Author's Note:Well, I have some explaining to do for this story. I'm part of a text based role-play site called Advanced Halo Unlimited. On our site is a section for fanfiction. I've been a fan of fanfiction (ha) for years, so I decided to try my hand at it It's a crossover of sorts, containing the supervillain of my favorite author, and the original characters created by myself and other members of AHU. And so, after some revisions, updates, and spelling corrections, here is the fruit of my labor. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo, Randall Flagg, or certain characters presented in this fanfic. Save for Flagg, these characters are used with permission.


The Gathering and the Storm
Part 12: The Message

Alexia was on point for the patrol. They'd been out of camp for roughly nine minutes.
"So what do you guys think that thunder was all about?" asked a rifleman, none other than Johnny-boy Ramirez of the infamous card skills (or lack thereof).
"What do you mean?" asked the combat engineer who'd volunteered to come along.
"Well, when it thunders, it's usually because of a storm. There hasn't been a cloud in the sky since we got here." explained Ramirez.
"Maybe it was some weather anomaly." said another rifleman, his voice heavy with a Texas accent.
"Maybe God's pissed at the Democrats again." said one of the fire team leaders jokingly.
"The who?" asked Pvt. Texas.
"The Democrats were a political party that existed from the formation of the United States government to about 2534." Alexia said, speaking up for the first time all patrol.
"Well whoever the hell they are, they're not on patrol, so shut your yappin' and get back to patrollin'." said the squad leader. They continued patrolling when a crow landed on a tree stump that Alexia was passing. Glancing at it, she noticed it had red eyes. Remembering her dreams of the previous week, she couldn't help but shudder. As the whole squad passed the crow completely, one of the medics, his voice thick with a Russian accent asked: "Is it just me, or was that crow the first sign of habitual life we've seen all day?" This caused the whole squad to stop in its tracks. There was suddenly a flash, as if there vision had gone completely white for a millisecond. Turning back to the crow, they only found a man in odd clothing sitting on the stump.
"Hi folks!" the man said cheerfully as he stood and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. The squad whipped its weapons up and aimed all for the figure's forehead.
"Who the hell are you?" asked the squad leader. The stranger's smile broadened even more, if that was physically possible.
"I'm Randall Flagg. And I'm the reason you're all dead." he replied.

What happened next took no longer than twelve seconds. First, the majority of the marines, and Alexia as well, noticed that they couldn't move. Two of them (the engineer and Ramirez) could. But not of their own free will. Their eyes were glowing red. They turned their weapons on their squad mates, firing and killing the stationary targets. When it was just Alexia, Ramirez, and the engineer, Alexia was forced to watch in horror as the engineer proceeded to kill Ramirez before placing the barrel of his own shotgun in his mouth and pulling the trigger, painting the tree behind him different shades of red and purple. Suddenly, Alexia felt life return to her limbs.
"I want you to give a message to your bosses." said Flagg. "Tell them: Randall Flagg is coming, and soon, you are all going to either serve me or die. Now, enjoy the rest of your day." Flagg then turned around and began walking away whistling an odd tune. Alexia, rather than watching him stride into the preverbal sunset, raised her Battle Rifle, aimed at Flagg's back between the shoulders, and pulled the trigger. When the muzzle finished flashing, Alexia was shocked to see Flagg gone. He had simply vanished into thin air. As she turned back to camp at a full run, she didn't notice the crow perched in a nearby tree. The crow with red eyes.