The Terran day was approaching its end. The sun was low, clawing through the grey clouds allowing pillars of light to reach the ground below. The drumming sound of the rain drops reverberated throughout the battered Titan’s helmet as they splattered on the rigid plasteel plating. The thick, heavy, mud seemed to swallow his feet; which grew heavier with every step. It was humid and the air was stagnant. Wisps of fog danced through the trees on either side of the path like courting phantoms at a regal ball. Lightning lit up the sky. The sudden, loud, crack of the thunder threw Vendetta-58 helplessly into a flashback of the previous day. The day his team was ambushed and attacked by the Hive vermin Reeled in his mind. The bright fireball that once was their ship shined then disappeared from his mind’s eye; as fast as the other Titan and warlock did from the land of the living. Though an exo, Vendetta feels a dark, painful, pit where his stomach would be; caused by the loss of his two comrades.
Only by the cold, emotionless, voice of his Ghost, Virgil, did he snap away from his horrific flashback.
“You have approximately 52.28 minutes before nightfall. I recommend you find shelter.”
Vendetta cringed everytime he heard Virgil’s voice. After working and communicating with the Martian Warmind, Rasputin, it was different; he was different. Nonetheless, The Titan took the advice and headed toward a small cave in the hillside. Vendetta gathered sticks and twigs along the way; setting them in the middle of the cave floor. He pressed his back against the rock and slumped into a sitting position. He sat in the near pitch black darkness for a moment. With a strong focused thought his flaming hammer materialized in his hand. He lifted the hammer and gently tapped the pile of wood causing it to ignite into a brilliant blaze. Virgil hovered in front of him, staring at the fire before turning and speaking to his guardian,
“Temperature readings indicate no thermal dangers to you. A fire is not necessary. It only increases the chances of hostile attention. Recommended action: extinguish the flame.”
Vendetta shooed his ghost away and said calmly,
“It’s beauty is comforting. We will be fine.”
And with that, the Titan’s exo eyes dimmed and he fell asleep.
Vendetta slowly awoke the next morning. It was late and the sun had full reign over the skies. After a few minutes of preparation, he began to continue his path in the direction of the Last City. He walked for hours when he came across footprints. From what he could gather along with Virgil’s analysis, it was three individuals. Two were definitely Fallen but the third seemed to be dragged. Virgil knew what the exo was thinking and quickly interjected.
“This does not concern us. Let’s keep moving.”
Though his ghost was right, Vendetta had a strong, mysterious, need to investigate further. And so, he did. He veered from his path and followed the trail of alien footprints.
“Vendetta-58, this is dangerous and foolish. Turn back now. “ Virgil said in his cold, emotionless voice.
Vendetta responded sharply, “I will not. I have lost two already. I will not risk the chance of a third.”
The guardian walked steadily alongside the footprints for an hour or so to an opening of a large oval shaped field filled with tall grass and surrounded by dense trees. A few yards into the field stood two Fallen Vandals kicking something hidden in the tall grass. The insectoid hunters hissed and clicked in joy as they beat their prize senseless. The vandals then continued through the grass to the other side of the field with Vendetta close behind. After following for a short while longer, Vendetta could see the flickering of fire. He followed the Vandals and their tracks to a small Fallen camp. The Titan huddled in the dense foliage on the outskirts of the camp and surveyed the area. Small wooden huts and makeshift tents peppered around a large central fire pit where many Fallen were gathered. A figure was then strung up and beaten in front of the four-armed savages by a large captain. It wore a cloak of purple and red. Indicating to Vendetta that the captain was once in the house of Devils before converting to House of Dusk. When Vendetta focused on the figure being tortured, that gnawing pit in his stomach grew larger. In the dim, flickering light of the bonfire Vendetta could see a recent ally’s face. It was the lone baron that fought alongside Vendetta against the hive ambush. It was the Fallen baron that saved his life.
With every punch that made contact with the baron’s face, the clicks grew louder. Vendetta could tell his former ally could not take much more of the torment. Vendetta focused hard and his hand grew warm. He stood up and charged at the group of Fallen. With every step forward his hand grew hotter. As his hammer materialized, the group spotted him. Their boisterous clicks of joy turned to shrieks of surprise and fear. Vendetta threw his hammer straight into the chest of a dreg; igniting it into a screaming flame. The captain roared in anger before retreating into his quarters. Vendetta ran up to the beaten baron and untied him, catching him as he fell to the ground. The Titan spoke soft but urgently,
“Kelvix? It’s me, Vendetta, The guardian you saved a day ago. Can you stand?”
Kelvix’s luminescent eyes opened and met Vendetta’s. He nodded and got to his feet. Even in his current state, Kelvix stood taller than the Titan. Vendetta turned back to the fight and picked up his hammer. He was rushed by three fallen with arc spears. One spear pierced his shoulder causing sparks to escape from his robotic wound. Vendetta swung his hammer igniting the three assailants instantly.
Vendetta straightened and pulled the spear out of his shoulder. He turned to check on Kelvix when two fists struck the exo in his face, sending him a few feet back. The captain in red and purple stood over the incapacitated Titan as he raised his arc sword to kill the wounded guardian. As the sword came down to meet Vendetta, an Eliksni hand halted the sword’s fatal descent. With another hand Kelvix removes the sword from the captain’s grasp. The captain growled and swung, striking Kelvix in his side. Kelvix yelled in pain and stepped back, clutching his side in pain. The captain uttered something to Kelvix in an angered series of clicks which caused the friendly fallen to become visibly upset.The two Fallen charged eachother. The captain reached for Kelvix’s face landing another blow. The baron was hunched and his head lowered as the Captain approached. The fallen captain spoke in Eliksni once more to Kelvix and began to laugh. Vendetta got to his feet, prepared to attack, when suddenly, Kelvix exploded with rage and ferocity, striking the Captain and breaking his mask. The captain tried to throw another punch but Kelvix had grabbed each of his wrists in a vice like grip. The two Fallen locked eyes and roared at eachother before Kelvix ripped all four of the captain’s arms straight off. The defeated captain screamed in pain before he fell to the ground, dead. Kelvix dropped his foes arms and walked into the deceased captains hut.
While alone, surrounded by charred and dismembered fallen, Vendetta stood as Virgil healed him. He slowly walked into the hut Kelvix had entered. The air hung heavy with the captain’s ether. In a corner of the room Vendetta found Kelvix holding a small cage containing the ghost-sized servitor he had when they first met. The Fallen’s bloodied hand opened the cage and the servitor began to siphon the room’s ether and heal Kelvix. The two allies fell to the floor, tired, wounded, and exhausted.