Last Ones Standing

Disclaimer: Destiny belongs to Bungie Last Ones Standing part 2 [b]Guardian Felicia Dryden, Fireteam Vermillion[/b] Felicia kept her head on a swivel, her visor constantly shifting between normal, enhanced, thermal, infrared and a number of other settings built into her helmet as she moved in the shadow of one of the giant buildings that were common in the ancient cities of Earth. Her head was not the only part of her body that was constantly pivoting, she kept her scout rifle aimed at whatever direction her head was facing, as was ingrained into her during her twelve years of training. Felicia’s eyes shifted constantly eyeing a pile of dead and rotting swamp growth in one place or glancing into what might have been a shop, but only finding empty shadows. It had been an hour since the received the go-ahead to commence their hunter-killer patrol, and yet after passing through a half a dozen streets they found nothing. No indication of Fallen presence, nor of the Cabal either, absolutely nothing. What was worse was the distinct lack of animal presence and that was very worrying. In the four years since she became a full Guardian, she had always heard animals while on a patrol; they were what thrived on the homeworld while humanity sheltered under The Traveler. Coming to a halt at the edge of the derelict high-rise. Felicia pressed her side against the rusted metal of the building. She heard the other members of Fireteam Vermillion come to a halt behind her; it was a sound impossible to miss; the crunching of power-armor, the sound of a shifting trench coat. “You hear anything?” She whispered over the battle net. “I don’t… should we?” Augustus asked worried. “No animal life, and the plants are dead.” Responded Raxus, his voice cold, emotionless, metallic and yet comforting to the Hunter. “Affirmative, Sir.” Felicia replied, the hairs on the back of her neck rising, something was wrong, very wrong in the dead city. “The plants have been dead for the past three streets, how long has it been since the noise stopped.” Raxus asked. “Five streets ago, sir.” “Go on.” Raxus growled out. She knew how her superior functioned she had served under him for the past four years, and had been the Fireteams second in command for the past year. “I-I think were being watched sir." She whispered over the battle net, her head scanning for where ever she though had the best vantage point on the team’s location. “Damn, from where?” Raxus grunted, the sound of his boots crushing the decayed plants below them seemingly too loud, to be normal. “I-I can’t tell, sir.” She knew she should not be getting as scared as she was becoming, she was a Guardian of The Last City, whose populace rallied behind their Arch-Protectors, whose defense force would follow to the gates of The Abyss it self. If the Chosen of The Traveler showed fear it would only mean the worse and to the common citizens, and citizen-soldiers that was demoralizing. Because of that it was an unspoken rule among the Guardians that they could never show fear. Nevertheless Guardians did feel fear, they just over came it, let it drive them forward; use it as a tool, to accomplish their ultimate goal. She was having trouble doing just that, everything felt wrong. They shouldn’t be here, they were not meant to be in this dead city, they were being watched like a spider with an insect caught in its web. “We will see through this Felicia, hold fast, stand strong, Be Brave.” Raxus ordered his cold metallic voice, which to some could be considered cold and ruthless bolstered Felicia’s confidence. Raxus had always been strong; when they died he had come to her to ask for forgiveness, for failing. He had always been there for her, he was one of the best, he could have chosen more experienced Hunters, but he chose her. He had belief in her ability, her willpower, and she was not going to fail him or fail [i]Them.[/i] The Traveler Protects she reminded herself. “The Traveler Protects, sir.” She replied her confidence rebounding. “Get ready to move, I’ve got your back.” Raxus replied. Felicia shifted around the corner, falling into a crouch as she raised her rifle. She froze, as her blood drained from her face and that buried fear re-emerged. She prayed to The Traveler, she prayed that it wasn’t who she thought they were, and failing that for strength to surpass the threat. “S-sir, possible Hotel-type contact.” She whispered. “Re-repeat that Felicia.” Raxus whispered, his voice sounded far away, with a tone that the veteran Exo could not have. [i]Fear.[/i] “Green fog, sir.” "Traveler Protect us, in this dark hour.” Augustus whispered, she had forgotten about him, Felicia realized belatedly while she was in her inner turmoil. “Continue mission, we will need confirmation, proceed as planed.” Raxus ordered, his voice filled with another emotion, one she rarely heard from the normally emotionless Exo [i]anger, fury, cold rage.[/i] Fireteam Vermillion did just that; the ominous fog in the distance grew thicker, stronger, closer. Thirty minutes after they made possible Hotel-contact via the fog they were two blocks down the road they were traveling along. Felicia stiffened as she prepared to take a glance down the wide boulevard, they would need to be careful, she thought, as she looked down the road. The long line of Sky-scrappers had stopped at their current derelict shelter. Between Fireteam Vermillion and the next structure was a wide area, possibly rectangular, that was flanked by two wide streets, filled it dead flora. “Take a look, then we’ll back track to stay under cover.” Raxus ordered. "Yes sir.” Taking a deep breath and exhaling through her helmet’s mask Felicia turned the corner rifle raised. Her jaw dropped, and her fear that had constantly been plaguing her returned a thousand fold. “S-s-sir, H-hotel t-type c-contacts c-c-confirmed.” Felicia stared at the structure at the far end of the field, her eyes never left what had crashed into the structure from above, it was wrong, all wrong it was not suppose to be here. The object sat ignorant to what the Hunter was thinking, it’s immense claws gripping the building, as it emitted the thick green fog, which was over a story high at the source. She knew whom it belonged to, all Guardians did, they were briefed on every threat to the city no matter if the threat was confirmed, classified, or simply possible. “Send me you pic-feed.” Raxus ordered, she did just that “Traveler.” He whispered, before activating a com-channel to The Tower. “Overwatch control, we have a confirmed Hotel-type contact, repeat Hotel-type contact confirmed, over.” “V-vermillion a-are you certain.” Came the voice of their Controller. “Affirmative, Overwatch, I’m sending pic-feed now.” “Get out of there, Vermillion, get to a secure location and observe, abort your Hunter-Killer patrol, all available Fireteams are being rerouted.” It was a new voice, one that any denizen of The City could recognize; it was Guardian Prime John Thrask, the Commander of the Guardians, and de facto leader of Humanities last bastion. “Quickest ETA is six hours, hold until then, The Traveler Protects.” “Understood, Overwatch, we are moving now.” Raxus replied. "Felicia take point, Augustus center, I’ll hold the rear.” The Titan ordered. “T-to w-where, s-sir.” Felicia whispered, her voice shaking in fear, with the realization of what they were facing. “The large building, southwest, between the two taller ones.” Felicia turned from where she was looking, and she saw what he was stating. ‘I s-see it s-sir.” She whispered as she tried to get her fear conquered, six hours, that was all they needed to hide for, then reinforcements would pour in and they wouldn’t be alone in the dead city with the Hotels. Raxus caught his second in command’s fear, he knew her too well. ”I will not let them take you Felicia, I will not fail the promise I made to [i]Them[/i], if the Abyss cursed Hotels try to get to you, they will need to get through me. You will not be dragged off.” His voice was filled with a conviction unlike anything she had heard from the Exo since she had met the veteran Guardian. The Hotels won’t take me like they took my parents, Raxus won’t allow it. Felicia told herself, as scared as she was of the them, she had business with the Hotels, said business would be carried out from the barrel of her scout rifle. The Hive were going to die, she would see that through until the end, and it would be humanity that would be the last ones standing, Felicia Dryden, daughter of Aderyn and Kevin Dryden, Hunter and Guardian of The last City decided. End Part Two. A/N: This section turned out to be over twice the length of the first one, if any readers see’s a mistake could you let me know and I will edit it.

Great starting point, very suspenseful but explains the setting really well, can't wait to read the next part.

Dark, tense, suspense, I like it.