[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/250301867/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] [spoiler]For those that are interested in reading, writing, or sharing Destiny fanfic, I have created a Discord server to gather new and old writers and readers. This server’s primary focus is on writing, sharing your writing, and reading the writing of others. https://discord.gg/PJF3p8U[/spoiler] “KEIS!” Keis spun to face the sound of crackling electricity behind him. The air itself seemed to part, shimmering in a haze as a new enemy materialized. A Fallen Captain towered over him, its Ether-stuffed form far larger than those of its dead subordinates. Keis barely had time to react as two shock blades were brought down on him with crushing force. He managed to block them with his own stolen sword, but the sheer force of the blow knocked him onto his back. The Captain roared in its guttural language as it stabbed down at him again. Keis reached for the Void and pulled himself away, teleporting to a spot a few meters away. His parlor trick surprised the Captain, but it quickly realized what had happened. It audibly clicked its mandibles together, and Keis could have sworn it narrowed its eyes at him hatefully. Keis rolled to his feet as the monster approached him. When it was close he swung his sword at it as a warning. He reset his guard, but the Captain pressed towards him confidently. It swung both of its blades, knocking Keis’ sword out of the way, then expertly reversed the momentum of its attack to swing a blade back and tear through the Exo’s breastplate. The attack only damaged Keis’ armor and he tried to back away, but the Captain didn’t relent. It took a bracing step forward and spun, lashing out with both of its swords. One bit into Keis’ side and the other would have cleaved through his neck if he hadn’t managed to block it in time. Keis let the impact knock him over and rolled to the Captain’s side. He snapped his hand out at the Captain, unleashing a violent pulse of energy from his palm. The Captain was launched by the pulse, flying straight into the wall of the closest building. Its shock blades clattered on the ground as it collapsed in a heap. “Ghost,” Keis grunted. His Ghost materialized, hurriedly healing him before disappearing again. “We should run,” it advised, “Like, right now.” Keis wasn’t listening. He was watching the Captain as it rose to its feet, shaking off bits of rubble from the Winter banner it wore as a cape. “Oh, Traveler,” the Ghost despaired, “I think you made it mad!” The Captain straightened, growling with newfound rage. “Kill it!” The Ghost urged desperately. Keis rushed the Captain as it reached for the shock pistol on its bandolier. Before it could grab the weapon, Keis Blinked. He reappeared directly in front of the alien, crashing into it at full speed and ramming it into the wall again. He punched it in the gut, but it returned the favor with one of its lower arms. Then it grabbed Keis and whipped him around, slamming him into the wall beside it. Keis shielded himself with his arms as it battered him with its many fists. It was overpowering him with its size, strength and speed. One punch struck true, smashing the Exo’s head against the wall in a devastating blow. “Keis!” The Ghost cried as its Risen fell. But Keis gained a moment of respite on the ground, away from the pirate’s arms, and was able to act. He lashed out with all the might the Light could give him, striking the Captain’s leg and knocking the monster down. Not wasting any time, Keis scrambled past the bellowing beast and took one of its discarded swords. A hand grabbed his ankle, but he spun and brought the blade down on its owner. The shock blade stabbed through the Captain’s armored collar before snapping in half, and the pirate roared in pain. It yanked on Keis’ ankle, pulling him closer and clutching at him with its other arms. “Why won’t it die?!” Keis’ Ghost wailed. The Captain wrapped its fingers around Keis’ throat in a strangling vise. Keis turned the broken sword hilt in his hand and swung his arm overhead. The broken blade stabbed down into the Captain’s throat. Even then the Captain didn’t die, but its hold on the Exo lessened. Keis freed himself, breaking its arm with his supernatural strength and putting himself over it. Keis’ fist smashed into its helmeted face. The metal helmet splintered and caved in, and one more punch destroyed it along with the alien’s head. Blue gas sprayed out violently into the Exo’s face with a loud hiss, and the Captain went limp. Keis slumped over the dead pirate, resting a moment. His Ghost healed him again, then he stood. He checked the bodies around him to make sure none had survived. When he was satisfied, he bent over to pick up one of the rifles the Vandals had wielded. He inspected the foreign weapon. Inhuman howls pierced the air and Keis turned to see Fallen bursting out of the building he had passed through earlier. They spotted him easily in the open road and broke into a mad dash, roaring with bloodlust. "Run!" His Ghost hollered. The Exo spun and sprinted down the street, ignoring the bolts flying past his head as he rounded the next corner. He hadn't gone very far when he glanced over his shoulder to see three Vandals already around the corner, skittering on all six of their limbs and rapidly closing the distance to him. "They're like spiders!" The Ghost squealed in terror. One stopped and rose to its feet, taking aim with a rifle and firing a bolt that nearly hit the fleeing Risen. "Alien spiders with guns!" The Ghost amended, becoming increasingly hysterical. Keis huffed in response, focusing on not slowing down. "I'm sorry!” His Ghost cried, “I'm panicking!" The nearest Vandal reached Keis. When it leapt up to cut him down with its swords he halted and planted his feet. The Vandal hadn't anticipated the movement and it crashed into him, slamming into his braced shoulder and landing on its back. The next Vandal was on top of him in an instant, sweeping its swords at his chest. He hopped back, narrowly avoiding the attack, and shot it with his rifle. It fell in a heap and Keis lowered the firearm, finishing off the first Vandal with a pull of the trigger. Another bolt flashed by the Exo's head, calling his attention back down the road. The remaining Vandal was taking aim, and the rest of its pack was swarming around the corner behind it. Keis sighted the Vandal and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. When he tried again and got the same result his Ghost inferred, "Its Arc battery must have run out!" Keis dropped the useless firearm and hightailed it away from the ravenous Fallen. A bolt clipped his shoulder as he veered down an intersection, causing him to stumble, but he kept going. "Up there!" His Ghost directed, "On that roof!" Keis obeyed, jumping and using his Light to teleport onto a lowered section of a roof. He ran over it and leapt down into the next street, resuming his sprint to the edge of the city. • • • More than a dozen Fallen prowled among the trees, scanning for any sign of the escaped Risen. They had followed the Exo's last known path and spread out, attempting to track him in the dim light of the sunset. One of their Skiffs drifted overhead, its roaring engines shaking the branches and agitating the canopy of leaves that shaded them. Keis shifted slightly, letting the strongest of the swaying branches support his weight until the vessel had passed. He watched as the Fallen's search steadily moved on. It wasn't until long after they had moved out of sight and the sounds of their footsteps and rumbling clicks had faded away that the Risen lowered himself and dropped down with a muffled thump. He stayed at a crouch, checking to make sure it was safe. When he had decided there was no immediate danger, he stood and his Ghost left its hiding place to float over his shoulder. "We'll need to go a different direction," the Ghost spoke with a hushed voice, “Be careful. The Fallen thrive in the dark.” It glided off, leading Keis deeper into the forest. "I wish we had a gun," the Ghost murmured. "Wishing won't help anything," Keis commented. "I know," his Ghost sighed, "But I would feel a lot better if we had one."