Tormented

Titan Carina-23 and Ghost Spears of Fireteam Redacted

WARNIING! SELF-MUTILATION AND CHARACTER DEATH! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Edited: 05/29/2022

Despite Spears' delicate and small frame, Pluto knew that Carina took great care when it comes to her Ghost; he always saw his violet and green shell always clean and free of any marks after they would return from a mission. Many Guardians would see it as an indulgence, a waste of time. After all, Ghosts' shells get damaged all the time, there's a reason many change them throughout their years. But to Pluto, it shows how much she cares, how she's willing to take time out of her day to refurbish a shell that her Ghost obviously favors. Now though, Pluto is certain that it would have to be replaced.

There was a large chunk of Spears' shell missing – and a part of his core as well, Pluto realizes – and the area of impact had charred the violet and green paint around it. There was no doubt in Pluto's mind that Spears' life is in trouble. But the Ghost's insistence, the refusal to leave, the loud whistles and screeches he made, Pluto felt like he didn't have a choice but to agree, especially since the noise no doubt would attract more hostiles to their area.

As such, when Spears finally quieted down, Pluto tucked Spears into the hood of his cloak, feeling the Ghost settle behind his neck before kneeling and started sifting through the rubble.

"How long until the others get here?"

"An hour at least." Nix answered, "That is, if they can sneak out without the Consensus' knowledge."

And knowing them, they're going to try and convince the others to stay, that Pluto alone would be capable of handling things here.

Bull shit.

Even the most powerful of Guardians wouldn't be able to do such a delicate task alone. Pluto is going to need help, especially considering how desperate Spears' pleas were. He had never seen the Ghost panic like that before. That tells him that something is wrong and that he needs to hurry.

As such, using his Void Light to burn away more of the broken rubble, Pluto carefully but swiftly started moving the stones.

Xxxxx

The Vex were here.

Carina didn't want to believe it but no sooner had Vulcan's cries echoed through the passageway when she felt the heavy footsteps permeate through the floor beneath her, followed by the familiar noise of static.

She jumped to her feet, taking her weapon into her hands, and aimed down the corridor.

And in good time.

A Vex Goblin appeared first, and Carina fired her weapon without hesitation. And so did the others, considering that the Vex collapsed in a pile of torn metal and wires not long after the passageway lit up with gunfire. The firing did not cease however, even when the red light of the Hobgoblin's eye faded, for many others then flashed to life in the darkness. Fear took grip of Carina's core when she counted just how many were staring at her and her team.

Nonetheless, Carina stood her ground, practically grinding her feet into the floor to prevent her fear from taking hold – after all, where can they run now? – and fired into the mass. Despite the light of the other Ghosts – her chest went tight at the thought of Spears' absence – the passageway was still dark, difficult to spot the bronze carapaces of the Vex. As such, Carina used the flashes of gunfire, the red optics, and white cores of the walking machines to aim. It was laughable at how many of the Vex, the smaller ones, collapse under their gunfire, and Carina found her confidence growing.

That is, until she saw a larger, shimmering form round the corner and her hands went tight around her weapon when she spotted only the red optic.

"Minotaurs!"

Not Praetorians then, which is good news, but bad news, even in the darkness, Carina can tell that the larger Vex were still heavy hitters. And they were coming in mass.

"Heads up!"

That is when Carina saw Aleeza leap over her, familiar wisps of violet gathering in one hand. Carina took it as a sign to leap back, just in time to witness her lover thrust a Nova Bomb into the fray of Vex. Just as always, it exploded, the Void Light bursting into a spray of violet, and the explosion lashing out and practically grabbing at the Vex who survived the initial hit. They all collapsed practically immediately, their red optics disappearing in the darkness.

However, Carina also felt their surroundings shake, feeling small debris and dust land and slide over her armor.

"Are you trying to bury us alive!?" It was Spirit who shouted, Carina turning towards the Warlock; she can see the glowing optics of Vulcan and Ace taking cover behind her fellow Exo.

"Not my intention!" Aleeza's retort did nothing to ease Spirit's anxiety, as even in the darkness, Carina can see his hands shake visibly around his hand cannon, although she couldn't care less. As long as he aims and fires at the Vex, and not at them, he should be fine. Hopefully. Not to mention that's he doing a pretty good job keeping Esther and the Ghosts safe. Perhaps he should switch to babysitting duty after all this is over.

There was a loud gunshot, one that flew past her head that made Carina jump, her receptors aching before she turned around in time to see a Minotaur collapse onto the floor, red optic blinking dead. Following the trajectory of the shot, she could see Angel kneeling on the floor, sniper in his hands and she watched as he fired another shot, more than likely taking out a large target. Thankful that Angel is a good shot, Carina decided to change tactics.

Switching out her auto rifle to a shotgun, she then leaped towards the Vex, punching the nearest Goblin before turning around and firing her shotgun into a Hobglobin's core. It didn't even have time to put up its shield to recover before it collapsed into a heap. Then she turned and aimed at an approaching Minotaur.

It was easy, almost laughable, to hear its approach; then again with its size, it's night impossible for them to sneak up on enemies. She wonders if that's why the Vex utilizes teleportation. Nonetheless, the one behind her didn't seem to notice or care at the proximity and Carina watched as it attempted to aim with its Torch Hammer.

She didn't give it a chance.

Carina pulled the trigger in two rapid successions, and she watched as the two shots made it stumble, arms reeling at the bullet's momentum. She then pulled the trigger once more and the pellets penetrated its chest, Carina hearing the metal tearing and wires snapping. This was finally enough for the Minotaur to twist and then collapse.

Three shots. Carina wonders if that's good or bad, considering its heftier size and bulk. Nonetheless, she turned and slammed a punch into a Globin's chest, feeling her fist crack through the glass of its core and the fluids sliding down her arm. Carina decided that focusing on clearing out the Vex's numbers were more important.

Using her shotgun to take down another Hobgoblin, Carina glanced down the passageway, her optics narrowing at the seemingly endless Vex slowly making their way in. She can see light and bullets taking them down, their metallic bodies collapsing, only for others to step over them and kept firing. Fortunately, their shots were easy to read, and Carina found that even leaning is enough to dodge most of their fire. Despite this, there is still a lot of them, and she feels like that no matter how many she and her team take down, more just seem to come in and take their place.

Pondering upon this, Carina then took in a deep breath, slowly coming to a decision. If Spears was here, he would have been against on what she was going to do next, after all, she hasn't had much control over it. Then again, Spears has always been ninety-nine percent of her impulse control.

Holstering her shotgun, Carina raised a hand, concentrating her light into her palm. And swung it back, the clang of her hammer resounding through the passageway and her solar light lighting up the darkness.

"Carina?"

Aleeza's voice permeated behind her, and Carina can hear the nervous edge to it. Not that she can blame her, Carina hadn't really mastered the Hammer yet. Her habit of gathering and then releasing her light as a Striker carried over as a Sunbreaker and her hammer has a habit of exploding the instant it leaves her fingertips.

Doesn't mean she can't swing it.

She turned, swinging it at the closest Vex close to her, and watched with satisfaction as it burst into flames, the Goblin not even having the time to release a screech. Carina pivoted, swinging her hammer into the chest of another Vex next to her, this one too dispersing into flames. That is when she felt the breeze of several bullets flying past her, seeing from the corner of her optics as several Vex collapsed; she didn't have to look over to know that Aleeza and the others are giving her cover fire.

As such, with confidence, Carina ran into the mass of Vex, swinging her hammer that came into her proximity. Any that she had missed would join the rest of the broken carapaces through her team's gunfire.

"Praetorian!"

As always, Vulcan cries out a warning and Carina found herself looking down the passageway and spotting a red optic towering above the others. And alongside the nervousness, something else pulled at her.

Glee.

A challenge, and although Carina felt the fear, felt the anxiety gripping her core, she found herself running towards it, Hammer in hand.

"Carina? Carina! What are you doing!?"

Aleeza, always the voice of caution, and Carina wonders if that is why she had fallen for her in the first place. She had always been headstrong, rushing in without caution, and, although Aleeza may have her moments, she always pulls Carina back when there's a line. But right now, her lover is too far back to stop her, and Carina felt the fear dissipate and fill with exhilaration as she closed in on the Praetorian, smacking any of Vex out of her way with the Hammer of Sol.

Just as she closed in, she saw it slow down in its steps, and gradually turn its head towards her. That is when she saw it raise it's Torch Hammer on its arm, and violet particles started gathering at the barrel. Seeing an opportunity, Carina concentrated light to her feet, and boost herself forward, quickly closing the distance between herself and the large Vex.

However, just as she went to swing her hammer, something lurched in her chest. It felt like a rope, taut and tight, suddenly snapped, and whatever had been kept there, vanished. And an empty void settled in. Carina fumbled, reeling as her feet hit solid ground, but found her legs lacking strength. She collapsed, falling onto her knees as she used her hands to catch herself.

The emptiness, it ached, so much so that behind her trembling hands, Carina saw her hammer fade, the flames that flickered around her body dissipating.

"Carina! Move!"

It was Angel who called out to her this time, and Carina looked up to see the Praetorian standing over her. And its Torch Hammer aimed at her face.

She would move if she wanted, but Carina when went to stand, her legs buckled, weakness in her limbs prominent. Taking in a sharp breath as the hum of the Torch Hammer started to ease, Carina straightened out as best she could and stared down the Praetorian with a glare.

"Carina!"

Despite expecting the hit, pain bloomed from her face first, seeing only violet before it crawled down to her neck and chest, and she found herself blown backgrounds, landing onto her back. Violet lingered around her vision for a while before it went dark, and Carina took in a breath. Then screamed as agony hit her sensors.

"Carina! No!"

She heard Aleeza's shout, her protests as Carina heard her cries turn to cursing, joined in by Angel's and Spirit's yelling. Carina wouldn't be surprised if they are trying to stop her from running into the mass of Vex. She appreciated that. Aleeza maybe a Warlock but even Carina knows that she wouldn't be able to handle that many Vex fire.

Speaking of the Vex, Carina, as she suppressed her cries, doing her best to ignore the pain, heard them step around; she even felt the ground beneath her shake as the Praetorian too walked over her. It seemed they no longer deem her as a threat.

In any other situation, she would have seen as an insulted, felt insulted, and would have eaten a bullet so that Spears would swoop in and bring her back onto her feet. But Spears wasn't here, and the ache in her chest told her he wasn't coming back.

This thought finally brought the grief, the reality and Carina, released another cry, this one filled with sadness. Then, as if the ease the ache in her chest, the ache now obvious even through the pain, Carina started raking her fingers against it, feeling them easily break through her broken and charred chest plate, and into the ruined plating of her body. She felt the pain, felt her hands rip through the wiring in her chest. But the ache, the emptiness lingered.

Carina hated it, despises it, and she cried out, one filled with upset and anger. Then, just as she thought to withdraw her hands, that is when she felt it, the one thing she hated most about herself but unable to be rid of it.

She didn't want to admit it, didn't want to tell the others, but Carina remembers more of her previous life than she had let the others in on. And for a reason. She had been a soldier, one that turned 'obsolete' when she had refused an order and fled before she could be decommissioned. For years after, she had wondered why they had not activated the 'fail safe' to be rid of her. Perhaps it is because Carina's proximity to cities, where much of humanity had settled. Maybe, subconsciously, she had selfishly used this as a shield to keep her own life.

Now though, as she grabbed the bomb from her chest, hearing the Vex slowly approach her team as gunfire continued to echo in her sensors, perhaps this would be a chance to save her team. True, perhaps they would be buried alive but, a moment before she felt her bond break, before she lost Spears, he had sent her one final message.

Help is here.

Even if they were to be buried alive, someone is on the other side, ready to give a hand. Better that than stay down here with the Vex and never having a chance to make it out at all. And if not, well, Carina has been practicing with Akiva lately. She will give help when she can.

Tearing the implant from her chest, Carina filtered her light to her hand, giving the bomb a squeeze as she heard it beep. Closing her optics, she heard some of the Vex pause, then screech in protest, hearing the others cease in their steps as well. Carina couldn't help a smile at this.

Then, as the beeping rapidly increased in frequency, she also heard it fade, drowned out as subtle laughter filtered into her sensors. Traveler, she was going to miss that, miss the others as they would tease and laugh with each other, Aleeza chuckling at her antics, and Spears' high-pitched giggles.

Spears, the one who had always been with her during her high and lows in her short life.

Carina's smile broaden.

"I'm coming, brother."

Then, through the fog of memories, Carina heard the implant's beeping cease.

Xxxxx

"The others are almost here." Nix reported before he paused, Pluto feeling his optic on his back, "How is Spears doing?"

He didn't respond, and instead, focused his trembling hands on moving as much of the broken stones as he could. Pluto did not want to say it aloud but, just moments ago, he heard Spears release a sigh, a breath, before he felt him go still. And felt his light fade away.

No doubt Nix had sensed the same thing, as with his lack of sight, the rest of his senses are sensitive to the light of others. More than likely denial had grasped his Ghost. Pluto is unsure if remaining silent is the best way to answer.

Nonetheless, despite having only one pair of hands, Pluto had made progress, having to climb down now to clear more of the passage. But as he wonders just how long, just how far the others are when an explosion erupted into his sensors.

At first, Pluto thought an enemy and as such, had leaped back, jumping out of the hole and grabbed his hand cannon. Then, he saw the rocks crumble, looking as though they were spilling into a drain. Before the rest of the ground around it collapsed. Pluto could only stare, stare with wide optics as the very hearth seemed to swallow the broken rubble and felt the earth beneath him shake.

Was he too late?

That was all Pluto could think of as it continued to collapse, feeling like an eternity before it finally ceased. And all there was, is a mix of broken stones and wet earth.

"Nix…" Pluto whispered as he stumbled down the slope of debris and rubble.

In response, his Ghost glided past him, flying above the collapsed tunnel before Pluto sensed him release a blast of light. There was a brief pause. And then a jerk.

"There's life!" Pluto perked at his words, "And they're –"

Nix's words were cut short when another explosion, this one Pluto recognizes as more controlled, compact, erupted further away. And he started running when he spotted the familiar form of Aleeza pulling herself out of a hole.

"Aleeza." He called as he approached, spotting wisps of void light lingering off her shoulders, "What happened –"

Even with his years of experience, Pluto hadn't expected Aleeza to move quickly as she did, nearly pulling away when he suddenly felt her hands grab him by the shoulders, and practically shook him.

"Where's Spears!?"

Pluto came to a halt, staring at Aleeza before turning his optics towards the hole; he saw Ace and Vulcan flying out first, calling out before Angel crawled out next. Like Aleeza, he had wisps of Void Light lingering around his form before Pluto watch him turn and reached down both hands into the pit. There, he saw the Hunter pull out Esther's prone form, the Exo Hunter limp in Angel's arms. Finally, Spirit climbed out, also with traces of Void Light lingering around his body, before he collapses, a groan escaping him.

Pluto waited, checking on Ace briefly to sense Ianos' light, before finally, he asked, "Where's Carina?"

That is when he felt Aleeza's hands tremble against his shoulders.

Pluto watched as she stumbled back, feeling her touch leave him as she fell to her knees.

"Where's Spears?" She practically begged and Pluto finally reached to the back of his neck, slipping his fingers around Spears' shell. He took note of how cold it felt, lifeless in his palm as he took the Ghost from his hood and slowly held it out towards Aleeza.

There was silence, a stare, as if the Warlock tried to comprehend what she was looking at. Then, there was a hiccup, a choke as trembling hands reached out and took Spears from Pluto's hands. Afterwards, Aleeza clutched the broken Ghost to her chest. And wailed.

Glancing towards the others to see that they too were staring, Pluto decided to turn, taking steps away from the group. Then, he turned to Nix.

"Send a message to the others. And the Tower." Pluto added, "Tell them that Titan Carina-23 and Ghost Spears of Fireteam Redacted died fighting to ensure the survivability of their team."