Sequel to An Unlikely Duo

Mithrax and Viper approach the new entrance to The Chasm of Screams. It was up the hill on the far left side of the original entrance Fireteam Caliban took. Viper crouched and before entering the room he looked to Mithrax, "I want you guard the rear if that's alright." Mithrax looks at Viper and nods, "Friend Vi-par. You sense it too." Viper nods, "Whatever they used to kill those Eliksni. It'll be game over if we both rush in carelessly. Let me be both the distraction and primary focus on the Hive's attack. Whatever they'll use to affect me psychologically I need you to destroy it with your Scorch Cannon. After that we slaughter whatever remains in the name of your brothers and sisters." Mithrax nods and starts prepping the Scorch Cannon hidden from view of the Hive scouting the small area.

Aria tries to follow but Viper stops her, "I need you to hang back as well. No telling what they got arsenal wise and we don't know if the psychological weapon could affect you too." Aria doesn't say a word and floats beside Mithrax who pats her with one of his free hands as he modifies the Scorch Cannon to fire one single devastating shot with all it's ammunition to guarantee it'll kill the main target. Aria looks to Mithrax and says, "Let me handle it. Can you provide covering fire for V? He may sound tough but he can't fight off that many on his own without getting hurt." Mithrax chuckled and left Aria to her work and took out the Queenbreaker Wire Rifle he was given earlier. He steadies himself as Viper silently makes his way around to assassinate some of the fodder.

Viper had been storing Void light in case of an emergency and he felt now was the best time to dust the rust off his talents as a Nightstalker. He took his Subtle Calamity bow and smiled before loosing an Arrow at an Acolyte in the rear. Headshot. The acolyte's body convulsed but instead of decaying to dust by it's own soulfire it's body began to glow bright with the violet color of Void Light and explode hurting and even killing some nearby Hive. Dragonfly. His bow was one of the most dangerous weapons in his aresenal that he'd only take out when he was truly angry or serious. The Hive looked at Viper who stood there with another arrow ready to fire and one of the three Knights yelled something in their native tongue but Viper had a pretty good idea and released his next Arrow at the first Thrall he saw running towards him. Body Shot so no Dragonfly but still killed it.

The Knights turned around holding their swords above their heads as they began chanting. Viper could tell they were about to summon something but he was almost sure he didn't want to find out what it was. The Thrall all began collectively screaming at Viper. Thrall screams were piercingly loud for two reasons. The first was to try and stun their prey long enough for even just one Thrall to close the gap and begin swarming that victim. The second was as a signal to call in reinforcements. The sounds of screams echoed through both entrances. Mithrax hearing the sounds of footsteps rushing towards him quickly turns around and throws several trapwire mines he had on him into the cave they just exited from. As the thrall approach him and Aria he steels himself as he draws a detonator for the bombs he threw.

Viper sees that things were about to get crowded in the worst way possible makes a break for the nearest Hive Corruption he sees and jumps on it before quickly vaulting off of it for added height. The Hunter gracefully backflips into the air and begins summoning the power of the Void shaping it into the form of the Duskbow in his right hand. The Duskbow hums an eerie sound as Viper draws the bowstring back forming his Shadowshot Arrow composed entirely of pure voidlight and fires it into the center of the crowd. The Arrow pierces and dissolves an acolyte before the arrow trasmutes into orb of volatile void energy that lashes out to all the nearby hive tethering it to it's power weakening them and holding them in place.

The Hunter lands and quickly turns around drawing his Hand Cannon and spinning it around his trigger finger before he takes aim and fans the hammer of his weapon firing off shot after shot at the tethered Hive trapped by his Shadowshot. Each Hive falls one by one as they scream in agony from the combination of being shot in the head by Viper's Hand Cannon and the Void consuming their essence upon death. Meanwhile Mithrax sees the Hive reinforcements coming from the tunnel he and Viper entered from coming into view and prepares to activate the detonator. Causing all the Trapwire's to go off simultaneously causing a cave-in of the surroundings. Mithrax had effectively cut off half the enemies reinforcements on his own.

Viper looked back to the Knights and took aim but before he could fire he saw what they had summoned, "What the hell...is that?" The creature before Viper pulsed with energy similar to the Nightmares on the Moon but it wasn't Hive. He wasn't sure what to describe it as other than a shadowy human shaped figure pulsing with those red veins of energy that Nightmares would give off in their incorporeal forms. It's body twitched like a Taken Psion. It's head or what Viper assumed was it's head with the two glowing beady eyes staring dead at Viper made him uncomfortable and nervous. He quickly took aim and fired his entire magazine at the shadow before him only to have it dissolve into the ground.

Viper panicked and screamed, "Where is it!?!" The Knights looked at Viper in amusement and readied their swords to cut the Hunter down. But help is always found in high places. The sound of a wire rifle went off and one of the Knights was shot square between the eyes from the back of it's head killing it instantly. Another shot went off killing the second knight. The third knight turns around and puts up a Wall of Darkness to shield itself from a fatal blow. Mithrax curses in Eliksni having been noticed. The Knight snarls at Mithrax and charges towards him. The mighty Kell fires off another shot of the Wire Rifle but the Knight doesn't halt his pursuit as it pierces his shoulder. Seeing how he doesn't have much choice with the Knight closing the gap too quickly to charge another shot. Mithrax quickly drops The Queensbreaker and draws all four of his Shock Blades and proceeds to battle the Knight in close quarters combat.

Viper slowly scanned the area. His hands were shaking as he aimed his Hand Cannon. It wasn't normal for him to feel this afraid but whatever that thing was. It terrified him. As Viper took a step backwards he felt something grab his foot and quickly looked down to see the shadowy figure had him in its grasp. Viper screamed, "Let me go!!" He struggled against its grip but it was almost pointless. It's viscous form slowly rised out of the ground it's grip still firm against the Hunter. He was trapped and unable to move. The creature's neck stretched like it were a snake or something coiling around Viper's neck while it beady glowing eyes stared at Viper dead in the face again. He was so scared. He couldn't move, he was trapped, he felt how overwhelming it's darkness was. It was The Darkness or something related to it.

Mithrax quickly parried the Knight's blade with his own and with his free hands slashed at the kngiht's abdomen with the blade. The Knight staggered backwards at the deep cut he'd just received and howled in anger as soulfire raged through it's body and charged his blade with soulfire for powerful downwards cleave of his darkblade. Mithrax despite his size was nimble enough to dodge and quickly decapitate the knight with his blades. He stood there victorious and roared proudly over the death of the Knight.

Viper continued to struggle against the grip of the Shadowy figure before him as he felt it's hands grip his head. Viper's breathing quickened in fear. He didn't know what to expect. He was to scared to find out and he wanted the creature to let him go. The fingers of the creature began digging into Viper's head causing him to scream in agony. They weren't physically piercing his head this was more psychologically. It was the sensation of him having something piercing his skull but it was still painful nonetheless. The fingers felt intrusive almost invasive as if they were probing the Exo's mind and memories. Viper screamed harder as the creature's attacks his mind.

Viper's breathing was becoming ragged and heavy as the creatures psychological attack began feeding him horrifying images. He stood there alone in the Last City torn to ruins. The Traveler no long hanging in the sky but shattered to pieces having crashed into the City itself. Dead bodies everywhere. Images slowly flashed before his eyes. Tess lying dead with what remained of Eva Levante's corpse shielding her from harm. Amanda glassy eyed and torn in half with the Harmonica Viper gifted her still tightly gripped in one hand. Commander Zavala skewered with a large spear in his heart. Ikora's body slammed against a wall leaving an impact crater with her entire chest collapsed in on itself.

Viper's collapsed to his knees gripping his head in pain and crying out for it to stop. He struggles to look to the sky to see the pyramids looming over him. His body shaking uncontrollably and even his eyes leaking fluid almost like he were crying. He saw Saint and Osiris tortured by the Vex. Shaxx being ripped apart by Thrall of all things. Eris being consumed by Hive Worms. Every little light in his life being snuffed out so easily and simply. He wanted the pain to stop he wanted it to be over. He slowly reached for his Hand Cannon and grabbed it.

Ada-1 laying limp griping one of her many guns. Hawthrone reaching for a dead Louis. Mara Sov being consumed by Darkness. Petra screaming for death as Dul Incaru overwhelms her. The Farm burning at the hands of Cabal. Child screaming for their parents. Mithrax dying in The Chasm of Screams. He raised his gun slowly to the temple of his head. Drifter gunned down. Sloane fighting alone and dying. Devrim being sniped down by Fallen. His breathing becoming labored like he was choking. He couldn't keep it together. Whatever this thing was it was winning and hurting him the best way possible by showing him the death of everyone he knows and loves. He only knew one way out of this and it was looking like his only option.

Viper in reality stood there still in the creatures grasp with his gun pointed to his head and the fluid leaking from his eyes. Aria screams, "Mithrax hurry! Grab the cannon!" Mithrax rushes back to the little ghost and grabs the weapon. Viper screams, "Make it stop! Stop it! Stop killing them all!!!" Aria communicates to Viper through the cooms, "Viper listen to me. I'm right here. So is Mithrax. Whatever you're seeing it isn't real. Please listen to me!!!" Viper screams, "Ahhhh! If you won't make it stop I will!!!" Aria screams as Viper slowly pulls the trigger of his gun, "Viper no!!!"

A single shot goes off. Viper's body collapses and lays limp on the ground being released by the shadowy figure. Mithrax curses in Eliksni and takes the shot at the creature. It's consumed in a blaze of fire as it unleashes a blood curdling and almost inhuman scream as it's body dissolves into nothing. The battle was over. They had won but Viper laid motionless on the ground. Aria rushes to her Guardian and began to revive him. Mithrax took the time to place a temporary shield over the remaining entrace to the Chasm of Screams to keep any other stray Hive from coming in and attacking. Aria was panicking and upset as she tried to revive her Guardian who she could feel was intense psychological pain from that thing that attacked him. Viper finally stood up gasping desperately for air and fell back down physically and emotionally exhausted. Mithrax caught the Hunter. The three just sat there quietly for a few minutes. They won but it didn't feel like a victory worth celebrating. All those fallen had died. The Hive summoned something beyond dangerous and Viper killed himself just to put an end to the pain he was subjected to. The three finally got their bearings together before they finally transmatted out of there back to Sloane's base at Siren's Watch.

To Be Continued