I don't own HALO or Attack On Titan.
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TITANOMACHY:
CHAPTER 1:
FALL AND RISE:
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In a small, dark interrogation room, an elderly woman sat next to a table. The woman gave off a blank stare as she remembered memories of long ago. Her face, depicting exhaustion and solemnity.
As the woman continued to stare off, a man—hidden in the shadows of the interrogation room—spoke up. "Tell me about the children." The woman didn't seem to hear him. "Doctor Halsey?" The man inquired.
The woman—Doctor Halsey—looked in the direction of her interrogator, giving him a defiant look. "You already know everything." She spoke coolly.
The interrogator took the response as a sign to continue. "You kidnapped them."
"Children's minds are more easily accepting of indoctrination," Doctor Halsey explained. "Their bodies more adaptable to augmentation. The result was the ultimate soldier. And because of our success, when the Covenant invaded, we were ready."
But the interrogator narrowed his eyes at the old woman. "Doctor Halsey, you're bending history in your favor and you know it. You created the Spartans to crush human rebellion, not to fight the Covenant."
But the woman was adamant in her stance. "When one Human world after another fell, my Spartans were all that stood between humanity and extinction. Nobody was concerned over why they were originally built."
"So you feel in the end your choices was justified."
Doctor Halsey calmly sat forward, clasping her hands together. "My work saved the human race."
"Do you think the Spartans' lack of basic humanity helped?"
The question seemed to unnerve Halsey. She stared at the man with a worried expression. "What are you after? The others before you were Naval Intelligence, but you…you're something else…"
The interrogator ignored Doctor Halsey and went on. "Records show Spartans routinely exhibited mildly sociopathic tendencies, difficulty with socialization. Further—."
"First off…" Doctor Halsey snapped, cutting off the interrogator. "The records show efficient behavior in operating in hazardous situations. Secondly, you and I both know that one of them is not like that."
"One Spartan does not speak for all, Doctor. The Dragon was the exception and he's dead." The man replied. "But back to what I was saying: Do you believe that the Master Chief succeeded because he was at his core, broken?"
"What does John have to do with this?" Halsey demanded. Then her expression of demand turned into one of horror as it dawned on her. "You want to replace him."
"The Master Chief is dead, as well as any who were as strong."
"All of their files read 'missing in action.'" The Doctor corrected sharply, betraying a hint of anger in her calm voice.
"Catherine, 'Spartans never die.'" The man retaliated with the famous motto in an almost mocking tone.
"Your mistake is seeing Spartans as military hardware. My Spartans are Humanity's next step." Then the doctor stood straight up and looked her interrogator in the eyes. When she spoke, her voice was unwavering and full of conviction. "They are our destiny as a species. Do not underestimate them. But most of all, do not underestimate him."
[-]
In the dark vastness of space, the rear half of the Forward Unto Dawn drifted. It floated weightlessly through the cold void of space. Surrounding the ship were pieces of wreckage, mangled and torn metal, displaying the signs of battle. This ship appeared to one have served a great purpose. Signs of its former glory could be seen from the debris orbiting it and by its vastness.
Now, it floated about. Cold. Dark. Forgotten. Abandoned. In its current state, it was a heap of trash. But even in death, the ship still had a purpose.
Deep within the metal confines lined with wires and lights, the ship sheltered two survivors. Both of these survivors had quite an interesting duo.
The first survivor was a man-made artificial intelligence, or A.I. for short. CTN 0452-9, commonly referred to as Cortana, was an exceptional A.I. She had an intellect unlike any human or A.I., matched only by her sharp wit and humorous tongue.
The second survivor was a Spartan II, one of the greatest soldiers that Humanity ever created. But it was not just any Spartan II. It was none other than Master Chief Petty Officer Spartan-117, better known as the Master Chief. This was the super-soldier that was renowned throughout Humanity as its champion, and to the Covenant as demon. Truly, a more honorable, disciplined and deadly soldier could not be found in the galaxy.
Both Master Chief and Cortana had been stranded in uncharted space for over four years, drifting aimlessly. The UNSC had more than likely declared the two as dead, killed in the collapse of the slip-space portal or from the detonation of the HALO ring. And so, no help came and their drift went on.
But something unusual had had happened. The wreckage of the ship had entered the gravitational field of a planet. This planet, as it happened, bore great resemblance to the birthplace of Humanity, Earth. Despite its appearance, the planet was not the Earth that the survivors belonged to. There were no stations or satellites orbiting the planet, and no ships coming out to salvage the wreckage. Instead, the ship simply continued on its path towards the planet. As it drew nearer, the remaining undamaged sensors on the ship began to go off, alerting Cortana.
Deep within the Cryogenic Chamber, Cortana's avatar materialized upon a pedestal. Her avatar form took on the appearance of a blue, nude, young woman with lines of light spanning across her entire body. Despite the fact that Cortana was a system, one could not deny her attractive form. She brought up the ship's systems and began to peruse them. She soon found that they were approaching the planet, albeit at a slow speed.
Then, out of nowhere, Cortana flickered for a moment. She appeared slightly pained by it, but brushed it off. She couldn't allow it to inhibit her objectives. Speaking of which, the first one was to awaken her slumbering friend.
Cortana brought up the systems to the Cryogenic Chamber and found the pod Master Chief was in. The A.I. stared at the "Reactivate" button for a few seconds, showing slight hesitation. But her fingers found their way to the button and tapped it. The systems were replaced by a single word:
ACTIVE.
The holographic console disappeared as Cortana slowly turned and looked at a frost encrusted pod. Steam started to come off of it and the frost started to melt. Cortana watched the thawing process with somberness. "Wake up, Chief…" She whispered. "I need you."
The frost covering the pod's cover disappeared, beholding the Master Chief.
His physical appearance was a rather unique one. He wore a green and black, full-body armor; the "MJOLNIR Mark 6", which was the most advanced and powerful armor the UNSC had ever crafted. It was slightly clunky and angled, but it had some curves and segments that managed to offer an aerodynamic look. His helmet-which was the signature feature of his armor-was the same as his armor, and adorned with a golden, reflective visor.
At first, the soldier didn't stir. Then his head moved slightly, groaning as he did so. Beneath the helmet, the Spartan's eyes opened to a dark haze. He blinked a few times to clear up his vision. Then his adrenaline kicked in. His eyes snapped open and he lunged forward, his hands meeting the glass cover. For a second, the Spartan didn't know where he was.
"Chief!" Cortana called out to her friend. "Take it easy. You've been out for a while." The A.I. explained, trying to calm him down.
The Spartan looked over to the pedestal, at Cortana. His A.I. companion's words appeared to have effect and he soon remembered. Having come to his senses, the Spartan dropped his hands and took a deep breath. He leaned back against his pod's rest. He was awake. With that bit of knowledge in mind, he looked back at Cortana and decided to get down to business. "Where are we?" asked Chief.
Cortana smiled, relieved that her friend was alright. It was just like Chief to take charge of the situation. "We're still adrift on the Dawn." she explained.
"Why did you wake me?"
"Hang on." Cortana answered as she brought up a new holographic console. "Bringing your systems online now." She then proceeded to tap numerous buttons on the console. As she did this, Chief stretched slightly and flexed, reacquainting himself with his body. Seconds later, Cortana finished activating the MJOLNIR's systems. "I rewrote your suit's firmware while you were out." she explained.
"You've been busy." Chief commented with a hint of dry humor.
Cortana didn't seem to notice Chief's attempt at humor. Her world revolved around the monitor in front of her. "Activating artificial gravity now." She informed Chief.
A second later, the debris that had been floating about in the Cryogenic Chamber fell to the ground. The objects clattered onto the metal floor, their weight meaning something for the first time in years.
Cortana turned her attention back onto Chief. "Chief, look up." She instructed. "You need to pull the manual release."
The Spartan did as he was told and looked up. He saw the manual release lever above him. Chief then reached out, grabbed and pulled the lever. There was a mechanical hiss and the cryo-pod cover opened. He hopped out of his so-called "bed" for the first time in years, taking a few uncertain steps toward the pedestal. Having spent so much time in cryo-sleep, he almost collapsed under his own weight, his body still adjusting to being mobile again.
With some effort, Chief reached Cortana and her pedestal.
She gave her usual grin as the Spartan stood in front of her. "Seems like old times."
Chief nodded. "Ready to get back to work?" He asked.
The A.I. crossed her arms and leaned in a sassy manner, a witty grin on her face. "I thought you'd never ask." She responded.
Chief reached out and yanked Cortana's A.I. chip from the pedestal. The A.I.'s avatar disappeared from sight in a flash. Then the Spartan took the chip and inserted it into the slot on the back of his helmet. A second later, Cortana appeared in the corner of Chief's HUD.
"Alright, so what's happening?" Chief asked. The Spartan knew that Cortana wouldn't wake him up from cryo-sleep unless she had a reason.
"Head for the Observation Deck," Cortana replied. "I'll explain on the way."
Chief complied, heading for the Cryogenic Chamber's exit. On his way, he spotted an M6H Magnum Pistol on the floor, as well an MA5C Assault Rifle. He bent down and picked both weapons up. He inspected both the pistol and the assault rifle, checking to see if they were in operating condition. Finding no problems with them, he placed the pistol on his hip and the assault rifle on his back. One never knew what could happen.
Then the two exited the Chamber before proceeded to navigate the winding halls and corridors of the ship. The lights were on, shining dimly as they lit the way. However there were some areas that held no light and the only sounds that could be heard were Chief's breath and footsteps.
"How long was I out?" Chief asked, breaking the eerie silence.
"Four years, seven months, ten days." Cortana replied.
"Somebody should've found us by now." He said. The fact that they had been adrift for over four years without having been found gave the Spartan an uneasy feeling.
"I don't think that's possible." Cortana interjected. "I've reviewed the star charts from the ships sensors. There aren't any constellations or stars that match any database. We're in unknown waters, Chief."
"If that's the case, then why did you wake me up?"
"Because a few days ago, I found that we were on course towards a planet. The kicker…it's 93.8 percent identical to Earth."
Chief raised an eyebrow at this. "Why only 93 percent?"
"Get this, from what I've seen, the planet's atmosphere contains natural ozone. Which isn't possible, considering that a natural ozone layer hasn't existed since Earth a couple hundred years back. There's also no city lights or pollution."
Chief nodded. This was getting interesting. "Is the planet capable of sustaining life?"
"From what I've seen, it should. Scans indicate good amounts of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon on the planet." Cortana answered Chief's question. "If there is life on the planet, it has to be relatively primitive since no one's sent a ship, let alone contacted us."
Chief was quiet. He was processing what he had heard just now. He had been in all sorts of situations in the past, but he had to admit that this was a new one. A planet similar to Earth this far out in space? He was surprised it wasn't colonized. Then again the UNSC had had its hands full trying to prevent Humanity's extinction. So it was to be expected that it be overlooked.
The duo eventually reached the Observation Deck after going up multiple stairwells and corridors. The automated doors slid open with a hiss and Chief entered the enormous room. He walked up to the main console, high above on a platform. Upon reaching the console, he pulled Cortana out and inserted her into it. She appeared in her avatar form a moment later
"I'll open the shades." Cortana said. The large metal curtains moved and slid away.
The sight that befell the Spartan was that of the planet. It looked just like Earth, but it held a certain untainted beauty that the Earth he knew didn't have.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Cortana smiled.
"I wonder if the same could be said for the planet's surface." Chief commented with skepticism. They still had no idea what awaited them on this Earth look-alike. "Please tell me there's another reason we're here besides sightseeing."
Cortana made a face, peeved that Chief didn't want to enjoy the moment. "As a matter of fact, there is. There's some programs and data that I want to take with us. Plus a special project…"
Chief tilted his head in curiosity. "Just what special project?"
"A-bup-bup! No opening of presents before Christmas." Cortana teased playfully.
The Master Chief deadpanned at her joke and sighed. Sometimes the Chief felt that her sense of humor was a bit too much. This was one of those times. "Fine. Just hurry it up."
"Patience is a virtue." Cortana countered. "Just a few more things…and…done!" She turned her attention back to Chief. "We're good to go!"
Chief reached out and pulled Cortana out of the console and replaced her back into his helmet.
The A.I. reappeared back in the corner of Chief's HUD before getting down to business. "So with that out of the way, we can proceed to our next objective. This ship's going down and there's no guarantee that it'll land in one piece. So our best bet for us is to gather some supplies and disembark the ship via one of the leftover escape pods. Once we're planet side, we'll determine our next move."
Chief nodded. The plan was simple and straightforward. But there was one thing… He raised an eyebrow at Cortana. "When you say we'll gather supplies, you meant I'll gather supplies, didn't you?"
Cortana grinned. "Oh, come on… I'm the dashing brains who cracks advanced systems and codes. You're the rugged brawn who does the fighting and heavy-lifting."
Chief just shook his head. "Why do I feel like I will always have someone there to tease me?" Chief asked rhetorically. Then he smiled sadly. Just how long has he been dead for? Five years? He added in silence.
Cortana saw her friend's pained expression. She knew who he was thinking about. To be honest, she couldn't believe it when she heard either. "Hey…" She said soothingly. "I miss him too. But now we need to focus on what's in front of us. We can mourn another time."
Chief hardened his face. "Let's go." He said, changing the subject abruptly. Then he walked back to the exit and the doors opened with a hiss. He walked past the doors and they closed behind him.
[-]
As events transpired in the stars above, a trio of wide-eyed teens stared up at them. Once, these three were terrified children. But now they had grown up to be promising soldiers.
"Wow." Armin whispered in awe, looking up at the night sky above. "They're really standing out tonight." The blue-eyed boy commented upon the beauty of the stars. "You know when I was younger, I once tried to count all of the stars in the sky. But I soon got tired and fell asleep. I don't even remember what number I counted up to…"
Eren laughed. "Yeah… I know what you mean. It's like counting how many raindrops fall when it rains. Or how many hairs there are on someone's head." He admitted, having tried once or twice in his childhood.
"I once managed to count all the hairs on a man's head." Mikasa, Eren's adopted sister, chimed in with usual emotionless voice.
Eren and Armin looked at the emotionless girl with shock. Mikasa was generally more skilled than the both of them, but not that skilled. But it was also given that Mikasa didn't lie.
"Incredible!" Armin said excitedly. "How many did you count?"
"Three." She replied nonchalantly as Eren and Armin deadpanned. "He was a very bald man." Mikasa explained.
"That doesn't count!" Eren scolded his sister.
"Yes it does." She retorted calmly. "You never said whose hair you were counting."
Eren scowled as he looked away. Normally he would debate with Mikasa longer, but his thoughts were overshadowed by another matter. Soon he and his friends would be graduating from their military training. When that happened, their lives were going to change.
Soon, the time would come where they would have to choose what branch of the Military that they would want to join. When that happened, they would be scattered all over the Walls. There was a chance that Eren might not see his friends ever again. So he was doing his best not to argue with them, so as not to spoil the time they had left together.
He sighed and looked back up at the stars. It had been five years since the Fall of Shinganshima. Five years since the giant man-eating monsters known as Titans broke through his home and took Wall Maria. And five years since he saw his mother die.
Unlike his fellow trainees, there was no question what path he would take. He would join the Survey Corps. It wasn't a difficult choice. He had had his eyes set on them ever since he was a young boy. They were always going beyond the Walls, seeing the outside world. And they were the only branch of the Military that actually fought anymore. If he was to have his revenge, it would be through the Survey Corps.
"Soon…" Eren whispered under his breath. "Soon we'll take it all back." He was sure of it.
[-]
In the meantime, in another part of the city, Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps was taking another glance at the charts in front of him. In a few days, the young Commander would be leading the Survey Corps on yet another expedition in the Wall Maria territory. He was taking the time to adjust some minor details in the formation.
As Erwin was looking at the charts, his second-in-command, Captain Reveille "Levi" Ackerman, entered. The Commander gave a nod, acknowledging his presence before turning back to the charts.
"We've received all the supplies needed." Levi informed his Commander. "Gas, blades, flare pellets–everything we need."
Erwin nodded, satisfied with the update. "Good…" he muttered absentmindedly.
Levi looked at Erwin' who was hunched over the table. "You should put those away." Levi told Erwin. "It's late. Try to get some rest. God knows we'll need it when we go out."
"Rest will amount to nothing if we're not prepared." Erwin responded. "Which is why I am making sure we are."
"And we'll fail if we don't have a leader to guide us." Levi informed his Commander sharply. The Captain's words seemed to have effect on Erwin who looked up. Levi took advantage of this attention. "If you're not rested and aware during the expedition, you'll make the wrong decisions. When you make the wrong decisions, more people than usual die."
Erwin stared at Levi. Then he sighed' putting down his pencil. He smiled weakly. "You're right. An army without a leader is lost."
"I knew you'd come around."
"It's just… It's been five years. Five years since Maria fell. We have a route planned and our technology has advanced slightly. But I see no end in sight."
Levi looked at his Commander. "Now's not the time to think about that. We'll worry later. Now get your sorry ass to your quarters before I drag you there myself." he threatened.
"Fine. Fine." Erwin capitulated, raising his arms as a sign of surrender. He stood up and went around his desk. The Commander walked over to his longtime comrade and the two exited the room, closing the door behind them.
[-]
Master Chief was carrying a crate filled with ammunition to the Escape Pod. The Spartan had spent the last few hours loading a variety of weapons and supplies onto the Pod. He didn't know what the situation was on the planet, but it was best to be prepared.
With a grunt of effort, he placed the crate down into the pod and secured it. Escape Pod's were more for the purpose of quick evacuation rather than transportation, so unless any equipment was secured, it would fly all over the place.
Then Chief stepped back and examined his work. He had loaded up as much supplies as he could in the amount of time he had. It wasn't a lot, but with careful rationing and temperance, he could make it last.
"Well, I guess that's everything." Cortana chimed in.
Chief nodded. "Yeah. If what you said about the planet is true, then we can hope that there's edible food down there."
"Ah. See, I don't have to worry about sleep or food." Cortana said playfully. "So you're on your own with those."
Chief let out a small laugh. "I don't need to worry." He replied wittily. With his Spartan enhancements, Chief never really needed food all that often. His metabolism had been enhanced so much to the point, that he could survive for days-weeks, if need be—without any food or water.
"That's everything." Chief reported. "Time to go." The Spartan then stepped into the pod. The door closed with a hiss, pressurizing the pod. Chief walked over to the front of the Pod and inserted Cortana into the controls. Then Chief sat in the pilot seat and put on the safety harness.
The Pod's systems and controls beeped a couple of times before Cortana spoke. "Here we go." She said.
There was a hiss and a sudden lurch as the Escape Pod shot off the Dawn. Its thrusters activated and the craft began to fly away from the ship.
Soon the wreckage of the ship began to gain speed as the gravity increased. Slowly building up until it reached the point of no return.
A minute later the rear-end of the Forward Unto Dawn entered the atmosphere.
[-]
"It's getting late…" Armin murmured to his friends. "We should start heading back." Despite the three becoming soldiers in a matter of days, the restrictions of curfew still applied to them. The last thing that any one of the friends wanted was a session with their instructor.
Eren nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we should."
Eren Mikasa and Armin rose from their spots on the ground. They quickly dusted off their clothes and began to head in the direction of the barracks.
Despite the late hour, the citizens of the city were anything but dormant. The bars and pubs were still open and filled customers. Families were returning from friendly visits. There were even some fellow cadets who were making a hasty return to the barracks as well.
As the three were walking, they passed by a family. Eren watched as a father carried his sleeping son. As the boy watched the family pass, a twang of sadness grabbed at his heart. It reminded him of his own family and brought back even more memories of life before that day.
How long has it been since I was carried like that? Eren wondered to himself. The boy was lucky, he didn't know the loss of a mother or a father.
Speaking of fathers, Eren became more aware of the weight around his neck. He grabbed the string and pulled out a key from under his shirt. The key was special, long ago it was what locked the mysterious basement in his old house. It was also a reminder of the last time he had seen his father, even though he didn't remember it exactly.
Eren's thoughts were soon interrupted as he heard a sound. He stopped and listened. At first it was like a faint hum. Then it grew into a steady rumble. Eren saw the pebbles on the ground clattering across the floor and the windows vibrate.
Armin noticed Eren behind him. "Hey, Eren-!" Armin called out but stopped when he saw Eren raise up his hand to silence him.
"Do you hear that?" Eren asked.
His friends stopped and listened. The sound was getting louder and louder. The people in the street stopped and listened to the sound. Others came out from their homes and those who were sleeping peered out of their windows.
"What is it?" Mikasa asked.
"Where's it coming from?" Eren questioned as he looked around. The sound had now evolved from a rumble to an almost deafening roar, but even then, its source could not be seen. Then the night sky was illuminated with an orange glow. And Eren would never forget what he saw next.
High in the night sky, a humongous ball of fire flew over the city. As it soared the ball of fire rumbled and shook the earth. The citizens of Trost watched the fireball with wide eyes. People screamed in terror and hid. Others stood where they were, mesmerized by the light.
"What is that?!" Armin exclaimed in terror.
"I don't know." Eren answered quietly. He was in a trance-like manner, watching the glorious orange fireball. As he watched it, Eren had this strange feeling. It was almost like the fireball was a sign. An omen…
He just didn't know what the omen was for.
[-]
Erwin and Levi were on their way to the barracks. The two had a long few days ahead of them and they were going to need as much rest as possible.
Suddenly, Erwin stopped in his tracks. "Do you hear something?" Erwin asked Levi.
Levi looked at Erwin. "Now that you mention it…"
Unfortunately, Levi did not get a chance to finish his statement. For at that moment, a huge ball of fire flew over the two officers of the Survey Corps. They looked up at the night sky, transfixed by the fiery occurrence above. And just as quickly as it came, it just as quickly passed.
However, Erwin was intrigued by the sudden phenomena. Without looking at Levi, he ran off, heading in the direction of the comet.
Levi watched Erwin run the street for a few seconds before following. Knowing him, he'll probably do something stupid or insane. Levi thought to himself.
The two soldiers ran through the street. As they ran through the streets of Trost, they saw citizens all over cowering at the strange occurrence. Some were already speaking to one another and heading in the direction of where the comet was going.
The fireball soon passed Wall Rose and entered the Maria Territory. The sky that was once illuminated, dimmed back to its dark hue. Then, a moment later, a loud noise sounded.
BOOM!
Then the earth shook. Levi and Erwin stopped, leaning against a building to maintain their balance. The citizens were frightened by the commotion. Everyone ran around, shrieking in terror and holding on to their loved ones.
Soon the shaking faded away and the two soldiers continued their marathon to the Wall with haste. After a few minutes of running through crowds of frightened people, Erwin and Levi reached the Wall. Erwin immediately ordered for a lift to take him and Levi up to the top of the Wall. The Garrison soldiers obeyed the command and within five minutes were at the top of the Wall.
Erwin disembarked and walked over to the edge of the Wall. He looked to see that the horizon was illuminated from where the fireball had crashed.
Every soldier on the Wall was fixated on the horizon. Fear was evident in their eyes. Such a thing had not happened before in their life. Such a thing had never happened in the last hundred years the Wall stood and certainly not before that either. The questions that all these people held had no one to answer them.
Levi looked at the horizon along with Erwin. Then he turned and looked up at his Commander. "What the hell was that?" Levi asked.
But Erwin shook his head in reply. "I don't know…"
[-]
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Yeah…
So I am back.
I would like to take this moment to express my sincerest apologies as to me taking down the story and the prolonged rewrite of the first chapter. I had made a lot of promises a year ago, most of which I did not keep. But hopefully that will all change.
Right now, I have been busy in developing my portfolio for Art Colleges, so I don't necessarily have a lot of time to write. I only ask that you all remain patient for a little while longer.
I'll explain more in the follow-up chapters as to what had happened and what will happen. But for now, enjoy the return of a longer and better first chapter of my story.
See Ya!