Warframe: Relic Hunters
Chapter 26
Dread
*Location: CHS, 1 month later*
The day was plastered in gloom, the sky never showing the light of day, but with what had transpired, it was no wonder. The Mane 7 all watched Excalibur, as he just sat on his lonesome.
“I feel bad for the guy, he’s been out of it for a while,” Applejack spoke as the rest nodded, even Pinkie avoided him
“Can you blame him? Him, Valkyr, and the rest have been rather down lately after they lost two of their friends,” Twilight responded with a frown
“Losing both of them to ‘Those’ creeps, I swear, if I could I would-“ Dash began but was cut off by someone sitting down beside her, it was Valkyr
“I know, but right now… its best we leave him alone,” Valkyr said calmly as the others just looked at her with concern
“Are you sure, darling? I mean, can’t we do something to help?” Rarity asked as Valkyr shook her head
“He is lost, drowning in emotions, like a flood that sweeps all,” Ash spoke up as the rest jumped
“I know, but still, if the bo-Excalibur keeps this up, he’ll be worse off in the end!” Ember snapped as the others glared at her, but she shrugged. “Meh, I’m right,”
“So, you’re just gonna brush this off! Some friend you were to Nekros and Volt!” Valkyr snapped as she glared at Ember
“Valkyr, calm down,” Twilight tried to ease her but Valkyr just got up and left, but they could see the tears that had formed before her turned. “Happy?”
“No! I miss them, but if we kept mourning them, then we’ll never move on for them,” Ember explained as Ash agreed
“Such paths are unclear, much like the shadows, the dread that follows,” Ash replied before pointing ahead as they all looked. “As is one, right now,”
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*Top of CHS*
The sky still dimmed the world, as Valkyr sat on the edge of the cold roof, her silent tears still falling, like the rain that had yet to fall.
“Sis?” Excalibur called out as he approached her, his frown still present as she turned to face him
They both stared at each other for what felt like years, before Valkyr got up and quickly embraced him as she cried, Excalibur held her close as he whispered in her ear.
“I know it hurts, I know that we’ve lost so much, but just remember the reason we’ve held on for this long,” Excalibur spoke as Valkyr buried herself in his shoulder as she nodded
“Promise me you’ll end this… this stupid war…I just want the pain to stop,” Valkyr croaked as Excalibur finally smiled, but then his eyes opened wide
“Get Back!” Excalibur yelled as he shoved Valkyr aside, before she could ask her heart stopped as she looked at the other presence
Excalibur’s hands shook, as he felt his heart sink into his stomach. Before them, armed with a massive (Greatsword) and cloaked in black and red fabric and armour. Was Stalker.
“I told you, you couldn’t hide from me,” Stalker spoke as he gripped his blade, then he swung
“Oh, shit,” Excalibur cursed
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The sound of rubble and blasts was not ignored, many flooded outside to see what had caused the sound. But they all stayed a fair distance away from the scene.
“Isn’t that the Tenno, that attacked the Relic Leader before?” Twilight asked in confusion as she saw the new gear it wore, the other had a gash on his shoulder as he ignored it
“Who cares? That ‘Relic’ freak killed my dad!” Dash spat as she glared at Excalibur. “I hope he dies,”
“Rainbow Dash!?” Fluttershy snapped, but it did nothing to phase her friend as she frowned
Then they all saw 3 other running up, Rhino, Atlas, and Skyler (In combat armour). They all stopped as they saw Excalibur’s hand raise.
“Stay out of this!” He called out as Skyler went to interject. “That’s a request, please?”
This took them back, he never says that unless he was serious about a scenario, which in this case, it was.
“So, you’ve joined with the one thing that destroyed are home?” Excalibur asked disappointingly
“All for a good cause, starting with you,” Stalker answered as he pointed ‘War’ at Excalibur
“Remember what we’re here for ‘Shadow’, do not forget your despair,” the voice warned as Stalker focused on Excalibur again
“I’m guess you’re, Hunhow, Sentient Destroyer of Worlds,” Excalibur asked bluntly
“And you are the weakling from Prime, you should be easy,” Hunhow answered back as Excalibur quickly pulled his Nikana out
“So, I guess are paths end here?” Excalibur asked as Stalker gripped his sword tight
"That they will,” he answered as they waited for the right time to strike
Stalker reacted first as he swung his blade around, 3 whips of energy shot towards Excalibur as he blocked the first, but he grit his feet. The attack was far stronger now.
Then next however knocked his defence up, and the other followed closely as it cut right through his armour as he yelled in pain. Stalker however ran for Excalibur in that same instance.
Excalibur, quickly drew his Lex as he fired rounds into Stalker, this did puncture his armour as he fell back. But he watched at an aura emanated from his body.
*BLAM-BLAM-BLAM*
The next 3 shots did nothing as they bounced off his armour. Excalibur dodged a swing of Stalker’s sword as it dug itself into a wall. Excalibur quickly leaped up to avoid another attack. But Stalker threw a glowing ball as it ignited, sending Excalibur flying.
He fell to the earth with a crash as he coughed. Excalibur slowly got to his feet as he saw Stalker, approaching him, his blade held high.
“You told me once, that i shouldn’t blame myself for the deaths of my family,” Excalibur said calmly as he stopped in his tracks. “You’re right, I should never blame myself,”
*SHINK-CLASH*
Stalker was caught off guard by the blade connecting with his own, but be held strong as they both glared through their helmets at each other.
“So, I would have any regrets, for killing you!!” Excalibur yelled as he swept Stalker off his feet
Excalibur, then swiftly lashed out at Stalker, his armour being tainted with his own blood, but he quickly vanished as Excalibur fell forwards from the lack of support.
*SHINK*
“AHHH!!!” Excalibur screamed as he felt the bone in his leg snap from the force of the kick, he then fell to the ground in pain
Stalker, however wasn’t done, he grabbed Excalibur’s horn and kicked him directly in the head as his vison split from the trauma. His helmet now chipped.
Stalker then grabbed Excalibur and pulled him to his feet as he punched him repeatedly in the chest as he gasped silently. His ribs bending from the force. But one laceration set him down to his knees as his body fell limp.
Excalibur couldn’t move, his body was too weak, Stalker, was far beyond a normal Tenno, he was nothing but a monster, now cloaked in despair. And Excalibur had no power to stop him.
The crowd watched as Stalker walked up to Excalibur’s limp body as he poked him with the tip of his blade, tilting his body.
“No sense, no self, no death, just a blind puppet, dangling on Orokin strings,” Hunhow spoke as Stalker looked at Valkyr, her eyes then widened in terror. “Only the Tenno’s death, will end your despair,”
“NO!” Valkyr screamed as Stalker grabbed his blade and impaled Excalibur to the ground, the blood leaking from the blade as Stalker left it behind
He quickly walked up to Valkyr, grabbed her as she began to choke, Hunhow, did however continue.
“All your dread long life, you’ve waited for this moment,” Hunhow kept going. “But you’re asking yourself, ‘was I one of these foolish things?’”
“You know the answer, you still hate them, you still hate yourself,” Hunhow finished but not before something caught everyone attention
Excalibur’s body moved as his shakily grabbed the blade, where Hunhow’s voice emanated from, this caught Stalker’s attention as he dropped Valkyr and walked over to the sight.
“What is this?” Stalker asked as he grabbed the hilt of the blade
“Your reckoning.” Excalibur hissed as he pulled harder, snapping part of the blade
This caused Stalker to freeze in place, his body couldn’t move as much as he tired. But Excalibur kept pulling.
“Shadow, protect… me…” Hunhow asked, his voice distorting as Excalibur yelled out and broke the blade in two
Stalker then felt the energy begin to collapse in his Warframe, but not before Excalibur grabbed him by the throat and held him tight, both face-to-face.
“No…not…. yet…” Stalker groaned as Excalibur glanced back at Valkyr before nodding
“No…” Valkyr chocked up, but not before a blast of white light consumed the battle field entirely
When the dust did clear, no sight of the blade remained, bar the broken piece, both Tenno were gone and nowhere in sight. Then Valkyr felt her body, mind, and soul break into pieces.
“Not you two…” She thought as she just stared at the barren world around her, knowing it was all over
To Be Continued…