[i]**Alright here is part 2, and here is a link to part 1 if you want to catch up [url]http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/78388593/0/0/1[/url] Comments, questions, and critiques are all welcome. [/i] "Three.." [i]What did you say?[/i] "Three shots, none of them aimed for the head. He's not trying to end it yet. I've seen him in the Crucible. Two headshots and even a Titan will fall, every time, always the same. Thorn holds six rounds, and I've watched him reload that thing, at least two full seconds. I've got to make him reload." "Ghost, change armor jump function to triple jump." "Done." Pahanin sheathed Super Good Advice and quickly climbed on top of the rock. He scanned the ridge until he spotted the green shimmer of Yor's mask. "Shoot me you ugly bastard." Pahanin whispered to himself with gritted teeth. Yor obliged. One spear was loosed from Thorn's jagged muzzle. Instantly, Pahanin lept from the top of his rock. The first bullet avoided. Then another spike screeched out of the Thorn. Pahanin triggered a second jump, and narrowly dodged that one as well. His leaps were bringing him closer to the rim of the crater, farther from the dusty surface. Then, the final round. The muzzle blast seemed even louder. Pahanin, hoping to get as much distance as possible from his last jump, waited a moment too long. The poison dagger struck him just above the hip. The impact caused him to stumble when he finally landed on the ridge top. The pain was cacophonous. It shouted in his ears and seized up his insides. But he didn't slow. He scrambled up, determined to use those two seconds with fatal efficacy. He drew Super Good Advice and sprinted at his enemy. Dozens of bullets exploded from his weapon with nearly instantaneous succession. Multiple hits. We're wounding him. Pahanin was in too much pain to feel any satisfaction. But he continued. When the bullets ran dry he holstered his gun, slid, and launched his throwing knife at Yor's throat. Yor ducked and turned, then exploded into green mist. The knife gracefully arched and twirled, and put a hole in the acidic cloud precisely where Yor's neck had been. Pahanin was crouched, gasping for breath and searching for where Yor had teleported to. [i]Pahanin, behind you![/i] Too slow. Just as Pahanin turned to face him, Yor's boot connected with the center of his chest, and launched him onto the ground. Covered in chalky moon dust, Pahanin looked up at his opponent. "[b]You should be afraid now, Pahanin Errata[/b]." His voice was slow and grave. Thorn was held out and aimed between Pahanin's eyes. Poised to give him a third eye socket. The black hole of its barrel was as bottomless and sinister as the Hellmouth itself. With blood in his mouth and fire in his veins, Pahanin refused to give Yor the satisfaction. He laughed. It was the same warm, yet mocking laugh he had always had. His old team mates used to hate that laugh, it always came after one of Pahanin's own bad jokes. "I'll never fear you. You're a traitor and a coward, that fancies himself a monster. I've seen true monsters before, ones that live outside of time. I've fought creatures that could erase you from reality. You are a puppet of the Hive, Yor. Pathetic." Thorn's barrel didn't waver or swing. "I know exactly what you've seen Pahanin. And we all know who the true coward is. Tell me, did Kabr die before you abandoned him in the Vault, or did you leave him alive so he might distract the Vex long enough for you to run away?" Pahanin fell silent. His gaze became distant, and different kind of pain began to course through his veins. [i]That's not what happened! He made you leave him Pahanin, you said he didn't give you a choice![/i] "We always have a choice.." Pahanin said softly. "[b]And this is what the legendary hunter Pahanin has chosen! You left your honor in the Vault, Guardian. And it died with Kabr the Legionless. Now you don't have his shoulder to hide behind. And your light will help wake-[/b]" Yor's voice turned into a hacking cough, his gun lowered and his free hand reached up to hold his head. He hunched over and screamed incoherently. "AaaaaAAAAAGGGH GET OUT OF MY HEAD..." This was a wretched scream that abandoned all the violence and grandeur it had only moments before. Yor thrashed and whipped his head side to side, as through he was trying to shake off a demon riding on his back. The Thorn was launched from his hand in the convulsions, landing several yards away with a puff of white dust. He fell to his knees, and looked up at Pahanin. The glowing eyes were flickering like dying bulbs. But the face still grinned full of dry, jagged teeth. "P-Pahanin.. You have to leave, escape.. N-Now.. But deliver a message.." Pahanin was shocked and suspicious. He used this moment of solace to grab his weapon and get his feet under him. He winced from the pain in his hip. "What message? To whom? "T-tell Shin Malphur.. Tell him.." The words were like gasps, like a drowning man able to breath for just a moment. "Shin Malphur? That renegade from the badlands? What business do you have with him?" Pahanin's interest was piqued, and his gun was readied. "W-when you find him.. Tell him that.. I-I'm sorr-" He coughed and choked once again. His head went limp and nodded down to his chest. He was crumpled and trembling. Pahanin was crouched and slowly backpedaling. "What is this Yor? Another trick?" [i]Pahanin, he told us to go. We have a chance right now we can get out of here. [/i] "No, 'Vice. Not this time." [i]Dying here isn't going to bring Kabr back Pahanin! It's not worth it![/i] "This isn't about him, Kabr chose his own fate. This is mine." Just then, Yor's wretched form began to rise again. Cackling with mania and pained desperation. Whatever inner battle he had been fighting.. It was lost. "[b][i]THERE IS NO HOPE FOR YOU GUARDIAN. HIS WHISPERS ARE A COVENANT. HE HAS CHOSEN ME TO BE HIS HERALD. EVERY HIVE ACROSS THE SYSTEM CAN HEAR HIS VOICE. HE IS RISING FROM YOUR ANCESTORS' NIGHTMARES. THE WIELDERS OF LIGHT WILL REMEMBER HIS NAME. CRO-TA. CRO-TA. CRO-TA.[/i][/b]" His voice had lost any modicum of humanity; it sounded like a choir of demons screeching in unison. The chant was ugly and vivid. Pahanin's hair stood on end. But his heart was iron clad. Once more he bombarded Yor with his machine gun. He did not miss. But Dredgen Yor did not fall. And Super Good Advice's bandolier quickly ran dry. "Ghost, how's my Golden Gun coming?!" Pahanin shouted. "Somehow.. Thorn's poison drained your light as well.. You are cut off from the Traveler's power. I'm sorry." [i]To be concluded...[/i]