The group closed the massive doors behind them, and looked around. They found themselves in a circular room, with but one opening to their left. As soon as the doors closed, hordes of thralls filled the hallway, yet they would not step foot into the circular room. They decided to make the most of this moment. Dylan-10 crouched, and put his backpack down.
“Guys, get over here. How much heavy ammo do you have left?” He asked.
“About two rockets.” Replied Rajan.
“Nothing.” Said Skyler.
“Four.” Stated Clay-19.
“Say no more,”Said Dylan-10, as he took off his rucksack and dumped its contents on the ground, revealing enough heavy ammo to level the whole citadel five times over. The Warlocks apparently had pockets for heavy ammo in their robes, and stuffed them with roughly twenty rockets worth of heavy ammo. The Hunter did not have the same luxury, but it did not seem to phase him as he simply taped extra ammo to his legs and along his back and the sides of his rocket launcher. There was still about thirty rockets worth of ammo left. Each nodded in thanks to the Titan. Clay-19 turned around and began to explain the hallway to them.
“Alright. Ahead, there’s obviously an army of Thralls and Cursed Thralls. We won’t be able to proceed ahead until the Shrieker before each barrier is dead. Don’t worry, there's a simple plan to this. I can cut down the thralls, thats no problem. I’ll need the rest of you to shoot down the Shriekers, thus lower the barriers. There are two barriers. At the end of the hall, we’ll regroup and police the wounded. Get your rockets ready.”
Clay-19’s vision wavered, and for a second, he was surrounded by his other squad, two Titans, another Hunter, and two Warlocks. He couldn’t react, but he remembered shouting at the Titan… What was his name? Ah, right. Max. “Max get back!” But to no anvil. The Titan charged headlong into the crowd of thralls, and for a second it seemed like he could take them, but it was not meant to be. In a flash they overwhelmed him, clawing, grasping, biting, and dragged him into one of the holes they crawled out of. The shrill screaming still rang through his ears.
He shook his head clear of the flashback, and looked around, to see the Warlocks and Titan shoulder their formidable weapons. They all flashed a green acknowledgement light. Once more, the Hunter called forth a sliver of the Travelers light, and drew his knife. As he did, he felt the light threaten to overwhelm him. But he was the master of it, it was he who shaped the light and commanded it. He took control, and felt the light give new life to his body. In an instant, he sprinted forward, faster than eye could follow, and cut down all any any Hive that stood in his way, cutting, slashing and stabbing. He was getting close to the first barrier, and saw the Shrieker open up and prepare to fire. As he was about to question the team, he saw a trio of rockets propel towards the construct, and wipe it from existence. As soon as it exploded apart, the barrier fell, he shot forward and continued on his path of destruction.
Before he got even halfway across the hall, once more a trio of rockets flew towards the next Shrieker and felled it as well. He had to move fast, otherwise the void bolts they spewed upon death would rain down upon him. The light powering him was all but gone, so he sheathed his weapon and rolled forward, readying his rifle. Before he turned around, he noticed massive doors closing on the other side of the hole in the ground. At the end of the room, he saw the distinctly familiar armor shade of a Titan he had thought dead. He can wait. Thought the Exo, as he turned around and provided covering fire for the rest of his fire team. They ran to a halt next to him, put their rocket launchers away, and began to fire at the remaining thralls, only a handful remaining at this point.
After the last thrall had fallen, they walked around the massive pit in the ground and towards the door. Clay-19 told them there may be someone from his previous team trapped behind the door. The Warlocks examined the doors, as well as the walls near the door. Dylan-10 tried to pry open the door, but it would not budge. He walked back past the hole, and into the hall. Maybe the Fist of Havoc will get the door open he thought to himself. He took a running start and jumped up, propelling himself up and over the hole, and prepared to blast the door open.
