Part 1

24 Hours After The Bombardment

The Tower was in ruins. The Last City had fallen. The Darkness had won that day.

How many died?

The Hunter thinks to himself as he slowly walks the ruined streets alone. In his hands he gently cradles his Ghost Aria who had been viciously ravaged by a blast of Soulfire by his-

Can Viper-7 even call him a friend now?

What happened to you, Rev?

The thought passed through his mind quickly as he felt the chilling bane of the Stasis scar that continues to caress his metallic cheek in pain left by the Warlock Revenant-13.

V continues marching forward desperately trying to find one glimmer of hope. But every step he took made him come closer to the realization that everything started looking bleaker by the second.

Vella and Raven-13 were dead. Killed by Revenant. The civilians they tried to rescue. Frozen and shattered like dust scattered to the winds by him as well. And Aria…his Ghost. His lifelong partner throughout every battle was silent…

She wasn’t dead thankfully The Exo Hunter could still feel the deep connection they shared as Guardian and Ghost. He could still feel the light within him from her connection to The Traveler. But she wouldn’t speak or move right now. She wouldn’t hover by his side. Her dry wit and sardonic charm didn’t fill the air with a single remark. Even cradling her in his hands Viper-7 couldn’t help but feel truly isolated and vulnerable right now in these wastelands.

Wastelands

He thought grimly. These streets were just a short while ago bustling with a community of street vendors and food stalls filled to the brim with customers. Children would laugh and frolic in bliss knowing they were safe from harm. Parents of said children would watch in joy at the smiles of their kids as they played amongst the streets. Guardians would pass by checking on the citizens or even peruse their wares for anything of personal interest.

But now the stands lay broken and scattered. Corpses littered the streets. The smell of blood and ash infected the very air around him, reminding him of the fresh image of Amanda’s lifeless body in the Tower Hangar which he had last heard exploded in a torrent of flames and continues to burn in the distance behind him. Traces of ice from the power Stasis and green grizzly flames from lingering Soulfire can be seen everywhere he looks.

Viper sighed and looked down at Aria, “Partner…speak to me. I really need ya right now.” He waits for a response but no answer comes. Her eye is closed and none of the beautiful pieces of her shell will float around her. It hurts Viper to see his Ghost so fragile.

As he kept making his way forward a dark presence was following the Hunter. His mind was too clouded trying to process everything that had transpired to pick up the fact he was being hunted…

His steps felt heavy. His mind muddled with worry. And his hands grasping his only friend tightly but protectively in the palms of his hands.

BANG

It was sudden and he could feel the synaptics of his body producing the equivalent of physical pain throughout his robotic body. A bullet had pierced through his left shoulder. Viper cursed himself angrily for not being fully aware of his surroundings. It was Hunter 101 and he was pissed he could let himself forget something that was literal life or death when he was out in the field. Without a second thought he quickly puts Aria in one of the many empty pouches on his person and throws a knife in the direction the bullet came from.

A hand catches it. A fellow Hunter like himself but the rime of Stasis covered the Dark Guardians armor. The helmet they wore hid their face.

"Pathetic and Predictable as always." She called out dryly. Viper chuckles as the knife begins to glow with Solar Light. The Proximity Knife exploded in the Dark Hunter’s hand with a loud bang. Debris of her helmet blown right off scatter everywhere. As the smoke clears her face is revealed and once again Viper looks in disbelief at who he sees…

To Be Continued…