If you missed the last chapter, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/218419155/0/0]here[/url], or if you need to find a previous chapter, you can find them all in the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218618986?sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]. Enjoy the story and if you like it, a bump would be greatly appreciated! If you have any questions or corrections, comment or message me anytime, I welcome any and all feedback. *** The Deathsinger’s Dirge falters, just for a heartbeat, and then the Hive begin to scream. “RUN!!” Ia bellows. We bolt for the stairs behind us, Solis still carrying me – Thralls shriek as they sprint toward us, Acolytes firing as a Knight aims his Boomer, explosive energy raining down. We climb the staircase as Ia, Nas and Kennedi lead the way, firing back at the Hive. Ghost hovers overhead, quickly scouting us an exit. “There!” Ghost cries, shining his light on an outcrop of rocks beside the stairs – Nas and Kennedi bolt toward it as Ia continues firing. “Ia!” Nas cries, firing over her to give her cover. She bolts toward him, and he gives her a boost up, leaping to grab the ledge and shimmy to safety. The Deathsingers scream, directing Wizards toward us. They cast their spells, their own projectiles joining the Knights’ to fall around us, the stairs and walls exploding and raining debris. Kenedi leaps up to join Ia as Nas looks back to Solis and I. “Give him here!” Nas yells to the Fallen, and Solis shoves me into Nas’ arms. Chaos continues to rain down on us as the Thralls close in. Ia and Kenedi fire down on them to keep them off us. The Deathsingers scream to their soldiers, directing the Wizard’s and Knight’s fire toward the outcrop. Ghost soars overhead, planning an exit and calling out “You have to keep climbing!” His light shines around as the first bombardment of fire slams into the rock face, Ia and Kenedi ducking and covering – Solis pushes Nas and I out of the way of the falling rocks and I scream as the force of the fall sends fresh spasms of SIVA pain through me. “They’ve blasted an opening!” Ghost cries to Ia and Kenedi. “There!” He shines his light on a freshly-formed crevice as Ia and Kenedi look back to us. “Go!” Nas yells. “I’ve got them! Kenedi, draw their fire away from her!” Ia starts climbing as Nas and Kenedi returns fire, yelling at the Hive – another Hive bombardment slams into the wall and Ia is shaken off before catching herself a few feet down, hugging the wall in panic. Kenedi shrugs off the assault and pops in a fresh clip before firing at the Hive. Solis grabs me and starts to push me up – I seize her arm, stopping her. “There are....too many,” I tell her. “I’m not strong enough.....to climb that.” Hive fire rains down on us as Solis shields me and Nas roars at the Hive. I look up to see Ia climbing under Ghost’s direction, the Exos temporarily drawing their fire. “[i]I carry you[/i],” Solis growls, but I shake my head. I pull out a grenade and she whimpers as she sees it. However, she shakes it off and presses her forehead to mine lovingly before drawing her blade and joining the Exos in shooting the Hive. Nas looks up at Ia to check her progress, seeing she’s near the top of the stone wall. He turns to me and sees the grenade in my hand. “Find your way out,” I croak to him. “And tell Ia….I wouldn’t let you take me.” I can almost swear I see Nas’ face show grief, as clear as the grief I see on Solis’ face as she roars defiantly at the Hive, swinging and slashing them down. The Deathsingers scream back, waving their arms to their soldiers as they continue to rain Hell down upon us. Nas fires at an Acolyte aiming for Solis before looking back to me hesitantly. “Go!” I groan as a fresh wave of SIVA claws its way through my body. Nas finally nods and starts scaling the wall, Kenedi covering him. I nod once to Kenedi as he pops in a fresh clip. Nas climbs quickly as I shove Solis. “Go,” I mutter through gritted teeth, pulling out my hand cannon finally – I focus on the Light left within me, and feel its warmth wash over me, temporarily making the pain of the SIVA abate. Solis sheathes her blade and runs for the wall as Kenedi fires down, Ia and Nas joining them from the top – she leaps up and climbs quickly despite her handicap as I rise, the Light growing stronger, a golden glow spreading out from me like an aura – I don’t see Kenedi climb, or any of them give me one last look before they sprint away to safety – I just see the Light, and secretly breathe a sigh of relief that at last I can join it for eternity. Ghost suddenly swoops down toward me, shouting “Djido!” “Ghost,” I weakly respond. “You must help them in my stead now.” “But you’ll die without me!” he shouts, sounding distraught. “And if they capture you, everyone will die,” I respond. “Go.” He hesitates, shivering uncertainly, then finally floats away back up to the rock. I can’t bear to follow him up and meet the others’ eyes. I just hope he’ll lead them away so they won’t have to watch. I point my hand cannon at the swarm as the Deathsingers shield their eyes from my Light – its barrel radiates with the golden glow of the Sun, what the Speaker and the Traveler and all those who preach of the Light pretend to be – [i]This[/i], I think in my final moments, [i]this is the Light. And only we wield it. Only us Guardians, destined to wield it, fated to know, meant to die and rise to die again, all for this: the Light.[/i] I pull the trigger and unleash its power upon my enemies – it cuts through them like a solar flare, evaporating the servants of the Dark like morning banishes the night – I pull the trigger again – a supernova tears through the shadows and screams after the Deathsingers, who turn to take the blow, hurt but remaining unbroken as more of their soldiers shriek their last, caught in the rippling energy – I pull the trigger a final time – the spark of creation soars from my barrel, destined for destruction as it sings to match the Deathsingers, headed directly for them – An explosion of light erupts and obscures them as the pain of the SIVA comes roaring back. My light is spent, my lantern gone out, my flame snuffed. I drag my eyes upward to see what my sacrifice has bought as the ringing sound echoing around me fades – the light dissipates, and I see the hordes of broken bones that are all that remain of the Hive soldiers – I look further on – Dark tendrils creep through the waning light as the Deathsingers move toward me again, fresh Hive screaming up behind them as reinforcements bear down on me. [i]I’m going to die[/i], I think unbidden, but there’s no fear anymore – there’s nothing. Even the SIVA doesn’t burn as harsh. I take one last look up, and see Ghost hovering at the top defiantly, still watching me – I know what he’s thinking, and I shake my head firmly one last time. [i]No more[/i], I think. [i]Don’t bring me back again. We’re not meant to live with no fear of death.[/i] I turn back to the Hive, and gaze once again into the endless void of the Deathsingers’ hoods. I watch them draw nearer as their Thralls and Acolytes charge toward me, Knights raising their giant swords overhead to bring down on me. I pop the timer on my grenade, and stick it defiantly to my chest, among the twisted red mass that’s wormed its way completely throughout me. I close my eyes as listen to the shrieks, the horrible, gargled screams and can only think, [i]There are far more pleasant things I could be listening to[/i] as I count down in my head – 3…. 2…. 1….