Chapter Text
Amara was in new scouting territory, European Dead Zone: Northern sector. It was fresh territory to her, out of the way of the familiar Cosmodrome. This was where she lost her light.
She remembers exactly where she was and what she was doing. She was with a friend, a fellow hunter that she considered a permanent part of her fireteam, and a permanent part of her life. Her name was Hannah. She was an Awoken, one of the most beautiful Awoken Amara had ever seen. She had glowing, sea green eyes and dark purple hair that wasn’t far off from her purple skin tone.
The two Hunters were just scouting around what is now a Cabal base, the Sunken Isles. Everything was oddly quiet, no Fallen were around, which was rare. It was cloudy, trying to rain, you could hear thunder in the distance. They had tried getting a hold of Cayde on the comms but kept losing connection.
Two huntresses were up on a natural ledge that hung over a shallow swap where the tunnel connecting Firebase Hades and the Isles would soon be located, though there was no tunnel there now. The women were laying on their stomachs, Amara had a sniper in her hands and Hannah was spotting.
“There’s been nothing. Not even a single dreg.” Amara said, baffled.
“Yup. Looks like Cayde wasted our time on this one.” Hannah agreed with a chuckle. “How long have we been here?”“Too fucking long.” Amara checked the holo-screen on her arm, “Four hours.”
“Ugh." She paused, "What should we do for dinner tonight?” Hannah asked as she sat up and stretched.
“Not sure, Cayde said something about getting drinks. Oh, speaking of Six. Try the comms again, see if we can tell him this is a bust.” Amara suggested.
She continued watching far off as Hannah tried to reach Cayde with her ghost, Cav.
“Nothing but static, ‘Mara.” Hannah concluded with a shake of her head.
“What is up with this shit? It’s been like this all day…” Amara said softly, trying to think of possible reasons. Hannah just shrugged.
“Comms were fine yesterday…maybe its just the weather.” Both huntresses looked up at the darkened sky. It was almost midday but gray clouds hung over the area and thunder rumbled off in the distance.
“Hey, Iris? Check the emergency comm lines, see if they’re up.” Amara asked her ghost. He appeared and floated silently for a moment.
[Nothing. Emergency comm lines are alway supposed to be open and working. It’s protocol. Something must be wrong with the satellites.]
Amara’s stomach flips with sudden worry, why would the satellites be out? The women looked at each other briefly, concern settling in their eyes.
There was a sudden roaring, ships flying in the air, hidden above the thick clouds.
“What the hell…?” The two said in almost unison, they looked at each other and then back up. Both expressions of worry turned to fear, hearts pounding.
{I’m picking up at least 10 Cabal ships, numerous heat signals from each. They…seem to be jamming our communications…} Cav spoke quietly before retreating to the safety of his Guardian, both women stiffened at the information.
An Attack? After a moment they quickly switched to a combat state of mind, pushing the fear away.
Amara quickly put her sniper away, readying for close combat. Hannah checked the ammo in her pulse rifle.
Once the first few Cabal ships appeared from the sky, the two women ducked and ran over to the cover of a large rock. They watched out from opposite sides, observing each of the five ships deposit about 20 Cabal in the water about half a mile out, “Fucking hell…” Hannah spat out.
Suddenly a massive ship appeared, it was huge and so loud the women had to cover their ears, a command ship no doubt.
“What the hell is going on…” Amara whispered once the ship landed, voice straining under mounting concern.
Surprising the hunters, a ship suddenly landed in the water right below them. It happened so fast that the two hardly had time to make a plan of escape.
When the Cabal jumped out, a large, ornamented Centurion led the group up to the ramp of the ledge where the two women were hiding. They seemed to be discussing the area, like they had some sort of plan to change it.
Amara watched them move forward, thankfully they hadn’t been spotted...yet.
“We need to move, now.” Hannah whispered harshly to Amara, looking around frantically, trying to find a way out.
“There. The wall. Climb up.” Amara whispered, pointing to the rock wall directly in front of them. Hannah looked at her incredulously, “What other choice do we have?!” Amara replied to the silent question, “Go, now.” She ordered. They both darted out from the rock straight for the wall and started climbing.
The Hunters almost made it to the top, freedom almost in their grasp. But without warning, Amara was shot in the back under her shoulder blade. Her armor stopped the energy bullet from piercing all the way through her skin but she grunted in pain, losing her balance for a moment. She put her forehead on the rock in front of her, gritting her teeth to keep from crying out.
Hannah stopped, looking to her partner, “'Mara! Are you okay?!” Her worrying promptly cut short by the sound of Cabal footsteps approaching.
The Awoken quickly looked over her shoulder, “Shit we got company. Lots of company.” There were at least ten Cabal looking up at the hunters, guns pointed. “Fuck,Keep going ‘mara, keep going, you’re almost—“
Hannah was cut off by a bullet landing in her leg directly behind her knee. She yelled in pain and lost her balance, falling down 15 feet to the ground.
“Hannah!!” Amara called out. She didn’t move once she hit the ground, “Shit! Hannah!” The Cabal were...laughing?
Are they...toying with us?
Amara quickly had a renewed hatred for the disgusting aliens.
Amara didn't have time to grimace when she got shot again, the same spot where Hannah just got hit. Though her armor didn't help her this time.
Crying out in pain, she lost her footing and landed right next to Hannah on the ground. The fall didn’t knock her out, surprisingly and she groaned as she tried to move.
“Han..nah..” the redhead whispered, not able to use her full voice as the fall knocked the wind out of her.
The Cabal were about 30 feet away, still laughing at the two hunters. The huge Centurion at the back seemed to be calling the shots. Amara ignored them and moved as quickly as she could to an upright position,"Hannah, move, please, you gotta move," Amara started to shake her awake as best she could, it worked.
Hannah grunts as she moves to sit up, Amara glances at the group of Cabal, they were advancing.
“Hannah, shit, we have to move…” She whispers to her partner. What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion.
Hannah’s ghost was hovering above the two hunters, he appeared to try to heal Hannah…but he was too slow.
The sound of the gunshot was followed by the ghost landing on the ground between the two women. There was a hole right through his now dark eye. Both women were frozen, staring wide eyed at the dead ghost on the ground.
A fragmented sob left Hannah’s lips after a moment, she picked up and held the shell in her hands. Amara’s hands moved to cradle hers, trying to comfort her. At her touch she felt Hannah’s Arc energy begin to climb, the air was filled with static and she was suddenly covered in sparks, blades drawn.
Hannah was gone before Amara could say anything, “Hannah, NO!” She yelled after her, somehow getting on her feet, hands still outstretched.
Four Cabal hit the ground with loud thuds before, suddenly, Hannah wasn’t covered in sparks anymore. It had just… stopped.
Hannah’s face turned from confusion to fear as she was surrounded by Cabal with nothing but a knife.
Iris suddenly appeared, making strange mechanical noises close to Amara, causing her head to turn, [‘Mara…something’s…wrong..] His voice was distorted and weak. The Huntress looked down in time to see her light leave her body. A white mist that just…disappeared into thin air.
No..no…wh-...what’s happening…
Her legs gave out and she hit the ground on all fours, she couldn’t even muster a cry of pain as she fell on her bleeding knee.
She felt so heavy and…cold. Iris landed next to her, his eye flickering twice before the light faded away. She weakly grabbed him, lowering her hood and putting him in there, hiding him.
Amara looked over and saw Hannah on the ground as well, still surrounded. She wasn’t moving.
The group of Cabal parted and the leader walked forward, its demeanor smug. It lowered its gun and put one round in the woman’s abdomen. No….
Amara reached out to her, tears springing into her wide eyes, “Han..nah…”
She watched blood begin to leak through the chest piece of her partner, pooling on the ground below her.
The group of Cabal laughed again and the Centurion walked towards Amara, “Fuck…ing…Bas…tard…” she spit out as loudly as she could before her body fully collapsed on the ground.
The loss of her light, and her wounds hurting more by the second, she suddenly felt very tired.
The Centurion paused, leaning down over her to say something in a language she didn't understand. It waited for a response, when it didn't get one its face turned to one of disgust right before an armored boot kicked her into the rock wall behind her, hard.
Amara felt only an instant of pain when her head hit the rock, but everything soon faded into blackness.