[quote]Check out all other Brave Light episodes [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/176320409/0/0]right here[/url]![/quote] [b]Liz[/b]: ....I can't believe I trusted you. [b]Janus[/b]: I know, right? You guardians can be so stupid sometimes. [b]Liz[/b]: You're a guardian too, Janus. You even [i]taught[/i] guardians. You were a teacher! [i]Janus let out a cold laugh that echoed off the walls.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Ah, Elizabeth... I may be a teacher, but Tower High is a stale, pathetic joke. It's a teen drama. It deserves to be crushed into the ground, along with the Tower on which it stands. And a guardian? No, I stopped playing the role of a guardian when I killed your father. Now, I'm something much more powerful! [i]Liz gazed at him with contempt.[/i] [b]???[/b]: Oh, how you love to talk... [i]Janus drew his hand cannon and spun around. Standing in front of him was a figure covered in black smoke, like a humanoid form of darkness. Two glowing, white flames hovered on its head like eyes.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](lowering his weapon)[/i]: Apologies. I didn't realize it was you... [i]Liz quietly listened to their conversation, bewildered by the creature that stood in the room.[/i] [b]???[/b]: Do you have them? [i]The shadow spoke with a cold, raspy voice. Liz shivered as soon as she heard it.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Yes, I do. [i]Janus held up the two beacons.[/i] [b]???[/b]: Good... Then we are close... So very, very close... [i]The shadow leaned around Janus, peeking at Liz as she sat on the ground.[/i] [b]???[/b]: And the girl? [b]Janus[/b]: She will host the space-time energy to start the process. It will be painful, but that's how we'll harness the energy. [b]???[/b]: What you mean to say, is that she will host it [i]unwillingly[/i]. [i]The Warlock showed his wild grin.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: I can be very persuasive. [i]The shadow let out a quiet growl through the air.[/i] [b]???[/b]: Do not fail me, boy.... Or it will be the last you hear of your precious "power". [b]Janus[/b]: I understand. [i]Liz and the shadow exchanged a glance one last time. The darkness that flickered like fire around its body was black as night. But among the sight before her, the most chilling aspect was its glowing eyes. They were brightly-lit, almost like essence of the light. But in the end, they made the dark cloud around seem all the more frightening. What in the world was it? And more importantly, what did it want? As silently as it appeared, the shadow was gone. In the blink of an eye, its black cloud of a body dispersed into the air. Once it was gone, Liz turned a grin at the New Monarchy rep.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: I see that you're taking orders... So he's your "commanding officer", then? [i]Janus immediately strode over to the system below Liz's feet, placing the two beacons into the mechanism.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](smirking)[/i]: For now. [i]With the flip of a switch and the pressing of a few keys, the Warlock turned the system on. Machine began to hiss as Liz watched the the large metallic rings spin on their axis. After about a minute, they began to pick up speed, spinning faster and faster around the chamber. Within seconds, they became a silent blur of motion, to the point where it looked as if a transparent veil was formed between Liz and Janus.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Like it? [i]Liz didn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes, patiently waiting for the inevitable as Janus operated the terminal.[/i] [b][i]------------------[/i][/b] [i]Some time later, after Liz calmed herself and waited, all was quiet but for the steady mechanic purr of the machine. A series of footsteps echoed through the room. Was it the shadow again? Janus called out, not even bothering to look away from the terminal.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: I [i]told[/i] you the girl would work, but you distracting me is not helping. [i]The foot steps stopped. Silence followed for a moment after.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: No offense or anything, but you REALLY sound like a pedophile. [i]Janus quickly turned around, snatching his hand cannon from the table. Liz opened her eyes. It was Zale, standing in the middle of the room with that smug look on his face.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: I thought you were dead. [i]Janus aimed his weapon at the Hunter... Who was now itching his crotch.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Yep. I get that a lot. [b]Janus[/b]: You must be an idiot. [b]Zale[/b] [i](mumbling)[/i]: Get that a lot, too... [i]Liz would have laughed, but she was still in shock at his presence. Zale looked up at her.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: You okay over there? [i]Liz's eyes began to tear up. She nodded at the Hunter.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: So you survived, even after all that happened? Only to come back for [i]another[/i] beating? [i]Zale laughed at Janus.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: No... [i]The Hunter unholstered his hand cannon and readied his stance, facing his shoulder to the Warlock.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Not again. [i]There was no pause this time; no silence before they began. The thundering crack of shots burst throughout the air as Janus immediately fired an array of shots at the Hunter. Zale dashed to the right and slid behind the cover of some rubble, out of sight. The Warlock kept his hand cannon up, aiming down the barrel as he inched his way around the structure. As soon as he turned the corner, though, Zale rushed from his blindside, throwing a flurry of punches at his attacker. Janus dodged the attacks for the the most part, but he couldn't keep up for long.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Gotcha! [i]Zale swung his leg out and swept it beneath the Warlock, dropping him onto the floor. Janus landed on his back, but swung up his weapon and continued to fire at the guardian. Zale leapt back and fled into cover again.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](standing up)[/i]: Hit-and-run tactics, huh? I'd expect nothing less. [i]Janus turned left and right, searching the room for the Hunter. Zale's voice bounced off the walls from his location.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Can't be too careful, Jan. [i]Janus made his way to the console and started the process.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Yes, indeed. Let's see if [i]this[/i] will draw you out. [i]The spinning rings began to glow as the Merger screamed a cry of machinery. Eventually, Liz's chamber was a bright ball of light.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: Zale, he's starting it! [i]Zale peeked out from behind cover. Tubes connected to Liz's restraints became active as energy started flowing from the two Beacons and into the chamber. Sparks emerged from within as the energy made contact with Liz through the restraints, flowing into her light. The pain spread throughout her body along with it as the Space-Time energy collided within her. The young Warlock's cries erupted from within the ball of energy, echoing throughout the room. Zale clenched his fists in anger.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Damnit... [i]He had to stop the machine. The Hunter leapt from behind cover and activated his Golden Gun, firing a couple shots at the main terminal.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Don't even think about it. [i]Janus jumped up and threw his arm forward in a flash of purple before the Hunter could finish destroying it. The Warlock's Nova Bomb sped through the air and snapped into Zale, picking him right out of the air and sending him into the wall behind. Concrete burst from the impact as the Hunter fell to the ground. Zale tried to stand up, but Janus kicked him back down.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](standing before him)[/i]: So weak. [i]The Warlock grabbed the Hunter's neck and held him up, dangling him in the air.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: So fragile. [i]Janus punched him in the stomach with the other hand. Zale tried to talk, but the only thing that came out was a series of gasps for air.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](chuckling)[/i]: You know, I haven't seen your Titan friend in a little while. Perhaps you can tell me where he is? I promise his death won't be so... [i]Janus looked back at Liz, who was frantically shuddering with pain as she cried out.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: ....Unpleasant... [i]Zale grabbed at the Warlock's hands, but the fingers were clasped around his neck like iron.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Speaking of which, I forgot to mention it to you earlier. Do you know [i]why[/i] you have never been able to overcome me? Have you wondered [i]why[/i] your team is so... Dysfunctional? [i]Zale glared at him, still unable to breathe.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: It's because I picked both of you for it. If I hadn't suggested you and that Titan for operation, I don't know [i]what[/i] would have gone wrong. After all, you two are so much at odds with each other. It's a wonder you've survived this long! [i]Zale tried to speak again, but the only thing that came out was a series of inaudible gasps. [/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Ah, so the "Fallen kid" with a bad lip is [i]still[/i] trying to make a comeback? How cute. Would you mind saying it a little [i]louder[/i]? [i]Zale forced the words out.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: I only.... Fired.... Two.... Shots. [i]Janus' eyes widened as he looked down. Held directly up to his body was an bright, enflamed hand cannon, still in the Hunter's hand. Zale smiled at the Warlock.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: OP, am I right? [i]Janus sneered as Zale pulled the trigger. A bright flash of orange lit up the surrounding walls for a brief instant as the beam of solar energy flew through Janus and into the wall behind him.[/i]