Redacted

I Do Not Understand

I deeply apologize for the lack of an update last week. Got busy and plus, well, a certain game that I've been playing got a 'huge' update *cough*Warframe*cough* so most of my free time was spent playing that lol. Anyways, thanks to Diamoond002, DisobeyedBowl6, and Fin the Demi God for the reviews!

Edited: 04/30/2023

"My love?"

Reaver's words rang loud in Echo's sensors but, he opted to remain silent. Instead, he looked down, his optics locked onto the head of Unit I-1.

Despite it being centuries, the pain of loss had still been strong with her and the other Unit's termination. He could not bring himself to repeat his history back to his Ghost. It was no surprise that he did not know.

Thus, to see one of his fellow units alive, Echo wasn't sure what to say or do and thus, stood still when Unit I-1 released her hold on him. Then, he felt her hands take his. They were gentle and filled with warmth, just like back then.

"Our brother had mentioned of your resurrection." She said as her optics beamed at him. He had missed her smile, "But I had not expected to meet you face to face so soon."

Blinking at the mention of 'brother', Echo only understood when her optics glanced over his shoulder. He didn't have to look back to know that she was talking of Nine. He must have been taken aback if he had not attacked Unit I-1 by now.

"Your name is Echo now?" Echo shifted his focus back onto Unit I-1, "An allusion to who you are instead of a number?"

That is when Echo sensed Reaver's bewilderment, his confusion, and he couldn't help but hesitate as well. Then, he gave Unit I-1's hands a gentle squeeze.

"I would not exactly call it an allusion." He admitted, "But yes, Echo is currently my name."

"Sounds similar to Exo, a reminisce back when you were both the face of the Traveler and the Phoenix." Echo watched as she turned her optics down to their hands, and he felt her thumbs caress the top of his palm, "Look at you know, an echo of what you were back then. You are not a tool, not a machine." Unit I-1 lifted her gaze back to his and gave him a broad grin, "You are free."

Seeing her smile, warmth permeated from his core followed melancholy. Memories reminded him of the same grin she would give him back then.

"I am taking a guess that you have a name also?" Echo dared to ask.

Her optics grew wide, and she nodded furiously, "Dusk, to represent the transition of change." She leaned in, almost eager, "The loss of power that humanity held over us and the gain of freedom that the Phoenix lacked in the Golden Age."

"Fitting." Echo commented. Then he hesitated, "But, was it really necessary to spread our origins so heedlessly?"

Echo watched her jerk back, white optics blinking back at him.

"Why not?" She asked, "When I was resurrected years ago, I was surprised to see that nearly no one knows of the Phoenix Exo and their connection to the Traveler." He felt her hands go tight around his and he saw her optics flash, "and let us not forget the thievery of man."

Staring, Echo lifted their hands together before cupping hers in his, "Unit I-1." He took in a breath, "Dusk, no one can know the truth of our origins."

He saw the bewilderment, the confusion settling into her gaze.

"I do not understand. Why?" She asked again, "We have been hiding the truth from the outside for years and looked how they treated us." Her optics flickered red, "With contempt, with hate. Why not reveal to them our connection to their god?"

Echo couldn't help but scowl, "Do you not think that had already happened?" He saw her blink, "Do you not think that the truth was not revealed long after your termination?" Echo gritted his jaw, "Days just after you and the others were terminated, the truth of our relation to the Traveler was revealed to the public. And when the masses heard, they were not joyous. They were angry."

"But." Dusk seems lost at his words, "But we were made from the Traveler. Their god." Her optics glanced around, as if trying to comprehend, "Why would they…?"

"The exact reason what you had just spoken." Echo saw her optics land back upon him, "They were not happy that we were created from the flesh of the Traveler, that we were created from parts of their god. That is…" Echo sighed, "That is how it led to the termination of the rest of the Phoenix Exo and for my deactivation."

Echo watched as her jaw went slack, leaving her mouth slightly ajar as her optics grew wide, glancing around wildly.

Then, she stuttered, "It is different today. We can wield the Traveler's light." Dusk's optics snapped back to Echo, "To manipulate it where only others who claimed to be chosen can only dream of. It might make a difference."

"And what if it doesn't?" Echo retorted, "What if things are no different? What if they cry out for our destruction just like before?"

Once again, Dusk gave a lost look, Echo practically physically seeing her trying to sort through her thoughts in her optics.

Then, he heard her murmur, "Then we hit back."

Echo paused, "What?"

"Then we hit back." Dusk repeated, with more clarity, "How long has the Phoenix Exo took the blame, the abuse?" Echo then saw her smile. And this one was not filled with warmth as the others, "Isn't it about time we do something when humans retaliate?" He couldn't find the words to snap back, to argue back. Dusk then leaned in, "Don't you think so?"

That is when Echo hesitated, giving her hands a gentle squeeze as he started, "Dusk…"

A flash of blue temporarily blinded Echo, causing the Titan to snap his hands away from Dusk's to cover his optics. This was soon followed by Dusk's scream of surprise and pain. Lowering his arm, Echo's optics grew wide when Dusk stumbled back, sparks of arc light lingering around her body before it faded. It seemed to do little however, as Dusk squared out her shoulders, ceasing the shaking of her arms and clenched her jaw.

That is when Echo turned his attention to Nine, spotting the familiar sparks of azure light crackling still around his arms. He saw the red in his fellow Exo's optics.

Xxxxx

The pain around his arms were still raw, clenching them in a vice grip in a vain attempt to ease them as Nine witnessed Echo and Dusk embrace. Whispers from Day offers to turn off his pain sensors lingered, to help ease the agony and to temporarily lose the sense of touch. However, Nine found himself unable to speak, quiet at his Ghost's proposal and instead forced himself to look away from his two older siblings. From there, he turned his attention to Ianos, stumbling over to the trembling Awoken as he watched Ace glide around nervously, beaming their light over their Guardian. More than likely helping to fill in the gaps of injuries that he had sustained from Dusk.

Nine still has his memories of his previous life and his time as a captive with the Hive but even then, the sense of helplessness is still foreign, unfamiliar to him. That feeling of being unable to do anything as he is promptly shoved to the side by Dusk and hearing Ianos scream as his light was taken from him – proof of his suspicion that Dusk can make the taking of light anything but painless – and the way she reveled in the Warlock's suffering, it is one that Nine knows he will never get used to.

Maybe that is why the anger of Ianos' harm has not yet to set in.

As he kneeled over Ianos' shaking form, Nine moved to touch his shoulder, a gesture that he sees humans do to comfort others. Instead, he snapped his hand but when he received a gasp followed by quickened breaths. Nine watched on with worry and confusion as Ianos curled in tighter around himself.

"I would not try anything right now." Nine glanced over to Ace, watching the Ghost's black and orange shift as they continued to beam their light over Ianos, especially near his back. More than likely filtering their light into the system infused into his spine, "When he gets like this, when he just relived a time back on the moon, he gets sensitive. Fragile." He can sense the concern, the grief emitting from Ace, "He needs time, otherwise." Nine heard the Ghost breath out, "You will just make it worse."

The light in Nine's optics dimmed as he took in Ace's words, feeling the worry from Knight growing in the back of his mind as he reached out to Ianos once more. Only to pause and then brought his hand back. Instead, he focused his attention onto Ianos' light. And that is when the rage finally set in.

He had seen improvement in Ianos' health, more specifically with the corruption of his light, but Nine had said nothing to not stir suspicion; not for his own sake but for the reason that Echo was adamant about keeping the Phoenix Exo secret. Now, he could see that with Ianos' light drained, the cloud of darkness settled within his chest was now taking advantage, stirring stronger within. The few years that Nine had estimated Ianos has have now reduced to only a few months, maybe less so. In other words, Dusk had sealed his fate. The chances of finding a cure for Ianos' condition are slim with the small amount of time he has.

Nine's vision turned red as he heard Day speak but, his Ghost's voice has gone deaf in his auditory sensors, and he found himself surge with unfamiliar energy, wisps of azure crackling near the edges of his vision. It was not the emptiness of the void he is so familiar with.

Although uncertain of this new surge of light, Nine decided to take advantage of it, jumping to his feet, turned and tossed the building energy in his hands in Dusk's direction.

In honesty, Nine had expected Dusk to dodge, especially with her agility and years of experience as both a Guardian and a Phoenix Unit. Thus, he couldn't help but jerk back in surprise when his attack hit her, hearing her scream as the arc energy burst and crackled around her.

"Nine?"

Turning his attention to Echo, Nine felt the surge of rage settle at the look of surprise on the older Exo's face. Flexing his sore fingers as what he had done set in, Nine took steps back as the last of the arc light died around his arms and fixed his attention onto Dusk. He watched her flex and roll her shoulders as the last of the sparking light died around her form. And her optics flashed red.

Spotting the flickers of solar light come to life around her shoulders, instinct told Nine to dodge, to run but instead, he stood firm. He can still hear the hum of Ace filtering light over Ianos.

Thus, taking in a deep breath, Nine braced himself, condensing as much of his light forward as he prepared to take as much of her attack as possible. This did little to stop the waves of pain that slammed into his chest, Nine hearing both Day and Knight scream as he felt his feet fly out from under him, momentarily feeling himself flying before finding himself land painfully onto his back. He wheezed as the world spun around him. Nine flipped over to his side as static cleared from his vision, and then pushed unsteadily onto his knees. He waited for the dull throb to subside.

"Despite you being against it, I turned off your neural sensors." Day's voice sounded muffled in his head, "Even the most experienced Guardians wouldn't have been able to stand after taking a straight hit from a Golden Gun."

Unable to respond thanks to the haze in his mind, Nine tried to rise to his feet, only to halt when his vision cleared enough to see Dusk looming over Ianos' prone form. There is a scowl clear upon her face.

"This organic is the reason why you decided not to dodge my shot?" He watched her glance towards him. Nine can see the disapproval in her optics, "You took the hit for the reason that there was a possibility that he may be hit instead?"

Contemplating if he should answer, Nine jerked to his feet when Dusk planted a foot onto Ianos, seeing the latter flinch at the action before the Golden Gun formed into her hands.

"Get off of him!"

It was Ace who shouted, the black and orange Ghost tearing their optic away from their Guardian and clicked their shell angrily against their core. This did little to deter Dusk.

"His light is so weak." Dusk said, "Small compared to the darkness currently eating away at him." She turned her optics back towards Nine, "Why put so much effort into extending a life that is inevitably going to die? Especially so soon?"

Anger found its way back to the surface.

"You were the one who brought him closer to death." Nine reeled at the words spilling from his mouth. It took him only a moment to realize it is Knight, "He had a few more years to his life before you ruined it."

If Dusk had noticed the shift in tone, in voice, she showed no sign of it as she scoffed, "He is still going to die, despite your best efforts."

Nine found his jaw grinding together and he pulled the younger Exo back. The anger still reverberated strongly in his head. Nine shared that sentiment.

"A few years, a few days, it won't matter." Dusk continued, "His fate is sealed. I just sped up the process."

Nine went to move, to take a step forward, but static filtered into his vision, and he found himself fumbling, shaking his head to clear his head. He heard Dusk scoff once more.

"This organic matters to you that much?" Nine then saw her pause, halting as if an epiphany had hit her, "Is he the one holding you back?"

Nine didn't say anything, which seemed to be a mistake as he then heard her say, "So it is true then? He is the reason why you turned against your own brethren." Dusk's optics flashed back and forth between him and Ianos, "Then I will have to fix this."

Seeing Dusk put pressure onto the trigger of her Golden Gun, Nine forced the haze to the back of his head as he rushed forward, red picking at the edges of his optics. However, before he could even close the distance, a flash of silver and white sped past him and Nine watched on with wide optics as Echo snatched her arm, and forced it upwards. Just as the shot rang through the air and a trail of flames flew upwards.

"That's enough." Echo spoke with finality, Nine seeing his grip go tight around Dusk's wrist, "No need for this unnecessary violence."

Dusk slowly turned her optics to Echo, her lights flickering, "What? But, why?"

"He is incapacitated." Nine saw Echo's optics narrow, "And crippled. He is no harm to you."

"To me?" Dusk repeated as she briefly paused, her optics flicking to Ianos and then back at him, 'You care for this organic too?"

It was a strange question to ask, one that prompted Nine to blink and then slowly turn his optics to Echo. The Titan had gone completely silent.

"Are you betraying me too, love?"

Although still angry at Dusk for the damage she had done to Ianos, Nine couldn't help the pity at the hurt in her voice, the sorrow clear upon her face.

"I do not understand." She said, "Why are you two, the only Phoenix Exo I have met in centuries, my only brethren, are choosing the sides of these humans, these organics, these thieves."

The look upon her face looked truly lost.

"They are not thieves, Dusk!" Echo's retort caused Nine to jump, looking on as he threw Dusk's arm to the side. The Golden Gun stayed in her hand, "They have been chosen by the Traveler. By its choice, by its decision."

Dusk gawked at him, "How do you know!?"

"Have you forgotten my original programming?!" Echo shouted back, his optics glowing bright, "Despite everyone's beliefs, the Traveler is alive. Dormant, but alive, and I can still hear its voice!" He towered over Dusk, his gaze hardened, "I have no idea how it even knows, but the Traveler spoke to me, told me that the humans stole nothing, that the Guardians, the Risen you see around you, around us, are rightfully chosen! There are no thieves!"

That is when Echo started panting and it showed to Nine just how much stress and exertion it took the older Phoenix to speak. Dusk, in contrast, stared on with jaw agape, optics wide in stunned silence.

Then, she finally spoke. "Lies. You are lying!" Dusk seemed frantic, almost insane, "The Traveler would not willingly select a selfish race as its Acolytes! As it's chosen!"

"Damn it, Dusk!"

"You know the reason why we were created, Echo!" Dusk shouted over Echo's curse, "We thought it was for combat! We thought we were for war! But we were created to control the powers of the Traveler! So that man can control the Traveler! Despite all its blessings! Its gifts! They wanted more! Why would it side with humanity!?"

"I don't know!" Echo admitted, "All I know is that the Traveler made its choice! As its voice, that is all I heard from it and its decision shall be respected! Whether we like it or not!"

Nine watched on as Dusk remained silent, her optics flicking over Echo's face before it wandered about. Then, it settled back onto the Phoenix Exo before her.

"I do not believe you."

Solar light flared around her Golden Gun and Dusk aimed the weapon at Echo, pointing it right at his chest. Nine can see the older Exo's optics widen and already void light lashed out from his body, condensing around him like a second set of armor. It did little for the hit however, as Nine saw him jerk and stumble back with a curse, reeling as a burst of violet fog disseminated from his chest.

Fire buried itself, embedded into his void light but, from what Nine can tell, it took the brunt of the hit, quickly fizzling out and dying against Echo's armor. Then he saw Dusk take aim again and this time, it was aimed at Ianos. The first shot had merely been a distraction.

Nine found himself moving, arc light cracking around him as he slammed into her, bringing her down to the hearth. He took in a breath as a shot rang out but, Nine didn't pause, didn't halt, and instead scrambled on top of Dusk and grabbed the wrist with the Golden Gun. It fired again and Nine felt the heat brush past the side of his head.

Gritting his jaw, Nine released one hand, called upon the power of the void and slammed the palm against her chest. He felt it sink past the chest piece, easily reaching to her plating. And he felt his hand press further.

Nine ignored her scream, feeling her lash out, and her hand jerked out from his. He took the advantage to condense the void and slammed it down into her chest. He felt both his hands sink in before embedding into the hearth below.

Half expecting a scream, all Nine received is a shuddering gasp, her white optics flickering rapidly before it faded. Then, Dusk's body went slack under him.

Taking in a deep breath, Nine pushed himself to his knees, waiting. And snatch at Ember's red shell as she compiled over her Guardian's body. He scrambled back, ignoring the curses the Ghost gave him as he watched the last wisps of void light die around the hole in Dusk's chest. Then, seeing that she wasn't moving, Nine clenched his hand around Ember's form.

A warning.

The Ghost went quiet.

Releasing a breath, Nine found himself turning to Echo and was none too surprised at the wide look he gave him. A hand was against his chest where Dusk had hit him earlier.

"You killed her." Echo breathed out, "You killed Dusk."

"Incapacitated for Guardians." Nine corrected as he held up Ember. He felt the Ghost glare at him, "As long as her Ghost remains intact, she is still tangible, alive. We can safely detain her before-"

A sudden surge of heat halted Nine in his words, and he turned around, only to see Dusk slowly rise to her feet, and solar light dancing around her. He can feel her glare through the flames.

That is when he heard Ember chuckle, "Do you think that someone like Dusk needs me to resurrect her?"

A good point and a logical one, considering their origins. Thus, Nine's grip went tight around the Ghost, and locked his optics with hers.

"Then that means she doesn't need you." He said.

It felt strange, taboo even, when his fingers curled against her shell, easily breaking through it and then her core. He made sure to make it quick, even when Ember's life and light burned against his palm.

Dusk's scream is loud in his sensors as he let the fragments of Ember's core fall to the ground.

"You will pay for that!" She despaired.

"You did not need her." Nine retorted before he condensed his light around his body just as she summoned a Golden Gun and aimed.

The hit knocked the air out of him, causing him to gasp as he reeled and fell back. He is grateful that Day turned off his sense of touch when they did.

Hefting himself into a seated position, Nine glared at Dusk before holding up the remains of what was Ember in his hand. And released the void. He felt the remains disappear in particles of violet light.

"Nine!" Day's panicked voice rang out in his head, "What are you doing!? Are you trying to get her angry!?"

Instead of answering his Ghost, Nine clambered back to his feet, only for Dusk to suddenly close the distance. And received a punch to the jaw, sending him sprawling back onto the hearth.

Static lingered back into his vision as Nine felt hands grasp the front of his robes, forcing him back onto his feet as his dazed optics locked onto furious white.

"This thief matters to you that much!?" Dusk shouted, her optics flared red, "Fine then! If you are that eager for his life, then I shall let you follow him to death, traitor!"

That is when Nine felt the familiar presence of a barrel press under his jaw, and Nine felt the intensity of the heat rise. He braced himself.

Death never came.

Broad arms wrapped around Dusk's neck, pulling her back and Nine felt her aim shift, felt the heat of the Golden Gun bullet graze the front of his face. Feeling her grip go lax, Nine took the opportunity to wring himself free, taking steps back as he felt the panic and worry from both Day and Knight.

"It's over, Dusk!" Echo shouted as he wrangled with her, the latter snarling as she struggled, "The Traveler has made its decision! There is nothing you can do!"

"Then I will hunt down the thieves until they Traveler realizes its mistake!" Dusk spat out, "The humans have been vying for its powers for years! It would have not readily handed its strength to such greed! Man must have stolen it! They must have!"

"Then what does that make us?!" Nine watched on as Echo released his grip momentarily to force Dusk to turn around, grabbing her by the shoulders as he locked his optics with hers "You say that we are the Traveler's true chosen? That we are its Acolytes?" He shook her, "How can we be its Acolytes when we are the very product of humanity's greed?!"

There was silence after Echo's words, his shout, and Nine couldn't help but feel wary when he saw Dusk had ceased in her struggles and simply stared.

Echo must have taken it as a sign to continue, "Who are really the thieves, Dusk? The humans, or us?"

Dusk's optics shifted, flickering against her face, and Nine took note of the way her lower jaw trembled, solar light wavering around her shoulders. Then, slowly, she raised a hand, absent of flames, before caressing it across Echo's cheek. She then spoke, words too quiet for Nine to catch before suddenly, she moved away from Echo, her flames twisting around her in an inferno as she lifted herself into the air, and disappeared over the horizon.

Nine trailed the lingering flames until they faded and then turned his attention back to Echo for answers. Only to pause when he saw the way the older Phoenix's shoulders were slumped, optics dim as they fixed over the path that Dusk had taken.

"What did she say?" Nine decided to ask. He wasn't sure what else to say.

At first, there was only silence, prompting Nine to stand by patiently before finally, Echo turned to him, optics flickering as he finally spoke.

"Her objective is the Tower." It is not the answer that Nine had expected, "She is determined to burn it to the ground." He then watched Echo hold out a hand, a sign for Reaver to compile into his palm, "If we want to stop her, we best hurry."

It was strange to hear the lack of emotion, a lack of feeling in Echo's words, and Nine felt concern lingering to the front.

"Echo." He called out.

Nine halted when he saw Echo flinch, as if struck, and he took notice of the way his shoulders shook, his jaw tight. He heard Reaver whisper, words once again too quiet for him to catch. Then, both Ghost and Guardian disappeared in a flash of light.

"We will talk to him later, when things cool down." Nine heard Day say, "But for now, I say we should get Ianos out of here, find a safe place for him while we take care of Dusk."

Truth, one that is a top priority to Nine. One of them at least.

"And Hush?" He asked.

"Ianos said she was back in the caves with the other Guardians, correct?" Day hummed, "Considering that Dusk's target is the City, I believe Hush is the safest where she is now."

A brief thought of the battle within the Paragon's base of operations brought a bit of confidence to Nine; the City Guardians seems to have things handled there. It is best to hope that the tide will turn their way.

Thus, he nodded and turned his attention to Ianos; the latter lays still now. Nine lifted his optics to Ace, the Ghost hovering just above their Guardian, and stared. He heard the Ghost take in a deep breath, and then released.

"Gently."

Taking this as confirmation, Nine took slow and careful steps to Ianos' prone form, kneeled, and slowly placed a hand onto the Warlock's shoulder. There was no reaction. He then took it as a sign to lean over and slowly scoop Ianos into his arms, slowly standing so as not startle him. As he waited for Day to prepare transmat, Nine tuned in onto Ianos' breaths, hearing the steady pattern of rest. But he also caught disruptions, a sudden hitch in his breathing and a jerk while in Nine's arms.

That is when Ace glided close, a soft hum, one that sounded like a song to Nine, emitting from them before he watched the Ghost fly close and settled into the crook of Ianos' neck. He waited for the Ghost to be comfortable before he signaled Day for transmat.

Xxxxx

"Do you think that this is just a preemptive to another attack?"

Lifting his hands away from his face, Akiva stared into Neve's blue, spotting the worry and concern.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Watching his partner shift Nahala in her arms as the toddler played with the toy in her hands, Neve added, "Those Guardians that hid amongst our own, do you think that there is something bigger going on? That." She gestured vaguely with her hand, "This is just the beginning?"

Akiva raised a brow, "And what makes you think that?"

He saw her purse her lips, "For the reason that there was hardly any damage towards us." Akiva paused at her words, "There were no casualties, no deaths. This didn't seem like a simple attack." Neve breathed out a sigh, "I feel like it a test, a feint to test our defenses." That is when Akiva spotted the way her hand gently squeezed their daughter's shoulder, prompting the attention of the toddler. The latter looked up at her mother, gnawing on the toy in her hand.

"I may not be as old or experienced as you, Akiva." Neve continued, "However, I know enough that this attack was too easily deflected." Her blue eyes locked onto his gold, "This was more than just a random attack on the Tower, and I cannot shake the feeling that something big is approaching."

Taking in his partner's words, Akiva went to comment on her worries. Then, a loud but soft knock came from the entrance of their shared apartment.

"Akiva?" Angel's muffled voice came from the other side before the door opened, the young Hunter peeking in, and his green eyes locked with Akiva's gold, "Are you busy?"

Glancing back and forth between Angel and Neve, Akiva's attention lingered over his wife, waiting until she gave a subtle nod.

"No, not currently." He finally said, "Do you need something?"

Angel nodded and then went silent, prompting Akiva to realize that it is not something that could be openly discussed. Thus, he stood from his seat, gave Neve a quick kiss on the cheek, a pat on top of his daughter's head, and followed Angel out.

"I am going to take a guess that you already checked on Pluto?" Akiva asked.

Angel nodded, "He is currently keeping the Phoenix Exo's secret to himself, claims that the rest of the Clan is too young to be informed yet."

Akiva raised a brow, "He does know that they will figure it out eventually?

"Would rather have the clan be angry at him than have an identity crisis."

Going to argue with the Hunter, Akiva gave it another thought before shrugging it off. He wasn't an Exo who could possibly carry a piece of the Traveler inside him. Akiva doesn't have the right to judge. Thus, when the familiar marbled floor of the Plaza came into view followed by the familiar rush and bustle of the crowd, Akiva decided to ask, "Have you heard from Ianos? Or Hush?"

A shake of the head from Angel, "I heard that Hush was one of the few Guardians who was kidnapped by the attackers." He saw Angel flashed him a wry smile, "And knowing Ianos, he went after her."

Good point. However.

"But he has no idea where these rogue Guardians are located." Akiva frowned, "How does he know where to go?"

That is when he heard Angel click his tongue, "Last I heard, he boarded Echo's ship."

Akiva wheezed, "He what?!"

"He boarded Echo's ship." Angel repeated as he shrugged, "Seems the two of them came to a mutual understanding, from what I gathered anyway."

"Ianos does know that Echo wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he ticks him off, right?" Akiva asked.

"That's what I thought too." Angel admitted, "Then again, desperate times calls for desperate measures?"

Shaking his head as Angel smiled back at him sheepishly, Akiva again went to argue when the sudden brush of heat caught his attention, causing him to look out towards the middle of the Plaza.

Then paused.

At first glance, what seemed to be a swirling ball of fire lashed and hissed dangerously, crackling against any Guardians who had wandered too close. Then, just as it quickly appeared, it disappeared. That is when Akiva spotted a white clad Hunter kneeling where it once burned.

Spotting the white plating of the Exo visible, Akiva thought that it was Nine at first, and couldn't help but be confused at the sudden change of armor. It is not unheard of for Guardians to change class but, it seemed too sudden, out of place. But then, he took notice of how the shoulders were too lean, stature just a tad small. That would not only confirm that it was not Nine, but also not Echo.

But that doesn't stop at just how similar she looked to the other Exo, at how she could practically be a twin to Echo and Nine.

Akiva's gut twisted.

Another Phoenix Exo.

Despite being curious at this revelation, a sense of unease settled into the pit of Akiva's stomach, and he couldn't help but take a few steps back at the way the Exo's optics narrowed as she looked around. He couldn't help but feel that she wasn't here to be a friend.

That is when he took notice of Angel's approach, slow and cautious.

"Angel!" Akiva hissed out, "What are you doing?"

He didn't get an answer, and Akiva could only look on with dread as Angel is practically an arm's length to the Phoenix Exo. The Hunter may be nearly a decade old now, but Akiva couldn't help the seed of frustration at the Hunter's New Light-like curiosity.

"Hello?" He heard Angel greet, caution lining the edge of his voice, "Are you okay?"

Angel stood near her, waited, the type to help if he could, and Akiva opted to slowly approach the young Hunter, hoping to pull him back. His gut kept telling him to run.

Akiva watched on as the Exo glared at Angel before he spotted her left-hand twitch, prompting him to look down. His heart leaped to his throat at the sight of a flaming revolver forming in her grasp.

"Angel! Get back!"

Instead of heeding his warning, Angel looked back at him, and Akiva couldn't help a shout as the Exo aimed her Golden Gun at the Hunter's chest and fired.