The breeze blew and the air flowed. Their garments fluttered in the wind, crackling with every sharp gust of cool as the warmth of sun beat down in contrast from above. The field in which they stood served as both a grave for their enemies and a shrine to their majesty. Each blade of grass, each budding flower, each crumpled and bleeding finger of their foes bended to them as they stood tall and ominous like obelisks. However, a single Fallen had managed to escape a grim fate and vanished within the thick and lush forest yonder. The perceptual Hunter knelt, throwing his royal purple cloak back over his gun, hanging from his body by a dark leather strap. Sifting slowly through golden yellow sod and blood, he took all of the time he needed to find the tracks of a fleeing Dreg, but not a second longer. As the Hunter transcended his allies' visual senses, the Warlock stood perfectly still, his hands clasped together as his small shotgun remained pressed firmly in between his belly and his forearms. Though the Traveler hung low over Earth, its nigh-magical essence stretched throughout the void of space. Venus felt the Traveler's presence just as much as Earth, and the mystic Warlock honed in on this, seeking its favor in this time of need. Should the Dreg get too far away, he could succeed in calling down a larger force of Fallen on them, or worse. Sight beyond sight is what the Warlock sought, calling on the Traveler to enhance his instincts. The Warlock's eyes remained sealed behind the black visor of his helm as he concentrated on amplifying his inner-self to reach beyond the plains of reality and guide him. As the Hunter and the Warlock searched, the Titan remained poised and alert, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. He gleaned through the white and lavender buds of bronzed trees, taking in every detail, and his assault rifle stayed shouldered at all times as his blood continued to boil from the previous battle. He had crushed a formidable Vandal beneath his armored boot as he laid waste to several others with a powerful spray of gunfire. He remained patient and calm despite the residual effects of the fight, waiting for one of the others in his party to finally claim the path they must take, and eventually, the Hunter looked up, calling upon them with a silent whisper. As the Titan approached them though, the Warlock warned of a disturbing presence nearby. Was it the Dreg and another group of Fallen? They did not know, but the Warlock was certain it could be too much. The Hunter remained confident that they could overcome the challenges they would face and forged ahead, following the trail left by the careless Dreg. Unfortunately, as their trek through the tall and beautiful trees came to a close, the scene they happened upon only increased the Warlock's worry. No sign of the Dreg’s body, but only his dark and thick blood which had pattered the ground around a larger pool of the rank stuff. Something had attacked their escapee and he undoubtedly failed to escape his fate once more. The victimized alien was dragged further into the forest as was clear by the scuffled dirt, broken shrubbery, and splotches of blood every so often along the way. The Titan looked toward his two companions, noting the Warlock's continual worry and the Hunter's short bout of confusion. Alas they carried on, weapons raised. Their fate would soon be determined, and they knew not what truly awaited. The forest grew darker and darker as the yellow sky became blocked by the dense brush overhead. A small cave was soon the only landmark they had to base their travels off of, and from the cave, several sets of three green eyes glared at them. The Warlock now knew what he'd sensed earlier, and the Hunter guessed that these were the creatures that had carried off their Dreg. The Titan was already aiming down his sights. Several clucks followed by a shrill screech made up the war cry that preceded the Hive's charge. A total of nine clambered out of the pitch black darkness of the cave, slouching as their arms hung low and their legs carried them in a hurried shamble. The Titan's gun flashed as five rounds glided out of the barrel, packing themselves into the exoskeletal shoulder of the nearest drone. It splintered and cracked before the Titan's next volley shattered the drone's chest and cut deep into its neck. The Warlock responded to the oncoming charge with a quick fling of crackling blue energy, blasting into the middle of three of the Hive and hurling them away. Finally, the Hunter, with the scope of his rifle already centered over one of their heads, pulled the trigger. Another corpse fell lifeless to the ground. Only half of the initial wave of enemies was down, but the numbers of the Hive only increased as more climbed forward from the cave's maw. The Guardians knew something rested deeper within the cave, perhaps something they would need. They had come to Venus for the simple thrill of exploration, and the contents of the cave could indeed hold something worthwhile. Something they could take back to Earth. But they would have to fight to get it. They would have to fight to even learn what it was. And that fight could very well take their lives. [Please note that this short story was done purely for entertainment and is majority speculation! I really have no idea what kinds of things Venus holds, how the magic works, and whether or not certain factions of aliens will fight eachother (Hive and Fallen), but again, it's speculation, and speculation is fun. Hope you all enjoy.] EDIT: And please provide feedback and constructive criticism. My writing skills have become stale over the past couple of years, so any and all feedback is appreciated!