Super last minute entry [spoiler]He stared at the rolling clouds with little on his mind. His body was still and angled up against a rotting wall. The fungus and mold grew around him while he slowly deteriorated. His mechanical parts slowly whistled, the pistons and gears turned relentlessly without stop. He could live forever just like the clouds, but they would last much longer. He broke his stared to look over at the others who shared the decaying cell, they looked back at him. Their fear resignated around them, he could almost feel it. Their eyes carefully jumped between him and the door, for time was finished keeping track of their fellow prison member. He turned to the door as well once the patter of footsteps drew near. Two figures, two silhouettes, two very different things. The larger one opened the door with two arms while the other two pushed the smaller figure into the cell. It's eyes flavored disgust and anger, the kind that only the Fallen knew how to properly display. It muttered something to the rest of the group in a unknow tongue, but the mechanical men understood every word. The rest saw it as a warning, he translated it as an apology. He could see the hidden emotion in the creatures eyes, he did not want to hurt her in her fragile state but he is only following orders. The others gathered around their fellow member, she would need their support. Beaten and lashed, she fell into the arms of the only other woman. She was bleeding badly in some parts around her back and one of her legs were critically damaged. They asked her a series of short question while they proped her up against the wall. Her moans justified the needed attention; she complained that her back was aching but her unborn child was safely secured. All of them, including the Fallen, felt her pains and thus, she was given whatever was mustered up. At least she would live for awhile, but the question remained the same. [i]So young, so pretty. She nevered deserved any of this.[/i]The Exo thought while shaking his head and returning his thoughts towards the shining midday star. He could sense a pair of eyes on him, yet he did not look. "She hurt badly you know. But, it's not like you care." his voice surfaced among the chatter of the others. The Exo stared at the window, his comment caused no damage. The other woman next to him, an older Awoken lady, tapped his shoulder. "Stop it Amir!" she calmly yelled at him. He looked deeply into her eyes and felt another pair watching. Something was brewing inside him, something that he felt had reached it's height. The more he looked into all of their eyes, he could feel their grief, their suffering. His anger had always been the one to accompany him when he allowed it too, there were no exceptions this time. "Don't. Please just-" "I've had enough! You just can't sit there and not feel something. You don't wanna talk, well I will!" Amir got up from his crouched position, despite being tugged down by the others. He walked the short distance and stopped in front of the Exo, who still continued to stare out of the cell window. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" The Exo kept his attention on the fuzzy clouds that rolled on by, but the clouds brought a large shadow that engulfed the complex and blocked the shining star. Another argument about him and his careless attitude was beginning, but something was different this time. Those clouds spelled out dark intentions. The Exo watched as Amir began breathing heavy, his fists were shaking. The others looked away. "Traveler damn you! How dare you continue to sit and do nothing! You're a guardian, you have a sworn duty to protect people like us." he started pacing around the room but stopped once he had the guardian's attention, "All you damn Exo are heartless. You never cared for anything but your own well being. What about us?" "Amir, stop this! Arguing won't get us anywhere!" Amir faced the other woman, Johanna, with a harsh stare. He quickly came up to her and looked deeply into her eyes again. "You can't tell me that...that thing over there has failed to do his sworn job!" his angry peaked. She shook her head. "I know things are grim, but-" "You can't tell me that he doesn't feel something, especially when one of us comes back from being tortured. Why should we have to suffer just because he won't tell these damned creatures what want to hear!?" "He must have his reasons." she commented. "Oh it has its reasons alright, it wants us to feel like it does. I've had enough of seeing you all suffer at the hands of that thing over there." "What do you want me to tell you? I have a plan? Why have I been silent for the past five months?" the Exo spoke for the first time in a long time. Amir rushed over to him and grabbed the mechanical man's chin. He made the guardian face him, he did not automatically look away. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that you haven't given up on us, on her and that unborn child." he pointed towards Katherine, who held Johanna's hand, "If you have some kind of heart, you'll help them." "Hmmnff....let go of my chin." the guardian's monotone voice did little to enhance his threat. Amir held him firmly but let go once the Titan rose to his feet. The guardian picked up Amir by his faded collar and made a growling noise. "What do you have to say this time?" "I know you hate me and me you. Do it, its better than living here knowing that there's no hope left." Amir taunted. The guardian strengthed his grip and pulled him as close to his body as possible. "Stop it, both of you!" Everyon turned and saw the feeble Katherine standing with her head down. She wobbled slightly, but she held her ground with the asistance of Johanna." Please Linus, put him down." Linus flinched at hearing his own name be called so gently. His mind function at her request and Amir touched the ground once again, he backed away without hesitation. Linus turned around and faced the window, the clouds had yet to fade out. "How do you know my name?" "We've been trapped in here for five months, how could I not know everyone's name." Katherine answered. "His name is Linus?" both Johanna and Amir said in unison. The Exo nodded his head but still refused to face them. "What else does it know?!" Amir yelled, but silence flooded the cell, "Can you free us? You knew all along, didn't you?" "....." Linus stared at the one break in the dark line of clouds, the eye of a storm with no rain nor winds. "I know that he still has hope." Katherine said. "That thing? You are joking!" Amir's angry once again rose, he was ready to almost go at the guardian. "I know, Amir, because he prays for it. Every night, he calls upon the Traveler for the will to help me and us. He whispers so that no one hears him, but I'm always awake. He gently ask for whatever little morsel of power and in return, he would save us. If he has hope, then so do I." she confidently stated. Amir rolled his eyes while everyone else looked off. "Is this true, Linus?" Johanna asked. Linus nodded. "I've done things, things that have hurt others. Their trust, their....life, gone. I lost my right to be a guardian and thus, the Traveler has looked badly upon me. I would have left a long time ago had I not lost my abilities. So I pray, day in and day out, for some little bit of strength. I pray for your safety, all of you. I pray that one day, I make up for what I've done in the past and redeem myself. If you want an apology, then you won't get one, but I have my reasons for my actions." Linus turned to face them once his speech was done. They said nothing, only Katherine's smile lite up the dark room. She happily nodded. "He has the power, I can feel it. He has hope." "She is right. I've made a promise to atone for what I've done by saving you all. I had to come to terms with accepting what's coming to me." Linus words were truth; even with his emotionless voice, the words greatly resonated with everyone who heard them, " I never gave up hope because I don't believe in it. But the hope that has generated through all of you has given me the strength needed to do what's right." Linus walked towards the window and looked out, watching as the clouds began to clear out. He understood what he needed to do next and it would not be for him, but for them. He gripped the metal bars and applied a strong force of pressure to them. He began to glow a faint red color while his like green eyes faded into a dark shade. He could feel the Traveler's acceptance flow through him, it's presence could be felt all around him. The bars began to melt off and the surrounding space corroded, he had created a large opening in the wall. Once his power drained, he stepped back as his sensors picked up on the waning breeze. He move out of the way of the hole and stared at his fellow cell members, they looked at him in awe. "Leave, now." Linus held out his hand for the first person. Katherine was the first to take his hand and he helped her carefully exit the cell. "Thank you. I never gave up on you." she said. "Go, live again for yourself and your child." Linus commented. She nodded as she began observing the unfamiliar territory. The second person came to face Linus, a loner who kept to himself. Finishes Below[/spoiler]