This is the final part! ____________________________________ Then the screams went silent, but I kept running. There were oddly no more branches in the tunnels and I didn't have to decide which way to go; I just followed the path. A light came into view at the end of one of the tunnels and I ran out onto a bridge of Hive materials, not stone, that stretched across the abyss, measuring a couple dozen meters wide. Halfway across, the bridge curved out into a massive circular platform, and directly above lay the source of the light. There was a hole looking out above the surface, the Earth dead center in its view of space, but it was several meters above the ground and had a spiked metal grate to keep anything from coming in or out. The light filtered down into the circular part of the platform and illuminated what lay on it. The first thing I saw was a statue of Crota dead center, currently facing off to my right and lit menacingly with shadows dancing across it under the light from the opening overhead. Directly before it was a pedestal with a large flat top. Upon it lay Claire, chained to the slab at the wrists and ankles. Her armor had several large gashes torn in it, blood pouring out of each, and she lay there, breathing heavily. Her face was scratched and scuffed, too, some small cuts dripping a bit of blood. She couldn't muster enough Light to heal her wounds, but she was breathing. I moved towards her, auto rifle raised in preparation. Halfway there I looked to the left to see another pedestal placed behind the tribute to Crota, and on it lay five dented in, cut open, and bashed apart Ghosts. One Ghost for each of my teammates. When I looked back to Claire a Wizard was floating over her on the other side of the pedestal, looking directly at me. I jumped and raised my gun, ready to kill it before it laid a finger on me or her, but it put up a warning hand. A voice resonated in my mind, making my head and ears ache at its grating sound. It was a feminine voice, but so horribly twisted and inhuman that I could barely recognize it as such. [i]Shoot and she dies[/i], the voice growled in my mind, somehow in English. I glared at the Wizard, knowing it was her. "Won't you kill her anyway?" I asked aggressively. I recognized this Wizard as the one that had destroyed Derick's Ghost and was really itching to pull the trigger. [i]You can't save her either way[/i], the Wizard cackled in my head, her actual voice screeching out in a much louder laugh. [i]I give you a chance to see if the trust you humans give each other really pays off when dealing with true beings. Give in.[/i] It waved a hand, gesturing behind me, and I looked back to see four Knights walking across the bridge, Kleavers propped up on their shoulders. I turned back and sighed, putting my weapon on my back holster. I knew that even if I decided to fight, Claire and I would die anyway. This gave Claire a chance, no matter how much I believed the Hive couldn't be trusted. I was roughly grabbed as the Knights reached me and took me by the arms, holding me in place. The Wizard tilted her head thoughtfully, but didn't seem surprised by my compliance. She pulled out a long and jagged dagger from a fold in her robe. Her voice rang in my head once more. [i]For your willingness to cooperate I will grant her a quick death, but you will take her place and suffer[/i], the Wizard told me, then raised the dagger above her head. "DON'T!" I screamed out, struggling against the Knights' holds on me. But it was no use. Claire stirred into consciousness at the sound of my call and saw the blade raised above her. Then she let her head roll to face me and stared with those beautiful green eyes, now reflecting her fear and sadness. She tried for words, wanting to tell me one last thing. "K-Kalik...I l-love yo-" she was cut off as the dagger plunged through into a spot where her armor had been peeled back, sinking straight into her heart. She gasped out in pain and blood spat out of her mouth onto the floor; her head fell limp onto the pedestal and the light left her eyes. I stopped in shock, tears welling up in my eyes. "I love you, too," I murmured, then started shoving at the Knights, yelling and trying to get my hands around that Wizard's wiry neck. But one of the Knight's fists collided with my helmet, snapping my head to the side and leaving me dazed. The two Knights holding my arms held me still while the other two put down their Kleavers and pounded on my head. I fell to my knees and started slipping out of consciousness, my vision going black and the pain shrinking into a dull throb at each connection. * • • "This is Titan Kalik Raimeed, sending my last report to the Vanguard. I hope my transmission has reached you through space and you have heard how I lost my team in this abyss. The Hive Wizard we came here to kill has somehow taken my Ghost from me and is stripping me of my Light. I can no longer use any abilities to try to escape and feel the pull of death calling, yet they will not let me die. Remember my team, Vanguard. Derick, Jason, Cassie-17, Maxwell, and Claire; they fought to the end. I suffer under the Hive's experiments and am glad Claire did not have to continue suffering this. Heed my warning: beware the Hive. Beware the Moon's abyss. The Darkness consumes everything down here. She's coming...Kalik, signing off one last time." *an agonized scream blasts out over the channel before the transmission ends and all goes to static* _______________________________ Link to part 7: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/217379140/0/0 Master post: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/217384398/0/0