[u][b]Part 4[/b][/u](Open) The gunfire rang through the tunnel. It was far louder than Atticus had expected. Little light later told him he had fallen nearly 60 meters. The resulting fall had crushed the visor on his helmet. Using his fist, he finishes the job the fall did not and clears the majority of the screen. Realizing the unit still has power, Atticus preserves as much of the periphery as possible, to maintain HUD elements. [b]"I'd keep quite for now Little-Light, my ears are ringing so much I cant hear you."[/b] The solid surfaces all around him simply amplify the noise of ballistic weapons. [b]"I'll use my sword unless I absolutely cannot..."[/b] The motion tracker display suffered substantial damage, and now only read out from 9 to 2 o'clock. This subterranean path existed parallel to the surface path Atticus had traversed. Stepping over the 5 dreg ambush party, Atticus breaks into a sprint. More fallen could be en route, but mostly because the tunnel provided passable surface. The colony ship was only minutes away. About every kilometer, another shaft ascended into the dark unknown. [i]'I'll have to return in the summer and find these on the surface...'[/i] Still partially dazed, Atticus can only focus on one thing a time. The colony ship. It's support structure is made from the very alloy needed to repair his armor. Within one kilometer now. "STOP!" Little light cried out. Immediately grinding to a halt, Atticus nearly loses his balance. "Trip mines. The fallen must have fortified this entrance for a reason." Slowly, Atticus navigates the maze of trip mines. Upon reaching the far side, the last banner he wanted to see came into view above a staircase. The House of Kings. "It's still not too late to turn back." Little Light reminded him. [b]"Nothing worth doing is easy..."[/b] Atticus begins ascending the staircase. (Open)

[b][u]Part 3[/u][/b](closed, see part 4) [b]"Damn this wind! Damn this snow!"[/b] The unforgiving wind would sooner throw Atticus into the sky, were he not anchored by the meter of snow he marched among. [b]"Little-Light, how far have we gone?"[/b] "There is some form of electromagnetic disturbance in this storm. I cannot get an accurate position on any satellites and I lost contact with the ship 20 minutes ago. I would [i]estimate[/i] we have traveled two kilometers." Atticus drops to his knees. Using a grenade creates a crater in the snow.[b] "I need a break." [/b] Too unstable to support a sparrow, but dense enough to make traversing a physically demanding prospect, the sea of snow would drown anyone foolish enough to cross it. Inspecting the wall of the crater, Atticus determines it can be laid against, and promptly does so. "If you can maintain your former pace, we will arrive at the base of the colony ship in 3 hours." [b]"And then another 5 hours to march back. I'm starting to think you are right. This is insanity"[/b] The skin of his lips chaps immediately as Atticus removes his helmet. [b]"I need some fresh air."[/b] The cold air stings his throat and lungs. His overworked body confused, is it too hot or too cold? After eating a handful of snow, he dons his helmet. [b]"And so we go..."[/b] The immense noise of the wind is broken by loud burst. [i]'A bomb? A Walker?'[/i] [b]"Little-Light!"[/b] "I am unsure. It emanated from the direction we need to travel. I recommend we scrub the mission, return to the ship, and return once the storm subsides" [b]"Do you truly believe I'd agree with that?"[/b] "No, but I had to make one final request." Climing to his feet, Atticus summits the crater. With renewed vigor he marches forward into the darkness. Travel gets no easier with time. Less than 20 minutes pass when Atticus considers another break. Before he could finish his thought the snow beneath his feet gives way. Not just the snow. The ground itself. Pure instinct takes over, summoning his power, he glides. The walls remind him of the structures of the cosmodrome.[i] 'I must have been atop a building... This storm is far worse than I had imagined'[/i] [b]"Light! What's happening? Where is this going?"[/b] "I... I have scanned all surviving files on the cosmodrome. There are no accounts of this structure! I speculate it could be an exhaust tunnel, or maintenance shaft. Or both." Sensing the imminent failure of his glide, he terminates it early, intending to reactivate it later. Freefall. [i]'How far down could this...'[/i] "Atticus! Atticus respond!" The ground was warm. Much warmer than snow falling from the duct that had just been fallen through. Slowly opening his eyes, Atticus darts them back and forth, up and down. It's a shaft, pipes and duct work, wires. "Atticus, Respond!" [i]'Where did this tunnel come from? Where does it go?'[/i] Dazed and reeling, lying on the ground, Atticus thought to himself. [i]'I think it goes in the direction I need...'[/i] "Motion. Fallen. Eyes up guardian!" Genuine fear could be heard from the Ghost's voice. Realizing the danger, he stumbles to a kneel. Invective in hand. [b]"Watch my back."[/b] [b](Closed, see part 4)[/b]

Far off in the distance of the cosmodrome , a warlock saunters his surroundings with much precaution. He held the: bad juju, a notorious monstrosity on the battle field. A top his skull, was the dire skull of ahamkara. Like many warlocks, KC would never stray away from knowledge. He was even remarked for his intellect more than most exo warlocks. Constantly he would retrofitted his will and body to the catalyst to the void. Many saw this as unethical. But you attempt to explain that to a mad voidwalker who follows the ideology of those like Toland. He was seasoned guardian. By his will, he utilized the void to contort reality and end those such as atheon or crota; even the self proclaimed 'Kell of Kells". However he was very reclusive. Even his own clan mates rarely caught wind of his wear a bouts. He was a mercenary. Rarely revisiting the tower. When he did it was to file in the consensus or speak with the hidden. Which brings him and his ghost out unto earth. He was following a lead on a unknown or unclassified fallen house. "This is just marvelous!!! Other guardians go to the dreadnaught, & I'm stuck here on Terra searching for a house that may not exist!" Complained the perturbed guardian. "It could be worse," his ghost said attempting extenuate the circumstances. "Ghost, stop trying to- ho ly s###" kc said baffled. "What?" His ghost inquired. "Look. It's it's a [b][u]BANNER[/u][/b]!!!! finally some action other than these lowly taken spawns. Ghost analyze the beacon. Transmit it to variks and see if he can shine some light I'll go investigate." He exclaimed with joy. " wait, do you see that... Girl?" The warlock searched around his field of vision what was his ghost babbling about? Then he noticed atticus, adorned in standard female warlock armor. "Continue the transmission ghost, I'll see what they are doing. Not too many guardians are this far out on excursions." He handled bad juju presuming the worse of what could occur. What a surprise would he have