章 97: Hellmouth (3)

A/N: Leave a review! Had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Was a bit hard to really write it well.

[An unknown time later]

As noxious winds swept hellmouth, a harsh and terrible gale flooded its eroded valleys. Dust scattered and the ground trembled, like an ocean at storm.

None knew whether it was dusk or dawn. Because the fractured horizon mirrored the lunar surface- bleak and tearing at the seams, lit ablaze with green fire.

But the fire was, uncanny. Its virescent embers seemed to eat away at the light, only leaving behind a grim and wretched chill that seeped into one's bones.

The guardians had finished all their preparations. Thousands had gathered to weather the storm.

Every able faction in the city, had taken a stand.

The Nightstalkers, Arc striders, Gunslingers, Titans, The Warlock Orders, The Crucible, The Praxic Fire, Dead Orbit, New Monarchy and the Future War Cult and thousands of other guardians.

Void wrapped up his duties and rushed back to the squad.

Tevis looked towards the veil, "Is it done?"

"We're on track. Everything is ready." Void nodded.

The squad shared a few glances, no words were spoken. A silence seemed to stir, and the last few sparks of solace, fizzled out.

It was time.

"Calling all units, we're ready to strike." Tevis connected to the main channel.

Shaxx immediately answered, "Crucible squads on standby, we'll lead the front charge."

Eriana chimed in, "We'll back you up."

"This is Dead Orbit, we'll join the charge."

"New Monarchy, ready"

"Future War Cult, affirmative."

As hundreds flooded the channel with their responses, one last reply came.

Zavala joined in, "All Vanguard personnel will join the front lines, may the light be with us, guardians."

Tevis looked to Void as the two locked eyes. Both nodded and Void's transponder shifted to a different line.

"Cayde, you copy?" Void squinted as he tried to spot the man in the eye of the storm, merely a few hundred meters away from the veil.

"Positive, planted explosives on the perimeter, standby." Cayde's finger rested on the trigger, he raised a hand, an entire squad of bombardiers took aim with rocket launchers on their shoulders.

Void heaved in a breath, "Light em up."

Cayde's lips curled to a smile, his hand dropped.

Rockets rained on the veil, hundreds of explosive mines triggered. In an instant, the veil erupted, a radiant ball of energy spread and thundering shockwaves shot outwards.

With the Hive's stronghold no longer obscured by their magic, they were vulnerable. The explosion rang tremors deep within their underground necropolis.

Hoards of thralls rushed to the surface, ambushed by thousands of guardians.

The fiendish fire in the sky flared, as a harsh wind blew causing the smoke and dust to settle.

and then, there was war.

A legion of guardians charged, using the eruption to mask their ambush. Countless thralls were met by a hail of bullets raining on them.

There it was, the monumental clash of light and dark. Guardians razed the hive armies to the ground, establishing an early foothold in the gruesome war.

However, lead and light were not a complete answer to the Hive.

Shaxx mowed through several thralls with his burning hammers, suddenly an icy chill crept up his spine, then the light in his veins seized and clotted.

The ground cracked- fissures leading to the Hive necropolis appeared.

A hundred Hive knights marched from within, their obsidian blades forged and cultivated in death itself. A malefic aura emanated from them, staining all that was present with darkness.

"Wipe them out!" He roared swinging his sol hammer, only to be met with the Knight's impervious black shield. But as he tried to swing once more, it was too late.

The moment his hammer had connected, a dark power stripped him of his connection to the Traveler.

Shaxx felt his heart sink, faced with an impervious and invincible enemy, his light served him no longer.

The Hive knight could sense his dread. Immediately, its black shield crumbled and the knight swung its hexed blade overhead.

Shaxx grit his teeth and blocked at the last instant, the sheer force of the blow brought him to his knees. But the fight wasn't over.

As the entire frontline was overwhelmed with the knights. The Nightstalkers hadn't sat idle.

"Shoot!"

What seemed to be a mirage ripped through the horizon and tore through the storm. For a moment, the battlefield was struck with awe, as all witnessed the cataclysmic Shadowshots falling from the sky.

The devouring light erupted, eating away at the dark. Chains and tethers sprouted and slithered towards their enemies.

Tides had turned, with the Knights bound, their stripped light had returned. Shaxx summoned his hammers once more, with a burning vengeance.

He struck and cleaved through one Knight, leading his squad to gain more ground.

As the momentum shifted, the Arc striders weaved in through the gaps in their assault, led by Sai Mota, using their lightning they ruthlessly tore through the Hive ranks.

The warlocks were not far behind, as the Hive struggled to find a foothold. Several void warlocks rose to the skies, fury festering in their hearts.

Their energy's converged, resulting in one massive Novabomb hurling through the Hive's forces, crushing and eating away at any unfortunate within its path.

With the Hive on retreat, the guardians seemed at a certain advantage. However, despite the ambush, repelling the Knights and thralls had consumed most of their light.

Though with the Traveler's grace, they could recover it in mere instants, for some peculiar reason, that connection seemed severed.

As a bout of weakness gripped the guardians, they too strategized a retreat while leaving behind scouts for the Hive.

And so, the first day of the lunar war was over, light and dark had clashed, but nothing had prevailed. Shax and the Vanguard had rallied back their elites within their camps, determined to strike back with more ferocity.

However, none were wiser to what the future held. Everything was up to fate. Or rather, as it would have been- Alas, a certain Nightstalker was prowling the battlefield as a scout.

Pacing around the marred lunar field, Void was struck with an idea. Though he knew he couldn't win the war alone, he could definitely cut back their losses.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Comment! Throw Stones!