The Titan trudged back to the village. Rendar's brigands had attacked him, but they hadn't dealt any damage. They had burned with their master, in a small fire that no one would notice. He had grabbed the carts, hauling them behind him laden with all that had not been stolen. Seeker hovered next to him, oddly silent. Finally Seeker spoke up, a confused tone to his voice. "First off, what was that Titan business? Is that like a new name or something?" Titan chuckled. "In a way. Doc sounded a little off for the name of a hero. I dunno, I'm gonna try this out and see how it goes. What else is on your mind?" Seeker bobbed, then spoke hesitantly. "You killed the whole group. Why?" Titan shrugged as he kept walking. "I figured it didn't need explaining. These people, they ruined lives for their own gain. The people who were harmed deserved justice, and the brigands would have raided another village. In order to protect these people, they had to die." "And why is it you who gets to decide on the punishment? Or even the course of action?" Titan stopped, scratching the chin of his helmet. "Those men... they would have done it again. And again. And if someone had stood up to them, the scum would've killed them. And it wouldn't just be this village. More and more would be affected. This wasn't about who decides the action. When a limb is infected, you remove the limb before it kills the body." "But what if the limb would have healed, rid itself of the infection? Is the action justified then?" Titan shook his head. "Once men have a taste of power, they never let go of it. Sure, some may have changed, but the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If even half of those brigands had changed, they still inflicted damage on society. And the ones who didn't change would keep going." Seeker bobbed. "But shouldn't the decision then be in the hands of those they wronged?" he whispered. Titan rolled his shoulders, then kept tugging his burdens. "These 'Warlords' will only continue to appear, to ruin the people and subjugate them. The selfishness of men will rise to new heights, and so the selflessness must rise to meet it. I will protect these people, and any who come and find a home. No Warlord will rule these plains, for I protect them. I will help them rebuild, help them come together, and when any try to crush them, I will stand in their way." Seeker almost nodded, and a companianable silence passed between them the rest of the way to the village. The first ones to see him flinched back before they recognized him, then gaped in awe as he dragged the supplies in. A cheer rose as they crowded forward, each trying to catch a glimpse of him. Children giggled as he handed toys to them, and men grew teary as he passed. He dropped the leads to the carts when he stood in front of the man who had handled the situation while he was gone. "Here is what the brigands stole and more. Is this enough to rebuild?" The man smiled, exhausted but filled with joy. "Plenty. What's your name stranger? We hardly deserve your help." Titan smiled behind his visor. "I call myself Titan. And you are exactly the people who deserve my help." --------- Decades later, Titan stood on a roof overlooking the what was now beginning to be called the "Last City". Survivors had flocked to the place that promised a safe haven from the territorial wars that happened at all times. Dozens of Warlords had tried to sack the settlement, and each one had met a swift death. These skirmishes had become less and less frequent, especially after Titan had harnessed what Seeker called "the Light". This new tool had allowed him to brutally shut down any attack on the settlement, whether Warlord or Fallen. More Risen had appeared, both Warlords and others. Titan had taken some that crossed his path under his wing, teaching them their duty to protect the people before letting them choose their path. Many had stayed, helping him defend the village that he had helped build. Others left. Some were lost, killed by a passing Warlord. Titan smiled fondly as he remembered one Risen he had gotten along with quite well. The well meaning but often hot headed man named Shaxx had been a favorite, although he had left to go help others. Word had it that he had become a benevolent Warlord, protecting the people of the lands he had seized from another. Titan sighed as he heard the familiar sounds of a Ketch appearing to drop off several skiffs. Alarms rang out and people hurriedly went into their houses as the group of Risen that were currently in the village came out to fight the nuisance. Funny how things had changed. Just a few decades ago, the Fallen had been the most dangerous thing on Earth. Now, they were deemed a minor nuisance, akin to a cold, or a strong breeze. He looked up at the Traveler, which had somehow snuck it's way into the air above the village. He wondered again what it was, and why it had picked humanity. He pondered the questions as the Risen quickly eliminated the tanks that had been dropped off. He looked over the wreckage with a little pride in his Risen. They had learned well. One of the younger ones seemed to have the disposition of a leader, although he had a very conservative view. Titan chuckled, remembering how uptight young Zavala was. Always on the defensive, never thinking about what was going to happen the next day. As the Risen walked back into the camp, they gave their usual wave to him. Titan waved back at them, then looked down at himself, taking in the worn state of his armor. "Y'know, it doesn't look too bad" Seeker said. Titan chuckled sadly as he shook his head. "I'm getting too old. A relic from another time, from before these newfangled "Iron Lords", before those old Warlords, before anyone else. How long has it been since you brought me back?" Seeker thought for a moment before slowly saying "Three hundred years, give or take a few decades." Titan leaned back against a wall. "Exactly. These young ones have only been around for about twenty to fifty years at most. The closest one is probably that young wolf Saladin. All the others of my time were Warlords, and between me and those "Iron Lords", all the oldest ones were killed off years ago." Seeker bobbed in his version of a shrug. "That gives you experience none of these kids have. I bet you're still in prime fighting shape. You could easily take any of them in a fight." Titan chuckled. "You're right. The problem is, I've seen too much. I've lost my taste for war, and unless something big happens my blood doesn't go firing away like it used to. I even respect the Fallen a bit. I mean, yeah they're monsters, but some of them are really good at what they do. That gets you some respect in my book." Seeker floated out in front of Titan. "And? That doesn't change anything. You can respect something even if you kill it to defend your people. Sure, it makes it a little harder, but that's how you know you still have a conscience." Titan sighed. He knew he would never win an argument with Seeker. Instead he turned his attention to the small crowd gathered near the Traveler. In the middle of them a man in a white mask spoke, making wide, swinging gestures. He shook his head, marveling at how fanatical some people could be. The man that called himself the Speaker had shown up one day wearing his mask, and claimed that he had authority to speak for the Traveler. A kind of cult had gathered around him, supporting his decisions. Thinking back on this, Titan decided it was time to have a talk with this Speaker.