The Deep End

The Deep End: Part 3

      
           Mira-3 had experienced plenty of painful things as a Guardian but in this moment, slowly drowning head first in Radiolarian fluid while being strangled by an angry Titan was by far the worst thing ever. Horrific jolts of white hot electricity shot through the Exo's head and raced painfully through her body causing her limbs to spasm as if she were seizuring. This pain was amplified in the limbs the Titan throttling her had mangled as the impulses tried to force them to work when they were broken. The fluid poured into every open orifice in the Exo's head, filling her eye sockets, ears, pouring into her mouth, stuck open in a perpetual scream that it drowned out. The Radiolarian fluid felt as if it were alive, trying to force its way inside her, sensing her pain, her mental anguish, desperation, and searched for more.

          A wicked laugh echoed from the Titan's helmet as the Exo in his grasp contorted beneath him, her body writhing like an electrocuted insect. He tightened his grip and forced her head farther beneath the surface, feeling the slightest sting of the fluid cross his armored fingertips. But every moment of this was worth it to him: to watch her drown, to suffer, as they had.

          His laugh faded as the Hunter's hand slapped against his helm as she flailed about, struggling, and he knocked it away with a twist of his jaw like it was no more than a nuisance. Yet, as he turned back his vision was suddenly filled with a surge of roiling purple energy and he shrieked as it blinded him. The shriek turned into a scream of fury as the Titan reeled back, releasing Mira-3's neck, rising to his feet as the energy from the Void grenade spread rapidly over his head and down his chest. He bellowed, his arms flailing maddeningly as the purple force began to eat away at him like a caustic all consuming wave.

         Fingers raking against the surface of the platform, Mira-3 pulled herself weakly out of the Vex Milk with the last of her strength and slumped forward onto her good arm. Her Exo head was completely covered in solid white, no light showing from within as her maw opened and she forcefully expelled a massive gout of glowing fluid. Chest heaving and jaws snapping, Mira-3 finally took a desperate breath in and exhaled as she collapsed onto the platform, the fluid pouring out of her Exo-skull. A death rattle gurgled out from Mira-3's throat as her body went limp and life began to leave her as she laid there in the growing puddle of Vex Milk. Murdock's white Arch Shell rapidly appeared in a flash of light above her, his iris alighting as he shone an intense beam of light onto his Guardian, the waves of iridescence wafting over her tormented form.

"Just keep breathing, Guardian! You're going to be alright!" the Ghost assured her hastily.

         A ragged cough rumbled from the Exo's core spreading the pool of fluid beneath her head in all directions like paint as the surge of Light yanked her back away from the edge of death. She somehow found that euphemism about breathing amusing amidst all the pain she felt. As the fluid drained away and the convulsions began to subside from the Vex Milk, the orange lights within Mira-3's eye sockets and mouth returned, growing steadily brighter with each moment. Taking in another breath and aspirating another wave of Radiolarian fluid, the Hunter's glowing eyes narrowed feeling her broken limbs knitting back together. Sliding one arm along the floor, Mira-3 grunted as she pushed herself shakily up off the floor, feeling her strength returning. She hastily rubbed her neck twisting her head around to get the feeling of where the Titan's hands had been around her throat to fade. Sighing inwardly with relief, Mira-3 stood up to her full height, letting her hands fall to her side - and thoughts of murder crossed her mind.

          Orange eyes blazing in her skull-like face like hellish embers, the Exo Hunter wiped the last bit of Vex Milk from her mouth with the back of a hand, casting it aside with a wave, reached for the Ace of Spades at her hip, and stalked towards the Titan.