A/N: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT DOWN BELOW.
Disclaimer: I do not own Akame Ga Kiru and Halo. They belong to their rightful and respectful owners.
Najenda, Chelsea, Leone and Tatsumi ready themselves for the next mission of Halo 3 and quickly shifts to the gameplay.
(Gameplay)
Ghost Town
A convoy of three Warthogs: two M831 TT Warthogs and one M12 Chaingun Warthog roll down a tunnel of Tsavo Highway, with Najenda riding shotgun in the LRV. Chelsea and Leone were riding shotgun on the TTs, but Tatsumi uses the turret of the Warthog that Najenda is riding on.
Commander Miranda KeyesCOM: "Chief, the Prophet of Truth has found the Ark. Our only chance of stopping him is a surprise aerial assault. Clear this sector of Covenant anti-air defenses. Make a hole for the Admiral's ships. Good hunting. Keyes out."
"C'mon, let's do this!" Leone said eagerly as she tries to get off the warthog.
"We just have to wait until we all get off." Najenda assure the blonde.
The Warthogs emerge from the tunnel in a parking lot scattered with destroyed Warthog chassis and Marine and Unggoy corpses. The Warthogs roll to a halt as the Marines and Najenda walk out. The other did the same except for Tatsumi, who knows what they will encounter. The Marines form a perimeter outside the locked door.
Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds: "Ready when you are, Chief. Open the door and take point. We'll cover you with the .50."
Switching to their carbines and Battle Rifle, Najenda opens the door into an empty factory section, and the three moves up a flight of stairs, and heads out onto a catwalk overlooking an area with a few Unggoy and Kig-Yar, who are listening to another of Truth's sermons.
Prophet of Truth (Hologram): "With my gentle encouragement, our Lords' holy relic springs to life. It is unfortunate that our enemies also bear witness to its glory. But their dull eyes will soon be closed; seared by the Rings' unforgiving might."
"Yeah right…" Mine said dryly she the Rings will kill everyone in the galaxy.
"How come we manage to survive the firing of the Rings?" Dorothea asked.
"That is for another story, Reclaimer." Delta answered as she might predict on their reactions about Ancient Humanity and their Technology. She just needs to think before showing them.
The three opens fire, taking the Covenant by surprise. Well, more like Leone charging in and not dying.
"Now that's what I call a sneak attack!" Leone cheered.
"I wouldn't say so." Mine pointed out that the blonde charged in without thinking, but at least she had backup.
ReynoldsCOM: "Chief, open the door; we can roll on through!"
Chelsea finds the door controls on the upper level and activates them. The doors open and an M12 Warthog LRV and a squad of Marines enter with Tatsumi on the turret.
Marine: "That did it, sir! Push forward!"
The Marines wipe out any remaining Covenant troops in the immediate area. Three more Unggoy enter the room, but they too are killed by Chelsea's plasma grenade.
Marine: "Open her up, sir. We've got your six."
The three heads back down to the ground floor, and Leone opens a second set of doors, leading to a factory tunnel full of Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar, Unggoy and even a pair of Ghosts. Beyond that is another door leading outside to Lake Bed A. After cleaning out resistance in the tunnel with the help of Tatsumi, the UNSC forces open the next door, revealing a massive expanse with cruising Ghosts and a heavy Covenant garrison, along with an Anti-Air Wraith which fires at Hornets overhead.
"I call dibs on the Ghost!" Leone said as she hops onto one.
"Just be careful." Tatsumi warned the blonde as he still mans the turret and Najenda and Chelsea hops on to the warthog.
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence HoodCOM: "Kilo 023, this is Forward Unto Dawn. I need a sit-rep, Commander."
Commander KeyesCOM: "Atmospheric disturbance is intensifying above the artifact, Admiral."
Lord HoodCOM: "And Sierra-117?"
Commander KeyesCOM: "Moving as fast as he can, sir. I know he'll get it done."
"Oh, you know he will." Lubbock commented as he cannot wait for the fight.
A team of Marines are forced to retreat from a small dock office in the center of the lake bed as a Phantom dropship drops Covenant troops directly on top of the structure. The four and accompanying Marines rendezvous with the displaced team and together they assault the dock office, clearing it of Covenant. Tatsumi then leaves the turret and heads up to the top, where he sees a destroyed Missile pod.
"This'll come in handy." Tatsumi stated as he picks up the pod and destroys the AA- Wraith.
Female MarineCOM: "Hell yeah! Boom! The Fly Boys are gonna love us for that!"
Sergeant Major Avery JohnsonCOM: "That-a-way, Chief! Target destroyed. Move to the next area, over."
"Nice one." Leone commented.
"That's a fine work, but we need to clear out the enemy forces." Najenda stated as he fires into a group of grunts.
The Ghosts attack the UNSC force, but are repelled. A Phantom drops extra Ghost reinforcements, but the four and company destroy these too. Another Phantom deploys a standard Wraith at the opposite end of the lake bed. Najenda quickly dealt with that as she plants a frag grenade into its engine.
A pair of Banshees swoops down to attack the UNSC forces. A friendly Hornet arrives and destroys the Banshees. The four players and the remaining Marines cross the lake bed and neutralize the Wraith guarding the entrance to the factory. Another lance of Covenant attempt to stop the UNSC force, but fail as Leone spatters all of the with her damaged Ghost.
"Nice one Sis." Tatsumi stated as he reloads a new round into his Battle Rifle.
"Thanks." The blonde said as she sees the Warthogs coming.
Inside the factory, a sizable contingent of Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar and Unggoy led by a Jiralhanae War Chieftain have pinned down a pair of Marines manning a mounted machine gun in the adjacent section.
"Great, at least I manage to pick up this." Chelsea said as he charges a Plasma bolt into the War Chieftain and kills it with her Carbine. Tatsumi and Leone backs her up as they kill the remaining Covies.
Marine: "They just keep coming!"
Female Marine: "Check your fire! It's the Chief!"
The Chief engages the Covenant.
Female Marine: "Flush 'em out, sir. We'll nail them with the .50!"
The four goes upstairs and flanks the Covenant troops as the War Chieftain is dead, forcing them out into the open where the mounted machine gun can cut them down. The Covenant soldiers are soon wiped out.
Marine: "Hey! We got a hog!"
The four meets up with the Marines operating the mounted machine gun.
Female Marine: "We're down to our last mags, sir. Thought those last ones had us."
"Well, you should thanks us for saving all of you." Leone grinned as she grabs a Battle Rifle.
The four heads downstairs and opens a heavy door, which gives them and the marines access to the next section of the factory.
A Phantom hovers overhead above a glass roof.
Marine: "We've got a Phantom, overhead!"
The glass roof shatters and a horde of Yanme'e descends.
"Come on!" Tatsumi yelled as he fires the Drones with the Warthog turret.
"Those damn buggers are annoying as hell." Mine commented.
Najenda, Leone and Chelsea and the other marines stand their ground and fight off the swarm. The Phantom eventually leaves and any remaining Yanme'e flee. The rest proceed into the next factory tunnel section.
Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I have defied Gods and Demons..."
"Hey, wasn't that from the trailer?" Wave realised.
"Definitely, something bad is going on." Run answered as he has a bed feeling about these Cortana Moments.
At the end of the tunnel are four Mongoose vehicles, next to a rack of weapons. Marines rush to man the ATVs.
Female Marine 2: "Mount up, Rockets in back!"
"Sweet." Leone exclaimed and grabbed a Rocket launcher and hopped on into one mongooses In the passenger's seat.
Najenda opens the tunnel's door, leading outside to a neighbouring lake bed.
Female Marine 2: "We gotta move fast, and punch hard!"
"You heard what the marine just said!" Najenda said as she looks at everyone.
"You got that." Tatsumi nodded and soon went out first and the others joined in in the Mongoose.
The others grabbed their vehicle of choice, and heads outside with other ATVs. A small squad of Marines has taken refuge on the boardwalk on the northern side of the lake bed. They are shortly engaged by a Covenant lance. Multiple Jiralhanae Choppers and Ghosts mill about in the center, guarding two more Anti-Air Wraiths. In the sky above, Banshees and Hornets are engaged in a fierce dogfight.
"Lot's of carnage." Esdeath muttered and wished she could participate in that fight.
"I wouldn't believe that you would survive that, Miss Esdeath." Seyru countered, making the Ice Queen pout.
JohnsonCOM: "We've got Anti-Air Wraiths in the next lake bed, Chief!"
Tatsumi decided to take care of that as he went to where the AA Wraith was and shot the Engine, destroying it.
Marine: "One down, one to go!"
Enemy Phantoms deploy additional Ghosts onto the battlefield. The Marines on the northern boardwalk use a pair of mounted Missile Pods to support the rest from a distance.
"We need to go there." Leone said as she mounted into one of the mounted Missile pods and assist the others.
"Thanks." Chelsea stated as s Brute Chopper exploded near her.
"Let's keep on fighting these Covenant." Najenda reminded the two and shot three Gruts with her Carbine.
The rest takes out the second Anti-Air Wraith. The ATVs, Hornets, and Missile Pods eventually clear the lake bed of remaining Covenant resistance. Pelicans arrive to deliver reinforcements.
JohnsonCOM: "Both AA Wraiths have been neutralized...standby. Something big, closing in on your location."
"Something big…" Tatsumi was trying to figure out what it was.
"I think it means that…." Kurome was about to say when the exact thought came into the picture.
Judgment
There is the booming of the anti-aircraft emplacement in the distance, but also an ominous mechanical grinding noise.
"Yep, it that." Leone answered the two's sentences as she knows that it was a Scarab.
Private First Class Chips DubboCOM: "What's that sound?"
"What do you think it is?" Mine said the obvious.
The booms and grinding get louder.
DubboCOM: "It's getting closer!"
MarineCOM: "Oh, this can't be good man..."
JohnsonCOM: "Scarab! Find some cover. Now!"
A massive Scarab walker lumbers down from the roof of the factory onto the lake bed, and dust rises as its legs slam into the ground, destroying a Troop Transport Warthog in the process.
Marine: "We'll try to draw its fire."
Marine-operated vehicles and a pair of Marine-manned Missile Pod turrets open up in volleys.
Marine: "Use rockets! Target its joints!"
"We should probably assist them?" Tatsumi said as he begins to fire his rocket launcher into one of the Scarab's joint.
"I'll help you." Chelsea stated as she hops on into a missile pod and begins shooting at its damaged leg.
Najenda, Leone, Marines, ATVs, Hornets, and Missile Pod emplacements eventually take out one of the Scarab's joints, forcing it to lower itself and consume all power into getting back up again, deactivating its primary weapon in the process.
Marine: "Now, while it's down! Find a way inside!"
"You heard that." Najenda eyed to Tatsumi and Chelsea.
"Alright." The two nodded and they soon climbed into the Scarab.
JohnsonCOM: "Look for a weak spot, Chief. A power core, something like that."
"I know where it is." Chelsea remembered that one mission in ODST.
They soon went to the upper deck, where they tactically kill several Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar and Unggoy who were trying to stop them.
"I'll destroy the core." Tatsumi spoke as he grabbed a plasma turret and went to where the core was. He started firing at it and destroys the core.
DubboCOM: "Get away! It's gonna blow!"
The two jumps off the Scarab and runs for it, going to where Najenda and Leone were. With a loud roar, the Scarab detonates violently in a blinding flash of light.
"Wooohooooo!" Leone and Lubbock cheered.
"Man, now we have an idea on how to destroy them." Tatsumi commented.
"Yeah, but we would never survive against those types of weapons." Dorothea countered.
"But can Incursio be immune to Plasma?" Mine reminded as she knows that the Tyrant Dragon can adapt and Evolve.
"I am not quite sure about that." Tatsumi answered.
"Plasma isn't environmental Reclaimer, but there is one weapon that Incursio can be immune to." Delta informed them as she was thinking about infusion and incendiary gels.
A fresh squad of Marines lead the four to a locked door leading to the factory's warehouse.
Female Marine: "We've got this area locked down, sir. Follow us, we'll get you through."
The door opens up, leading to a dirty tin-walled section filled with wounded Marines and civilians lying on the floor. Several grim-faced Marines are standing behind sandbags, tending to the wounded and operating the sole UNSC field radio available.
Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I am your shield. I am your sword."
"Well at least this didn't start where a lot of enemies were." Leone sighed in relief.
Wounded Marine: "Ahh! Somebody, get me some morphine!"
Voices begin to play through the radio and are attentively monitored by a pair of Marines operating it.
Naval OfficerCOM: "All Brute cruisers are pulling back to Truth's ship. Winds inside the storm just hit 200 kilometers per hour. Energy cascades all over the artifact!"
There is a moderate pause within the radio conversation, before another starts between Commander Keyes and Lord Hood. Thinking it is something important, the four then listens to it.
KeyesCOM: "Admiral, a single Covenant ship has slipped in-system."
"A single ship?" Tatsumi said.
HoodCOM: "Just one? What's its range and disposition?"
KeyesCOM: "Above the artifact, inside the orbital line. Seems to be holding steady."
"That doesn't sound good." Wave uttered.
"Whoever pilots this ship, must be desperate in going to Earth." Najenda explained as she was thinking about one certain enemy.
"We just have to wait and see." Mine finished.
HoodCOM: "The attack proceeds as planned, Commander. We're not going to get another shot at Truth."
KeyesCOM: "Sir. Yes, sir."
The four pass through a stained area of bolted tin plates until they reach the periphery of the warehouse, where a trio of Marines are pinned down under sandbags as spiker projectiles fly through the air. Farther forward is a steel bridge where a pair of Marines frantically open fire on Jiralhanae all around them with a mounted machine gun.
Marine: "We've got company!"
After the Jiralhanae between the sandbags and the bridge are killed by the UNSC forces, another group of Jiralhanae charges from the next section, chasing two Marines.
Jiralhanae: "Don't let them escape!"
A surviving Jiralhanae from the previous wave tries to warn the charging Jiralhanae of the impending doom but is too late.
Jiralhanae 2: "No, fall back!"
They then run towards the bridge and a Marine fires the bridge-mounted turret.
Marine: "Hold the line! Enemy charging!"
After the last wave of charging Jiralhanae is killed, the four and the surviving Marines make their way into the next section, where behind a mass of stacked crates a Jiralhanae violently throttles a construction worker. Three other workers armed with Pistols flee from the Jiralhanae and his pack. The throttling Jiralhanae roars out.
Jiralhanae: "Kill them for honor!"
Construction Worker: "Get to safety!"
Some snickered at this.
"Well, that was one way to counter some saying." Leone snickered, making Tatsumi, Wave, Chelsea, and Mine laugh lightly.
The four allies kill the Jiralhanae.
The next section is littered with civilian corpses, while a few live Factory Workers cower in the corner. A door leading to the outside of the factory is nearby. The door opens up, and a group of four construction workers runs in. However, they are cut down by two massive green beams of energy blowing up the fusion cores next to the workers.
A pair of Mgalekgolo charge in over the worker corpses and after the Master Chief, Thel 'Vadam, and the awaiting Marines. The cowering workers get up and are relieved to see fellow humans.
"Oh, they're here. Leone said as he pulls out her Rocket Launcher which had four rockets left.
Construction Worker: "I thought we were the only ones left-"
Their celebration is cut short when they see the Mgalekgolo and retreat behind the approaching Marine forces.
"You should've moved." Najenda looked at the recently dead construction workers.
After a firefight, the Chief and company manage to take out the Mgalekgolo pair. The Marines and the four run through the open door to a series of low-roofed buildings where a Jiralhanae Chieftain awaits with his Bodyguards and several Unggoy. The Prophet of Truth sermonizes from a holographic pedestal behind them.
Prophet of Truth (Hologram): "Take heart, my brothers! Only our enemies should fear this raging storm!"
"Yeah right." Leone said dryly as she switches her Rocket Launcher with a Gravity Hammer.
"Your preach will only cause more chaos." Akame added as she drank a glass of water.
After the Unggoy are wiped out, the Chieftain retreats with his Bodyguards back to the pedestal, where a larger force of Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar and Unggoy wait. After a protracted struggle, the assault force finally defeats the Covenant troops and continues on ahead. Truth continues preaching.
Prophet of Truth (Hologram): "Darkened skies and lashing fire are all that remains for them when we, the worthy, have passed beyond."
Thel 'Vadam: (upon seeing Truth's hologram) "I will not be shamed. Not again! Not by you!"
"You tell him 'Vadam!" Tatsumi nodded.
The four and the surviving Marines and civilians move around the remaining buildings and reach the hill where the massive anti-aircraft emplacement stands. Weapons can be found among the Marine corpses lying behind sandbags at the base of the hill. The Covenant AA gun opens fire on a surging UNSC Longsword and scores a direct hit on its engines. The damaged craft plunges into the cliffs below.
"Alright, let's destroy this gun!" Leone exclaimed as she charges with the others backing her up.
KeyesCOM: "Chief! Hood's ships are closing fast! Destroy that gun; we're out of time."
The four and the remaining Marines and civilians push up the hill. Unggoy tentatively run down the slope to face the onrushing UNSC forces. The Chief eliminates them and presses forward. Mid-way up the hill, he encounters a Jiralhanae War Chieftain wielding a fuel rod gun. The War Chieftain is backed up by his Jiralhanae Captains and Bodyguards, as well as an Unggoy Heavy manning a plasma turret, and Unggoy and Kig-Yar infantry. Numerous Banshees patrol the sky above
Eventually, the four and their allies take down all of the Covenant ground defenders and Tasumi picks up a fuel Rod Gun.
JohnsonCOM: "Chief, that gun's been firing non-stop: it's gotta be running hot!"
The anti-aircraft emplacement's lower section opens to reveal a white sphere. Steam vents as the panel continually opens. Tatsumi destroys the sphere with the Fuel Rod Gun.
(Cutscene)
Insert: Halo 3 OST: This is the Hour
Soon, everyone starts humming to this soundtrack as they are about to watch an epic scene.
The AA Gun explodes in the background, sending the upper section flying down the cliff. The Master Chief joins 'Vadam on the cliff side of the crater. They look up as multiple squadrons of Longswords streak overhead, followed by three UNSC frigates, including the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, Lord Hood's flagship. The Covenant fleet hovers before them, with the Forerunner Dreadnought positioned below at the center of the artifact.
HoodCOM: "All ships: fire at will!"
The frigates engage the Forerunner Dreadnought. Their Magnetic Accelerator Cannons discharge in volleys, and explosions coat the Dreadnought's surface, but the ship remains unscathed. The Forerunner structure begins to open like a starfish. The Dreadnought is lowered into the structure, an energy beam being focused through it.
"This doesn't look good." Najenda muttered.
The storm intensifies. A powerful wind knocks John and 'Vadam backward. The beam of light grows thicker and expands, sending out a shockwave. Everything blacks out.
Cortana (Cortana Moment): "This...is the way the world ends."
."Oh no." Wave muttered.
"It didn't end up too well." Lubbock added.
"Forerunner structures seems to be immune to human weapons." Dorothea analysed the dreadnought sustaining from the frigates firing.
Scene fades in on the Chief, dazed and kneeling on the ground. He gets back to his feet and stares up. A large glowing sphere of blue light, centered by pitch darkness, hovers in the sky above the artifact. The large fins of the artifact focus energy on the sphere. UNSC and Covenant ships alike drift in the air, disorganized.
Truth's Dreadnought rises from the ground and approaches the sphere.
"Wooooow." Tatsumi and Wave said as they looked at the portal.
"I cannot believe that the Forerunners are able to make a piece of technology like that." Dorothea said as she and Stylish awed at the portal.
HoodCOM: "(coughs) What did Truth just do?! (coughs) Did he activate the rings?!"
KeyesCOM: "No, sir. But he certainly did something..."
"He activated the portal." Akame simply answered.
Thel 'Vadam roars angrily as the Forerunner Dreadnought disappears into the sphere. The rest of the Covenant fleet follows.
HoodCOM: "Evac wounded and regroup. Wherever Truth went-"
Naval OfficerCOM: "Sir, new contact - slipping in!"
"Looks like someone joined in late." Esdeath said.
"Yeah…." Najenda agreed sceptically.
A damaged Covenant battlecruiser emerges from Slipspace to the east of Voi, and hurtles just over the Chief and 'Vadam. It is smoking with rancid fumes and its underside is covered in a sinister, fleshy growth.
Seeing the damaged ship means one thing to Night Raid,
"Oh no." Tatsumi started as he knows who piloted the ship.
"It can't be…." Kurome said.
"No way…." Chelsea added.
"The Flood has arrived at Earth." Mine finished fearfully.
Seeing this made Wave and Tatsumi have severe flashbacks about Choukri. This won't end well and they all know that Earth is now doomed. Esdeath was now shaking as she saw the ship.
The ship soon loses altitude and crashes out of sight. There is a flash of light and a deep rumbling is heard, followed by silence. The sky darkens as smog rises, veiling the sun. An omen of ancient evil is in the air.
Scene cuts to a close up of John-117.
Thel 'Vadam: "What is it? More Brutes?"
Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 and everyone: "Worse."
Fades to black.
Level ends.
As the level ends, everyone apart from Tatsumi puts down their controller.
"How the hell can the Flood find Earth?!" Mine asked.
Wave has got an answer to that. "I guess that it is one of the Ships from High Charity's fleet."
Hearing that only made the situation worst." Oh no, then that would mean….." Leone started.
A Prophet must've been used to find Earth Coordinates." Run finished
Akame was shaking in fear, but was comforted by Leone, who was hugging her. "Easy there, we managed to block the Flood from Choukri Island." She told her friend.
Without waiting, Mine, Esdeath and Wave pick up the controllers to play with Tatsumi and try to quarantine the Ship before the Flood could spread throughout the world.
A/N: There you have it. I decided to uses the players from the level 343 Guilty Spark for Floodgate. Now onto my announcement.
I'm going to plan a Christmas Special for Night Raid. Hey, we need something to cheer them up in their world and there will be two Guess. No, not the characters from Halo, but instead two people who contributed to the popularisation of Halo. Joseph Staten and Martin O'Donnell. Now onto one question.
How would they react to Floodgate?
