Unbound Fates Volume 1: Awakening

Part 3

Lucy scours the many shattered windows of a dilapidated tower on their left, the dark shadows within drawing anxiety to the front of her mind. It peaks briefly as a flock of birds erupts from behind the hollow shell of a vehicle to her right. She stumbles back, swinging the barrel up while spamming the trigger to no effect. The air is knocked from her when she slams against the ground. Fortunately, a patch of grass pushing up through the asphalt keeps her from cracking her skull open.

Belladonna hurriedly scans her but gives her space as she sits up, groaning, "Why didn't the gun shoot? If they were Fallen, I would have been killed!" The Ghost floats around as she gets to her feet, "The Fallen's wire rifles are essentially portable rail guns. They're powerful but must charge up a bit before they can fire. Maybe we should familiarize you with these weapons before stumbling into more surprises?"

Lucy lays down the rifle, a pistol, and a grenade on the hood of the rusted-out car. Belladonna hovers over each as she speaks, "The wire rifle fires thin filaments of pure single-crystalline tungsten. A shock core superheats a length of wire before powering electromagnetic rails in the barrel to launch it at high velocity. You have to hold down the trigger to charge the system, then release it to fire. The shock pistols are a little less complex. It fires condensed bolts of low-mass, Arc-charged plasma. It's semi-automatic, so it'll shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger. Then there's the shock grenade. These are really simple. Pushing the button activates an induction motor that overloads a shock core at its center. Ten seconds later, they explode into shrapnel and Arc energy, decimating anything in a five-meter radius. Don't be in that radius when they pop."

Lucy gives her a deadpan look before shouldering the rifle. She looks down its double-lensed scope and aims at the pedestrian crossing sign a few intersections away. She tests the action of the trigger. Holding it for a count of two is enough to fully charge the weapon, as indicated by a bar displayed in the scope. When she lets off the trigger, the recoil catches her off guard, causing the scope to strike her brow. She inhales sharply and nearly drops the rifle as she grips her forehead.

The Ghost hovers around, tilted to one side, "You're making it hard to keep my promise, you know that? Let me take a look." She scans the rapidly swelling area before easing it back down with the radiant warmth of Light, "Hold that tighter to your shoulder when firing it. Always have a solid grip on your firearm, okay? Next time you give yourself a shiner, I'm letting you keep it."

Lucy gives her a look somewhere between embarrassment and indignation, nodding her acknowledgment. "Okay. The good news is that you hit your target. You have a steady hand for someone so petite hefting that much weapon. Maybe that cloak suits you more than I first thought." Lucy looks puzzled. "It'll make sense when we talk to the Vanguard." Lucy doesn't like it when Belladonna gives cryptic answers, but something tells her she will learn to deal with it.

Belladonna's first stop on their search is an old police headquarters near the city center, hoping to find a serviceable Hawk. If not, it's another two hours to check the nearest starport. She has even less faith in finding something there. Old ports are like magnets for Fallen crews looking for salvage.

On their way, Lucy points out a strange spire made of what appears to be dark stone encasing a green, glowing, crystalline pillar sticking out at an odd angle from a crumbling storefront, "Hey... what is that?" Belladonna swoops into her cloak, peering between the hem and her leg, "That's a Hive Seeder. We should leave. Now."

Lucy doesn't hesitate, the fear in the Ghost's voice coming through loud and clear. She walks as quickly and quietly as possible for several blocks before finally slowing her pace, "I understand we're at war with the Hive, but why do you fear them so much?"

Belladonna slowly emerges from her hiding spot, looking around nervously as she answers, "They don't just kill. They torment. They rip the Light from any living thing they can get their claws on and twist it beyond recognition. Death by the Hive is described as unspeakable by all who witness it. They are creatures of the Darkness through and through." Lucy looks over her shoulder, trying to shake off the dread creeping into her mind.