[i]*Fanfiction. Coming on to chapter seven now and nearing the end. Thanks again to the few who are following the story. This chapter introduces (by name) someone straight from the grimoire. A little something something for those who like reading them. Nothing else to say except enjoy! As always, comment and critique!*[/i] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/87862826/0/0/1]Chapter One[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/95312709]Previous Chapter[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/96955285/0/0/1]Next Chapter[/url] [i]“Trapped in a box suspended in space. That is my home… It’s all I can remember…”[/i] 010100100100010101000010010011110100111101010100 010100100100010101000010010011110100111101010100 010100100100010101000010010011110100111101010100 [i]“I can see the sky, like white flame falling away from me.”[/i] REFERENCE CODE 14.0.17.1 7-1 VERIFIED. DIAGNOSTICS START. [i]“I can see the stars far below me. Lights… born and died.”[/i] ONE...THREE...FOUR...FIVE...SIX...SEVEN...EIGHT...NINE...TEN... [i]“I’m... falling into that night sky... bathing in those stars.”[/i] ALFA...BRAVO...CHARLIE...DELTA...ECHO...FOXTROT...GOLF...HOTEL... [i]“I crash like fire… caught in the embrace of a thousand suns.”[/i] A...ABATE...ACANTHURIDAE...ADAMICAL...AEGEAN...AFFIDAVY...AGAPANTHUS... [i]“Rivers of black where wind rises quell the sea of flame.”[/i] DIAGNOSTICS END. PROTOCOLS LOADED. MEMORY CORRUPTED TIx10000934 errors. BEGINNING DUMP. [i]“Hills of pale blood part… quelling winds… whisper… a name… ...lock… ...loc01101011… ...lo01101111…” ...No...stop…[/i] MEMORY DUMP INTERRUPTED. TERMINATE. TIx10000935 errors. LOGGED. REBOOT START. [i]”Hills of pale blood… whispered my name…”[/i] [b]--- Chapter Seven or The Third Floor ---[/b] [i][b]The Prison of Elders. Second Floor.[/i][/b] [b]”[Lock…]”[/b] Dim lights of white blinked twice and life found the Exo once again. He slowly opened his eyes to the pitch black around him and his body followed him into consciousness. It was dark and it was cold. [b]”Where am I?”[/b] [b]”[Alive.]”[/b] Lock pushed himself up against the wall he’d been propped against and looked around, taking in the dark hallway they were resting in. The room was dead. Anything freestanding had been knocked over but being a prison, there were very few objects left lying around. Save for a few powerless lanterns littering the floor, there was nothing else. The walls seemed bleak and lonely in the weak light and the stars hanging outside cracked windows seemed distant. The chamber from earlier was no where to be found. Tremors. [b]”What happened? Did you carry me out here?”[/b] [b]”[Both of you…]”[/b] [i]...Both…[/i] Lock scanned the room a second time when a trail of white smoke caught his eye. Ether trailed from the edges of a motionless body. [b]”Vahn. Damn it…”[/b] He started to move but pain flared from his chest and forced him back against the wall. It felt as though someone had hit him with a nova bomb. [b]”Shit!..”[/b] He heaved, pressing his hands to his chest and looking himself over. [b]”What the…”[/b] Finally inspecting his own wounds, he noticed the large black hole cut into his jumpsuit over his chest. The fabric had been frayed as if by fire and the metal underneath was heavily charred. The smell of burnt metal finally caught his nose. [b]”Aaa -blam!- you Dez.”[/b] [b]”[I had to move you both. You two were out cold and we were running out of time.]”[/b] Sky paused. [b]”[We [i]are[/i] running out of time.]”[/b] [b]”The hell… why didn’t you just leave me?”[/b] [b]”[I’m not leaving either one of you behind. Besides, you were mumbling… something. I don’t know what you were trying to say but you were still alive. And Vahn...]”[/b] Sky turned to look at the unconscious Fallen Captain. Lock followed her gaze, his glowing eyes throwing weak light over the body. Vahn’s chest was struggling to rise and fall as ether slipped between cracks in the bandages around his wounds. It seemed Sky had done more than simply move them from one place to another. She’d did her best to stitch him up however, judging by the way he was still bleeding ether into the air, the bandages were doing little more than slowing Vahn’s impending death. Even Lock could tell that he was slowly slipping away and although Sky was trying to ignore it, he could see the realization clearly in her eyes. Sky continued, seeming to distract herself from Vahn’s struggle. [b]”[I was growing tired so I put you both down here and scouted out ahead.]”[/b] She nodded into the dark. [b]”[Through that door there and up the flight of stairs. That is the third floor.]”[/b] [b]”Cypher’s floor.”[/b] Lock answered a question that hadn’t been asked. His eyes swept from Vahn to Sky. [b]”[The floor is empty, at least the areas I have explored. I didn’t see Cypher or any of the other inmates.]”[/b] [b]”How are you holding up?”[/b] Lock nodded toward the bandages around her forearms and the one covering her hand. [b]”[I’ll be fine. None of the wounds are deep.]”[/b] [b]”Right…”[/b] Lock nodded. The situation was dire, even more so than before. From the start their entire escape plan had been botched and now here they were at the foot of the third floor and two of them had already kissed death. To make matters worse, the ambush had killed more time than Lock had prepared for and now he found himself racing against the clock. Not just him but Vahn as well. Sure they weren’t the best of friends but the man had his uses and without him, Lock wasn’t sure they would have made it out of the chamber alive. If they didn’t move and get him help soon, Vahn was sure to die. [i]...Not that I'd really care but...[/i] Lock looked to Sky for a few silent moments before making up his mind. He gripped at his chest, doing his best to ignore the artificial pain wracking his body, and pushed himself to his feet. [b]”[You need more rest Lock.]”[/b] [b]”We don’t have time.”[/b] Lock replied standing now. One hand was pressed against the wall for support. [b]”Look… we have maybe two ‘docs at the most before the Queen arrives and if we’re not out of here by then… we’ll be stuck here forever. Not to mention Vahn is going to die.”[/b] He met Sky’s gaze. It remained unwavering. [i]...Impressive…[/i] [b]”There should be an ether storage bank somewhere on Cypher’s floor. Hopefully with spare masks.”[/b] [b]”[I know where it is.]”[/b] Lock raised a brow. [b]”You do?”[/b] [b]”[Unlike someone…]”[/b] She gave Vahn a look and chuckled. It was as lighthearted as she could manage. [b]”[I memorized your map of the prison.]”[/b] Lock nodded with a smile. [b]”Okay… okay. So we’ll hit the bank and get ourselves some spare ether. If the rest of the floor is in fact empty. It’ll be a cakewalk to the shipping docks. We should be out well before the Queen arrives.”[/b] He looked to Sky. [b]”Sound like a plan?”[/b] [b]”[What of Randar…]”[/b] She didn’t want to remind him but she understood the frail human to be of importance to Lock. For whatever reason his safety was of the Exo’s concern. Lock looked over to see a small figure huddled over himself. He was shaking. [b]”[He’s been quiet ever since we left the room. Quiet and obedient.]”[/b] Lock simply stared at him for a few moments trying to gauge how he was doing before deciding to say something. [b]”Randar.”[/b] His voice carried, echoing off the empty halls and caught the Human’s attention. Pale blue eyes turned toward the pair, the color reflecting off the lights from Lock’s own. [b]”I’m… I’m fine…”[/b] He finally said when he noticed they were waiting on him. [b]”Just a little shaken is all… everyone’s…”[/b] He trailed off. Lock picked it up for him. [b]”Yeah I know... It sucks but we have to get moving… alright?”[/b] Randar nodded. [i]*Continued below...*[/i]