‎[b][u]Chapter 4: The Burning Forge (2/2)[/u][/b] "Are you not pleased to see me, my apprentice?" Radegast splayed out his hands, smiling with a warmth that betrayed Saladin's memory of his mentor. Other than that he was the same as when Saladin had last seen him. His armor was polished, his rocket launcher strapped to his back and his sword at his side. "You died." Saladin stood there, shocked. Radegast nodded. "We all did." suddenly, Saladin was surrounded. Eight more figures stepped out of the shadows, forming a circle around him. It was the other Iron Lords. Jolder, Silimar, Skorri, Timur, Felwinter, Gheleon, Efrideet, and Perun. All nine Iron Lords, alive once again. "What do you want?" Saladin demanded. "Why are you here?" "We are here to punish you Saladin." Efrideet said softly. "But why?" Saladin was shocked. "You have done nothing to honour our memory!" Timur hissed. The other Iron Lords nodded in agreement. "You are not worthy of being an Iron Lord!" Jolder roared and Radegast nodded. Saladin frowned. "I have done nothing but honour your sacrifice." he spoke to all of them. "You have not been forgotten." Radegast raised his hand to silence them. "Why do you ask this Saladin? You think we are not being truthful?" Saladin breathed in deeply. "No. I don't think you are being truthful because you are just a shade. You are a test, manufactured by the darkness to play tricks on my mind." the flames of his hammer grew hotter. "Now begone!" Radegast's smile turned feral. He unsheathed his blade. "You will pay Saladin!" he roared, and swung his blade at him. Saladin knocked the blade away with his hammer, cracking it. He threw his hammer, and Radegast fell, the hammer causing him to melt. The other Iron Lords retaliated, but they met the same fate. Saladin swung his hammer, crushing Silimar's helm. As he fell he threw two hammers, one at Gheleon and the other at Perun. He raised his hammer and blocked a round from Efrideets sniper. He charged in a fiery blaze and the other Iron Lords incinerated, leaving only Jolder remaining. The two Titans circled each other, swinging their hammers at each other. But Saladin proved stronger, and overpowered his old teacher, the one who taught him how to work the forge. "Nothing you build will ever last." the old man croaked. "You will never be an Iron Lord." "But i'm not an Iron Lord." Saladin replied. "I am the Iron Banner." and with his last breath, Jolder laughed. The light dimmed from his eyes, and his body melted into shadow. Saladin looked around. Nothing remained from where the Iron Lords had appeared to him, like they were never there. "There are some things the past can't teach you." he sighed. His senses flared, and he whirled around to see a giant Axis Minotaur looming above him. it's chassis was the same color as blood. It's mechanisms whirred and hummed as flames jetted from its open ports. His helmet readout identified it as Daedalus: Incendiary Mind. Saladin didn't even give it the chance. He swung his hammer, sending nuts and bolts flying as the Minotaur flew back, crashing onto a dias in the middle of the room. In the centre of the dias was an anvil. He leapt onto the dias, grabbed the Minotaur before it recover, positioned it on the anvil.‎ The machines whines sounded all too much like cries for mercy. Saladin ignored it, and pounded the Minotaur's core with his hammer. With each strike, the faces of each Iron Lord flashed in his mind. He pounded harder, and the Minotaur's armor burst, and Radiolaria leaked from the corpse, draining into grooves in the dias. With a groan, the Burning Forge woke, and flames began to fill the furnace. Saladin looked up and saw beams of light crossing the ceiling, magnified by Vex amplifiers. The Burning Forge was back in business. His communicator beeped, the Speaker was contacting him. "Hello Saladin, I assume you have completed your task?" "I have. The Burning Forge has been reactivated. I will head to Mars next." he replied. "Don't." the Speaker replied. Saladin was surprised. "Osiris will have already disappeared before you even enter orbit." "You don't want me to go after him?" Saladin was confused. "What if he neglects his task." "I made the mistake of sending Saint-14 after him last time." the Speakers tone was hard. "I will not lose another hero." "What happened to Saint-14?" Saladin asked. "I wish I knew." the Speakers voice was barely a whisper, and Saladin had to struggle to hear it. "Worry not, Osiris will complete his task. How he completes it is what worries me." "Return to the Tower Saladin, we have more work to do." _______________________________________ To be continued. Part 1: http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/158844248/0/0 Next Chapter: http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/161815979/0/0 ‎Table of Contents: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/114713352/0/0 Edit: Next one might be a longer wait, starting my co-op placement tomorrow