------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [b]Eris Morn, Part V:[/b] [i]Into The Abyss (Eris Snaps)[/i] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Tarlowe!” I bellowed, but he could not hear me. Vell Tarlowe was dead. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity staring at our fallen brother. Everything faded. Sound muted. All I could see was his lifeless corpse. All I could hear was the hiss of his still smoldering body. I had not expected all of us to make it back from this mission, but I certainly did not expect him to be the first one down. “…is…” We were doomed. “…E…is…” None of us would make it out alive. “Eris…” I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. “Eris. Eris, we need to leave.” I turned to see Eriana looking back at me, sorrow outlined on her face. Her emotions never ceased to amaze me. Many people thought exos to be nothing more than programmed AI, unable to feel, fear or love. Eriana, at least for me, broke that mold entirely. It was true that she was made of metal and did not possess the capability to alter her facial structure, but looking into her eyes I had no doubt what she was feeling. Somehow Eriana had always been able to convey exactly what she was feeling more than most - more than me. “We cannot,” I replied, still in a daze. “We cannot? What do you mean ‘We cannot’”, she mocked. “We started with eighteen guardians. Eighteen! Now we’re down to four. The way we came is clear. Lets go back! Omar has vanished, Toland doesn’t fight, and Tarlowe is dead! We…” “I know Tarlowe is dead!” I interrupted, my blood boiling. “Do you think I do not know?” I grabbed Eriana by the back of her neck and thrust her head forward. Eriana turned her head to look away. “Look at him!” I yelled, not letting up. “Look at the great Vell Tarlowe. He was the mightiest among us, but now what good is he?” I pointed at the corpse, “Tarlowe was an arrogant, pompous fool and it put him in the ground. If you want to survive…if any of you want to survive,” I released Eriana’s head, “then listen to what I say or so help me I will kill you myself!” I holstered my pistol, allowing my rage a moment to cool. “Now get your gear, find your nerve, and lets go. We have a mission to complete.” After grabbing our things we jumped off the platform and walked towards the massive door which still stood open. The opening loomed before us like a black hole ready to suck out our life, our light. A shroud like black velvet rippled before me, barring my eyes from what lay beyond. “What about him?” Eriana asked sheepishly. I looked down at the body laying next to me, now an empty husk. “Leave him as a warning to others,” I said. “Only death lies beyond.” I unholstered my pistol, raised it up in front of me and moved forward into the unknown. One by one we pierced the veil, tensions high and weapons drawn. The room was circular, with a stone floor and metal and rock for walls. It was as if the temple had been carved from the moon, using metal only where necessary; an unnatural blend. A balcony filled with parapets at regular intervals lay above us forming a half circle that looked down towards the door way. The room began to echo with a dull, low roar. We spun circles, checked the doorway, looked above us, but still could not see anything. Before long the dull roar became a deafening thunder. We dropped our weapons and fell to our knees, covering our ears. That is when we noticed movement from above. Hive acolytes began stepping out from behind the parapets. Ten, twenty, thirty - too many to count, but they did not fire on us. As suddenly as the chanting had started, it stopped. “Erissss Morn,” a voice hissed. From the far end of the room a hive wizard floated into view. “We meet at lasssssst.” I rose to my feet, trying to exude a semblance of strength. “And you are?” I asked. “I, am Verok.” the wizard replied, giving a brief, high-pitched screech. She spread her arms, “Keeper of this temple.” “And how do you know me?” “All wizard know of Erissss Morn. All hive bow to Erissss Morn,” she said giving a slight bow. I stood there perplexed. What was this demon talking about? I looked down at my fellow guardians still on the floor next to me then at the acolytes on the parapets, but neither offered any answers. I turned back to face Verok and began to slowly move my hand towards the blade on my belt. “I am not here for you,” I said through clenched teeth. “I came for Crota.” “As you wissssh,” she hissed once more. The wizard raised her right hand clenched in a fist, and tilted her head back. She bellowed a low, guttural chant, then lowered her head and thrust out her hand, palm open. Before we could react the floor below us disappeared and we fell into darkness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/104376836/0/0]Part I[/url], [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/108098561]Part II[/url], [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/108098900]Part III[/url], [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/108099088]Part IV[/url], [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/108588739/0/0]Part V[/url] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------