Path of Totality; A TDS Eclipse Event Story

🌘Chapter 17🌒

      "Tracks! Messy ones at that, that means he must of been on a daze. Maybe he left some destruction while in the forest?" Swordmaster theorized. Void Reaver nodded, "That could be true, but he could be anywhere in there. Besides, it's heavily forested, none of the flying towers would be of any use."

      Commander began to march towards the forest, hand on his gun just in case. Medic jumped and rushed over, stopping him before he could go in. "Are you mad? You can't go in there all by yourself!" Medic bickered.

      "Yeah, Gravedigger ate a man when he first spawned in, I wouldn't recommend going in there," Swordmaster warned. Commander shook his head and pulled away, "Scout is in there! I'll find him and get him back, trust me! I'll..."

      His voice trailed off as Void Reaver marched towards him. He didn't look stern or mean, he looked sympathetic. Commander swallowed down his spit, getting ready for what was to come.

      "I know you know..." Void Reaver's voice was low and gravely. Commander bit his lip in shame and despair. "Maybe you guys are wrong or he is in there and he just needs certain key words or items to unlock that and-" Commander tried to deny it all, but Void Reaver came in harsher.

      "He is gone, Commander," Void Reaver used his name for once, not to mention the voice was more stern. The great titan did try to be soft about it, but Commander was going to end up in his grieving period again if someone didn't say something.

      Commander looked like he was going to cry. The guy has had it rough, everything seemed to be against him. From this whole war and now having Scout come back, but also still losing him.

      Wiping his face, Commander grunted out, "Call for nearby units to get here, I'm going ahead and scouting the area." Before he could be stopped, Commander rushed into the forest. Medic called for him to come back, but the grief driven leader would not listen.

      Medic sighed and called for backup as quick as possible. "He's real stubborn, also real stupid," Swordmaster insulted. Medic sighed and shook her head, "Yeah, but I think he's really cute."

      "Better start looking for other options, because he might not be coming back out," Swordmaster warned as he walked into the forest as well, going to look in different parts. That had Medic very much so.

      "Scout! Scout! Buddy, come on! Scout!" Commander called into the thick foliage as he ran further and further into the dense forest. The trees were thick and it was dark despite the sun being high. Commander was wishing he had brought a flashlight.

      Commander grumbled as he marched his way through. No other tower had caught up to him and he was out of radio range, so calling for help was now out of the question. That meant in something, he was shit out of luck unless someone came to his aid just in time.

      The place was quiet, the only sound coming from Commander as his shoes crunched through the many leaves scattered on the ground. Sometimes he would snap a stick, but Commander was only thinking about finding Scout.

      Commander was still a mess over it. Scout was very much like the son he didn't want but had grown to love. The guy was dumb and not so bright, but he did have his moments, especially when he sacrificed himself to save his squadron. Such a young and brave man, only to be slain on his first scouting mission.

      Now, he was back, but Commander doubted he would look the same. The size of that pit gave Commander the shivers. As Commander thought about it, something else was making his spine tingle.

      Stopping, Commander began to scan the area. It was dark, almost like one of those scary video games that Electroshocker and Mortar made him play one time. The leader got jumpscared and that monitor was shot at least six times.

      Shaking off the horrible memory, Commander equipped his gun and scanned around. This place could have enemies, such as zombies. The titans may be tame, but Commander had a feeling their little minions weren't as tame.

      Commander backed up, pointing his gun around. He just knew something was out there watching him, he could feel its beedy eyes on him. The best case scenario was that is was a wolf or maybe a bear looking for a quick meal. Commander was about to make Hunter a happy man if that was the case.

      As Commander backed up, something wet dripped on his shoulder. Commander cringed and brought his fingers into it to inspect it. It was too dense to be water, it seemed like saliva.

      Then a heavy puff of hot air blew into him, nearly making him fly forward. Commander stood his ground and gripped onto his hat. Now that Commander thought about it, that was too big to be a bear...

      Turning around slowly, Commander stared up in both awe and horror as he was met with two giant red eyes. They glowed in the darkness of this place, piercing into Commander. This couldn't be Raider, it was too big to be him. It was...

      "Scout...?"

      The titan flung forward, maw open and ready to snap close on Commander. The tower was better than that and quickly dived out the way before he could become breakfast. His quick thinking caused the titan to shove his face into the dirt, disturbing the earth below.

      Snarling, the titan shook his head and shot his sights to Commander once again, determination in those beady eyes. Not to mention hunger. Shaking away the dirt near his eyes, he began to stalk forward.

      "Scout! I know you're in there! Come on, buddy! Snap out of it! It's me, Commander!" he tried his best to reason as he backed up, afraid of being an easy snack.

      The titan slightly tilted his head as he stalk forward, the voice coming from him a bit quiet and unsure. "Com...man..der?" he spoke, his head tilting said with that same hungry look. The voice, even if it was a bit different, sounded so much like him. Like Scout.

      "Yeah! It's me! Scout, buddy! I knew you were in there!" Commander was walling for it. The titan licked at his lips as Commander foolishly let his guard down and started to walk towards him, like a meal literally walking into your mouth.

      The titan was about to close the distance and snap his jaws around Commander when a heavy body slammed into him. The titan screeched as he was pinned to the ground, limbs flailing as he struggled.

      Swordmaster simply kept his weight on the titan. Despite him being lightweight, Swordmaster knew that Scout could not push him off, especially in this weak state.

      "Call for the others!" Swordmaster called out, but was met with a different response. "Wait! Get off him! It's Scout, he just said my name!" Commander tried to reason, but Swordmaster wasn't having it. "He was trying to trick you, idiot! He was literally about to eat you!" ge barked.

      "How do you know that? I just know he's there, we just have to-" Commander did his best to keep up the delusion that Scout was still with them, but Swordmaster snapped.

      Swordmaster snarled, then ended up yelling at Commander, "They're BOTH GONE!"

      It was silent between them for a moment, the only sound being from the struggling titan underneath Swordmaster. Commander stared at Swordmaster, the titan glaring angrily at him. That was a look Commander was used to from him, but not those words.

      This whole time, he hadn't even gone past stage one of grief. He has been denying this for so long, but Scout was back! Right? Just a little bit different, just a little green. Kind of still looks like Scout too, even sounded like him.

      "Commander. They're both gone. It isn't Gravedigger. It isn't Scout. This is a confused, scared, and new titan. Call for the others, I need Void Reaver to help me," Swordmaster was stern. He had to be, he needed Commander to quit his delusions and call for the help he needs.

      With his hands shaking, Commander picked up his radio and called in, "Titan found... send in Void Reaver to my location stat. Over."

      He got a calm call back from someone, "Understood, sending requested reinforcement to your location. Call all other units to return to base? Over."

      Commander couldn't stand to look at the squirming titan any longer as he turned away, "Permission granted. Over."