The Ochman Hunt Chapter 8 [Part II] - https://www.bungie.net/ko/Forum/Post/133453885/0/0 --------------------------------------------------- [i]Chapter 9 -[/i] The Light at the End... The days were long now, and the nights even longer. What ever affliction I got from Xivilax was just eating away at me. I neglected to tell Serenity though. Recently, she's be getting sent into arena many times. Probably because Tenerris knows we care for each other. He's trying to break us. Get one of us killed so the other will fall shortly after. I don't want to get her killed because of her worrying for me. But this means something. We're getting under his skin. He didn't think we'd survive this long, and he's bringing out the big guns now. Xivilax? Verondris? Soldalun? That's not even the start of what's to come... But I know what is. "Hey, Nex," said Serenity, returning from the arena again, taking a seat next to me on my bed. "H-Hey, S-S-Serenity." I was being destroyed from the inside out by this disease. It held no mercy against me. Once again, it was difficult for me to speak, and my body felt like it was burning all over. Serenity visited me every second she could after the arena, and she would be by my side until she went back out. It was nice to have her comfort while I was ill, but I fear greatly that I will no longer be "me." These past few days, the plague seems to have been getting worse a lot faster than usual. "How you holding up?" she asked. "Not w-well. I don't th-think I have much time l-left, Serenity. I don't think I d-d-do." "Don't talk like that, Nex. I'm working on getting us a way off this ship. And then we'll get you back to the Speaker or... or somebody who's dealt this with before. They'll fix you, Nex. You'll be your old self again. I promise," she said, giving me a smile of assurance. "This is s-something new, S-Serenity. If it wasn't, O-Oryx wouldn't be t-testing it on captured Guardians... He's g-gonna release this v-v-virus, this... plague against humanity." Serenity grew quiet, simply looking at the bed. She herself knew I didn't have much time, but maybe she didn't want to believe that. "Serenity," I said, asking for her attention. She looked up at me. "Tenerris will f-fall..." It started getting hard to breathe, so I took a moment, wheezing in air, and slowly exhaling it. "Whether i-it's by my hand o-or yours, I swear th-that he will fall. At least that a-asshole won't be alive anymore. Th-that's a start." Serenity smiled, and was just about to say something when two tubes came up and sucked is both down to the arena. The day has finally come. This is my sacrifice. This is my judgement. We dropped down to the arena floor on opposite sides, where the ground around us was just as torn up and barren as it was before. I managed to turn my head while laying on my back and looked up to where Tenerris usually sits, only to see Oryx standing there, arms crossed, as menacing as ever. With his huge, black wings and dark, evil eyes, he was hard to miss. He stood there as if he was waiting for something. Patiently. Eagerly. "Good spectators of the arena, I give you, our King, our God, Oryx!" shouted Tenerris into the intercom. The crowd around me went crazy with excitement. They even pulled out their guns and began firing them off into the ceiling, chanting the name Oryx. "And I'm sure you're all excited about tonights match, huh?" The crowd raved in excitement once more. "Well, let's not delay any longer. I give you, the extremely sexy and oh so dangerous, Serenity!" The crowd screamed. I looked over to Serenity who was running over to me. But something was happening to me. I felt very different... It was time... "And let's not forget her challenger. You've all seen this bastard before, and you know his name. Though tonight, you'll remember him under a different name. I give you, patient zero himself, Xerxese, Hand of Oryx!" I looked up to Oryx who's eyes glowed a bright green at me. Suddenly, I felt it. The change. It was the most unbearable pain in the world. I'd much rather have been tortured then continue the change. My legs and arms grew longer, all deformed and pitch black in color as I ripped and tore out of my skin. I managed to look down to my chest to see my torso stretching out, and I even let out a loud, painful, and monstrous roar. My hands were large and had sharp claws. I could no longer see straight either. Everything was kind of blurry, and had a yellow tint to it. After the final transformations, the pain stopped, and I felt... great! The power that was coursing through me was unlike anything I had ever felt before! I turned around to tell Serenity but I had no more control over my body. It was like something else was now in control. As soon as I turned around, I sprinted after her with insane speed, while she herself started to run away. I seemed to be even faster than Xivilax. I couldn't pull myself to stop! It seemed like I was looking outside of another pair of eyes from within my own body. I had no restraint anymore. I was now property of Oryx. "Run, Serenity, run! It's gaining on you!" It didn't matter what I said. It only came out of the beast as roars and huffs. I had no choice in the matter. Nex was no more. My body was owned by Xerxese now, and I had only my thoughts to myself. I could only watch what it did as it controlled me. [i]"I'm sorry, Serenity."[/i] [i]"I'm sorry, Harrison."[/i] [i]"I'm sorry, Crimson."[/i] I let all of you down and allowed myself to be corrupted. I only wish I could've made a difference while I was still Nex. [i]Forgive me.[/i] -----Chapter 10 - Judgement https://www.bungie.net/ko/Forum/Post/187108372/0/0