Ash wakes up and finds himself being wrapped by a huge tentacle and dragged along a corridor.
"Chief!" Ash calls out.
"I'm still here!" Chief is being dragged along side Ash.
They are pulled into a huge chamber. Eventually, they are brought towards the head of a massive creature: the Gravemind.
"W-What... is that?" Xi questions.
The two Spartans are held in front of the Gravemind's head, a mass of fleshy mandibles. It speaks in a deep, gravelly voice.
"I...?" The Gravemind questions. "I am a monument to all your sins."
As the Gravemind talks, it breathes out Flood spores. Chief looks up and notices they are not alone. Four tentacles bring forth a struggling Arbiter and a wounded and struggling Tesa, as they are held next to each other.
"Relax." Chief calls out. "I'd rather not piss this thing off."
"Demon and the Reaper!" The Arbiter says in surprise and Tesa growls at the two Spartans.
The Gravemind make a loud huffing sounds, and indicates the two Spartans and drags them close. "These ones are machine and nerve, and has their minds concluded." A tentacle moves around Ash's head.
The Gravemind then makes another brief huff, before indicating to the Arbiter and Tesa, then dragging them close. "These ones are but flesh and faith, and are the more deluded." He shakes the Arbiter around and turns him upside down. A tentacle pokes at Tesa's wound and she hisses in pain as it bleeds.
"Kill me or release me, parasite." The Arbiter orders. "But do not waste my time with talk!"
"There is much talk." The Gravemind states. "And I have listened. Through rock, and Metal, and time. Now I shall talk, and you shall listen."
The Gravemind raises two tentacles, one wrapped around a red Monitor, and the other merged with an infected Prophet of regret."
"I thought I killed him!" Ash says as he looks at Regret.
"Greetings!" The Red Monitor greets. "I am two-four-oh-one Penitent Tangent. I am the Monitor of Installation 05."
Regret struggles to speak through his excruciating pain. "And... I am the Prophet of Regret, Councilor most High... Hierach of the Covenant!"
2401 notices the Master Chief and Noble Six. "Reclaimers? Here? At last! We have much to do. This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak!"
"Stay where you are! Nothing can be done until my sermon is complete!"
"Not true." 2401 states. "This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and one actual. It is ready to fire on demand."
Regret speaks to the Arbiter and Tesa. "Of all the objects our Lords left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles!" He then yells. "They know nothing of the Great Journey!"
"And you know nothing about containment! You have demonstrated complete disregard for even the most basic protocols!
"This one's 'containment'..." The Gravemind gives a disgusted huff. "And this one's 'Great Journey'... are the same." It lowers its tentacles, and Regret shrieks in fear. The Gravemind speaks to the Elites. "Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent, or all will perish as they did before."
The two Elites strop struggling as the Arbiter stares somewhat curiously at the Gravemind. Tesa just looks down as takes a few breaths.
"That thing is right." Ash calls out. "Halo is a weapon. Your Prophets are making a big mistake."
"Your ignorance already destroyed one of the sacred rings, Reaper." The Arbiter says. "It shall not harm another."
The Gravemind speaks. "If you will not hear the truth, then I will show it to you. There is still time to stop the key from turning, but first it must be found." He indicates each of the four in turn. "You two will search one likely spot, and you two will search another. Fate had us meet as foes, but this ring will make us brothers."
The two Spartans and Elites disappear in teleportation rings.
Over in High Charity, a swarm of Covenant ships attack each other outside of High Charity.
Inside on the walkway to the Council Chamber, Brute Honor Guardsmen guard the gates from Grunt and Jackal rioters.
"We are, all of us, gravely concerned." The Prophet of Truth speaks.
In the Council Chamber, a line of Brute Honor Guardsmen stand at attention. An Unggoy cameraman focuses a holographic camera on Truth as he delivers his propaganda, while the Prophet of Mercy watches from aside.
"The release of the parasite was unexpected, unfortunate. But, there is no need to panic. In truth, this is a time to rejoice. A moment that all the Covenant should savor." Truth raises the Index. For the Sacred Icon has been found. With it, our path is clear, our entry into the Divine Beyond guaranteed! The Great Journey is nigh..." The Grunt notices the Master Chief and Ash appearing out of thin air behind him. "...and nothing, not even the Flood, can stop it."
The Grunt aims its Needler at the Chief.
The Chief looks down at the shocked Unggoy. "Boo."
The Grunt yelps, throws up his Needler, and flees. The Master Chief catches the Needler and aims it at Truth. Two Jiralhanae Honor Guardsmen shield the Prophets with their pikes.
Ash takes out his energy sword, having lose his DMR in the lake.
"Kill the Demons!" Truth yells.
The Prophets and some Brutes escape through a gravity lift, leaving two Brutes behind.
Inside Job
"Brutes!" Cortana shouts as the two Spartans engage them. "The faster you can kill these Brutes, the better." Ash slices the neck of one of the Brutes open, killing it. "They don't have shield generators, but take them out before...." The second Brute yells in anger. "It's berserking!"
Several Grunts gun into the room, Ash kicks one's mask off and it throws up a Needler and he catches it, killing the rest of the Grunts with it.
A Brute speaks over the loudspeaks. "The Demon and Reaper of Reach have infiltrated the Council Chamber?! Protect the Hierarchs! Seal the exits!"
"Oh, I don't think so." Cortana says.
Side doors open up, unleashing waves of Jiralhanae and Unggoy upon the two Spartans. After a protracted battle, they are able to kill all Covenant troops in the room.
"Put me down on one of the pedestals near the door." Cortana says.
Chief approaches the door, and Cortana's hologram appears on a pedestal. "That Prophet, Truth. He has the Index! You two have got to take it from him Let me get these doors." The doors open. "Go! It will be easier to track Truth if I stay in the network."
"Good luck, Cortana." Xi calls out.
"You too, Xi." Cortana replies.
The two Spartans fight their way through many Brutes and Grunts, including an Unggoy Heavy operating a plasma turret and eventually make it to the ledge where Thel 'Vadamee was tortured and branded with the Mark of Shame. Here, more Covenant troops, including Kig-Yar try to stop the Spartans' progress. Reinforcements soon arrive from a gravity lift at the far end of the ledge. Eventually a group of three Jiralhanae arrive, one with a red flag attached to its harness.
"Watch out for the Captain, it's got a brute shot!" Cortana yells through coms.
"What is that a rifle, a knife?" Ash questions.
"A Knifle?" Xi suggests.
The two Spartans soon kill all the Covenant.
"Truth is moving through the lower levels of the tower." Cortana informs. "I'll reverse the Grav Lift. Drop down, try to cut him off."
The Spartans drop down the Gravity Lift, kill a pair of surprised Unggoy and Kig-Yar, and enters another hallway. More Covenant troops appear.
A Brute speaks over the loudspeaker. "Reinforce all approaches to the holding pens. Slay the Demon and Reaper on sight!"
"They're beefing up their patrols." Xi informs. "Stay sharp."
The Spartans enter a cross section, but with both left and right doors locked, they continues ahead.
"Wait a minute!" Cortana calls out. "I'm reading Marine IFF transponders. The signals are originating somewhere below your position."
The Chief and Ash defeat anther group of Covenant troops in the corridor, along with a trio of Jackals that enter from the cross section the Spartans previously passed.
"There's another lift in the next room." Cortana informs.
They exit and find a two-leveled, large room with a Gravity Lift, guarded by a pack of brutes with Jackal support. The Spartans eventually eliminates them and reaches the lift on the lower floor.
"Here, Chief. Ash." Cortana says. "Jump in."
The Spartans take the gravity lift down. They asses a level, alerting a pair of dozing Unggoy and a Jiralhanae, and continues down. Immediately they passes another level, and catches a glimpse of a dead Sangeili Honor Guard Ultra with an energy sword lying beside it. They finally reach the bottom, guarded by a Brute.
"There are two groups of Marines in the detention block. I'll zero in on their locations, you neutralize the guards... quietly." Cortana says.
The Spartans engages the Covenant soldiers in the room, and succeeds in killing them, as well as several troops that arrived from the lower levels of the detention center.
"Chief, Six, come to the lower level." Cortana says. "The Marines are just inside, careful of the guards."
The Spartans drop down two levels lower, clear the guards outside the doors and enter the brig. They encounter a patrolling Brute with it's back to them and four sleeping Grunts.
Ash slowly moves towards the Brute as Chief deals with the Grunts. When Ash gets behind to Brute, he jumps onto its back and stabs his energy sword into the back of its neck.
The Brute lets out a dying gurgle before falling to the ground, as Steps off the Brute and the brig doors unlatch.
Marine POWs run out and arm themselves with dropped Covenant weapons.
"Listen up, Marines!" Xi calls out. "Six and The Chief are hunting a Prophet, and you're gonna help them kill it."
"Affirmative!" The Marines yell.
The squad exits the brig and immediately come under attack by more Covenant guards on the mid level.
"Spartans, come to the middle level." Cortana says. "More guards, get ready."
The team levitates up to the mid level and frees the second group of Marines, who arm themselves, again, with dropped Covenant weapons.
"That's all the Marines, Ash." Xi says. "Good work you two."
Cortana then speaks. "We'll get out of here the same way we came in - the central Grav Lift. Hostile reinforcements coming down the lift!"
A large team of Covenant troops come down the gravity lift, and set up plasma turrets around the platform. The team ascend to the top level and after a struggle manage to kill all of the Covenant.
"The lift is clear." Xi says. "Step on it."
The Marines, one by one, step into the lift and leave the area. Ash goes last and is sent to a room with Marines and the Chief waiting. The dead Honor Guard Ultra Sangheili seen earlier still lies on the ground.
The Prophet of Truth speaks over the loudpseakers. "Fear not, my brothers! The Sacred Icon is secure. It was Tartarus and his Brutes who took the Icon from the Flood, and for that they have our thanks."
"Excellent!" Cortana cheers. "Truth is broadcasting on the move. It'll make him much easier to track."
Three Elites run out a nearby door, under fire from a lance of Drones.The team eliminates them and enters through the open door. They continue into a hallway, walk pass another dead Honor Guard Ultra lying on the floor, and encounter a pair of Elite Honor Guardsmen fighting several Jiralhanae and another lance of Yanme'e.
After all the Covenant are dead, another swarm of Yanme'e emerges from the door and attacks the team. The team eliminates them and reaches a cross section where a dead Hunter lies. The team continues into the next hallway.
Truth speaks over the loudspeakers again. "The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, 'Thou, in faith, shall keep us safe, whilst we find the Path.'"
"I've got a fix on Truth just outside this tower, Chief. Six." Cortana informs. "There's an exit nearby - hurry!"
The team enters another corridor, and sees a pair of Jiralhanae and a group of Kig-Yar attacking three Sangheili Honor Guardsmen. They manage to eliminate the warring Covenant and continue onward, passing another dead Mgalekgolo as they leave the area. They enter another area, patrolled by a pair of live Mgalekgolo, who are eventually eliminated by the Chief and Ash after a little sturrgle
Truth speaks over the loudspeakers again. "With my blessing, the brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it."
"You wouldn't believe the number of kill-systems the Covenant are throwing down around me." Cortana says. "Not to worry, it's pretty sloppy stuff. I guess they never expected a hostile intelligence to penetrate their networks from the inside."
The door in front of the team opens, revealing a duel between an energy sword-wielding Sangheili Honor Guardsman and a Jiralhanae on a platform on the top floor of the first Valley of Tears. Eliminating the victor of the duel as well as the Jackal Snipers in the distance, the team continues downwards, finding more Sangheili fighting a Jiralhanae under a deployable lookout tower.
A group of Drones fly down and attack another Mgalekgolo on the lower floor, but are soon intercepted by a pair of Elite Rangers. The team hikes up and finds a door, guarded by a single Jiralhanae. They eliminate it and exit the Valley. Behind the door reveals a wide and long staircase, splattered with purple blood. They walk down the slope.
"The Covenant just destroyed two of their own ships!" Cortana informs. "And I'm hearing reports of small arms fire throughout their fleet."
Truth speaks over the loudspeaker again. "Creatures of the Covenant: the path is broad, and we shall walk it side by side!"
The team exits and finds a gravity conveyor. They step into it and begin to convey to the other side. A slipspace rupture opens on their far left, and the UNSC In Amber Clad emerges from it.
"Slipspace rupture... It's In Amber Clad!" Cortana states.
The In Amber Clad flies by overhead.
The Prophet of Truth speaks over the Loudpseaker. "Be glad! A reward for all your toil and all your sacrifices is near at hand."
The team reaches the other side as the sound of In Amber Clad crashing is heard.
"Hailing..." Cortana starts. "No response. She crashed into another tower ahead of our position. I'll keep trying to make contact, but I'm not registering any human vital signs."
A Kig-Yar Sniper notices the team, and they quickly eliminate it. A pair of Unggoy and a pair of Sangheili turns by the corner and attacks the team. Soon two Jiralhanae appear and fire at the Sangheili. The team eliminates the Covenant troops and reaches the first Hanging Gardens.
Insense fighting between the Brute Honor Gaurdsmen and Special Operations Elites rages over it. The team eliminates the troops and a pair of Sangheili Rangers emerges from the tower. After clearing the area, the team continues and encounters another Gravity conveyor. Several Unggoy and Sangheili appear, one of them wielding an energy sword emerge, and begin to fire at the Kig-Yar led by two Jiralhanae on the other side, who moves to the side the Sangheili-led forces are on.
The team eliminates all the Covenant and enters another door, which leads into the Mid Tower. A group of Yanme'e fly by the narrow corridor, unaware of the human presence.
Truth speaks over the loudspeakers again. "I have listened to the Oracle, and it confirmed our deepest hope. The Great Journey begins with Halo."
A Brute speaks over the loudspeak. "The Elites are falling back to the Mausoleum. Fools! Their Arbiter can do nothing for them now!"
"Who would doubt the Prophets? What have they foretold that has not come to pass?"
They move on to the other side, reaching the second Hanging Gardens. Panicking Unggoy run around it, soon coming under attack by a pair of berserking Jiralhanae. The team kills all Covenant present and continues to the next Gravity Conveyor, and enters a door. Now on the bottom of another wide and long staircase, the UNSC forces are attacked by a trio of Jiralhanae, who fill the air with grenades from their Brute Shots.
Moving up as they eliminates the Jiralhanae, they reach the door at the top and arrives at the second .Valley of Tears. A single Sangheili defends itself from a Jiralhanae and a Kig-Yar Sniper, while another Jiralhanae attacks a pair of Unggoy near the pond below. Several more Unggoy are present nearby, trying to fend off the Jiralhanae.
The opposite door opens, and three Sangheili, one of them an Honor Guardsman, along with a fuel rod gun-wielding Grunt Heavy, who proceeds to fire at both the UNSC forces and the Jiralhanae. Scaling the Valley, the team hikes up a slope, meeting two energy sword-wielding camouflaged figures, followed by several SpecOps Grunts.
After eliminating the troops, the team enters another door into an area held by the Sangheili-led Covenant. A Sangheili as well as several Unggoy patrol the area.
The team kill the Covenant present, silently or not and continue into the next room, meeting more patrolling Sangheili and Unggoy, who are all Special Operations units. Shortly after, a Jiralhanae and two Kig-Yar launch an attack on the area from the opposite door. Caught in a crossfire, the Sangheili-led forces are wiped out before the humans and Jiralhanae-led Covenant turn their attention to each other.
The team eventually emerges victorious and opens the next door. They find a long bridge leading to the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. On the team's side, a pack of Jiralhanae supported by a Kig-Yar Sniper launch an attack on a Sangheili position in the center of the bridge.
Cortana then speaks. "If we're going to catch Truth, we'll need to take a shortcut, straight through the Mausoleum. Look on the bright side: for now, they seem much more interested in killing each other."
A swarm of Yanme'e soon descend from high above, firing at the Sangheili. The team eliminates all hostiles and advance, but are intercepted by more Sangheili-led forces, including a pair of Mgalekgolo.
More Yanme'e descend to add to the chaos. After defeating the opposition, the surviving forces enter the Mausoleum and come across a very large fight inside involving Jiralhanae, Yanme'e, a Mgalekgolo pair and three Elite Ultras.
"You might consider sitting this one out." Xi states.
After a heavy and long batter Ash and the Chief end up being the only survivors.
Ash kneels down to a body of a Marine and closes his eyes.
"We can only honor them by finish the fight." Xi says. "That's what you said to Rose Team, so lets do the same for these soldiers."
"...Right." Ash reloads the Needler in his hand.
The two Spartans move on and Cortana's avatar appears on a pedestal next to the exit. "This way, Spartans."
The exit opens, with several Stealth Elite, augmented by Elite Ultras, and a sword-wielding Honor Guard Councilor running out. The two Spartans kill then and continue through the bridge.
"...This isn't good." Cortana says. "I'm getting confirmed reports of Flood leaving In Amber Clad's wreckage. Let's get the Index and find a way out of here, before things get really ugly!"
In the Council Chambers Tartarus and his Brutes take Keyes, Johnson, Caleb, Caylnn and 343 Guilty Spark towards a platform where the Prophets of Truth and Mercy wait for them, with five Phantoms.
Caylnn is wrapped up and being carried over a Brutes shoulder. "Let me go, Assholes! Lemme get a good look at ya, so I know who to stick my knife into!"
"Split them up." Tartarus orders as Caylnn continues to yell. "One in each Phantom. ...Shut her up!"
A Brute slaps Caylnn across the face and she growls. "Oh, you're on my shit list now!"
The Jiralhanae do so rather brutishly. Keyes notices In Amber Clad in the tower before being pushed into the Phantom. The two Phantoms take off. Tartarus kneels before the Prophets.
"The hopes of all the Covenant rest on your shoulders, Chieftain." The Prophet of Truth hands Tartarus the Index.
"My faith is strong." Tartarus claims. "I will not fail."
Pod infectors spring up and rush them. The Jiralhanae spot them and they get ready. Tartarus and the Buite Honor Guardsmen manage to stab or crush most of them, but one gets through and latches itself onto Mercy's throat, knocking him off his throne.
Mercy screams in agony. Tartarus reaches out to remove the infector.
"Let him be." Truth orders and Tartarus looks at him in surprise as Truth speaks to Mercy. "The Great Journey waits for no one, brother... not even you."
The Prophet of Truth boards the Phantom and the Jiralhanae Honor Guardsmen follow immediately, but Tartarus hesitates, staring at the dying Prophet of Mercy. He looks at the Index, makes his decision, and walks away.
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08-29-2023
3578 words