Enjoy A huge metal husk was planted into the ground of Winter’s Run. Its bulbous shape was covered in dents and scratches. Remnants of ancient paint had long flecked off the surface but some of the color had stained the metal. The cliff side plateau had been transformed into a makeshift docking bay, supplies littered the ground and doors in the far side led deeper into the mountains. The four guardians huddled behind some rocks as the Fallen patrolled the area. A quiet breeze rustled the sand on the ground as a dull silence hung low over the plateau. “That’s the cell the Queen is after,” Ila whispered to the group. “There are guards but I could not get an accurate read that quickly. I saw at least two Reaver class Captains.” “What do we want to do?” Ophelia asked. “What is a Reaver?” Holly asked embarrassed. “Shhhh!” the collective responded. “Sorry,” she murmured lowering her voice. “I’m kind of new…” “My Lady,” Sebastian, Holly’s ghost, started. “Reaver is a classification given to special units of Fallen that have performed feats that are deemed worthy of a higher rank. Those Captains, for example, are on the same level as or ranked just above a Baron.” “Really? Wow. That’s impressive.” “Quite so Miss.” “Anyway…” Ophelia continued. “Raven, I want you to circle around to the front and distract the enemies. Alexander, Holly, and I will flank the enemy and catch them off guard.” Everyone nodded in agreement. Raven pulled her hand cannon from its holster and checked the mag. Clicking back the rotating chamber, she darted from her position and around the rocks. Alexander, Holly, and Ophelia followed suit, readying their weapons and rushing out from behind cover. Raven turned a corner and fired a few shots into a group of Dreg. Ether spewed from their bodies as they fell to the ground. Fallen turned and glared at the intruder, the two Captains roaring in their alien tongue. Shanks and Dreg poured from the doors and funneled down onto the plateau as Raven jumped onto some rocks and picked off what she could. A large pool of Fallen came together and Raven leapt into the air. Light focused into void energy as she drew her bow. She unleased three arrows that tied the entire group into a chain of slow moving targets. Raven watched as the other three mowed down enemy after enemy. Ophelia jumped over some low rocks and dropped a firestorm of burning lead into the enemies. It melted through their armor spilling their blood and ether onto the ground. Alexander followed behind her, unloading three rounds into one Reaver Captain. It keeled over as the other broke the void leash. Turning The Next Big Thing toward the oncoming threat, he fired three more rounds. Two broke it shields and the final round blew a sizable chunk out of the chest of the Captain. Holly was slow, shaking slightly as she ran, nervous. She watched as Ophelia and Alexander jumped right into the fray. She wanted to help. Poking around a rock, closing her eyes and holding her breath, she tossed a grenade at the group of enemies. A vortex of void energy formed after a small explosion. Its dazzling, swirling, light humming quietly among the ruckus. Holly opened one eye felt her heart drop. The grenade hit nothing. Trying to make up for it, she fired her scout rifle into the mob. She hit a few body shots but that aggravated the mob further. As the void leash faded, shanks turned to Holly and fired their cannons. Screaming and running back under cover, the Shanks flew after her. She could feel the static of their guns pinging her shields down. She shot blindly behind her in an attempt to pacify the Shanks. The others quickly moped up the mob, and as things settled, watched awkwardly as the only remaining Shank kept hounding Holly. Turning her head, she looked back as her scout rifle ran dry. Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled the trigger over and over. The rock outcropping hit her at full force. She fell back slightly dazed. The Shank buzzed as its red eyes lit up bright. Holly screamed once more as her vision came back to focus. She slammed her eyes shut and pulled her arm back. Forming a void bomb in her hand, she launched it at the Shank. Holly put her hands over her head as the Shank disappeared into the purple void light. “How old is she again?” Alexander asked. “Nineteen,” Ophelia responded. “Who cares!” Raven interjected defensively. “She’s alive, right?” “My Lady,” Sebastian started. “I am not questioning your motives, but I must say the use of the Nova Bomb in that capacity seemed wasteful.” “I’m sorry Sebastian,” Holly said back. “I panicked again didn’t I.” “That is perfectly fine Miss.” Sebastian materialized before her. His black and white shell was perfectly polished and clean. “A Guardian cannot be expected to master every aspect of combat merely weeks after they are risen.” “But I thought I had trained enough and got it down.” “Miss, look at me,” Sebastian floated to eye level. “I’m certain, in time, you will be a marvelous guardian.” “You think so?” Sebastian could see the light come back to her watering eyes. “Absolutely. My Lady. Maybe for now watch Ophelia and her team, as they are experienced in such matters.” “I will do my best.” Sebastian bowed before dematerializing. “I think we should crack this baby open,” Raven said over the coms. “Before reinforcements arrive.” She held out her hand and Luka flew off toward the cell. Luka hovered around the base scanning and hacking the controls. “Everyone be ready,” Ophelia said. The bulb bloomed as the doors opened. A white mist poured out as there was a loud roar, like the sound of thunder. Two, gigantic muscular arms, took hold of the edges of the cell. The Archon Priest stuck its head out looking around. Pulling its legs free of the cell, it jumped onto the plateau and shook the ground slightly. Its smaller two arms carried an enormous cannon. The air around the four barrels sizzled with heat as the weapon hummed to life. Stretching out its arms and arching its back, a series of loud snaps echoed across the now silent canyon. There was a hiss from the far doors into the mountains as they opened and reinforcements came running onto the plateau. Ophelia focused her light. A fire burned in her chest as she held her hand out. A small door to the bright inferno opened and she reached in. Pulling the grip of her hammer, Ophelia tore it from the inferno. Cloaking flames as bright as the sun circled around her engulfing her in a fire that melted the ground beneath her feet. Fiery, angelic, wings formed from the fire as she walked toward Aksor. Gripping the hammer tighter, she arched her arm back, Aksor laughing all the while. Ophelia threw the hammer and Aksor puffed its chest out. The hammer impacted exploding into a bright light of flames. It dusted off the flames virtually unscathed. It laughed harder and charged Ophelia. Raven fired two quick rounds into the Archon Priest’s head recoiling it back. Arc projectiles flew across the battlefield as the reinforcements supported their spiritual leader. Servitors and sniper Vandals provided covering fire for the advancing Fallen troops. “Cover me!” Ophelia shouted. She lunged at the Archon Priest. This time she uppercut with the hammer pelting its joints with melting flames. The flaming wings spread wide as she hurdled an incoming sweeping blow from Aksor, but was plucked from the air. Its arms were powerful vice grips. Aksor squeezed hard against the radiating Titan. She did not break, struggling as hard a she could, she slowly separated its hands. Her light faded, the blinding fire dulled and she felt the full force of its crushing grip. Aksor slammed Ophelia into the ground. Her visor flashed red as her shields dispersed. She felt every breaking bone as Aksor struck her again. A sound of thunder snapped across the battlefield as Alexander shoulder charged the Archon Priest. The force of the blow knocked it back slightly forcing it to fling Ophelia into the air. Alexander followed up by leaping forward covered in arc energy. He slammed into the ground, an explosion sending shock waves out around his body. Turning back, he slid with his arms outstretched. Ophelia fell into his arms. Raven pumped rounds into Aksor’s head keeping it reeling back as the electric shocks kept shooting up its body. Holly peered over a rock, eyes wide, as the events unfolded. She stared in awe as the fire team worked to protect each other while bringing down a monster. Wow, she mouthed as Raven and Alexander dealt with the oncoming mobs of Fallen. A mechanical whirr sounded behind her. Turning her heart dropped and her face burned bright red. She stared directly into the deep crimson eyes of a Shank. Screaming she ran away, the Shank giving chase.