[quote]Check out all other Brave Light episodes [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/176320409/0/0]right here[/url]![/quote] [i]Zale fell to the ground in fatigue as the Warlock staggered back. A gaping whole now sat in his stomach, smoking rising from the embers flecked across it.[/i] [b]Janus[/b] [i](grabbing at his wound)[/i]: You son of a bitch.... [i]Janus rearranged his footing to hold himself up. When he was steady again, the Warlock charged forward at the Hunter.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: I'M GONNA TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB! [b]Zale[/b] [i](calling out)[/i]: NOW! [i]The room shook violently, the floor beneath them now vibrating. In the blink of an eye, concrete exploded upward into the ceiling as the ground ruptured beneath Janus. All around them, the room turned bright blue as streams of arc energy flew outward from the explosion. Out from the rupture came a heavily armored fist, and a heavily armored figure along with it. It was Hayden, pushing up the very ground beneath them with his Fist of Havoc.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: HEYOOOOO! [i]The Titan's fist, now covered in blue arc energy, collided with Janus through the rupture and blasted him backwards with an uppercut. Janus cried out as he flew back into the machine, his body smashing through the terminal and crushing the mechanism Sparks flew left and right as the system began to malfunction. The energy around Liz's chamber hissed as it began to dissipate into the air. When it was all gone, the rings began to slow down more and more.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b] [i](landing next to Zale)[/i]: Now [i]that[/i] is what I call a plan. [i]The two of them patted each other on the back. When the rings stopped spinning, the two guardians ran over to Liz. She was unconscious. Zale pulled off the restraints. Hayden stood in front as the Warlock limply fell into his arms. Zale jumped down while the Titan carefully placed her on the ground.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Liz? Can you hear me? [i]They were uneasy about her condition at first, but after a few seconds her eyes opened. The first thing she saw was the two of them looking down at her.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: ....Ugh, my head. [b]Zale[/b]: There she is. [i]Liz looked up at them, tears streaming down her face.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: You came back.... [i]Zale and Hayden exchange glances and look back at her.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Of course we did. [b]Hayden[/b]: You're our friend. [i]Zale and Hayden pulled her up.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Woah, there... Take it easy, you're injured. [i]Liz slowly stood up from the ground.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: Oh, she's about to be way more than injured... [i]The three of them spun around. Janus stood up from the rubble, his destroyed machine lying in ruin behind him. At first, he grinned his usual smile. But despite the wound in his stomach and the tatters in his New Monarchy coat, something was different.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: You did it, didn't you? You actually did it... [i]The Void energy that emanated off his body from before was now discolored. Instead of its normal purple hue, the energy now glowed in a bright, toxic green color. The three students stared at the brilliant display.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Vergil, what is that stuff?! [i]Zale's ghost appeared before them.[/i] [b]Vergil[/b]: My scanners are detecting the same frequency as the beacons... Wait a minute, it's the Space-Time energy! It think it's affecting his Voidlight! [b]Janus[/b]: You think my thirst for power is just a mad game... But if you cannot imagine it, then I will [i]show[/i] you what it means. [i]Janus moved his arms through the air, green void energy trailing behind them as they moved.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: I've spent year ensuring that this plan goes accordingly, and I won't let [i]anyone[/i] get in my way. [i]In a graceful manner, though full of rage, Janus spun the energy into a large ball of light. With a final grin, the Warlock threw the green-colored Nova Bomb at the three guardians. Zale and Hayden held up their arms to block it. When nothing hit them, though, they looked up.[/i] [i]Liz, void residue now floating off her body, had thrown her Nova Bomb to block Janus'.[/i] [i]The two balls of Void-light were now hovering in the air, streams of void energy flying off as they pressed against each other. Liz and Janus held their arms in the air as if they were holding their Nova Bombs, pushing them forward. Liz forced her arms forward and the Nova Bomb pushed forward accordingly. But every time she did, Janus pushed back just as much. They were equally matched.[/i] [b]Janus[/b]: HOW?! HOW CAN THIS POWER BE STOPPED BY SUCH A WEAKLING AS YOU?! [i]Liz clenched her teeth, concentrating on her Nova Bomb. Zale walked forward, smirking at Janus. Hayden stepped up alongside him. The three were standing in a triad that faced the Warlock.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Because... [i]Janus looked over at the Hunter with rage in his eyes.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: No matter how weak we are, no matter how much we've lost, we're connected by our feelings. The good ones [i]and[/i] the bad ones. [i]Janus glared back at him.[/i] [i]Liz's purple orb began to push the green light further and further away with every time she pushed her arms. Janus returned his attention to Liz. The young Warlock stared into his eyes with feelings now building up inside. Janus began to tremble at her tenacity. His previous rage turned into pure fear.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: It's because our feelings hold us together. And when [i]we[/i] stick together, there is NOTHING we can't do. [i]With a final push, using the very last of her energy, Liz thrusted her arm forward one more time. The bright, purple Nova Bomb blasted straight through the green energy, dispersing it aside and into the air. In almost an instant, Liz's Nova Bomb flew into the power-crazed New Monarchy rep, slowly cracking his armor and burning away at him upon impact. Zale, Hayden, and Liz watched as Janus's body was unraveled in a flash of void light, hissing as the green and purple energy mixed in the air. After deteriorating into a thin void gas, the last hint of green slowly floated away into the black space above, until all that was left was three students; Three guardians standing in a half-destroyed building.[/i] The three of them looked at each other, all feeling free of the burden at last. [i]Liz walked over to the destroyed machine at the center of the room.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: What was that thing? [b]Liz[/b]: He called it a Merger... Said it was that trick with the Beacons, but on a larger scale. [i]Zale looked around, glancing at the enormous chamber Liz was in, the advanced-looking terminal by its side, and the slots that held the beacons.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Sounds like "large scale" is putting it mildly. [i]Liz touched her hand to the cold metal.[/i] [b]Liz[/b]: It's done, though... He's gone... [i]Zale and Hayden stepped up alongside her.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: Maybe... [i]Liz looked at the Hunter.[/i] [b]Zale[/b]: But I've got the feeling this is only the beginning. [i]The three of them were silent, pondering what might lie ahead. Hayden put a hand on each one's shoulder.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: We'll figure it out... Together. [i]The two of them looked at the Titan. Hayden smiled.[/i] [b]Hayden[/b]: Let's go home. [i]Zale and Liz smiled back at him. Together, the three guardians walked out into the stairwell and made their way through the building. When they reached the white, gravel of the moon outside, they looked up at the sky while Vergil sent a transport request to the school. The Fallen ship from before had fled. It was quiet now; peaceful. But the wind that blew by would carry them somewhere else soon enough...[/i]