When I said a couple of days, I meant it. Oh, and I know people are excited that the story is coming to an end but I need to say this, loud and clear.
THERE WILL NOT BE A SEQUEL. I DO NOT HAVE ONE PLANNED, BUT I CAN SPOIL THAT THE EPILOGUE IS AN OPEN ENDING. MEANING, IF I WANT TO MAKE A SEQUEL, I HAVE AN EASY ENTRY POINT!
Guest: The above note will answer you. I have other story ideas in the works, but it might be a while. I want to finish the story before I upload it. I want to have little to no update gaps
Silentxmaniac: Why thank you, you can reread and find all the cringe I probably put in here. While to you, it may not seem like it, I see it easily. Then again, as the author, I noticed what I do and don't do, some of the time.
ONTO THE CHAPTER!
...
Once Sebastian sat up, slid his helmet back on, grabbed his weapons, and knives from the various corpses around, he and Faye moved on to see Emile dealing with Hunters. Sebastian took one of his recently retrieved knives and whipped it towards the exposed Hunter's back. As a follow-up, he aimed for the hilt and pulled the trigger on Hung Jury, further pushing the knife into the flesh. Honestly, he might just leave that one there. It isn't worth the trouble to retrieve. With that knife embedded into the flesh, every movement will make it cut deeper. Sebastian made sure it was dual-serrated with a hook, to inflict even more lethal damage.
With the first one on the verge of death, Faye took action against the Hunter looking in Emile's direction, unaware of how close its bond brother is close to death. Faye was swift in her delivery by taking a grenade from her belt, pulling the pin, and ramming her fist into the exposed flesh of the Hunter, before backpedaling. The grenade exploded and blew out the Hunter's back, collapsing. It's wounded brother roared and attempted to crush the offender. However, the actions were wild and therefore, lacking their power. With each and every thrash, the knife buried in it will be its undoing. However, that didn't stop any of the three soldiers on the ground.
Sebastian conjured a Vortex grenade and lobbed it at the Hunter's feet. What appeared was a large purple ball of mist. This mist was mostly transparent, but if not careful, it will devour you. Emile lobbed a grenade of his own, right behind the Hunter and the resulting explosion pushed it further into the mist. Faye managed to snag a plasma grenade from the previous room and stuck it to the Hunter. The combination of three different explosions and the knife still inside him, made the Hunter fall over and croak, but not before the body just dissipated into the Purple mist, leaving just the knife that was embedded within. Sebastian sauntered over to the site and picked up the knife, once the grenade disappeared of course, and cleaned it off before looking to the two Spartans. They looked to be conversing about something.
The Guardian continued to be lost in his thoughts as he stared up at the sky, it looks so bright, maybe around mid-afternoon. Over the course of his time here, he slowly got used to their odd time schedule, but he still thought about what would have happened if he didn't go to Mercury, but quickly demolished the thoughts as he knew what he had, and smiled. As he turned around, Faye looked at him. Even from here, they both could feel their tension. It should be easy to acknowledge it, and oh how they want to, but if they did, what would change?
Emile took point, heading inside, and Faye beckoned Sebastian to go first. With a nod, the eldest of the three passed her, putting a hand on her shoulder pad and giving it a squeeze. Faye took it as a sign of thanks and before she could react, he already passed her. With a slight frown adorning her face, she followed.
The facility seemed to be empty on the inside, except for a few Marine teams, who were holding out, and it only got better when the Spartans arrived. "There she is, you two, The Pillar of Autumn," Emile said as if he was a tour guide of some sort. Sebastian snorted lightly at the thought of Emile being a guide of Reach. 'On your left, you'll see a battlefield and on your right, you'll see a battle in progress.'
"Well, it is a pretty ship, reminds me of the Exodus ship we had during the Collapse, well according to my mentor's sister. History nerd, she is, and I could guarantee she would have a field day of piecing together your history," Sebastian whispered loud enough for both of them to hear.
Faye cut in, "The Captain is waiting for the package. Emile, you got the gun?"
The older of the two Spartans grunted, "Of course I do, I love me a big gun. You two, do what you do best."
With that, they separated and Emile headed up the stairs while Sebastian and Faye headed down the stairs and headed outside, where a few Covenant dropships arrived. With a check to her weapons, she was ready. Sebastian, however, had Gjallarhorn at the ready. Faye smirked. "You ready, Sebastian?"
The Guardian scoffed, "I'm always ready, Faye." The words were serious, but his voice was soft. He hefted the heavy weapon over his shoulder, making sure it was secure, before holding out a hand. "Thank you." The Spartan-III was confused, but took his hand, with a hint of caution. Slowly, he grasped her hand and gently pulled her close and slowly wrapped an arm around her form, "You don't know how much you've helped me." Faye could swear he was starting to cry, but he was undoubtedly calm on the outside, his heart rate said otherwise.
"You're right, I don't," Faye said before very hesitantly, wrapping an arm around his back.
Under his breath, almost a murmur, he whispered something. Something he barely heard himself, but it was enough for him. When he was holding her, he breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Faye heard it, but only just, but she didn't get the chance to react because the sound of a Covenant concussion cannon pelted the ground, fifty feet away. Faye was the first to break the embrace and grab her weapons to dive headfirst into the fight. When she did, she felt a tad colder without his arm around her. Even the A.I. on her back knew what was going on and from her container, the A.I. smiled. It was as if it already knew what was happening between the two. While she may be a container, she has been gathering data on her courier. She tried to acquire more on this mysterious entity and all she has is physical appearance and their names, any other data is locked behind advanced firewalls. So advanced, they are light years ahead of the UNSC's best. Curious, at best. Infuriating at worst.
Sebastian admitted it aloud, but he didn't know if she heard him. For a fleeting second, he thought she did but was snapped out of his stupor when a concussion rounded spat up debris at him. Some of the resulting stones clinked against his armor, and one landed in his arm shielding his face. He pulled the offending stone out of his skin, letting Dove redirect Light to heal the flesh wound. With lightning fast hands, he pulled Gjallarhorn from his back and fired a volley. The whistling of the rounds was music to his ears. His face adjusted to a vicious smile as the rockets exploded and killed the recently dropped Covenant.
Then, the second wave showed up. Sebastian, with utter efficiency, loaded Gjallarhorn for the next batch. They too would be dealt the same fate as the others before them, Sebastian wanted to be done with this war. If he had to be honest, this has gone on long enough, this war.
That brought on the question, what's it all for?
Faye just shut down, rather than accept what she knows will creep up on her, she 'turned off' her emotions. With that being done, she went after any and all Covenant she laid eyes on. None of them survived the hyper lethal vector's efficiency. She was internally reeling over his actions. His words were mostly silent, but they definitely conveyed what he wanted to say because the slight tension in his posture was gone soon after. While she shares the sentiment, she can't find herself saying anything in return, because she doesn't know what the words were. That might be the only downside of being an augmented super-soldier, you must give up all of your morals. As it was said before, with loyalty comes morality. Her morals were never fully gone, they only hid underneath layers of time. They hid for all those years, and there was only one person who brought them to light. The mystery, the enigma, the one who opened up the vector's heart. Sebastian Rutherford. The words, barely audible as they were, she heard those words. They were filled to the brim, on the verge of spilling, with unbridled passion and love; with a dash of sincerity mixed in.
He's done so much for her, even things she hasn't noticed. She can read his body language as he can read hers. Ever since he revealed his metal arm, he's been more upbeat, more open, mostly to her. It was all in his actions and a few words, and he's completely made her a different person. Little does she know that she did the same for him. Faye noticed that anytime that Dove was around, her optic was a little brighter every time the Spartan spoke to him. The Ghost was most likely relishing in their interactions, and sometimes Sebastian was too.
Sebastian was also preoccupied with his thoughts, so much so, that he was mindlessly firing Gjallarhorn at random packs of Covenant, who just kept landing in the same damn spot. It was almost boring to fire rocket after rocket. However, his attention shifted when he noticed Faye spacing out, only for a brief pause, but long enough for a Brute with a hammer running up on her, intent to smash and kill. One of those is my job, buddy.
With a quick command to Dove, he readied Her Supremacy and aimed for a shot, not a headshot, it would take too long. The problem was, Faye was mostly in the line of sight. Another problem, he wouldn't have time to set up. Without much time to get a better angle, he looked through the scope, standing, which is not the normal stance for sniping. Exhaling, he delicately squeezed the trigger.
Faye was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she almost got herself killed, not from the Brute she knew was coming up on her, but the fact she heard a small tink against her visor. She should be mad that he shot at her, the trail was blue, so it limited it to one culprit. She was lucky. The Brute in question, however, did not get so lucky. It took the round straight to the chest, shattering the armor, and halting most of its momentum. The Spartan snuck a glance where the round came from, to see that Sebastian was quite a ways away. She also noticed his posture, standing. Even Jun wouldn't have taken the shot from there standing. She had to admit, that was impressive. She nodded towards him, as a sign of thanks before she turned towards the Brute, who roared in anger.
Sebastian breathed a huge sigh of relief, all the tension of the shot taking the wind out of the Guardian. "Did I want to know the chances of me hitting that shot ever again?"
Dove took this small opportunity to check, and to say she was shocked was an understatement, "Wow, the world must have a vengeful wish… My calculations say negative fifteen percent flat."
Sebastian whistled taking the number in stride, "Glad I never have to do that again." He then laughed, "Now I can say I made the impossible possible."
"Never change, Sebastian," Dove said lovingly.
Sebastian smiled, full smile, eyes crinkling at the edges, "Trust me for you, I won't. Now, Let's check on our resident Spartan." The Hunter looked through his scope, finger off the trigger this time, and saw that Faye spared no expense with the Brute.
The Spartan made a fist and slammed it as hard as she could into the Brute's chest where Sebastian shot it. The resounding crunch was utterly satisfying as the Brute went flying back, dropping the Hammer. Faye smirked, this is mine. If Sebastian has a Sword, why can't she have a Hammer? She picked up the Hammer with relative ease, before giving it a test twirl, and found the weight perfectly balanced. Then, she grinned and launched herself at a group of Covenant who were not expecting a one-way ticket to death via a Hammer-wielding Spartan.
From his view, Sebastian chuckled, before opening a channel to Emile, "She's got a Hammer and she looks giddy."
The only response he got was a hearty chuckle and a 'give em hell'. Sebastian shook his head before turning around to see seven Brutes being dropped in and closing in on him fast. Sebastian checked his Solar Light and found it was mostly ready, but it felt warm but not as warm as normal. However, the Void was more than willing to come out and play. His arm lit up in the eerie purple glow as a blade appeared on his left wrist and his eyes shifted and within a moment, Sebastian dashed off to the Brutes. They faltered in their charge as they realized that their target was not there. That was until one of them dropped and disappeared into a purple light.
They continued to look around, but as time went on, more and more of them dropped until one of them was left. Sebastian appeared in front of the leader, by the looks alone, and smirked under the helmet. From the Brute's point of view, all he saw was a purple flame in front of him. The helmet of this person was lit up in purple, two distinct dots, their entire being was covered in a purple aura. There was no fear radiating from them. They showed pure dominance. Then, just as soon as they appeared, they vanished and the Brute looked around, waiting for them to strike, but then… it went still and the Brute slipped into unconsciousness, then a blissful slumber.
Sebastian came out of the Void with relative ease. Once it faded from his body, he stumbled slightly, blinking his eyes back into existence before looking at the Void damage around him. "Oh, so I did a thing?"
"Yes, you did a thing, but do you remember it?" Dove inquired.
"Vaguely," Sebastian murmured. "Well, at least I still got it." Sebastian looked down towards the lower parts of the area and found that Faye was making Grunts fly. He chuckled, she was having the time of her life and it was utterly hilarious to the Guardian. Sebastian looked at the Autumn to see a Pelican, no, two Pelicans departing from what looked like the main hangar. "Four, Six. We got two Pelicans coming from the main hangar, and they most likely need some cover."
"I got them," Emile said gruffly, as the sound of a Railgun charged. Then a flash of light blasted through the sky into a Covenant Phantom. That Phantom was truly a phantom after that. Sebastian whistled while Emile was laughing vigorously through the comms. He sometimes is scary, Sebastian made a mental note.
"Six, how's it going on your end?" Sebastian asked while he was somewhat idle, waiting for a command that he's needed. When there were five seconds of silence, Sebastian got worried.
That was until Faye's voice came through, "No assistance required. Seven, you wanna see why?"
"Should I be terrified?" Sebastian asked half-serious.
His only response was a dark chuckle. Sebastian quickly made his way down to the landing pad, where the Covenant seem to not be. It looks like they will be forming another plan of attack. Once he made it down to the lower areas, he paused.
It looked like a blood bath, Sebastian was pretty sure that there was not a single space not covered in Covenant blood. In the center, Faye was covered in blood, yet the A.I. was perfectly clean. Sebastian just saw Faye with the Hammer over her shoulders, stretching casually. "Hey, what took you so long?"
"You're fucking terrifying, you know that?" Yet, I'm the one in love with her. The Hunter continued to approach, "We should probably get the package to the Pelican, then they will take it from there."
Faye put the hammer on her back, dusted her hands off, and walked by the Guardian, "Come on, they'll be waiting for us."
With that being said, the 'couple' went up to the landing pad where the rear doors opened and there was a squad of Marines and one officer. When Six and Seven approached, the man spoke, his voice held authority but he seemed like the type of man you could go to when you needed some fatherly advice. "Good to see you Spartan, Halsey assured me that you would arrive." Faye pulled the A.I. off her back and contemplated everything in that one second. What she contemplated, however, was too fast to put into words. She handed off the A.I. and she beeped rapidly, only for Dove's 'ears'.
Dove translated, 'I'll miss you too, maybe one day, we'll see each other again.' It was as good of a promise she could make.
The officer looked to Sebastian, "Halsey also mentioned you. Thankfully, ONI doesn't know where you are. However, I can thank you." Sebastian nodded in respect, checking his weapons over again, stepping closer to Faye.
It was at this time that Faye spoke, "It wasn't just me who got us here."
The officer spoke with sympathy, "They will be remembered, count on that, Spartan."
Sebastian gazed off in the distance, before noticing a peculiar ship. "We may have a problem. We have a Supercarrier inbound."
The officer raised a hand to his ear, "Noble Four, we need fire on that cruiser or we're not getting out of here!"
"I have your window, sir," Emile replied, lining up the Railgun to take the most important shot of the day.
That was when a Phantom appeared out of nowhere and fired on the air support, the second Pelican, out of the sky, before flying up to the Railgun. Both Faye and Sebastian aimed for the gunners, but they were faster. They fired plasma bolts at the pair, Faye remained unscathed, but Sebastian took one or two to the arm and one to the chest. It burned through his armor and singed his skin. Dove would repair and heal him later. That was when Sebastian noticed they were Zealots. Her Supremacy was in his hand and he lowered himself to a crouch. The first Zealot was shot off the pilot's chair before Emile climbed out and put the barrel into its mouth and fired, killing it instantly.
That was when the second one came from behind and stabbed Emile through and through, skewering him on its blade. However, Emile wasn't going down without a fight, "I'M READY! HOW BOUT YOU?!" Emile stabbed his kukuri through the second Zealot's jaws before falling out of sight.
The first Pelican came back, and one of the Marines shouted, "Come on, we got to get the hell out of here!" Sebastian wasn't leaving, not by a long shot. He'll leave when he's good and ready and nothing will stand in his way. His emotions were causing his Light to be just beneath the skin, the container that was his body was becoming unstable. His Light needed an outlet.
Before he left, "Go Six, I got this. Get out while you still can," his voice was straining to be kept level. Sebastian was close to the edge of his sanity when he turned to Faye, "You have five seconds to decide what you are going to do, otherwise I'm shoving you on the Pelican and will finish this myself."
"You are not finishing this without me, Sebastian," Faye's voice was firm, unrelenting, fierce in her delivery. She wasn't going to let him risk his life. That's her job, regardless of his immortality. She's the expendable one.
Sebastian smiled through his lack of clarity, "Then the battlefield awaits." Within seconds, he was a purple glow before dashing off towards the Railgun, a spectral shadow mimicking his movements as it faded from existence. Faye turned back to the Pelican, "Good luck, sir. I have the gun."
"Good luck to you, Spartan," the officer said cradling the core of the A.I. Then, the Pelican flew back to the Autumn, and Faye was left alone on the landing pad. With a deep breath, she followed after Sebastian, hoping he was alright.
Faye followed the carnage. Sebastian spared no expense in his wrath, there were distinct purple marks everywhere. The Covenant in the area all had a purple marking, except the Zealot. The Zealot was the only exception, it suffered multiple lacerations and multiple cases of blunt force trauma. Sebastian took his rage out on this. Then, she heard a voice. She couldn't make out the words, but the Spartan-III kept her weapons up. She slowly ascended the stairs leading to the Railgun.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I couldn't save you," Faye heard Sebastian speak, voice full of sorrow. He was over Emile's body, leaning him against the railing.
Faye elected to speak up, "He went out fighting, just like he wanted. No need to feel sorry."
"I still should have been able to do something, instead of just standing there uselessly," Sebastian bit back.
She kept her voice calm, "Let's deal with our more pressing issue, then we can discuss what happens next."
"The honor's yours, Faye," Sebastian gestured to the Railgun. With a solemn nod, Faye claimed the pilot's chair and started opening fire on Phantoms.
"Sebastian, take care of the Banshees, I'll wait for the right opportunity to hit the carrier," Faye ordered.
"Understood. Dove, let's bring the rain," the Hunter said, unleashing more of Gjallarhorn's fury. The Banshees never stood a chance. Neither did the Phantoms. Sure they got a few shots in, but that doesn't mean it will keep them down. Sebastian fired round after round, even picking up a laser weapon that was laying there, of all places. "You know, a shoulder-mounted laser is still an option."
"Like the option to shoot you if you pissed me off?" Faye replied in jest.
Faye heard Sebastian genuinely laughed in response as he blasted a Banshee to pieces. He stopped abruptly to say, "Is it in range?"
With a look at her screens, it was indeed in range. "One downed Supercarrier, coming right up," and she pulled the trigger. The resulting flash of light was nothing short of mesmerizing. The carrier faltered in the air, their glassing weapon destroyed and everything seemed to be alright. Faye slowly climbed out of the Railgun's controls and landed next to Sebastian.
He was staring at the Autumn as it flew from its dry dock to space, where Humanity would continue to thrive, all thanks to Noble Team, ODSTs, and the Marines who gave their lives to this planet. It was and is doomed to fall, but in the end, it was all worth it in Sebastian's eyes. Faye's footsteps stopped right next to him, and well, she had a vibe that said 'respect', so he waited until she initiated something. She tapped him on the shoulder, "I swear, if I turn and you hit me, I might just vanish into thin air if you hit me hard enough," Sebastian said jokingly.
Faye smiled under her helmet, "No, but could you repeat what you said when we first arrived in this area?"
Sebastian mulled it over as he remembered what happened mere hours prior. Or at least, what felt like hours. Then, his eyes widened and his heart sped up. He turned to look at her, in a casual stance, with blood still all over her armor. "Uhm… I, uh… well, you see… uhm…" he sputtered as his mind and mouth were out of sync.
Within a few heartbeats, Faye pulled her helmet off and then she pulled his helmet off, so she could look into those cobalt eyes that she had come to adore. She was greeted to that sight, with his mouth open, sweat glistening on his face. The face of the person she has come to know. The person that she has come to fight alongside and the person she has come to love. The person that made her feel human for the first time in her entire life.
Sebastian was greeted to those dark, murky pools that he has loved ever since he could see them, the whole time, he wondered how he was going to say it. The message, from when he knew he was going to be captured, was only an inkling of what he wanted to say. Now, he can't say a thing. A few strands of her raven-colored hair was stuck to her face because of sweat, but it made her look beautiful. Faye teased him, "So are you going to say it?"
Sebastian didn't have to when he let his body take over and he pulled her close and laid a kiss right on her lips. Faye's eyes comically widened before fluttering shut and just enjoying the sensation. She won't outright admit it, but she missed the kisses. The great Noble Six, the infamous Spartan B312, the hyper lethal vector with only one superior, missed being kissed. She missed this kind of affection, something she never received in her life and was making up for lost time. Sebastian wrapped an arm around the small of her back, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. The Spartan's hand cupped, then caressed his cheek. She didn't want this to end. To her, it felt like the whole world didn't exist. To him, a piece of his whole world was right in front of him.
Sadly, the kiss had to end, they both needed to breathe. Sebastian took pride in the fact that he made a Spartan breathless. He smiled wide before admitting, out loud, to her face that, "I love you, Faye Lockhart."
Faye's heart fluttered, reaching heights she never thought possible. She couldn't contain the giddy smile that graced her features. Taking a deep breath, she whispered back, "I love you too, Sebastian Rutherford."
Dove recorded the whole thing, without the knowledge of either party, just for safekeeping. This was an important milestone, one for the books. Unfortunately, Dove had to be the one to interrupt, "Uhm, I really hate to break up the moment, but we have company," the azure optic swirled in worry.
Immediately, Faye's tone changed, giving Sebastian a case of whiplash, "How many?"
"A lot, even too many for my sensors to count, and that number is high," Dove admitted.
Sebastian chuckled, "Well, our work isn't done yet," he turned to Faye, "Go get prepared, I need a word with Dove."
"Alright, be quick about it, we don't have much time," Faye said concerned.
"I won't be long, love you," Sebastian threw the word again, making Faye's chest flutter again. She leaned forward, giving him a chaste kiss before sliding her helmet back on.
"Love you too, Seb. Don't take too long. Might need your help," Faye replied as she disappeared from sight.
The Ghost looked right at her Guardian when his face went from joyful to serious, "Dove, if anything happens to her and me, I want you to find a way off the planet."
Dove's heart broke there, "You can't be asking me to… You promised!"
"I'm finally happy, and it's all thanks to you. If I die, what do you think will happen if you appear? They will either shoot you or capture you for study. Please, just be selfish this one time. You always worry about me. Let me return the favor just this once. If she gets taken away, I don't think you'll be able to salvage what was already broken. The shards will become dust. Please," Sebastian didn't want anything more, he begged, pleaded with his Ghost to let him go. This is what he wanted.
"I cannot promise you this, but I will do my best to uphold it, Sebastian. You're the best Guardian a Ghost could ask for," Dove's voice wavered as she spoke, to which her Guardian knew.
He understood the magnitude of his request and he will stand by it. "You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, Dove. I just want to let you know that. You showed me everything. I think we both deserve a rest, don't ya think?" he smiled weakly at her. Dove buried herself into the crook of his neck, unable to form any more words. She was overcome with emotion, that he swears that Dove would be crying if she could. "There there little birdy, everything will work out in the end."
Sebastian stood right next to Faye, right on a wide platform. Abandoned and crumbled buildings littered the entire area. Covenant Phantoms swarmed the duo's position. Faye had grabbed a mounted turret and was carrying it with ease. Sebastian opted for Found Verdict, Ironwreath, and Jolder's Hammer. Fatebringer rested in a holster at the small of his back. "Dove, do you still have the music we got from a long way back?"
"Yes, Guardian. Do you want me to play it?" Dove asked curtly, their previous conversation playing over and over again in her core.
"No, just prepare the playlist, Carmine, please. You'll know the right moment to play it, I promise," Sebastian said.
The roar of the Phantoms drowned out Dove's reply, and then the plasma started flying. Faye took a section over at the west side, Sebastian took the east. They decided it was better to be separated because they did not want to clash with each other. They were better in their own elements. Sebastian saw his first target, a Minor Elite. Sebastian racked a shell into Found Verdict before rushing towards the fight. The Elite did not know what hit him. He was dead before he even knew what happened. Sebastian continued this pattern of running at them, to use his shotgun in the most effective manner, up close and personal.
Meanwhile, Faye was spraying the Covenant down with her machine turret. The Hammer was resting on her back, so she has a backup, along with all the other weapons she has stashed in the buildings. She even found a drop shield armor module that she applied to her armor, not including the hard light shield that is somewhere in her armor. Grunts, Jackals, and Elites were lining up and Faye was knocking them down. They tried to rush her but were met with 900 rounds per minute. Faye cracked a smile under her helmet. However, her idle thoughts were lingering on Sebastian.
Sebastian was giddy with excitement. He found that Ironwreath plus his Sword was a beautiful combination. Talk about swish swish stab. Sebastian, however, was not like the Spartans. They had shields, he did not. So while he was having the time of his life, participating in a Covenant massacre, he was wounded, mostly flesh wounds, but even those started to pile up. He refrained from using his Light because he wanted to save it for when he desperately needs it. Nevertheless, he persevered.
Faye had used the now empty machine gun like a baseball bat, swinging it as hard as she could into two Elites. Then, she pulled out two Magnums and she went to town. She picked off Grunts, Jackals, and an Elite that was lingering in the back. She was aware of her shields taking some hits and took cover as needed. She continued to dodge and weave as she continued to mow down the relentless armies of the Covenant Armada.
The Guardian went for the hands-on approach after a while. The Sword was doing marvelously against the flesh of the Covenant armies, cutting through them like nothing else. Sebastian felt on top of the world. Did he have an expectation of completely wiping them out and living? No. Was he going to get his last few kicks in? Oh, you can bet your ass he was. He just hopes that Faye was having a way easier time.
Truth be told, she was starting to struggle. The fatigue from the previous battles was starting to catch up to the Spartan. Each time she dodged a plasma grenade, it was getting closer and closer. They were starting to send more and more soldiers. They were being dispensed faster than they could be disposed of.
Sebastian noticed the increase and Covenant and thought nothing of it until he heard a scream. Sebastian paused from pulling his Sword out of an Elite. That was… "Faye…" he whispered before bolting off to find her.
The Spartan had the unfortunate timing of having her shields being down and then being shot in the shins. The needle rounds skewered her flesh and while adrenaline may be flowing through her system, the needles were burning her flesh. She tried to move, but it was agony. The pain was slowly catching up. That was when Sebastian burst through the doorway and noticed her condition. "Shit," he hissed, "Come on, we need to go. We can't hold them off."
"We can't leave, Sebastian, they will find us," Faye said, breathing through the pain.
"Wanna bet?" he smirked under his helmet before they were both invisible.
Sebastian carried her over to an area without a lot of activity. They were still close to the Covenant, but out of sight. At least, they thought they were. The building Sebastian set Faye down in was primed with plasma explosives. Just as soon as he entered the door, Dove found the building plasma energy and warned them.
Just a second too late.
The resulting explosion sent both of them flying. Faye landed and rolled, and she felt something break. She didn't have time to lock the armor. Breathing started to hurt, more so than usual and the previous battles caught up with her, causing her to pass out. Sebastian landed with slightly more grace, but it didn't help when he skidded into a concrete wall. The wall audibly cracked, and so did his ribs. Dove quickly gave them a heal from inside her dimension, but couldn't do more unless she was exposed, which Sebastian did not want. "Faye…" he murmured before blacking out.
All Faye felt was pain, blinding pain; pure agony is a phrase for it. She heard the explosion, but didn't know what happened after. They got separated and to top it all off, the Covenant were swarming their position. She had to get up to fight. She would not die laying down. She groaned as she tried to get up, but a hand wrapped around her throat. Her eyes burst open to see a Sangheili warrior holding her up. This one was one of the females. The armor gave it away and Faye suddenly felt so useless.
Faye tried to fight and wrench herself out of their grip, but more pressure was applied. "How it would be so easy to snap your neck, but my Commander has a plan for you." The words were full of unadulterated malice. With her breathing cut off, the Lone Wolf was subdued into the realm of unconsciousness.
Sebastian opened his eyes and all he felt was pain. Everything hurt, and now that the adrenaline was flushed out of his system, the pain came back full force. The Hunter took his time to stand up and when he did, He wobbled and slowly made his way out of the rubble. The building they were supposed to take cover in was nothing but plasma now. "Faye," he said, trying to shout, but his throat hurt. Everything hurt, and he wanted to find her and keep her safe, the person he loves and he was happy. However, when he rounded the corner of the building he was going to, he was met with a sight he wouldn't ever forget. Along with the aliens he wished he never met. He saw Faye sprawled out in the same style as before; when the Traveler took over his body. Sebastian said weakly, "Faye…"
That was until a familiar Elite took center stage. One he wishes he could drive a Sword into. Or a knife, or a bullet, or any high-velocity object.
"Hello, 'Seb'," Thel 'Vadamee said, with a look akin to a smirk. It was infuriating. What made it worse was the dagger under Faye's throat, the restraints around her wrists, and the knife in her side. Her blood leaking out of the wound. Her body was making no visible response, but there was a subtle tell that she was alive. The slight rise and fall of her chest.
"What have you done?!" Sebastian roared, Light flaring. Faye was defenseless, helmet on, but depolarized. He could see her eyes, they looked so dull compared to before. "Why are you here?! What do you want?!" he shouted.
"What we should have done in the first place, demon," Thel 'Vadamee said before giving the order to his subordinates, the females. The order to slit her throat, to end the demon's life. It was at that moment when her eyes met his, and her eyes crinkled, meaning she was smiling. Sebastian knew that smile. It was a smile of acceptance, but even she knew that he would never accept it.
It all happened so fast that Sebastian didn't have time to properly react. The cut was clean, and he watched as the love of his life suffer, painfully, right before his eyes. The sounds of her choking on her own blood made his eyes flare in response. He tried to get his body to do something, anything. He had to watch as her blood leaked onto the ground, with no signs of stopping. "No. No no no no…" Sebastian didn't care, he just wanted to see her. "Please no…"
With their work done, they watched the pitiful human squirm, "Let this be a lesson, Demon." said the leader, Zesa.
Sebastian didn't dignify that with a response. He only cared about her, "Faye please… please don't go… I love you… Dove, can you do anything?" he whispered.
"Sebastian…" her tone was sad, regretful even, "you know as well as I do that I cannot heal her as I can you." Sebastian didn't care if they were watching, but he needed to see her.
She didn't know how it happened, how she ended up like this, but she knew it was bound to happen. Through her choking, she managed to speak. Sebastian pulled off her helmet so he could look into her eyes, and gripped her hand, which was getting weaker by the second, "Be strong, Sebby… for me… I…. love… you…" and then her grip slacked, dropping his hand. Just like that, Spartan B312, Faye Lockhart, died on Reach, fighting for Humanity.
The Elites were surprised to see that the faceless Demons were Humans. This was a new development for them.
Sebastian cried, no, he wailed. He mourned as he shouted it's not fair. That was the undoing of his Light. It exploded in a mass of Void, Solar, and Arc. The entire battlefield was blind for a few seconds. Dove was still in shock, and in her shock, she accidentally played the playlist named Carmine, the one she had prepared. Every song made sense, they were all true, in some way, shape, or form. The main buildup and chorus set the mood.
"I don't wanna be afraid, I don't wanna run away
I don't wanna be evaded, it's more than I can take
I'm never gonna be the same
I threw it all away
I don't want to be evaded
Just let go (look what you do to me)
Let go (look what you do to me)"
This was what Sebastian did, he let go of all his restraints. He let his Light be free and the blend of all three known Guardian attunements were burning bright, none overpowering the other. A collage of colors blinded all of the Covenant in the immediate area. Yet, they still tried to get to him. Thel and company had already left to pursue the Pillar of Autumn. The next song described the current mood, and it showed just how close he was to the brink.
"Find my life ahead
Oh, I don't know, I don't know where
But I'm starting on my way
Will you meet me, will you meet me there?
Echoes in the night
Like a melody is haunting me
But then I meet your eyes
With the fire of a rising sun
...
I am standing on the edge
Take me over, take me over
See how fast this life can change
Take me further, lead me further
Take me over, take me over"
Sebastian raged on, his form a glowing combination of all three attunements, the Covenant troops around him all tried to fight him, six, seven, eight at a time. Each and every time, he would prove them wrong, they would be decimated time and time again. He would not stop, he would not care how he did it, but every single Covenant will pay. Dove flipped to the next song. This one must have been how Sebastian felt when he gazed into her eyes.
"Into your eyes I live
Beautifully broken
...
Fight
We'll fight
And bury our lives
We'll break these chains
And wash it away
Oh light
Carry me over the ground
Heavy won't hold me down"
Nothing would stop the Hunter from raging on, his Light burning strong. He would avenge her and he would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. A Wraith was on the field and in a flash of light, his Golden Gun formed, but much to the female Ghost's surprise, it was a mix of Sol and Void Light. Even the bullets were a mix. The Void was doing its job, and it only made his rage go further beyond. Even in his rage, he thought about all of their moments together, how she was a light in the darkness. How she was the pinnacle of his life, something he never knew that he could have. Tears leaked out of his eyes during the fight. Dove realized that she was playing the songs to him as well. He didn't hear his words, but Dove swore he said 'thank you'.
"So reach to the sky
The life we have has come
This night of our lives
We've only just begun
Together we are
Bright as the stars
We're a light that will never die
This is the moment we come alive"
Sebastian burned bright in his rage. Through it all, he was crying. Not for them, not for himself, not for Dove, but for Faye. The woman who changed both of their lives. He was brought back to his question of what was it all for? All the bloodshed, all the lost lives, worlds, and everything else in between. Was it worth it?
"We're fighting for something
If I lose the world I know
If the night, it comes for me
If tomorrow fades
And nothing matters
...
What's it all for?
What's it all for?
...
I am still alive
I am still alive
What's it all for?
What's it all for?
What's it all for?
I'm looking for a reason
I'm looking for a reason"
This particular one was interesting to hear, as it described what Sebastian was trying to do. He had a reason to live, and now that it is gone… he is doing the only thing he could do… he was looking for one. Right now, he didn't know, but every song played, pushed him on. He knew he would die here, and he knew that Dove would follow his wishes, but he wouldn't stop fighting until they put him down like a rabid animal. However, the next song provided the next question. What would happen if he let them win?
"What if I let you win?
What if I make it right?
What if I give it up?
What if I want to try?
What if you take a chance?
What if I learn to love?
What if, what if we start again?"
It is not what he wanted for himself, but what Faye wanted for him. She wanted him to fight until he couldn't. That begs the question, what would have happened if they started again? Would it be like the Vex simulations, except with only one end result? Or would there be a new ending? One forged by the brightest of sparks. Dove mourned her loss as well; she genuinely enjoyed talking with Faye. She continued to pursue the music in silence, even over the sounds of battle and carnage raging in the background
"I want to save it all
I want to take it all
My heart is holding on
I bleed, I bleed for love
...
When I'm gone
When I fade away
Is the air I breathe my only legacy?
When I'm gone"
This is what Sebastian wanted to do. He wanted to save it all and he wanted only one thing, Faye's love. He received it, but only for a short time. Sebastian didn't care anymore. He wanted to die. He wanted to die next to her. So, that is naturally where he ended up after his rampage. Sebastian would give his all for her and wouldn't stop, but even Dove knew, everyone must get off their pedestal at some point, it was just how hard they fell.
"I'd give it all to you
Letting go of me
Reaching as I fall
I know it's already over now
Nothing left to lose
Loving you again
I know it's already over, already over now"
After his rampage ended, his body smoking, Light free and pushed to the limit. He burned it all in his rage, and now he only could wait until the exhaustion set in. He freed her from her restraints and laid her body down, putting her helmet next to her. The only thing wrong with her was the single cut across her throat. "I'm sorry," Sebastian croaked, his voice was at his limit. He thought about what he could do, and then it clicked. 'One day, you will need this. You will know when to use it.'
Sebastian thought about the spark the Traveler gave him and now was the time, how could he have been so stupid and forget about it? This was his chance. He focused everything he had into getting it to appear, and it seemed eager as well because it came out of his chest with relative ease, making black spots appear in his vision. He suddenly felt drowsy and his eyelids drooped, but he snapped himself awake. With one final exertion, he pushed the spark into Faye's chest. When nothing happened, the hope that swelled in his chest died. As did his soul. Dove didn't realize how far he pushed himself, and with a final croak, he said as if he was speaking to someone, "You got what you wanted… leave me here with her, as a final request. Can you honor that?" With that, Sebastian fell right next to his lover, hand clasped in hers before he shut his eyes and let the darkness subdue him.
Suddenly, it just felt like life had just become darker without the Light. Everything felt hopeless and Dove doesn't know what to do now. There was no one to guide her. There was no one she could talk to. For the first time in three hundred years….
She was all alone. There was no one, there was nothing. Nothing else mattered. She felt so far away. Then, a light was cast over the battlefield and all that remained was a white light. It was warm and Dove soon fell into its loving embrace.
...
Alright, so that was a lot that happened. I'm genuinely sad I had to do that, but I needed a reason. As for the centered paragraphs, those are song lyrics. They're in quotes because I felt like it was right to do so. The playlist name, Carmine, was a hint to the actual artist. There was one song that was not by them. They were, in order of appearance: Artist, Title (Album)
Red- Let Go (End of Silence)
Red- Take Me Over (of Beauty and Rage)
Breaking Benjamin- Down (Embers) [The Chorus was beautiful, okay?]
Red- The Moment We Come Alive (Release the Panic Deluxe Edition)
Red- Still Alive, Looking for a Reason (Gone Deluxe Edition)
Red- Start Again (Innocence and Instinct)
Red- Gone (Gone Deluxe Edition)
Red- Already Over (End of Silence)
Do you see why it was called Playlist Carmine? Anyway, this is the last chapter before the Epilogue, and don't think I forgot about the bonus chapters I promised. Those will get out, once I finish this up and decided what I want to do.