If you missed the last episode, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/224651656/0/0]here[/url], or if you need to find a previous episode, you can find them all in the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/220441594/0/0]Master Post[/url]. Please give a bump, upvote, or leave comment if you enjoy this and any other chapter! *** The sound of chains awakens me. I open my eyes and struggle toward the sound, only to find my arms and legs shackled, keeping me in place. I look left and right, seeing the chains trailing off behind me. Facing forward once more, I lock eyes with Anixias, herself shackled to the floor before me. * [i]What…[/i] * I struggle to say, but the second I speak a nearby Vandal smacks me across the face with his staff, hard. * [i]You’ll find words will no longer do you any good,[/i] * I hear from behind me. I turn my head toward the sound, but the Vandal smacks me again. I seethe at the vermin as Beloks saunters into view, causing me to snarl unconsciously. * [i]You![/i] * I growl menacingly. * [i]When Dra Ge discovers what you’ve done –[/i] * * [i]What will I do?[/i] * I freeze at the sound of his voice, and feel my blood run cold as Dra Ge steps out of his place in the shadows, eyeing me disdainfully, as if I am nothing more than something on the bottom of his foot. * [i]What will I do?[/i] * he asks again. * [i]What will I do, niece, to defend the honor that you yourself have tarnished? What retribution will I bring against the one who illuminated me to the…[/i] * He seems to struggle with the very idea. * [i]…to the[/i] abomination [i]that hid in my very House? What would I do? * * Dra Ge – [/i]* I begin, bowing out of habit, but Dra Ge hits me across the face, hard. * [i]You are not worthy to speak even my title any longer! * * Uncle –[/i] * I begin again, but Dra Ge hits me even harder – looking at him through the slits of my swelling eyes, I see his own eyes and all the hatred and betrayal within them. Looking deeper, though, for a moment, I can almost see the grief in there as well. * [i]DO NOT DARE TO ADDRESS ME AS FAMILY!!![/i] * he bellows in my face, his spit hitting me as he gnashes his teeth wrathfully. * [i]I have no niece! And if my brother raised you to be –[/i] * He unconsciously looks back at Anixias briefly. * [i]– this….this….then I have no brother either.[/i] * I watch him, stunned, as he raises all his arms, bellowing around the small chamber we’ve been chained inside. * [i]The Eliksni are my family, and I am their Dra Ge! I have no need for kin when all our people are my kin![/i] * He seems deranged, out of control, unable to comprehend us – I unconsciously struggle against the chains, but all it does is regain Dra Ge’s attention. * [i]Except for those who betray me, who betray our cause! * * I would never betray you!!![/i] * I can’t help shouting back. * [i]I am still your Disciple, and Anixias is your forever faithful – * * SILENCE!!!![/i] * Dra Ge shrieks, striking me again. He turns to look at Anixias, chained pitifully to the floor, and saunters over, his hands curling into fists. I struggle against the chains more as he bears down on her, and without a word, begins beating her with his own hands. * [i]NO!!!![/i] * I scream, pulling with all my might against the chains as Dra Ge keeps hitting her over and over and over – Anixias, unable to defend herself, tries to curl up as best she can, but Dra Ge orders his Vandals to hold her up – her beaten and bloodied face is brought before his, and he spits on it before punching her again. * [i]PLEASE!!![/i] * I beg. * [i]HIT ME!!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!! HIT ME!!![/i] * But Dra Ge either can’t hear or won’t – the sickening crunches of his assault blend with my screams of anguish, Anixias’ blood pooling across the deck to blend with my tears. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Dra Ge stops hitting her, and the Vandals let her limp body fall to the deck with a thud. He turns his attention back to me, and begins hitting me in the face. * [i]….stop….[/i] * Dra Ge actually stops, turning slowly with incredulity to look at Anixias, struggling to rise, her chains rattling weakly. * [i]….hit…..me…..[/i] * * [i]No![/i] * I shriek at Dra Ge, snarling wildly. * [i]I’m the one you want, don’t – * * …you’re…..weak….[/i] * Anixias forces out, rising to her knees and glaring with contempt at Dra Ge. * [i]…..no….leader….you’re……fraud…..[/i] * I can see the fire engulf Dra Ge’s eyes, can read the murderous intent in his gaze. * [i]So there is a limit to the devotion of the Forever Faithful,[/i] * he hisses quietly as he turns from me. * [i]No!! Uncle!!! Dra Ge!!![/i] * I scream, hoping to regain his attention. * [i]….false…..prophet…[/i]. * Anixias continues, blood dripping continuously with each word. * [i]….fake…..fraud….Kell…..of none…..[/i] * Dra Ge bears down on her, and without a word, pulls her body ruthlessly forward, her arms still chained – Anixias screams as her arms are yanked to their limits, tendons snapping, until finally, with a mighty effort, Dra Ge pulls her dismembered body from its chains, the shackles still bound to her arms. Anixias shrieks in agony, her screams blending with mine. I spy Beloks watching, an almost gleeful expression on his face. * [i]You would let the Exiles play you like this?![/i] * I scream at Dra Ge. * [i]To sacrifice your most faithful Disciples based on the word of an outsider?!!![/i] * * [i]Dra Ge cannot unite the Houses without the Exiles,[/i] * Beloks says cooly, a sickening smile on his face. * [i]Nor can he unite them with those who would seek to undermine his rule. * * He’s tricking you!!![/i] * I shriek at Dra Ge. * [i]Giving you nothing but a hope in return!![/i] * Anixias moans on the ground as Dra Ge seems to consider this for a moment. But he finally turns to me, and says without an ounce of warmth: * [i]Betrayal must always be met with blood, no matter who the betrayer may be.[/i] * I see Beloks smile, and feel sick. Forcing myself to look down, I see Anixias struggling to look up at me. I lose myself in the swollen slits of her eyes, so much so that I don’t even feel the Vandals unchaining my arms, nor see Dra Ge stepping behind me. * [i]……solis….. [/i]* Anixias manages to say as I finally feel Dra Ge grabbing hold of one of my upper arms. I force myself to keep looking at her as Dra Ge begins to pull – the agony grows unbearable, but I refuse to scream, refuse to give him – With a yank, Dra Ge pulls my arm off, and I let out an involuntary growl and whimper. My shoulder feels like it’s on fire as Dra Ge grabs my other arm next, and slowly begins to pull once more – * [i]…..Anix…..Anixias…..[/i] * I mumble, trying to focus on her, to keep my mind of the pain as I feel muscles separating, tendons snapping, bone scraping against bone as the arm is pulled further and further away, finally snapping like its partner, my blood draining down my body to mix with Anixias’. * [i]Now not even your father will accept you back,[/i] * Dra Ge snarls, smacking me in the face once more with my own dismembered arm before throwing it away. * [i]Now you truly bear the marks of your disgrace.[/i] * The tears flow freely, and I bury my head against the deck to hide them. Dra Ge leans down and pulls me up, forcing me to look at Anixias, barely alive, just a beaten and bloodied body now. * [i]Which is why you will not die. It will not be that easy for you. You will forever be a living disgrace and reminder to all Eliksni you encounter of the power of Dra Ge, and the price of dishonoring him.[/i] * Dra Ge lets go and steps over to Anixias – bringing his leg up, he smashes it against her back as hard as he can – I can hear her spine snapping and popping as he brings his foot down again, completely crushing her body beneath – There are no more tears to shed, no more words to say – I can only watch as Dra Ge steps next to Anixias’ head, and smashes it to pieces underfoot. Either from the loss of blood or the shock of what’s happened, I feel darkness gathering at the corners of my vision, slowly obscuring everything as I drift away to the blessed peace of oblivion, the last thing I see before everything goes dark the bloodied pulp of Anixias’ body, and Beloks smiling wickedly in the shadows behind her. *** I wake up in severe pain, gasping at the shock of it before realizing I’m breathing through an ether mask – opening my eyes, I look around the dusty, gray landscape of the Earth’s Moon, an empty expanse in every direction around me. I immediately feel the continuing, throbbing pain where my arms used to be, but there’s no room to lament my own loss – burying my face against the lunar dust, I sob uncontrollably, the image of Anixias’ body violently fresh in my mind. Eventually, I roll onto my back, staring up at the black void above me, unable to move, unable to think of any way forward. [i]It’s all gone[/i], I think sadly. [i]My life, my purpose, my love – everything is gone. There’s nothing left for me to do but lie here and wait to die.[/i] I morosely lie still against the sand, deciding whether or not to take the ether mask off now and just let the inevitable happen – but as I go to reach for it, I realize my lower arms are shackled. [i]They didn’t even give me the option to kill myself,[/i] I think sadly. [i]I have to wait to die.[/i] Hoping that there’s not much ether left in the mask so that I may go quickly, I continue to lie there, still as death, staring up at the empty void, wondering if I’ll see Anixias in the next life – But as I stare into the blackness, a dark shape seems to ripple across the void, coming closer – it grows larger, finally flying in front of the Earth enough for me to realize it’s a dark, menacing-looking ship, with long, jagged black fins jutting forward like blades –