Oh readers mine, Enjoy! The loud snap of atmospheric shatter echoed over the abyss snapping Raven to attention. A deep blue and white skiff had broken into the planet and was barreling over the landscape. It quickly flew over Raven and continued on, leaving her in aw. “What was that!” she exclaimed. “Unknown Fallen House, no existing records at the moment,” Luka responded quickly. “It’s coming back!” The skiff turned about and flew over Raven once more. It was slower and hovered momentarily over the rock, opening one of its back hatches. Clad in deep blue armor, a Captain dropped down, shock blades humming loudly with arc energy. The captain was different than others she had seen. It had a similar build but its armor was well worn and covered in dents, chips, and muffled paint. Skulls hung on a belt around its waist and its ether supply system was haphazardly repaired with unknown materials. It smelled even though Raven’s helmet. Musky, sour, blood stemmed from each break in its armor. This is no normal Fallen, Raven thought. Roaring loudly, the Captain attacked Raven, lunging at her and swinging down its blade. She shade-stepped to avoid the blow and tried to draw her Thorn. The Captain reached out and took her by the neck. Its strong grip sent shocks of pain screaming through her body. It lifted Raven into the air and roared again. Flailing was all she could manage to do against the power of the creature. “Die… Guardian…” it declared in a deep raspy voice. Raven stopped, petrified, once the creature spoke. “Kepariks, Wolf Baron, will add another head to my belt.” Raven struggled slightly, her eyes locked into its. Kepariks raised its sword, its blade pressed against her neck. A slight rumble shook the ground beneath Kepariks’ feet. The momentary distraction created the opportunity she needed. Raven used both feet to kick back against Kepariks, releasing his grip. She drew her thorn and pumped nine rounds into the creature. Green veins formed from the protruding rounds, a sinister poison eating away at the shields. They broke and the creature backed up to the edge of the rock. There was not much room, Kepariks struggled both to remove the rounds from his abdomen and keep his balance. Before she could reload, another quake shook the waterfall. The force made Kepariks stumble forward toward the ledge of the rock. Staring down into the abyss, it attempted to keep its balance. Seeing her chance, Raven rushed the creature and shoved it off the ledge, its shock blades flying away. Before she could take a breath of relief, the Captain took hold of her cloak and took her down with it. Everything slowed to a crawl, seconds felt like days and she watched as the ledge escaped her reach. Sprinkles of water dewed on her armor as she plunged downward. She broke the mist below her heart pounding mercilessly in her heart. Kepariks had turned its body and extended its arms. Its crimson eyes inviting what ever fate would arise from the abyss. Raven got a good look at its cape. A triangular pattern was stitched into the torn fabric, the symbol indicating the House of Wolves. The light above them dimmed and darkness began to creep. There was no end in sight and adrenalin turned into unease. Raven’s stomach turned and she became queasy. She quickly holstered her weapon and futilely put a hand up to her helmet. She became dizzy and closed her eyes. As the fall took away the light, she lost all sense of her surroundings and her body went limp. Raven’s eyes cracked open, a dim light barely illuminating the pit. There was a thick mist that blurred out the world. Turning her head, she felt a sharp pain race up her neck and smash into her head. Slamming her eyes shut again, she gritted her teeth as everything started to throb. She heard a familiar hum from a shock weapon and tried to look around again. Searing pain once again shot through her body and finished by smashing into her head. A faint light hovered down over her face. Kepariks looked down at her, his deep crimson eyes scanning her up and down. She tried to move, but a smooth, hard surface blocked her. I… am upright against a wall…, she thought. “What…” she tried to get out. Kepariks quickly put one of his hands over her mouth. He shook his head. Lowering the dagger over her chest and legs, he pointed and made a snapping motion with his smaller arms. “Broken… Do not move. Not alone… quiet.” Kepariks’ voice was low and when it removed its hand from her mouth, Raven nodded in acknowledgement. Why doesn’t he just kill me, she thought. Better yet, how do I get out? A sound of thunder echoed though the abyss and Kepariks quickly deactivated his shock dagger. Rocks shuffled around and there was another violent shaking of the ground. The haze parted and whiffed, swirling outward and upward. She shaking stopped and everything fell quiet once more. A steady drip of moisture echoed along the smooth walls. Raven and Kepariks looked around; feeling relatively safe, Kepariks activated its shock blade again. “Why not… kill me?” Raven asked quietly. “Wolves are… fierce.” Kepariks responded holding the blade back to its face. Its eyes were burning with killer intent. “Warriors great… Honour based on strength. No honour in killing puny hunter now.” “Escape then?” “Walls steep… tried and unsuccessful.” A gust of wind howled through the pit, its strength pushing the Raven and Kepariks against the wall. It was a foul, stale, wind that reeked of age. A growing roar was followed and the pit slowly began to illuminate. A bright green and white light pierced the haze, something enormous rearing itself. “Oh warriors mine, I found you.” The thunderous voice shook the pit and terrified the pair. The light lowered itself before them. As the mist parted, Raven’s heart skipped beats, her pupils dilating, and adrenalin screaming run as fast as you can. Kepariks dropped its dagger, the arc energy sparking slightly as it hit the ground. It collapsed to its knees, its crimson eyes widening. The light looked down on them, a deep pupil contracting as if bringing them into focus. There was a long blink as the light from the eye disappeared and then reappeared. “I have never born witness to two warriors before.” The two were dead quiet, quaking at the pounding of their hearts. “L…L…Luka…” Raven stuttered. “Wh…Wh…What is that?” “I don’t know.” The sheer shock and fear in her voice could not be more clear. Kepariks roared in its native tongue and tried to back up the wall. “Do not run warrior, for I am benevolent.” Kepariks roared and growled again in response. “First warriors tell me of your story. Then you shall be listeners mine. Why don’t you start Huntress?” “M…My name is Raven,” her voice was low and shaky. Everything felt mechanical. The stale breath of the ambient voice rushed over her periodically. She lost all feeling in her body as every nerve was screaming to run. “Huntress Raven, why are you here?” “I came in search of peace.” “Peace you say? I can grant you peace. But only one of you. Warrior creature, speak your story.” “Kepariks!” It growled. “Wolf Baron.” “Creature Kepariks, I ask you why you are here.” “Planet riches… Honour and status.” Kepariks stood and puffed its chest. It flexed it muscles and forcefully stopped its shaking. “Power you seek? That is easy. Both Creature and Huntress why do you fight?” There was a long silence. “I ask again warriors mine, WHY DO YOU FIGHT!” Stale breath of the ambient voice rushed over them, its powerful presence overwhelming their nerves. “The Fallen are agents of the darkness. Pirates bent on wiping out humanity,” Raven said quickly. “Guardians follow our machine god. Took… from us. Stole OUR survival.” “Interesting,” the voice echoed, “You fight for survival. Yet to ensure one life you must eradicate the other.” “Guardians… don’t give back. To be round is to own power. Round god… is ours…” “We simply found the Traveler, we didn’t steal it.” “I see, warriors mine…” “You will give our god.” “Why?” “SILENCE!” The monstrous voice echoed silencing the pair like small children. “Listen well, listeners mine, for my story will aid both of yours. Listen well for I… am Ahamkara.” The mist parted as a huge gust of wind blew it away. Light slowly poured into the pit revealing the singular eye. Raven and Kepariks looked up in awe. A creature unlike any they had seen reared its head. Each of its white-green eyes looked down, absorbing everything. Just the creatures head was before them, smiling with a toothy grin. Its razor sharp teeth were a yellow-orange color and two stories tall. Smooth, pale, boney, exoskeleton armor plated its entire head with spines protruding in every direction. Its hooked mouth looked like the beak of a bird. Moss and foliage was growing in excess over the creature, its ancient form emanating with an unfamiliar, almost magical, aura.