The mission objective had been accomplished;

Deliver the payload to its intended target and enjoy the reward.

If only it were so simple but life has an uncanny way of complicating things. By all accounts, Larnos should be dead. The suit was designed to withstand an incredible amount of damage but not the point-blank impact of a hydrogen bomb with extra steps.

Using what remained of the suit's observation module he witnessed the true impact of a nuclear fusion followed by nuclear fission.

" Command, " he spoke into his still functioning communicator. " What's the status of the mission? "

All he got in response was static. Running a diagnostic test indicated that his suit was functioning at 43% capacity with bright yellow holo screens revealing damaged areas.

The detonation had leveled more than what was estimated. There was no way that thing would have survived.

As if on cue to disprove his belief something began to move underneath the rubble. His sword had taken damage but was still in working condition.

The figure rose only to be met with a fist to the face, which not only broke the sound barrier but also sent it rocketing back but not as far as Larnos wanted.

" You... are one tough bastard, " he said between breaths as the blow had taken much more out of him than he initially thought. " How are you even still standing? "

The figure cocked its head to the side in some sort of bizzare look, reminiscent of what a pet would do when it is confused by its master's actions, before Larnos blitzed it, his blade aimed for its head. It leaned back making him miss by a hair's width.

He let go of the blade, let it drop and caught it with his other hand which was just above the entity's torso and sliced across its torso.

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The figure did not attempt to defend itself or attack him. It simply watched him continue his onslaught of slashes.

Larnos leaped back, his survival instincts screaming for him to put as much distance between himself and the still figure.

" You still live? " The unique Rapture's voice filled his commlink. " An impressive feat for even one such as yourself. "

"Drop dead, " Larnos replied as he dropped beneath its first attack. The air above him was charged with electricity as the strike missed him.

" Drop dead? " It inquired in an eerily joyful tone. " You humans have such interesting replies. "

The two traded blows for what Larnos thought to be hours on end. It was not and to make matters worse fatigue began to set in. The suit had taken hits that prevented full repair and to add insult to injury Larnos was being overwhelmed.

Larnos took a step back, steadied his grip on his blade and rushed in for a midriff thrust, ignoring the glaring fact that he was exposed from multiple sides and had no intention of parrying, blocking or evading any counters. Muscle actuators began to push past beyond their intended limit as he closed in for what he hoped to be the final strike.

" This will not do," his opponent's voice rang in his ears. " We shall continue this another time. "

The entity phased out of existence just before his blade could make contact. Larnos was dumbfounded but ultimately glad. There was no chance in hell he could take out that thing.

" Retreating would be best, " he begrudgingly told himself as he ran a diagnostic check on his suit.

The results were abysmal but there was something he could work with. Unfortunately scanners were damaged in the blast meaning he had to use outer lenses to navigate. Pilots were known to use the twin external 180 degree view cameras on their suit's which were called 'lenses' by most but many if not all agreed that the inbuilt readers were much better and the lenses were there in case of emergencies.

Moving across the ruined city he noticed a few things that were out of place;

One, plant life had taken over the ruins, completely covering structures with thick roots and leaves. This should not be remotely possible due to the explosion.

Two, there were no signs of raptures anywhere. Raptures were ruthless and unlike humans, retreat was not something they were familiar with. The usual droning hum that betrayed their otherwise perfect camouflage was absent. It was quiet, too quiet.

Perhaps they lay hidden, waiting to spring an ambush on an already weakend foe.

Larnos chuckled and readjusted his grip on his only functional weapon.

The walk was non-eventful save for a few creatures popping their heads out of crevices in ruins they now call home. Was this a hallucination created by the detonation?

Communications proved unsuccessful once more as static was the only thing he heard over the two way radio.

Larnos, through the suit looked around. The payload he had should have completely levelled this place yet here were ruins that stood upright as though they challenged reality itself.

And the plant life, he knew of no plant that could grow or regrow this quickly. Perhaps they plan to terraform the earth to their liking?

' Persistent, ' he mentally notes as he looks at a vine making its home in the wall of a dilapidated building.

' Perhaps this was the afterlife, ' he thought.

' But how then is that thing still here ' the rational part of his psyche countered.

' Divine punishment perhaps. '

Although he didn't fully buy that idea he could not dismiss it. After all, by all accounts he should be dead.

The path he was absentmindedly following came to abrupt end. Jagged cracks dug deeply into the earth from where the path ended.

He looked around once more, searching. There was a flash of light from his left before an explosion rocked the earth.

He looked at his blade for a moment and made his way to the source of the explosion.