Disclaimer: I do not own Halo it belongs to Bungie. I do however own most of the characters that appear in this story.
Author's Note: this story is the sequel to my last fanfic 'Stranded'. Although it is not required to read that story it is recomended.
RISE OF THE RECLAIMERS
Prologue:
Jimaelhae swung his plasma rifle in a horizontal arc. The weapon smashed against the marine's jaw. The human fell to the ground, blood running from his mouth. The Sangheili warrior let out a small snarl, placing a foot on the unconscious man's back. Jimaelhae fired a shot into the back of the marine's neck.
Bullets came from behind a concrete shield. Jimaelhae's shields flared, and he returned fire ducking behind cover. His rifle overheated, the vents on the sides opened as gas emitted from the weapon.
An Unggoy screeched as another Sangheili warrior fell. The cowardly foot soldier began to run when Jimaelhae stood and grabbed it by the front of it's armor. Jimaelhae lifted the fearful Unggoy from the ground.
"Do not flee, or I shall tear out your throat," Jimaelhae commanded. The Unggoy looked over the Sangheili's red armor, before being dropped to the ground. It immediately ran off.
Jimaelhae picked up his fallen brethren's plasma rifle in his empty hand, and advanced along with the other covenant troops towards the human position. Marines began firing at the oncoming assault. Unfortunately the humans were outnumbered by fresh troops, while they were tired and wounded.
"Forward troops, crush the human scum," Jimaelhae yelled above the din of battle.
He started running across the scarred battleground towards the concrete bunker the humans were hiding in. Bullets began ripping through the air, tearing into the covenant forces. Unggoy were falling by the handful, their screeches barely heard beneath the gunfire.
A Kig-Yar's energy shield gave out under the human weaponry, and it was torn apart. A Kig-Yar sniper took a shot from the jungle surrounding the torn field. The bright blue beam killed one of the hapless marines.
Jimaelhae was just in front of the bunker now, he saw nothing else. His powerful legs sent him into a jump that landed him on top of the bunker. A marine screamed and fired his assault rifle, but twin streams of plasma cut his life short.
Another Sangheili jumped onto the bunker roof, cradling a carbine.
"Let us kill the humans, brother," he said.
Jimaelhae and the other warrior entered the bunker through the staircase that opened onto the roof. Surprised marines turned and began firing at the invaders. Plasma from the outside covenant began to enter through the firing slit killing some of the marines.
Jimaelhae sent out a steady stream of bright blue energy into the humans, punctuated with the green bursts of radioactive ammunition from the carbine. Soon enough all that was left of the humans were smoldering corpses.
Jimaelhae savored the smell of burning flesh. It was his victory, he had earned it.
Barkarus stretched out a bloody arm. The Elites had ruined everything. The fools that they were. The Arbiter was even helping the humans, what madness was this? The wounded Brute looked from his position on the blood slick floor to his dead Chieftain.
Tartarus had a neat hole through his head from the Arbiter's carbine. The great brute's brains had splattered on a short half wall behind his limp corpse. His mighty war-hammer was still held in dead fingers.
It was what Barkarus was reaching for. The icon of the brute chieftain. With Tartarus dead the prophets would need someone to lead the brutes against the traitorous elites, the human scum, and the parasite that was spreading too quickly across Halo.
With a grunt of pain Barkarus's fingers brushed against the cold metal of the war-hammer shaft. He tightened his grip and dragged the weapon towards him, ignoring the pain it caused in his arm.
Tartarus's fingers released the icon and Barkarus pulled it close to himself, then using it as a crutch he stood. He felt semi-healed wounds reopen, and his blood begin to flow over his fur again, but he ignored it.
Barkarus stood tall and proud amongst the corpses of elites and brutes. He was now chieftain, he would now claim his revenge, and crush those who opposed the covenant. The first to die would be the elites and the humans left on the ancient ring, then he would take the fight to the human homeworld.
That would mean he had to find the Arc the oracle had been talking about. Barkarus turned, and began to walk from the Halo's fire control center.
The Gravemind's tentacles stirred in agitation. Halo had been prevented from firing, yes this was a good thing. Unfortunately many other pathways it had not seen before had been laid. Perhaps the reclaimers had more power than it originally anticipated.
It's tentacles made their way through the empty halls of High Charity, marked with blood and the scars of battle. It was here the elites and brutes has turned on each other starting the civil war, it was here the flood found transportation, and it was here that the rampaging reclaimer known as the Master Chief had found a way back home.
But what was this?
The A.I. was left behind. Perhaps she had answers. The end was approaching fast, yet this was still just the beginning.
The battle had ended and the war was about to begin.