[spoiler]Greeting, Guardians, and here's the final part of Doom of the Dragons! Here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/243356678?sort=0&page=0]part thirty-two[/url] if you missed it, or, if you're looking for another part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/242738879?sort=0&page=0]master post![/url] Stay classy, Guardians, and I'll see you real soon![/spoiler] Utūl sat in the main chamber of the ancient volcano, his massive, elongated form half out of one of the adjacent lava tunnels. Bending down, he licked one of his gigantic legs with his gargantuan tongue. No guardians had come of late - but some of his fellows had informed him of the . . . situation. . . on Earth. It was a pity. The titan had possessed a strong will, and the world was a worse place without it. But that will had been corrupted, and now Cupun was dead. Suddenly, one of his offspring - a small dragon by the name of Rathsmus - flew into the chamber. As the dragon was too young to communicate in actual language yet, it simply replied to him with a jumbled sense of thoughts and emotions that amounted to a statement. Guardians are coming. Utūl nodded. Go, he said, I will deal with them. The tiny dragon flapped its wings and flew into a nearby tunnel. As he did a group of no fewer than a dozen Guardians entered the chamber. They were led by one clad entirely in green and purple armor, a clenched fist on his breastplate. “Hello, dragon,” the green figure said. Utūl gazed down on him. It is rare that I see so many Guardians in my humble home, he said. Only - he frowned, and sniffed the air. The Green figure emitted a strange presence - one that was neither dark nor light. But something else entirely. You are not a Guardian. “No,” the green figure affirmed, “I am not.” He tossed his head back. “My name is Lysander. Perhaps you have heard of me?” I have, Utūl confirmed. Some of your Guardians have previously come before me, asking for advice. “And you gave it to them,” Lysander said. “Tell me; what was the price of that ‘advice?’” Ah, Utūl said. So that’s what this visit is about. Lysander nodded. “You did something to Cupun,” he said. “Something that changed him. That turned him into a monster.” I did no such thing, Utūl said, he asked for help. I merely gave him the power to succeed. What he did with that power is something that I bear no responsibility for. Suddenly, Utūl felt a sharp pinprick in the back of his consciousness. He ignored it, but decided to investigate it later. Lysander nodded. “Then you claim no responsibility for the nine dead Guardians?” The consequences were tragic, and . . . unforeseen, Utūl admitted. But yes. I claim no responsibility for the actions of another. Lysander stared at him. “Strange,” he said, “because the Tower holds you and all Ahamkara responsible and accountable for their deaths!” Utūl growled. Be careful what you accuse me of, human, he said. I have no quarrel with you as of yet. He decided to probe the human’s mind, only to find himself repelled by a mental barrier, composed entirely of the man’s will. Utūl had never seen such mental powers in a human. Suddenly, he felt another pain in the back of his consciousness, bigger and more painful this time. He winced. “But we have quarrel with you,” Lysander said. “You have interfered in our affairs for long enough, Dragon!” Utūl felt a third spasm of pain in his mind, this one even bigger than before. Growling, he searched his consciousness for the source of the pain. And then, he realized what it was. Utūl froze. It was impossible - but it was - it was impossible! He stared down at Lysander, horror slowly mounting as the stabs of pain came, now faster and more painful than ever. What have you done? he asked. What have you done! Lysander stared at him. “For what it’s worth, I wish it didn’t have to be like this,” he said. “It really is a pity.” Utūl let out a roar of pain, anger, and sorrow. He could feel them. All across the system, his fellow dragons - his kin - were dying! He could hear them shrieking as they fell to Guardian bullets. Soon, the cavern was filled with the sound of shrieking Ahamkara, as they realized what was happening. Utūl began to thrash, hitting his head against the wall. He dislodged several rocks, which crashed to the ground. He fixed a seething, murderous gaze upon Lysander. You will pay for this! he roared. You will pay! Suddenly, he was hit with a thousand bolts of pain as the Guardians below began to fire on him. Utūl roared, and swept his massive body through the cavern. Suddenly, another dragon, almost as large as he, shot out of a nearby cave. She roared in pain and anguish, and suddenly saw the Guardians before her. Utūl could sense the murderous range building up inside her. No, Akû! he shouted. She looked at him, and Utūl stared at her, his eyes full of sorrow. Run, oh partner mine! he shouted. Flee! Akû’s expression turned to sadness, and her mind touched his. For a moment, he experienced her, totally and completely. Their minds were one as they howled in joint grief, and all quarrels between them were forgotten. For the briefest of moments, they were together in the most intimate way possible, and Utûl loved her more intensely than he ever had before. Then, with one last howl of mental anguish, Akû tore her mind from his, and unfolded her massive wings. She jumped into the air, and hurtled towards the volcano’s opening. Utūl watched until he saw her speed out of the volcano, and hopefully to safety. The dragon then turned his attention to the Guardians below. He could not save himself, but he could give his mate the time she needed to escape. Utūl faced the Guardians, planted his feet on the ground, and growled. Then, with one massive sweep of his paw, he sent two Guardians flying into the cave wall. Suddenly, he felt his side peppered with lightning-hot rods of pain, and he looked down. The Guardians had brought in a turret, and had it trained on him. Roaring with anger, Utūl clasped his forepaws together, and brought them down on the turret and its unfortunate occupant. Boom! Utūl roared as an explosion sounded near him, and shrapnel bit into his spine. The Guardians were now using explosive weapons - grenade and rocket launchers. Utūl clumsily tried to bat the projectiles away, but he was unable to. He sustained more and more wounds, and could feel massive amounts blood seeping from his scaly skin. Suddenly, a rocket impacted directly on his cheek, shattering one of his massive tusks, which fell to the ground. Utūl let out a massive roar that gradually trailed off into a whimper. Finally, he collapsed onto his side, and lay there, breathing heavily. Lysander walked up to him. For a moment, the two simply stared at each other. Utūl felt himself growing tired. Rest, he thought, I need rest. Deep in the recesses of the Dragon’s considerable mind, Utūl knew that he was dying. But he chose to block out that knowledge, and spare himself the pain. Instead, he simply allowed himself to drifty away, into a deep and peaceful sleep. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=243464705&sort=0&page=0]Epilouge[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=243464934&sort=0&page=0]Author's Note[/url]