Hello, everybody, here's part 35 of Into the Hellmouth! Sorry about the wait, but work is keeping me busier than I thought, so these parts might be a farther in between than I'd hoped. But, in any case, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! Here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/208438542?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=1]Part 34[/url] if you missed it! The Guardians advanced onto the platform. Omar took a knee, and squinted at the other side. “I don’t see how we get across,” he said. “Do they use their tomb ships?” “No doubt, from time to time,” Toland replied. “But that path is not available to us. He placed one hand on the metal floor. “This is a test. We must be deemed worthy of facing Crota.” He looked at the two metal spires on either side of them. “Eris,” he said, standing up, “give me your hand.” Eris obliged. “What are you doing?” Eriana asked. “There is a way to cross the chasm,” Toland replied. “We need merely seek it out.” “And why do you need Eris for that?” Sai asked. “Eris has proven a most diligent pupil,” he replied. “Real-world practice with Hive arcana will be good for her.” “What do you mean, ‘pupil?’” Eriana asked. Toland ignored her. Instead, he held out his free hand, and his ghost transmatted the green orb into it. He turned to Eris. “This will link us,” he said. “Both to each other and to the spells woven into the tapestry of the world.” “What do you mean, ‘spells?’” Omar asked. “There’s no such thing as -“ “Magic?” Toland finished. “You’re a corpse resurrected by a mote of light from a dead god to fight hordes of Darkness. Is magic really all that far-fetched?” The Guardians were silent. “Well . . . he does have a point,” Omar’s ghost said. “In any case, it isn’t ‘magic,’ at least not in the traditional sense of the word,” Toland said. “Then what is it?” Eriana asked. Toland sighed. “What did I once tell you, Guardian?” he said. “If I were to explain all the complexities of Hive arcana, we would be here well into the next century.” He turned towards Eris. “Put your hand on the orb,” he said, “and then we may begin.” Almost simultaneously, the two Guardians put their hands on the glowing green orb. Their bodies stiffened. Omar, Eriana, and Sai gathered around them, wondering what would happen next. “So,” Omar said. “Eris has been taking lessons.” “Apparently,” Eriana said. Why didn’t she tell me? she wondered. Then, the answer hit her - Eris had been scared of how she might react. Yet another friend who didn’t trust her. Would this one get killed too? Suddenly, Eris and Toland stumbled out of their trance, gasping as they came back to reality. “Eris!” Eriana grabbed her friend before she could fall. No one made a move to help Toland, who flailed for a moment before regaining his balance. “Are you alright?” Eris nodded. “Fine,” she said. She looked over at Toland. “Those spells. . . you saw them, right?” The old warlock nodded. “Yes,” he said. He pointed towards the two metal spires. “Those totems are made to kill us,” he said. “There are three plates - one in the center of the platform, and two under the spires. Step on them, and they kill us all instantly. “So, don’t step on the plate,” Omar said, “problem solved.” Eris shook her head. “The center plate is connected to the other side,” she said, “Step on it, and a bridge forms to the other side - much like the one in the tunnels down below.” Eriana nodded. “I see,” she said. “So, how do we get to the other side?” Toland spoke up. “We step on all the plates at the same time,” he said. The Guardians turned towards him. “I examined the spell. It should work,” he said. Sai nodded. “Just one question,” she said. “Why the elaborate mechanics? Why not just have a switch to create a bridge, or something like that?” Toland grinned. “This is a test,” he said. “Crota built it with the intent of determining whether we were worthy to face him.” Omar was confused. “Why not just have us killed?” he asked. “Why does he have to ‘test’ us?” Toland sighed. “I forget how little you truly know about the Hive,” he said. “You see, the Hive believe that the more foes you slay, the more powerful you grow. And Crota has slain many foes indeed. Why should he bother himself with mere tidbits such as us?” He turned towards the plates. “Now. Omar; take the left plate. Eris, take the right. And Eriana? Take the center plate.” The Guardians ran towards their respective plates, stopping once they were mere inches away from them. “On the count of three,” Toland said, “one. Two. Three!” The Guardians stepped on their plates, all of which glowed green. Toland held his breath. For the next several moments, nothing happened. Then, a bridge to the other side began to form. Toland sighed with relief. The plan worked, he thought hazily. They were alive. Then, the screeches of thrall filled the air. “Toland!” Omar shouted. Thrall began to crawl up from the deep, running towards the Guardians on their plates. More Thrall poured out of the fortress behind them, and from somewhere in the fortress, a knight sounded it’s bellow. It seemed that the Hive would not allow them to pass quite so easily. Edit: [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209091473]Part 36[/url]