro had to resist the urge to shout just to feel another sound filling his head.
"Aro!" Kain was screaming, out loud, in his head. A rocket detonated next to Aro's head. Kain had to repair the eardrum before trying again. "Aro!"
Mira attempted to peek over cover with a hand cannon. She came back almost immediately, hand cannon gone and three fingers missing. Aro exploded, "What, damn it, what?!" He'd regret the outburst if he survived this.
"We can't stay here!" Kain shouted back. The others must have been hearing him. "We need to move-" The Ghost snarled when another explosion went off above their heads. "Somewhere! Anywhere!"
Aro opened eyes he didn't know had been closed. Pushing his back off the crate, he twisted until he could just barely see over the top. "The platforms," he murmured. Less of the enemy forces stood atop them than on the ground. If they could take them, split the Cabal's attention, get the high ground…
"Mira, we're splitting up!" Aro said, his voice already going rough. "Take your team to the platform on that side of the room. My team will try to take this one. Clear it out, hold it!"
Whatever she was about to say in response was interrupted by a shout from Asura. "Move!" He roared at them, hands around Aro's and Crona's wrists. Aro scrambled to get his feet beneath him and spring off in whatever direction Asura was leading them. A heartbeat later, a volley of missiles connected with the crate, blowing it into the sky and showering the Guardians with smoldering metal pieces.
They had thrown themselves against the far wall, near enough to the ramp connecting the platform to the ground. Aro looked over to where Mira and her team had been and saw that they had managed to escape as well. Mira said nothing when her eyes locked with Aro through the acrid cloud of smoke separating them. She simply nodded.
"Crona, take point!" He commanded, ripping Hawkmoon from its holster. "And shield up. We're clearing this place out."
The Aegis burst to life over Crona's arm. She brought the shining up before her and with a heave, pushed her Light into it until the shield expanded.
Then, Crona began to walk forward. One foot in front of the other as a storm of bullets struck her shield and exploded uselessly against it. Behind her back and protection, Aro and Asura returned fire. With no high ground, the Valus unable to reach them and only a fraction of their numbers, tables were turning very quickly.
But the Cabal were unrelenting. For every one cut down, two more would take its place. Some even taking up a fallen soldier's weapon and kicking their body to the side. If their plan was to use numbers to overwhelm them, Aro feared it may work.
Eventually, Aro could hear Crona's breathing, even over the gunfire, heavy and labored. As soon as he noticed it, a bullet fired from a Cabal headhunter passed through the Aegis' wall, catching Crona in the shoulder. She shouted, her arms dropping and the shield dropping with them. Her hand went up to her shoulder, a hole punched clean through.
Immediately, Asura pushed off his feet and shouldered her rightwards, towards Aro. At the same time, Aro grabbed Crona's good arm and pulled her to him, into cover. When he had her against the wall, Aro cast out a streak of flames between Asura and the Valus' soldiers, pushing back those who were trying to force the approach.
Asura joined them behind cover, taking the time to reload. Crona began twisting her arm with a frustrated growl, Sol just finishing his repairs, replacing bone, knitting together torn muscle and skin. On the other side, Mira's team wasn't faring much better. Aro caught sight of Mira trying to pull Shino's massive form from the front into cover, strength born of panic. His armored plate was riddled with dents and holes, the most obvious at the center of his visor.
When a Legionnaire burst through Aro's wall of flame, it was Crona who lashed out, a thunderous fist connecting with its armored chest and knocking it to the ground below. Aro drew out Hawkmoon and prepared to go around her to keep the others at bay. Before he could, Asura got to his feet and started shooting again, not at the Cabal on the platform but in the other direction, at the Cabal who were trying to climb it, trying to flank them. When Aro turned his attention towards them instead, bright flashes in the sky drew his eyes. They locked onto a volley of missiles, homing in on their direction.
The missiles detonated, just shy of their intended targets, crashing instead against a wall of shimmering violet. Crona was pushing herself back to her feet, breathing hard, her hand raised. A throaty roar shook the ground beneath their feet and when Aro traced the source, he found the Valus. Their target; the prey who had turned the hunt against them in one fell swoop. He had seen a number of Colossi in his time but somehow, Ta'aurc managed to dwarf them all. Clad in sand-scratched, battle-worn heavy armor, the heavy slug-thrower he held in his grip, as long as two of Shino and likely several times as heavy, was raised and aimed. It began to spin.
The jetstream of bullets tore through Crona's failing defenses, drawing a shout of pain from the Titan. Crona fell to her knees again and Aro had to grab hold of her arm and yank her back before she could fall over the ledge into the swarm below. Out of cover, exposed, Aro caught sight of Cabal, still on the platform, running for the both of them. "Damn it. Asura!" He cried, not knowing where the Hunter was. He readjusted his hold on Crona when she began to slip from his arms. "Asura, I need help!"
The Legionnaire that was closest to them and then on top of them, raised its weapon over its head, preparing to slam it down. As soon as it did, an Arc Blade sprouted from the center of its chest, armor glowing red where the blue tip exited. Asura ripped the Blade out. Then he took off one of the Legionnaire's arms at the shoulder for good measure and kicked its body over the ledge.
"We can't stay here!" Asura shouted, retracting the Arc Blade and throwing the knife at the next closest Cabal.
Aro began to heave. "Crona? Crona, c'mon, we need you on your feet."
A few seconds passed before Crona's feet pressed flat against the ground. Aro felt the weight on his shoulders ease slightly. He opened comms. "Mira, pull back towards the left side door. We're retreating!"
A grunt came as a response, the sound of something exploding and then a Cabal screaming. "The doors are still locked!" she shouted back. Another explosion, another scream.
"May said power could be rerouted, so reroute it!" Aro threw out his hand. A burst of the Void knocked a Legionnaire off of Asura. "The rest of us will cover you, just do whatever you need to get that door open!"
Aro turned to his team. "Over their heads!" He holstered Hawkmoon and broke into a run. "Now!" With a yell, Aro threw himself over the edge of the platform. Light twisted the air around his feet. He used it to carry himself as far as he could over the heads of the Cabal below, their shots trying to track him as he did.
Aro landed hard, pain shooting through his legs. Still, he kept moving, running for where May and Shino were standing guard around Mira and her Ghost, his own team right on his tail. Aro stopped to let the two of them get ahead to safety when he heard May shout, "Incoming!"
Aro saw Shino's body begin to glow a bright violet as he twisted his head. When he turned to look back, his eyes didn't go to the Valus or two the volley of missiles he had launched in their direction. Instead, of their own accord, his eyes go back to the platform.
There, they find a Psion with a familiar, cracked helmet. It had its rifle up to its half-exposed single eye and aimed.
Shino's Ward of Dawn sprang forth at the same moment Aro felt it. Something like a needle, heated to glowing, being shoved through his chest and out his back in one smooth motion. His hand, trembling, came up, pressed to his chest, his heart and felt his fingers push into empty space.
All of a sudden, breathing became the hardest thing Aro had ever done. He gasped, tried to pull in a breath but something, some invisible hand around his throat seemed to stop him. Aro dropped to his knees. He coughed, felt something warm spurt out from his lips. Someone shouted his name.
When sound came back, it all felt hollow in his ears. It was as if he were dreaming again. The world gained just a bit more clarity; his darkened and hazy vision cleared just slightly. The world also seemed to grow more still, more distant. Aro no longer felt the hole in his heart or the metal of the ground beneath his knees. The sounds of fighting, of gunfire, of his name being yelled, everything seemed to fade into some distant background. Even time itself had come to a sluggish halt. Dread filled him at the same time realization did. He squeezed his eyes shut.
"What do you think you're doing?"
His eyes opened again. Aro didn't answer the question. He didn't turn at the sensation of a presence behind him.
That presence slid closer. Came down so that its voice was directly in his ear. "When I told you to go after the Valus," Pride said, "I also told you I'd step in if things became dire." He walked around Aro until he was standing in the corner of his vision. He walked as if his feet were atop something solid rather than empty air. Aro felt as if he were hanging in place. The world remained at a standstill. He could see his dead body flat on the ground beneath him.
"I even said I would protect everyone," Pride went on, "And what did you say to me?"
Agitation welled up within him. It took all his strength but he forced his mouth to move. Move for the sole purpose of telling Pride once again, "Fuck off."
"Ahh, exactly. So…" Pride leaned in and asked again, "What are you doing? These aren't Hive. These aren't the Vex. You could tear every Cabal in this room apart. You could blow up half the land tank and yet you hesitate. Why?"
Aro's eyes flicked away from his body. Away from Asura looking down at him, from Crona reaching out. They turned towards the others. Towards Mira, working even more frantically on the door now. Towards May, magazine nearly slipping from her hand as she reloaded. Towards Shino, arms out to hold up the Ward, head just starting to turn.
It was only for a second but that was all he needed. Aro felt Pride's rumbling chuckle in his chest. Aro growled, "I'm not you." The laughter, same as the first time, grew louder in response. "I am not like you. I'm not-"
"Fine, fine," Pride interrupted, "Refuse it. You have that choice and you always will, despite my…better judgement." He drew in closer, lips nearly touching Aro's ear and Aro struggled not to flinch. "The Cabal will tear your friends apart, they will march on the King's Gate and destroy it and you will remain helpless in the face of everything coming." He leaned back and Aro didn't need to turn; he could almost hear him shrug. "But at least you won't be like me. Since that is your biggest concern." He waved a hand to the frozen body of the Valus, slug thrower blazing like a torch. "Even right now."
"What do you want? Aro asked, exhaustion suddenly warping every part of his mind. "What do you want with me, Pride?"
A pause. Aro could feel the eyes on his back. "The only thing I've ever wanted, Aro." His voice had become distant and softened. "You. Alive." Aro felt Pride draw in closer again, step over to his side, this time fully into Aro's vision, cutting off the sight of his corpse and his friends. Pride came down to one knee. His hand came up slowly, almost as if Aro were a frightened animal he did not wish to startle.
Aro felt himself be taken by the side of the head, a finger under his chin. "I've been down this road before. One where I let shame and fear of who I was, what I was, stop me from doing what needed to be done. I didn't realize my mistake until it was too late. And you…" Pride stopped.
Aro looked into his eyes, red and shimmering and…sad. Tight, pained lines were drawn into his features. Pride released him and pushed back to his feet. "Don't let this shame get you killed, Aro. Not again."
Pride stepped away again, leaving Aro face to face with the same scene as before. His hand squeezed. His teeth ground together tighter and tighter until the whole of his body was trembling.
Then, Aro let go. "If…" He swallowed the lump in his throat, "If I'm not enough, save them," he said to Pride, "Save them like you promised."
"That ship has sailed. You had your chance." Steel reentered Pride's voice like a knife sunk into flesh. "You want to save them?"
Aro looked behind him, his own eyes, enraged and pleading, meeting Pride's, cold and detached.
"You want them to live, you had better be enough. Rise or drown. That's all there has ever been to it."
Violent thundering in his chest was the first sign that the world had started moving again. Then came the sounds of gunfire, explosions, shouting. His chest ached worse than anything, despite his Ghost's attempt to numb the pain.
Pride was gone.
"Kain." Even thinking was difficult. "Helmet."
Seconds ticked by with no response. More before Aro realized his Ghost was seeing everything in his memories.
From him came further frustration, just like the last time. Just like before Aro decided to bring them here, put them in this situation. Fear and anger, all of it wrapped in a trembling bundle.
Then, acceptance. Tired acceptance.
"Get us home, Aro."
His helmet disappeared. Coarse sand and the stink of oily flames struck Aro like a fist to the chin. His eyes turned only for a second to the others. To Shino, facing him, running back once he saw Aro's eyes open again. To May, her arms around his shoulders, protecting him.
Aro couldn't see Shino's eyes but in his body, he could see the fear, the determination, the concern. For him, a man who has never deserved it before and now, likely never will again.
Aro breathed deeply. Then, he closed his eyes once more.
Aro was dead. A bullet through the heart and out his back. A Psion's lucky shot. Aro was dead, they were surrounded by an army of Cabal that remained an army no matter how many of them were cut down and the only thing between them and his team was Shino himself.
And he was failing.
Every fiber, every inch of bone, every nerve in Shino's body ached and groaned. They begged him for release. Eventually, they would stop begging and simply take what they wanted. But for now, Shino endured. He maintained the Ward despite the onslaught, both within and without.
Mira and Khan continued work on the door. The Valus was thorough with his trap. Asura and Crona encircled her, guarded her and her Ghost, waiting for the moment Shino finally broke and bullets began flying around their heads again. Aro was still sprawled out on the ground. Try as he might, Shino could feel no Darkness in the air. Neither could his Ghost. So why wasn't he waking up?
Despite the world falling apart around his head, Shino couldn't help but remember Jessie's advice. About giving Aro a chance, about allowing himself to give Aro a chance. The more he thought about it, and about Aro dead on the ground at his heels, the more guilt pricked him. He had been so ready to throw all of this away. And for what? As if he hadn't lost enough friends to Pride.
"Incoming!" He heard someone shout. Shino only had time to look up. A barrage of missiles rammed into his Ward and Shino swore he could taste iron. There was no time to ruminate. The Ward collapsed and a hailstorm of bullets broke through. One lodged in his shoulder before he could throw himself to the ground. Slugs pelted the wall behind them, explosions rang over their heads. Still, May reached out to take hold of his hand, helped pull him behind her cover.
Shino grimaced as his Ghost knit the wound back together, the bullet casing clinking to the ground. Mira had her back to the door now, joining Crona and Asura in returning fire while her Ghost worked frantically, telling them he was close and just needed a bit more time. Words meant to bring relief but Shino wouldn't have found it surprising if there was more to it, another trap waiting to be sprung.
"Amir,"Even his thoughts sounded exhausted. He shifted in place against the battered metal crate. "Kain. Get a hold of Kain."
"I can't!" The Ghost sounded frantic, a far cry from his usual stoicism. He must have been trying for a while. "Kain isn't responding. I only know that he's alive but nothing else." Shino groaned and then began to move. Pain coursed through his shoulder as he tried to prop himself up. He reached for the Light, touched the Void, let himself be enclosed in it. He pushed further to his feet and then sprung off, towards Aro's body.
He landed beside it, slugs and mini-rockets flying and detonating around him. He heard the air crack, felt a wave of heat and turned his head just in time to see three of the nearest Cabal incinerated. "Shino, what are you doing?!" May's shouting made him flinch. "Move!" She thundered, "Quickly!" Shino looked down at his hands. The Void overshield encasing him was flickering. He didn't have the energy to keep this up. Grabbing Aro's arm, he heaved and pulled the body over his shoulders.
One knee suddenly gave out beneath him. Only a second later did Shino feel the pain, clenching his teeth to keep from crying out and bearing down to keep from collapsing. He pushed off that leg anyway, half-stumbling back towards May with Aro's body still in tow. "Kain!" He shouted, as if he hadn't heard what his Ghost said. For whatever reason, Kain couldn't be reached. Still, he called, "Damn it, Kain! We need you both here!"
He dropped back into cover next to May, yanking his leg in when a bullet passed near his still-exposed foot. He crawled up to Aro's body, took his shoulders in hand, muttered over and over the same thing. "Wake up. Wake up. Wake up."
What if he never wakes up?
Another volley of rockets slammed against the wall behind them, showering May and Shino with sparks and shrapnel. When his vision returned and the ringing in his ear stopped, Shino saw the others flat on the ground. Khan had disappeared, returning to Mira just before the salvo had landed. Even with what little Shino could see behind cover, he could tell the Cabal were focusing on them now. There was no way any of them could work on the door now. Khan needed time, he needed space, he needed safety and to get any of it, the Cabal and their guns all needed to be pointed somewhere else.
"May," he muttered. He put a hand on Aro's chest and another on her shoulder. "Stay here. Watch him."
She shook her head. "What?" Shino began to rise when a hand wrapped around his wrist. "What are you-"
"We need time," he said to her.
"Shino…"
"And the Cabal need a target. When Khan opens the door, get out. Get to the ships. I'll…" He stopped, swallowed. He could hear her breathing, shaky, same as her grip. She was terrified; for him.
And he had been so ready to throw all of this away.
Shino took her shoulder in hand and squeezed. Just once before slipping off. Her hand fell away soon after. She was letting him go.
"Amir," he said aloud. "Stay with May. Escape and…come back for me. If you can." If only he had thought of this before, that day on the Moon. Maybe…
He drew in a breath. When he told Crona to put up her Ward and what he planned to do, she neither argued nor questioned. No one did.
The Ward of Dawn burst into existence. Shino prepared to stand when something caught in his thoughts, as if on a snag. It was a small sensation, a temporary one but he noticed it and it stopped him in his tracks. He looked down at his hands. Tried to call the Light but felt it slightly distant.
He made to rise again. When it came again, it was stronger this time, more undeniable. It faded and then returned. Faded and returned, like a slow heartbeat. It came a third time, a fourth and now, Shino was unable to move, to think clearly. Even breathing seemed a hassle.
A soft groan came through comms. Every other thought was shut out when he saw Aro's leg pull itself in. immediately, Shino ducked back into cover, rejoined May and Aro, who had taken his helmet off. Aro's teeth were bared in a pained grimace but he was moving, breathing. Eventually, his eyes fluttered open, as if he had only been sleeping.
They connected with Shino's. Despite his own helmet, he nearly smiled.
Aro's mouth, his eyes, his entire face did the opposite. His grimace became something more than pain. His fingers, which had wrapped around May's hand placed into them, began to tremble.
Shino said his name. Aro said nothing. Shino reached out for him…
Then he stopped. Something…something was wrong. Something felt…very wrong.
Aro's eyes closed again. His hand released May's and gently, he pushed away from her. Another pulse, just like before, shot through the air. Asura's head snapped over to them. Crona, in trying to keep her Ward up, nearly faltered. Even May seemed to retreat further into herself.
Aro stood and without a word, he took a step forward. Then another and another until he had put himself at the edge of the shield, right next to Crona. He placed a gentle hand down on her shoulder. His lips moved and whatever words they formed, Crona lowered her arms in response. Without her, the Ward would soon fall and leave them all exposed. Aro guided her back towards the others behind cover so that he stood before the Cabal alone. Shoulders down, hands and arms loose.
The Valus raised his hand. Every Cabal, every Psion, every turret had ceased fire so quickly, Shino's ears were left ringing. He could feel the near-silent hum of the Ward in the air, a sign that it was ready to fall. The Cabal seemed to realize the same because they were reloading, training their weapons solely on Aro now. Mira whispered furiously for Khan to hurry.
The Valus' hand hung in the air. Time seemed to slow, grinding almost to a halt.
But then it started again. The Ward fell. The Valus' hand dropped and from the back of his armor erupted another salvo of missiles, closing in on Aro's position.
They only made it halfway. Then, they suddenly just…stopped. Stopped and hung in midair before Aro, the world surrounding them seeming to swirl and twist in place within a violet haze. The Cabal gaped, some even lowered their weapons in shock.
One of Aro's hands squeezed. Without warning, every missile began to explode, all while hanging above everyone's heads. Those closest staggered away from the sudden flash of blinding light the missiles released. A cloudy haze obscured the battlefield.
But Shino didn't need to see. The sensation returned but this time, not as a pulse in his chest. Instead, it returned as a hand, wrapped around his heart and squeezing.
The dust cloud was swept away, as if by an invisible wind. Aro remained where he had been but he had changed. A white glow sheathed his body, so bright, it was difficult to look at. Almost as difficult as it was to look away. His eyes were wide and unblinking. And they glowed; a white as blinding as the rest of him, obscuring his irises, making him look something both more and less than human. Aro's head hung, his chin against his chest. Then, without warning, Aro widened his stance, threw back his head and let out a roar. The sound was like the detonation of a bomb, so thunderous and deafening, the mind could focus on nothing else. Not even the ground quaking beneath their feet.
Just as suddenly, Aro stopped, his head still back. When he finally threw it forward, a massive stream of flame shot forth from his mouth. It tore across the metal ground at blinding speed. When it rammed into its intended targets, the only sounds that matched the explosions were the screams. Legionnaires, Phalanxes and Psions alike were engulfed in Solar Light, as torrential and overwhelming as a flood. Aro's head moved slowly from one side to the other, sweeping the battlefield until the entire space before him had been set alight.
The Cabal's stalwart formation shattered like glass. Aro blasted off his feet and shot forward, faster than any eye could track. The glow around his body was growing brighter and brighter. He threw himself into the closest group of Cabal still standing. One made a panicked swipe at him. Aro swiped right back and the Legionnaire ignited. Its entire body burst in a fiery explosion. Red-hot pieces of armor and smoking pieces of flesh went flying through the air, showering the others, who recoiled on instinct but had no time to react before Aro made it to them.
Aro darted from one group to another. Valus Ta'aurc's soldiers stood their ground and died. They broke away from their commander to flee and died. They stumbled back, dropping their weapons in sheer, overwhelming panic and died.
The entire room was a maelstrom. Streaks of flame lanced out from Aro's body, moving as if they had minds of their own. They snaked into every path and crevice, sought out those he could not reach himself and reduced them to desiccated statues and piles of ash.
From the back, the Valus watched. Watched as this single Guardian tore through his forces, sowing more destruction than the Warmind had all those months ago. Oil and blood and steaming limbs were collecting around his heavy feet. The piles were growing.
Shino hadn't blinked once in the last several minutes and he had barely breathed. A part of him, loud, panicking, incessant, was screaming. Telling him to move, to find him. Find Pride. Because he could feel it. Once again, he could feel it. That pressure, that hand around his throat, Marie's Light being snuffed out. He could feel it.
The Valus raised his heavy slug thrower, took aim and fired. Aro Blinked out of its path and the Valus twisted his heavy frame to follow; slow, agonizingly slow.
Too slow. Aro Blinked again before the Valus could catch sight of him but this time, he drew in close, just beneath the Valus' nose. A pulse of Void burst from his body and the Valus was sent stumbling. He dug his massive feet in to steady himself.
Aro Blinked in again. Instead of the Void, Aro used his shoulder. He rammed himself bodily into the Valus' chest and knocked the Colossus off his feet. Valus Ta'aurc fell back against the bay doors from which he had arrived, hard enough to dent the steel.
Standing over him, Aro put a hand out to his side, fingers outstretched. Power snaked from his shoulder and down his arm, shooting out through his fingers. It took the shape of a long, crude Solar blade. The Valus pushed off the door and lunged at him, cursing profusely in his guttural language, arms outstretched. Aro's hand swung up and those curses became keens of pain. One arm fell, severed at the elbow and hit the ground hard enough to shake it. Aro brought his blade down a second time. The other arm joined the first.
The Valus fell back again, stunned, trembling. His cries of pain had devolved into weak grunts and moans. They devolved further into choking gurgles when Aro stabbed the Solar blade through the center of his chest. It pierced so far through, a red glow could be seen crawling up the bay doors behind him.
Aro ripped the blade out and let it disappear. The Valus, whose head had fallen to stare at the gaping hole in his chest, looked up again. He met Aro's eyes, pure white and shining, staring down at him with neither fury nor disdain, nor even regard. The Guardian put his palm out towards the Valus' face, leaving only a scant few inches in distance between them. Behind his helmet, all he could do was close his eyes.
The blast Aro released blew the bay doors out of their sockets. Valus Ta'aurc was thrown back through the opening, tumbling across the ground, heavy armor and all. When his body finally came to a stop, his helmet was missing, left in pieces scattered around Aro. There was nothing of his head left to find.
That was it. The Cabal who had ambushed them, who had sought to bring them down with overwhelming numbers, now left an overwhelming number of corpses scattered about the ground, some of them floating through the air as dust. Everyone was dead. Everyone. Aro's glowing body began to dim. He swayed on his feet.
Shino jumped when Asura rushed past to reach him. When Shino remembered to breathe again, it came out in thick rasps. He tried not to retch. The pressure had disappeared. When Shino tried to rise, his legs were still trembling. His heart thundered in his chest and head almost painfully and his eyes remained trained on the back of Aro's head. As if he were afraid of what would happen if he took them off him for even a second.
A hand touched his arm. A gentle touch Shin recoiled almost violently away from, staggering back a few steps. May retracted her hand and simply stared, whatever she had planned to say lost on her lips.
Cayde's voice came through the comms. Crona contacted him to report the status of Valus Ta'aurc; dead, after all these years. It was her who spoke and not Aro. When Shino looked back, Asura was practically carrying him. He was barely conscious.
Mira and Khan had managed to unlock the door. They had also disabled whatever tech the Valus had been using to prevent them from transmatting. In a voice that was clearly fighting to remain even, Mira gave them the all-clear. Shino turned his back on the others and stumbled away, ignoring the sound of his name being called.
His ship appeared around him seconds later, red lights replaced by cool darkness. Shino's hands came up to his helmet. His fingers scrambled at it until Amir finally removed it from his head. He stumbled over to the ship's lavatory and dropped to his knees before the toilet. He heaved and retched. Pure bile spilled forth from his lips, burning his mouth and throat. His stomach continued to heave up the meal he never ate for another few minutes. Amir removed his armor in the meanwhile, giving him room to breathe. He doesn't say anything. Intentionally, he doesn't think anything.
As his stomach continued to seize, Shino felt hot tears gathering in his eyes. When he squeezed them shut, he saw the Moon again. He saw Marie, his teammate, his leader, his friend. She was reaching out for him, pulling him to his feet after he had fallen behind. She was pushing him in front of her. She was falling behind herself.
Above everything, the frenzied clamor of the Hive, their own blind terror and panic, was Pride. His presence rallying the Hive, his power preventing them from transmatting, forcing them to escape on foot. When Aro had woken up and Shino felt that presence in his chest again, the first thing he did was search for Pride. Aro was in danger, he must have been near. But he wasn't. It was Aro. It had always been Aro.
"It's always been Aro." That was what he muttered to himself, leaning against the wall beside the restroom. Amir took the controls without complaint. He waited for Mira to give the go-ahead that they could leave. Aro was still incapacitated. Once received, Amir turned the ship back towards the sky and slowly took them into orbit, the others behind them.
He hadn't fallen asleep but he couldn't recall time passing. Shino only knew they were closing in on the City when Mira called him. Or at least, called Amir. She let them know that when they landed, only she and Aro would need to report in. He could return to his quarters and rest if he wished. He seemed tired when they left.
When Shino felt the ship's speed lowered drastically, he knew they had entered city limits. When the ship came to a halt, he knew they had entered the Tower. With difficulty, he pushed himself off the floor, keeping his loose knees tense to keep from falling again. Amir transmitted him out of the ship and the clamor of the Hangar hit him like a fist. He turned and saw Asura's and May's ships on his tail, docking themselves. He walked on, quickly leaving the Hangar behind.
When Shino finally returned to his quarters, he closed and locked the door. After what they had left behind, the quiet and the darkness were unsettling but he left the lights off. He made his way into the bedroom and dropped into it, still sweaty and filthy.
Alone, in the dark, the same scene continued to play over and over in his mind's eye. Pride's eyes, the screeching of the Hive, his team's panic. He could still feel Marie's hand taking his and pushing him forward with surprising strength. He could feel her hand slipping away and his own squeezed, as if it were still there. As if he could keep hold of it. She had gotten behind him. She had slowed down deliberately. So they could escape.
So he could escape. Because he had pushed her ahead of him first. Because, after he did, he had been the one to fall behind, the one who needed saving. And save him, she did, only at the small cost of everything. They had gone to the Moon because of him. They went down into the caverns because of him. Marie had to stay behind, buy them time, because of him. Those last three words repeated over and over and over in his head until even Amir spoke up, quietly growling, "Enough."
He wanted to call Christine. He didn't. He didn't want her to see him like this. He could have called Marc, then. Or Devrim. Or his mothers, all who have seen him at his worst.
But instead, Shino slipped from the bed to the floor, back against the mattress. He reached beneath and pulled out a long, stoppered bottle of hard liquor. He ripped the cap off with his teeth.
Amir didn't speak again for the rest of the night. He wanted to, the guilt that radiated from him did so in waves. But Shino successfully blocked out those feelings as well as his own. A talent born from years of practice.