The team of six sat around the chest they had just discovered. Everyone had just woke up; the warlocks did, but Daniels was still sound asleep. They were in a room hidden away in some caves, so the risk of being attacked in their sleep was very low.
Dakota was holding a pot on his right hand, boiling water from the solar Light he wielded. Beside him, Isaiah was distributing insta-lunch mixes into six tin cups for each of the Guardians.
"What's the plan for today, Master?" Brian asked as he poured everyone's drinks.
The arch-warlock was standing beside an incredibly reflective rock, shaving his silver beard. "We'll continue to do, what we've done to get this far. We'll face each challenge and overcome," Master Jal wiped his face clean, then faced the team. "Which is bulls*** for, 'there's no real plan'..."
Isaiah noticed the can of shaving cream beside the arch-warlock's foot. "Brian," he whispered. The other warlock looked up. Isaiah pointed to the can, then to Daniels.
Brian huffed. "How old were you when you died?..."
"Early eighties..." Isaiah replied.
"Fair enough," Brian took the can and tossed it to his partner.
Isaiah lightly sprayed the cream into Daniels left hand. Brian materialized a duster and waved it across the hunter's nose and lip. [i]Whack![/i] Daniels slapped himself in the face with his right hand instead. Isaiah and Brian tried not to snicker as they watched the Guardian.
Daniels had woke himself when he hit himself. He sat up and looked around. "G'morn--" he said before wiping his face, smearing the shaving cream from his eyes to his cheek. Daniels looked down at his hand. "You're all a**holes..." he groaned.
Brian and Isaiah were laughing hysterically while everyone else gave slight chuckles.
Master Jal looked at Daniels, then to the two laughing warlocks. "Did you, really, use [i]my[/i] shaving cream for that?..."
The hunter walked over to a tiny waterfall that trickled through the rocks. He leaned his face forward and washed away the shaving cream. He walked back to the group where he took a seat. "So, what now?" He asked.
"Lunch," Isaiah replied as he passed over a plate of noodle soup and mashed potatoes. One after another, the team of six got a dish and began eating.
Moments later, the team climbed out of the small cave and re-entered the massive chasm they jumped down into. Daniels was astonished. He didn't see this part the day before. While everyone enjoyed the view, Dakota noticed something else.
The warlock in white and gold walked over to a rock standing alone. He inspected it, then hit his knuckles on it. That wasn't any rock he knew of; it was plasteel. It was like every bit of Light and soul was drained, leaving a frozen husk behind.
"Gorgons," Master Jal said solemnly. Seconds later, the head-rattling chimes of the mysterious Vex echoed in the caves. "If they see you, you're dead..." the arch-warlock continued.
"Uhhh..." Daniels uttered from the back of the group. He gave a nervous chuckle. "Okay then. Care if I lead this one?" He asked.
"After the condition we found you in, I don't think so," Brian said with an amused laugh.
The hunter slowly turned around. "Okay, [i]Brian[/i], you might be skilled enough to find the exit sign of a library... But, I've been navigating the wilds for decades. If anyone's gonna get us through a maze, it's goin' to be me..."
Brian remained silent as his eyes panned around the laughing group. "Sure, Daniels. Lead the way," Master Jal said.
"All right. If I run, run. If I stop, stop. Let's go," Daniels said as he waved his team to follow.
The team ran through the cavern, avoiding the Vex. They hid behind a rock as they listened to the chirping of a gorgon. Sure enough, a Vex harpy, with white tendrils swaying in the air, flew by them. The team quietly raised their weapons in response. It scanned the environment, then hovered away. The Guardians let out a deep sigh.
Daniels led the team up a slanted rock that looked over two other gorgons. The eerie looking Vex circled the rock a couple of times before continuing their search around the Labyrinth. The Guardians jumped off the rock, then snuck into a subsection of caves.
It was a choke point; the team was trapped. Gorgons began approaching from either direction. "Now where?!" Brian asked as he watched the coming Vex.
"I'm not sure," Daniels replied. He pressed his back against a wall, trying to make himself harder to spot by the scouts. However, there was no wall. "This way!" Daniels shouted as he tumbled down a cave shaft.
Master Jal watched the hunter roll away. "You heard him! Go! Go!" He yelled. The five warlocks followed behind. Just as the Guardians hid away, the gorgons flew by.
-
Gorgons were always such a pain in the ass, when I learned they could be killed I was overjoyed while shoving my Raze-Lighter through their faces