Redacted
Help on Luna
I'm horrible with chapter titles, there's no doubt about that. Anyway, here's the next chapter!
Thanks to jsm1978 and Mantic64 for the reviews!
He has to pretend.
They will figure it out if he doesn't
He has to be blank.
They will hurt him otherwise
He has to obey
They won't notice
He has to pretend
He has to pretend
Pretend
Pretend
Pre…tend…
…
…
…
I will die otherwise.
Xxxxx
Scrunching their parts together, the Ghost scooted closer into the crevice of their hiding spot as they heard the familiar clicks of several Thrall skitter nearby; they were attempting to find their way back to their Guardian but the passageway always seems to be filled with the lower ranking Hive, making passage through nearly impossible. Almost.
Waiting until the group of Thralls slowly walked by, this signaled the shard of the Traveler to quickly glide past them, their sense of fear growing within their core as the footsteps of the Thrall halted. Expecting the familiar screeching of the lower ranking Hive to echo through the passageway, a sense of relief flooded throughout the Ghost's core when the corridor remained relatively silent, hearing nothing but the silent skitters of the Thrall slowly fading away. Zooming down the carved halls, the Ghost came to a pause then pressed themselves against a wall as they sighted two Hive Knights standing guard, the tips of their sword stabbed into the dead hearth as their glowing green eyes scanned the darkness. Blinking several times at the sight, the Ghost then placed focus onto what they were guarding; a small tunnel leading into a room and inside, they barely caught the familiar white coat shifting uneasily in the dark. Their Guardian.
Glancing back towards the Knights, the Ghost let out a silent sigh before scanning their surroundings and found what they were looking floor just below them; a broken pebble. Spreading out their parts, the Ghost carefully glided down before enclosing their shell around the small piece of stone, feeling it getting stuck between the crooks of their parts before silently bringing themselves up. Then, quickly surging a small amount of light into the pebble, the Ghost then fired it, letting the light enhanced rock streak across the sight of the two Knights. Just as they had expected, the two Hive Knights let out a snarl, clearly startled by the light before letting out a shout and heading down another part of the rocky corridor. Waiting until they were out of their sight, the Ghost then quietly glided through the tunnel, hovering over to the white clad form huddled in the corner.
"Guardian?" They whispered as they drifted just above their Guardian's arm, "Guardian?"
Hearing the Guardian let out a wheeze, the Ghost waited patiently as the former pressed their hands onto the dusty hearth and forced themselves into a sitting position, and slowly turning to face the shard of the Traveler. Instantly, the Ghost's optic met with the matching color of white, the color seemingly clean compared to the dust covered white plating of the Guardian. With broad shoulders and tall stature, the Guardian was physically male and their white lights beat steadily in the dark. Seeing the haggardness in the Exo's optics, the Ghost couldn't help but scrunch their parts together in guilt.
After many years of searching for their Guardian back on earth, the Ghost had requested a ship to the Moon, much to the protests of the Vanguard. However, after consideration and debate, it was decided that a Guardian will accompany the Ghost to the home of the Hive and that it was to remain on the surface within sights of the beacons planted there. The shard of the Traveler kept their side of the bargain and as such, within several days, they had found their Guardian, the white plating and optics signifying their race as an Exo and the white coat and bond signs of their status as one to walk the path of the Warlock. However, so excited the Ghost was on finally locating their 'other half', that they had failed to notice that they had resurrected the newborn near one of the many entrances to the caverns below. And it was just bad luck that a group of Hive had decided to rise from their underground home to find a source to keep their catacombs alive.
It didn't take long for the swarm of Hive to kill the Ghost's bodyguard and to drag the newborn down into the darkness of their home. The shard of the Traveler was the only one fortunate enough to escape. However, despite instinct telling them to find another and to abandon the one currently in the hands of the Hive, the Ghost's conscience said otherwise.
The Exo Warlock had hardly been alive for a few minutes and already, they faced the agonizing reality of facing the Darkness; and the Ghost would hear his screams daily when they traversed the catacombs.
As such, the Ghost had made a decision to stay with the newborn and had made repeated trips outside to send a signal out for help, in hopes that the Tower will eventually send 'someone' to give them aid. However, it had been several weeks now since their call and the fragment of the Traveler's hope of aid slowly diminished with each passing day. Have they been forgotten? At the rate of time passing, the Ghost feels like as though they have a better chance of finding an escape route than actual help coming from Earth. But with the newborn Guardian equipped with nothing but the armor on his back and the weakened light in his chest, the Ghost was even unsure if they'll make it out of the catacombs alive alone.
As such, the small fragment of the Traveler whispered, "Just hold on a bit longer, help should be coming soon."
In truth, the Ghost felt like as though they were telling a lie; a false hope in an attempt to keep their Guardian holding onto the last strings of life. Although unsure of their own words, the Ghost couldn't help but let a small ping of warmth fill their core as their Guardian nodded once, only for them to pause as the Exo's gaze shifted behind them.
"So, there you are, little light."
The voice spoken sounded strained, broken in a language unfamiliar to their tongue, but the familiar hiss and pitch of the voice caused the Ghost to freeze, turning their core slowly to the figure behind them. Instantly, the small AI's sight was filled with the billowing cloak of a Wizard, the latter of which smiled widely enough to reveal the fangs hiding behind her decaying lips.
"We knew that you wouldn't be far." The Wizard held up a clawed hand, pointing one of her fingers at the floating AI, "That the screams of your Guardian would ensure that you would stay close by."
A croak seemingly escaped the Wizards lips but the look of amusement was still apparent on her chitin features, "Come, shard of the Light, let us feast on the life that your Guardian oh so lacks."
It was then, the Ghost saw one of the Wizard's clawed hands reached for them and although their mind screamed for them to run, the AI couldn't help but be frozen in fear, their white optic wide as the Wizard's palm slowly enclosed around their vision.
Suddenly, a cry of rage echoed throughout the dark chamber followed by the female Hive's hand suddenly snatching away from the Ghost's side, causing the latter to shake their core before glancing back towards the high ranking Hive.
"Go!" It was their Guardian, the latter of which had snuck up behind the Wizard and had wrapped their arms around her neck, pulling her it back in an attempt to give the Ghost sometime to run, "Get out of here!"
At first shocked, the Ghost couldn't help but hover where they are, the echoes of their Guardian's voice permeating through the caverns. Besides their screams of agony, the Ghost had never heard the Exo Warlock speak and as such, took them moments before their Guardian's words clicked in. Hesitating at the sight of the Exo Warlock wrangling with the screeching Wizard, the Ghost reluctantly complied, gliding through the tunnel and disappearing back into the dark caverns.
Moments later, they heard the agonized screams of their Guardian echoing through the caves.
Xxxxx
Sign Language.
That what Hush was trying to do weeks ago, with the gestures of her hands and crossing her fingers in an attempt to communicate. Ianos had tried looking for guides on the language however, much to his frustration, majority of the texts were missing. Yes, there were a few gestures here and there that he recognizes but they were mainly ones that the Awoken Warlock remembers as those they use in the field, mostly to convey a sign of whether their target was in sight. In other words, not much use to communicate with a child.
Hearing laughter ring in his ears, Ianos momentarily glanced up from the texts he held in his hands just in time to see Hush let out another laugh as Akiva made a face, which in turn caused the Titan to let out a laugh of his own as the two sat upon the Awoken Warlock's bed. Angel was seated nearby, having taken a seat from Ianos' table and placed it near the bedside to watch the show, a broad smile on his tan features.
It had taken weeks but Hush eventually warmed up to Angel and Akiva, mostly from visiting for short periods of time before extending their stay longer in an attempt for the newborn to get use to their presence. Out of the two, Akiva was Hush's favorite, although understandably since the human Titan already has experience with children. When it comes to other humans however, it was a wholly different story.
The few occasions that he walked with her outside of his quarters, every Awoken and Exo Hush passed were perfectly fine; even letting out an occasional hello when she musters up the courage. However, when a human appears, her outlook completely changes. The newborn immediately latches onto his arm, pressing herself against his side as much as she could as she stared down the passerby with wide eyes.
He had tried questioning her for the reason of her fears but to his frustration, he cannot understand the gestures from her hands and Crystalline can only translate so much between the two of them; although it is true that Guardians and Ghosts can communicate mentally, it is only when their bond has time to strengthen and connect that they will earn that capability. With Hush a newborn and their bond still growing, it was going to take some time before Crystalline will be able to verbally express the young Titan's words. And who knows how long that was going to take?
"You know, you can't keep her here forever." Ianos turned his attention to his side, seeing the familiar dark clad form of Pluto, the latter of which crossed his arms in his seat at the table before he added, "She maybe young now but who knows? She might grow and mature and there will be a time where she will have to head out into the field."
Tuning in onto the Exo Hunter's words, Ianos couldn't help but let a ghost of a smile flash onto his pale azure features, "Is it because you're getting tired of watching her, Pluto? Tired of being the 'grandpa' of this group?" Letting out a smirk at the blank glare he received from the Exo Guardian, Ianos then returned his attention back to the book he held in his hands, flipping through them quickly in a vain attempt to learn the silent language.
Pluto had been designated as the de facto 'babysitter' of the group – despite his protests – thanks to the fact that he is the one who stays at the Tower the most. The only exception were his Clan mates, proven when the Exo Guardian returned from the City battered and bruised but with Met in tow, most likely having recently saved her from a potential tussle. Otherwise, he is at the Tower prepping the remaining members of his Clan for the field.
"Message from Commander Zavala."
Hearing the mention of the Awoken Titan, Ianos couldn't help but frown, his orange hues narrowing as all eyes turned towards Ace, the latter of which twirled their back fins once before spreading out their parts to relay the message.
"Fireteam Redacted, the Vanguard requests that the three of you investigate a frequency that we had received hours before. We recognized it as one of a Ghost, one that we had sent to the field alongside a Guardian in an attempt to find one of its one."
"You what?" Angel's question was ignored as the Awoken Commander continued, "The three of us had initially thought the mission was a failure; the Guardian sent with the Ghost never sent back a response and the signal for the Ghost had long thought been lost, up until we received this message."
Static momentarily filled the room, Ianos catching from the corner of his eye Hush jumping in response.
"Hello?" The echo and clicks rang familiar in the Awoken Warlock; the voice was definitely a Ghost, "Hello? Someone there? Please send a response back. I don't know how much longer my Guardian can hold on. The creatures down below, they'll…" There was a pause in the message, letting silence permeate through the room before the Ghost continued, "Please, send help."
A click then echoed throughout the room to signify the frequency's end, "We tried sending a message back however, it seems something or 'someone' is nullifying any signal near its location. As such, it has been decided that you, Fireteam Redacted, will be sent to the moon to investigate."
No sooner had Zavala mention the Earth's satellite that Ianos felt his blood run cold, his grip on his book going slack as he felt the pages leave his hands, "Sending us? To the moon?"
"Yes," A knot formed in the back of the Awoken Warlock's throat, "Although you only have half the man power you originally had, we have a reason to believe that Warlock Ianos' knowledge of the area will be enough to lead the mission to success."
"Success?" A dry laugh escaped from Ianos' lips before he could stop himself, "Do you know how many Guardians head to the moon and lose their light to the darkness there? Two out of every three. There is a reason why they made it a Forbidden Zone for years, what makes you think that we'll accomplish this mission?"
Instead of an immediate response as he had expected, Ianos instead received a room full silence, causing him to fidget in his seat as he waited.
"Out of many Guardians who ventured into the Catacombs, you are one of the few who made it back alive." Ianos paused at Zavala's response, "If we take the Ghost's words into consideration, we have a reason to believe that their Guardian has been taken underground and only 'you' currently have the layout to find a way in. And out."
Curling his fingers into fists, Ianos couldn't help but grit his teeth as the Awoken Commander finished, "We wish you luck, Fireteam Redacted. May the Light guide you."
"Ianos?" The Awoken Warlock shifted his attention onto Ace, the latter of which shifted their parts together to enclose back around their core, "You going to be alright?"
Opting to remain silent, Ianos glanced down at his hands, flexing them several times as he tried to comprehend the situation. After the incident back on the moon, Ianos had made a promise to himself that he would never return to the darkened satellite. It was not only filled with dangers, but also filled with memories, from the Great Disaster and from the fatal recon with Fireteam Reprieve.
"Amele!" He ran up to the doors and pressed his hands on the sides, pressing his fingers over the cracks in a vain attempt to keep them open, "What in the Darkness are you doing?"
"Someone has to stay behind and keep these monsters at bay." The female Warlock turned and Ianos couldn't help but get a sense of a smile behind her dark visor, "So get going. Wesley needs you."
He then saw her bring up her hand and before he can let out a protest, she flung her palm into his chest, the Awoken Warlock feeling himself flying back from the combination of the impact and her light. Kicking up dirt and dust as he skidded across the ground, Ianos pushed himself into a seated position as the doors slowly closed, "Amele!"
Letting the screams and cries of the Hive ring in his ears, Ianos couldn't help but flinch as the last of the memory faded away. Amele was the first to go from the fated team on the moon, all to give a chance for the rest of the team to locate Hunter Wesley. Although, in the end, the Awoken Warlock couldn't help but feel like as though her death was all for naught. The rest of the team died just to ensure he and Darian made it to Wesley and the latter betrayed them both to the Catacombs. In the end, only Ianos made it off the crumbling satellite alive. And he couldn't retrieve any of the Ghosts of his fallen comrades.
The giant form of the Hive God loomed over the Guardians before he let out a smile and raised his sword. Then the next thing he knew, Ianos heard the death cries of his fellow Soldiers of Light as the weapon seemingly phased through them, only for his eyes to widen as he recognized the streaks of light tear away from their bodies and seep into the dark infested blade.
Those struck did not stand again.
Watching the monster strike down group of Guardians with only one swing of his blade, Ianos couldn't help but glance around frantically, trying to sight the familiar colors of his team. He first spotted Zakai, the Warlock shouting protests as he was lifted off of his feet and carried away by a Titan. Letting relief sink into his chest knowing that at least 'one' of them was safe, Ianos then scanned the dark horizon once more only for his blood to freeze. There, right near the Hive God, was the familiar white clad form of Ahamri-34, the Exo Warlock firing away with his auto rifle in an attempt to push the looming enemy back.
"Ari!"
Brushing past fleeing Soldiers of Light, Ianos rushed forward, reaching out a hand as the Hive God, Crota, lifted his blade.
Letting the last echoes of the memory fade, Ianos let out a ragged sigh as he buried his face into his hands. He didn't make it in time to save either himself or Ari, at least, not completely. The Awoken Warlock made it to pull the two of them away from getting the brunt of the hit but even a graze was enough to incapacitate the two Guardians. In the end, Ianos was dragged away by an ally while he watched hopelessly as Ari was finished off by oncoming Hive. And just like so many of the lost, his Ghost was never recovered, even years later.
It wasn't long when he figured out the Darkness had taken host inside his body and Zakai soon fell to his death in an attempt to find a cure and to bring Ari back.
The moon just wasn't a place he wants to go back to.
Feeling tender hands grabbing hold of one of his arms, Ianos didn't have to look to know that it was Hush, the newborn Guardian tilting her head curiously as her gaze filled with worry when she pulled his arm into his lap.
"Are you going to be alright with this mission, Ianos?" Lifting his gaze away from the young Titan, the Awoken Warlock focused his attention onto Angel, the human Hunter having pushed himself up from his seat, his green eyes filled with concern, "I may not know 'everything' but I know enough that the moon isn't a place you're comfortable with."
Letting his shoulders sag from the thought of returning to the darkened satellite, Ianos turned his focus back down to Hush when he felt her hands clasp around his, causing the latter to lift her gaze and beam up at him. A broad smile, a twinkle in her eyes, it was enough to the Awoken Warlock that she was trying to say, Everything will be okay.
Despite his best attempts to take her silent words to heart, Ianos knows that everything won't be okay. The Hive have a prisoner down in the catacombs and even though the Vanguard says that he knows the layout, the ally of the Darkness constantly change their underground home; who knows how much have changed since the last time he was there? But then again, will he really abandon a newborn to the clutches of the Hive? To be tortured and abused until they are nothing more than a husk of who they once were?
"No! He's still young! He won't be able to take much more!" He watched as the Hive Knight turned their attention towards him, their three eyes glowing with annoyance as he tightened their grip around the tattered remains of the Hunter's cloak; the latter let out a whimper as the Awoken Warlock added, "Take me instead. I can take more. I can last longer. You can get more out of me! Please! Leave him be!"
The edges of his vision blurring, the Awoken Guardian couldn't help but let out a cry of despair as the Hive Knight turned and started dragging the younger Guardian away, hearing the Hunter let out a scream before scrambling to claw onto the dusty hearth, "No! Darian!"
He scrambled onto his hands and knees, quickly closing the distance between himself and the weakened Hunter before clasping his hands around Darian's arms, hearing the Hunter let out a sob as he cried out, "Don't let them take me!"
Bringing his feet out underneath him, Ianos started to pull when he felt a force come into contact with his jaw, hearing it 'crack' from the impact before he found himself sprawled out onto the rotting hearth.
"Ianos!" Hearing Darian's cry ringing in his ears, the Awoken Warlock attempted to push himself onto his feet, only to let out a sharp cry as pain crawled up his left leg. Slowly remembering his injury from the fall, Ianos glanced up as Darian's form disappeared down the tunnels.
"Ianos!"
"I'll be fine," The Awoken Warlock can sense the looks of concern he received from everyone present in the room, "It'll just be an in and out mission."
"It'll be more than that, you know this." Ianos remained silent as Akiva continued, "We will bump into Hive and considering only Angel is stealthy enough to get past them, it's going to be near impossible to avoid conflict. I think it's better that we let someone else-"
"We will 'not' abandon a fellow Guardian down 'there'." Ianos head the human Titan pause at his words, "Let alone a newborn."
Hearing the room go silent once more, the Awoken Warlock watched as Hush leaned in and draped herself into his lap, feeling her arms wrap around his waist as she snuggled into his stomach.
"I'll take care of Hush while you all are out on the field." All eyes turned towards Pluto, the Exo Hunter crossing his arms as he added, "Just a word of advice; never let your guard down. The Hive will take advantage of any moment of weakness."
Watching the human Titan and Hunter nod once at Pluto's words, Ianos couldn't but lower his gaze once more towards the child Guardian before placing a hand onto her hair and brushed his fingers through her black strands. Receiving a smile in response to this action, a sense of ease settled into the back of the Awoken Guardian's mind as he continued this gesture, watching Hush settle in in response.
Despite his fears of returning to the moon, he at least, have to make it back for her.
"We'll leave in three hours time." Ianos can feel the eyes of his team turn to him, "Get prepared and I mean 'prepared'." He lifted his gaze towards the faces of Akiva and Angel, "Who knows what we're going to encounter down there."
Xxxxx
Pain.
So much pain.
But he refuses to break.
He has to stay strong, stay alive.
For – does it have a name? – Ghost.
They brought him back.
Breathed life into him.
The least he can do is to stay strong until help arrives.
Help for the two of them.
What help? What if this help never arrives?
Help will arrive.
Will arrive.
Arrive.
…..
…
…
Pain.
Too much pain.
Will break.
Can't take much more.
Ghost.
Help.
Reset.
Renew.
Power down.
No pain.
No memories.
Backing up data.
Resetting.
Hiss of Hive Wizard coming.
No memories.
No pain.
Resetting.
Backing up data.
Her form materialized from the shadows, a grin forming onto her hardened features.
Renewing
Refreshing.
Powering down.
The grin turned into a scream of rage, her clawed hands reaching out towards him.
Flushing data into memory banks.
Shutting down.
Resetting.
Renewing.
Her claws grabbed the front of his coat but already his senses were going numb, his vision going black.
Memory stored.
Powering down.
Shutting down.
Resetting.
Renewing.
…
…
…
…
…
Who am I?
Kind of short compared to the other chapters but don't worry, the next chapter will be a long one!