[b][u]The Huntsman[/u][/b] Taniks watched as two Fallen Skiffs marked with the banners of the House of Winter descended towards the loading zone of Thieves Den. The crew of one of the Skiffs departed and immediately began unloading the other skiffs cargo. Their leader, a Winter Baron by the name of Graysor approached Taniks. "Are the specifications I requested applied?" Taniks asked. He indicated the cargo, which a dozen dregs were prepping. "As requested." Graysor nodded. "A fully operational Elder Walker. I am still uncertain why you would request one without a drone mind." "Because I am going to pilot it myself." Taniks replied. "Draksis was unclear of what this would cost. He told me you would have the details." "Ah yes..." Graysor looked uncomfortable. "My master wants the Ahamkhara's pelt and horns as payment." Taniks stared at the Baron like he had just crawled out of the ether. "That's not an option. My employer is paying a lot more for them than yours is." "Draksis thought you might say that. He was very displeased when he discovered the identity of your employer. Told me that if you refused this offer you would be forced to... retire." Graysor glanced towards the Walker. "Bad move on his part." the hilts of two shock blades protruded from Graysor's chest. "Nobody in their right mind retires in their prime." The crews work became more frantic as Taniks realized they were commandeering the Walker and aiming it's cannon at him. He teleported out of the way a split second before the cannon-fire leveled the ground he had been standing on. As the Fallen looked around in confusion, trying to find out where he went. Taniks smiled, unsheathing his other two blade. Time to go to work. _______________________________________ Taniks piloted the Elder Walker through the jungle at high speed. While the Walker certainly wasn't as mobile as a Pike, it was still able to travel faster than any other of its kind. Normally he wouldn't use a Walker at all, preferring to keep his fights head on and personal. But recent events have made Taniks more cautious in nature. Without Syniks running the equipment, he was unsure if he could ever be resurrected again. Taniks pushed that thought from his mind and focused on his task. When he had tracked the Ahamkara the day before, all of the tracking beacons had gone off, except for one. The Waking Ruins, near the Vault of Glass. He should have expected it. He theorized that the Ahamkara would have nested close to a place of knowledge in order to be even closer to its preferred prey. He had assumed that the nest was near the Ishtar Collective. He didn't think on a large enough scale. As the Walker approached the Waking Ruins, Taniks activated it's sensors. Thermal imaging, motion tracking, the Ahamkara couldn't keep concealed forever. An earsplitting screech jolted Taniks, looking up, he saw the Ahamkara dive-bombing the Walker! A wave of flame‎ rolled over the Walker and Taniks felt the temperature of the cockpit escalate to the point where his armor was steaming. He reacted fast, activating the Walker's armor locking system. Warning lights flashed and the moniters gave a readout of the damage. The attack had damaged the coolant system, as well as exposed the forefront left leg. He needed to act faster. The Ahamkara hissed, rearing to its full height. It was a magnificent creature, it's angry dark claws offset by the auburn feathers that coated it's arms. It's leathery wings were huge, as large as Taniks was. it's eyes displayed pure hatred, and jets of flame billowed out of its bony maw. He unstabilized the armor lock, creating a shockwave that repelled the Ahamkara. As it tried to take off again, Taniks locked on and fired four arc missiles, stunning it. The Ahamkara roared in pain, then proceeded to breath fire at the Walkers legs. More warning lights flashed. Taniks released a swarm of Shanks, distracting the Ahamkara. It didn't last long as the Ahamkara turned it's fiery breath on them and caused them to pop. The Ahamkara rushed the Walker again, but it's repeater cannon managed to keep it at bay. He launched another barrage of arc missiles, but the Ahamkara shrugged them off this time. It let loose a gutural scream, scrambling the walkers systems and disabling it. Taniks winced from the high frequency pitch that bombarded him. Taniks was rendered helpless as the Ahamkara pressed it's advantage, leaping onto the Walker and tearing off pieces with its powerful claws. It ripped off the arc missile launched and was about to tear open the central housing when Taniks released miniature scatter mines, forcing the Ahamkara to back off. BOOM! The Walker's main cannon flashed and the Ahamkara cried out, falling back with a smoky gash in its right wing. But it wouldn't stay down for long, and it screamed again, disabling the Walker and ripping away at it again. It ripped off the cannon and peeled back the canopy of the central housing. But Taniks was ready for it, and the Ahamkara was met with a blast from a scorch cannon. Taniks pressed the advantage, blasting the Ahamkara again and again from the Scorch Cannon. Once it ran dry he dropped it and pulled his blades free. He danced around the Ahamkara, slashing and stabbing, wearing it down. It swiped at him with its claws and he jumped back, then charged in again. After a few minutes of bloodshed, the Ahamkara lay dying, with Taniks blades posed to deal the killing blow. It turned it's eye towards him and suddenly Taniks heard a voice echoing inside his head. "Stay your blade, oh slayer of mine." Taniks faltered. "I am Eao, one of the last living Ahamkara. I can grant you what you wish." "Am I supposed to believe that you will deliver on what you promise? I am not the first to hunt you."‎ Taniks felt his hands tremble. "What did you promise them?" "They were not worthy... they took it for granted, asked for riches, for knowledge, for power, as if they had nothing to lose." Eao laughed. "But I deem you worthy oh slayer of mine." "Then you contradict yourself Eao." the Ahamkara looked at Taniks in confusion. "For I seek the same as they do. I sell my services for riches! I steal hidden secrets for knowledge! I vanquish my enemies to display my power!" He pointed his sword at Eao's throat. "What makes me different from those you deemed unworthy is that I do not ask for them as gifts from a silver-tongued beast. I take them with my own hands." Eao laughed. "One day, long from now.‎ You, huntsman will have met your match. And as you lay dying in a world on fire, you will wish you had accepted, oh slayer of mine." Taniks raised his blades. He closed his eyes and swung downwards. _______________________________________ "As requested, the horns and pelt of the Ahamkara Eao." Taniks handed the spoils of war to the Wolves Kell, Virixas. "Now, you will give me what I required as payment" "Very well. I give you the Ketch, Kaliks Syn, as payment for your services. It's commander, Parixas the Howling, will relinquish all control." "My Kell, this is an outrage!" Parixas shouted, drawing his blade. "What compels you to give a ketch to this house-less scum? Some bones and fur from a feral beast?" "Conquest' the Kell stared at his prizes with hunger in his eyes. "What else is worth fighting for?" Taniks rolled his eyes and was about to leave with his new Ketch in tow when Skolas the Rabid grabbed his arm. He turned to face the young captain. "Are we in agreement?" Taniks nodded silently. "Good I will be in contact with you when the opportunity arises." Taniks saw fire in the young captains eyes. "I'm about to make a big play, and i'm going to need powerful allies that I can trust." "Can I trust you, Shadow Thief?" he asked Taniks. The Huntsman merely smiled. _______________________________________ [i]The End.[/i] Previous Chapter: http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/167392051/0/0 Fireteam X & other fanfics: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/114713352/0/0‎ [quote]4 days late. 4 -blam!-ing days late. I'm going to need some time with Fireteam X book 6.[/quote]