Enjoy Five Years Ago Lance was nudged awake. As he opened his eyes the early morning haze lifted and his room came into focus. He heard a slight giggle as he turned his head. He smiled as a pair of innocent sky blue eyes awaited dreamily for him. “Happy Dawning,” Clio whispered. She kissed him on the nose and hopped out of bed. “Morning,” Lance said sitting. He stretched out his arms, a familiar and welcomed pop coming from his joints. “Cover your eyes,” she said. “I have a surprise for you.” “Okay,” Lance laughed. He covered his eyes, letting his mind wander. “You can open them now.” Lance raised a brow, grinning slyly. Clio sported a strapless red dress with white fluffy trimmings. Her festive hat and matching silken gloves accenting the outfit perfectly. The dress hugged her body and intentionally hung a little too low across her chest. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood up and quickly took hold of Clio, her petite figure melting into his arms. “Have I ever told you how amazing Hunters look in red?” “So it’s Hunters in general? Or just me?” Clio’s sly grin and seductive eyes captured Lance, trapping him in their boundless allure. “Only you,” he whispered softly into her ear. He felt the shivers run up her spine as he said it. “Good, otherwise that gift I got you… I’d just have to take it back” She pointed to the corner of the room, a long slender, gift wrapped object was propped against the wall. [b]*** [/b] “This is not what I had imagined when you said you had something special planned for the Dawning,” Drake said as he followed Lorelei towards the divide. “Come on you saw that Ketch!” She teased back. “It had the Kings banner all over it.” “You are insatiable!” Drake laughed. He floated over some broken terrain, to catch up Lorelei a few meters ahead of him. “There is nothing wrong with healthy competition Mr. Warlock.” “Absolutely, but you might be obsessed.” “Only slightly,” Lorelei giggled. “By the way,” she stopped suddenly. Pulling a small box from her backpack, she handed it to Drake. “Happy Dawning.” “Thank you,” he smiled. Pulling the golden ribbon and opening the box, Drake pulled out a golden pocket watch. “Since you like antiques, I figured this would be the best bet.” “It’s perfect,” he whispered hugging her from behind. “I have something for you back at the tower. When I win this little challenge, I’ll give it to you.” “You wish!” Present Day Lorelei watched solemnly as an entire platoon littered the Divide just outside the entrance to the ventilation shaft. She took in a deep breath and slowed her heart rate. She counted the beats of her heart closing her eyes and imagining the battlefield. As Lorelei exhaled she opened her eyes slowly and counted each head of the Splicers coming to end her existence. Picking up Raze-Lighter she tightly grasped the handle and took a step outside. Solar weapons fire buzzed past her head and body as the Fallen missed the initial salvo. A Dreg rushed up swinging its knife blade. Shaking her head, Lorelei reached out and took the creature by the neck. It was easy, a frail creature in her hands. A mere squeeze and the creature squirmed, writhing in agony. Slightly tighter and a high pitched animalistic howl echoed from the Dreg. Lorelei snapped its neck with the ease of breaking a twig. Eying down the remaining baker’s dozen or so of enemies, she unleased the void energy built up in her chest. The Ward of Dawn reflected oncoming fire. Lorelei took a few steps outside the bubble toward charging Vandals. Searing flames engulfed her blade as she uppercut the Fallen, leaving behind smoldering piles of ash and flesh. Another group of Dreg challenged her. Clenching her fist, she punched one, the alien dissolving into void light. The light was absorbed into her armor cloaking her with a protective shield. She uppercut another pair of Vandals and sliced through the armor of Shanks. One of the Captains leapt into the fray, blasting its shrapnel launcher. Wide bursts of solar fire peppered her shield and armor. Un-phased she slowly walked toward the Captain. It roared and threw down its weapon. Rushing forward, it clasped its hands and brought them down over Lorelei’s head. She brought the blade of Raze-Lighter up and stopped the assault. Another set of searing flames burned across the tempered steel, the glowing heat sparking against the SIVA infused Captain armor. Lance watched, nodding his head, as Lorelei single handedly took on the platoon of Splicers. Her fluid, deliberate, and precise movements more of a dance than a fight. She was strong, extremely so. The fight with the Captain looked completely one sided. Lorelei was able to take damage like it was nothing, the shield of light still glowing bright. Her mastery of Raze-Lighter was awe inspiring. He marveled at the ease of the movement to her one-handed style. Just as he watched Lorelei cleave the Captain in two, a flurry of snow caught his eye. A brief spark lit up a cloaked Splicer Captain. Lance narrowed his eyes, pulling a weapon from his backpack. He channeled arc energy into the blade. It arched into a menacing reaper’s scythe, sparking with arc light and crackling with electricity. The hum caught the ear of the Captain. Lorelei swung Raze-Lighter straight across the gut of the Captain. It stopped, stumbled back a little and clutched its abdomen. Looking down at its hands, purple blood drenched its palms. The Captain’s vision blurred as the world spun. It tried to shake it off but lost its footing. A sense of weightlessness and darkened vision took over. Falling forward into the snow, it felt the soft cushion blanket its body. Ice clutched its veins and as darkness pulled over its eyes it felt the steel blade burn into its armor. It opened its mouth to scream but nothing came out. A scuffling of snow and electric hum perked her ear. Lorelei turned to see Lance slicing down on a Stealth Captain with an arc reaper’s scythe. Lance’s blade was blocked by the crossing of the Captain’s Shock Cutlass pair. He kicked the Captain away and swung upward with his scythe. The blade caught one of the Captain’s arms severing from the body and cauterizing the stump with intense electric power. The pain was not immediate; it came after Lance struck one more time severing another arm from the Captain’s body. Roaring in agony, the Captain fell to its knees. In one final, swift, stroke, the roaring stopped. Lance turned his back to the Captain and stopped channeling arc energy to his blade. A spew of blood and ether followed. “Impressive,” Lance said as Lorelei put Raze-Lighter onto its magnetic holster. She remained silent. “Reaper, the collector of fallen ghosts to deliver them unto the Speaker.” “Shut up.” “She speaks.” “Don’t you ever call me that again,” Lorelei clenched her fist. “Reap–” Lance felt immense pressure suddenly build in his abdomen. His helmet was brought down connecting with Lorelei’s knee. As he arched his back, shooting pain spread wildly throughout his chest. He flew back skidding through the snow. Lance blinked away the confusion in time to feel Lorelei’s full weight step onto him and a burning blade against his neck. “I said, don’t.”