Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.
(High Charity)
In a hallway in High Charity, Tartarus, Chieftan of the Brutes was walking down the hallway of a prison with two Brutes behind him dragging Thel 'Vadamee carrying him on their shoulders
"How much further must we heft this baggage? Any cell will do."
"Why not toss him in with this lot?"
The Brutes pass a cell containing three hungry Jackals, which hiss and growl as they reach out through the bars at the Brutes passing by
"They could use the meat."
"Them? What about us? My belly aches and his flesh is seared, just the way I like it."
"Quiet! You two whimper like Grunts fresh off the teat. He's not meant for the jails. The Hierarchs have something special in mind." Tartarus says
The Brutes and their cargo move out onto a platform overlooking the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. They ride a Gravity Lift down to the walkway leading up to it and pass dozens of Elite Honor Guards standing at attention entering the Mausoleum, of the Arbiter where the Prophets of Truth and Mercy await them. The Brutes and Tartarus bow
"Noble Prophets of Truth and Mercy. I have brought the incompetent." Tartarus says
"You may leave, Tartarus." The Prophet of Truth says
Tartarus looks up, surprised
"But, I thought-" Tartarus says before The Prophet of Truth interrupts him
"And take your Brutes with you." The Prophet of Truth says
Tartarus hesitates, and then bows again
"Release the prisoner." Tartarus says
The Brutes drop Thel 'Vadamee to his knees and rise, leaving the room
"The Council decided to have you hung by your entrails and your corpse paraded through the city. But ultimately, the terms of your execution are up to me." The Prophet of Truth says
"I am already dead." Thel says
"Indeed. Do you know where we are?" The Prophet of Truth says
"The Mausoleum of the Arbiter." Thel says
"Quite so. Here rests the vanguard of the Great Journey. Every Arbiter, from first to last. Each one created and consumed in times of extraordinary crisis." The Prophet of Truth says
"The Taming of the Hunters, the Grunt Rebellion. Were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!" The Prophet of Mercy says
"Even on my knees, I do not belong in their presence." Thel says
"Halo's destruction was your error, and you rightly bear the blame. But the Council was...overzealous. We know you are no heretic." The Prophet of Truth says
The Prophet of Truth presses a button on his chair and a miniature hologram of an Elite in abnormal equipment appears. This Elite displayed on the hologram was named Sesa Rufumee
"This is the true face of heresy, one who would subvert our faith and incite rebellion against the High Council." The Prophet of Truth says
The Prophet of Truth presses another button on his chair playing a recording of the Elite
"Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is a-"
The Prophet of Truth presses another button and cuts off the hologram
"This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced." The Prophet of Truth says
"Their slander offends all who walk the Path!" The Prophet of Mercy says
"What use am I? I can no longer command ships. Lead troops into battle." Thel says
"Not as you are, no. But become the Arbiter...and you shall be set loose against this heresy with our blessing." The Prophet of Truth says
A large pod floats into the center of the room, opening to reveal a suit of ancient armor surrounded by white light. Thel 'Vadamee stares at the armor for a moment, before turning back to the Prophets
"What of the Council?" Thel asks
"The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal. You will die as each Arbiter has before you. The Council will have their corpse." The Prophet of Mercy says
Thel 'Vadamee rises and walks toward the armor. He pauses before it, and looks to the pods containing the bodies of the Arbiters who fell before him. He reaches up and takes the helmet of the Arbiter, and places it upon his head. He then turns toward the Hierarchs
"What would you have your Arbiter do?" The Arbiter asks
(Moments later)
Three Phantoms fly past the ruins of Installation 04, a large piece of it still intact and with landscape and clouds still visible Inside one of the Phantoms, an Elite Commander named Rtas 'Vadumee gave a speech to his Elite brethren
"When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
"According to our station! All without exception!"
"On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons...we swore to uphold the Covenant!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
"Even to our dying breath!"
"Those who would break this oath are heretics, worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now they use our lords' creations to broadcast their lies!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
"We shall grind them into dust!"
"And continue our march to glorious salvation!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Phantoms enter Threshold's atmosphere and come upon a large Forerunner platform. Rtas 'Vadumee approaches The Arbiter and they stare each other down
"This armor suits you. But it cannot hide that mark." Rtas 'Vadumee says
"Nothing ever will." The Arbiter says
"You are the Arbiter, the will of the Prophets. But these are my Elites. Their lives matter to me. Yours does not." Rtas 'Vadumee says
"That makes two of us." The Arbiter says
"Hmmm..." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Phantoms fly over the Forerunner platform and descend toward another structure dangling below it on a long cable, a Gas Mine. An intense storm swirls below the structure
"Leader, there is no doubt: the storm will strike the facility!"
"We'll be long gone before it arrives." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Phantoms fly lower, near the top of one of several towers sticking out from the center of the main structure. One deposits a group of Grunts and an Elite, followed by a second one that drops two Elites, Kira 'Vadamee and The Arbiter
"Warriors, prepare for combat!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
Kira 'Vadamee and the Arbiter ignite their Energy Swords as they prepare to enter the facility in search of the Heretic Leader. They were both armed with their Energy Swords and their Carbines
"You have my allegiance, Arbiter. Though you have been stripped of your rank, I shall always be by your side as your friend and your companion." Kira 'Vadamee says
"Thank you, Sister." The Arbiter says
"Come, brother, let us go and silence this heresey." Kira 'Vadamee says
"We are the arm of the Prophets, Arbiter, and you are the blade. Be silent and swift, and we shall quell this heresy without incident." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee began approaching the doors of the facility where the rest of the team awaits them
"The storm has masked our approach, and it should have their local Battle-net in disarray. We have the element of surprise...for now." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The team moves into the airlock and the door shuts behind them
"Engage Active Camouflage! Reveal yourselves only after the Arbiter has joined battle with the enemy!"
The Grunts and Elites fade into their surroundings as their Active Camouflage is engaged. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee activate their Active Camouflage and blend into their surroundings. The team enters the next room where several Heretic Elites and Grunts patrolled the room
Unlike the team who wore their combat armor, these Heretics wore different armor
The Heretic Elites wear a breathing apparatus to assist in respiration on the Gas Mining facility. They also have four fins on the back of their armor. Their armor color was golden-brown. The Heretic Elites like their counter-parts were armed with Carbines and Plasma Rifles
The Heretic Grunts wore different methane tubes than their non-Heretic counterparts. They have two blue-white glowing round tubes, instead of the pointed-pyramid shape. And they also wear a small mouth-breather that exposes their small teeth. Their armor color was also golden-brown. The Heretic Grunts also like their counter-parts were equipped with Plasma Pistols and Needlers
Using stealth and their Active Camouflage, the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee silently take out two Heretic Grunts by driving their Energy Swords into their heads. The two Heretics fall to the floor dead. The two then move on toward two Heretic Elites. Once they reach them, the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee drive their Energy Swords through their backs
After clearing the room of Heretics, team team enters an elevator and descends into a hangar containing a Seraph. Upon entering the hangar, they see Sentinels hovering around the room
"Sentinels, the holy warriors of the Sacred Rings. Why have they sided with these Heretics?"
Once the elevator stops, the Sentinels along with two Elites and a few Grunts attack the team. The Sentinels fire their energy beams at the team, but they take cover behind some structures and columns inside the hangar. The Arbiter fires three shots of his Carbine at one Sentinel destroying it. Kira 'Vadamee also fires her Carbine Rifle at another Sentinel shooting three shots into it destroying the robot. After dealing with the Sentinels, The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee activate their Active Camouflage and move toward the two Heretic Elites with their Energy Swords drawn. The Arbiter swings his arm over the Heretic Elite's body bending him backwards and stabs the Elite's chest with his Energy Sword. He then drops the dead Elite to the floor. Kira 'Vadamee slashes the other Heretic Elite with her Energy Sword and delivers a spinning kick into his stomach. The Elite was knocked off the platform and lands dead on the bottom floor. The two SpecOps Elites who were with them quickly dispatched the Heretic Grunts using their Plasma Rifles
Once the room was clear of the Heretics, the team recieves a transmission from another Elite on the COM Channel
"Arbiter, Sister, open this door, so I may drop the second Lance!"
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee moves toward the hangar door. Kira 'Vadamee presses her hand on a holographic console opening the large door
"Hold position. I am making my approach."
As the door opens, more Sentinels float into the room and attacks the team. The Phantom who had called on the team appears and quickly destroys the Sentinels with it's Plasma Cannons
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee descends through the facility eventually entering a room with a window looking out onto a landing pad with three Heretic Banshees. The Heretic Leader, Sesa 'Refumee appears
"Deal with them, my brothers! I will defend the Oracle." Sesa 'Refumee says
The Heretic Leader hops onto a Heretic Banshee and flies off. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee soon recieves a transmission from Rtas 'Vadumee
"The Heretics are mobilizing their air forces, Arbiter. Get after their leader, but watch your backs. I'm sending one of our Phantoms to support you and our Sister." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The two Elites head out onto the platform and hop into the two remaining Banshees taking off into the air meeting with the supporting Phantom
"The Heretics have weapons emplacements all over the facility. We'll take them out, one by one, until we find the Heretic Leader."
The Phantom flies up to the first emplacement with the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee following in their Banshees. The first emplacement had some Heretic Elites and Grunts armed with Fuel Rod Cannons who fired at the team. Some Banshees even flew in and fired at the team. The Phantom dealt with the ground forces while the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee kept the Banshees off it. They both fire their Plasma Cannons at the Banshees chasing them around and hitting them multiple times. Eventually, their shots were enough to destroy the Banshees sending the Elites driving them plummeting to their endless fall of the planet. The Phantom dispatches the Heretic Elites and Grunts with it's Plasma Cannons making short work of them. The team soon clears the first emplacement of the Heretics
"All Heretic Forces have been eliminated. Moving on."
The team moves to the second emplacement not far from their current position. At the second emplacement were more Heretic Elites and Grunts armed with Fuel Rod Cannons. And just like the other emplacement, they fire at the team. More Banshees came flying in firing at the team. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee quickly destroys the Banshees and helps the Phantom deal with the Heretic ground forces. They both use their Fuel Rod Cannons on their Banshess firing explosive green projectiles toward the Heretics. The blasts hit their mark taking out many of the Heretics on the platform
"No sign of the Heretic Leader or his Banshee. We must keep searching."
The team moves on toward the third and final emplacement which was across the otherside of the facility. Once they reach it, they encounter another group of Heretic Elites and Grunts all armed with Fuel Rod Cannons as well as more Banshees. Like before, the Phantom deals with the ground forces while the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee deal with the Banshees. The Arbiter guns down one Banshee with his Plasma Cannons destroying the aircraft. Kira 'Vadamee shoots her Fuel Rod Cannon and manages to land a hit to another Banshee destroying it with only one shot. After dealing with the Banshees, they quickly help the Phantom dispatch the Heretic ground forces
"These Heretics are damned! Onward!"
After dealing with the third and final emplacement, the team recieves a transmission from Rtas 'Vadumee
"We've tracked the leader to this part of the station. Clear that landing zone and get inside." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The team moves to a platform on a structure which was near them. On it were more Heretic Elites and Grunts. The team quickly dispatches the Heretics and land on the platform. They head toward the door and prepare themselves for insertion. The door slides open. Two Special Ops Elites cover the entrance with Plasma Rifles while Special Ops Grunts file in. The Elites cautiously advance with The Arbiter, Kira 'Vadamee, and Rtas 'Vadumee following them. Rtas 'Vadumee had his Plasma Rifle drawn while the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee had her Energy Sword out. Rtas 'Vadumee pauses and sniffs the air
"What is it?" The Arbiter asks
"That stench...I've smelled it before." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The assault team proceeds through a small room, where a large tank containing some small, floating, fleshy lifeforms. They approaches a doorway, and through the transparent floor of the next room, they can see the shadows of Heretics and strange creatures battling. They then move into a laboratory, strewn with deformed corpses
"By the Rings." Kira 'Vadamee gasps slightly
"What happened here?"
"Me have bad feeling about this."
"You always have bad feeling! You had bad feeling about morning food nipple!"
"Close your jaws, or I shall bind them shut!"
A floating orb enters the room, and the image of the Heretic Leader appears in the air
"See! Heretic!"
The Grunt fires on the image, which quickly becomes apparent as a hologram
"Hold your fire. Hold your fire!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Grunt ceases fire
"I wondered who the Prophets would send to silence me. An Arbiter...I'm flattered." Sesa 'Refumee says
"He's using a holodrone. He must be close. Come out, so we may kill you." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Heretic Leader laughs
"Get in line." Sesa 'Refumee says
The hologram vanishes and familiar tiny bulbous creatures start to appear. It was the Flood
"Stand firm! The Flood is upon us!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The team battles the oncoming Flood Infection Forms. Some of them enter the corpses of Elites on the floor and reanimate them back to life. The Flood having assimilated Combat Form began stalking toward the team. The Arbiter, Kira 'Vadamee and Rtas 'Vadumee take their Energy Swords and slash away at the Combat Forms destroying them with only one slice
"Go, Arbiter! Go, Sister! I'll follow when our reinforcements arrive." Rtas 'Vadumee says
"Take care, brother." Kira 'Vadamee says
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee ride an elevator down to the lower levels of the labs, fighting the Flood and Sentinels. They then enter a hallway strewn with corpses. They advance into a lab filled with battling Heretics and Flood and manage to press outside to the exterior of the station. They see more Flood battling more Heretics, and a Phantom swoops in to provide reinforcements and covering fire
"Leader, the storm is about to hit! We cannot maintain our position!"
"Bring the Phantoms closer to the mine. We're not leaving until the leader of these Heretics is dead. Arbiter, Sister, the Flood have spread throughout the station! We don't have enough troops to manage such a large infestation. Find the leader of these Heretics, kill him now!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The team advance into the heart of the installation where they encounter the Heretic Leader taking cover behind a shielded door before they could catch him
"This will save me from the storm, but you will be consumed." Sesa 'Refumee says
The Arbiter pounds angrily on the shield, but cannot break through as the doors seal
"Arbiter, Sister, where is he?" Rtas 'Vadumee asks
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee simply step away as Rtas 'Vadumee moves toward the shielded door
"Stinking Floodbait boxed himself in tight. We'll never break through this!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee notice a hologram of the station, and they both watch it thoughtfully
"Then we shall force him out." The Arbiter says
"How?" Rtas 'Vadumee says
"The cable. I'm going to cut it." The Arbiter says
"Brother, get everyone back to the ships." Kira 'Vadamee says
Rtas 'Vadumee nods in agreement and turns to the Elites
"Warriors, return to the landing zone! The Arbiter is going to continue upward, cut this station loose, and scare the Heretic from his hole!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
"May our Lords guide you."
"We shall not forget your sacrifice."
Rtas 'Vadumee turns his attention back toward the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee
"Keep your blades handy. I doubt the cable can withstand its bite." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee leaves Rtas 'Vadumee and the team and rides the elevator to the upper level where the cable is located. Once they reach the cable, they recieve a transmission from Rtas 'Vadumee
"All of my Phantoms are in the air, Arbiter, Sister. Sever the cable at the points where it connects to the structure!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The two Elites look around and see the Flood fighting off against the Sentinels. They manage to slip past them and focus on the first cable. The Arbiter takes his Energy Sword and strikes the cable. It takes three swings with the Energy Sword to break the first cable
"That's one! By the Prophets, look at the station list!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
Kira 'Vadamee moves to the second cable and strikes it with her Energy Sword swinging it three times.
"One final cable. Take it out." Rtas 'Vadumee says
The two Elites cut the final cable, and the entire station groans with the stress. All the Flood and Sentinels present stop their fighting and look upward towards the cable. The top of the station tears away, and it plummets into the atmosphere
"That did it! The station is in free fall! The Heretic Leader is on the move, do not let him escape! We'll stay with you as long as we can!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee head back down the elevator and back down into the station. They advance past Heretics keeping hot pursuit of the Heretic Leader. Chasing him across the station, they see the Heretic Leader hopping in a Banshee. The two Elites fire their Carbine Rifles at the Heretic Leader's Banshee shooting four projectiles toward it as it flies away, then takes cover as the Banshee fires at them in return. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee dash back out, and hop inside two more Banshees pursuing the Heretic Leader
"What lunacy! He'll never escape this maelstrom in a Banshee! Wait! The hangar, there was a Seraph fighter inside! Arbiter, Sister, you know what to do!" Rtas 'Vadumee says
The two Banshees follow the Heretic Leader across the falling station as he leads them to the hangar. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee try to land their Banshees on a platform, but fails and crashes into it instead. The Arbiter holds on to the edge of the platform, raises himself up, helps Kira 'Vadamee up and continues inside the structure. The two Elites arrive in the hangar and encounter the Heretic Leader as he is boarding the Seraph
"Turn, Heretic." The Arbiter says
"And face justice." Kira 'Vadamee says
The Heretic Leader turns to face the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee
"Arbiter, Sister, I would rather die by your hands than let the Prophets lead me to slaughter."
"Who has taught you these lies?" The Arbiter asks
A familiar humming is heard in the hangar. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee look up and see The Monitor, 343 Guilty Spark descending down toward them
"The Oracle!" The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee exclaim in shock
"Hello! I am 343 Guilty Spark . I am the Monitor of Installation 04."
"Ask the Oracle about Halo. How they would sacrifice us all for nothing!" Sesa 'Refumee says
"More questions? Splendid! I would be happy to assist you." The Monitor says
The Heretic Leader opens fire on The Arbiter and Kira'Vadamee with twin Plasma Rifles. The two Elites fall back, taking cover while their shield generators recharge. The Heretic Leader floats back toward the Seraph and pulls out two holodrones
"The Elites are blind, Arbiter, Sister...but I...will make them see." Sesa 'Refumee says
The Heretic Leader releases the drones, which become copies of him. They turn to look at the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee and attack. The two copies fire their twin Plasma Rifles at the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee as they hover through the air. The Arbiter fires his Carbine Rifle at one copy hitting it with seven shots. Those seven shots eventually defeat the copy making it disappear. Kira 'Vadame strikes the second copy with her Energy Sword taking it out with only one slash. After the two copies were quickly taken care of, the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee focus on the Heretic Leader who fires his twin Plasma Rifles at them. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee take cover from the plasma shots and activate their Active Camouflage while the Heretic Leader searches for them
"Arbiter! Sister! Show yourselves!" Sesa 'Refumee shouts
Suddenly, a Carbine Rifle shot by Kira 'Vadamee hits Sesa 'Refumee's jetback causing it to malfunction. The Heretic Leader falls to the floor. He turns his attention toward Kira 'Vadamee, but did not notice the Arbiter heading toward him with his Energy Sword. The Heretic Leader soon realized where the Arbiter was, but it was too late. Within moments, the Arbiter drives his Energy Sword into the Heretic Leader's chest making him groan in pain. The Arbiter pulls his Energy Sword back. The Heretic Leader falls to the floor dead. The Heretic has been silenced. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee drag the Heretic's corpse to the hangar door while the Monitor floats up to them
"Unfortunate. His edification was most enjoyable." The Monitor says
"We had no choice, Holy Oracle. This Heretic imperiled the Great Journey." The Arbiter says
"Oracle? Great Journey? Why do you meddlers insist on using such inaccurate verbiage?" The Monitor says
Suddenly, the Monitor is snatched by an unseen force and pulled away
"Oh my!" The Monitor says
The Monitor was dragged through the air, directly to the top of the Fist of Rukt, the gravity hammer of Tartarus who was standing beneath a Phantom
"Tartarus, what is the meaning of this?!" Kira 'Vadamee asks
"That...is the Oracle!" The Arbiter exclaims
Tartarus pulls the Monitor off the end of his hammer
"So it is." Tartarus says
Tartarus tosses the Monitor into the Gravity Lift casually
"Come, we are leaving this system." Tartarus says
Author's Note: The Great Journey of The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee begins. Thel 'Vadamee is now the Arbiter thanks to the Prophet of Truth and the Prophet of Mercy. Having become the Arbiter, Thel is sent to the planet near the ruins of Installation 04 where the Heretics gather. There, he embarks on a mission with Kira 'Vadamee and Rtas 'Vadumee along with a team of SpecOps Elites and Grunts to assassinate the Heretic Leader. During the mission, they come across the Flood. The Heretic Leader seals himself behind a shielded door, but not for long as the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee cut the cable to the facility sending it into freefall. The Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee chase the Heretic Leader to the hangar where they meet a familiar figure, 343 Guilty Spark, the Monitor of Installation 04. After a battle with the Heretic Leader, the Monitor is snatched by Tartarus who tells the Arbiter and Kira 'Vadamee that they are leaving the system. Where do you thik they will go? I also have a voice reference for Kira 'Vadamee. Kira 'Vadamee is voiced by Linda Lee, the voice of Jade from Mortal Kombat 2011. Next up, Delta Halo where Devon and his friends discover another Halo Ring. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!
