Mechanica: Bond Zero

Bond Zero is a short story set in the world of Mechanica: Two Hearts, One War, following a broken Pilot/Mech pair forced back into battle after their Bond has collapsed to nothing. 

Gravedancer and the Warden-frame Saint Ruin once fought as legends, but after a catastrophic glitch led to the deaths of their allies, trust between them shattered. Sent on one final mission to stop an enemy mech from reaching a refugee fortress, the two must face not only the enemy, but the grief, blame, and guilt still echoing inside their shared link.

It is a story about war, memory, sacrifice, and the terrible cost of protecting others when there may be nothing left of yourself to save.