Greetings, Guardians, here's part seven of Doom of the Dragons! Here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/237678825?sort=0&page=0]part six[/url] if you missed it! As usual, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! Stay classy, Guardians! “What the hell is this place!” Marcella shouted. “Just keep running!” Cupun said. The Guardians made their way through the tunnels. “That thing - it came out of a cocoon!” Kim said. “It might be an earlier life-stage of some life-form that we haven’t seen before!” “Whatever it was, it looked nasty!” Lyra shouted. “And if that’s the baby, I don’t wanna know what the daddy looks like!” Cupun looked forwards. Suddenly, the tunnel grew lighter. “We’re almost there!” he shouted. Suddenly, his ghost spoke up. “Um, Cupun?” he said. “I think we may have taken a -“ The tunnel suddenly ended, leaving the Guardians in the middle of a massive chamber. Several more large, metal doors - all of them shut tight - were placed around the cavern. Gothic pillars stretched up to the cavern ceiling, and chandeliers fitted with strange blue crystals illuminated the room. The floor was made of some sort of black tile, grimy and cracked. “-wrong turn.” Cupun blinked. “Ghost,” he said. “Chart us a path out of here.” “Only way out is back down that tunnel,” his ghost said. Cupun stared at the gaping maw of the tunnel that they had just exited. Deep inside, he heard the howls of the approaching host that they’d left behind. He readied his pulse rifle. “Alright Guardians,” he said. “Looks like we’re fighting our way out of here.” “Good,” Lyra said. “I needed the exercise.” She aimed her auto rifle into the darkness. Marcella readied her hand cannon, and Kim racked his shotgun. Alister then took aim with his SMG. The howls and shrieks grew louder. Cupun squeezed his rifle, and put his finger on the trigger. “Here they come,” Marcella said. Cupun felt beads of sweat trickle down his forehead. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s have a look at these bastards.” The screams grew louder, and louder and louder! Then, suddenly, they stopped. Cupun blinked. “What the hell?” Suddenly, three glowing lights appeared in the darkness. They were a sickly green color, and arranged into a small triangle, with the point of the triangle facing upwards. “What is that?” Lyra asked. The triangle moved from side to side, and then another one appeared alongside it. And another. And another. Cupun felt his stomach lurch. “Eyes,” he whispered. “They’re eyes.” Suddenly, two blue dots appeared in the tunnel, far above the eyes. Directly below them was a strange, green glow. Then, they began moving forwards. The two blue dots were, in fact eyes, which sat in a triangular skull. Long, boney arms extended from its shoulders, clutching a strange green orb in its gnarly, clawed hands. It wore an ancient, tattered cloak, which seemed to be held together with bones. But even more striking than its terrifying appearance was the fact that it floated a full meter off the ground. Cupun instinctively took a step backwards, flinching at the inherent wrongness of the thing. “What the hell is that?” Suddenly, Alister’s ghost spoke up. “Whatever it is,” he said, “its the source of the signal.” The Guardians hesitated. “You sure?” Kim asked. “Positive,” the ghost responded. Alister nodded. “Try and scan it,” he said, “see what you can come up with.” “On it.” Alister’s ghost appeared, and began scanning the creature with a flash of blue light. The creature snarled, and moved backwards. “I don’t think it likes that,” Marcella said. Then, the creature said something. “Kronja!” At first, nothing happened. Then, the eyes in the tunnel moved forwards. The owners of the eyes were a little less than two meters tall, and wore an ancient, red armor. Their skin was bone white, and seemed to be thinly stretched over their bodies. It appeared dry and flaky, like the creatures had been left in the sun and dehydrated. Their green eyes shone with a restless malice, and in their hands, they gripped an assortment of different weapons - none of which Cupun recognized. The best way that he could think of to describe them was that they looked dead. “Cupun?” Lyra said. “What do we do?” The floating creature lifted up one, gnarled finger, and pointed it at the Guardians. Then, it let out an ear-piercing shriek. “Take cover!” Cupun shouted. He ducked behind a nearby column just as the horde let loose with their assortment of instruments. Arc fire decimated the floor. Cupun peaked out from behind his cover, and let a few rounds from his pulse rifle loose. He nodded with satisfaction as he saw one of the smaller creatures fall. “Looks like we’re shooting our way out of here!” he shouted. “We might not have to!” Kim shouted. “My ghost is mapping a route back to the surface!” “Well, make him work faster!” Marcella shouted. She manifested a rod of arc lightning, and threw it at the oncoming creatures, obliterating several. Kim was silent for a moment. “Got it!” his ghost said. “Alright.” Kim looked at the other Guardians. “We’re gonna make for that door right there,” he said, pointing at one of the metal doors on the far end of the cavern. “Ghost here thinks he can get it open - but I need you to cover us.” “Deal!” Marcella shouted. “I’ve had enough of this mission!” “That’d be a first,” Kim retorted. “Cupun! Lyra! You two move up first, and drop a barrier in front of the door! Me, Alister, and Marcella will provide cover fire. I’ll join you, and Alister and Marcella will cover us from behind their current positions!” “Got it!” Cupun said. “Alright,” Kim said, switching to his auto-rifle. “On three. One, two -“ “Three!” Marcella broke cover, and began firing on the aliens. Kim and Alister soon followed. Not pausing for a second, Cupun ran towards the door, and planted a barrier directly in front of it. Lyra joined. “Ready, Kim!” The warlock disengaged, and slid behind the barrier. “Get to work, Ghost!” he shouted. “On it,” his ghost said. The little orb got to work in opening the door. “Got it!” he said after a few moments. The ancient metal doors sliding apart with a creaking sound, but suddenly stopped when they were only halfway open. “What’s wrong?” Kim asked. “Something’s blocking me!” his ghost said, sounding strained. “I’m only gonna be able to keep these doors open for a little while!” “Got it,” Kim said. He walked through the gap, and Cupun quickly joined him. “Alister! Marcella!” he shouted. The two Guardians broke cover, and ran towards them. But a round from one of the creatures hit Alister in the back, sending him sprawling. Without hesitation, Lyra ran forwards, and grabbed the warlock, sending him flying to the door. Marcella pulled him through the gap. “Come on, Lyra, let’s go!” Cupun shouted. But the titan didn’t move. “Come on!” Marcella shouted. “What are you doing!” “Giving these bastards something to remember,” she said. She quickly manifested a sentinel shield, and stepped out from behind cover. She then threw it directly at the wizard. . . which proceeded to catch it midair. Lyra suddenly seemed very confused. “Wha -“ she began. Then, the wizard, howling with rage, threw the shield back at Lyra, hitting her in the chest, and sending flying into the air. She hit a nearby column with a sickening crack! and fell to the floor. Cupun blinked. “No!” he shouted. He tried to run forwards, but the doors suddenly moved towards each other. He could still see Lyra, but he couldn’t move to get her. Lyra lifted up her head, and stretched out her arm, as if trying to grab at him. “Cupu-“ she began. Then, the doors slammed shut. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=238169836&sort=0&page=0]Part Eight: The Journey Home[/url]