[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/246624086/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] The wind whistled past Hayden’s ears, blowing through his hair and chilling him to the bone under his armor. He squinted against the gusts, trying to make out the shadowy forms of trees as he weaved his Sparrow through the forest. The glowing engines of other Sparrows cruised ahead of him, guiding him along in the night. He stole a glance over his left shoulder, making sure Natalia was close. She was just behind him, following his lead on her prized Fallen Pike. She had loved the alien vehicle the moment she saw it, and not even the pack of Fallen surrounding it had been able to stop her from killing the rider and taking it. She had painted it blood red, of course, and had enthusiastically cared for it the last few years. Going out for a joyride was one of her favorite pastimes. She still wasn’t acting like herself. She had barely spoken. That normally wouldn’t be an unusual thing when riding Sparrows, but Natalia didn’t care about what was sensible and what wasn’t. She always hollered into the rushing wind, and had even swallowed a bug on one occasion. Hayden smiled at the memory, then looked back to the path ahead and panicked as he came dangerously close to hitting a tree. He focused on steering, temporarily pushing Natalia out of his mind. Maneuvering through the woods in the dead of night was idiotic, but Hayden knew they needed to be fast. They couldn’t let Lady Avery roam through their territory unchecked. The trip from Fairmont to Flats was relatively short, and they had already been traveling for awhile. It wouldn’t be long until they arrived. Surely enough, the trees thinned out after some time had passed, making way for a wide plain. The forest stretched on to their left, marking the western edge of the expanse. A cluster of buildings sat ahead of them, softly illuminated by the light of the Moon. The village of Flats. The convoy went straight to the edge of the town, where they stopped and dismounted. Now light illuminated some of the closest homes, and the faces of civilians could be seen peeking out curiously, though none dared to come out. Hayden stayed close to Natalia, and some of the other gunmen joined them. “What are your orders?” the blonde guard asked, bowing respectfully. Hayden grimaced. “Get your nose out o’ the mud, Alexander,” the guard with the black beard scolded. Hayden huffed as Alexander straightened himself. He was constantly throwing himself upon Natalia like an obsessed fanboy, and it made Hayden sick to his stomach. “We shouldn’t split up,” the woman advised, fiddling with her braided hair, “We should crush them all in one attack.” “Hey, Hannah,” Oliver chirped, nudging the woman, “We don’t know which one they’ll pick, remember?” Hannah nodded, all doubt immediately gone, and Hayden rolled his eyes. Those two were a match made in hell, and the most savage individuals he’d ever met. “Are you feelin’ alright, m’Lady?” Alexander inquired. Hayden scowled, “Mind your own business. The Queen is fine.” Alexander glared daggers back at him, “We can all see it, except you apparently. Maybe you shouldn’t be the lead guard if you can’t even take care of Lady Natalia.” Hayden opened his mouth to lash back, but Natalia spoke up. “I’m perfectly fine,” she assured. Oliver had a hand over his mouth, making a poor attempt to hide his amusement. He loved watching Hayden and Alexander argue, and it happened often. “Oliver,” Natalia directed, “Take Hannah and Caden with you to Pinton.” Hannah, Oliver, and the bearded guard all saluted casually. “Oh,” Natalia remembered, “Before you go…” She went to the back of her Pike and dug through her bag, pulling out a sheet of red cloth. She swung the crimson cape around her shoulders, fastening it in front of her neck. “How do I look?” She asked with smile, flirtatiously sticking out her hips and bending over to display her new accessory. “It’s dark out…” Caden began, avoiding the question. “Beautiful, my queen!” Alexander cheered enthusiastically. “Like a conquering queen,” Oliver added, pounding his chest. “Ooh, I like that,” Natalia cooed, “Conquering queen. Sounds poetic.” “Thanks,” Oliver replied offhandedly, proud of his own wit. Now Hayden and Alexander were both glaring at him. He winked at Alexander, reveling in their jealousy. “You’d best be going,” Alexander reminded hotly. “Righto!” Oliver agreed, happily climbing onto his Sparrow. Hannah and Caden did the same. No farewells were exchanged. None of them were friends. They sped away, followed a few of the other gunmen who had come with them. Hayden didn’t know any of their names. They were just more of the murderers and fanatics who flocked to Warlords like Natalia, no better than bandits or the Fallen. Hayden watched those who stayed with suspicion. No one could be trusted. They only wanted power, and they would take it from Natalia if given the chance. “Ah,” Alexander observed, “Here comes the militia.” Hayden turned to look back to the village. Three men were coming towards them. • • • Fargo took a deep breath, enjoying the cold bite of the morning air. The sun had yet to show itself over the horizon, but the brightening sky hinted at its arrival. He took long strides to the edge of town, accompanied by two of the guards Natalia had sent with him. They weren’t as happy about being up so early, but they said nothing to ruin his mood. A battle was coming. A woman stood at the end of the road, where civilization ended and the wilderness began. She was clad in light armor and carried a rifle. “Howdy,” Fargo greeted as he came up beside her, “Your name was Chasity, right?” “Charity,” the woman corrected tiredly, “I thought I heard an engine last night, but it’s been quiet.” Fargo sighed. This woman was all business. Very serious about the protection of Coal. But it was her home, so he couldn’t blame her. “They wouldn’t dare attack,” he declared, straightening with pride, “Not when Coal is defended by the great Fargo Louse!” One of the guards behind them coughed, and he rolled his eyes at their lack of enthusiasm. Not everyone understood genius. “No offense, sir,” the woman said, “But I don’t like our odds. There’s barely a dozen of us here.” “A dozen is all we need!” Fargo encouraged, “One man can hold a fortress against thirty. And I once took a fortress with less!” “That’s real comfortin’,” one of the guards commented. Fargo didn’t notice his sarcasm. “Go get your rest, Chasity,” Fargo advised. “Charity,” she corrected. He continued speaking without acknowledging her, “If they aren’t here yet, they must have camped a ways off. They’ll be here no sooner than noon. Probably late in the day.” Charity let out a sleepy yawn and turned to return home. The sound of a high-caliber rifle firing cracked through the air.