Prince of Darkness: Shattered Past Book 2

No Will To Live

Crota had learned of Omnigul's death at the hand of James. Much like the other commanders at his disposal, he had grown close to her, and he considered her a good friend. Crota's fury had died out; he had been angry for too long. Grief was not something that he had felt this time, only a festering disinterest and sadness. The dust from the thrall continued to spread about the throne room like the sands of a desert. Much like the ones on earth where the sand would blow in the wind shaping the world around it. 

Crota sat on his throne, utterly broken and with nothing to lose. He sat there with an acolyte running into the throne room. The acolyte quickly bowed before his feet waiting for him to signal him to speak. 

"Speak." Crota boomed. 

"Master, it is done."

Crota just sat there, utterly disinterested. He stood up, leaving his sword on his throne and walked slowly to the balcony outside. 

"Master, you are free, why are you distressed?" The meek soldier asked him.

Crota looked out placing his hands on the railing. The sky was still a typical green, Crota began to think about his life, and what was left that he could live for. His father didn't love him anymore, his friends and loved ones were dead. What did he have? Immortality was all he had left, immortality and bitterness. 

"Tell me, soldier, what is it that keeps you motivated to live?" Crota asked him. 

The acolyte didn't know how to answer that question. His prince was asking him, a low-class warrior for his reason to live. "For the hope that there will one day be light at the end of the tunnel master." 

Crota glanced at him. The acolyte was young; it looked like he had only grown his eyes a few months ago. He was so naive but how could he say that? The acolyte found hope in a world that his father taught him had none. Crota let out a sly smile. Perhaps the world could be better, where the guardians weren't in it. However, he needed them to be here so that he could fight them with all his power. He had known that he would die if they managed to overpower him here, the throne world is where he is strongest, but also most vulnerable. 

He could die forever if he were defeated here but he didn't care, all that mattered was defeating those guardians. 

"I want you to direct those guardians here young one, to my throne room. Do not make their journey easy. But make sure they get here."

"But master, if you die here, you'll be gone forever." 

Crota glanced out over to the Oversoul that hung over his palace, glowing brightly like a green star. "I know." 

The acolyte did not know what to say after that. So he decided to simply carry out his master's orders. Crota knew that this would be the last time that he would be able to make an offering. So he walked over to the altar again and bowed towards it after taking a piece of his own skin off and placing it in the offering basin. He lit the candles using his hands and his hive magic. He then sat there kneeling at the altar. He would pray until he heard them knocking down his throne room door. These were his final hours; he knew that. He would fight until his last breath left his body but he was aware that no matter what power that he had at his disposal he would perish.

Crota did not fear death. Not this time. He began to feel his warriors fury return to him as he began to remember those who had slain his commanders. "They will all pay for what they have done to me." He murmured to himself taking his sword off his throne preparing to face the guardians whom he would face. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The five-man team returned to the tower to see Eris for their next move. She knew the hive better than any of them. 

"Alright, so that makes all of them, where are we heading next?" James asked her. 

"You need to head into the depths of the Hellmouth, only then will you be able to destroy Crota for good." 

"How deep do we need to go?" Charon asked.

"To the very bottom of the pit, after traversing the abyss, you will be able to find the portal to Crota's realm." She replied coldly. 

"So we're going down the same path your team did?" Cameron asked. 

"Yes, but this time you will be prepared." She replied. 

They were going down there to stop Crota, but Eris had another motive. She wanted to make sure that Crota was gone forever, but she also wanted vengeance against the being that slaughtered her friends. The abyss wouldn't be easy to traverse; the thrall would swarm and surround them. But several factors would make this attempt different: one, James, two, Sidriks, and third James's selflessness. He would do anything to keep his team safe, and he is more than powerful enough to do so. 

"You will land here and the bridge to get you to the bottom of the abyss," Eris remarked looking at a holographic map of the moon. 

Cameron thought carefully about this for a moment, she hoped to whatever gods are above that Vel was still down there somewhere. If she were, then she would save her and bring her back, no matter what condition she was in. Vel was the person who introduced her to Saint and was her mentor. The two eventually became close friends. Cameron was heartbroken when she didn't come back; it was the second biggest loss she had experienced in her entire life. Now she was going to the place where she disappeared. 

"Alright, let's do this. Is there anything else that we need to know before going forward?" Sidriks asked. 

"Yes, due to the proximity to the center of the moon the pressure due to gravity will be higher. You won't move as quickly as normal." Eris replied. 

"Got it." The team all responded heading over to their ships. 

James flicked on several of the switches in his vessel. "So, you think you can kill something like Crota James?" Ghost asked him. James buckled himself into his ship and took off for the moon. 

"To be honest Ghost, I don't know this time." He replied nervously.