Chapter 4

Avgust fell, the wreckage of the Fallen ship dropping out of the sky around him, and he tumbled with it. He twisted in the air, trying to at least gain control of his own fall. He managed to get into a prone position, spreading his arms and legs wide, trying to create as much drag and resistance as possible. He had barely managed to do that when he saw trees rapidly approaching and turned again, feet down, arms tucked in to shield his face and chest. He struck tree branches hard and was tossed about on his way to the earth, but managed to keep himself upright. His feet struck the ground and he fell into a sideways roll for several meters before slamming hard into the trunk of a tree and losing consciousness.

The Titan woke to the sound of his Ghost calling his name.

"Avgust," the little fragment of the Traveler was saying repeatedly, darting around him in quick, jerky motions.

«YA prosnulsya, malenkiy svet,» he said, waving his hand at the Ghost. "I am awake."

"Thank the Traveler," Svarog sighed.

«Chto za situatsiya?»

"I led most of the Fallen away, then programmed the Outrageous Fortune to move to a safe orbit and came down here to find you on the ground and somehow not dead, but not moving either. I swept a healing beam over you a few times, but you were remarkably intact."

"And the transport?"

"Unknown," the Ghost replied.

Avgust pushed himself from the ground and scrambled to his feet. He was sore all over, but nothing was broken, thanks to Svarog. He spun around, searching the sky until he caught sight of a tell-tale plume of smoke.

"There," he said, and set off in its direction, walking the first few steps before breaking into a jog, then eventually a full sprint, doing his best to dodge anything in his path.

Eventually, he found the crash site. The transport had splintered trees and gouged a path in the ground as it had struck and continued forward. Pieces of the ship were scattered around, but the majority of it was still intact. Small fires burned all around, but the bulk of the ship itself showed no signs of flame. Avgust paused to survey the scene, then ran to cover the gap between himself and the main body of the craft.

"Svarog, search for any signs of life," the Titan said. The Ghost bobbed an acknowledgement, then flew off, sweeping around the downed vessel.

Avgust's eyes scanned the ship, looking for any easy access. He did not find one, but did see a gash in the metal skin. He forced his fingers into it, feeling the metal bite into his own softer skin, cutting deep. Ignoring the sharp pain, he pulled back, the metal tearing away with a scream of protest. He tossed it to the side, and Svarog flew near his hands, a quick flash of healing Light emanating from the Ghost.

"Not now, Svarog," Avgust shooed the Ghost out of the way, trying to force his way into the wreckage of the craft. He called out, "Is anyone alive in here?"

His call was answered by a cough, and he thought he detected the soft murmur of a voice, like someone half asleep trying to respond to a question. With a renewed effort, Avgust forced his way through the wreckage of the ship desperate to reach whoever it was before it was too late. He did his best to ignore the torn remains of those for whom it already was.

"This is Avgust. Let me know where you are," he called out again, and this time, a voice distinctly replied.

"Over here," came the weak reply.

A collapsed portion of the rescue ship was between himself and the voice. Avgust gripped it, once again having to push through pain, this time from the searing heat radiating from the metal, and pushed as hard as he could. The wall buckled with a groan, and smoke poured out of the opening that he created. He could hear shuffling beyond, and then figures followed the smoke. When the final figure crawled past him, he paused to see if more would emerge, but none did.

Five. All that remained were five survivors. The reality of that settled on Avgust's shoulders like a massive weight, the lost piling on him in judgement.

"Did you find anyone else?" a woman's voice asked. The same that had called to him. Avgust turned from the collapsed wall and saw that it was Cassandra.

«Nyet,» he replied, shaking his head. "I am sorry."

Two of the survivors were children. One of them began to cry. An adult whose name Avgust had not had time to learn pulled the child to her chest, making soft, shushing sounds.

"We need to move," Avugst said. "I do not believe the ship will explode but, I would not take the chance."

Cassandra nodded and took a moment to visibly gather her own feelings, pushing aside a wildness that had begun to gather in her eyes. Avgust watched as she began to rouse the survivors, convincing them to move again.

"She's a strong woman," Svarog stated to him privately. "But this has been almost more than she can bear."

«Da,» the Titan replied. "Let us hope she and the others can hold up. We are still a long way from home."

The weary survivors of the crash staggered from the wreckage. Avgust guided them to a small copse of trees that would provide them some cover from the air should the Fallen still be actively patrolling the skies. There they huddled, shivering.

"Svarog, can you help tend to their wounds?" Avgust asked the Ghost privately.

"I can try," he replied. "I won't be able to help them in the same way I can you, nothing deep, but I should be able to at least help with some of the surface injuries."

"Do it, please," Avgust said to the Ghost, then addressed the others. "Svarog is going to try to help tend to your wounds."

He held out his hand and the Ghost appeared above it, then flittered over to the refugees. One of the children flinched away as a beam of Light shot from his eye. She whimpered, clutching at the nearest adult.

"Do not fear, little one," the Titan said. "Svarog will not hurt you."

"It's okay," Cassandra said, patting the child's arm. They just want to help."

As Svarog continued to try helping the survivors, Avgust made his way back to the rescue vessel, hoping to scavenge the wreckage for supplies. He had little hope that there would be much left on the craft, but without supplies, these last five would be joining their comrades far sooner than they should.

He stepped through the hole he had made and surveyed the area again. He ripped open anything that looked like a cabinet or storage space that he could see. Much of what he found was damaged beyond use, but Avgust managed to salvage a couple blankets, a flight jacket, and a few water bottles. He cursed at how little he could find. There would be things he could use on the Outrageous Fortune, but to call it down would definitely draw the eyes of the Eliskni back to them, and he could not risk that. This would have to do for the night, at least.

Avgust took the meager supplies back to the refugees. He then set about scouring the area for anything they could use as shelter. After searching for over an hour, he found some large rocks standing and leaning on each other that would at least provide some minimal protection. He gathered the survivors.

"I doubt the Fallen will be motivated enough to land and scour for survivors," he told Cassandra once the others were settled amongst the rocks. "So long as we do nothing to draw their focus now."

"How long do we need to wait here?" she asked, exhaustion clear in her voice.

"We will call for help in the morning," the Titan replied. "Unfortunately, my ship is only built for one. I could maybe make one other person fit, two if one of them is the smallest child. But five? It is not possible."

"I understand," Cassandra said with a nod.

"Go. Rest," Avgust ordered. "I will watch through the night."

"What about you?" Cassandra asked. "You've done so much. When will you rest."

Avgust shook his head. "I do not need it. Svarog can fuel me with the Light."

The Ghost appeared and bobbed a nod of agreement. "We will be fine for tonight."

Cassandra's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them. She looked as though she were trying to decide whether she believed them or not. Finally, her own exhaustion overcame everything else, and she turned away, joining the others. When she was gone, Avgust turned to stand vigil.

…

The sun peeked over the horizon, rays of light beginning to stream through the trees. From where he stood, Avgust could still see the clearing where the other ship had crashed.

"Put in the call," he told Svarog, and the Ghost complied, alerting the Tower to their situation and the fate of the first rescue vessel.

"They can dispatch another ship soon," Svarog said when the call ended. "But they can't get to where we are, they don't want to risk losing another ship. We're going to have to hike a ways and get to an area with fewer Fallen."

Avgust muttered something unintelligible under his breath. "Fine. We can wake the others soon and get started."

In the shelter, Avgust heard a cough. He had heard it off and on through the night, but it sounded worse now. After, there was the sound of movement, and the survivors began to emerge.

"Guess we won't have to wake them after all," Svarog stated.

«Nyet,» Avgust said with a shake of his head. "But that is not necessarily a good thing. The man does not look well."

Of the three surviving adults, only one was male. He looked pale this morning, much more so than Avgust remembered from the previous night. He coughed into his hand, then clutched at his chest before rubbing at it, as if trying to massage away some pain. Avgust strode toward the man, placed a hand on his back, and guided him away from the others.

"Are you ill?" he asked in a whisper.

"I… I don't know. I don't think so. I wasn't, I mean." The man shrugged.

"What is your name, friend?" Avgust asked.

"Simon."

"Simon, Svarog is going to scan you. We must know."

Simon nodded, and the Ghost materialized, sweeping a scanning beam of Light over his from head to toe, then a second pass over just the chest. Svarog's eye narrowed.

"There is something wrong with his chest," he told Avgust privately. "Some damage. I can't heal it. He needs a doctor, and probably quickly."

«Eto ne khorosho,» the Titan replied. "Not good. Can he make the journey?"

"Unknown."

Avgust turned and looked at Simon. "Svarog says there is a wound to your chest. He cannot help you. Is it possible that either of the women have medical knowledge?"

"No," Simon shook his head. "Cassie… Cassandra… she was a teacher. And Liv… I think she mostly gardened."

"We have to march to get to a safe evacuation point. It will most likely be difficult travel. I… cannot guarantee that you will make it."

"Well, I'm dead if I stay here, right?" the man asked.

Avgust nodded. "Most certainly."

"Then I guess I don't have a choice." Another coughing fit hit him, and Simon doubled over, hand clenched in a fist over his mouth. When it passed, he straightened back up. "Guess we'd better get going, huh?"

"Do what you can," Avgust said privately to Svarog, who swept a healing beam over Simon again. He then waved for the other adults to join them. "We need to get moving," he announced when they drew close. "I have heard from the Last City. They will send a transport, but not to where we are now. We must get clear of the Fallen. There is a chance we can reach the point today, but we will need to move and keep moving."

"What about the kids," Cassandra asked. "They aren't going to be able to handle that."

"They will have to," he replied. "If they falter, we will have to carry them."

With that, the adults gathered up the children. There was no regular food, but Svarog was able to produce a few ration bars that had been stored away. The children complained about the taste, and they did not provide enough to really satisfy anyone once they were divided to be shared, but something was better than nothing.

The area they hiked through was wild, with no signs of even ancient cultivation. They stumbled over rocks, pushed through scrub, and had the sun beat down on them when they passed through open space. Simon's cough grew worse, and Avgust thought he noticed a little pink on the man's hand after a particularly bad spasm.

"Is he going to make it?" Cassandra asked Avgust, casting a worried glance at Simon.

"I cannot say," he replied. "Svarog has tried to do what he can, but it is not enough."

She looked pensive, and fell silent again. They continued their march. Occasionally, they heard or saw signs of Fallen activity, and adjusted their direction accordingly, working to avoid them. Eventually, the pace began to wear on the children, and they started to drag.

"I will take two of them," Avgust said. "You can take turns carrying the other."

He eyed the children, judging which looked lightest and left her for the women; Simon looked in no shape to carry anything, and had begun to struggle with the pace himself. Avgust stooped and scooped up the other two children, sitting one on each of his shoulder pauldrons.

"Hold on, little ones," he said. "I do not wish to see you fall."

Despite their fatigue, they both laughed as if they were on a ride as he stood, grabbing onto him to steady themselves. The Titan kept a steadying hand on each and walked forward. Liv scooped up the third child, taking her turn first. The little girl looked enviously at the other two riding on the big man's shoulders.

They continued on this way, with the children rotating between them. Midday had passed, and the sun had noticeably shifted to the west, though Avgust estimated they still had hours until it would set. The rendezvous coordinates were still a ways off, but he had hope they could make it before they lost the sunlight.

Simon had another coughing fit, one that left him white-faced and drove him to his knees. Avgust carefully lowered the children from his shoulders, and motioned for the women and the children to continue walking.

"Keep going, I will catch up," he said.

Cassandra gave him a concerned look, flicking her eyes between the two men. Placing her hands on the children's backs, she encouraged them to walk forward. Avgust turned his attention back to Simon, who was sitting now with his arms wrapped around his knees.

"I'm not going to make it," he said when the others were out of earshot.

Avgust shot a look at his Ghost. Inside his helmet, his mouth was a grim line. He had been concerned that it would come to this, and he had no words of comfort to offer.

"Don't give up-" Svarog began, but Simon cut him off.

"Don't. I can't keep pushing myself. I've been coughing up blood, my chest is on fire. I know I'm not going to make it, and I don't want… I don't want them to have to see it... The kids."

"They have moved on," Avgust said. "They continue forward with the women. It is only us, now."

"Good," Simon wheezed, then coughed again, a wracking fit that left him sprawled fully on the ground. "Can… can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

Simon turned to stare at the Titan. "Are you afraid to die?"

Avgust considered the question, then reached up and removed his helmet so that he could look into the other man's eyes. This felt like a moment that needed to not be hidden behind the impersonable, faceless mask.

"No," he said, "though death means something different for us Guardians. I die, and Svarog brings me back. It happens many times. Perhaps we are too comfortable with it. I once died a death I would not have expected to come back from, though I cannot remember it."

"I didn't think I did," Simon replied with a nervous laugh, "though now that I'm looking right at it, I'm terrified. Do you think.. do you think I could come back as a Guardian?"

"I cannot say," Avgust replied. "Svarog?"

The Ghost floated over to the injured man, circling him slowly. His shell parted, and a beam of Light lanced out, sweeping up and down his frame, pausing at the chest, and again at the head. After several seconds, the beam disappeared, and Svarog's shell closed again. The little Ghost shook himself, much like a person clearing their head.

"It's possible," he said. "It's impossible to guarantee, but I can sense your spark, and you do carry the Light. If the right Ghost were to come along, you could be reborn."

"Is this something you would want?" Avgust asked.

"Yes, I think I would," Simon answered. "I'd like to come back and not have to be afraid."

A part of Avgust wanted to argue with the man, to tell him that he would be better off staying at rest, but he did not. "Svarog," the Titan said, turning to his Ghost, "please mark this location, so that other Ghosts will know to come search here."

The Ghost bobbed an acknowledgement.

"Th-" Simon tried to speak, but was overcome by another bout of coughing, and the words were lost to the pained expression on his face. He reached a grasping hand out and clutched Avgusts arm, gripping as tightly as he could manage, then suddenly the grip loosed and Simon was still.

Avgust stared at the dead man. This was a bad death. There was little he could do now, though he hated leaving the body out in the open like this. A notion presented itself to him, a thought from somewhere deep in his mind, buried in his lost memory. Carefully, Avgust unhitched his belt, removing it and his Titan Mark, then wrapped them around Simon's waist.

«Ne umru, no budu zhit' i vozveshchat' dela Gospondi,» he muttered under his breath, "I will not die but live, and will proclaim the works of the Lord."

Svarog drifted into his field of view. "What was that?" he asked.

"I… do not know," Avgust replied, shaking his head. "It just… felt right." He stood. "We need to catch up to the others."

Svarog disappeared into phase and Avgust put his helmet back on, then began to run without another word. At full sprint, he quickly caught up to the others. Cassandra gave him an imploring look, and the Titan shook his head. The woman clamped a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes closed for several seconds. When she opened them again, there was clear determination there. Avgust once again scooped up two of the children, and the group pressed on to the new rendezvous. When the transport arrived, Avgust saw the others aboard, and Svarog signalled for the Outrageous Fortune to meet them.

"Can't you join us this time?" Cassandra asked. "I'd feel safer if you were with us."

"No," he said. "I cannot leave my vessel here. I will escort you again, and see you into the City."

This time, the flight was uneventful. Avgust watched over the transport until it reached the Last Safe City. True to his word, he has Svarog transmat him to join Cassandra and the others, and see arrangements made for them. Once they were settled, another transmat took him back outside the City, to the spot where he had been training the new Titans before leaving for the mission.

From the plateau, he stared hard at the walls of the City.

…

AN

Guest: Thank you. That is quite possibly the nicest comment I've gotten in my couple years now of doing this. Glad you are enjoying the stories and the character work.

Shy911: No it wasn't, and it didn't get much better, sadly.

And so we have reached the end of this little adventure. Originally, this was going to be a one-shot, but it ended up needing some room to breathe. As much as this was not a "fun" story, I had fun writing Avgust. Bit of a different character than Claney, even if they are both haunted by what happened in their past.

I feel like all I do these days is apologize about delays. This story was going well until Corona killed the world. Even though I was home, it was a huge disruption of my schedule and I couldn't get that balance. Throw in the fact that I was on a computer all day for work and the last thing I wanted to do after was stare at a screen some more. Things are slightly more back to normal here, but now my schedule doesn't have any of the same windows to write I had before. That won't affect this since it's done, but I am still working on "Dust to Dust and Memory." We'll see how well that goes.

I also recently wrote a little murder mystery type story using the Destinytober/Destiny Pentober prompts, "Wandering Comfortless Streets".