Redacted

Eventually

Edited: 9/8/2024

Got busy with work and fell asleep after I got back home so didn't update until now! Apologies!


"We can't go back."

Scowling at Akiva's words, Orion hated to admit it, but he agreed. They can't go back to the Revenant base, not after Angel had killed one of their numbers. Thinking about the Hunter, Orion found himself looking over his shoulder and his optics settled over him. Angel is currently tending to the worst of the Eliksni, the white shape of Abraxos following not too far behind.

Not long after Angel had killed the Revenant Titan, Orion snatched him out of the pile of Dregs, slammed him onto the floor, and gave him a good solid punch to the face. A resounding crack echoed through the cave when his fist connected.

He had expected the Hunter to retaliate, to give back a punch of his own. Thus, he was surprised when Angel simply blinked at him, slid himself out from underneath Orion, and then stalked off as he wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand. Thinking upon it now and looking back at Angel's expression, it seemed he wasn't all too surprised by the punch.

Nonetheless, the group now have a grieving and angry Warlock in their hands, the latter of which is being currently guarded by Akiva, his fellow Titan standing with an auto rifle in his hands and standing over the Revenant. Their newfound prisoner was seated upon the cave floor, knees to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs, and giving the best glare as he could muster. However, his face is stained with tears. He had thrown off his helmet after being resurrected, mourning over the shattered remains of the Revenant Titan's Ghost. Orion wouldn't be surprised that the two were close, judging from that reaction.

"No, I don't think going back is a good idea either." Orion agreed. Then he heavily exhaled, "But what else are we going to do?" He turned to face his fellow Titan, "We can't just let him go, not when the others are deep within the Revenant base."

"But we also can't keep him here either." Akiva retorted; his golden eyes were fixed on the Revenant Warlock. They were wide, "True there's more of us than him, but that doesn't mean he cannot do serious damage by the time we take him down."

"Then kill me." Orion snapped his head towards the Revenant Warlock's spat, "Murder me. Just like what you did to Onosi."

"Oh, for the love of – I didn't murder him!"

Unable to help but frown, Orion turned towards Angel and could see that the Hunter had turned just enough to look their way, his forest green eyes glaring.

"The two of you were attacking defenseless Eliksni." Angel hissed out, "And I wasn't just going to sit back and let you two kill them!"

"Angel. Please."

Seeing Angel give one last glare before turning his attention back to the Vandal he was tending to, grumbling under his breath, Orion was grateful that the Hunter listened to Akiva's pleas. This allowed him some semblance of ease to turn his attention back to the Revenant Warlock.

"Look." He started, "No matter what you think or how it looks like, we are not going to kill you."

Orion wasn't all too surprised at the glower he received from the Revenant.

"Your friend there killed Onosi like it was nothing." The Warlock spat.

Well, Orion can't argue with that.

"That's. That's Angel?"

Orion turned and gave Akiva a blank stare, "Really?"

In turned, his fellow gave him a sheepish shrug, "You have to admit it's really the only answer."

And out of character. At least, from what Orion remembers. But he had heard the rumors, the rumors that after the House of Spirits left, he had grown more malicious, more violent in the Crucible. Orion hopes that it isn't bleeding out into the field.

"Have a name?"

Akiva's question pulled Orion out of his thoughts, and he glanced over in time to see the Revenant Warlock's brows furrowed, his expression turning puzzled. Progress. At least he isn't glaring at them anymore. Although, it was short-lived, as the Warlock clamped his jaw shut and looked away.

He wasn't going to answer.

At least, that is what Orion thought.

"Taylor."

Orion couldn't help but raise a brow at that.

"No surname?" The question left his lips before he could stop himself.

This earned him a bitter look from the Warlock.

"If I can recall it, I would have taken it, but alas." The Revenant glared at him, "My memory is not like you Exo."

Uncertain whether to take it as an insult, Orion pondered if he should tell him that no, he could practically recall 'nothing' of his former life. But, as he heard the Warlock scoff and look away once more, Orion decided to brush it to the side.

"Orion – 56." He started carefully, scanning over the Warlock to assess a reaction. When there was nothing, he decided to continue, nodding his head at Akiva. "This is Akiva Wahl."

He sensed a sheepish smile behind Akiva's helmet before the Titan in question gave a two fingered salute, "Hey."

There was a flick of the eyes from the Warlock, but it quickly returned to glaring at the floor.

Pondering upon his next action, Orion decided to heck with it before gesturing vaguely in Angel's direction.

"The Hunter is Angel." He introduced.

"Anand. Angel Anand."

Pausing at the addition of a last name, Orion slowly looked over his shoulder, blinking at Angel's outburst. Jaw clamping open and shut, Orion still found himself unable to form words as Angel stood up – acting as what he just said was normal – and then knelt next to Vraldyks to check on the Baron. This prompted him to scan the cave, and he took note that, although still pressed against the walls, weak, the Eliksni seemed to be gaining vigor, the glow of their eyes brighter than it was before. Even the Dreg who had been shot seemed to be doing well, resting peacefully against the floor with bandages pressed against their chest.

Now it is just Vraldyks. Once he gets back on his feet, hopefully this will allow the pack of Eliksni to move.

"Anand?"

The whisper that came from Taylor was barely audible, but Orion caught it, just enough for him to turn back to the Revenant and blink.

"What?" He asked.

Instead of gaining an answer, Orion then stood ready when the Revenant Warlock gradually pushed himself to his feet, staggering a bit but nonetheless was able to keep his footing. It took Orion to realize that his eyes now upon Angel's form.

"Are you telling me that that murderer is an Anand?" He asked.

Orion couldn't help but pause, brows raising.

"Wait." Akiva stepped in, "You heard that name before?"

"Who hasn't?" Taylor hissed out, his fair feature twisting in frustration, "Who else helped Clovis Bray build the Exo?"

No sooner had the words left his lips when silence permeated through the cave, leaving only the clinks of Angel messing with Ether cannisters echoing into the air.

"Build?" It was Akiva who broke the stunned silence, "What do you mean build?"

Another scoff from the Revenant Warlock, "Do you think that something as intricate and advanced as the Exo were created by one House?" Then he paused, as if waiting, waiting for a reaction. His shoulders slumped and displeasure settled into his tone, "Tower history cannot be that misinformed?"

"They're working on it." Orion blurted.

Taylor rolled his brown eyes at him, "Anand is another distinguished family that also played a large role in advancement of the Golden Age." He gestured vaguely in the air with a hand, "It was even said that they were on par with the Brays, a friendly rivalry according to the texts." That is Orion saw Taylor turn and glare at Angel once more, "To think that he is a member of their house, what a surprise – "

The Warlock let out a shout when a knife suddenly embedded into his shoulder. Jumping as the Revenant Warlock stumbled back into the cave wall and sliding down to the floor, Orion turned towards Angel, opening his mouth to argue. But then he saw the look on the Hunter's face, his green eyes narrowed in anger. And bewilderment.

"How was I supposed to know that my mother and I were part of this distinguished family?" He heard Angel snarl; Orion could see a mix of arc and solar light linger around his eyes, "from what I could recall, it was just and always have been us."

Stunned silence permeated throughout the cave, Orion's jaw dropping. Then, moments later, Akiva broke the silence, "You remember everything, Angel?"

That made Orion sputter, on the verge of coughing. He had always presumed that the Hunter was like Akiva; fragments of his previous life forgotten or forgotten completely, the only remnant left is his name. When did he regain memories of his previous life?

Then again, adding the name 'Ananad' to his name, it would make sense.

Turning his attention back to Angel, he saw the Hunter simply grit his jaw, eyes narrowing before he turned his back to them, his focus back onto Vraldyks. He heard the Baron let out a low rumble before the latter gave him a concerned look. Orion could hear him murmur something, but he couldn't quite catch it.

Heaving out a breath, Orion turned back to Taylor, ignoring the way Warlock was glaring at the Hunter as he walked over, grabbed the handle of the knife, and tugged before the Revenant could even look his way. This earned him a yelp and then a glower of his own. Good, that is what he was aiming for.

"Your partner, Onosi, correct?" Orion asked; he saw Taylor furrow his brows at him, "What kind of rites do the Revenants perform for their dead?"

Honestly, Orion was just tired, tired of all the emotions and tension in the air and wanting nothing more than a distraction. Hence, the funeral rites and he wasn't at all expecting the Revenant to answer. Thus, he was surprised when Taylor blinked at him.

And then blinked again.

"We cremate our dead." The Revenant finally answered, and Orion had to keep his body still to hide his surprise, "Bring them out into the woods, place them upon a pyre, and while their body burns, we tell stories of our memories with them." Then he breathed out, "the good and the bad."

Unable to help but give a blank stare, Orion pondered upon what to say, what to do, since he hadn't thought this far when suddenly, Akiva stepped around him.

"So, you are saying that funeral rites include you talking shit about the deceased?"

Orion sputtered before reaching over and smacking his fellow Titan on the shoulder. It didn't do anything, but Akiva snapped his head towards him, offense fully felt behind his helmet, and a hand to his shoulder. And Orion would have had more to say.

If he hadn't heard a snort.

Orion paused and he could see Akiva do the same, and he slowly turned his head to the Warlock. The Revenant's head was bowed, the back of his hand pressed against his lips. Despite that, Orion still spied the stray smile upon his fair face.

Beside him, Orion can hear Akiva practically vibrate in his armor.

This was soon followed by Taylor letting out a cough and he lowered his hand. His face was passive when he looked up.

"You can say that." The Warlock said, "For us, it is to help not only to remember them, but also to lay out our grievances, in hopes that in death, all shall be laid to rest."

An interesting thought. Orion might follow that. He has plenty to say about everyone.

"How about we put Onosi to rest?" Orion suggested and he saw Taylor snap his head up towards him, eyes wide, "of course, with supervision." He glanced over to the side; he could see the two Vandals, Tiphaxis and Darivion, having come to a pause in whatever task they were working on, and he could see their heads dipped in their direction.

There is a scoff from Taylor but nothing else was said, and when Orion looked back, he can see the hesitation, the contemplation in the Warlock's eyes. No doubt, scheming a way to escape once they were outside.

Logically, it would be best just to keep the Warlock here and perform the rites themselves, but Orion also wants to be in the Revenants' good graces. Or at least the best they could. That would help lessen the blow once they learn what happened to the Revenant Titan.

"I can watch him."

Orion looked over at Akiva and he raised a brow at the way the Titan raised a hand, as if waiting to be called.

"Are you going to be alright going alone?" He asked.

Akiva shrugged, "Well – "

"We shall come as well."

Turning around, Orion's optics settled over Tiphaxis and Darivion, the two Vandals just coming to a stop nearby. He couldn't help but frown.

"You sure?" Orion asked them, "The two of you aren't exactly in the best of health."

There is a huff from Tiphaxis, "We are Eliksni. We are House of Kings." She puffed out her chest, "We are more than capable of watching guard."

"And it helps that Pure One gave us Ether."

Unable to help but smile as Tiphaxis turned and growled low at Darivion, causing the latter to take a step back, Orion then gave one final glance to Akiva before finally, he relented.

"Be careful." He said.

There was a salute from Akiva before the Titan turned and offered a hand to Taylor. Orion looked on, unable to help but feel nervous when the Warlock glanced at Akiva's hand, to his face, and then back to the hand. In the end, Taylor promptly scoffed and then pushed himself onto his feet.

Orion wasn't surprised.

Opting to say nothing, Orion saw Akiva's arm drop – obviously disappointed – but nonetheless he took a step back, allowing the Warlock the space to take a step around him. Then, he walked to the spot where Onosi had been killed, the fragments of his Ghost still scattered where they had been shot. No one felt like it was right to touch a Ghost that wasn't part of their group, let alone in front of someone who had considered their friend. And then, when Taylor picked up the fragments – tenderly, with such love and care that guilt settled into Orion's throat – and then headed to the exit of the cave, Akiva trailed behind him. The two Vandals soon followed. As the group disappeared from his line of sight, Orion heaved out a sigh before rubbing the back of his neck.

He hopes that everything will resolve itself. Eventually.