I hope you all enjoy this chapter of Anibus 2! If you need to catch up on any chapters click this link for the Master Post: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/225488010/0/0 Without further ado Chapter 3! Anibus stared at Lyla for a brief moment, although it felt as if hours went by. She came up and hugged him, he didn’t know how to respond. Lyla talked about how she worried he was dead after the attack on the City, but she stopped shortly after and asked how he got to the Farm. He told her what happened, all except the Mob, he said he got to a ship shortly after he lost his Light. Anibus didn’t want anyone to know about what he had to do in order to appease the Mob. “I didn’t think you would be here Lyla. It’s been so long... what have you been doing the past 2 years?” The Titan inquired. “I came here with Orion after we exterminated some Hive in the Jovian’s. As for what I have been up to... I found a husband and was knighted by the Knights of Dawn. We have a little girl, her name is Hestia.” Anibus smiled for the first time that Lyla had seen, and she noticed his black hair and handsome face. It looked as if for a brief second the grim situation they were in had been completely forgotten, replaced not by joy... perhaps memories of a past long gone. “That’s amazing Lyla! Who’s your husband?” “His name is Paradas, we met here at the Farm...” She replied looking around, her mind recalling those days. “He’s great, and so is Hestia. She can finally see you!” Anibus was distant in thought, all he said was, “That’s good, that is good.” He thought of Agnus and Helen. His mind pulled out memories he had not seen before, strange... a Guardian who has memories of a life before his death. He was not startled, or surprised at what he saw. It was familiar, like finding a childhood book in a dusty attic. “I had a family once, a wife and daughter. Helen and Agnus, they were my world. And I lost them... I’ll never get them back.” His grief was not visible, it was inward. Not shown by tears or anything physical. Yet, anyone could see it was there. No, no not see. Feel. This grief was like a wound to his soul which cried out for anything to ease the unending pain. “I’m sorry about them Anibus...” Lyla replied at what had quickly become a conversation poisoned by sadness. “Well, what do you think of the Farm?” She asked attempting to pull Anibus away from his thought. “If I could live anywhere it would be here. It’s quiet. Things are old and need repaired, that’s something I would like after we win this war.” Anibus answered, there was an air of certainty in his voice. As if he knew they would survive. “Have you been busy with your daughter? I imagine it isn’t easy being a Guardian and a mother at the same time.” “Not really, although I do spend a lot of time with her. Whenever there’s a mission we need to do, she stays with some babysitters. She’s already found out she has the Light inside her! It’s adorable, I can’t wait to see what she will be able to do!” Lyla said with happiness. She told Anibus she would let him get his rest and she exited. Anibus lay down and his eyes closed and embraced the slumber he so needed. Anibus woke up to Hawthorne kicking his leg. “Dear gosh what is it with people abusing me to wake me up?” He asked with half jokingly half frustrated. “It’s harder than you would think. Get your armor on and meet in the barn, we have some plans to discuss. Try to be quick.” He got up, donned his armor, grabbed his Origin Story, and made his way to the barn. He walked through what was basically a small town toward the barn. He observed ships being prepared for what seemed like a long, arduous journey. He walked in and saw Lyla, Hawthorne, a young Titan, a Warlock, and a man referred to only as Devan. They stood around a table with a faded map laying on top. “Everyone, this is Anibus. He got here last night. Anibus this is Lyla,” gesturing towards her, “Paradas,” Lyla’s husband nodded as Anibus did the same. “Kurt,” the blonde haired Titan waved to him, “and Devan.” She said as Devan glanced toward Anibus, but quickly returned his attention to Hawthorne. “So, as you all know the Cabal have devoted a lot of their resources here in the EDZ. Scouts have reported heavy activity recently near the borders of the Farm. Devan and I have called you here so we can discuss setting up a perimeter defense. Devan.” She said as attention shifted towards the older man and she exited the Barn. “The Red Legion has come too close to us since the invasion, we need to make sure they don’t get near the Farm. We don’t have many to help, Hawthorne is leaving the job to us and a few other men. She will be finding people and supplies to bring back to the Farm. Until she gets back, this is place is ours. We have sentry turrets ready to set up, and plenty of ammo to go with them. Anibus and Kurt will set some of them up to the East while Lyla and Paradas will do the same in the North and West. That’s all for now, get to work.” Devan closed and walked to the second level of the barn as the Guardians prepared to set up the defenses. The Titan named Kurt walked over to Anibus. “Hey, the name’s Kurt. I’ve heard a lot about you, I’m glad we’ll be working together.” He said, Anibus gathered the ammo for the sentries and handed the other parts to Kurt. “Thanks, you seem to already know my name. Let’s go, we’ve got a lot of work ahead.” Anibus and Kurt set out across the morning green, the dew still clung to the blades of grass. After walking a couple miles and Anibus telling how he got to the Farm, they set up the first sentry turret overlooking the sprawling plains. “Hopefully this will take out any Cabal if the get too close for comfort.” Anibus said loading the turret. “Don’t worry about any areas with natural barriers, even with jet packs the Cabal won’t get past them. So, were you at the City when the Traveler was caged?” Anibus asked trying to find out more about his new comrade. “No, I was at the Farm. I fell over gasping for breath as my Light was taken, I worried about whether or not the Traveler was destroyed. Thankfully it wasn’t, some refugees got here within a couple hours and told everyone what had happened. Do you think they’ll stop the Red Legion?” He asked, looking for any hope. Anibus questioned who Kurt spoke of. “You know, the Guardian and the Ghost that killed Crota, Oryx, Skolas and even Aksis? Rumor has it that they ventured into the Vault of Glass and killed Time’s Conflux.” Kurt replied. “If they are who you say they are then I think they’ll come through. Keep a sharp eye out, this is where the Cabal are closer to us than we would like.” Anibus informed Kurt. The two Titans crept across the plains, even though there were no Cabal within earshot they didn’t want to take any risks. They set up the last turret and made their way back to the Farm. The sun’s rays glazed the green of Europe. Anibus tried imagining this place without the desolation around him. Anibus asked where Kurt was resurrected by his Ghost. “Some place called Old New York. The House of Kings lurked behind every shadow, I was lucky to make it out alive. I remember being surrounded by vandals but just before they tried to kill me I slammed my fist into the ground and watched as they disintegrated. I don’t know if something similar will happen again though.” Kurt replied. “There’s The Farm, let’s head inside the barn and see what else we need to do.” And so they did as the orange sky slowly turned to a light blue. They went upstairs and saw Lyla with Paradas. They were waiting for Devan. He met them with a grim face. “I’ve got bad news, we sent scouts outside the borders and what they observed was... disturbing to say the least. The Red Legion is preparing for an assault on the Farm, and they’ve got us surrounded and outnumbered. We have little to no chance of survival unless we get some aid.”