Hello, everybody, here's part 62 of Into the Hellmouth! Just a couple of quick announcements: yesterday was apparently Fan Fiction Appreciation Day, a new tradition from the folks over at Legends of the Pack DFP. So, go ahead and celebrate with them[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/216680084?sort=0&page=0] here [/url]if you like! Also, the[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209303839?showBanned=0&path=0] Master Post [/url]just hit 50 likes this weekend, and last chapter ([url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/216049674]part 61[/url]) was the most popular chapter to date, with 24 likes. I know that's probably not a lot compared to some other posts, but it means a lot to me that we've hit these milestones. I just want to thank you all for taking the time to read this, and I'm so glad that I can create something that so many people can enjoy. In any case, you know the drill; if you like it, give it a bump, and I'll get more out soon! And, most importantly, stay classy, Guardians! Still clutching the helmet in her hand, Eris followed the column of Hive. She thought about attacking them, but quickly discarded the idea. She could probably kill the twenty hive in front of her. However, she didn’t want to risk it. After all, she hadn’t survived in the pit by taking chances. Besides, she wanted to see where they were going. Eventually, the Hive walked into a large, open cavern. Eris immediately recognized it, and felt her stomach lurch. It was the same place where the Heart had drained Omar’s light. Eris closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths. Then, she looked out at the cavern. At the far end, she could see the Heart. But she also saw a knight, and two acolytes - Crota’s Hand and Eyes. And in front of them all was Omnigul. Eris seethed at the sight of her hated enemy. She nearly leapt into the chamber, but then stopped. Taking on Omnigul would’ve been suicide at the best of times. And with the sheer number of Hive between them, it was far from an ideal opportunity. Eris sat down, and looked at the sea of Hive before her. Omnigul waited a moment, and then began to speak. “Many of you know of the traitor,” she said. “Many of you know of how he claimed to be our friend. Our ally. Many of you know how he turned his back on us, and attempted to usurp our noble Taken King.” She looked at her audience. “Forget him,” she said. “His rebellion has at last been brought to an end, and the traitor lies in the Sunless Cell aboard the Dreadnaught. And from now on, this is Oryx’s command.” Omnigul breathed deeply. “Alak-Hul. You know his name. You know of his betrayal. You know his story. Well, know it no longer!” Omnigul barred her teeth. “He is to be forgotten. Banish him from your thoughts and minds. Everything that he did never happened. Those that dare repeat his name or honor his actions shall suffer a slow and painful death.” She grinned. “Let his name and all his deeds rot with him in the cell.” The Hive remained silent. Omnigul shook her head. “Now, on to the true purpose of this meeting. Since the attack by the Servants of the Light all those years ago, our strength has waxed - along with that of Crota. Since then, our numbers have increased fourfold. Crota’s strength has increased tenfold.” The Hive chittered with excitement. “The time has come, my kin!” Omnigul shouted. “We shall invade this ‘earth’ and exterminate the last remnants of the Light, once and for all!” Omnigul raised one clawed hand into the air. “I am Crota’s will!” she shouted. “And I say that his will shall! Be! Done!” The Hive broke out into a cacophony of cheering. Eris looked on at the crowd. She remembered all those she had lost to the Hive. All those who had died in the invasion of the moon. Those who she’d followed down into this accursed pit. She gripped the helmet at her side even tighter. She knew what she had been - no, she knew what she was. She was a Guardian. And it was time for her vengeance. But she couldn’t take it alone. She couldn’t stop this invasion all by herself. No, for that she would need help. And she knew exactly where to find it. Eris watched the Hive as they left the caverns. Many - including Omnigul herself - were boarding tombships, apparently heading for the surface. Sticking to the shadows, Eris made her way towards the boarding area. There were only a few tombships left. The last few Hive - mostly acolytes and knights - were being transmatted aboard. Eris waited until there was only one left. And then, she ran to the boarding area. Eris slid into the midst of a dozen hive just as the tombship began the transmatt. She looked up just in time to see the look of surprise on the face of one of the acolytes. And then, she was beamed aboard the tomb ship. Several hours later, the tombship reached it’s destination on the ocean of storms. It stopped, and transmatted it’s cargo onto the dusty surface below. What came from it’s underbelly was a plethora of corpses. Standing in their midst was Eris Morn, knives in hand. Eris looked up. The jumpship had dropped her off somewhere in the Ocean of storms. Directly in front of her was an entire Hive army. Fortunately, the tombship had dropped her in the back of the force, meaning no one had noticed her - yet. Of course, that was the moment an acolyte turned around, and saw the bodies at her feet. Before the Hive could issue a war cry, Eris threw her knife, embedding the blade in it’s skull. By the time the Hive had hit the ground, she had crested a nearby ridge, safely out of sight of the Hive army. Then, Eris ran off across Luna’s barren surface, going off into the night. Eris knew what she had to do; she had to a way back to earth. However, that was easier said than done. First, she needed to find a jumpship. Luna had been a busy spaceport back during the Golden Age, but that itself was no guarantee that there would be a perfectly functional jumpship lying around - and there was even less guarantee that it would have an undamaged warp drive. The jumpships from her fire team would’ve been ideal. However, she had no idea where to look for them. Once they had touched down, the ghosts had sent the ships into orbit around the moon. For all she knew, they were still up there. And even if they had come down to the surface at some point, they’d most likely crash-landed, meaning that they were unusable. Eris walked across the surface for several days, checking in buildings caves, anywhere she might find anything resembling a jumpship. However, her efforts were in vain. She had no doubt that some of the old terminals were still functional. They probably contained records that would’ve helped her find something, but without her ghost, she doubted that she could access them. And so, Eris Morn continued to wander. Eventually, she came across the old particle accelerator - the one she and her fire team had laid eyes upon when they’d landed on the moon, so many years ago. Eris squinted. In the distance, she saw a strange shape, lying on the gray dust of Luna. Could it be? she thought. The shape looked like it could be a jumpship! Her heart fluttering with excitement, Eris made her way towards it. After about half an hour of walking, she made her way over to the shape. It was a jumpship, alright. And it looked strangely familiar. Eris frowned, and walked over to it’s side. The ship had acquired a layer of dust over the years, but she could make out a symbol of sorts beneath the gray covering. Eris brushed off the dust. She stared at the symbol in disbelief. Then, she smiled. The symbol was the shape of a white flower, perfectly framed by a white circle. She’d seen it once before. This was Toland’s ship. The ship’s entrance was already open, fortunately for Eris. Without her ghost, she couldn’t simply transmat aboard. Her best guess was that the ship had been low on power, and automatically come in for a landing near where they’d first transmatted down to the surface. Unfortunately, the Fallen had already gotten to the ship. Eris couldn’t help but cringe as she looked at the inside of the ship. Most of the electronics inside had been torn out. Especially unfortunate was the fact they’d managed to get to the warp drive. There was no way that she could get to earth without it. Well, there was only one thing to do; salvage what she could from the surrounding area, and hope that she had enough materials to repair the ship. She could only hope that the Fallen hadn’t picked the area clean. In addition, she realized that she needed to find some Hive - there’d probably be a few patrols lurking around. After all, she was getting hungry. Edit:[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/217178812] Part 63[/url]