[spoiler]Looking for a different chapter? Here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/205901906/0/0]Master Post.[/url][/spoiler]After Fireteam Ashen's triumphant return, new spread quickly about the discovery of Rasputin. Even as the team was being debriefed by the Vanguard, Guardians excitedly spread the rumor and stories through the Tower. Even Commander Zavala was pleased, for once, and he expressed it in his meeting with the fireteam. "Excellent work, Guardians. The discovery of Rasputin is a valuable one, and you shall be rewarded for it. I'll make sure to send a team down to try and make contact with Rasputin and see if the Warmind will come to our aid." Avesk nudged the two Guardians. "Zavala doesn't hand out praise like that likely. You definitely managed to impress the old grump. Just don't let it go to your head." Zavala harrumphed and continued. "We have heard reports from Cayde's scouts that an unidentified object came down from orbit and crashed in the Cosmodrome. It landed in the grottos near the Forgotten Shore. I want your team to head over there and check it out." "Consider it done." Avesk replied. They exited from the Hall of Guardians and headed up to the Tower Courtyard. "We'll head out in a minute, but first, let's get you some quality Tower weapons." Avesk said. "Follow me, the Vanguard Quartermaster is this way." After a short walk to the Hanger, the group approached the Quartermaster, a Tower frame by the name of Roni 55-30. "The Armory is always open to you, Guardians." The frame chirped as the three approached. "Hey, we have this document that will get us a free gun. What can you offer?" Avesk asked as he handed the note to the frame. "Requisition list verified. Begin transaction." The frame said as it accepted the note and put a few guns on the table. "Carte Blanche S.1 - Auto Rifle. Trifecta S.2 - Pulse Rifle. Singularity S.3 - Scout Rifle." The frame said as it laid the weapons on the table. "I'll take the Trifecta." Validus said as he grabbed the weapon. "I guess I'll have the Scout Rifle, then." Cosmo said. Roni turned to Avesk. "The Auto Rifle is yours." It said. Avesk held a hand up, "No thanks. I've already got better guns." The frame nodded and stashed the weapon. "Return whenever you'd like, Guardian." The group walked back to the Tower courtyard. "So, uh, what's up with the weird gun names?" Cosmo asked. Avesk shrugged. "Beats me." He said. "One of the lines of rocket launchers is called the Unfriendly Giant." Now that they had better gear, the team piled into Avesk's ship and headed for the Forgotten Shore. They arrived at nightfall. The moon bathed the area in a pale, cool light. The team transmitted down to the ground and looked around. Avesk pointed. "There's what we're looking for. There's a spire behind that cliff, and it's right where Zavala's coordinates said the object landed. Let's head over there and see what it is." The group summoned their sparrows and traveled along the cliff face of the rocky shore. They arrived in a small clearing behind the cliff. They rounded the bend and saw the structure. It was large, vaguely harpoon shaped with a long tail rising high into the air. "Cayde?" Avesk began. "What is it?" Cayde asked over the comms. "This looks a lot like Hive architecture.." Avesk said uncertainly. "Hive? On Earth? I would have thought that after Burning Lake... Go check out whatever that thing is, but be careful. I don't want to lose any of you three. Let's hope that it isn't the Hive. For all our sakes." Cayde said. The team warily approached the structure. They saw that there was an empty doorway that led to the interior of the structure. It was small and circular and another doorway led down into a rocky tunnel. "I don't like the looks of this." Avesk said. "Be ready for confrontation." The team slowly walked into the tunnel. The moonlight faded as the got deeper into the tunnel. A few glowing crystals were the only light, and they didn't provide much. After going further, the tunnel finally opened into an underground cave, one that was artificial. Avesk frowned grimly. "Okay, this definitely looks like the work of the Hive. Be ready, I don't know how many are down there. But if I give the signal, I want you to-" He was suddenly interrupted by a loud screech. A horde of creatures rushed at then, on their incredibly quick two legs. "Open fire!" Avesk shouted. The creatures of bone and claw continued to run at the team, ignoring all of their brethren that were killed. The swarm slowly dwindled, until only a few Thrall were left. In their wake, came the next wave of enemies. These ones had bone protrusions and small bits of armor. They charged, firing their own weapons, narrowing their three green eyes at their enemy. Behind the Acolytes, was a line of Knights, clad heavily with ancient bone-turned-armor, firing their mortal-like canons. The cannon shots spun and shrieked as they hurtled towards the fireteam. A few of the Knights brandished swords made of ancient metal and pretrified bone. They rushed at the Guardians, growling and roaring. The team kept their cool, dispatching one threat after another. When the last sword Knight died, crumbling into ash and dust, the Guardians focused on the Knights with the canons, only to have their vision suddenly blocked by a could of smoke. The Wizard floated up, it's shape fluttering in the air. It held out its hands and began to fire twin streams of Arc energy from its clawed fingertips. Avesk threw a grenade that bounced off the wall and exploded right in front of the Wizard, burning its Solar shield away. He dispatched it with a single Sniper Rifle shot. The Knights, with no other support, turned and retreated deeper into the cave, firing one last volley of shots to cover them. Validus looked to Avesk. "Should we pursue?" He asked. "Yes." Avesk replied, "There's probably only a few of them left." They ran down the cave only to find that there were a lot more than a few left. Large groups of Acolytes advanced slowly, and Thrall screeched and screamed. The Knights took their positions and two Wizards floated around, providing poison-smoke cover for the Acolytes. Lumbering out from the side to stand behind all the other Hive was an Ogre. It roared a massive ground-shaking roar that froze the blood of Avesk, Validus, and Cosmo. "I'm ordering a tactical retreat." Avesk said as he slowly backed away. "What does that mean?" Cosmo asked. "It means run like heck!" Avesk shouted and took off back down the tunnel with Validus and Cosmo right behind him. The Ogre roared and chased the Guardians firing a steady beam of Void energy from its bulged and misshapen head. They finally emerged from the door of the Hive structure, out of breath. Faint roars of the Ogre and screeches of Thrall could be heard from down the tunnel behind them. "Alright, let's get out of here." Avesk said, and his ship flew overhead, instantly warping the Guardians into it. The ogre exited from the Hive structure and fired its face-laser at the ship, but it was too late. The Guardians had escaped. It turned and slowly lumbered back down into its lair. Upon the delivery of the bad news, the Vanguard immediately called an emergency meeting with the Speaker. This news is very troubling, to say the least." The Speaker replied. "If the Hive are present on Earth, then the Darkness is close at hand. We must do everything in our power to stop them." "What do you propose that we do?" Ikora asked. "We need to study the Hive: find out what they're up to. We shall send Fireteam Ashen to the moon." Zavala stated. The other two Vanguard immediately began to protest. Zavala held up a hand to quiet then. He looked to the Speaker. "The call is yours to make." Zavala said. The Speaker turned, examining the room until he found his response. "It is with great sadness in my heart, that I agree with Zavala. Ordinarily, I would never sacrifice so bright a team. But I believe it is the best option to saving the City and the Traveler." Ikora and Cayde lowered their heads, their expressions grim. "The decision is made then." Zavala announced, "I'll give the fireteam one day to prep, and then I'm sending to the moon. Meeting adjourned." The Speaker bowed his head. "May the Light be with us all."[quote]Click [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/211396706/0/0]here[/url] for the next chapter[/quote]