Hello, everybody, here's part 53 of Into the Hellmouth! Here's[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/212587144?showBanned=0&path=0] part 52 [/url]if you missed it, or, if you're looking for a different part, here's the[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209303839?showBanned=0&path=0] Master Post[/url]! And this time, I can tell you when Part 54 will be up: Friday afternoon, around 6 PM EST. So, look out for that! Anyways, as usual, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon. Stay classy Guardians! Eriana killed the last of the thrall that had jumped her, and then took a deep breath. She turned around, and took several stumbling steps forward. After another moment, she collapsed to the ground, heaving. Eriana slowly pushed herself up against the cave wall, and lay there, desperately trying to get pump coolant flowing through her metallic body. I’m not going to make it, she thought. The realization was almost comforting, in a way. At least now, she knew her fate. To die here - that was her destiny. Then, she realized something; if she died here, then no one would hear her message. They would come down into the pit, seeking vengeance. And Crota would kill them all. One. By. One. The screams of the Hive were growing closer. Soon, they would be upon her. And even if they didn’t kill her, then the Darkness weighing down upon her soul like an anvil would. Her message would die with her. Unless. . . Eriana fumbled with her armor, and pulled out her ghost. “Are you still in there, Ghost?” she asked. The blue eye flickered faintly. Eriana smiled. “Good,” she said, “that’s good.” She winced. Every single movement seemed to cause her pain. “Listen, Ghost,” she said. “I’m going to die down here. But you don’t have to.” The light blinked. “Go,” Eriana said, “go to the surface. And get to our ships.” The eye blinked. “Return to our Tower, little one,” she said. “And, when you find them, bring them this message. Do you understand, Ghost?” The eye was dark. “Ghost?” she asked. The eye flickered twice. Eriana smiled. “Okay, Ghost,” she said. “Record this.” And with that, she took a deep breath, and prepared to speak. “For Wei,” she said, her voice broken by sobs, “I am sorry.” Not for the first time, Eriana wished that she could cry. After a few moments, she took a deep breath, and then spoke. “My Ghost's Light is so dim, there's no point following me further into this fog – any hope of raising me died halfway through the Stills – I only hope she's got strength enough to take this ember to where you fell, to dance once more with any last whisper of your own light left on this cursed, broken rock.” Eriana paused, took a breath, and then continued. “Again I will confess. I am Eriana-3, of the Praxic Fire, and I know my flame goes out down here. I will burn bright and hot and raze a thousand Hive to ash as I go, but I know we will not end him – The one who fell you, and hundreds more, with that foul blade.” She knew that Wei would never hear this - never hear her apology - but somehow, addressing it to him just felt right. “I now beg, as I feared, for your forgiveness. I will not avenge you, but join you amongst the fires snuffed out upon this moon.” She shook her head. “I was a fool to lead us here. I was blinded by the loss of so much, by your light extinguished. I put my trust, and the light of four others, in a madman, and I bear witness to their fall into darkness and death. Toland's song was nothing but screams, and we go now to sing with them. We will not return.” Her voice turned bitter at the mention of Toland - him and his damned schemes! He had killed them all, sure as if he had wielded Crota’s blade himself. “I only hope now that my foolish charge will serve as a record of warning. So that no other Guardians go to face this monster and those that serve him – and those beasts beyond imagining that he must serve in the realm I now go forth to die in. That this tiny bit of Light, joined with yours, and Sai's, Vell, and poor Omar's – that it might spark a torch of warning to leave this dead and broken moon as Crota's prize.” She stopped, overcome with emotion at the memory of her dead friends - for Sai was surely dead. She felt the truth of it resound through every band in her metal frame. She paused, trying to keep the emotion from welling up from the inside of her chest. Eventually, she continued. “Let the Titans on their walls and towers look up at night to this glowing reminder in the sky that your Light fell below the surface. Let the moonlight fall on Hunters' eyes through the canopies of the wilds, and guide the way of Warlocks searching their hidden paths. At night, let them look up and see, and let us be mourned.” She blinked. “At night, let them remember you. And let the light of the day free them from the curse of this memory.” She put her head back, and sighed. “That’s all, Ghost,” she said. “You can stop recording now.” The blue light flickered once more. The warlock looked down at the ghost, and heard the screams of the Hive - closer now, always coming closer. . . Grimacing, she pulled the fusion rifle from her back. “Go, she said. “I’ll hold them of for as long as I can.” The light flickered, and then the ghost rose from her hand. It wobbled at first, but then began to head off in the direction of the entrance. Eriana nodded, and watched as the ghost floated into the blackness. Then, she looked forward. “Alright,” she said. “Come and get me.” An acolyte stepped out of the blackness, and received a blast of fusion rifle straight to the face, vaporizing it. Grimacing, Eriana stood up, and walked towards the screams. A wave of thrall ran at her, but she continued to fire at them with the fusion rifle until all that was left was atomized matter. She turned a corner, and then, she saw it. An entire Hive army, running straight at her. The Knight’s name was Urúk. He had fought for centuries, until he had finally killed his way to the top. A part of him loathed the fact that this wizard, born only hours ago, now surpassed him in rank. But that was all in the past now. He would end this servant of the light. Oh, this Omnigul would not be dissapointed. He looked out at the army before him. Even Oryx himself would have trouble defeating such a horde. But the horde would not be this servant’s final undoing. Oh, no. He would cut off it’s head himself. The Watcher saw the Hive prepare to engage Eriana. He felt a small amount of pity for the exo who he’d come to know. She’d been quite the spark, that one. Ah, but all good things must come to an end. The only question, Toland thought, Is how. Edit:[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/213082721] Part 54[/url]