The captain grieved, caressing Fikrul's lifeless corpse, he clutched onto it, sitting in silence as he lowered his head.
"Find out, who did it" He growled.
The nearby Eliksni captains were fast to act, a fallen vandal paced into the sewers, with a modular tool in his grip, he punched in keys and buttons, as he examined the prince's corpse. Sensing the void light seeping through the wounds, the archon had tuned the modular sensor to the light's frequency.
An insect like chatter echoed in the tunnels as the archon presented his findings, "Commander, I found him. He is close, still running". The archon presented his scanner, slight arc rays jolted at the tip of the sensors.
The Eliksni captain was furious as he yanked away the scanner, he studied it as he spotted a pulsing blip on the grid, rapid moving further away from his location.
He roared, clutching his fists, "The coward machine spawn scurries, like a rat. Rahn, Varjis, bring me his head."
Two of the four captains rushed outside, in the raging storm. Their ships couldn't penetrate below the stratosphere, the turbulent clouds had stopped any chance of aerial support.
However, the same was true....for Void.
--------------------------------------------
A torrential rain continuously poured in the steppes, drenching Void as he tried to sprint. The rocky canyons of the divide had deformed to mounds of mud.
He struggled to stride along, the slippery terrain had thwarted his plans of escape. Void lunged with all his strength, trying his best to create distance between him and the sewers, but as he ran, his fears came true.
Obsidian appeared nudging a radar in front of him, "Void, it's bad. Two fallen radars rapidly closing in on us." He spoke.
Void's efforts didn't stop, he used his skills, to hurl himself through the hills as he blitzed through the steppes at blinding speeds. Void scanned his radar, seeing two red blights not too far behind.
In an instant he recognized the pattern, "They're using pikes to close in on us. Obsidian, rendezvous with jumpship, start the transmat."
Obsidian's eye flashed blue as he stressed, "It's not working, the storm's cutting out my signals. The ships navigation system can't be contacted."
Void's face tightened at the words, he glanced at his radar, "Obsidian, estimated trajectory for interception"
"Five minutes, Fallen seem to be moving closer to us by the second. They must be tracking our location. But their energy signatures, it's off the charts". Obsidian warned.
Void frowned, the only reason they had shown up as blights on his radar, was because their energy far exceeded his.
He turned to his last resort, "Contact Zavala on the open channel, Vanguard protocol compromised, requesting immediate assistance."
"An open channel will expose our location to all local satellite arrays, anyone in the cosmodrome will track us in real time." Obsidian argued.
"We have no other choice." Void said, gritting his teeth as he continued to sprint through the Steppes valley.
Obsidian understood as his eyes blinked, sending a communication request across the cosmodrome.
As he did, Void spotted a new notification that had popped up from his system.
===
{Legendary Guardian System}
⚠️Rahn, Devil Captain Lv 40. Pursues you!
⚠️Varjis, Cleaver Headed Lv 40. Pursues you!
New Mission: Survival of the Fittest!
Objectives: Survive the onslaught from House of Devils
Rewards: +++ Xp, System Level 2 Unlocked, +100 Global Renown
Remarks: Good luck bub ❤️
===
Void laughed at his own misery, "Both of them are Level 40, I'm basically facing two mini-bosses by myself." He thought to himself.
Void glanced at his own level in the status screen,
===
{Legendary Guardian System}
Name: Void Blade
Class: Hunter
Level: 20
Light Level: 30
Subclass: Nightstalker Lv. 8/10
Equipment: (LL refers to Light Level)
[Weapons]:
Primary: True Prophecy *(Legend Hand Cannon) (30 LL)
Secondary: Furina-2mg (Rare SMG) (30 LL)
Heavy: Reginar-B (Rare Rocket Launcher) (30 LL)
[Gear]:
Helmet: Clutch Extol Mask (30 LL)
Grips: Road Complex AA1 (28 LL)
Chest: Frumious Vest (28 LL)
Strides: Cinder Pinion Strides (26 LL)
Class Item: Photoseude Cloak (27 LL)
* = 6% boost in accuracy for headshots against fallen enemies
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Combat Perks: (6 Unlocked)
~Spectral Shade: In combat, enemies have a higher probability of losing your presence if you break line of sight.
~Void Imbalance: Grenades are likely to explode immediately when shot with void weapons or void energy.
~Acrobats Dodge *: Masterfully dodge your opponents, successful attack dodges allow instant counters and parries.
~Advanced Agility: You move fast guardian!
~Triple Jump: Jump twice in the air using an intermediate mastery of light.
~Gilded Blade: Your melee attacks have a chance to trigger Void singe on champion enemies,
===
Void despaired slightly, "If it was only one captain, I could have done it." He mumbled.
Facing two level 40 Fallen Captains alone was suicide, the terrain was to his disadvantage, plus his natural advantage of stealth had been stripped away. The enemy, was now fully aware of his location due to an open channel broadcast.
Mere seconds later, his radio buzzed as Zavala answered, "Void, Zavala speaking, what is your current status, report." He said.
"Mission status compromised, House of Devils has sent their captains after me. I'm currently being pursued into the steppes as we speak, requesting immediate assistance. Aerial extraction is not available." Void hurried replied.
Void waited with bated breaths, the radio silence took over as the transponder buzzed. He did not have much time as the radar blinked, the two fallen captains had almost closed over. Despite him running at full speed for a few minutes, the captains had somehow caught up.
Zavala stood stunned in his office, trying to judge the best course of action, his fingers traced along the screen as he saw satellite images depicting closed orbital channels, overflowing water canals and flooded trails. His eyes darted, trying to look around for solutions, but after awhile he hesitantly reached for his transponder.
Zavala exhaled a helpless sigh as he responded on a different channel, "Calling all Vanguard operatives, this is commander Zavala, Vanguard Protocol Mayday, access code 339281, public channel is open. I've sent you all current coordinates of a compromised Vanguard hunter, we require immediate assistance in extraction."
Zavala gently put down his transponder, hoping that someone would reply.
Void had evidently gotten the distress call by Zavala as he too was included in the Vanguard public channel. But he could only cast a forlorn look.
How could he not? After all, if Zavala had put out the mayday request on the public channel, it could only be a last ditch effort to try and gather some help. In conclusion, the Vanguard could not help him now.
If anything, he hadn't expected it either, the journey from the tower to the cosmodrome would take hours, but the storm still raged on. Void dismayed, as he clutched his revolver.
"Obsidian, estimate trajectory."
"Current trajectory, 1 minute."
Void squinted as he could vaguely make out two pikes blasting at full speed closing in on him.
"Obsidian, camouflage yourself. Hide somewhere else, It will be a last stand. If you make it out, you might just be able to revive me." Void grabbed Obsidian's shell as he directed him towards the wet grasslands.
Obsidian tried to resist, but he knew it was the only way to succeed. If the fallen captains were to find him, he would surely be destroyed.
Standing alone in the trail, he resolved himself as the captain's chased closer.
Void brought his wrist closer as he whispered, "Callsign Void, preparing to engage the enemy for a final stand. Over and out."
He turned off his mic, and the channel transmitted static as no response came.
Zavala heard the last transmission, he was stunned as he woefully closed his eyes, slamming the table. He couldn't bear to look at his transponder as he turned away, hanging his head in shame.
Void spotted the approaching pikes, as he deftly shot a few rounds into its engines. The bullets barely grazed the captains as the arc over shield absorbed them mid-trajectory.
Rahn and Varjis drifted the pikes to the side, the two Eliksni Captains leapt off as they began creeping closer.
Void didn't waste any time as he began firing premature rounds in their arc shields. Although it didn't even graze their armor, he could see a smidge of the shield being depleted at every shot.
The Fallen captains shrugged off the shots as they approached. Void scanned them over, they seemed terrifying, muscular humanoids, seven foot tall, donned in pristine armor equipped with scorch cannons stowed to the side.
A mechanical growl startled Void as Rahn barked, "Machine spawn, your bullets do not graze us. Today, you will be slaughtered like you slaughtered our people."
The Eliksni grabbed his scorch cannon, hurling it over his shoulder as energy gathered in its core.
Varjis observed the situation as he stepped up, "I will go in, you cover me from here" He commanded.
Varjis unsheathed his shock sabers, overflowing with arc energy as he pounced on Void.
The Eliksni and the hunter were immediately entangled between a frenzy of blows, Varjis rapidly swung his sword as Void precisely dodged each slash by the skin of his teeth.
Varjis was a sly foe, each blow was angled in a way to introduce flaws in Void's movement, the hunter was jammed between a scorch cannon and an arc sword. With no way to run, Void was risking it all with each blow.
He fired multiple rounds into the Captain's chest, but each only amounted to insignificant damage as it chipped away the arc shield.
Rahn had not stood idly, scorch projectiles were launched at every step, Void was forced to dodge as he parried each swing, depleting the guardians stamina.
Finally as Void emptied his magazine on Varjis, the arc shield broke off, leaving the captain vulnerable. He immediately gripped his smg, rapidly planting lead into the Eliksni.
Varjis howled, feeling the bullets chip away at his armor, he lunged towards Void, aiming to decapitate with a single swipe. Void briskly slipped under the edge of the blade, a dagger formed in his palms as he deftly planted it into the Eliksni's thigh.
Varjis felt his flesh singe, as he went into a blind rage, flinging his fist at Void who gambled with a risky dodge, but failed to read the tempo of the battle as a scorch shot hit Void straight in the chest, the momentum blasted the hunter into the ground.
Void coughed the burning embers lingered on his body as Rahn moved in closer. Sensing another scorch shot coming, Void threw a smoke bomb, as he jumped into the air.
He used his remaining light to fully charge his shadowshot as a void quiver appeared in his arms. The light arrow struck Rahn with full force, breaking the cannon on impact as energy exploded violently.
Varjis had used his arc sabres to counteract some explosive force as he remained relatively unscathed.
Void panted, having consumed his super. Without obsidian, his light would only recharge at a snails pace. As such the hunter was left helpless as he sprawled on the ground.
The two fallen captains inched closer, Varjis jolted his sword, ready to strike at a moments notice, as Voids wrists buzzed.
"This is callsign Tevis, target in sight, permission to engage Vanguard operative."
Zavala who stood dejected in his voice, rushed back to his desk as he grabbed his transponder, "Tevis, this is commander Zavala, permission granted, I have connected you to operative channels."
Zavala expertly connected their comms, a new message resounded from Void's communicator.
"Guardian, can you move?" Tevis asked
Void scrambled off the ground as he spotted Varjis creeping closer with blade in hand. He clutched his chest, still feeling the cannons blow. Void barely uttered, "Yeah, but if you don't hurry up, I might not."
" I am sorry, but this is gonna hurt." The communicator buzzed as static took over.
"What, what are you saying." Void spoke hurriedly as he slowly crawled further away.
Varjis clutched his sword, seeing Void desperately speaking into his comms system, he laughed. The Eliksni almost jumped, ready to swipe his blade as he felt a chill run down his spine.
He looked towards the sky, a cataclysmic shadowshot tore through the air as it descended.
Void recognized the super, as he understood what the message meant, he clenched his jaw.
The ballistic arrow plunged into the ground, light erupted as it consumed everything in its path. Not a sliver of flesh was left unsinged, void light tore through every living cell within a 50-meter radius.
A riveting explosion consumed the area, as the light dissipated, leaving a deep crater on impact. The Fallen captains remained nowhere to be seen, consumed entirely, a lone arc sabre marked Varjis's grave.
Void had also been consumed within the explosion, or at least his body could no longer maintain it's initial structure, crumbling against the shadowshot's corrosive properties.
Sensing the enemies defeated, Obsidian rushed from nearby as his blue rays scanned the surrounding, looking for Void.
The ghost's body spiralled into a blue orb as he found it, slowly light formed, as a new body for Void was created, breathing life into the dead hunter.
Void sprang to life, as he took a sudden breath, immediately looking to the sky, expecting an attack.
"Void, we've done it, you survived." Obsidian rejoiced, as he managed to revive his guardian.
Void was unnerved, still feeling some residual pain from the last super as his senses came back to him, "Yeah I guess we did."
===
Survival of the fittest (1/1)
+Mission Complete
===
A lone Nightstalker watched from among the mountains as he observed with a keen eye, his hands reached his ears, "Call sign Tevis, rescue is successful. Vanguard operative secured, over and out."