We Stand Together

Chapter 8: Something Long Forgotten

A ping to her Ghost wakes them both up.

"It's Lance. He needs us to meet them at the Cosmodrome on Earth. He says they've found Rasputin." A pause and then, "But I thought he was just a myth."

Her Ghost turns to look at her in shock and surprise.

Eden yawns and glances at him with a clueless stare.

"Oh, right," He says upon seeing her confused expression.

"Rasputin is an A.I Warmind from the Golden Age. Recently, he's resurfaced again and the Vanguard is trying to get him to ally with the City."

Eden stretches and nods. "Alright set the waypoint and we'll head their way."

The little Ghost twists and turns as he inputs the directions into the director in her ship. Once he's through, she pushes the lever forward and heads toward the waypoint.

"So why are the Vanguard trying so hard to get him on their side?" Eden asks as they zip through the air.

"His defenses could protect the City from any oncoming attacks and keep it safe," Uriah answers thoughtfully.

Eden nods but doesn't respond. The pair stay in silence until they're a couple of minutes away from the destination and then Eden sets the ship to autopilot and stands.

"Make sure that we have extra ammo. If we have any leftover special or heavy ammo synths left, transmit it with us," Eden says, moving around the ship, gathering up the things they need.

"Hm, when you give orders like that, it almost makes me wonder what you were in your first life," Uriah speaks, moving to do as she says. As Eden checks the clips in her auto rifle and shotgun, she gives a thoughtful look and answers him.

"You know, I'm not really sure. The only way I know I was actually dead before is that sometimes I have nightmares when I sleep. I don't really remember them but sometimes I wake up and everything hurts like I've been shot or something." She frowns, finally looking up at him.

Uriah beeps and blinks at her before settling on the curve of her neck.

"Well, don't worry too much about it. The more time that passes, the less they'll appear. Until then, you have me and the others," He mumbles, looking up from his place on her shoulder.

She smiles at him and pats his shell. "I know Uriah, no need to worry. You guys will always be there to have my back." With that, they both fall silent and wait for the approach of Earth.

When they land, Eden shoves on her helmet, grabs her guns, and jumps out.

It's silent across the snowy plain. Eerily so. Normally, there'd be Fallen fighting or Hive casting some dark spells, but it's empty. Eden sends Uriah a worried glance before hopping on her sparrow and following Lance's coordinates.

When she finally arrives, it's an old rusted building near Skywatch. Nothing new or extraordinary.

"Is this the place?" Eden comments, skeptical.

"Not quite, they're all a little farther than that. We just need...."

All his words fade out as Eden picks up on the sound of a haunting voice. It doesn't sound like anything she's ever heard. It calls to her, entices her. She's not sure how but she can understand what it's saying.

"Come. Array." It repeats over and over.

Almost like she's in a trance, Eden begins to sprint off without Uriah even noticing that she's gone. All she can hear is the voice calling to her.

Eden follows it through Skywatch, demolishing any Fallen that get in her way. When she arrives at Lance and the others, it's like she doesn't even see them anymore. All she can see is the Hive blocking her way to the ramp and the rusted building that overlooks the rest of the Cosmodrome. But she's doesn't focus on the view. The shadowy figure by the railing captures her attention.

She takes a couple of steps forward until a Hive Wizard, two Hive Knights, and half a dozen thrall stand in her way. Their glowing green eyes glare with sadistic pleasure and their teeth gnash at her. Skeleton-like faces peer into her very soul as they begin to come at her. Faintly, she remembers something about the Hive that Lance told her. Something along the lines of being careful with them? Dark magic? She can't really think too much on it because the voice calls for her again.

Impatience rears up and she calls upon all the Light she can before running and jumping in the air. As she soars down from the sky, lightening entangles her entire being and she lands in the middle of the horde with a thunderous crash.

The Hive screech and scream out but Eden is already up and walking away. She's on the ramp by the time their bodies are consumed by Arc and nothing but hard shells and bone remain. Lance and the others call for her, but it's as if she isn't allowed to focus on them, only the figure she's walking to. Slowly, she wanders to them, dazed. One shadowy hand reaches out for her and she raises one glove-covered hand in turn.

"Come, Eden."

The voice sounds so familiar. She's heard it before. She knows that she's heard it before. It's of something long forgotten that she's just now remembering.

As she reaches for the hand, it's on the tip of her tongue. Just as her fingertips brush its, and the answer comes to her, someone's yanking her away.

Instantly, the figure is gone and Eden blinks her eyes and looks around. It feels like she's been drenched in cold water. Everything is disorienting. The helmet on her head feels too suffocating. She has to pull it off. It's thrown somewhere behind her as she breathes the cool icy air. The painful, prickly feeling in her throat brings her back slowly.

"Eden?" Someone asks beside her, lowering a hand on her shoulder.

She turns to see Lance's gentle green staring at her in concern. He searches her face and looks her over. She knows that he's looking for any kind of answer to what just happened. Eden doesn't have one though. In fact, she'd just like to finish this mission and go.

"I'm gonna...I'm gonna go check out the Array. See if there's anything useful about Rasputin." With that, she's gone and Uriah follows after in uncertainty.

She has a feeling that they'll ask what happened sooner or later. Right now though, she doesn't even know.

Eden stops just short of the series of monitors and allows Uriah to scan them. His eye keeps glancing towards her before looking down quickly when she catches him. She knows he wants an explanation too, but like the others, it'll have to wait.

Once he's done, Uriah hovers in her palm and awaits her orders.

"Done?" She inquires.

"Done," He affirms.

That's all she needs for him to transmit her back to the ship.

By the time Lance, Axel, and Jaren walk to theirs, she's already a streak in the sky, heading back to the Tower.