Redacted

A Fallen Problem

Hey guys! Finally an update I know! Still trying to get accustomed to the apartment here but I feel like chapters should be updating regularly now though. Anyway, this chapter is a tad bit long and also, a warning.

THERE IS GRAPHIC TORTURE IN THIS CHAPTER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

I will mark when it begins and ends for those who want to skip it. It is a 'tad' bit important for future chapters though although, more of like a 'reason' for his decisions in later chapters.

Anyways, enjoy C:

"How many times do I have to say this?" Ianos gave Akiva a scowl, "I am fully capable of venturing around here on my own."

This earned the Awoken an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Ianos, but you know how Pluto is. Once he is determined to keep you safe, he is determined to keep you safe."

"I am not a newborn," Despite his retort, the Warlock couldn't help but let warmth settle into his chest as he continued on his stroll through the hall, his orange eyes keeping an eye out for the familiar red and black clad form of the Preceptor.

After a moment longer of resting, Ianos had made the decision to find the Preceptor: on his own. This was immediately met with protest, Pluto bumping and knocking over several of the beds during his objection, and insisting that 'everyone' goes with him to ensure his safety. Normally, Ianos would agree, especially in foreign territory, but the memory of the looks of anger and distrust still rang strongly in the back of his mind, and he knows that he wouldn't gain answers if Pluto and Orion were around. As such, a compromise: Ianos will allow 'one' person to walk with him however, the Awoken gets to choose 'who'. This was where Akiva came in: despite his trust towards the Exo, Ianos can tell that somehow, Pluto or Orion had forced Gemini and Scorpio into silence, especially when he turned his questioning gaze towards the twins only to see them quickly glance away; it was obvious that the blind Exo had yet to teach the young Hunters how to properly bluff. And Knight, although young, thanks to Nine's teachings, he was growing more observant, more aware, and Ianos wouldn't doubt that the young Warlock had already caught on what was occurring, and Hush was out of the question. But the human Titan, he was clueless, unknowing of what was going on and as such, Ianos knew that he would be less suspicious if he were to look for the head Revenant.

Although this earned him an apprehensive look from Pluto, Ianos was finally allowed to leave with Akiva as his bodyguard, which brought them to the (brightly) lit halls, glancing into rooms in an attempt to find their target.

"You know, you would think living underground, space would be limited." Ianos heard Akiva comment, "but this place, it feels like it's endless, unending, almost like…"

The Warlock heard the Titan's words fade but, already Ianos can feel a shiver run down the length of his spine. Despite being unable to finish his sentence, Ianos already knew what Akiva was going to say: that the Revenant base resembled too much of the Hive Catacombs on Earth and on the Moon. Knowing this, Ianos couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that Akiva was there, a little grateful that Pluto had convinced him to bring someone along.

"Anyway," Akiva nervously started to change subject, "why do you want to look for this Preceptor anyway? Wouldn't it be easier to just wait for him to come and get us? I do recall him saying that he was going to find a compromise to ensure that you and Ace can complete the Harmonization."

That is when Ianos momentarily pause, hesitating as he let the silence momentarily loom around them; should he tell Akiva the truth? That he simply wanted answers? Know why Pluto and Orion were hostile towards the Revenant and to know his identity? How would the Titan react if he were to tell him?

"Ianos?"

Shifting his attention back onto the human Titan, Ianos then spotted the worried look on Akiva's pale features, and guilt finally rose to the surface, "I want answers."

He watched as the Titan raised a brow, "Pardon?"

"I want answers." Ianos simply repeated as he turned his focus forward, feeling the bewildered stare settling onto the back of his head, "I am not sure if you noticed but, Pluto and Orion, they are hiding something from me."

At first, Akiva was silent, then he releases a long 'ah', "Well that would explain why Pluto was extremely hostile towards the Preceptor when the Harmonization failed."

"You noticed?"

"Well, he can be over protective of you." Akiva pointed out, "but the way he just attacked the Preceptor, I knew there was something more, but, well…" A sense of sheepishness can be felt from the Titan, "When you collapsed on the floor, it kind of made me, 'nervous' to properly take it all in."

Wincing at Akiva's words, Ianos momentarily turned and parted his lips to apologize when his eyes spotted movement, causing him to abruptly halt in time to see a Revenant – a Titan- walk into one of the many doorways, and it was then, he heard differing voices permeate into the hall. Curious, Ianos found himself drawn to the room, quietly berating himself of his abandoning his current objective as he peeked in. Within, he could see that a table was placed in the middle with what seemed to be diagrams and maps strewn on the top; not much different from the one seen back at the Tower. Alongside this, nine individuals can be seen within the room, all of which were of differing classes – a couple where Ianos couldn't even tell if they were a Hunter, Titan, or a Warlock – their attention pointed towards the head of the table. Following their stares, Ianos then couldn't help but blink in surprise when his orange eyes settled over the familiar form of the Preceptor, watching as the latter listened attentively to the Titan who had just entered the room, nodding his head on occasion as he kept his arms wrapped behind his back.

"The Fallen have slowly been regaining territory here in the Dead Zone." Ianos overhead the Titan say, "we are afraid that gradually, they will make their way here and try to take it from us. Again."

A thoughtful hum can be heard from the Preceptor before Ianos saw the former shift his attention towards the doorway, halting as he felt his eyes pause upon him, "Oh, Ianos, you are awake." All eyes turned towards the two Guardians, "Come in, you are not interrupting anything important."

"Right." Doubt can be heard behind Akiva's voice but, nonetheless, Ianos saw the Titan follow behind him as they entered the room.

"Now then, Marin, you may continue."

Seeing the Preceptor shift his attention back towards the Titan, Ianos easily sensed the hesitation, the wariness as he saw them turn their gaze momentarily towards himself and Akiva before finally, they turned their attention back towards the rest of the occupants, "We have spotted several hunting parties of the Fallen nearby, we are fearful that they will make a strike soon, especially since they seem to be aware of our presence."

"Aware?" A Warlock spoke out amongst their number, "how did they figure out we were here? We have been careful to keep out of sight."

"The Fallen are a tricky bunch." Another Titan muttered, the Revenant crossing their arms as he added, "I wouldn't be surprised if they spotted our scouts from amongst the trees, despite being cautious."

"How many were there?"

"At least three hunting parties." Marin answered, causing murmurs to permeate through the room, "Each being led by a Captain, two Vandals, and five dregs."

"That's quite a number of Fallen." A Hunter commented, "why so many?"

"Maybe for the reason that they do indeed know that we are stationed here." A scowl can be sensed behind Marin's visor the latter turned their attention back towards the Head Revenant, "Preceptor? Advice?"

Hearing the aforementioned Revenant hum softly, Ianos watched as the Preceptor glanced around the room before a sigh of defeat can be heard, "I was hoping we can avoid conflict with the neighboring Fallen however, with our nurseries full, it is too much of a risk for them to find our location." He then nodded his head towards the group, "We shall split into teams, take out each party of Fallen and tie their capes onto the trees."

"Preceptor?" A Titan raised their hand, "may I ask the reason why?"

"A warning." Ianos found himself answering before he could stop himself, once again gaining the attention of everyone present in the room, "what better way to ward off future assaults than to show that you have slain several of their troops?"

"That could work." He heard Marin mutter, watching as the Titan turned their attention towards the Preceptor, "was that your plan, Preceptor?"

Seeing the Head Revenant nod as an answer, Ianos then gathered up the courage to speak again, "However, there is a risk when it comes to such actions." All eyes were upon him once more, "True, it may scare off potential raids, but it may also may risk them enacting vengeance upon this base. After all, although the Eliksni are constantly at odds with each other, they still are wrathful when it comes to one of their own being harmed."

This prompted Ianos to earn a momentary silence from the Revenants, causing the Awoken to turn and give a bewildered look towards Akiva, hoping for answers; he only received a confused look as well.

"Eliksni?" Oh, that would explain the puzzled silence, "You just called them, Eliksni."

Ianos simply gave Marin a blank stare, "And that is a problem?"

Watching the Titan in question shrink back from his words, Ianos sighed at this, "To sate your curiosity, one of my Fireteam members are, 'close', with a group of them. He easily got offended if we called them Fallen." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, "Let us just say it is a habit that we called them by their 'proper' names."

"Wait, 'close'? What do you mean close?"

"We shall help you with your 'Eliksni' problem." Ianos abruptly changed the subject, earning a shocked look from Akiva, "it is the least we can do for letting us stay here."

"Not like as though we want you here."

Turning and glaring at a nearby Hunter, Ianos only shifted his attention back towards the room when the Revenant glance away; it was obvious they were young in years. Most Hunters Ianos had met would have stood their ground.

"I will get the others of my team involved as well." Ianos heard Akiva choke at his words, "it is only fair that we do our fair of share of work to stay here."

Hearing several of the Revenants grumble under their breath, Ianos simply focused his attention on the Preceptor, the latter of which nodded once in approval, "I shall set up several teams so that we may coordinate with each other properly. For now," The Head Revenant then shifted his attention back onto the others, "You are all dismissed."

Standing idly by as all the Revenants turned and left, Ianos did not miss the mumble of disapproval, the distrust thrown his way; he promptly ignored them. Waiting until the last of the Revenants emptied the room, Ianos then proceeded to approach the Preceptor, the latter of which had glanced down towards the map in front of him.

"You have questions."

Ianos paused just next to the Head Revenant, watching as the latter lifted his head, his visor hiding his gaze, "I shall answer them, if that is what you wish."

Nodding his head once to confirm, the Preceptor's words, Ianos then parted his lips, "If it is not too much trouble, may I ask you for your name?"

Xxxxx

"Doctor Anand."

He couldn't suppress the groan that built up in his throat, "What is it that you need, Doctor Shim?"

"I just…want to know how your mother is doing?"

The younger scientist couldn't help but turn and glower at the man, "Considering she has been sick the past few 'months', then it is safe to you know how her condition is currently."

He saw the man's green eyes flinch and then glance downwards towards the floor in guilt, "I'm sorry."

"How many times do I have to say it? It's too late to apologize." The younger scientist growled, "nothing can make amends."

Hearing nothing else from the older scientist, he scoffed before turning his focus back towards the console in front of him, typing in the proper codes in.

"Is it possible for me to see her?"

Eyes going wide, the younger scientist snapped around, fury growing within his chest, "And what makes you think you have the right to see the woman you abandoned 'decades' ago?"

"To give her a proper goodbye." He paused at Shim's words, "you have to understand, your mother and I did not part on the best of terms. The least I can do is to say farewell before it is…too late."

"Mother is 'not' going to die just because she is sick."

"That is not what I meant."

The young scientist blinked at Shim's words, "What do you mean?"

"My team and I, we are going to enter a Vex simulation." His eyes widen once more, "we do not know if we will make it back alive."

"Are you crazy!?" The young scientist hissed out, pulling his hands completely away from the console as he took steps towards the older man, "You know the Vex are a volatile race! Who knows what will happen when you walk right into their grasp!"

"That is a risk that my team and I are willing to take." Shim snapped back, causing the young Scientist to glare at him, "in order to understand the Vex properly, we 'have' to walk into their territory. It is just…" A sigh escaped the older Scientist, "Let me just meet her, one last time, before we all die with regrets."

At first, letting the anger continuing to surge throughout his body, the younger scientist's mind then lingered back to his mother, remembering the longing and grief in her hazel eyes before finally, letting out a sigh of defeat, "I am free tomorrow, so you may visit her then."

He noticed Shim's eyes brighten, "No promises that she will notice you though, she has been 'detached' lately." The young scientist paused, searching his father's face, "When you enter that simulation, you better come back. Mother is already suffering enough knowing that you are not part of our lives. I don't know how she will react if you were to die."

Seeing the man nod in understanding, he then turned his focus back onto his work, struggling to shove the concern over Shim's safety to the back.

He failed.

Xxxxx

Warning: Graphic depictions of torture starts here

Angel let out a gasp as something cold splashed against his face, his eyes frantically glancing around his surroundings as he struggled to straighten out his vision.

"How many times do I have to say it, be careful!" Lumir's voice rang throughout the room, "We cannot risk killing him! It is more than likely that his Ghost will refuse resurrection if he dies."

"Relax, you know as well as we do that us Guardians are volatile. A beating such as this won't kill him. At least, not so easily."

As if to prove their point, Angel then felt a kick slam into his side, letting out a scream as his already broken ribs cracked under the force.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Angel heard Hope shout, rolling his head enough to spot his Ghost in one of the Blossoms hands, her form trapped behind a glass container, "he had enough!"

"We will stop once you contact your team." That is when the young Hunter felt a hand grab the back of his head, feeling them pull a handful of hair and forcing him onto his feet, "otherwise, you will continue to watch."

A fist in the stomach prompted Angel to wheeze as air left his lungs, followed by another, causing him to gasp and cough as his body struggled to take in precious oxygen. Scrambling his hands towards the grip on the back of his hair, Angel pitifully attempt to pry the fingers loose only to feel the punches continue to slam into his body.

His vision swimming, the young Hunter then saw black flickering near the edges of his sight, feeling his hands grow weak as they fell to his side.

"Oh, come on now, we can't have you falling unconscious again on us." Angel felt someone pat on the side of his face, causing him to flicker his eyes open, "we only just started."

Finally feeling the hand on his hair release him, the young Hunter then collapsed onto the floor, falling on to his knees as he coughed and retched, feeling the acid burn the back of his throat as his stomach had nothing to release.

"H'mm, this is why I prefer the older ones." Angel turned himself, propping himself with his arms as he saw the human Titan – Magara if he can recall correctly – slowly approach until she towered above him, "they fight much longer than newborns."

Seeing he raise her foot, the Hunter reflexively held up his right arm, only to let out a startled yelp as he felt it snap back, slamming into the floor with a loud 'crash'. Glancing back, Angel barely stopped the whimper forming in the back of his throat as he saw the remnants of his arm strewn behind him, leaving it unfunctional and leaving him more vulnerable.

"Huh, you made this yourself?" It was the male Warlock – Rawls – who spoke, kneeling down next to the shattered remains of what was Angel's mechanical arm, "this design isn't familiar to me."

Biting down on his tongue, the young Hunter opted to remain silent, crushing the answer that his arm was Eliksni design before he felt a foot then slam onto his chest, causing him to let out a groan as his body screamed in protest. Then screamed as it promptly slammed back down.

"Your death will be quick if you simply contacted your team, let us gain their frequency." Angel turned his head to one corner of the room, spotting Lumir as the latter smile, "your suffering will end if you give us what you want."

Shifting his eyes over to where Hope was located, seeing his Ghost in the hands of the Clan Leader, the Hunter licked his lips, tasting the blood in his mouth as he responded, "Fuck off."

That immediately caused Lumir to frown, Angel seeing the Titan nod his head towards his tormentors to continue. Then without warning, he felt Magara's foot slam back down onto his chest, and this time, he felt it collapse, causing him to arch his back as he finally felt the leg leave, pain shooting throughout his body and his vision going white as he started coughing, feeling the blood flowing up from the back of his throat.

"Angel!"

Hearing his Ghost mournfully cry out, Angel barely had the time to comprehend his surroundings once more before finding one of his arms suddenly pinned, feeling a hand gripping his wrist. And then, he saw a glint of a knife.

A scream left his throat as he the blade dig into his shoulder, stopping just short of his arm, feeling it twist and lock in in between the socket. And then, he felt them started to saw, feeling it cut back and forth as the Guardian made blade easily cut through tendon and bone.

"Stop! Please!" He pleaded, kicking his legs feebly as he attempted to reach out with his free hand, only to realize that it was nothing but broken remains of his prothesis.

"You aligned with yourself with those scavengers, correct?" Angel looked into the smiling face of the Warlock, "How about we help you a little? They dock the arms of their lowest ranks, right?"

Parting his lips to retort against Rawls, another scream instead escaped him as the Warlock continued to work before finally, he felt his functioning arm part, and the familiar smell of copper reached his nostrils. That is when fire burn against the wound and white flashed into his vision, pain searing the amputated limb before finally, it stopped.

Feeling tears leaving his eyes, Angel then attempted to frantically pull his remaining arm away, only to feel a hand press against his shoulder and a blade finding its mark. Although knowing it was quick work, it felt like eternity to the Hunter as that too was amputated and burned to stem the bleeding, and soon, Angel found himself armless, laying on the floor, still, as tears streamed down his face.

"Are you ready to send us that frequency, yet?"

Feeling hands grab the bottom of his jaw, Angel found his wide eyes staring into Lumir's holding out Hope's prison mockingly, "Or, do you want us to continue?"

That is when Angel felt his lower lip tremble, his fears gripping his heart entirely as he weighed his options. He knows that he's going to break later, that he would finally give the order for Hope to contact the Ianos and the others, giving them the frequency to find Isamu. But guilt weight heavily upon him, Isamu's act of saving Ianos clear in his mind. He owes the Titan, he cannot simply betray so easily. And finally, if he were to give the Blossoms what they wanted, Angel wasn't going to be the only one to die. The Clan would not want witnesses and as such, they would want the Hunter to stay dead; in other words, Hope would be killed as well, and Angel's heart wrenched at the thought of his Ghost being killed by a Guardian. Oh, the irony.

"Well?" He felt Lumir's grip tighten around his jaw, shaking him just slightly to force Angel to fix his green eyes back upon him, "what is it that you want?"

Feeling fresh tears fall from his eyes, Angel felt his throat tighten, afraid of how the Titan was going to respond to his answer, "I thought Guardians were supposed to be Soldiers of the Traveler."

He saw Lumir's hazel eyes turn puzzled at his words, "Before I came to the Tower, my Ghost would tell me stories, stories of how Guardians repeatedly saved the City, did 'good' through the Sol System. But you." Angel gathered as much courage as he would on his final words, "You are 'nothing' like those heroes in the legends I heard."

A snarl of anger can be heard from Lumir before the young Hunter finally felt his hand leave his jaw.

"Cut off his legs."

Terror gripped Angel's mind, the Hunter screaming as he attempted to scramble away, only for Rawls to grab him by the ankle and pulling him close, raising his blade and aiming it just near his thigh.

Warning: Graphic Depiction of Torture ends here

"Enough!"

Hearing a voice boom throughout the room, Angel turned his attention towards the doorway, only for his eyes to widen as he spotted Liam, the Titan's eyes full of fury as he entered.

"What in the Traveler are you doing, Lumir!?" Liam stopped short of the Clan leader, "This is 'not' what the Blossoms represent!"

"He knows where Isamu is, Liam." Lumir retorted, "If we can just get him to talk-"

"By torturing him?!" The anger was clear in Liam's words, "I know that we are desperate on finding Isamu but torturing a fellow Guardian!? That is stepping over the line, Lumir!"

"Anything to bring the Blossoms back!" Angel watched as Lumir completely closed the distance between themselves, his face close to Liam's, Hope's prison tight in his grasp, "we have been despot for too long! It is time we reach our former glory!"

"Are you not listening to me!?" Liam threw his arms into the air, "The time of the Blossoms are gone! We simply have to move on! Isamu is better off with the Revenants!"

"Don't you dare say that!"

"We sent him 'many' frequencies, Lumir! And nearly all of them were stating how content he was with them!" That is when Angel spotted Liam's eyes soften, grief and acceptance clear in his brown eyes, "Please, Lumir. We have to move on, for the Clan's sake."

That is when the Titan in question looked away, turning his narrowed eyes towards the floor. Seeing this, Angel found hope building up in his chest, his eyes pleading; only for it to be quickly crushed as Lumir answered, "No, finding Isamu, finding him, it is too important for the Blossoms of Hope." The Titan turned his attention back to Liam, "We 'will' find him, even if it means killing this Guardian to do so."

Tears forming in his eyes once more, Angel turned his attention towards Liam, only to pause as the Titan closed his eyes and took in a shuddering breath.

"I was hoping this would end peacefully."

Then, before anyone could even let out a cry of warning, let alone react, Liam pulled out a hand cannon, aimed it towards Lumir's head, and fired. Instantly, the Clan Leader's head exploded into a mesh of flesh and bone, scattering it across the room behind him as his grip as lost on Hope's prison, the cylinder crashing the floor and the glass breaking. That is when chaos broke loose.

Magara had already rushed towards Liam however, with his weapon already drawn, it took only one shot to take her down. Next, it was Rawls, the Warlock having attempted to stand only to be shot down as well. That only left Toshak, the Hunter already having drawn his hand cannon and aiming it towards Liam's way; it was then, to Angel's horror, that the Titan would have no time to turn and defend himself. Before he accepted the situation, a single shot rang through the air however, to his disbelief, Angel saw Toshak skid across the floor, leaving behind a trail of blood before he stopped. Turning his attention to a corner of the room, Angel then spotted Archer, the Exo's hands trembling around his scout rifle as he lowered his weapon, only for it to collapse onto the floor.

Taking him moments to realize that the Exo Titan wouldn't harm him, Angel finally let the relief flood his senses, tears streaming freely now as he laid his head back against the floor, his sobs quickly filling the room.

"Archer, could you please take him to the Tower? I will handle everything here."

Barely comprehending Liam's words, it was then Angel felt hands slip underneath his shoulders and legs. The panic settled in. Screaming, the Hunter attempted to squirm away, kicking in a vain attempt to escape the Exo Titan's grip.

"Angel! It's alright!" His tears filled eyes turned and locked onto Hope's green, "You're safe now! They're not goin' to hurt us." He watched as her shell pressed against her core, "well, with what had happened, at least I hope not."

Blinking rapidly at his Ghost's words, Angel then felt the hands return but this time, instead of struggling, he took in a hitched breath, going stiff as he felt himself being lifted off the floor. That is when the Hunter felt himself being pulled in, pressing against the chest of the Titan as he felt him move.

"We're sorry." Gentle hands moved along his spine, causing Angel to relax, "I'm sorry."

Hearing Archer sniff as he continued to spew out apologies, Angel instead pressed his head against the Titan's chest, staring blankly ahead as the familiar scent of fresh air wafted into his senses.

"Angel?"

Shifting his eyes over, the Hunter spotted Hope once more, seeing the concern and worry in her optic as she added, "Do you want me to contact the others? Tell them what happened?"

Blinking rapidly once more, instead of immediately responding, Angel turned his eyes away from his Ghost, his jaw trembling.

"…Angel?"

"Don't let them know what happened." He found himself blurting, earning a look of surprise from his Ghost, "They can't know, they mustn't, they…"

The tears were back again and this time, instead of words, he felt the familiar cold sensation of Hope tucking underneath his jaw, feeling the hum of her light beat steadily against his skin. This prompted the Hunter to relax, his eyes slowly closing as he let exhaustion finally take him.

Xxxxx

"Should we call Angel?"

Ianos glanced up from the hearth, forcing his frustration to the side as his orange eyes locked onto Knight's, "You didn't tell him where we were?"

"Well." The young Exo nervously scratched the back of his neck, "we told Hope, but, we haven't kept in contact with him since."

Frowning at the words of the Exo Warlock, Ianos then found himself letting out a sigh as he closed his eyes and propped his chin against the back of his hand.

"Ianos?"

Instead of immediately responding to Knight's call, Ianos forced himself to take a breath, struggling to suppress the unease and anger building up within. Despite his promise to the Preceptor that he wouldn't be upset, the Awoken found himself otherwise, letting the frustration slowly filter to the surface.

"My apologies, Ianos." He remembers the Preceptor respond, "Although I truly do want to answer, Pluto made it quite known that he wants my identity hidden from you." The wry smile was apparent even though the Head Revenant's visor hid his features, "Perhaps if you come back at another time, when your 'Guardian' is not around, then perhaps I will be able to answer."

With the memory fading away, Ianos scowled before muttering, "Of course, Pluto would get to him first."

"What?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ianos turned his eyes onto Knight's wide optics, the Exo Warlock's lights beaming with bewilderment. Slowly catching up on his surroundings, Ianos then quickly recomposed himself, lowering his hands as he answered, "We should inform Angel on our status. It has been a while since we had last spoken to him." He then paused, musing, "Not to mention he must be worried about us as well."

Seeing Knight raise a metallic brow, Ianos opted to remain silent even as the younger Warlock simply nodded and held out his hand to summon Day. This allowed Ianos to turn his attention towards their surroundings, taking in their number.

They were all outside, Pluto and the others, alongside six other Revenants – including the Preceptor, much to Ianos' surprise. He had expected the Head Revenant to stay within their base of operations, much like how the Speaker at the Tower. But, not only was he out here, coordinating with the Revenants and his team, but his state of dress was also different. Initially, Ianos had thought the red and black robes the Preceptor wore were the standard, worn for both casual and battle situations. But the Warlock found himself wrong when he found steel plating around the Head Revenant's chest, legs, and forearms, the length of his coat reaching up to his knees instead of his ankles, and the high collar absent, instead rolled in to be kept out of the way. It didn't take long for Ianos then notice that the other Revenants had done the same.

The Hunters with their cloaks just above their knees, metal plating take place originally where their leather would normally take place, the Warlocks identical in armor as the Preceptor, and the Titans with their Marks at shorter lengths and any sign of cloth completely absent from their person. It seems that there were more of a difference between the Tower and the Revenants than the Awoken originally thought.

"I cannot believe you volunteered us to aid them." Ianos turned his attention towards Pluto, easily sensing the scowl behind the blind Hunter's visor, "You could have at least talked to us about it."

"We have been staying here for a long while now, mind you." Ianos retorted, sensing Pluto's frown deepen, "the least we can do is help clear the area and keep their base safe while we are here."

A heavy sigh can be heard from the Exo Hunter, but he heard no further complaint, causing a smile to form onto his pale azure features before a sound of glee can be heard emitting from Knight. Turning his attention back towards the young Exo, Ianos then saw a screen flash from Day's optic and formed a small screen in front, hearing Knight let out a small, "Got it" as the screen cleared. Moments later, Hope's red and white shell came into view, and immediately, the others zoomed in, peering over Knight's shoulder to gain a better glance at a friend that they hadn't seen in weeks.

At first, Ianos found the sight amusing, peaceful even, if it wasn't for the fact that he saw a tinge of grief, fear, and hesitation in the female Ghost's optic. This instantly wiped any sign of warmth in his chest and the smile that had been forming instantly faded.

"Hope, it has been a while." Ianos watched as Akiva leaned in, easily towering above Knight and gaining a better view of the female Ghost, "how are you and Angel doing?"

"We're, doin' fine," Ianos found himself scowling at Hope's words, "just came back from a trip from the Wilds." She paused, "How is everythin' on your end?"

"Well, we met the Preceptor, if that gives you a hint." It was Pluto who spoke, the Exo Hunter standing just next to Knight but gave the younger Exo space, "although we hit a bit of an obstacle. It is going to be a while before we return to the Tower."

"Oh," The disappointment flashed into Hope's optic, and Ianos couldn't help but spot a dash of desperation lingering in her gaze, "Uhm, well, please return soon. Angel and I, we, miss your company. Just ah, is Isamu okay? Did he make it back with you all safely?"

No sooner had she finished speaking when a sense of melancholy fell over members of Redacted, Ianos watched with guilt and grief as Knight and Akiva looked away, making an answer obvious.

"He…didn't… what happened?"

"The Vex corruption grew too much," Akiva muttered, "We tried but, in the end, he, begged for mercy."

"Oh." If the sadness wasn't clear beforehand, it was now, especially so when Ianos saw the female Ghost's shell deflate, her optic dimming, "Angel and I, we were kind of hopin' to see him again, you know?"

A stiff nod of understanding came from the Titan followed by a wry smile emitting behind his visor; Ianos took this as a sign that Akiva was going to make an attempt to change the subject, "Where's Angel by the way? I don't see him around."

That is when Ianos spotted Hope's shell scrunch against her core, her optic flickering around her surroundings nervously at Akiva's question. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, the Awoken finally turned his attention towards the background only to pause, "Hope, why in the Traveler are you at the Medical Wing?'

A silent curse then permeated from the female Ghost, Ianos watching as her optic dimmed at his question, "And don't you dare lie to me, you know as well as I do that your body language is a dead giveaway, especially when it comes to Angel's wellbeing."

Just as the words left his lips the situation finally clicked together, the Awoken's eyes going wide behind his visor as he whispered out, "Hope, what happened to Angel to warrant a stay at the Medical Wing?"

His question left everyone present to go abruptly silent; Ianos ignored them, "Hope?"

"I…he… we." Ianos then saw Hope finally crumble, her shell practically drooping to the floor as her core trembled, "Members of this Clan called the Blossoms of Hope wanted to know where Isamu was. He was a Founder apparently and they thought that they are capable of convincin' him to come back, they just didn't know his location. And then, they learned that Angel and I made contact with him."

If this was before he saw the anxiety and sadness in Hope's optic, Ianos would have seen her answer in a positive light. This would have solved their problem of finding a proper caretaker for Eidr if they were to bring Isamu's child back to the Tower. But the look in her gaze crushed all of that down, "What did they do, Hope?" He took in a breath, trying to steady his anger, "What did they do?"

A sniff from the Ghost before she answered, "Angel and I, we refused to tell him where he was, and not just for the reason that we didn't know." She shifted her shell uneasily against her core, "We made a promise to Isamu, that anythin' that involved the Revenants would only stay between us, and no one else, and Angel, after hearin' that he saved your life even though we couldn't save Jora, he was adamant on keepin' that promise. And the Blossoms, they didn't like that."

If the trembling against her shell wasn't noticeable from before, it was now, and the composure that Hope had attempted to keep together fell apart, causing Ianos and the others to reel back when she suddenly started crying, "They hurt him, Ianos, they hurt him, and I couldn't do anythin' but watch."

"They-they what?" Ianos found his voice, terror and fury building in the back of his mind, "They hurt – they tortured him!?"

The sudden raise in volume of his voice caught the attention of the Revenants nearby, Ianos hearing the voice of the Preceptor halt suddenly at the interruption; the Warlock ignored them, "I thought the Blossoms got over their losses! Were they that desperate to regain their lost glory!?" He leaned in, snarling, "Where are they now, Hope!? Where are they so I can- "

"Ianos!" A hand suddenly clamped down onto his shoulder, causing Ianos to snap his attention onto Pluto's visor, hearing the Exo Hunter hiss out, "The Darkness."

At first, confused by his words, Ianos then understood when he glanced down at his hands, spotting the familiar dark mists lingering from his fingertips followed by the burning near the edges of his eyes. Slowly curling his hands into fists, Ianos then proceeded to close his eyes and take in a deep breath, forcing the anger down as he felt the burn of the Darkness slowly fade. Fluttering open his eyes, Ianos found himself staring into the visors of his team, easily sensing the surprise and worry permeating from them, even from Hope, the female Ghost having paused in her cries although, her shell still trembled against her core.

Letting out a frustrated at this, Ianos took in a deep breath before fixing his gaze back towards the Ghost, "We're coming back."

Easily sensing the surprise from the others, Ianos turned and parted his lips to let out a retort, only to startle back when a resounding 'No!' permeated behind him, causing the Awoken to turn his attention back towards the frequency.

"Angel and I went through too much for you to leave when you are almost there." Ianos paused at Hope's words, "it would all be for nothin' if you came back as things were."

Narrowing his eyes at Hope's words, the Awoken's eyes then slowly widened in realization, "You and Angel, you didn't give what the Blossoms wanted."

Hope shifted her shell upward, although one side was higher than the other to show her bitter smile, "I told you, Angel didn't want to break his promise to Isamu, even though…"

Hearing her voice fade, a pang of sympathy tugged at Ianos' heart, although, he jumped when he heard someone clear their throat behind him, prompting him to turn and see that the Preceptor and his team were standing idly by, a sense of awkwardness permeating from their number.

"We will have to contact you later, Hope." He said, focusing his eyes back onto the Ghost, "but, contact us on Angel's condition, and," Ianos momentarily flicked his eyes towards Pluto and Orion, "If you want, contact the Galaxy, I bet they would be more than willing to offer the two of you a safe haven once he recovers."

"Already listed that as one of my options." Nonetheless, Hope nodded her head in thanks, "Be careful you all, the last thin' I want Angel wake up to is to hear one of you died."

Wincing at her words, Ianos simply nodded just as the frequency cut, finally allowing Day to slink back into Knight's hands and materialize back into the safety of their Guardian. This prompted the Awoken to turn his attention back towards the Preceptor and the Revenants, "You finally finished picking out teams?"

Sensing a sheepish smile emit from the Preceptor, Ianos ignored the mumbles from the Revenants nearby as the former responded, "It is decided that we will split into three teams of four, each having a pair from my group and yours." A grunt of disapproval can be heard from Pluto, "Each individual group will then take on one of the three groups of Fallen that Marin had located, and then afterwards, shall scout the perimeter to ensure there are no others trailing behind them. Then, their capes shall be taken and tied to warn off other potential threats, and their bodies will be buried far off from our location."

"Sounds easy enough." A smile can be sensed behind Akiva's visor, "have you assigned 'partners' yet?"

"Well-"

"Ianos and I will work together as a team." The Awoken in question couldn't help but turn and give Pluto a blank look, "And Gemini and Scorpio are hardly seen without each other so that leaves Akiva and Orion." The Exo Hunter crossed his arms, "Whoever you pair us up with from your team won't matter with us."

Shaking his head before heaving out a sigh, Ianos simply decided to follow Pluto's instructions; he did after all, volunteer the group without actually asking for their consent. He will tolerate this much at least.

"All of you stay safe, alright?" Ianos turned his attention towards Knight and Hush, the latter of which gave a small smile although, her yellow eyes were filled with worry, "especially you, Ianos. You and Ace haven't finalized the Harmonization yet."

Annoyance tugged at the back of Ianos' mind followed by a small sense of affection, "I have handled Fallen before, Knight, and not to mention that I will have at least three others watching my back." He nodded his head towards Pluto, "if something were to happen to me well, either there is something wrong with me or them."

Seeing the Exo let out a nervous smile, the concern building up in Ianos' chest finally surfaced, "Are you certain that you and Hush will be alright by yourselves? Although they have been 'welcoming' so far, I heard some of the Revenants are still none too pleased with our presence."

"Don't worry about us." Ianos couldn't help but give the Exo Warlock a doubtful stare, "Hush and I, we already made a friend here, he will keep us safe. Odoratta, remember him?"

The Awoken couldn't help but blanche at Knight's words; it was difficult to forget the individual who had brought Knight and Hush back from their little 'adventure'. His glowing eyes, his teeth, and the chitin that grew from his arms and neck, it didn't take much for Ianos to clue in on Odoratta's relation to the Hive. Despite the cheerful disposition that he gave towards the group, Ianos couldn't bring himself to trust the hybrid. It's difficult when his eyes glow the same sickly color of his past tormentors.

Nonetheless, when Ianos stared into Knight's optics and Hush's eyes, he saw a sense of bewilderment and hesitation but none of fear, a good sign. It means that Odoratta had not shown himself as a threat. Yet.

"Just stay safe." Ianos stated, earning himself a nod from the young Exo before he and Hush took each other by the hand and descended their way back inside, allowing the Awoken to turn and face the others of his group, "Shall we?"