If you missed the last chapter, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/219675030/0/0]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]. Please give a bump or leave a comment if you enjoy this and any other chapter! ***  Toland charges. I have only a moment before he’s on me, hacking and slashing with his bone blade. SIVA saves me, revealing an ability she’s held back thus far, or didn’t even know herself – in a flash, she’s formed jagged spikes over my hands and forearms, blood red tendrils of the nanoswarm ending in wicked points, which I use to parry Toland’s attacks. The intensity of his assault knocks me back – I’m only able to defend as he pushes me across the top of the Tombship. SIVA enhances my reflexes, dodging Toland’s practiced strikes and finally flipping me backward to land in a defensive crouch. [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ He wouldn’t be able to, would he?[/i] I barely dodge Toland’s swing, and have to duck again immediately to avoid his rapid strikes. [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Though he’s certainly going to try.[/i] “Prove yourself, Guardian!” Toland barks. A jolt runs through me at his words. “So you haven’t forgotten how to speak your old language!” I growl at him. “That was for the Deathsinger’s benefit,” he responds, halting his assault. “And you must prove yourself.” “For what?!” “For the coming war,” Toland answers darkly. “You must learn their names. You must learn your power.” “I don’t care about your war, old man! I just want to get back home!” “There won’t be a home for you, fool! Now listen! You must learn their names!” “WHOSE NAMES?!” “Eir!” he begins. “Ur! Xol! Yul! And Akka! The five worms who gave the Hive their power, the dark gods of Fundament’s deep. I’ve spent what’s felt like a hundred lifetimes here learning to understand them, daring to do what no Guardian’s done! And here you come by fate’s design, another power born into the universe. And you don’t even know what to do with it, how to fight what’s coming.” A dark glimmer appears in Toland’s eye, a hint of madness hidden behind his scars. [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Completely crazy[/i], I answer her again. “The future is Darkness, my friend. When the stars start to go out, and the cold sets in as the few remaining lifeforms huddle around the dying lights, only the strong can order the chaos. And the Hive are strong – for they were weak, and never forget it. We forgot long ago, and now no longer even remember what we chose to forget.” He touches his scarred face sadly, and I can feel through his sagging shoulders his sacrifices and regrets. [i]Was it all for the Light? For the Traveler?[/i] I can’t help but wonder in the reprieve from his assault. [i]Or was it his own need to learn that drove him here?[/i] “We will not survive. Mankind, all kind, will not survive. For the Worms were born in Darkness, and at the end of time they will reign over all.” A tear falls from his eye for the future of life. “And we will all die, for death is the last part of living, and life is just learning to die.” Avi and Salas’ faces flash before me – they died, I died, countless times, and learned nothing more than the cruel nature of existence: you win or you die. But what does winning mean if you keep getting brought back from the dead? It just becomes a game, and we its players. I stare darkly at Toland as I see his face harden, and see him as he truly is – a player determined to win no matter what. He hoists his sword again as I look out of the corner of my eye at the Tombship drawing closer to the tear in space – [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ How close are we? ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ I don’t know if I can hold him that long. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] “That is why you must prove yourself, Guardian. Prove you are worthy to properly learn how to die.” [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Help me buy time, then.[/i] “I’ve already died more times than you can imagine, old man,” I call to Toland as I ready myself. “And I am no Guardian.” Toland charges again, but this time I’m prepared. I parry and dodge his blade, spinning and ducking with SIVA’s help. However, we’re still no match for Toland’s long years of practice. He finds his way past my defenses again, knocking me back – I move to dodge him, and he finds me, smashing me to the ground with his hilt. As my face collides with the hull of the Tombship, I taste blood. Dazed, I feel SIVA’s impatience growing as Toland strolls along the top– “You have more natural power than I, and yet not even that can save you from defeat. You do not deserve the gift you’ve been given.” [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Total asshole[/i] [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ I can’t. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ No. You won’t stop. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] Before I can answer, Toland hits me again, hard. My face smashes into the hull again as I feel him pierce my leg with his sword, pinning me in place. I scream in agony, and feel a mortal fear I haven’t felt since I first learned of my infection. [i]I’m going to die. I can’t beat him. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] Toland kneels next to me. “And that is why it must be taken from you, to learn from it so that we may grow stronger.” “We?” Toland smiles. “I serve the strongest, until the day comes that I am the strongest.” And then suddenly, I see the face of his master – skin of bone, eyes burning with the slow, inexorable conquest of the Darkness, reaching out with a strange, misty force to claim all, to take all – [i]The Darkness will claim everything. The stars will go out, and the cold will set in. There’s nothing we can do about it. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] Toland yanks his sword out of my leg and I yelp with pain. Spinning it expertly, he raises it high, preparing to deal the final blow. “But perhaps that day will be sooner than I expected. I shall enjoy studying your malady.” [i]Avi and Salas are running again – the wall explodes behind us, launching me forward to smack the ceiling before crashing to the floor. I’m barely breathing as I watch Avi and Salas continue to run. My opponent walks over to me, aiming down as I feel fear again – no matter how many times I die, there’s always the underlying instincts: fight, flight, and fear. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] SIVA flashes images into my mind, and I understand her message: a player determined to win can only be stopped by another player determined to win. [i]Sword Logic. Survival of the fittest. Being worthy of life is measured only through death. And I’m going to die. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Unless I’m determined to win no matter what. … … Do it.[/i] Toland brings his sword down as I finally let SIVA take control – in a blur of red, the spikes on my arms transform into tentacles that catch and snap Toland’s sword with a quick flex – the crimson nanoswarm writhes around him like serpents, twisting around his body and squeezing – Toland starts to scream as SIVA squeezes tighter – But there’s still a part of me that resists, not wanting any more death, the tired part of me, the old soldier – [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] We squeeze tighter, anger, fear and purpose pumping through every sinew and fiber of our connected bodies. The only sounds Toland makes are desperate gasps for breath – And then Avi and Salas’ faces appear to me again – [i]He’s not a threat anymore. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ There are greater threats more worth our time. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] SIVA squeezes tighter, her anger coursing through my veins as her trillions of parts all combine into a singular purpose: [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] … … And then I stop caring. [i]Survival of the fittest. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ … Kill him.[/i] SIVA squeezes tighter, but even as Toland’s eyes seem to start bulging and I could swear I hear bones crack, he’s making a gasping, choking sound like…. [i]He’s laughing.[/i] SIVA relaxes as she feels it, too, and we drop him on the hull as he takes a breath and continues to laugh. “You can’t kill me,” he chuckles while sniffling. “I’ve already tried. Hundreds of times. I can’t die.” [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ We can’t infect him. He can’t die. … … But neither can we…you won’t let me die anymore, will you? ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ He’s not worth our time, then. ~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] Ia’s face flashes across my mind, and I remember my purpose. [i]We have better things to do – and consume.[/i] Toland watches me through one eye as I speak with SIVA – I look back at him – “Is this proof enough for you?” Toland smiles. “Yes, and it’s more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. It must be you who is destined to destroy Oryx. Destined to take his place.” “I don’t believe in destiny anymore.” “It doesn’t matter if you believe,” Toland smirks. “[i]Will[/i] drives destiny, and I can only hope I’m there to see it when you meet a will that matches your own.” SIVA stretches out her tendrils again, and I don’t stop her. [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~[/i] “Enjoy your studies, old man,” I declare, throwing my head back as both SIVA’s and my anger merge, becoming one, uniting us. We knock Toland off the side, and as he plummets, I can hear him laughing again. [i]~ Consume Enhance Replicate ~ Still, maybe not that crazy, after all.[/i] We turn to look at the rip in space as the Tombship draws to its edge and slips through.