Risen

Chapter 7

   Narvuk paced back and forth, his steps echoing through the open chamber. He muttered to himself in the Hive language, occasionally swinging his sword at some imaginary foe. Zivath, who was hovering out of his way, spoke up concernedly. "Um, big guy? We've been here, in Hive territory, for almost an hour. We need to go, we're not welcome."

"You not welcome. I amm one of thhem."

"But you're not, Narvuk. Not anymore."

Narvuk whirled to face his Ghost, snarling like an animal. "WHAT AM I, THEN?! Don't belong as Lightbearer, can't belong as Hive! What else is there? Refuse to be nothing, but not allowed to be anything!"

"Look, I'm sure Poppy didn't me--"

"She did. Others thought it, but didn't say. Only real ack-septance, frrom Air-is."

   "Narvuk, you are a Guardian. It doesn't matter what species you are, or what you may have been in your old life. If that was a factor, I don't think we'd have half the Guardians currently active, and that includes you." Narvuk thought for a moment, then planted his sword in the floor and leaned on it. "Whhy me?"

"Say what?"

"Why you choose me? Many dead in the system, you could hhave raised anny. Why not thhem?"

Zivath shook her bulb from side to side. "That's not how it works, big guy. We don't really choose our Guardians, per se. Each of us was created by the Traveler for a specific Guardian-to-be. Mine turned out to be you. I'm one of the lucky ones. Some Ghosts never find their Guardians, so they just... drift forever."

   Narvuk took a breath to ask something, but the moment was lost when a roar came from the right. Narvuk barely had time to pull his sword and roll behind an enclosure before a stream of Void blasts scorched the spot where he'd been standing. When the barrage paused, Zivath peaked out over the LED display, then quickly ducked back down as a Boomer shot flew past. "Ogre, two Knights, probably small fry behind them. Think you can handle that, big guy?" Narvuk closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Disappearr, little Light. Is nnot safe anymore."

"Aww, you do care." she teased before vanishing.

He snorted before hefting his sword and charging out. Immediately, the Ogre and the Knight holding the Boomer opened fire, barely missing Narvuk as he darted from side to side. As he closed the gap, he could see a Wizard and a few dozen Acolytes behind them. His focus shot back to the Ogre as it roared, and he knew it had sensed his Light. The massive beast rushed Narvuk, its heavy steps shaking the room. When the two met, the Ogre raised its large clawed hands to crush him, only to find it no longer had any. Narvuk swung twice more, and the beast fell to the floor, still roaring. The Cleaver fell again, and the Ogre burned away to dust.

He rolled to evade the next Boomer shot, but was sent rolling across the room by the other Knight, who had circled around him. He dug his sword into the floor and skidded to a halt, only to see the other Knight already closing the gap. As its Cleaver fell, Narvuk raised his in an attempt to block, but it was knocked away and spun across the floor.

The Knight roared and lifted its sword again, but a shot rang out, and it disintegrated where it stood. Narvuk whipped his head around to look, and he saw Sienna on one knee, a smoking sniper rifle in her hands, and Poppy standing beside her. "Looks like you could use some backup."

He shook his head ruefully and got to his feet. "Thhankss. But ttalk laterr."

"Agreed. Let's do this!"