Book 1 Elementia Chapter 3: Path to Destiny
"John! John! You can't catch me!" an eight-year-old girl yelled to her friend as she ran through the park. Behind her, a seven-year-old boy giggled and ran behind her, his short brown hair bounced as he ran, and his grinning freckled face let his gapped front teeth shine in his smile.
"You watch me, Kya!" The boy laughed as he barreled after her.
He sighed when she sped up and ran through the busy bazaar. "Kya!" he called out, looking around the alleyways once he realized he had lost her. "Kya, where'd you go?"
He wandered around, looking for her when a man in a military uniform and a woman in a turtleneck sweater and skirt stepped before him. "Hello, is your name John? John Sheppard?" the woman said as she went down to one knee. John studied her. Her short hair came down to the middle of her neck and framed her face, and her kind brown eyes shined behind her glasses. The boy nodded, and the pretty woman smiled. "My name's Catherine. It's nice to meet you, John."
"What do you want?" the little boy asked curiously, staring up at the woman.
"Do you like to play soldier, John?" Catherine asked with a small, tight smile.
"Ahuh…" John said softly with a slow nod.
"You see… I work for the UNSC, and we've chosen you, John," she said with a smile.
"Chosen me for what?" the boy asked, even more confused.
"We're going to make you better, better than you are or would be without our assistance." She said, putting her hand to his cheek before touching the side of his neck with a pin. He yelped when he felt a sharp sting, and the world began to spin around him.
"Your sacrifice will save so many, John…" he heard her say as he collapsed into her arms.
"Is the flash clone ready?" she asked the soldier to her side as she picked up the boy.
"His friend should be finding him anytime now." The soldier said as he looked on a clipboard. "This one will be given designation SPARTAN-117."
"John-117, it has a nice ring to it …" she said as he battled the drug. "Let's take you to your new home, Chief."
"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. Did you dream?" Master Chief opened his eyes and sat up in his capsule. He cocked an eyebrow at the blue hologram before him. "Cranky as always, I see," Cortana said as she watched him reach for his helmet and place it on.
"Is it really that late? Why didn't you wake me?" Master Chief asked when he saw the time on his HUD.
"I just let you sleep," Cortana said, placing her hands behind her head and smiling at him. "I like watching you sleep."
Master Chief said nothing but glanced over his shoulder at the hologram. "You talk in your sleep, and kick like a dog. It's really quite entertaining."
Again, Cortana was greeted with silence as the Chief went about his morning ritual of checking and double checking his armor and weapons. "You know, he reminds me of you, Chief."
"Who?" Master Chief grunted as he placed a shell in the barrel of his rifle.
"Aang," Cortana said as the hologram hugged herself and glanced away. "An innocent kid who only wanted to have fun with his friends then having way too much pressure dropped on him. It's not right…"
"The ends justify the means," Master Chief said as he checked his pistol.
"The ends do NOT justify the means," Cortana replied hotly. "What the monks did to that kid is inexcusable, just like what that… woman did to you and the others in the Project. I go on record as saying that it was cruel and heartless to do what she did to kids."
"Your objection is duly noted," Master Chief stated, stretching his neck. "But no matter what has happened in our pasts, we have another war to fight."
"There's always going to be another war…" Cortana sighed as her image faded and the Chief re-downloaded her programming into his armor.
The armored titan walked out of his chamber and heard the children's voices from the makeshift room where they had spent the night. "It was just a bad dream, Aang…" Katara sighed as Aang paced and ranted before the group.
"…and we all die because of your weak bladder!" Aang finished his rant while breathing heavy and glaring at an indignant Toph.
"Aang, it's ok," Katara said soothingly as she rubbed his shoulders. "But you need to rest. The invasion is in just a few days. You're ready, Aang. I know you are… I believe in you."
"But what if I'm not ready… what if I blow it?" Aang asked with a slight tremble in his voice.
"You're not ready," Master Chief stated, as he made his presence known.
"Aang's trained a long time for this," Katara said in the younger teen's defense.
"You're ready to fight, there is no doubt in my mind of that," the SPARTAN stated, crossing his arms. "But are you ready to kill?"
The group stared at the armored soldier with wide eyes. "You better believe the Fire Lord will be. If you overpower him, but hesitate before the final blow… he will kill you. And your friend, he will likely jump in to avenge you and fall at your side." The Chief stated as he took a step toward the young Avatar. "The girls, they won't be as lucky. Women have always been prizes of war. Ozai will likely use them as rewards for his soldiers, at least, once he breaks their spirits. And then, once the soldiers tire of them, only then will they be allowed to die."
"You're not ready, none of you are," Master Chief growled out. "We have four days, so let's get to work."
O
"Where's the Avatar?" was a common question among the gathered rebels on an island just outside the waters of the Fire Nation capitol. Hakoda gave a smile as he heard some of the rag tag group tell their stories of when they crossed paths with the Avatar and his companions.
"Wonder what they're planning," Teo said to Haru not far from Katara and Sokka's father. "When we got the subs built, they sent another message saying they had a change in plans…"
"They know what they're doing," Haru shrugged, blinking and squinting his eyes and looking in the sky. "IT'S THEM!" He said pointing to what looked like a flock of birds soaring toward the island meeting place.
Once they got closer, the rebels could see Appa flying in the lead with a wing of metal airships flying at his sides.
The group watched in wonder as the Bison and the three metal crafts settled down on the beach.
No one spoke, nor were they able to, as the grinding sound of the back of the airships opened and lowered a gangplank. "LAND!!" Toph bellowed as she threw herself from the aircraft and landed firmly on the sand.
"Sokka! Katara!" Hakoda called out as the two blue-clad teenagers climbed down from Appa just behind the Avatar.
"Dad!" Sokka called out as the two kids hugged their father with Aang watching on, a smile on his face.
"I guess this will have to do," a deep voice spoke, and Hakoda turned to see a green armored giant standing above all his forces.
"Dad, I'd like you to meet our new… friend," Katara said awkwardly as the crowd parted for the giant. "This is Master Chief."
"General Hakoda," Master Chief said with a salute. "SPARTAN-117 at your service, sir."
Hakoda looked up at the towering soldier, who was over a foot taller than the Water Tribe leader. "You're… not from around here, are you?"
"What gave you that idea?" Toph asked as she joined the group. "By the way, I think I like riding on Appa more than those Pelican things… ugh…" she shuddered.
"Is everyone here?" Sokka asked, glancing around the large group.
"This is everyone we could gather," Hakoda replied to his son.
"Then let's get this ball rolling…" Sokka took a deep breath and glanced to Aang, who hadn't been able to meet his, Katara's, or Toph's eyes since their three-and-a-half-day training session with Master Chief.
It took around an hour for a small stage with a map of the Fire Nation capitol and surrounding area to be put up. The crowd was silent as they awaited Hakoda to step up and address them. "It would be a moot point to thank you all for gathering here," Hakoda said as she stepped up to the group. "So, let's get to the point. My son Sokka has developed our plan of action. Sokka?" He said, stepping to the side and letting his eldest offspring take center stage.
"Ok…" Sokka gulped as he stepped up to the podium. "Hi, everybody… I'm Sokka…" He stammered as he glanced around the listening crowd. He looked at the front of the crowd and saw Aang, Katara, Toph, and his father listening attentively and then glanced up to see Master Chief at the back with his arms folded. "Um… uh…" He said, his face turning red as his eyes combed the crowd.
"Why don't you start at the beginning," Katara spoke up with a supportive nod.
"Right… um… it all started when Katara and I found Aang in a iceberg. Then, after Prince Zuko attacked, we started going around the world with him, I mean Aang, and…" He rambled on with wide, terrified eyes.
Master Chief shook his head, but when he saw Sokka's father start toward the stage again he cleared his voice loudly. "Sokka," Master Chief said, grabbing everyone's attention including the terrified teen's. "Focus." He said in a firm voice. "Your adventure stories can wait for our victory celebration. Now, what is the attack plan?"
Sokka's rambles stopped as he saw himself blink in Master Chief's reflective visor. "Right… The original plan was an insertion through the bay with the submarines I had the Machinist construct, and while that plan will still be somewhat in effect, it will now be more of a diversionary assault. The first assault will be made by a small group of Water and Earthbenders led by Master Chief via the subs. They will pass through the Fire Nation's Fire-Gate and attack the pier area of the city."
"How will we get past the gates?" one of the soldiers asked, raising his hand.
"Master Chief will handle that," Sokka nodded to the armored soldier.
"The main force lead by my father, and whoever he chooses for the secondary commanders will be inserted here and here on the east and west portions of the city via Master Chief's Pelican airships after the Fire Nation defenders move in on the sub group." Sokka said, pointing out the locations on the map. "All three groups will push forward, surrounding the forces while Aang moves ahead to challenge the Fire Lord. It will be tough up until the eclipse, but once it hits, we will have eight minutes to take out as many troops as we can."
"Are there any questions?" Hakoda asked as he joined his son on the stage.
"Can we really take the Fire Nation in just eight minutes?" one asked.
"We don't have a choice," Sokka responded with a determined nod.
"And to complete this plan of my son's," Hakoda said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "I'm going to place command of Pelican Group B under Sokka's command." He said, causing his son's eyes to widen. "Are there any objections to this plan? It is risky, and anyone who chooses to stay behind will not be thought less of." No one made a move to leave. "Then prep up. The eclipse should happen in twelve hours, so we have ten to prepare."
O
Aang finished shaving his head, once again proudly showing his Air Nomad tattoos. He had discarded his Fire Nation clothing and once again was wearing Air Nomad robes. With a sigh, he pulled the metal object tucked in the back of his belt and stared at it.
"If it looks like your bending won't finish the job, kid," He heard Master Chief's words in his head again as he remembered when the armored soldier gave him the weapon. "This will. Chin up. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you from having to use it."
He knew he was going to have to face the Fire Lord, he knew it from the time he started his journey with Katara and Sokka, but he never though about what he might have to do to end it. He knew what he had to do. The problem was he wasn't sure he could do it.
"Aang!" the Avatar lifted his head to see Sokka and Teo approaching. "Teo made this for you," Sokka said as he handed a large staff to the young Avatar.
"Hit that switch, on the side there, Aang," Teo instructed, and Aang marveled as the staff opened into a glider.
"Thanks!" Aang said cheerfully, but the smile on his face didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Just think, this time tomorrow, we'll be celebrating peace for the first time in over a hundred years!" Sokka beamed as he slapped his friend's shoulder.
"Yup, I'm… sure we will…" he said as the three made their way to the gathered rebel forces.
Meanwhile, overlooking Aang, the Master Chief sat on a large rock higher on the hilly island. "Do you think they stand a chance, Chief?" Cortana asked into the Chief's helmet.
"They'll make it fine," Chief said, taking his rifle.
"You sound confident," Cortana noted.
"They have good leadership and brave soldiers," Master Chief said as he checked his rifle.
"And worse comes to worse, they've got us," Cortana added with a smile in her voice.
"Yup," Master Chief nodded as he loaded a shell in the barrel.
O
Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood walked swiftly with a purpose down the hallway of the Space Station New Cairo. He stopped at a secured door and entered to see the bridge crew of the UNSC Deep Space Combat Frigate Hope of Salvation and the Arbiter and his crew. He nodded for them to have a seat and stepped up before them.
"With all due respect, why did you contact and cancel our leave, sir?" the Captain of the ship asked as she remained standing, her light brown skin and long dark hair offsetting her grey military uniform.
"Four days ago at sixteen hundred hours, the Arbiter's ship intercepted a SOS signal just past the outer edge of what was Covenant space, it was a UNSC signal," he stated, his lips twitching to hold back an uncharacteristic smile.
"Could it be a trick from the remnant of the old Covenant?" the woman asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"This SOS was sent by a system that the Covenant would doubtfully be able to hack," he said with a light chuckle. "SPARTAN-117's AI."
"The Master Chief?" the woman's eyes widened in shock as the room exploded in questions and activity.
"I don't want to get anyone else's hopes up; all we have is an SOS. The Hope of Salvation is the fastest ship in our fleet, which is why I'm sending you with the Arbiter and his Elites as well as a Marine force in case the Chief needs any help."
"I want your ship in the air within two hours, Captain," Admiral Hood said as he started toward the door. "Arbiter has the data from the SOS."
"Yes, sir," the captain saluted.
"And, Kya," Hood said to the ship's captain as he stopped at the door. "Bring him home safe."
To Be Continued …
Next Chapter: Day of the Black Sun pt 1
A/N Edit: I changed the title of the ship to one closer to that of a triditional Halo ship, until next time!