Driftless

O'Guardian Mine

Posted this on my AO3 account so decided to post this one here as well.

Heavily recommend reading my one-shot "The Ahamkara Hunt" to have a better understanding of this chapter.


"I detect a scent of my kind on you."

Instead of responding, Ianos simply looked up at the spirit of Riven, brows furrowed as he took in a deep breath behind his mask.

"What do you mean?"

He hasn't worn the Claws of Ahmakara in centuries, and Ianos doubts that their scent would linger that long upon his body.

Unless she means something else.

As if reading his thoughts, the Spirit of Riven leaned in, hovering over the Techeuns keeping her tethered. Ianos couldn't help but feel like she was smiling at him.

"You have been blessed." She said, "One of my own had bequeathed you their title."

Hikmat.

The memory of the Ahamkara that he had found alone on Venus, a desperate attempt for companionship, prompted an ache within Ianos' chest.

And he knows exactly what Riven is talking about.

Despite this, he didn't respond, and Ianos decided to feign ignorance.

"I am not sure of what you mean." He said.

Not to his surprise, he heard a soft but deep rumble from Riven, a chuckle that Ianos noticed prompted a few of the Techeuns to give him a nervous glance.

"Oh, there is no need to lie." Riven said, "The blessing is obvious. I would not be surprised if these Awoken here have sensed it as well."

At her words, Ianos flicked his orange eyes to the mentioned Techeuns and he saw some of them look away.

So, Riven speaks the truth then.

And she can obviously see through his lies.

"Hikmat was his name." Ianos said, "He gave me his title of 'Long River'."

"A title of longevity." There is another rumble from Riven, thoughtful. Then, another smile, "That would explain the years I smell upon you." She leered, hovering above him, almost touching, "Did you kill him after he blessed you?"

That is when Ianos glared at her, crossing his arms, and gripping them tight.

"I would do no such thing to a friend." He declared.

The answer must have been one that Riven has not been expecting, for he saw her jerk back, jaws clicking together. Then, from the corner of his eyes, there was a flash of light and darkness, and it didn't take long for the shimmering form of his Ghost to glide forward.

"Hikmat was a friend, we would never kill him." Ace's shell bristled, obviously angry at Riven's implication, "It was other Guardians who had killed him and harvested his body."

Another rumble came from Riven, "A friend you say? Then you did not make a wish?"

"If you call just having a chat a wish." Ianos shrugged; in honesty, he wouldn't be surprised if Hikmat did take that as a wish. It is what Ianos had desired at the time. A last meal perhaps? "Admittingly, I did return to his nest to find remnants of his feathers left behind."

"You abandoned him to his fate, then?"

Before Ianos could realize, he swung out a hand, feeling a chill as it harmlessly phased through Riven's soul.

"He told me to run." Ianos practically snarled, "If he had not, I would have stayed." The melancholy, the regret, the grief settled in, "Perhaps at least he would have lived for another day."

It was one of Ianos many regrets. Despite having only spoken to the Ahamkara briefly, he had truly seen him as a friend. To return to find nothing but blood and feathers was a sight he could never erase from his mind.

"If you want truth, I had taken what was left of his feathers and incorporated them into gloves." Ianos admitted, "I did ask for permission however."

And he only wears them when it requests of him.

The last time he had worn them was a few years before the Great Disaster. It then asked for rest and Ianos checks on it from time to time. Hikmat – or at least a fragment of him – is more than content to stay in his vault.

At least, until it allowed Ianos to let Aleeza, a previous Fireteam member of Redacted, briefly'borrow' it for a while. He could sense a glint of mischievousness from it when he handed it off to his fellow Warlock back then.

There is a rumble. To Ianos, it almost sounded like she was pleased.

"Then, are you here to see me?" Riven asked, "To make a wish? A wish that Hikmat could not grant you back then?"

Ianos, despite himself, gave Riven another scowl, "Partially. I am here to see you, however, not for a wish."

Then, just as he had done years ago with Hikmat, he threw back the tails of his coat, took a seat, and signaled for his Ghost to start recording.

"I am here to simply have a chat."

The look upon her face was reminiscence of Hikmat, exactly how he had reacted when he said those exact words, and Ianos couldn't help but be nostalgic when Riven rumbled, amused.

"What questions do you have for me, O' Guardian mine?"