upforanything | Destiny - Oh Guardian Mine

The damp foliage clings to him with needy brushes that only annoy rather than impede. Thick underbrush like this wasn’t a far cry from the forests of Earth but they were far less soaked than the Venusian woods that he found himself in for the week’s patrolling. The greenery was almost enough to suffocate his senses and HUD if not for the tinkering that he had done to cut down on natural interference. Better yet he wouldn’t trade this for the Maat Mons bulk that had flooded the work boards when he had gone searching for a change of pace. Regardless thankfully he had made the proper preparations so that he wouldn’t feel as though he was slogging his way through the place and creating more of a fuss than was necessary. The same couldn’t be said of the fireteam that had stopped him when he first transmatted in at the base of the forest.

The titan had been rather vocal on the effort that the forest could demand on any that dared to trek through its depths. However the hunter had been caught in his curiosity by a warlock that muttered of creatures within the living expanse. Warnings given to him of creatures that could change their shape and mess with a guardian’s mind if given the chance. Ones that could feed upon desires if not kept in check. That they could grow stronger if allowed to be fed upon and spell disaster no matter the brief bliss that could be offered in return.

Ahamkara, the warlock named them. Akin to the dragons of ages long past but infinitely more cunning and dangerous. Renders of reality.

Matthieu hardly expected to be graced with such a creature’s appearance what with them being nothing more than stories shared late at night by guardians far older than him. He wasn’t as interesting or rather appetizing in this case. Not compared to those that had been on dozens of strikes against the city’s enemies or lived through the dark ages. No he was mostly one that did recoveries and check ups within known territory. A hunter far more comfortable helping the city than seeking some far fetched glory.

His quarry for now was simply a skiff of House Winter Fallen that buried themselves deep within the rainforest. More than likely squirreling away dozens of Golden Age artifacts and armaments from intel gleaned from teams passing through. That means a lot of hiking to be undertaken without hopefully alerting the Fallen prematurely.

Besides if he sometimes gets lost in the wildness of the place, no one can blame him. One of the perks of running solo. He can take in all that surrounds him and appreciate the peacefulness of it.

At least until he finally has to get down to business sooner rather than later.

Threaded | Flat

The Fallen were such boring creatures when it came down to things. They'd prattle about, skulking and scavaging, but their desires were simple and boorish and ultimately entirely unsatisfying in the end. Lucifer had grown to have a healthy distaste for the lot of them, they were mostly just useless when it came to satisfying his hunger. The Guardians, on the other hand, those had the most delicious desires and they were ever so willing to indulge in them on most occasions.

But then they managed to become much more of a nuisance, something about morality, and so many of his brothers and sisters had fallen to their weapons. In those moments, the Guardians had made themselves into enemies of something old, something powerful, and their invasion of Venus hadn't gone unnoticed.

He'd been careful for a very long time, but every so often there would be someone who would fancy themselves brave and he would have to deal with someone trespassing in his territory. This was one of those times, and Lucifer wasn't about to let that go unpunished.

For such a large creature, it was surprising that he could move so gracefully amongst the trees and brush, stalking the lone Guardian with keen instincts and even keener interest. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to try to tread this deep, and that in itself was actually rather interesting. It'd grown boring out in the forest, and perhaps there was time to stalk his prey and amuse himself before wiping the creature out.

And so he's laid low in the underbrush, every eye trained on the bumbling form of the man before him, and the temptation to just spring forward and snap him up is so very strong. But no, he has patience, it will be worth it in the end.

Are you lost, oh Guardian mine?

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