https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/254056479/0/0 Go read this first to understand. As Bernthal walks through the flames to find his most stalwart and insane Prophet, the ungodly heat of said flames, which slowly, tirelessly and perhaps a tad gleefully, consumed the Temple, her wards & His Prophet, those flames sing him the song of an ancient battle, when the previous Prophet had died and Bernthal had needed to find another to help defeat That One. As He finally comes upon the massive corpse of Xombie's corpse, the half human side of his body had already blackened from they powerful flames and Bernthal felt as if a spear has been punched through his chest! The raw emotion was not something he had ever had to experience, but looking down at the tool that had become a friend, a nuisance and a delight, Bernthal could not help but feel his heart do a strange twisting stutter as He struggled to maintain his composure. "Xronad, when I pulled you out of that grave, I knew that things would end badly for you, but it was supposed to be in battle against what you & the Temple held back. I never expected your Little Witch to put paid to your life or for you to not even [i]try[/i] to defeat her!” Out of the shadows steps the shade of a huge Viking-esque man. "What were ya after expectin o' him, Bernthal? Xombie has been after servin ya with all he has for centuries!?!? Hell, maybe after bein longer! Do ya even remember how long ago it was when he started ta serve ye? Yet nary a one has [i]ever[/i] served so long or so diligently. When he was after comin into yer service, what were ya called by my kind? I believe ye were after being called The End, wasn't it? The Master of Decay, Envoy o' Entropy an other equally dramatic an flowery names! He raised ya up ta bein sumthin a wee bit more, a wee bit better! He was after being sorely tired an he actually cared about the Little Witch, he was after hopin ta save her! Why didn't ya step in an help him?" "You dare to question me and my methods? Do you [i]know[/i] what I have been battling? Nah, you don't. Xombie quit, he laid down on the job! He was a soldier and soldiers don't do that! It has been 1500+ years since he came into my service. When he joined me, I believe Artorius was still their savior with that drunken loon of a dust flinger! It has been a long time......" "Nay! Xombie was a warrior, no a soldier! Warriors either grow tired of battle an' retire or they die young in battle! He did no get either option! Ye offered him yer power iffen he joined ya, right after he was killed & he was after [i]still[/i] havin his baby girl to save! O' course he took ye up on yer offer, what other choice was he after havin, ya daft git!” "I know, but he was perfect. I needed his determination, his will, his drive, if we were to have any chance of saving this place. He was too perfect to pass up, I had was on my last legs battling That One & I needed a powerhouse. I can't destroy That One, only contain it and to do that, I need a Temple and a Prophet!! Now, through her careless actions, we might see the end of it all, for He stirs and I can feel His laughter rattling my bones." "Well, the bed is after bein shit in an there is naught that can be done about it. I am after thinkin ye best be hopin those he put his trust in can be after puttin this baby to bed or........it is no worth thinking about." " His companions? Like the Witch who killed him? Or the Dwarf who could not save him? Or that Hairdryer who only wanted power? Or the Templar who disappeared? Or the Champion that was more obsessed with other political things? Or the Great detective that could not solve the riddle? Tell me which is strong enough, for only 2 had potential, the Dwarf and the Templar, they had the heart! Or I could bring him back again......" Bernthal almost whispers that last part, the wrongness of the words holding that much power, oozing that much filth. Green flames leapt in the eyes of the shade as he disappears, his parting words drifting through the Temple and ringing in Bernthal's ears, "Try it an ye may be after gettin a reminder o' why yeah chose the way ya chose an at a time ye can ill afford to suffer that damage! Those companions were after bein great enough for his faith an love, least ye can be after doin is honorin his chosen legacy!” As Bernthal stood his silent vigil over Xombie and the Temple, as the flames consumed it all, Bernthal finally replied as the flames died out after consuming the last bit of fuel, "I know friend and I won't do that to you. Go enjoy your rest, for even if I lose this battle, you are safe in your Heaven. Go be with your family and know you will be missed!” With those words, Bernthal peered through the Æther and see the shade of the Viking-esque man slowly walking into a gorgeous spring day towards a log cabin in a valley lush & green. 2 children looking up and screaming for their mother that Papa was finally come home! And as the woman came into the doorway, disbelief clearly etched upon her brow, she could see the children running towards the open arms of the bearded face she knew so well, his long braids flying in the wind as he scooped his babies up and twirled them, laughing....and though she longed to run to him, she could not move, all she could do was sink to her knees & cry, for he was home at last and he had promised there would never been another thing to take him from them again after this last service he had been forced to render...... As Bernthal steps into a shadow and disappears from OffTopic's former Temple of The One True Holy Cookie, a small crack appears in the ground and quiet laughter leaks out........