Then everything stops. A ripple of warped energy rolls across the ruined yard, bending the air like heat over metal. Weiss looks up as a massive shadow engulfs her.
A towering Fallen Captain phases into view, its cloak shimmering with impossible distortion, its twin Arc blades crackling like lightning. The creature's roar shakes rust from the beams above, nearly causing Weiss to drop her rifle.
Weiss's throat tightens. "Spark… that one's different."
"Correct!" Spark chirps with unnerving enthusiasm. "Significantly more lethal. Please refrain from being sliced, those particular blades separate limbs with alarming efficiency, and reattaching them is terribly inconvenient."
The Captain lunges, its sword tearing through the space where Weiss's head had been a heartbeat ago. Its speed is terrifying, predatory, nothing like the other two Fallen she'd killed.
Another slash—Weiss barely dodges the blow, muscles screaming, heart beating so hard it hurts.
Her mind begs her to run. Her legs refuse. She whips toward where the Captain stood…But it's gone.
What? Where? Did it retreat? Did I—?
Spark's voice shatters her illusion of safety.
"Weiss! Behind you—do try to move quickly!"
She spins, catching the briefest blue blur before the Captain materializes directly in front of her. She tries to stumble back but too slow.
The Arc blade cuts through her arm like it isn't even there. Pain explodes and Weiss screams as her body is launched across the yard from its follow up kick, slamming into a massive crate. Rust and snow plume around her in a choking cloud.
IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS—!
Weiss clutches the bloody space where her arm used to be, tears blurring her vision as she gasps, barely able to breathe through the agony. Spark darts to her cheek, scanning frantically.
"Yes, yes, unpleasant. But please refrain from panicking, it is only an extremity."
"My arm is missing!" Weiss sobs. "Make the pain stop, please!" Spark emits a disapproving chirp.
"Very well. Brace yourself."
He slams himself against her helmet with a sharp THUD. Weiss yelps, instinctively holding her head.
"Ow! What was that for!?"
Spark huffs somehow sounding offended.
"To interrupt your spiraling emotional collapse. Pain is distracting, and distraction is statistically associated with imminent death. Now listen carefully."
Weiss forces herself still. She can hear the Captain's heavy steps crunching through snow as it searches.
Spark continues, voice low and precise: "Thanks to the rust and particulates, its scanners are temporarily confused. A very brief advantage. Retrieve your weapon."
Weiss bites down on a cry, steadying herself as she fumbles with her remaining hand and lifts her rifle. She staggers upright, trembling.
"Good," Spark says, suddenly far calmer. "Captains wield personal Arc shields. You must collapse it before your rounds can be terminal. Fortunately—" he brightens "—I can assist."
Weiss narrows her eyes. "How?" Spark's plates shift as he floats higher.
"By making you its most irresistible target."
He flashes bright—too bright.
Across the yard, the Captain snaps toward the sudden flare of Light and charges.
Spark zips just out of reach, taunting the Captain in his own chirpy, clinical way:
"Yes, excellent! Pursue me, please—your tracking reliability is fascinating under stress!"
The Captain swings wildly, missing Spark by inches.
Spark streaks past Weiss's hiding spot.
"NOW, Weiss! When I pass you, empty your magazine into its back—aim for the shield emitter above the spine!"
Despite the pain, Weiss drops to one knee, steadies her rifle, and waits. Spark darts past her in a blue flash.
The Captain storms after him—
Weiss fires.
Pulse rounds hammer into the glowing shield generator at its back. The Captain staggers, bellowing, sparks erupting from its armor.
"Again! Again! Shields at thirty-nine percent, quite fragile really!" Spark calls out.
Weiss grits her teeth, continuing to fire. The shield collapses in a burst of Arc static.
The Captain turns toward her in bewilderment, exposed.
Spark's voice sharpens to something deadly precise: "Finish it."
Weiss switches to her last burst and fires into its chest.
The Captain rears back, howls, and collapses into the snow in a crackling heap.
For a moment, she just stands there, panting, bleeding, shaking.
Then Spark floats down beside her, scanning.
"Marvelous performance! Now—let's see about regenerating that arm, shall we?"
—————————
Saladin here! Now before any criticism's as to how much Weiss is panicking which I'm sure there will be at least one. This is destiny if it weren't a game. We players of course don't experience what our characters are doing, it's a game after all. But if it took place in reality, how would you be acting and feeling in this situation? No memories, a weird machine saying it revived you and you've been dead for a long time. Immediately followed by being brought back to life in a dangerous area before you can get a clear state of mind to process what has happened so far and immediately engage in combat.
I'd be terrified! Just gaining consciousness and then immediately being shot at by an enemy you feel in your bones afraid of. I'd be panicking, sure guardians basically come with a basic instinctive knowledge of firearms and combat, but that doesn't mean you're able to use it properly right from the start. You're feeling slightly better about eliminating two opponents before a much stronger one appears, instantly your crushing your new found strength and crippling you.
It would be normal for a person to panic, that's why guardians have ghosts, they are eternal companions and will never abandon their guardian. They are responsible for keeping guardians steady and providing knowledge and advice to help.
Apologies for the short rant. Just wanted to explain why she didn't just steam roll the enemies in front of her. She hasn't processed everything that's happened and doesn't even know what she is yet.