Enjoy (part 2 in the comments sorry they keep getting longer than the word count allowed) “SIVA,” Shiro began as the group on Felwinter Peak was led into the atrium of the temple. “It is a technology developed in the golden age. Nano-technology that was supposed to be the pinnacle of humanity’s aspiration to reach the stars. It contains the ability to build anything, to create whatever the operator programmed into it.” “Now the Fallen have it.” Saladin stepped in. “I thought we buried it, but it must have been dug up.” “Exactly, and the Fallen seemed to have figured out how to use it, at least to rebuild their god Sepiks. I lost its tracking signal as it left through the wall. We need you three to investigate. I have two scouts, Johnathan and Nathaniel investigating the surrounding area making sure to close off access to the mountain.” “We need to find out the extent to which the fallen have uncovered, manufactured, and used SIVA. We need to find Sepiks.” Saladin turned to face the group. “Shiro and I will direct you from here.” The atrium was enormous. Statues well over fifteen feet tall stood looking down. Altars at their feet were filled with ash and dust. Inscribed in each were the names of nine Iron Lords, the spirits from the Forge. Cobwebs clung to the corners of the room and iron bells creaked under their own weight in the back of the room. The growl of wolves echoed in the chamber. A pack of grey mountain wolves filed into the room. The alpha, bore its teeth glaring at the unwelcomed intruders. Saladin raised his hand, beckoning the wolves to him. They came, the alpha sitting directly in front of Saladin. “This is the resting place dedicated to those Iron Lords who died to make sure SIVA never reached the surface of the planet. A title seemingly bestowed, now, by Shaxx through his crucible. Tell me Lady Ophelia, standing now among the greatest that had ever lived, are you worthy? Can you finish what even they could not?” “Watch me,” Ophelia said smiling. “Good,” Shiro said. “Now, I’ll send your ghosts the coordinates where I last tracked Sepiks. Find it and kill it.” Alexander, Ophelia, and Raven left the temple stepping into the cold air of the mountain. The snow bit through their armor and the wind carried loose snow over the rocks. Ophelia walked down the steps to the court yard, a giant fire pit the centerpiece. Raven held back taking hold of Alexander’s hand. “Wait just a second,” she said. Putting her arms around him, she whispered into his ear. “I’ve always loved the snow.” And as suddenly as the moment occurred it passed and Raven skipped away. Clicking the ring around her neck, the Arc Flayer Cloak came to life. Bits of arc energy flowed into the air, matching the snow. The sheen a dazzling display of beauty. Like a maiden innocently captured by intrigue, Raven skipped along the snowy drifts twirling a little catching the white flakes in her hand. Her armor was cold enough it didn’t melt right away. “I have the coordinates,” Shiro said. “Sending them now.” The fire team summoned their ghosts and ships. *** As they dropped from their ships to the Cosmodrome surface, they stared in awe at the massive wall, and the gaping hole that ripped it apart. Metal was torn down and pockets of snow had piled on the twisted remains. “I…” Began Oliver. “I can’t tell what’s worse, the hole blown through Zavala’s wall or the Devil’s Ketch.” Skiffs emerged from the wall carrying loads of metal and other supplies. They floated to the Ketch and disappeared into its docking bay. A roar echoed from the shattered highway. Fallen filed out into the open arc energy sizzling by the fire team. Alexander clenched his fist, his own arc energy electrifying the air. He ran forward, charging the group. The slipstream around him broke when he shoulder-charged the nearest Vandal. Shots from behind him picked off the Dregs as the Captain stepped forward, its shock blades humming. It swung down with both blades onto Alexander. He caught the arms in his, but felt two quick and painful jabs to his abdomen. He reeled back and the Captain laughed, kicking him back. The Captain’s shield was peppered with fire from afar as both Ophelia and Raven advanced. It blinked back and away from the fire and behind a broken bus stop. Alexander jumped to his feet and followed the Captain. He used his momentum taking hold of the metal side and swinging around. The force of his kick shattering the Captain’s shield knocking it flat on its back. Taking Immobius in hand he aimed at the monster’s head. Pulling the trigger, he felt a small kick. “The coordinates are on the other side of the wall,” Ila spoke up. “We need to make our way through to the other side.” They hurried into the winding passages of the Russian industrial complex. Ice lined the walls and stalagmites hung from the metal ceiling. Fallen Dreg and Shank scouts were little match to the guardians as they advanced. The Breach was enormous. Snow had packed into the ground and covered the rusting metal. More Fallen scouts met their end as the fire team followed the navigation point on the HUD towards the other side of the wall. More access ways and scouts blocked their path, but they made it out. The Divide looked completely untouched. Huge snowbanks covered much of the land and piles of it covered the rooftops. “Over there,” Raven pointed. A red and black mass of electronic tendrils and pyramids had ate its way into a building and part of it had bloomed into a floweresque appearance. “I know what that is!” She shouted taken aback. “That is SIVA,” Shiro explained over the coms. “That is what ate my cloak in Clovis Bray,” Raven shook. “All the more reason to stop it. If the Fallen have gotten hold of the Consume aspect, then they can easily figure out the next steps. Keep going, I am getting a reading from the Rocketyard.” The screech and wails of pain echoed across the Divide. Hive tomb ships broke the dimensional barrier and ripped into the land. Acolytes and Wizards flooded the far side. Perplexed, the fire team shook it off and let it be, moving toward the Rocketyard. “It is unusually quiet,” Ophelia whispered over the coms. The Rocketyard was left in as much decay as the Divide. Fallen bots were seen cutting metal from everything. They hovered about their business ignorant of the Guardians. Metal had collapsed in on itself all over the place, its structural integrity degraded immensely from the bot’s work. More crimson tendrils wrapped around buildings and nodes formed randomly along its growing path. “The coordinates lead to that sensor station ahead,” Ophelia whispered once again over the coms. As they approached an artificially created entry way, made from a bot cutting away a huge chunk of metal wall, they watched as a node spiraled up before them. Taken off guard, Raven fired four quick rounds into the node. The metal cracks reverberated into the quiet air. There was a hiss as the nano-technology sizzled and dissipated, the node destroyed. Ophelia took a quick glance inside and scanned the room. Empty. “Think we can use that sensor station to track Sepiks?” Alexander asked. “I’ll give it a shot,” Oliver responded. They moved inside slowly, but stopped in the center of the room. A giant tree trunk of crimson and black metal had ripped through the sensor grid mainframe and ripped it apart, consuming most of the terminal. Oliver floated over and attempted to access it. “This SIVA is dormant,” he began. “Just to let you know. But there isn’t enough left of the grid to track anything.” “Okay –” A mechanical snarl interrupted Alexander. The sound almost electronic in its presentation. The far wall burst open as spliced abominations marched through. Bio-mechanical Fallen raised their weapons and opened fire. “The hell are those!” Exclaimed Raven as she dove behind cover. She fired at what she thought looked like a dreg. The creature twisted back in pain clutching the impact wound. “They bleed still!” Ophelia opened fire, opting to slide behind a crate for cover. Burning solar energy weapons rained down from above as Spliced Vandals fell from the ceiling. Her shield was almost immediately broken, but she managed to find new cover shooting along the way. The Vandals heads exploded into red ether, their metal bodies twisting and contorting in response. Alexander charged forward and leapt into the air. clenching his fists, he crashed down an arc explosion blasting away the Spliced Fallen. Dregs were eviscerated into nothingness, their bodies electrified and smoldering. Another chunk of wall burst open as a Captain clad in Reaver armaments. Burning scorch rounds tore through Alexanders shield as it unleashed its rifle. Raven stood back and fired four rounds into the black and red metal monster attacking Alexander. Her eyes widened and heart rate quickened as the rounds simply bounced off. The improved solar shield was heavily resistant. Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief when her shield recharged. She peaked up just as the Spliced Reaver Captain kicked Alexander down and aimed its rifle. Four more sniper rounds hit center mass but had little effect on the shield of the creature. Ophelia joined in, aiming Monte Carlo and unloading a clip. Clearly irritated the Captain turned let out an electronic roar. A swarm of mites appeared over bodies of the Fallen. Metal snapped and formed over the wounds and they rose to their feet. Zombified bio-mechanical monstrosities began to swarm the room once more. She took a deep breath and downed two more Dregs. SIVA brought them back nearly instantly. Alexander coughed iron from his gut and shook off the dizziness. The Reaver Captain had ignored him long enough for him to gather his consciousness back. He cracked his neck and narrowed his eyes. Drawing Immobious, he stopped momentarily. SIVA had brought back all but two Dregs and a few Vandals.