Light: Exploits, Book II.

Part 6. Hall Of The Deep.

After the night; what we assumed, we all took turns to sleep. Bask ourselves in The Light Tree.
Rejuvenated and ready to go, Priest growls happily.
Ghost, where are we? Where are we heading, and what are we after? I ask as we walk outside, the sun baking the ground above the canyon.
We're after a Knight, it says. We must traverse the lower crust of the planet and then we'll fight his followers in the Hall of The Deep, it continues.
I take a moment to breathe, this would probably be our last bit of fresh air for some time.
What's this Hall of The Deep? Farah asks as we discover a small cave that leads farther down.
Supposedly it's a Hiven burial site, it says. And to protect it, they lock it in a space between dimensions... Interesting. It says in amazement.
That's just a bunch of Mumbo jumbo, Priest snorts, his fists glowing with Arc Light. Nothing Light can't kill.
I smirked, easy there Priest, we take this slow; considering what we've been through already? I say quizzically as the wings of my Light Beyond Nemesis brushed in the dying breeze.
True true, he says as we slide down a decline taking us down to a deepened darkness; not unlike Luna.
We stand now in a large open chamber.
Whoa.... Priest says looking up. The ceiling is glimmering like starlight.
What's this? I ask.
Looks like a Star Room, Farah says walking around. The Hive navigate in space like we do; star pattern. It's law. Even Hive can't break it. She says happily.
So we break them with it, I say hopeful.
Like the way you think Dylan, Priest says as he releases his Ghost to pull data. Break... He repeats.
We can continue our descent over there Guardian, Ghost says patiently in my ear.
I motion my team and we approach the small, man-sized hole down.
Is this a straight drop? I ask.
Map data says so, Ghost says. But there's... Some kind of interference? It questions.
Hmm, magics, I say. I'll go first. See if I can enact some counter Light. Clear it up and Farah, you follow and Priest you bring us up alright?
Priest nods, the lights of his Insurmountable Skullfort flickering. Farah nods and crosses her arms to wait; her Young Ahamkaras Spine pointing its spines to the air.
I looked at the hole and breathed in.
I held my breath as I dropped.
I felt the rock pass over me. Wind was rushing past.
Descent! I shout to my Ghost.
It's... Growing? It says.
What!
Your decent point! It's growing farther away as we fall! It shouts.
My eyes bulged and I looked down, and clipped myself on a rock.
My body tumbled.
Tumbled.
Like I was in someplace that wasn't just a man sized hole bored by Evil I could only fathom.
Aghhhhhh!! I shouted as I was thrown around in a vortex of Darkness.
I was thrown down to a small platform where before me appeared a Hiven Knight with a viscous hammer at his hip.
He was near 10 feet tall.
I stood up wobbling and it grasped my head and slammed me to the ground. It did this several times before my helmet finally fell off.
Unhand me you filth! I spit as it back hands me and reaches for my throat.
It grabs and squeezes me; I spit blood and it pulls me toward its face.
It's mouth.
It smelled of the Light it had eaten.
Not worth the Destroyer's time... It says with a laugh.
Fuck you! I say clawing at it, it's arm bulky with jagged bones and rock.
Ahhh, some fight you have! It says throwing me to the ground and planting it's boot on my head and back.
You will die in my Hall. It laughs as it twists it's boot into my coat.
I will enjoy your Light. It laughs as I scream and, as in an instant, I'm pulled back to reality.
I'm lying flat on my back in a small chamber with a hall leading outward; definitely Hiven architecture.
I sit up sharply; gasping and heaving.
Guardian! Guardian it's okay! My Ghost says.
Ghost! Ghost! Where am I! Why aren't I dead! I scream madly; caught in a memory.
Ghost plays music.
The most calming, beautiful music I could have ever imagined.
Like a mother singing with joy for her newborn child.
I stopped breathing and felt my heart beat.
I started to breathe again.
I regained myself and stood up.
I breathed in one deep, calming breath.
Excellent, Ghost says happily.
I thought I lost you again, it says with lament.
You did very well Little Light, I smile.
Farah, it's alright, I say as I feel my hands wiggle in my gloves.
She lands softly before me, standing up and looking around.
Wow... She awes. Like that summoning pit we found on earth, she recalls.
Priest thuds after a few moments and lifts his head.
Let's go, I'm picking up the market further in, I say leading us on.
So what're we after? Priest asks.
Good question. Ghost? I ask.
It buzzes in my ear, scanning the data.
A Knight. It chirps. Titox, Reaver of Light. Supposedly one of the oldest surviving members of the initial invasion force of Neptune, it says.
10 feet tall; wields a hammer of ancient Hiven make, it continues.
Sounds like my kinda Knight, Priest growls happily.
Reaver of Light doesn't sound too promising, I say with a sneer.
Where's your sense of adventure? Farah asks with a chuckle.
Back on earth, at Tower, where there's Light, I say.
We continued in deeper, the halls soon lining with coffins and sarcophagi.
Looks like we've found the Hall, I say in almost disgust.
Definitely Hiven, can't really say how old, Ghost says curiously.
Old enough to be Hive. Evil enough to be Dark, Farah says as we look around.
The hall soon opens into crossing and intersecting hallways. The place becomes a maze soon enough.
The sarcophagi continue on and on; we hear faint growls and hums deeper along.
Should we split up? Priest asks.
Is that a joke? I ask.
Either way, he chuckles.
As we continue, the wall shows windows that reveal to us something dark and forbidding; but wasn't Darkness.
What's in these tanks Ghost? I ask.
It appears before me and scans it.
It's no tank; the wall its connected to is the only structural point. And my scans indicate it's just water, It says.
Water? I ask. Are you sure?
It beeps once again, checking its scan. Yes. Pure water. It has Hiven molecules and sub-life forms flourishing, but it's drinkable water.
I cross my arms, a curious look crossing my face. If the water is down here, then that would mean the Hive dried out the surface... Why? I ask no one in particular.
Maybe it's staging, Priest suggests, like the Cabal on Mars. But the Hive are dead so they don't need water. And Neptune? Talk about a planet far enough from the Traveller to not be touched by its light.
I look up, and a place that's still close enough to monitor us. I whisper softly.
We hear a loud, angry roar from somewhere deep within the crypts.
Uh.... What the hell was that? Farah asks worriedly.
Nothing good, I say drawing my rifle.
Priest, you head down that southern hall way, I say pointing, Farah, you down the eastern, I point again as I creep down the northern hallway.
The roar continues, but seems to die away. Like it was being dragged deeper into the doom that awaits it.
You guys have anything? I ask in my comms as I continue along.
I got a door, Priest says.
I'm getting pretty familiar with these rocks, Farah sighs, bored.
Check your corners and watch your backs; Priest, see if you can get that door open. Farah, regroup with him. I'm gonna keep going and see if I can find anything. I say before I can hear any protest.
I can safely say that the farther I went down in this tomb, the more I questioned who it was for.