Part 1
Titan trainee Delta, so named because his Ghost had found him lying near a river delta and he couldn't remember his old name, hit the ground hard, the air lungs with an audible sound.
"Get up!" his trainer, a Titan named Avgust, demanded.
Delta stirred. Slowly, his arms drew inward, hands pressing against the ground to push upward as legs tucked underneath. He paused on his hands and knees for a moment before rising onto shaky legs. Avgust nodded, then darted in and struck the other man again, once again sending him to the ground hard.
"Get up!" Avgust shouted again.
"Why? You're just going to knock me down again," Delta complained.
"Yes, and I will keep doing it until you stop letting me. Up."
Delta cast a quick glance at the circle of figures that surrounded the two of them, watching the exercise. With a muttered curse, Delta got to his feet again, and again, Avgust was on him in an instant. This time, Delta managed to lash out at the older man, but Avugust caught his arm and wrenched. There was an audible crack and Delta cried out in pain before falling, clenching his arm. In an instant, his Ghost was out, washing a healing beam over the broken limb.
"He's lucky that's all that happened," someone muttered in the crowd. "The other trainer let a little brat light me on fire."
Delta looked at Avgust, anger burning in his eyes. Once his arm was healed, he came up charging, trying to take the fight to the instructor. Once again, the exchange ended with Delta on the ground. Finally, after enough attempts that he lost count, the younger Titan overcame the older, driving him to the ground with a cry of triumph. Both Titans rose to their feet, and Avgust placed a hand on Delta's shoulder.
"Good. You did not give up," Avgust said. «Eto vazhno.» He repeated himself in English, "This is important. For you must learn to persevere through many things."
Avgust turned to the face the rest of the crowd, all Titan trainees that he had been working with. "This is important for all of you. You must remain strong despite many hardships. You will have to fight on despite hardships that would crush most people.
"You are Guardians, warriors of the Light. You are the hope of everyone living in the City, which is the last light and hope for humanity. You have to be able to face whatever the Darkness throws at you and keep fighting.
"More than that, you are Titans. You are the wall that keeps everyone safe. That keeps the dream safe. You can not falter. You are the Guardians of the hope of humanity."
Avgust said the words by rote. He'd said similar words many times before, but now they left an aftertaste in his mouth that he couldn't quite shake. Hope? He was no longer sure he felt that when he looked at the walls surrounding the City.
There had been a time when he did. When the dream of the City drove him onward and he considered that there could be a bright future even after the devastation of the Collapse, that humanity could pull together and climb back out of the pit it had been kicked into.
Now, he wasn't as sure.
He'd lost too many friends, endured too many pointless skirmishes and battles that never seemed to accomplish anything, and everytime they pushed back the Darkness and took down a major threat, something else just took its place. The Vanguard had mostly stayed behind the walls instead of pushing out to reclaim other territories. There was still just one city. Even in this "Age of Triumph" where the Last Safe City and Tower celebrated everything that had happened, there was no call for something more.
"That is all for today," he said. "Dismissed."
Some of the assembled Titans saluted before they left, others just transmatted out without a word. Avgust shook his head. Over the course of different missions, he had discovered that he had been in the military in his old life. Before he had discovered that, however, that part of his personality, buried somewhere in the back of his resurrected mind, had influenced who he was now. With other Guardians, it was something of a mixed bag in the way they responded, however.
Avgust stood alone among the trees, casting a glance east. There, the walls that surrounded the City rose, and above that was the Tower that most Guardians called home. Today, the sight of it made him feel uneasy for reasons he could not articulate.
The voice of his Ghost, Svarog, broke through before he could figure it out, "Avgust, I'm picking up a distress call. Civilian. Under attack by the Fallen."
Fallen. Scavengers and vultures, picking at the carcass of what humanity had built and trying to finish what the Darkness had started so they could reclaim the "Great Machine" from the Guardians that they considered thieves. Avgust's fists clenched involuntarily.
"Where?"
"There is some interference, so I am having trouble pinpointing it precisely. East of the EDZ. If we get closer, I could get a better lock."
"Then let's go."
"Should I contact the rest of the fireteam?" the Ghost inquired.
"No," the Titan replied. "I have got this, Svarog."
"Are you sure?" the Ghost asked.
«Da», the Titan nodded. "Let us go."
The sensation of the transmat caught the Titan a heartbeat later, depositing him into his ship, Outrageous Fortune. He always found the feeling of the transmat uncomfortable. He took a moment for his insides to feel settled, then he plotted a course for the EDZ.
"I'm still getting strange interference," Svarog grumbled as they approached the general vicinity of where the distress call had originated.
"They said they were under attack by Fallen, yes? Look for signs of the attackers, and we can find the source of the transmission."
Svarog emerged from phase and began interfacing with the ships systems, directly connecting with the sensors. He hung silently for several moments, shell twitching, light streaming between him and the console. Avgust opened his mouth to say something, and the beam suddenly shut off.
"Found them," the Ghost said, a note of triumph in his voice.
«Molodets», Avgust replied.
The Titan braced himself as the transmat caught him again. Once on the ground, he glanced up and watched as his ship followed a pre-programed path to orbit. There was the sound of another transmat, and he felt the heft of his machine gun Thunderlord as it appeared on his back, anxious to renew its song of death.
On his HUD, red markers began to appear, indicating the location of enemy forces. There were more of them than he would have expected, given the latest reports about Fallen activity dropping off. He studied their layout, trying to judge by their positions where the people in trouble may be, and what the best approach to take would be.
The Titan set off at a jog, circle the western edge of the line of red dots, which seemed to be shifting to the northeast. He was close enough now that he was starting to hear noise coming from the host of Fallen, including a hunting cry.
They had found their prey.
Avgust picked up his pace, feeling the heavy machine gun clanking against his back. He could hear the energy crackling through the gun. The Thunderlord was a weapon of legend, given to him during the battle of Twilight Gap. Its history before that was shrouded, but he did know it was a weapon born of great suffering. If he were one to attribute emotion to objects as some did, he would have to say it enjoyed inflicting that suffering on others.
Now he heard the sounds of shock pistols being fired. The Arc energy coursing through the Thunderlord matched the Light that coursed through him as he began to spring, his size, strength, and armor allowing him to plow through some of the undergrowth. It was not as subtle an approach as he would have liked, but sometimes necessity forced one's hand.
The Fallen heard him coming, and some had already turned to face him as he broke into the open. The creatures let loose with undisciplined fire, shock rounds splattering all around him, some striking his armor with little effect.
Avgust rushed through them, then leaped into the air. At the top of his jump, he clasped his hands together over his head, drawing the Arc Light into them. As he descended, he brought his hands down, striking the ground and he landed and letting the Light erupt in erupt outward, unleashing the Fist of Havoc.
Fallen screamed and died around him, bodies of Dregs and Vandals flung in every direction. Avgust kept moving, electricity crackling over his form. He repeated the maneuver several times before he completely expended his super charge.
The Fallen line was broken now. Survivors scattered to find cover, while others came rushing from a different direction. If Avgust had to guess, he would say they were a second line that had been attempting to form a pincher around whoever had sent the distress call. They now converged instead on a greater threat.
Avgust grabbed Thunderlord from his back. It had been humming an electric tune, but not fully unleashed its song of death in his hands, Arc rounds punching through the approaching Fallen. Some spasmed and fell from body blows, others met their end with a puff of ether as the bullets struck higher.
The Russian stayed in one place long enough to disrupt the approaching Fallen front, then began to move before the first squad could regroup and try to pin him down. He heard a Fallen grenade explode behind him, letting him know he'd moved just in time.
He turned and fired another burst quickly, some rounds blasting splinters from trees while others found their marks. The number of red dots was rapidly decreasing. Avgust took one hand from his weapon, gripped and charged a grenade, then threw it toward a clumping to his left. The pulse grenade exploded and scattered more of the bug-like aliens. The Titan slung the machine gun onto his back once more and charged the last of his opponents, Arc Light flinging him forward in a devastating shoulder charge that crushed the last Dreg.
Avgust quickly swept his eyes over the area, looking for any other signs of movement, but found nothing. While searching, however, his eyes did land on one of the enemy corpses lying sprawled on the ground. More specifically, the odd pack it had worn on its back. He held out his hand, and Svarog appeared from phase.
«Chto eto?» he asked. "Scan it, please."
The star-shape of the Ghost darted toward the downed enemy, a beam of light sweeping over the strange pack.
"This is the source of the jamming," Svarog said after a moment. "Give me one… There! Shut it down."
"Open a signal," the Titan told the Ghost. "This is Avgust of the Vanguard. Responding to a distress call that was sent over this channel. Is anyone receiving?"
There was no answer. Avgust repeated the message a second time. Before he could a third, there was finally a response.
"Yes, we're here," a shaky voice sounded in his ear. "Are the Fallen gone?"
«Da,» he replied. "Yes. They're gone for now."
"I'm picking up movement behind you," Svarog said through their connection. One blue point appeared on his HUD, followed by another, and then more.
"How many of them are there?" Avgust questioned.
"Unknown."
Avgust strode toward the blue dots. As he drew close, he raised his hands to show he was no threat. Scared faces began to appear from behind trees and other, poorer hiding places.
"Are you Avgust?" a woman asked, stepping to meet him.
"I am."
"Thank the Traveler," she said, visible relief passing through her. "Oh, thank the Traveler. We thought we were dead."
"How many are you?" Avgust asked.
"Twenty," the woman replied. "Adults and children."
"What are you doing in a place like this?"
"We… had an enclave, a settlement. We had lived in peace for many years, but these Fallen attacked us. They drove us from our home and pursued us."
"Why do you live here and not in the Last City?" Avgust asked. "There are not many safe places in this world."
At this, the woman averted her eyes, not looking at him. "Our forebearers, great-grandparents for most of us, were driven from there. They… held to certain beliefs that were not welcome. The majority of us no longer hold to those, but we didn't want to give up our autonomy. But now we have no choice."
"Unwelcome beliefs?" the Titan questioned.
Again, the woman would not look at him. "They were followers of Osiris."
Avgust took in a sharp, hissing breath at that. He had had his own dealings with people who had chosen to follow the former Vanguard Commander. There was possible danger here.
"Are there any of you that hold to the Cult?" he asked, a touch of anger tinting his voice.
"No, no," she said quickly, her eyes locking on to his, pleading. "No one. Please, take us to the City."
Avgust looked past her at the other refugees gathering. Many years before, he had been part of the Pilgrim Guard, leading people such as these to the safety of the Last City's walls. He could not refuse such a request.
"I will," he said, "but my ship cannot hold this many. We will need to call for help, which could take time."
The woman nodded, fear evident in her eyes. She did not want to stay out here. Avgust could not blame her. Where there were some Fallen, there were more. Staying long in these woods would be suicide.
"Svarog," he said, "call the Tower. Let them know we need transport."
The Ghost bobbed a nod, then seemed to freeze in mid-air as it focused on the communication. Avgust watched and waited.
"Done," the Ghost said eventually. "The Vanguard has been notified, and ships will be sent. But Avgust, we have a problem."
"What?"
"I'm starting to pick up interference at the edge of my range," Svarog said. "I believe more of these Fallen are coming this way."
…
AN
This is part of a character/story swap with Wendigo_E17. His half is already up and posted (only on AO3) as Aftershock and has Claney and Celeste dealing with a group of Fallen. It's good, you should read it.
I have several projects underway right now, including this, Dust, and then another gift story from someone.