[u]Chapter Ten: Class Rank[/u] Part Five Something took over my body, some protective instinct, and I moved without thought, putting myself between Sierra and the incoming projectile. My arms went straight out to my sides with hands splayed out as I fell into a defensive position in front of her. My brain screamed at me, saying that I was going to get us killed, but I had a gut feeling that everyone would come out fine as long as I did this. Power surged through my body, invigorating me and making me feel as if I could take the cannon shot head on without batting an eye. In that split second after the Walker fired and I jumped in the way, a large, clear, and glowing blue dome appeared around us, centered on me. The projectile hit the spherical barrier and exploded harmlessly against it, leaving me and Sierra untouched on the inside. I recognized the dome as a Ward of Dawn; the trademark Super of the Titans belonging to the Defender Subclass that was created by channeling Void-Light. Turning my head, I saw Sierra still sitting on the ground, now awestruck. "Make sure Crag's Ghost can revive him safely," I told her, then looked back to the Walker. Still acting on feeling rather than thought, I charged out of the Ward and jumped down from the high ground, moving straight for the Fallen Walker. It had unleashed a barrage from its turret once it processed that its cannon had failed, and I had run out right into the Arc bolts that had been hitting my Ward uselessly. But the bolts didn't phase me at all, for they couldn't get past the glowing blue Force Barrier that had appeared around me like a second skin. I barreled across the stream and the field littered in rocks and boulders, using them as cover to get close to the Walker and flinging any Fallen that got in my way to the side with a swift punch. My body overflowed with raw, cold power as I ran faster and hit harder than I would've thought possible from me, and I concentrated on controlling the Void energy coursing through me so I wouldn't be consumed. As I came around the last rock between me and the Fallen Walker, the machine released another spray of bombs around it to make me back off. But I was moving too fast and leaped straight past the explosives, landing in a roll as they detonated behind me. Coming out of the roll right next to the tank's front end, I grabbed the turret attached to its underside before it could shoot and tore it off, throwing it to the side. Then the Walker pushed itself forward with its six legs, ramming into me and launching me backwards. I flipped over midair and landed on my hands and feet, skidding to a stop and looking up to see the concussive Arc blaster targeting me. My hand went back behind me and then arced forward in a throwing motion. To my surprise, a glowing ball flew from my hand and latched onto the gun attachment, exploding twice and destroying it. I had just used a Magnetic Grenade! Before the Walker could unleash any more of its weaponry on me, I concentrated my Light into my hand to form another Magnetic Grenade and threw it at the Walker's front right leg. Immediately after throwing the grenade, I rushed to the front right leg and got to it just after the second explosion went off. Going full speed, I balled both of my hands into fists and held them at my side, swinging them together once I reached the leg to bash its armor plating. That was the final blow needed to take out the leg and the armor busted off as my fists collided with it. The Walker fell and exposed its core as it worked to recover, and I climbed up on top of it. I planted one foot against the main body of the tank and the other against the rounded front plate, pointing my shotgun straight down at the glowing orange engine. Lead pumped out of my shotgun, embedding pellets into the mechanisms inside the Walker over and over as I kept pulling the trigger and reloading when necessary. Arc bolts from the surrounding Fallen beat against my Force Barrier, but barely put a dent in my defenses. After a few moments, sniper rounds began to shoot past me to hit the core as well and hand cannon shots started to drop Dregs and Vandals left and right. I looked over my shoulder as I reloaded to see Sierra and Crag standing on the ledge once again, and I felt a small smile creep over my lips as I turned back to ravaging the core. The thrill of battle and fighting alongside others was getting to me again, and I felt hot blood pump through my veins along with the icy Void energy. Electricity started coursing over the core and more red lights flashed to life, warning me that the Walker had been defeated. Turning around, I jumped off of the Walker just as the strain on the core from all the damage became too much. A series of explosions went off inside the Walker's armored hull, ending with a final explosion that launched me through the air and left nothing but an empty husk of armor and structural pieces of the tank behind. As my flight through the air reached a close I came down on a Captain, spinning with my right leg swinging out in a devastating flying kick. My heel shattered it's energy shield and helmet with the sheer force I hit it with, digging into its face with a sickening crunch that shoved shrapnel from its helmet into its skin. It's body thudded to the ground as I landed in a skidding roll. Standing up, I glanced around to see Fallen surrounding me. They looked to the remains of their Walker and then back to me, drawing Shock Daggers and Shock Blades as they moved in on me. I willed my shotgun away and replaced it with one of my Shock Blades, sliding into an instinctive swordplay stance. Control was now deemed unnecessary as I slaughtered without thought, consumed by the flow of Void through me. I was no longer William; I was a tool channeling unlimited and unimaginable power. Fallen charged and fell by sword or brutal melee, not realizing how helpless they were against the torrent that flowed through me. Blocking, stabbing, slashing, throwing grenades, and using brutal physical attacks, I moved through the swarm like a hurricane of metal and Void energy until no more stood around me. I stood amongst the carnage, letting my sword disappear and breathing heavily as thought began returning to my mind. My head split with pain as my senses overwhelmed me, but I closed my eyes and stayed standing, hearing the distant sounds of Sierra and Crag fighting Fallen and feet splashing in the stream. I could vaguely make out the sound of Rush talking, but the sound hurt my ears too much for me to make sense of it. Then the sound of fists passing though air and of large lungs exhaling caught my attention, and the pain in my head was forgotten as the need to use up energy took back over. _____________________________________ Link to Chpt 10 Pt 4:https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/217494881/0/0 Link to Chpt 10 Pt 6:https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/217496433/0/0 Link to ToC:https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/212710816/0/0