Eternally Lost
The realm in which the team had delved into was one they had not expected in complexity or difficulty, caught off guard by the mere massiveness of what laid before them. Before they left Earth it was known that there was a possibility they would not return, yet the fireteam of three accepted the mission. The Speaker himself came to their departure along with a handful of their comrades.
It was known that this three had fallen to the grave together during one of the final battles of the Collapse, and it was pure coincidence they were risen by their Ghosts at the same time. A rare event thus why they were commonly referred to as the Triplets, having fought together since their resurrection. With a trio so intune was each other there was hardly any other fireteam or clan that qualified for such a dangerous task.
Evline was the youngest, an Awoken Warlock who more often that not had her nose in a book and if she wasn't fighting she was studying. The best way that anyone ever described her it was a 'ball of adorable energy in robes' which was spot on with her bubbly personality.
Damaskis was the middle child, for lack of a better term, a Human Hunter with blacker bags under his eyes than what might have been scientifically possible. A flatbrowed expression had become permanent on his tired features, yet he was usually chewing on some sort of candy he made in his dorm.
Rinalt was the oldest of the three, a Human Titan and the most serious. No one had ever heard him laugh, much less smile, it seemed his only emotions were rage, calm, and extreme overprotectiveness of his so called siblings. In his mind a punch to the face was a better answer than words.
The three were sent off with honors to Venus, investigating a threshold that Ikora Rey called an 'impossible plane of tyranny'. Others who had gone only as far as the first crevice just in sight of the opening could agree with the statement. There was an evil lurking at the end of the winding descent of nearly infinite space.
A hydra had been passed by, one larger than they had ever seen. Damaskis had found a way through without drawing it's attention, a hole in the wall having an opening big enough to crawl through to a chasm that only spiraled deeper down into the awaiting depths. The next obstacle they found being a labrynth, naming the newly found Vex sentients Gorgons. After such was a canyon, taking their time crossing it to avoid being swallowed up by the dark below.
Upon entering the next room they found themselves locked in. Another Hydra, a plethora of Hobgoblins, and with the sudden primal need of surviving at any cost kicking in. Hydras and Praetorians bled from the walls like white blood cells trying to wipe out the virus of Guardians that had infiltrated their hold. Despite the learning curve the trio managed to bring the battle to an end, believing that was the grand finale.
“Evline, Damaskis, sit rep,” Rinalt had collapsed at entrance of the room, his back to the sealed door. While he struggled to breathe he reloaded, wanting to be prepared just in case.
“I'm fine, just a few broken ribs,” the Hunter spoke up, having found a crevice to lodge himself into while recovering, wheezing over the comm line.
“I think I shattered my shoulder, I can't move my left arm at all,” Evline stated, the amount of pain evident in her voice.
“Just stay still, we'll...” Rinalt had started to say, words going sour in his mouth as he witnessed a horror before him at the other end, “By the Traveler...”
“What is that?” Damaskis asked, panic seeping into his tone.
“It's Atheon,” Evline answered, knowing all too well from her hundreds of hours studying.
It a rookie mistake for not immediately regrouping, the three spread out too far to do so with the extent of their injuries. Atheon formed on the dias, firing upon the three without pause. While he was confined to the more open spaces he had taken aim upon Rinalt most of all, the Titan instictively initiating his bubble shielding. A barrage was taken, yet the protection did not falter under the pressure.
“I'll come to you,” Rinalt started to stand, using his pulse rifle as a crutch to do so, “He can't get back here so we can bunker down until help arrives.”
“Wait!” Evline called out, Atheon having ceased fire which caused concern. In the next moment he raised the free hand, claws spread out towards the ceiling which made the Warlock scream, “No! Stop!”
In the next moment Damaskis and Rinalt found themselves instantly transported to another area. Before they had strategically manuevered the portals, but this was different. Now they had a new threat and no time to reload.
“Evline, open the portal! Left side!” Damaskis called out, the comm line starting to fill with static.
“On it!” she started to move, needing to cross from one end to the other. To her relief Atheon had stayed frozen in his poise, yet she was now faced with Harpies coming out of the stonework. While it would have been a fight she'd simply do one handed with a handcannon one single thing stopped her on the central platform.
The sound of Oracles on the comm.
“Rinalt! Damaskis! Shoot them! Shoot the lights!” she screamed, taking out the Harpies one by one from the platform, trying to clear a path. There was no time for it register that her adrenalie was running at an all time high, gut twisted into knots.
“I can't see!” Damaskis called out, frazzled for the first time since coming back to life.
“Evline! We're blinded! What do we-...”
Rinalt's question died with him, the Oracles having slain him where he stood, firing still despite his lack of vision. Damaskis fell beside him, the brothers dying with their weapons in hand. She howled in horror as she too was wiped from the realm of the living. The battle went silent for a few seconds, the dust already starting to settle. It was a tragic ordeal, Light having been extinguished so quickly it's like they were never there at all. But, there was one glimmer of hope.
From a raging burst of flames Evline exploded into existence, roaring in fury as she ran straight for Atheon. One round after another from her Hawkmoon barreled into the Vex's chest, the fiery wings giving her the appearance of a vindictive angel. It was a fruitless effort, she would never be able to take down Atheon alone, it was the sorrow of losing her brothers that drove her to madness. A single blast from Atheon's rifle obliterated her legs, making her land at his feet face down.
In a last ditch effort her Ghost materialized and started the countdown to return to orbit. If he could only save her he would fulfilled his duties. Atheon had another idea though, snatching up the Ghost between his claws and starting to squeeze.
“Theo!” Evline had propped herself up on an arm, reaching upwards towards him as she bled out, “Save yourself!”
A shower of Ghost fragments rained down upon her, her way of escaping, her way of reviving, her way of surviving taken away in a mere second. The halved Guardian picked up her Hawkmoon, raising it to unload the clip at the Vex as she let loose an agonizing cry. There was nothing left to do, nothing else to live for, she would atleast go out fighting. Atheon met her barrel with his, only needing to fire once.
Thus where the first casualties of the Vault of Glass.
