Titan Turn; A TDS Story

Chapter 18

Back on the other side of the forest, a loud engine roared through the barren land. For what felt like hours, Fallen King and Commander kept driving around, without directions, radar or a map and with every single tree looking almost the same it was near impossible to navigate.

"For Creator's sake! I think we past this rock like three times!... We ought'a be going in a circle at this point!!" whinned Commander, as he stopped the jeep. "We will run out of fuel if we keep this up!"

"We could always go on foot if need be." suggested Fallen as he leaned back into his chair.

Com' rolled his eyes at the thought of walking next to a sky scrapper of a being, "Oh yeah 'cause broadcasting our position in an unknown land definitely sounds like a great idea!"

"Look, I am trying to come up with a solution instead of whinning about the situation." Fallen said calmly.

"We wouldn't be in this situation if your son knew how to keep his nose out of other people's business!"

The Titan lifted an eyebrow but kept a still expression, "...My son is not the one who banished my brother. The father of child who cried every day after his parent's disappearance."

The smaller man was starting to lose his temper, "OOH! Now it's my fault?! If you Titans knew how to control your own blasted magic, the kids would've been here by now!!"

"...I wonder why our culture has died....Maybe because you killed our kind."

"Oh stop playing the victim! As if you haven't destroyed villages filled with people, burned their houses to the ground and stole what you could!" yelled Commander, finger pointing at Fallen's chest.

"Perhaps we wouldn't go through with these violent methods if we were allowed to come peacefully. We are denied access to hospitals, stores, schools for our children... How are we supposed to survive?"

"If you didn't treat us like pests in the first place, we could've co-existed" Com' said as he sat back down.

"You were the ones stealing our land, taking our supplies and destroying everything that stood in your path. And yet we are the monsters.. "

The Tower sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, "This disscusion is going nowhere! Let's stop sugar coating this. Ok? You don't trust me, I don't trust you. But we gotta get those kids and be out of here, the faster we get them the faster you and I can stay away from each other. Deal?"

"... Fine by me."

"Great."

They continued their way on a new found dirt track in silence. The air around them was as tense as a stone wall. Commander hated to admit it but Fallen scared him, the way he kept his composure even during their talk..when other Titans would have already taken his head off...creepy.. Maybe his soldiers were right, going alone with a Titan was a terrible idea. In this wasteland who could even find his body if the man next to him got fed up enough... Even the calmest of people have a breaking point after all...

He felt conflicted about the whole case. On one hand his emotions surrounding the fights and war itself were screaming at him to shoot the man next to him on sight. On the other hand he felt the worry in his voice whenever his son was brought up, he too was a parent after all... Commander gazed towards Fallen with the corner of his eye, scanning him a little bit. It was only now did he see how tired the man seemed and for a moment he no longer saw his enemy next to him but an exhausted father searching for his child. Com' himself was worried sick about Scout so having trouble sleeping was out of the question but the dark circles under Fallen's eyes did not lie, this man hasn't gotten a blink of sleep in the last three days.

"Maybe you should rest.."

"...I am fine."

"Your eyes are saying otherwise"

"I said I am fine. Let us continue our search."

"... Stubborn."

"What was that?"

"Nothin'.. "

Eventually just as the Commander had predicted their jeep ran out of fuel. With no means of transportation and having found a small clearing up ahead, they decided to set up camp. The moment they got off the jeep, Commander could see Fallen stumble a little as he tried to keep his balance. They walked to the back climbing into the compartment where their supplies were stored. Com' took it upon himself to set up a tent while Fallen would start the fire.
He finished quicker than the Titan which was a surprise, he had seen others break logs with their bare hands so strength shouldn't be the problem. He wandered into the forest, to find Fallen leaning on a tree to keep himself up, with a bunch of fresh cut logs spilled in the snow. Before he could say anything, the taller man fell forward, Com' barely catching him before he hit the ground.

"Back to the tents, now!" he ordered.

Fallen murmured something before sitting up slightly, "I ..am...fine."

"Oh suree you are! That's why you almost passed out in my arms!"

"Commander.."

"I don't want to hear it! You are going straight to sleep. I am not carrying dead weight around. Let's go!"

He threw the man's arm around his neck, supporting him as they trudge their way to the camp. Fallen went out like a light the second he laid down on their makeshift bed. The Commander huffed at the sight, his soldiers would kill him if they found out he helped a Titan, now when the time was opportune to get rid of him. He grabbed one of the blankets they packed, placing it on Fallen as he smirked, what a calm atmosphere for spending time with your enemies... No, this time... allies.

The tower hurried back to find their logs, holding them tight as he paced through the darkness of the forest, the dim light of the fire being his only beacon as the sounds bouncing around unnerved him.
He sat alone at the camp fire, deep in thought. What were his troops doing? Where are those boys... It could take weeks...maybe months to explore this seemingly endless land... What would happen then? Will they still be even alive?

A loud noise interrupted his train of thought. It sounded like it came from the mountain.. But what could it be in the middle of the night?
Despite it's persistence he brushed it off, putting out the fire and going inside the tent. There, Fallen had woken up, looking startled.

"Why are you up?"

"What was that loud noise?"

"Nothing. Go back to sleep" whispered Commander as he laid down next to the man.

"... The winds are changing, the forest appears to be quaking..."

"Huh?! Ohhh don't tell me you are one of those crystal gurus that bends the wind and crap like that!"

Fallen paused, ".... What? No. Titans are more in tune with nature than Towers. Some can bend certain elements, I guess... It feels like there is something wrong..."

Com' snorted, "...You're sleep deprived and dreaming, go back to sleep."

Fallen sighed but accepted the response quietly... No reason to argue back, if something happens they will find out in the morning, right?...
That is if they reach the morning..

...

(Just as a little side note I will be going back to some older chapters and rewrite certain parts, nothing major just some details)