Memories. They flashed through his mind like wildfire, bringing him to awareness in the void of his subconscious. Visions of the past surrounded him in an array of emotions. Most of them were happy ones, but as they went on, they got dark.

How he had been left by his true love.

Darker.

The death of his family at the hands of the Covenant.

Darker.

The demise of his entire unit one by one.

Darkest.

When he, too, died.

He could still feel the plasma burn into him, still hear the whine of the Covenant weapons and the staccato-clatter response of the Human assault rifles.

But a part of his subconscious tingled.

How could he still think if he was dead?

Suddenly, a light appeared in his vision, opening into a perfectly circular form.

A portal.

He stepped into the light.