Nightfall came around early at the base. The stars were barely visible in the night sky, covered by fluffy clouds sprinkled across them. Swordmaster trudged along the metal railing as he made his way down the stairs leading to the garage. With his wooden cane he carefully placed his foot down every step, one by one. Gently as to not awaken the throbbing ache in his left knee. Most would think it was a sign of old age...an age of retirement but Swordmaster knew better...
It was an old wound that never fully healed. Even deeper than most would think... for it was not acquired willy-nilly in a random battle...Not even in the war... No... This was the 'gift' he had received for being weak... For following his heart... for raising an orphaned Tower... Gladiator...
It made his skin crawl just thinking about his mistake... Just how foolish he was thinking a Tower could be one of their own! That boy was always ungrateful... He should have noticed earlier his signs of pure defiance! Just how-how horrible he was! And messy! And annoying! And loud! And funny! And a joy to have around! And-.... And-.. And he missed him...more than he would ever admit to anyone.
The elder sighed as he leaned on the railing harder for support. His peculiar charge used to be his pride and joy...his precious child... A little warrior he had trained personally, more skilled than most Titans, having the same battle prowess as his master.
But the Towers just had to intervene... They had already stolen so much and yet their greed knew no bounds... They just had to have Gladiator on their side... To imbude his head with malicious thoughts against his own master... His true family..
Swordmaster pinched the bridge of his nose, what an idiot he was! How could he have believed a Tower would ever be fit to be called family... His family no less! Ughh... He should have known Towers and Titans don't mix... a tale as old as time!
And now yet another Titan falls down the same awful spiral of fate!
He sighed, grabbing onto the railing with both hands, feeling the metal bar bend between his fingers.
... Fallen King... For all his expertise in strategy and combat he sure was naive... Swordmaster had always admired the young man's serious nature, calm and collected, ever since he had become his own pupil. Out of all his brothers Fallen seemed the most worthy to take the reins from his father when the time came.
He had the courage to step onto the battlefield unlike his brother Krampus. He was adamant and intelligent, cunning in a way. And unlike his brother Sinister he was not a danger to himself and others..
He seemed like the perfect heir to the throne and yet... He was far too emotional. His heart dictated his actions in the most dire times.. And with the adoption of his one true son that side had only grown bigger.
Molten's arrival at their doorstep as a mere helpless baby melted Fallen's tough exterior... Made him weaker...
That child was not even a warrior! The many times Swordmaster had tried to train him, especially since he was coming of age, left him more and more disappointed. That young man was a cry baby. You yelled at him just a little too loud and he would tear up..
A pacifist just like his dear uncle Krampus.. *sigh* and look where that pacifism got him... And as if that was not enough, Fallen had to go out of his way to adopt another child!
A hybrid no less.. Not a Titan, not a Tower just a stain on the Void Family's royal name... He never even bothered to bring that one in for training.. What was there even to train? A future enemy?
Fallen fought and fought despite all Titans being against it, just to raise a child that doesn't even love him... And now the bufoon decided to sacrifice his life for that same boy! Leaving his true son an orphan.. Swordmaster swore under his breath, tightening his grip on the railing as he was close to riping the bar off. His red eyes trailing back to the portal...
"Oh Fallen, I thought I had taught you better than this..."
*CLANK*
The old Titan swiftly turned to the dark corner of the room where the sound had presumably come from.
A tall metal pipe rolled across the floor, coming to a halt at his foot. His hand instinctively locked onto his cane, preparing to defend himself.
"Reveal yourself should you wish to face my wrath!!" he growled baring his teeth.
.....
"I am not asking you again! Who are you?!"
He watched carefully as a figure started to take shape in the shadows. A small woman it appeared to be. She raised her hands up, slowly stepping out into the light... White coat, hair in a messy dark bun... It was Medic.
Swordmaster rolled his eyes at the woman's shaken expression.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, measuring her with his gaze.
Medic relaxed a little upon seeing he would not harm her... Yet. She clenched her clipboard, hugging it closer to her chest as she spoke,
"I umm.. I wanted to talk with you."
He scowled at her, "About?"
"Uh, the portal."
He rolled his eyes again, turning around on his heel. He knew very well what she wanted and he is not about to give it to her. He made up his mind, that horrible gateway shall stay closed lest they want more Titans to disappear... He started walking away when he heard steps approaching him from behind. Medic raced in front of him, blocking the staircase entrance.
She rubbed her eye tiredly as she let out a sigh, "Look. I know you don't like me.. Or any of us for that matter but you can not tell me you don't care even at least a little bit about Fallen and Gravedigger! Maybe you don't love them but they are Titans just like you! Shouldn't you want them to be safe?! "
His steely gaze locked onto her eyes, it was enough to cut down anyone with a normal soul but not Medic. She was here with business and she will get it done whether this old man likes it or not. End of story.
"You do not get to dictate nor question what I care or don't care about. "
Wow. She actually got a word out of him... It wasn't a good one but it was something.. She stumbled a few words at the sight of him trying to leave again.
" W-Wait. I-I am not trying to do that! But if we want to get them out of there we need your help to open the portal!" she explained.
Swordmaster scoffed, "Open the portal, huh? And then what? Push the rest of us through it?"
Medic was caught off guard at the remark, "W-What?! No! This isn't the time for petty fights-"
"Petty fights? PETTY FIGHTS?!"
She shrunk back a little as the Titan leaned forward, towering over her.
"My brethren died at the hands of your people for hundreds of years! You have stolen our land, destroyed our homes, robbed us of any humanity we had left. You caused a war that wiped out half of our race, AND YOU DARE CALL THAT A PETTY FIGHT?!"
She watched him with wide eyes as he leaned even more into her face. "Listen, Tower, I do not want to be here as much as you don't want me here. But because of you and that cursed hybrid my partner lost another one of his sons and another boy lost his father.. I could care less if your people make it back, let alone alive. I am not opening that portal knowing full well if you had the chance you would throw the rest of us right through it. That is what got us into this situation three years ago.. And that will not be what gets us out."
He straightened himself, glaring down the woman. With a hand he pushed her out of the way, grabbing onto the railing again with a foot on the first step. Medic fell to her knees, dropping her clipboard. Holding back a few tears as the cruel realisation was setting in. She will never see Scout and Commander again...Will she?
The Tower shakily whispered under her breath, "You really are the monster they say you are..."
Swordmaster froze upon hearing her words. His eyes darkened even more, at first it was just annoyance but now fury was really starting to settle in.
He whipped around, looking down on her again, "I AM THE MONSTER?! If your forsakened army hadn't banished Krampus none of this would have happened!"
"I AM NOT THE ONE WHO BANISHED HIM!"
Swordmaster paused as he watched the woman burst out into tears.
"I wasn't e-even here w-when it-it happened! If-... If I could have stopped it I w-would have!" she paused struggling to get a gasp of air between her tears, it felt as if her heart would pop out of her chest. She wasn't even looking at him at this point, but everything that took place the last few weeks was weighing on her and it was becoming too much to handle.. It hurt her throat to speak but she continued,"I never wanted any of t-this!.. But now, my future husband and son are gone! They could as well be dead for all I know!" she cupped her head between her hands, "And my only c-chance of getting them back is YOU!.. I.. hate this war as much as you do...It was unfair to both sides and no one should have gone through that... But I am not ready to let go of everyone I loved because of it... I-I am not r-ready..."
The woman continued sobbing quietly into her hands as the stress amounted for weeks almost broke her shoulders. She had to bring them back...to deal with the thought they might be gone...to keep her promise to Molten... To keep the base together... To be a leader... When even DJ, the most optimistic person she had ever met, was ready to burst... And now, the only person she could turn to for help was rejecting her...
Swordmaster stayed still and watched her display nonechalantly. He had half a mind to turn around and she could cry him a river for all he cared. And for a moment he did. He turned back towards the staircase... Yet, the tenacity she had...the nerve to ask him for aid after everything...the power in her voice and those little sobs... They all reminded him of Gladiator... The boy always held everything until he would practicaly combust... Crying his heart out as a result.. And whenever that happened it was him who he'd turn to. His caretaker... His father..
He reluctantly gazed her way which was a mistake, he looked at her trembling on the cold ground as the tears kept coming... Now, he felt even worse... Curse whoever gave him a soul...bitter as it is, it still held care.
He took off his red robe, walking over to the woman and drapping it over her shoulders. Medic raised her gaze to meet his, not knowing what to say. She didn't need to say anything as Swordmaster took the first word, "Keep it together, child. You are a leader now. Can't have those fools see you like this."
He offered his hand to hoist her up which she gladly took. Medic bowed her head as she whispered a small "Thank you."
He straightened again as he walked alongside her, "... I don't trust your soldiers to not harm us.. And I don't trust you fully either... But compared to some... You are... Acceptable." he passed her a half mouthed grin, the closet she had ever seen him to a smile.
Medic smiled in turn, brushing her tears off her face. She grabbed her clipboard, following him up the stairs.
"What made you change your mind..? She asked quietly as they made their way up.
"Someone you remind me of. A tower like you."
"... So the stories are true?"
Swordmaster raised an eyebrow at her as she dried a tear with her sleeve.
"Are you... Gladiator's father?"
Swordmaster froze in his tracks. He turned towards her, this time his gaze not unkind, "You know him?"
Medic smiled softly, "Yeah. He lives here... But this month he was tasked with a scouting mission that is why you haven't seen him around."
Swordmaster lowered his gaze... His pupil lived this close to him?... He had never truely known where exactly Gladiator went... Just that he was gone after their argument..
Medic caught on pretty quickly why the Titan suddenly fell silent, his eyes moving along with his thoughts.
Gladiator had spoken to her about him before.. One of the reasons she was confident she could mention these sensitive topics to such a formidable fighter without him lashing out at her. Therefore, she decided to take the first step, "Do you want to talk to him?"
Swordmaster tensed.. He hasn't seen Gladiator in over a decade..The words left his mouth before he could stop himself from this display of emotions, "I don't think he would ever want to see me.."
Upon hearing the woman say "I disagree." he turned back to face her in shock. Which in turn won him another warm smile.
"Gladiator still loves you. He always spoke very highly of you... But some of the other soldiers made fun of him.. Saying that he was lying about being your student... I personally liked to believe his stories and he started telling me more and more... They were the reason I wasn't afraid to come talk to you."
Swordmaster felt a small warmth inside he hadn't felt that in a long time when talking about his charge..
He wanted to see him? He still loved him? Really? The elder felt the small tinge of hope poke at his heart.
Medic's voice broke him out of his daze. "I promise you even if we do open the portal back up and get everyone back, you will have a meeting with Gladiator, just the two of you with no one breathing down on your necks. I am certain I can convince Commander to give Glad' a day off for it."
"... You aren't going to hold this over me?"
Medic blinked," What? "
"You want that portal opened more than anything. You could've used this information to force me to do it."
"That would be cruel. You deserve to see your boy even with all of this going on and it has nothing to with it"
Alright. Maybe trusting a Tower this time was not so terrible. She received a bit of respect from him for this.
He cleared his throat, changing the subject before she could break his intimidating demeanor more, "Regarding that portal, I am not sure if the spell I know will work on it. Each gateway usually has it's own combination." he began explaining.
"Can we at least try it?" asked Medic hopefuly.
He nodded, "That we can do, child. That we can do."