Anastasia made her way toward the hangar bay of the Tower. Trying to look casual but also keep her posture straight at the same time was more difficult than she anticipated. Since Saint had been asserting that the people of The Last City were looking to her now for inspiration, she'd been trying to look the part even though she didn't feel it. The Hunter nodded to several workers as she went by. She'd just passed Holliday's work station when she caught sight of a group of gathered Guardians which stopped her in her tracks. Under the Gray Pigeon parked in the hangar stood four Titans. Commander Zavala, Lord Saladin, Lord Shaxx, and Saint-14 stood in a circle conversing.
"They've been swapping stories with Saint for the last half-hour," Amanda said as she moved to stand beside Anastasia. "Intimidated?"
"That's not how I would describe what I'm feeling," Anastasia informed her.
"How about we share?" Amanda asked playfully.
"You already have a Titan," Anastasia pointed out. "Getting greedy?"
"I have one Titan," Amanda argued.
"And I have four," Anastasia replied with a smirk, though it was hidden behind her helmet. The Hunter stepped forward, approaching the gathered Titans.
"If it isn't the Young Wolf," Saladin greeted her warmly as he caught sight of her, directing the attention of the group to her arrival.
"You've come just in time," Saint said as he motioned for her to come join them. The Titans' circle opened to allow her entry, and with Saint holding his arm up in greeting, she couldn't refuse. Anastasia stepped forward and clasped Saint's hand firmly in solidarity as the Titans closed up their circle. She felt a brief sense of panic as she was surrounded and her instincts signaled her to get out of that position. She had to remind her that these were friends, not enemies, which was an unusual thing for her to have to do.
"I was just telling them of the day I saved Osiris from a Fallen ambush. I'm sure that you have great stories that you can share," the silver-armored Exo continued.
"I'm sure that Saint would enjoy hearing first-hand how you beat Gaul. Or maybe he'd like to know about when you saved the Infinite Forest for Osiris," Zavala suggested.
"I THINK HE'D ENJOY HEARING ABOUT HOW YOU KILLED THE LAST AHAMKARA," Shaxx added, setting he fists against his hips in what was the most casual pose the Crucible handler seemed to know. "OR MAYBE HE'D JUST LIKE TO WATCH SOME OF YOUR RECENT CRUCIBLE MATCHES. YOU PUT YOUR OPPONENTS TO SHAME."
"I could cite a few Iron Banner matches where she particularly shines," Saladin said with a smile. "Maybe she could tell you how she stopped the House of Devils and the Spread of SIVA, like a true Iron Lord."
Anastasia just stood between the Titans, and allowed herself to enjoy the deep voices of the men surrounding her. She let the velvety smooth sounds wrap her in a warm feeling that sunk down to her core.
"...Or she could tell you about the time that she killed an Archon Priest on her first mission out from the tower," her Ghost spoke up.
Saint-14 let out a billowing laugh and threw his hands up in celebration. "Of course she did!" he said joyfully. "It does not surprise me that from the start she's been bringing the fight to the Fallen."
"That's nothing compared to when she stopped the House of Winter from recruiting the Archon Priest from the house of Wolves," Zavala interjected. "They'd stolen his prison cell. She stole it back, opened it, and killed the priest to stop him for good."
"ARE YOU ALL FORGETTING THAT SHE CAPTURED, AND LATER FOUGHT, SKOLAS?" Shaxx shook his head, seemingly disappointed in his fellow Titans. "IT WAS A GLORIOUS FIGHT. AND A FAIR ONE. BUT OF COURSE SHE CAME OUT ON TOP AND KILLED THAT MONSTROUS KELL."
"That's nothing compared to her killing the Kell of the House of Devils," Saladin cut in with a huff. "She led the raiders into the heart of the Devil's SIVA perfecting facility, killed their Archon Priest and their Kell - who were both enhanced by SIVA. A task that could rival killing a Hive god."
"It seems like when I think I know every story of your deeds, my friend, someone tells me of a new one that is even more impressive." Saint reached out and placed a hand on Anastasia's shoulder. "You truly deserve the praise of The City, and I can see why they look to you. As long as you're around I am sure that the dream we had when we started building this place will be safe." His hand squeezed slightly on her shoulder. "I don't know what The City would do without you."
Anastasia felt a deep chill run down her spine like a jolt of arc energy. It left her with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach as the words echoed what she'd heard in the Vault of Time. The sense of hopelessness in Saint's voice had left her shaken before, but to hear him casually repeating the phrase now only worsened her fears. Suddenly the four Titans around her weren't soothing presences that she was enjoying fantasizing about, but rather towering walls that were closing in around her. She felt like the weight was crushing in on her, suffocating her. It was a weight more terrifying than the Darkness in the pits of the moon where she'd ventured to kill Crota.
"Guardian?" The softer voice broke through the wall of Titans around Anastasia and she latched onto it like a rope that promised to save her from drowning.
Anastasia double-jumped, easily clearing even the tallest shoulders of the Titans, and landed outside of the ring of muscular Guardians. They all turned to watch her but she tried her hardest to ignore them as she stepped toward Ikora. "Something I can do for you?"
Ikora paused, the Warlock taking a moment to asses Anastasia before she answered. "I just got a message from Osiris. He seemed worried about you, and he doesn't worry about others often."
"Or ever," Saint-14 chimed in.
Anastasia considered her options for answers. After seeing her own grave in the vault when she'd left the Corridors of Time, she'd left Osiris without a word. She was aware he might have spoken to her when she'd reappeared in the Sundial but in that moment all she'd been able to hear was the eulogy for her. She'd given him reason to worry. Though she had hoped that out of everyone he would just ignore her. "He probably just doesn't like the fact that I found it easier to explore the paths of time, and didn't share with him my nonexistent trick." It seemed like a passable lie to her. Osiris was jealous of others doing things or knowing things he couldn't.
"Perhaps," Ikora admitted, though she didn't sound particularly convinced. "Though there is another matter you could help me with on the Moon."
"I'm always ready to help Eris," Anastasia said, as she moved around the Warlock Vanguard and started to walk toward the Tower courtyard. Ikora caught up to her and walked alongside Anastasia. "So what do you need help with?"
"Now I'm wondering if there's something I need to help you with," Ikora responded, keeping her demeanor casual as they exited the hangar. "Four Titans, all singing your praises, and you're eager to get away. Maybe Osiris is right to worry about you."
"I'm fine," Anastasia asserted, trying not to give away the unease that was still eating at here. "Just need something to shoot is all."
Ikora paused for a moment before she seemed to let the subject pass. "Well, I've certainly got things for you to shoot."