Desolation

False Hope

A/N: Sorry for the bad transitions, it won't let me add anything other than the random letters, the usual "..."s keep getting deleted for some reason. Anyways, enjoy the read.

Click. Click. Click.

Footsteps echoed down the seemingly endless tunnel as the five soldiers made their way down the dimly lit hallway, following the beacon of light that burst from the ceiling up ahead.

Every step seemed to explode through the stagnant air, drilling into the heads of the anxious soldiers who could sense the divide wedged between the group.

Khazo and Marcos were both more serious than usual. Normally the Elite would glance at those behind him, curiosity glittering in the alien's small beady eyes, but now he had his gaze fixed forward towards the next room, deep in thought. Marcos held no plans to converse with his allies either, ignoring everyone just like Khazo.

The two walked on opposite sides of the pathway leading towards the end of the tunnel. Light rays from the cavernous room beyond beckoned them to come closer, invisible fingers pulled them all along towards their promised destination.

o

Khazo stopped, the back of the Elite's shark-like helmet pressed against the back plating of his armor as he craned his neck forward to listen to a sound emanating from the center of the cavern, his appearance mimicking that of a cat with its ears flattened

Vato tapped on Khazo's shoulder pad lightly, standing on his toes to place his words beside the towering Elite's ear. "What is it?" he asked, his reply being a sharp look that told him to shut up.

As he backed away, Khazo turned and assumed the same position, crouching down on all fours as he started to crawl towards the lip of the tunnel, those behind him doing the same.

His head emerged from the tunnel's exit, looking at the space before him. A few feet ahead of him stretched a long platform which extended around the chamber, providing a walkway above the ground floor which was set several dozens of meters under it. Many doors lined the sides of the path tunneling into the metal walls, all flashing soft red lights indicating they were closed, which was not a good sign. The area seemed to be under lockdown.

Trapezoidal figures were placed all around the room in symmetry with one another, which Khazo recognized as light bridges, but most seemed too oddly placed to serve any real use. The most interesting part of the chamber happened to be in the center of the room below where the light of the moon was shining through.

A massive chasm was placed in the center of the room, in the darkness swirled foul brown clouds that stretched into the abyss below. Above it lay a circular glass plate that lined up with the chasm beneath and the opening above which the moon's taunting light shone through. Yellow and green holograms were being cast by brackets holding the glass, which emitted a light bridge that connected to the platform that ringed the room.

Vato looked to his right and found himself staring face to face with Xure, the alien's expression said it all. 'We're almost home free!' he thought returning a grin to the blue Elite, nudging him on the side as he turned his head towards an upset Khazo, who was still craning his head forward to listen to something. The red Elite took a worried glance at Vato, who dropped the grin from his face as he too concentrated to try and make out whatever it was that was troubling the alien.

Faint, yet distinctive noises of squelching and groaning from below the platform came to his hearing, and the marine's eyes widened as he prayed for his assumption not to be true.

o

Khazo held up a long fingered hand, signaling for the others not to follow him as he crawled towards the edge of the platform. After mentally preparing himself, he stuck his head over the edge and his gaze, much to his horror, was met by a sea of malformed faces and writhing brown tentacles.