Queen's note: in the background… also thank you to those on the discord for helping me come up with the Atlan's name! Also, added note, hello to the new people following and favoriting this story lately! come say hi!

Garnets

Chapter Eighty Nine:

Meanwhile

Four days ago, the titanic Atlen felt hope for the first time in ages. Even willing to lift his head and greet the true War King on his return flight to Taras Nabad. The Atlan had sung to the King, heard the excitement back from him and then the flood of regret that the mech could not move it's lower legs anymore.

Four days ago, the Storm Strider could feel the impossible happening. Could see the ripples that mortal eyes would not be able to see. Heard it in the screaming that echoed from the distant upper city as the traitors screeched with the impossible death of the Dreadnought. The warlord class Titan that had crippled one of its legs. That was satisfying to feel the ripple through space of the demon dying at last. Even heard the first waking strings of Song from the Mother that the Atlan knew was hiding deep in the upper city.

Between the night of the first day, and the early morning of the second day, the Storm Strider heard his little War King's all consuming rage. Storm clouds formed on the great mountain range as if in response. The Atlan did not know what had happened, but he tried to respond. To sing back a fighting cadence to encourage as he tried to respond to the call. Managing to take three, stiff and rough strides from its hill and up river towards the upper city and the barrier of the traitor. Power and energy drained to critical levels, and the Storm Strider let out a long cry of frustration as the Atlan's body started to shut down even more. The to scale spear like pike was planted in a semi clear spot in the river to help keep balance.

Three days ago, the once guardian of Taras Nabad, the only standing guard that was trapped in its own massive body, could feel something… familiar once the rage of the true Sentinel King left. It flowed through the wide river the Atlan stood in, feeding its starved systems from somewhere up river, but heavier than the water. An unexpected gift of the sleeping Mother that he could start to absorb.

By late morning of the second day the Storm Strider could flex and move the sensors on his helm in the rain that fell from the building storm. Focusing on the upper city as portals flickered in and out of it, and could pick up the traitor starting to build their power. The Atlan pulsed a signal at the beacon that his War King left in his frame, trying to warn the other Atlan before the last portal was overtaken by their tainted power.

Two days ago, so early in the morning of the third day, it was still the second day, enough energy was being absorbed through the river that the Atlan could look back and forth again. It was also when the other asked to open a portal on his back. The Storm Strider aloud it, curious at what would come out of the Sentinel made portal in his troop caring area.

The old Atlan was highly amused, and admittedly delighted to feel the young argenta soul slipping on his inner frame as the rain started again. Leaking down into the area, but the young… Sentinel was getting their feet again. Setting two… batteries down, another strapped to his back, turning back to help catch a slightly shorter Sentinel from the portal and helping them to stable footing. The second young man also carried three batteries. Looking like the largest ones they could get a hold of. Not like the main batteries of the Atlan but it was still something.

Storm Strider purred, not just at the sight of the batteries, but through his one working camera in that area as the portal closed. He had two living and uncorrupted mortal argenta. Young men that were laughing, getting their balance in the unmoving Atlan. The old mech saw the red mark on one's left side, recolonizing the Slayer King's personal mark given to few Sentinels. Faded a bit, but still mostly intact, if not as bright or red. Both had the mark of the Slayer on their backs as well, fresh painted and a surprisingly golden color.

"Greetings elder brother!" The one with the mark called, looking around as if admiring the sheer scale of the war mech. "Galin! Look at this, he's bigger than Cascade's frame!"

"By a good three times at least, Rai. I didn't know Atlans could be this big." The other young man said, feeling the vibration of amusement at the words as Galin carefully set the batteries down, looking all around. Trying to take everything in at the same time. Peering up at the crack in the armor where the rain came down into the area, only to drain out an old, now cold, vent system. "Brother Atlan, you're amazing!"

Storm Strider could not help the amused trill that slipped out. Trying to open a path from the young Sentinels to his inner systems where it was dry. Focusing on the batteries. Slowly speaking in the rising and falling speech of the Atlans, trying to get the meaning across even if they might not have-

"Easy brother!" Rai called, a hand to the side of his head, "We can hear you- both of us have older translators."

"You're very loud," Galin added, wincing in his helmet, "Please be gentle with us, lower your voice?"

Storm Strider let the song ease back, feeling regret and guilty. Crooning softly to the boys in an attempt to make up for the default 'loud' voice. Were they okay? Had he hurt them?

"Just some ringing, elder brother," Galin took a few deep breaths, lowering his hands and listening to that ringing for a few moments as Rai was shaking his head to clear it. "Can we come inside your main frame?"

The Atlan hummed all around them, encouraging the two young warriors to do so. They were welcome and uncorrupted. Storm Strider was more than happy to shelter them, even if they might have to force the hatchway open.

"It's not a whole lot," Rai lifted one of the batteries, finally finding the one active camera, "This is all that we could spare from the Fortress… but we're hoping to help you elder brother. And maybe, if you can, help our King."

Something that was distinctly a mix of a purr and growl vibrated through Storm Strider's frame. He was more than happy to help them, even if they had no batteries to share. The Atlan would drag his frame to the upper city if he could.

Galin was looking around, the young man hesitated before spotting the likely hatch. He smacked Rai's shoulder and pointed, spotting dead battery docked in the proper spot. "That should be tied to the atlan's back, the pack that we're in and its cannons right? That should let us in, and the brother to reroute energy to his helm… I think."

The other young man hesitated, thinking about what he knew and what Cascade had told them to do. "I think so… yes. We can get into its deeper system, get the core up and running first before what needs to be repaired. Elder brother, can we know your name?"

Storm Strider purred a softer tone, focusing back on the present and the two young lives in his frame. They were correct in what they were talking about, he could reroute power from his cannons to other critical systems that were struggling. He had done so before, even pulled power from his legs and arms. It was why the grip on the pike, the spear-like weapon, could not be released. It could not unlock that hand without power.

"Storm Strider…" Rai breathed in sudden awe, recognizing the name after a moment. It took another few seconds before Galin startled, as he too placed the name. "Really? Who had Ziv'ah as a pilot? You fought in father's… I mean, the original siege of Taras Nabad? When the Slayer was put in the divinity machine?"

The Atlan pulsed a sound not unlike a chuckle. Pleased that he, and his last pilot were not completely forgotten to time. Yet he did very much catch the slip of words, humming interest.

Galin shifted to clunk his shoulder against Rai, "Not his real father clearly, or Rai would not be this tall."

Rai laughed, feeling the atlan's amusement at the two as the young Sentinel shoved his campaign. Though not too hard as they both still had the valuable batteries on their backs. "The Lord Slayer, Bi'jay, or I guess he's going by John now. But he was my foster father before the siege. My blood sire, both my original parents died in one of the first corrupted gargoyle raids. I was given into Bi'ja's care back then with Asa. She's staying on the Fortress, as she's a healer more than a fighter."

The Atlan hummed, it was nice to talk to argenta again, to hear some of their story and grasping right away that his little king still had those loyal to him. The giant mech watched the two start to climb down to the hatchway, to the crew deck in its chest propper. Not just the spot to protect hidden warriors. Not minding as the two young Sentinels talked, they were trying to fill Storm Strider in what had happened from their perspective and understanding.

Of the War King's home world found at last. Not too surprised that a Mother had seeded that planet, as the Slayer was just too much alike to the argenta to not be a sibling race to the Atlan's perspective. Then he realized that that world was found by the false gods of the Maykrs, and in turn the rapid loss of life.

Storm Strider groaned and then mourned for the loss of so much life. Not even a proper fight for that life. With no wraith gifts, the… humans had hearts giving out, or taken over.

No wonder their small War King had delayed his return, trying to save what he could.

Rai grunted as he had to brace again, pulling at the hatchway, feeling the door slowly opening. He had to unhook the battery off his back to get in a spot that gave him leverage. He was just that bit stronger than Galin in recovering after the long stasis. The battery terminal proper was inside the hatchway, it was just a spear rack on the outside of it as it turned out. "Humans are… strange… but- oof, but interesting!"

"You just like your new 'sister' a little much, eh Rai?" Galin gleefully said as he heard a protesting sound.

"Galin!" Rai snapped, but there was no heat in his voice from what the Atlan could tell. Just embarrassment, "Its… its not like that. The Lady is-"

"Very pretty," Galin smiled, then grinned as they got the hatchway open and heard another amused thrumming from the old Atlan as both young men clattered to the ground in a crash of armor and metal and some cursing. After a moment to recover, Galin spoke softly. "Just how small Lady Lily is throws me off. I know she's technically more our age then not. It's just… strange being so much bigger than the humans. I'm barely the Lord Slayer's height, and I have a full head and shoulders on all the humans we met."

"I think it makes her seem… cute." Rai admitted in a soft voice, trying to stretch a cramp in his left leg. "And seeing her yell at the systems of the flag ship that were seized was funny, switching between all those languages to find the right insult."

"That was funny." Galin admitted, then snorted as he and Rai both had been spotted and demanded to help out at the time. He looked up as Rai was able to flex his leg again without pain of the cramp. "If I was not so scared of Lord Valen, let alone our King, maybe I might try giving Lady Lily a courting gift since no one else is offering any."

Storm Strider laughed as RAi's head snapped up and around to glare through his helmet. The shield bearer just started to bristle at the idea before realizing Galin was shaking with laughter as well.

"That's not funny Galin," Rai scowled in his helmet, throwing a bit of loose metal at his friend.

"Seems so," Galin did not dodge the thrown bit of debris that bounced off his chest. Glancing up at the sound the Atlan made before getting up to gather the six batteries. "But you really should try and offer a gift, you would not suffer any consequences. Might have to wrestle with your foster father, but you do that anyway. Besides, the only relation, if it can be called that, is that both you and Lady Lily were under the Slayer's protection. And you grew out of it… more or less."

Considering both young men were aware they were still very much in the Slayer's protection still.

The atlan hummed in a questioning tone, who was this they mentioned? He knew Sentinels used to take in fosters, orphans regularly before the war with Jakkard. He did not know the Slayer still had fosters, had he not taken wives and husbands into his protection in that time?

Both young Sentinels flustered as the Storm Strider's words finished.

"Not like that," Rai said, getting up to grab and move the six batteries into the passage. The taller Rai was picking up one and bracing it on the wall, holding it with his hip and right hand while reaching for the dead battery with his left. Concentrating to extract the old battery, as his companion spoke up.

"Not harem… the Lady is… ah. It's safe to tell him right, Rai?" Galin started, hesitated and was not sure. Wanting to trust such an old Atlan, but not sure.

Storm Strider would have tilted his head if he could, though his sensors twitched in reaction to his curiosity.

Then energy was flooding through Storm Strider's back, flushing up through his cannons for the first time in ages. It was distracting for a few seconds, other cameras inside his frame activated and the Atlan got control around the pack of a troop chamber.

He got control over the air lock like a hatch way too. Closing the two young sentinels inside, and then opened the inside passageway to the crew deck proper. Able to start rerouting power as they had hopped from the outer shell of the pack and cannons.

It felt good to have argenta, not just Sentinels walking inside. Moving the batteries around. Starting to remove the empty ones.

Storm Strider purred, encouraging the two not to hurt or damage the empty batteries as he considered what was flowing by his pedes in the river. They could be recharged faster than he could absorb the energy in the river.

"Energy?" Rai asked aloud in a puzzled way, pausing as he was about to put another battery in the spot above the Atlan's core. "Should I not?"

Storm Strider hummed in reassurance. They were doing good, placing the rest of the five batteries into that system in the core of his frame. He could shift the power around and test what would revive with full power. Find what needed to be repaired, and what could be ignored. Would they listen to him?

"Of course elder brother," Galin nodded, removing the rest of the dead batteries, the five installed were not nearly enough. There was a whole rack of ten that should be filled, just in this area alone. "But how can we charge the batteries? These are all we could manage to get."

The Storm Strider chuckled again, deep and vibrating all around the two. It was not nearly as impossible as they seemed to think.

"Are there any pools of wraith energy around?" Rai asked, puzzled, then paused as he remembered the amount of living green, "Wait, there has to be somewhere between the upper city and here. Even if there's not animal life, the plants have been holding on despite the sieges that had happened here. And any Hell fueled storms between the now and he betrayal."

The amusement did not leave the Atlan.

These young pups.

There was more than just a pool.

"What are you not saying?" Rai demanded, aware the Atlan was not telling them something. Only to get a blast of cool air as the mechs started to vent and test filters and air pumps, then its cooling systems. Not even trying to turn on the heating systems as once it started moving with limited lubrication. His joints would heat up fast no matter what happened.

Outside, Storm Strider flicked his sensors on his helm, listening intently to the sounds from the upper city, or lack thereof as the storm unleashed fully. Using the cover of thunder, the old Atlan slowly flexed his hands for the first time in so, so long. Sealing his frame to make sure the two young men would be safe, he directed them to take the empty batteries down to the river level.

Having to slowly step and adjust stiffly while lightning crack so both pedes were in the river. In the path of the energy that was coming from up city.

Storm Strider was sure his idea to recharge the batteries would be more time effective then just him trying to absorb the liquid energy.

It was later in the fourth day by the time most of the batteries had been filled. The two young Sentinels had settled near the pilot chamber, taking helmets off and sleeping for a few hours. They were not immortal Argenta, or altered to need less sleep overall. So the Atlan was happy to protect them as he studied the power rippling through the traitor's barrier around the upper City.

Storm Strider was formulating a plan, he could help weaken that woven, tainted barrier from the outside, but would only be able to reach parts of it. In theory he could walk outside of the city, up the mountain and come from one of the sides. Soon as he started to really move towards the upper city of , the traitors and their demons would turn whatever weapons they had control of along the walls of the inner Taras Nabad.

That fourth day, while his new charges were sleeping from working all night and day, was when the Storm Strider heard and felt the power of two primordials. He hummed lowly, trying to hide how much of his frame was freed to move just from power, but still wanting to respond. Not just to the little king but the confirmation of the Mother that nested in the upper city.

The evening of the four day, Storm Strider felt his king's rage boiling up again. Saw how Rai and Galin were flailing to get up, responding to the Slayer without realizing it. Rai made it all of three steps, reaching for his helmet before staggering, hitting one of the control panels. Galin barely got to his knees before collapsing forward as the mark of the Slayer burned brightly though his armor on his back and left arm.

Rai struggled to get up, before he was tugged into unconsciousness, sliding down off his tentative support and falling off the platform. Landing with dead weight and limply into the startled mech's pilot chamber. Falling into Storm Strider's startled, but open, metaphorical grip.

The Atlan latched onto the young Sentinel, unable to not as he recognized the potential to bond to a new pilot. Letting his systems drag the concussion young man fully into the right system.

This would be very… useful.

If the boy woke up.

Reviews!

XFireStoneX:
Once again I'm posting at night, hope you like the breather! Also, short answer, Doom Dad will pretty much do that

RavenShichiyou:
Very responsible Doomdad indeed! he has to take care of the behemoth and let not just the Lich know what he's doing but alll the demons. Then he's gonna Make the City safe for his flowers. He has a big present planned after all

Irish-Brigid:
Very, veeery true... also HI NEW FREN!