Tormented

A Step Forward Healing

Epilogue will be out in a minute.

Edited: 06/12/2022

They found Aleeza.

Some unfortunate newborns found her during the early hours of morning; not even a few hours old and already they are seeing the dark side of Guardian life. According to the Guardians who were sent on scene, they couldn't recognize her; the only reason they were able to identify Aleeza was from Lena's broken form back at top. The surviving members of Fireteam Redacted, both former and current, received news of her death.

In honesty, Pluto knew that Aleeza would be deeply affected by Carina's death, but he hadn't anticipated her to take her own life. But, as his thoughts settled, to Pluto, it made sense. Although, he hadn't known Aleeza back then, he knew of her, and he had heard of her losses, her grief. Carina's death must have pushed her over the edge.

At first, Pluto thought of visiting Akiva; after all, Aleeza is his twin, his sister. But then, he received the news that Ianos is awake. His plans changed not long after.

Pushing open the door leading to Ianos's room, Pluto's optics settled over the single occupant. Just as Nix had said, Ianos is awake, sitting upright in his bed with his hands folded in his lap. He looked haggard, tired despite being unconscious, and the glow in his eyes seemed absent as he stared at nothing. Pluto slowly approached the bedside, unsure of how bring up the subject of their deceased Fireteam members. So, he asked.

"How are you feeling?"

"I should not be here. Alive." Pluto flinched at Ianos' answer, "Body is sore and numb, likely from the drugs that they are actively pumping into this room."

Pulling up a chair to take a seat next to Ianos' bedside, Pluto then decided to add, "Matt told me that he is upgrading your system. He says it should be finished soon and – "

"Carina is gone, isn't she?"

Halting on his words, Pluto couldn't help but stare. Ianos finally turned his vacant eyes towards him.

"Just because I was half conscious inside of Ace does not mean I am not completely out of touch with my surroundings." He released a breath, "I was aware enough to hear Aleeza's cries."

Shifting uneasily in his seat, Pluto heaved out a sigh, "Speaking of Aleeza-"

"She's gone too."

Pluto reeled, "How did you…?"

He didn't receive an answer and Pluto decided that this was just one of many strange Reefborn Awoken bullshit. They are an enigma, even to themselves, he's willing to bet.

"How do you do it, Pluto?" Snapping out of his thoughts, Pluto's optics grew wide as he spotted tears forming near the edges of Ianos' eyes, "How are you able to stand tall despite losing friends, loved ones? How are you able to keep yourself together, and not fall apart?"

"You didn't."

Pluto answered before he could probably think of a reply, and this brought a dry chuckle from Ianos.

"Oh, really? I recall asking for many solo missions after every loss."

"Ianos…"

"But yet, you had not only lost your clan, but your brothers, your sisters, your siblings, your family, and your lover." Pluto could only remain quiet, "But yet, you remain strong, tethered to the world of the living and are able to take steps forward. How?"

Waiting, Pluto ensured that Ianos was done speaking, watching, listening to him trying to take steady breaths; he can feel both Ace and Nix's gaze swap back and forth between them. This wasn't the first time he had seen Awoken like this; fragile hopeless, lost. Last he had seen him like this was after the Great Disaster, when both nearly lost everyone, when everyone had lost someone they had treasured and loved. But this time, Pluto is here to help.

"If you want an honest answer, there are two reasons as to how I am able to move forward."

When Ianos turned his eyes towards him, he could easily spot the weariness, the exhaustion; not an uncommon sight in Guardians who have seen years of war, years of fighting.

"The first, is that I would imagine those whom I have lost, imagine what they would say to me during the times when I am at my lowest." Pluto continued, "Then, if the situation is dire, I would think of them standing next to me, fighting and watching me." He flashed Ianos a wry smile, "Not to mention, knowing the others, they would have wanted me to stand firmly on my feet and continue on, not wondering on what ifs of the past."

Seeing Ianos look away, Pluto spotted his hands wringing the blankets on his lap, eyes narrowing, lips tightening into a thin line.

"You make it sound so simple." His jaw went tight, "Death would be less complicated."

Before Pluto could even realize what he was doing, he reached out a hand, settling it onto Ianos' arm. This caused the Awoken's eyes to turn back towards him. Their gaze locking, Pluto found himself hesitating, unable to think of something to counteract what Ianos had said.

"First, hear my second reasoning." Pluto decided to say, and he slapped himself for such cliché words.

But nonetheless, this seemed to be enough, as Ianos' eyes narrowing, bewilderment clear on his face but, he nodded.

Pluto withdrew his hand, "The second reason…" He then nodded his head towards Nix, the latter of which stayed hovering near his shoulders, "Is Nix."

From the corner of his optics, he saw Nix jerk, his blind optic blinking rapidly in his direction.

"Or more specifically, our Ghosts." Pluto clarified; he saw Ianos froze, eyes growing wide, "It may seem so simple but sometimes, it is enough." He glanced over at Nix from the corner of his optics, "And you are never alone."

Ianos remained silent, turning his eyes back towards his lap. In turn, Ace hovered down, nudging at the Awoken's hands until he finally lifted them up just enough for his Ghost to settle in. Then, his fingers caressed the edges of Ace's shell, the Ghost looking up at him and humming. Pluto can see a fond look settle into the Awoken's eyes. Their glow seemed to return.

"I had expected this team to be the one I would see the end with." Pluto blinked at Ianos' words, "They were not the longest team I have been with but, they held the most potential." There was a brief pause, and then a soft chuckle from Ianos, "Unless you count Zakai and Ari but, maybe that's just me playing favorites."

The nostalgia that glazed over Ianos' face made Pluto think back, think back to the two Warlocks that Ianos had treasured and loved more than anyone else he had seen. Pluto hadn't known them personally but, the short time he had seen Ianos with them, he had been so bright, so happy, hence, he approved. As such, more heartbreaking when he had lost them both around the time of the Great Disaster. Working with teams haven't been the same since for Ianos.

Pluto hadn't been present then, but he had heard of previous Fireteams, teams after the loss but before Fireteam Redacted. Many all ended either tragedy or a bad break. Then again, not surprising considering the Vanguard forced Ianos into many of them. It also didn't help that most times Ianos would return alone. He could see why Ianos would have gotten attached to Fireteam Redacted. Who knows how long it's been since he worked with a team this long, this well?

"You still have Angel and Akiva." Pluto pointed out and he saw Ianos turned his tired gaze towards him, "the two of them are going to need you, especially after House of Spirit's departure and Carina and Aleeza's death." He lowered his voice, soft, "And their 'potential' is not lost, if that is what you are concerned about."

He spotted an edge of Ianos' lips twitch upward. Progress.

"And even though I am not part of the team anymore, I am still here." Pluto pointed at himself, "So if you need help, just come over and ask." He smiled at Ianos, "And, if I am not enough, I am willing to bet the Clan is more than willing to help. You are part of the family as well."

Pluto saw Ianos blink, eyes subtly growing wide before he suddenly snapped his focus back onto Ace; he could see a dark tinge form around his cheeks.

"We're still keeping the name, right?"

It was subtle, but Pluto heard the joking tone in Ianos' voice, and it was enough to make the last of the Hunter's concern ebb away. Pluto then chuckled, "Of course, it wouldn't be Fireteam Redacted without the name, right?"

A received a faint chuckle as an answer.

Xxxxx

Hope should have accepted Akiva's offer or, at least, convince Angel to accept it.

She wasn't surprised when the Titan had asked if Angel wanted to stay with him for a while; after Carina's death, their quarters seemed quiet, empty. The pair were used to Carina knocking at Angel's door in the early hours of the day to drag him to the Crucible. To stay at a place with noise, where silence is constantly broken with the antics of Fireteam Blaze and children, perhaps that would have been better than now.

But that offer had passed and both she and Angel had declined it, thinking that they would be intruding. Now, Hope can only watch as her Guardian curled in a corner, leaving behind a trail of broken furniture and items as he cried into his knees. They had received the news of Aleeza's death.

"Angel?" She called out, flying closer to her Guardian out of concern; Hope could see marks of where piece of broken furniture left on his armor. Fortunately, what he had on was sturdy enough that no serious damage to himself or the armor was made.

At first, Angel didn't respond, and Hope waited as he heard his ragged breaths ease, to the point of hiccups. Then, he lifted his head. And she couldn't help but flinch.

His eyes were red and puffy, his face swollen from his grief. Hope hadn't seen him like this since the days before the Tower, back when they lived with the pack of estranged Devils. And when his Eliksni mother was still alive.

"I want to go home."

Snapped out of her thoughts, Hope stared at her Guardian, confused at first. But they were already at the Tower. Then, the realization set in.

That's right, the Tower they may stay often but, it isn't home. The Wilds are home.

"Alright, I'll send a frequency to the Vanguard to let them know of our leave." She then glided over, pressing herself against the side of her Guardian's temple; she heard him take a breath and saw him close his eyes. Hope can already feel the tension leave most of his body, "Let's go to the Wilds. Let's go home."

Xxxxx

They have yet to clean the blood.

As such, Akiva has a clear idea where his sister had landed as the workers went around to cleaning.

He had received news of his twin's death moments ago and as such, Akiva had rushed down to the bottom of the Tower, arriving just as the civilian workers were at work. If he had been alone, he would have leaped off the Tower, slowing himself down with his light. But Ora was with him, having been tasked with watching his son while Neve went to the Medical Wing to check on her pregnancy. And he wasn't going to risk his son when he already lost a sister.

Watching the workers spray cleansing liquid on the area where his twin had landed, Akiva then heard his son whimper, prompting him to snap back. It was then, he realized his grip had been tight around little Oraxsis. Fortunately, Ora simply released soft noises before shifting position, settled his head back onto Akiva's shoulder before promptly falling back asleep.

Patting his son's back to lull him deeper into sleep, Akiva then fixated his attention back onto the red stain upon the concrete, his gold eyes wide as the last of it was cleaned away. Then, he could only stare as the workers started packing their equipment. It wasn't long until he was alone.

Why?

Akiva reprimanded himself for the thought. He knows why. Back on Mars, their old birthplace in their first life, his twin had told him stories, stories of her years as a Guardian. And the losses she had experienced.

As he thought this, a voice echoed in the back of his mind.

You know that is not the only reason.

And Akiva does.

Every time he was with Neve, or walking around with Ora in his arms, he sensed the looks of envy, of yearning. And he had thought that simply spending time with her, letting her spend time with her nephew would help ease those feelings.

How foolish and naïve of him.

Perhaps if he had done more, helped comfort her through her obstacles, perhaps even help her find a surrogate for her wants, then perhaps she would still be here.

Perhaps…

"Staring at where she had died is not going to bring her back."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Akiva turned his eyes towards the familiar gold and crimson shell of Gaia, the latter of which shifted their back fins, their optic narrowed, "What are you expecting? A mass of flesh they just cleaned to reform together and come back to life?"

"Gaia." It was Lex who spoke, Akiva's Ghost glaring at Gaia; it was strange to see two Ghosts with matching optics stare each other down.

"What?" Gaia snapped, "Try and console your Guardian that everything will be alright?" They scoffed, "Sun and I learned years ago that babying isn't going to help. Reality is reality."

"Easy for you to say, hypocrite."

"Hypocrite!?"

"You two, please." The two Ghost's turned towards Akiva, "You will wake Ora."

It was a lie.

Little Oraxsis slept perfectly fine with the two Ghosts arguing. In retrospect, he sleeps better when the two Ghosts are making noise nearby. Akiva just wanted silence, respect for the death of his twin. And time to think once more.

Back before he had met Neve, back before he became a father, Akiva silently made a promise to himself that wherever Aleeza goes, he would follow; even if it means jumping into the abyss of Darkness. But now, with a family, the thought of following his twin into death made him hesitate. And guilty.

Was he being selfish for wanting to life for his family? Was he doing the right thing? Is it wrong for him to want to be around for his children so they could have a father?

"E-Excuse me?"

Once again, pulled out of his thoughts, Akiva forced himself to tear his eyes away from Aleeza's point of death and turned, his gaze locking onto that of a woman.

She is a civilian, judging from the cloth draped over her shoulders as she slowly made her way towards him. Next to her, stood a little girl, happily skipping as she kept her hand wrapped around her mother's.

"A-are you here to speak to the Guardian's as well?"

At first, confused, Akiva then understood as he stared down at himself; he was dressed in only casual attire, his Guardian armor absent. She had mistaken him for a civilian.

"No." Akiva flashed her a wry smile, "But if I could be assistance, then you may speak with me."

A bewildered look flashed over the mother's face, but then understanding settled when she looked over his shoulder; more than likely spotting the two Ghosts. Then, she leaned over to her child.

"Would you like to show them your friend?"

No sooner had the words left the mother's lips when the girl's eyes lit up before she slipped her hand from her mother's. It was then Akiva finally saw the pack on her shoulders, the latter of which she slipped off, settled it on the ground, and flipped open the flap. Akiva's eyes grew wide as a familiar form of a Ghost hovered out of her bag. And their optic matches the little girl's.

Frozen, Akiva found himself unable to say anything as the Ghost turned, shifted their shell upwards into an equivalent of a smile and chirped, "Hello."