Doom of the Dragons, Part Thirty-One: A Red Death

[spoiler]Greetings, Guardians, and here's part thirty of Doom of the Dragons! Here's[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/243202566?page=0&sort=0&showBanned=0&path=1] part thirty[/url] if you missed it, or, if you're looking for another part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/242738879?sort=0&page=0]Master Post.[/url] At this point, we're going close to the end of the story - at this point, there's only one or two parts left. However, as usual, if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! Stay classy, Guardians! [/spoiler] “Well, Andal,” Lysander said. “What is your estimation of the situation regarding the rouge Guardian Cupun?” Andal looked up at him, heavy bags beneath his eyes. “To be perfectly frank,” he said, “we’re in deep shit.” Lysander nodded. In addition to the four-man fire team that Cupun had murdered the other day, another hunter on the hunt for Cupun had gone missing, and the Vanguard feared the worst. Andal had apparently known her quite well. “It is clear that the bounty system isn’t working,” Saint said. “We need a new strategy.” “What else is there?” Osiris asked. “We can’t just snap our fingers and make him go away!” “No,” Lysander said, “but we can even the odds.” He leaned forwards. “We organize a proper task force. Not a simple fireteam, but a team of no fewer than twenty of our best Guardians. We let them loose in the mountains, and have them hunt down Cupun - to the ends of the earth if they have to.” “It won’t work,” Andal said. Lysander turned towards the hunter vanguard. “Why not?” he asked. Andal looked up at him, his eyes red. “The hunter we lost earlier,” he said, “Diosa. She was one of my best. She was an excellent tracker, one of the best shots I’ve ever seen, and above all, she was damned intelligent.” Andal let out a sigh. “She wouldn’t have gone down without a fight.” “Your point?” Lysander asked. “My point is that Cupun might be mad, but he’s not an idiot!” Andal growled. “He hasn’t survived this long by being stupid. As soon as he sees this elite force of yours, he’ll just fade away into the wilderness - or worse, find a way to kill them all.” Lysander nodded. “I see,” he said. “But what if we make Cupun come to them?” The members of the Consensus stared at him. “Explain,” Saint said. Lysander smiled, and told them his idea. The Vanguard mentors exchanged glances. “It’s dangerous,” Osiris said. “But necessary,” Executor Quail said. “I agree,” Henri said. “Cupun is too dangerous. We must stop him now, or deal with him forever.” The Speaker nodded. “Very well,” he said. “All in favor?” Every member of the Consensus raised their hands. “Very well,” the Speaker said. “Carry it out. At once.” * * * Cupun stared out over the horizon as he finished adding the ninth skull and crossbones to his Red Death. He looked down at the body of the hunter who he’d the previous night. She’d been conversing with her ghost when he’d seen her. So he’d shot the ghost first. She had died clutching it in her arms. Her sightless brown eyes stared up at him, her face frozen in an expression of grief. “What are you looking at?” Cupun growled. He gave the corpse a kick, and it rolled down a nearby hill. Cupun looked into the distance, and squinted. Suddenly, he saw them. Three guardians had made camp in a nearby valley. They were all clustered around a fire, apparently talking with one another. Cupun almost smiled. Not only were the three Guardians totally unaware of the danger they were in, they were in the perfect place for an ambush. He could take up a position on the top of the ridge and kill them all, and then come down to collect their supplies at his leisure. Cupun stood up, and slowly began walking toward the valley. It wasn’t particularly large. It was a fifty-meter long depression, saddled between two large, rocky hills. It was the perfect place to spring his trap. He advanced on the valley, and quickly took up a position on one of the rocky hills. He lay down on his belly, and looked down on the Guardians below. Two of them were titans, and the other was a warlock. They conversed in muted tones, occasionally gesturing at one another. It was almost too easy. Cupun took aim with the Red Death. He aimed at the warlock, and prepared to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly, he heard the sound of rocks moving behind him. He turned around, and saw a hunter in a mud-brown cloak rising up from beneath the ground. He’d buried himself beneath the loose gravel, and was now leveling his hand cannon at Cupun. Cupun rolled out of the way, and the cannon went off with a bang. Cupun aimed at the hunter with the Red Death, but before he could do so much as blink, the hunter threw a knife, which impaled his hand. Cupun howled, and clutched his wounded appendage. As he did so, he let go of his Red Death, which tumbled over the edge of the hill to the valley bellow. The hunter took aim with the cannon once more, and, bellowing with rage, Cupun rushed him. He grappled with the hunter, and stared at him. He couldn’t see the man’s face beneath the tinted visor. “Now!” the hunter screamed. Whoosh! Cupun looked up, and saw several ships suddenly fly in above him. Guardians began transmatting out of them. Cupun cursed, and delivered a deft kick to the hunter’s midsection, and the man went stumbling backwards. Cupun then started running away from the valley, pulling the knife out of his hand as he did so. The Guardians began to fire on him, and bullets flew past his face. Several of them impacted, and penetrated his armor. Cupun screamed as several lightning-hot rods of pain penetrated his midsection. He ran for the hills, and dived into a nearby cave. His mind raced as he thought about ways to get out of the situation. His weapon was gone, and now he couldn’t heal himself. He’d have to try and go back for it later. But in the meantime - Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared next to him. Cupun smiled. “Ghost,” he said. It was his ghost alright. The little orb hovered in the air, staring at him with its one blue eye. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it flew out of the cave. Cupun stared at it in shock. “No!” he shouted. Suddenly, he heard the sound of approaching boots. “In here!” he heard someone say. Suddenly, Cupun saw a grenade fly into the cave. It impacted against the rock wall, and bounced over to his feet. “Shit.” Cupun made for the cave entrance, only to suddenly feel the wrath of the explosion behind him. And then, he felt no more. * * * Cupun awoke, his whole body aching. His helmet had been destroyed, leaving him looking up at the sky with his own two eyes. He looked around. He was surrounded by Guardians. All of them had their helmets off and their weapons drawn. Some, Cupun knew by reputation. Others, he didn’t know at all. He looked at one of the hunters, and recognized him as the man that had ambushed him earlier. He was a young-looking man of asian descent. His spiky black hair shined in the late-morning sunlight, and his brown eyes stared down at Cupun with a blank expression. Then, the young hunter raised his hand cannon, and pointed it at Cupun’s head. Cupun watched as his finger slowly tightened around the trigger. Cupun heard a bang, and then his senses were wiped out for all eternity. [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Groups/Post?groupId=1371758&postId=243356678&sort=0&page=0]Part Thirty-Two: Lysander's Ploy[/url]