Destiny: Steadfast Seraph

12 - From The Sky

Mars became a quiet place after the Whisper War. Gate knew this. Although most knowledgeable individuals knew it too.

For a long time it was a graveyard, and Rasputin was alone, still alive after the War. However, it didn't take long for him to make contact with Ana Bray, who came to his aid immediately. Other Guardians stood by her side, wanting to help rebuild Braytech for modern times.

However, when Gate arrived, he saw no such evidence of Guardians..or really anybody for that matter. Nobody waiting for him at the landing pads, nor the entrance, nor the main lobbies. It was quiet.

Gate walks through the hallways of Braytech, not seeing much of a soul walking through them.

As he made his way to the outdoor balconies, he takes a glance at Rasputin's old home, the large structure at the center of the facility.

I remember when I was here before, years ago. Ana was practically a child back then. Hell, I was too.

As Gate reminisces, the structure exploded, causing half of the diamond like building to collapse and fall to the red ground below.

Gate runs up the stairs and ramp towards the building to see the damage and figure out what happened.

He kicks open the broken door to find bodies everywhere, all belonging to Guardians. Their bodies were charred, and their Ghosts all lied dead next to them.

The fragment...it did this.

Gate looks to the back of the room, and he sees Rasputin, hanging from the ceiling.

Rasputin had received damaged from the Staff as well, with half of his body affected.

As he climbs his way towards Rasputin, Gate begins to notice the Warmind watching him. He was alive.

"Rasputin? Can you hear me?"

Rasputin only replied with loud breaths. Gate gets closer to him, cutting him down and catching him. He lays him down on solid ground.

"Rasputin..?"

Rasputin looks around, clearly dying.

"Ana....it is her...Ana..." Rasputin spoke, his voice broken.

"Ana? What about her? Where is she?"

Rasputin points to a console nearby. It was the computer used to store his memory in an engram.

He reaches to the back of his head, pulling and tearing out his mind core, and shoving it into Gate's hands. His eyes then dull out. He's dead.

Gate sits over the body for a moment, taking it in. He then stands up quickly, taking the mind core and placing it into the console.

The console's screen flickers on, and the damaged mind core begins to transfer to an engram.

Gate sits down and takes a breath.

What the hell happened here?

He sits for awhile, before the console beeps multiple times. Gate stands up and looks at the screen. As he does, he sees something move in the reflection.

Gate moves out of the way just in time for the sharp Fragment to be thrown into the console's screen, shattering it with ease. Gate looks back to see Ana Bray, the thrower.

"Oh Ana...this was you..."

"I never had a choice." Ana growls.

"There's always a choice." Gate takes the Fragment by hand out of the console, but it immediately causes him to fall down on his knees. He couldn't handle the power on his own.

Ana snatches the Fragment from him.

"I don't want to kill you Gate. Get off this planet."

Gate looks up at her.

"I can't leave. I need that Fragment."

Ana changes her expression, looking down at the Hunter. Her eyes were so dark, he didn't even know if it was truly her.

"It's mine!" Ana holds the Fragment close. It had clearly corrupted her.

"Don't make me take it from you Ana...please." Gate stands up.

"You will try." Ana runs towards Gate, but Gate throws a knife into her arm, causing her to drop the Fragment.

Gate charges her, shoving another knife into her chest.

Ana's eyes immediately turn back to her old eyes, filled with pain and regret.

"Ga..Gate.." She looks up at him.

"This was you...not me..." Gate pulls the knife out and pushes her to the ground. She was gone.

Gate quickly grabs the Fragment, and painfully throws it into Ana's own backpack. He then puts it onto his own back. He grabs the Engram containing Rasputin and leaves. He looks back at Ana.

I'm sorry, Ana.

Once at his ship, he contacts Camille.

"Camille, you there?"

"Yes."

"I've got one of the Fragments. Have you reached the City?"

"We're almost there. Do you think Frederick will attack?"

"I don't know..."

Neither of them say anything for a moment.

"What if this is the last we will speak to eachother..?" Camille speaks up.

"Then any demon I may have inside me would come out." Gate jokes.

"Funny...we're moving out now. Goodbye Gate."

"I'll see you soon, Camille."

I do hope to see her again...