Blank Slate Ch.9: Weak Point

Table of Contents https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/225386550/0/0 My sight steadily came back in the next few seconds. My ears were ringing loudly. I was lying on my side, facing the tree line. A large metal vehicle plowed its way into view, toppling any trees in its path. It resembled a massive beetle, walking on six armored legs splayed out to its sides, and covered in thick plating. There was a massive cannon on its back, a mortar mounted on the side, and a forward repeater under its nose. The plating of its head and neck were painted blue, and a white symbol resembling a tree was painted prominently on the head. It was a Fallen Walker, from the House of Winter. Someone wrapped their red-armored arms under my arms, picking me up and dragging me away. I could now see more. Off to the side, the earth was scorched from where the Walker's main cannon had hit. The burnt body of the Defender lay a few feet away. My back had hit a tree, and the impact had shattered its bark. The ringing began to fade and I could faintly hear voices shouting on the comms. "Guardian down!" "Give her Ghost cover fire!" "How'd it get around the City's artillery?!" My limp feet left lines in the dirt as I was propped against a rock. KS leaned over me, then looked back to the fight and moved out of my view. My hearing was almost completely back now, and I heard explosions and gunfire. I clenched my fists and started to move my legs. My light was healing me. In less than a minute, I shifted to a crouch, fully healed. "What happened?" I asked. "Fallen Walker," my Ghost answered, "It's got half of us pinned, and the Devils are pressing. We lost a Guardian." "The Defender?" I groaned, somberly. "No, she revived safely," he replied, "A Hunter died, and his Ghost was caught in an explosion from a grenade." I sighed. "How's the Walker?" I inquired. "Why don't you get off your butt and find out?!" someone called on the comms, "We need all the help we can get!" My scout rifle materialized in my hands as I rejoined the fray. • • • "I know this probably isn't the best time for a psychoanalysis," Blanc said, "But you rarely blank when in combat. It's pretty odd." "I don't think it is the best time," I replied, leaning my head back on the rock, "Tell me the weak points." "There are core components underneath the neck plating," Blanc listed, "Damaging the Walker's legs overloads it, knocking it down and temporarily exposing the core." "Then I shoot the core?" I asked "Yes," Blanc answered. I looked over the side of the rock. The Walker had led a steady advance towards the wall, keeping the Guardians stuck behind cover. I had snuck as far forward as I could, and was to the side of and slightly behind the Walker. Occasionally, a Fallen would rush past me and I'd shoot it in the back of the head. "I can take out some legs," I announced on the comms, "Be ready to shoot the core." "Ay." "Good." "Do it," came the replies. I jumped over the rock and used Glide to hover in midair, taking aim. I raised my right arm behind me, channeling all the Void energy I could through it. I threw my arm forward, and launched a massive bolt of Void energy at the Walker's legs. Guardians called it the Nova Bomb, used by Voidwalker Warlocks, and it had all the power of a collapsing star packed into a projectile. The Nova Bomb hit one of the front legs and exploded, throwing up a spray of dust and dirt mixed with purple light from ethereal fire and wisps of Void. The bulk of the Walker reared up through the cloud, recoiling from the impact, then collapsed with a heavy mechanical thud. The cloud cleared, clumps of dirt falling to the ground, and the Walker lay next to a ring of Void-scorched earth. The armor on its front leg was blown to pieces, and its side was battered. The plating on its neck and head had slid forward, exposing an orange glow and shifting machinery. The other Guardians began shooting the core. I raised my hand, hand cannon materializing, and took aim. Something tackled me from the side.