The sequel and finale to Vashith, Loyal to Savathûn

Part 1: Trapped But Never Alone

The lone Hunter made his way forward through The Ascendant Plane's of Savathûn's Court still on the hunt for the wizard Vashith, Loyal to Savathûn. The wizard had kidnapped his ghost and eternal partner Aria. The Exo's mind was set on hunting this wizard down and making her suffer the worst death possible for making Aria cry let alone taking her away from him.

This single mided obsession and drive felt familiar to Viper. It's the exact same hatred and obsession he felt when Cayde died and he made it not only his mission but his personal desire to put a bullet between every Scorn Baron and Uldren Sov's eyes. He hated that side of himself that came out. He wasn't the jovial, adventurous, and kind hearted Hunter that many knew him to be. He transformed into a vicious, merciless, and violent killing machine in his hunts on The Tangled Shore. His exploits gained him an infamy that some revered while others would begin to question and whisper if anything even remained of the once kind-hearted Hunter as he walked the streets of The City.

It had been almost two years since Cayde's death and his one man crusade upon the lawless grounds of The Tangled Shore. He's grown as both a person and a guardian since those days and has accepted that side of himself. He would happily embrace this personality once more if it meant he could save Aria's life. In the holster attached to his right thigh was his Hand Cannon and on his back was the bow that defined him on the Tangled Shore. The Subtle Calamity. His hunt would require stealth and precision and this bow would bring both to the table. He sadly had to leave his Quickfang embedded in the cliff he dug it into to save himself from falling to his death but he'd easily manage without it.

He tracked Aria as best he could. Even though their wasn't much of a trial to track given that Vashith could fly he could still sense Aria's presence. Maybe it was the fact she was his Ghost and their light was intertwined or connected in some way he couldn't really make heads or tails of. He chuckled and thought about either Ikora or Revenant-19 explaining the mysteries of the Light and the connections our Ghosts share with each other.

His search leads him to a large room blocked by Hive Rune locks to which he sighed in annoyance, "It's never easy is it? Then again, wouldn't be much of a challenge if I didn't have some fun taking the roundabout route." He smiles devilishly as he looks up to see some climbable ledges and an opening into the room. He began to climb as fast as he could. As he reached the opening he slowly peaked in to get a view of his surroundings. He saw two Acolytes patrolling the area by circling the area equal distance apart, "Child's play." he thought as he jumped in and crouched and began making his way quietly to one of the acolyte's. As soon as he was in range he quickly tossed his throwing knife into the skull of the acolyte. It's body dissolving to ash from the release of soulfire stored within it's body. Viper quickly drew his bow and with almost no effort immediately shot and pinned the other acolyte dead to the wall with his shot. V had the high ground and now every Hive within this chamber were about to learn what made V so dangerous.

He scouted his surroundings down below. There was a sizable group. At least, 18, 19, 20. Twenty various Hive alongside Vashith and there she was. Aria was still trapped in a cage made of hive soulfire and looked so upset, "Hang on Aria." The Hunter reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out five void smoke bomb's, "I'm glad Aria can't hear me throw this cheesy one-liner." Viper tosses all five smoke bombs down below and quickly readies his first shot on an unsuspecting Acolyte between two Hive Knights, "Welcome to the Viper's nest."

The smoke bombs all explode as soon as they make contact with the ground. Vashith screams before yelling, "What is this trickery!?!" Viper smirks as his arrow is charged with void energy releases and headshots the acolyte he was aiming for. The Acolyte's body is consumed and vaporized but the excess energy lingers and explodes damaging the two Hive Knights slightly. Dragonfly. This bow would always make his target explode as long he killed them with a headshot and given Viper's renowned skill with precision shots this was probably the most deadly weapon in V's arsenal.

His use of the Void sharpened his senses giving him truesight. He could see the Hive hidden within the smoke and began shooting them down one by one while causing Dragonfly to activate with each kill shot. Vashith in her anger seeing her minions being taken down quickly ascends to blast Viper with a fireball of concentrated hive soulfire. Viper quickly dodges going invisible and laughs and taking note that his voice echoes throughout the chamber.

"You should've finished me off properly Vashith..." His voice echoing hauntingly through the chamber as Vashith tries to discern where the Hunter ran off too. Another arrow fired hits a Thrall down below and the ensuing Drgonfly kills the other Thrall surrounding it, "But you've pissed me off." Viper's voice continues to echo as another arrow is fired and Vashith continues searching frantically only to hear another of her minions be consumed by Void energy, "You made Aria cry." Another arrow shot off, "You called her a toy." Another dead acolyte, "And you threatened her life." Another Dragonfly explosion, "You're about to learn just why on the Tangled Shore I was known as The Scorn's Genocide." Vashith stiffened at that name, "The Snake's Venom." The wizard continues to look around the area for any signs of the Hunters movement, "And now, Your Death." Vashith in her desparation creates a large cloud of poisonous smog. Viper was unable to avoid and his cloaking had dropped as he felt the poison eating away at him. He dropped to the ground level to escape the smog but managed to double jump at the right moment to break the momentum of his fall and land properly.

As he got his footing he looked to see Aria and said, "Just hang on partner." Aria looked up and he could just tell she was relieved and happy to see him alive. Viper looked up to see a rain of soulfire heading his way and quickly dodged it. He switched from his bow to his hand cannon and took aim at Vashith and fired the entire magazine.

The wizard quickly raised a Wall of Darkness to block the shots and laughed, "Now that I can see you. I see you're not so tough." Her hands pulse with soul fire as she creates another smog for Viper to suffocate in. He tries to move away but his movements are hindered by the poison and suddenly he's thrown against the wall again, "You're weak and pathetic. Nothing you can do will save you or your precious little toy." Viper punched the ground struggling to get up. Vashith laughed and set him flying again with another blast of Soulfire. Viper screamed in pain before hitting the ground again and rolling around. His clothes were singe and charred black while his favorite cloak was in tatters across the ground. Viper looked at the pieces of his cloak scattered across the ground and felt anger and power welling up inside him. Aria was scared because she was trapped and couldn't heal Viper but as she watched him she sensed something burning within V.

"Dont you...DARE...call her a TOY!" Viper slowly struggled to get up. He could feel power welling up inside of him and Vashith felt intimidated by Viper's voice alone, "One of the first things I learned as Hunter..." He punches the ground, "I'll never be as strong as a Titan." He slowly props one leg taking a knee and still breathing heavily, "Or as smart as a Warlock." He slowly pushes himself onto his feet, "But dammit if we're not the most stubborn and unpredictable group of Guardians." He stands still looking down at the ground but his body starts glowing with solar light, "So just this once..." He looks up and stares down Vashith with eyes glowing and breaming with Solar Light, "I'm going to burn brighter than any Warlock bathed in Radiance and stronger than any Titan's Hammer of Sol!!!" He raises his right arm to the sky to summon his Golden Gun. The Solar Light he releases summons forth a blinding light that looks almost like a miniature sun. The light pouring forth from his body illuminates the dark chamber completely.

Vashith takes cover behind a Wall of Darkness from the light Viper has summoned forth, "What kind of power is this!?!" Viper stands tall and proud as he raises his other arm to grip the light he's summoned forth that can't be contained within the Golden Gun alone, "This is my everything! My resolve! Are you watching me still you Old Bitch!?! This isn't a message!" Viper pulls his arms down and in his right hand is The Golden Gun still in the shape of The Last Word but in his left hand was a second Golden Gun shaped differently, "It's a fucking warning." Aria looked in awe as her guardian stood there holding a Golden Gun in each hand with his body glowing in radiant Solar Light that looked like it could illuminate the entire Ascendant Realm of the Hive.

Viper looks at the Golden Gun in his left hand to see it's taken the shape of the Ace of Spades and can't help but smile. He looks to his target with cold steel and twirls both guns between his fingers, "VASHITH!!!" and points both barrels at her defences, "Don't you or any other hive from that Old Bitch Savathûn's Court EVER threaten or harm my friends again!!!" Viper screams in anger as he fires off both guns completely. The bullets of pure solar light piercing through the defences of Vashith easily that she screams in agony as he body is slowly consumed and dissolved to ash by Solar Light, "Noooooooo!!!!" As her body is completely destroyed the cage holding Aria dissappears and she quickly rushes to V side.

Viper falls to his knees chuckling weakly, "How'd you like...that?" He collapses onto the ground. His body is completely broken and he can't move. That Golden Gun took more out of him then he ever thought possible, "Heh...I'll never burn that bright a second time." Aria is healing V as hard as she can, "Don't you go dissappearing on me now after that world class act V! I'll never forgive you for rescueing me only to just go dying on me!!!" Viper laughed weakly, "No...promises..." Aria panics as his vitals begin dropping drastically. She keeps healing V with her light to try and keep him alive but he does die. She refuses to give up and let it be his true death.

Aria spends almost an hour non stop healing and trying to revive Viper and manages to fully heal and revive him. He gasps heavily and finally awakens. His clothes still in tatters but he's breathing at the least and looks over to her and smiles, "Thanks partner." Aria nuzzles his metal cheek and whispers, "You dumbass bucket of bolts. Don't you go dying on me like that again." He gently pats her shell and looks to see a portal to escape has finally opened, "I know. Now what do you say we head home?" Aria looks to the portal and flies ahead, "Sounds like a plan V! We need to get that cloak of yours fixed!"

Viper looks at his torn custom Vanguard Dare Cloak and smiles, "Yer damn right we do. Think Tess will offer me a discount?" Aria chuckles, "Not on your life." Viper and Aria both walk through the portal to arrive back on Io just above The Lost Oasis overlooking The Cradle down below. Viper looks at The Cradle before turning his attention at the Pyramid and making a finger gun at it before 'shooting' it, "You're next."