The Deep End

The Deep End: Part 5

Mira-3 came back to life with a body shuddering jolt, the glowing orange orbs of her eyes blazing to life in their bleak sockets as she awoke.

"Nyha-wh!?"

          Murmuring noises of panic echoed from the Exo's glowing maw as she leapt to her feet, head jerking around, confused as to where she was. Eyes darting quickly around, the Hunter realized she was near the entrance to the Well of Infinitude. High above her the triangular arches of Vex metal struts held up the tunnels that led deep into the Well. Ice crinkled and shone brightly along the rocky surface of the walls, what little rock actually peered through. As Mira shifted nervously on her feet, she heard thick snow crunching beneath her feet and smelled the frigid cold of the air.

Then the memories started flooding back.

Krieg! My arm! My leg!

         The Hunter's eyes snapped down to look at her body, searching for her left arm that had been shot off, and found that it was once again reattached. Her hands slapped furiously against her black, white, and golden accented Seigebreaker armor, then moved down to her matching Orpheus Rigs to touch her legs. A sigh of relief echoed from her as she touched her legs, seeing them both there, working, whole. Wiggling her fingers, opening and closing her hands, she even flexed her toes in her boots, Mira made sure everything was working, but went back to touching everything again just to double check.

Then a pang of absolute terror raced through the Exo as she looked up suddenly, and this time she vocalized her fear.

"Murdock!" Mira-3 cried out frantically. "Murdock wh-"

"I'm right here Guardian!" she heard his voice, her head snapping in its direction as he drifted towards her.

Her hands quickly scooped him out of the air and the Exo held him gently in her fingers, thumbs caressing the smoothness of his shell.

"Are-you-ok-are-you-hurt-you-alright?" the words came out of her in a rush.

"I'm okay, Guardian, I'm okay. We're okay." Murdock's voice gently soothed her as his shimmering purple optic gazed up at her.

The tension and panic began to fade as Mira stared down at the tiny Light in her hands and she felt herself start to relax.

"It's about time you woke up, sleeping beauty." a voice chuckled from behind her.

            The Ace of Spades was instantly in Mira-3's hand as she whirled towards the voice, clutching her Ghost to her chest as she turned, only to freeze as a dark figure rushed at her. A gloved hand was around her pistol before she could even blink, pushing it off course, and the Exo stiffened as the visage of a Celestial Nighthawk helm stopped inches from her own face. The crimson Neoteric Kiyot Cloak snapped to a halt around the Hunter before her, the fur around his collar ruffling in the frigid air as he gazed into her face, the cape settling around his dark Iron Will armor.

"Take it easy, Mira. You're safe." he said gently, his fingers sliding down the pistol and wrapping around her hand. "Don't get twitchy on me."

The glowing orbs in Mira's head winked on and off as she blinked, "R-Rio?"

"That's right." he said evenly, pushing the Ace down. "Your most handsome mentor and best friend."

Yet the Exo's face contorted with anger as she pulled the pistol back, let go of her Ghost and snatched the other Hunter up by his collar.

"Where in the depths of the Void have you been, Rio Oshi-Ii?!" Mira shouted in his face. "Friend?! Mentor?! More like giant pain in my ass!"

Murdock quickly vanished from sight into his Guardian's cloak; the Ghost knew it was better to hide when the Exo was this angry.