Ch. 35 Slipping Away
Despair, an emotion he knew all too well by this point in his life. It clung to his very being and always reared it's ugly head whenever it wanted.
Gabriel had bypassed despair a while ago; now here he was, being dragged down a dark corridor by two Acolytes, his head just hung there eyes blankly gazing at the passing ground. His boots and pant legs had already been soaked through by whatever liquid filled this place. He didn't know where he was heading nor did he even want to know.
He just wanted to know if they were coming back for him.
-The Tower 3 days prior-
"That's all I have to report; Cyrus and Fiona are making passes through the canyon while Spectre and Red are on the ground scanning every tunnel and cave they find." Alex said as he stood in front of the Vanguard. "I intend to rejoin them as soon as possible."
"The Fallen?" Cayde asked in as much of a calm voice as he could muster.
"Some are back at the site securing both the Skiff and fallen Guardians wreckage while the rest are helping the search." Alex replied with hint of respect. "I have to admit, even when battle-weary and tired they want to keep helping."
"We've noticed..." Zavala stated as he rubbed his temple. More and more Exiles have been creeping in and around the Tower lately, either helping maintain ships in the Hanger when not in the field or taking on leftover bounties that weren't picked up. Not even a month ago there were only enough for 2 Lances of Fallen, now it seemed they had at least a platoon and a half around the Tower. Fallen were quickly becoming a common sight in the Courtyard and in the Vanguard Halls.
They had even caught sight of the Speaker himself entertaining a few of them with lectures of the Traveler. If that was any indication, they had to prepare for the inevitable arrival of potential Guardians among the Fallen...and for the inevitable moving in of an entire House.
"You're dismissed Alex, try and find my Guardian; please?" Cayde asked as Zavala and Ikora both looked at him weirdly.
If Alex was somewhat confused by Cayde's demeanor he didn't show it. "We'll do our utmost Cayde, I promise." With that the Titan departed as Cayde turned his attention back to his maps with a forlorn look.
"Cayde?" Ikora said as Cayde made no hint of acknowledgment. "Cayde, we all know what is probably going to happen but we need to stay focused."
Cayde finally turned his head to face Ikora as his optics narrowed in either anger or self-loathing, Ikora couldn't tell which.
"Don't...just don't." Cayde said warningly as Zavala merely dipped his head in silence.
"Cayde." Ikora began softly. "Just give it more time...we'll find him."
"Ikora...if it was one of your Warlocks, would you be calm and controlled?" Cayde shot back as Ikora frowned but didn't reply. "I didn't think so; when we get the first data packet from his Ghost, I'm sending in a team to locate him based off the sending point."
"Maybe we should consider this from another angle..." Felix said as Cayde turned his frosty optics on the Hunter. "Our Guardian is...compromised at this point, hold on Cayde I'm not finished." Felix held up a hand as Cayde was about to become violent. "He's compromised as in he's in enemy hands and behind enemy lines...where we've been trying to get information on for a while. If we let his Ghost do some work, we might be able to salvage something from this."
"Out of the question!" Cayde shot back heatedly. "Do you care about any-"
"I care more than you think Cayde!" Felix interrupted with surprising animosity. "I am only pointing out the option exist like any strategist, I am NOT endorsing it in any way, shape or form. I have always cared even if it isn't shown.
"The Cult has had a few run-ins with him, I will admit to that but not even we would vote to leave someone to suffer if it can be prevented. I don't think any of the other Factions would either despite their own issues with him." Felix finished as calmly as he could be. "That's why I gave Spectre orders to remain on the search for as long as he's with Fireteam Spirit, if they are searching then so is he. If they took our Guardian then Spectre will find where they went."
"Somehow I doubt it will be anytime soon." Cayde replied somberly with his head buried in his arms on the table.
-With Gabe 3 days prior-
Dirty, degrading, disgusting but most of all defiling were the words Gabe would use to describe what was being done right now. 'Her' rancid breath combined with that...death-like cold tongue, mixed with things he didn't even want to think about, made him want to puke up everything he ever ate in his life.
At least that was before something else went down his throat.
He tried to squirm against her, against the bonds holding him tight but it was in vain. He could feel the wriggling in his throat but could only shut his eyes and pretend...pretend none of this was real and he would wake up in his bed.
Fortunately, Omnigul finally had her fill as she pulled off of him with a satisfied screech while Gabe could only heave as he tried desperately to get some bit of air into his lungs, the wriggling in his throat was making him itch desperately but with his arms bound there was nothing he could do but gasp for what little air he could grab.
"I will enjoy breaking you." Was all she said before she began gathering what he could only assume was foul magic and then she was gone...and he was surrounded by a horde of Thralls.
And then they started feasting on him. He wanted to scream...he wanted to scream so badly...but nothing would help. He could feel it...every bit of their teeth tearing into him. Nothing was off limits to them and he could only writhe in absolute pain as he felt every piece of his skin be torn from his body...every time they dug into his body and grabbed what they could.
Organs, liver, even parts of his kidney or lungs...every thing was ripped out and eaten...and he was still alive to feel every bit of it. Blood had already formed a river off the stone table where he laid but no matter what he lost, he still felt everything.
And then he was back to staring at her...her sadistic visage as he tried to lean away; to get away from her but it was no use as she sent him back into that hell.
-Present-
She was relentless in her quest to destroy him...she kept him constantly on the brink of insanity, only pulling back just before he broke and then doing it all over again. He couldn't help it anymore after that, he had to scream every time he was pulled out and he couldn't stop the tears of pain that she so enjoyed seeing. He cried out for someone, anyone to pull him out.
Unfortunately, he was lost to them in these winding tunnels and paths. Being pulled along to the unknown and trying his hardest to not give in to the tempting darkness eating away at him. He was cold and it offered warmth, he was lonely but it seemed to offer solace, it wanted him to surrender and whispered words into his mind.
Gabe was losing the will to resist it every passing second. It wanted to smother him in it's embrace and he wanted nothing more than the end it promised to grant him.
Was this even his own mind anymore?
-With Rilix-
It hadn't taken long to assemble what remained of her brethren still inside the Tower and herd them towards the Hanger with whatever gear they could carry nor did it take long to load up the Skiffs for departure but she was being blocked by the Cayde machine in front of her with a stoney expression as human's call it.
"Move. Now." she said with narrowed eyes and twitchy fingers.
"Not until you hear me out at least." Was his reply and she snarled.
"Leaving your own to die, we have nothing to discuss."
"I was outvoted 3 to 2, I didn't have any choice but to say that. It's how it works around here, I blame Felix for suggesting but the rest is completely on Galva, Ikora and Zavala for their part!" he shot back as she tensed up slightly, ready to spring. "He's my Guardian and my Hunter so just let me say this.
"I have a rough idea of where he might be, unfortunately getting there is going to take a while. I have rough coordinates based on his Ghost's reports we get. Useful things, Ghosts are, kinda like an itch you don't want to get rid of or something; anyway, I have some coordinates to get us in a general search area. Unfortunately, you will be going in blind and without much Guardian help due to Zavala banning most travel to the Moon now. Still I have a few teams on stand-by waiting for your signal and they know what to do from there." he finished as he handed her a data pad. "Bring him back...and tell him we're sorry."
Rilix took the pad and snorted but didn't respond to his request. She had bigger things to worry about than a machine's ramblings and she was delayed too long already. She moved past him as the Skiff's engines roared before lifting up and shooting out of the Hanger leaving Cayde alone on the platform.
She didn't feel sorry for him nor did she really care what had to say. The only thing worth something was the pad in her hand and the slowly building feeling of anxiousness she always got when she walked into the Hive Pits.
Maybe it was time to let her true self loose once again.
I know what you all are thinking...well some of you. Some are thinking: Killi, this is lackluster as hell, you have lost your touch or something like that. Well I guess I might have a bit but fear not, I have a special surprise for all of you.
This story will be getting a double feature this month, yep two chapters will be released for A New Destiny this month so I can move this story forward to where you all want it to be. The Ass-kicking Rilix and Gabe being tortured to the brink. I gave some hints as to what he went through but next chapter he is in for a rude awakening that will possibly completely destroy him. Will he survive or will his Light finally be snuffed out for the Darkness?
I am going on a well-deserved vacation next week to Nashville so I won't be writing but I will still respond to PM's and Reviews while I am away. Hopefully I will be relaxed and rested enough to come back even stronger on the next chapter.