[spoiler]This chapter contains descriptions of blood and gore. Nothing too extreme, but you were warned.[/spoiler]
"Incoming..." Angel said over the radio. Logan looked up to see Angel diving through the air, toward Daggr. Logan covered his face from the debris of the collision. When the dust cleared, a crater had formed and rubble was everywhere. Angel climbed out of the crater; her wings jittering and sparking electricity.
Logan tried to stand up, but he could only stand by propping himself against a wall. He tried to walk over and help Angel, but he collapsed instead. The warlock rubbed his hand across his shoulder, then looked at his blood-stained gauntlet. Angel finally made it out of the crater, but Daggr clenched her wing and ripped it off. Angel fell back into the crater, right beside the monster. The titan started using the spiked barrel of the Red Death as a mace, trying to break open Angel's helmet. She raised her arms to deflect the blows, but all that would do was give her broken bones before she would die.
"I'm losing the Light needed to heal you!" Alice panicked. She flew in front of Daggr, then pulsed bright lights in his eyes. The titan dropped the gun in an attempt to cover his Vex optical systems from the blinding strobe. Angel took this opportunity to crawl out of the crater a second time. This time, Logan mustered up enough strength to help her out.
The two Guardians limped away while Alice and Merlin kept Daggr busy. Three Vanguard marked Guardians rushed into the fray and tackled the mutant; Alice and Merlin flew to their Guardians and attempted to heal them. Daggr grabbed one Guardian and broke its back over his knee, then used the bayonet of the Red Death to finish it off. A huntress used a fusion rifle to stun the beast, but it had little affect. Daggr ripped the Red Death free, then shot the huntress through her skull and killed her immediately. The remaining hunter drew out a sidearm and easily put eight shots into the monster; blood and Vex data milk dripped from him like water. Daggr charged the hunter and pierced him with the spikes of his shoulder, like he did to Logan, and pinned him against a concrete wall. The hunter coughed up blood, then fell to the ground.
Angel and Logan watched in horror as the Guardians died one by one. "Their ghosts can't revive them... They were drained of their Light..." Alice said somberly.
"Merlin, how's my arm?" Logan asked.
"It's usable, but still weak," Merlin replied.
"What do you need me to do?" Angel asked.
"Stay here, stay safe..." Logan replied. Angel shot him a confused look.
Logan conjured a portal behind Daggr, unbeknownst to him. The warlock picked up his bo-staff, then ran toward the titan. Logan glided in the air, then whipped his staff around and knocked Daggr in the head. Daggr, stronger than ever, resisted but still backed up. Logan jumped back into the air and kicked the titan in the chest. Daggr fell backward into the portal, and Logan rushed through as well.
Daggr and Logan plummeted through the air. The titan grabbed Logan, then flipped around where Logan would hit the ground first. The warlock force pushed Daggr away, then glided just enough to fall above the titan. They were nearing the ground; they just passed the roofs of skyscrapers. Daggr aimed the Red Death, but before he could shoot, Logan channeled a massive surge of Void Light and threw a Nova Bomb into the titan. A massive explosion of Void power and concrete debris enveloped Daggr and Logan.
When the dust settled for a second time, Daggr was prone and unmoving. Angel and Logan, along with the crowd of civilians closing in, looked at the monstrosity on the ground. Daggr lifted his head up, but only slightly. "You... are weak... They... showed me... They showed me a storm... and you all will die..."
"The Vex? What did they show you?" Logan asked. Daggr would not answer. Instead, the mutant reached for the Red Death; he stabbed both of his hands with the spikes on the barrel, then thrust the bayonet into his stomach. Angel and Logan were shocked. Blood and Vex data milk formed a pool around the body now.
Commander Zavala arrived at the scene, along with Hawkman and Nick. Logan faced the Vanguard leader, then pointed to the dead body behind him. "There's your Red Death, Sir..." the warlock said.
"I see now that you killed my men in an attempt to save them. I apologize for not heeding your warning about the Red Death, and it is likely many more Guardians would have died had they taken on this... murderer. After all these years of believing the Red Death pulse rifle was destroyed... we were not trained for it..." Commander Zavala said to the Protectors.
"Speaking of which..." Logan opened a small portal, allowing several ghosts to fly out. The thirty or more Guardians assigned to arrest Daggr were revived. Soon, the crowd of civilians cheered for the Guardians.
"See? I told ya, all the City needed were a couple o' Protectors..." Nick said to Angel and Logan.
"Your criminal records have been wiped clean, and the Vanguard are offering you positions in our ranks," Zavala said as he pulled out a holotablet.
"Thank you, Commander, but I think we'll stick to working on your own..." Angel replied. Logan turned to her and smiled.
"...Very well... I would advise refraining from breaking anymore City or Vanguard laws in the future." Commander Zavala walked away while Guardians collected the exotic weapon and body. Other Guardians offered relief aid to the civilians affected by the skirmish.
Angel and Logan hugged each other tightly, and Angel burst into tears. Nick helped other Guardians clean up the scene and help injured civilians.