[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/249751978/0/0]Index[/url] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaxx's voice rang out over the comms of the two opposing teams as they were transmatted into the crucible zone designated "Widows Court", each starting on opposite ends of the zone. "The game is Clash, guardians! Nothing complicated here, eliminate your opponents!" On my heads up display a twenty second timer began to count down and I turned to my left where Aura had spawned in. Unsurprisingly she was staring right back at me through the visual center of her helmet, a subtle nod indicating she was ready for whatever may come. The night before she had met me for dinner at the ramen shop and we discussed strategy for if the Hive made a move while we were in the middle of out match. The first priority would be to get the fledgling guardians evacuated safely, and the second would be to try and ascertain what it was that the Hive were after and eliminate them. Five seconds to go now, I pulled my Graviton Lance from my back and readied my finger on the trigger, my head facing forward again as I prepared to sprint the moment the horn sounded. [i]"Breathe... Just breathe..."[/i] I thought to myself as I took a deep breath and then exhaled it slowly. The horn to begin the match echoed through the crucible zone and I suddenly kicked off the ground as hard as I could into a dead sprint. I could hear the footsteps of Aura and our two teammates close behind me as I lead the charge towards mid map and its long sight lines. I took cover behind the wall of a nearby building on the left side of a sight line and Aura took cover on the opposite side. Both of our teammates headed up a set of stairs to higher ground to make sure we weren't flanked from above. Aura and I both peered down our sight line for any sign of movement, eyes trained upon the doorways and stairways of other buildings in the distance. Aura caught sight of an enemy first. Immediately she fired three quick rounds and our score counter increased from zero to one. I was about to compliment her when I heard an explosion ring out from the high ground where our teammates were. There was no need for communication. She popped back around her cover to watch my back as I spun on my heel and sprinted towards the steps leading up to the high ground. I kicked off the ground and jumped into the air before I tore a hole in the fabric of space, blinking to the top of the stairs in time to see both of our teammates fall at an opening overlooking the left middle portion of the zone. Quickly I swapped to my Better Devils and slid towards the opening. My radar flared red, indicating that the enemy was close and approaching fast. The moment I could see through the opening and down the flight of stairs my weapon was trained where I knew my opponent would be. [i]'Tack! Tack! Tack!'[/i] came the sound of my Better Devils as I unloaded three rounds into the head of an approaching Titan, the third round dropping him. [i]"Axel! To your left!"[/i] my ghost cried, calling my attention to another opponent that had flanked up the stairs inside of a building to the far left. Without a moments hesitation I leapt backwards and blinked high into the air as they rounded the corner. In my left hand I pulled a massive amount of void light into a singularity and let it rocket forth all at once in a wide, short range burst. The hunter never knew what hit them as my light evaporated their body in an instant and I landed on the grass with a light [i]'Thud!'[/i]. [i]'Tack! Tack! Tack! Tack!'[/i] echoed from Aura's position down below. "Could use some help down here! They've regrouped!" Came her voice over the comms. I sheathed my Better Devils and pulled out my Graviton Lance as I turned to sprint down the stairs our opponents had originally been trying to push up. On my radar I could see our teammates had respawned and were rushing to Aura's position. I leapt from the stairs and grunted as I hit the ground. Using my momentum I hit the ground and slid as I reached the end of my wall for cover. As I slid, I turned and aimed my Lance towards the sight line Aura had been covering and I saw three of the four opponents laying down cover fire from behind various sources of cover. They hadn't seen me yet, and my Lance barked as I pulled the trigger. My first burst connected with that same Titan I had initially downed, the second round ripped through his armor's shielding and pierced his skull. On cue, his body exploded into void light and my sights turned to a fellow warlock on higher ground. Another burst ripped from my Lance, though only my second round connected and the warlock's shielding held as he turned his scout rifle on me. The impact of his rounds hit my armor's shielding like a ton of bricks, staggering me as the momentum of my slide ebbed and I skidded to a halt. I cursed to myself for missing part of my shot, a second round blasting away my shielding. Just as I prepared for the third round a single shot echoed from Aura and my teammates' position and the warlock suddenly fell to the ground, defeated. Without skipping a beat I raised my Lance and dug deep as I popped off two bursts at the remaining hunter and did my best to control its massive recoil. Both bursts rung true. The first impacted his chest and destroyed his shielding and then the second impacted his head and caused him to explode into purple light. "Be careful! They were laying down cover fire! The fourth is flanking your position!" I barked over my comm. Almost immediately the sound of gunfire rang out from their position and I took off towards them. Just as I had reached Aura and I's original position I rounded the corner to see the final opponent, another hunter lying defeated along with the Titan that was teamed up with us. "Good call-out." Aura said as she reloaded her weapon. I did the same and nodded to her as I prepared to ready myself for their next assault. But just as I had taken cover again a loud shriek echoed through the crucible zone, followed by the familiar cries of dozens of Hive acolytes as they began to crawl from various spots all across the zone. I felt a pang of dread run through my body as I realized that I had been right. The Hive were after guardians once more, and with numbers like this it was going to be difficult to get everyone to safety. "Hive on the field!" I yelled over the general comm system. "The match is forfeit! Everyone get to the evac zone now!" "Axel! The other team!" Aura cried "They're trapped on the other end of the zone!" "I know!" I replied as I turned to the two other guardians that were with us, the Titan had just rejoined us. "You two, get to that evac point. Aura, you're with me!" "Right!" They replied in unison as they turned to run to the designated evac zone. Without a second thought I pushed from my cover, Aura following close behind, and let loose a flurry of bullets from my Lance as I ran, taking out any acolytes foolish enough to show their ugly faces as we made the push towards the other team of guardians. I hoped that we wouldn't be too late...