Augustine sat upon her throne within the bountiful cavern that hosted the tribes of Solarians. The people she shared her blood with and bore into this world hunkered into many tents and leafy homes that was taken from the forest. She could observe the fifty young avians of her blood reveling in the peace she provided in the shelter of the mountain. Their bioluminescence flickered and glowed brilliantly in a collective display of communication, figures of speech, and expression in nature. Content to watch them from afar, the leader of these tribes happily watched the countless many create lives for themselves, enjoy the company of others, bear the young of worthy males or live happily with the same sex. Every desiring trait was encouraged by Augustine, one who they called The Unifier by her name above.

While she watched her growing Empire go from fifty to a few hundred Solarians in the following days, so many hatchlings and young folk were maturing in the growing colony in the wisdom and guidance of the older avians and Augustine herself. Whenever the people needed food, Augustine meditated and used her abilities to grow crops in a nearby tunnel system; enough for her people to feast and nurture themselves by genetic thumb. By playing the part of leader, providing for the tribes, and giving what is necessary for the growing colony to grow within shelter... it would not be long before she sensed something new entering her perimeter.

Standing from a premade throne of wood and leaves, Augustine, matted with tribal clothing of threadbare cloth, the violet Phoenix walked from the dark tent and began making her journey towards the entrance. Following her would be fifteen female honorary guards bearing similar threadbare cloths with crossbows, shortbows, and spears. Many of them guarded their chieftess as she walked to the entrance of the cave... even as she made her way without explanation.

And when Augustine came upon the entrance of the cavern, she would see them.

Or rather... it.

"It seems you are the 'people' Griffin has mentioned. I assume we are allies?" The thing spoke, a metallic being that stood like a humanoid, had three pulsing purple lightbulbs for eyes, and displayed a rather intimidating voice effect to itself. The robotic being stood among fifty thinner and more lanky drones, all of them were holding MA5B's; all aimed to the side. "I am called Mack, Smart AI from the glassed colony world of Harvest."

"Empress Augustine, leader of the growing Solarian Empire."

The second Augustine's guards saw the metallic creatures, they would instinctively bear their weapons. Waving her hand, Augustine looked to the females, squawked a few orders, and turned to the machine. In response to her orders, the females relaxed and set their weapons aside non-threateningly. "And yes, yes, we are. Griffin made me aware of you. It seems he is planning on preparing us for The Covenant?" She asked the machine.

"Interesting, an alien race of tribals knowing about the war... can speak UEG English... and are aware of my presence. There is more to you than what Griffin was implying." The Tactical Droid implied, scanning and analyzing Augustine from where she was. "But yes, we are here to prepare ourselves and yours for the war, and it seems you will need it."

"Do what you have to do to ensure our survival, we will adapt to the technologies you develop. We Solarians will not get in your way." Augustine proclaimed, looking to her guards and motioning her head to the side. That was the cue for the guards to leave her and head into the cavern to spread the word. "Now, I assume you are going to develop and army inside, prepare not only the colony out there, but the colony here?" Augustine questioned Mack.

"Yes, everything necessary for survival. If I must arm an entire tribal society to where it becomes an Empire of its own; then it must be done."

"Whatever necessary indeed... but you must know, I will protect my people too."

"I understand, if I had the chance to protect the colonists of Harvest before they arrived..."

"Then we can work together. If Griffin is throwing us together, then we should keep it that way. Help me, and I'll help you."

"Agreed... now it is time to get to work."

Griffin Phoenix

CAMS, Barracks

May 7th, 2525

Griffin coughed as he looked himself in the mirror. Every single day he looked more like Forthencho by the moment. The inflection in the creases only proved as much. What was once his face that was marred with a smooth diagram of a young Hispanic man was turned into the complexion of a younger Ancient Human. Even by looking at the mirror, he felt like he would be the most hardened Hawaiian Warrior with the facial features he was bearing, especially when he outsized, outmatched, and outperformed his fellow cadets by genetic diversity.

"Fuck Forthencho, why is this happening?" Griffin asked Fothencho in the deepest recesses of his mind.

"Because this is the possibility that you do have my Genesong. It matches up exactly with every marker your memory proclaims. You have my memories, patterns of thinking, and now you look like me." Forthencho replied, appearing nearby a locker and leaning against it.

"If that is the case, then why aren't I losing the thing that makes me-me?" Griffin asked.

"Maybe you are and you're just not noticing it. This might be my body, but there is something there that gives you the reigns. Possibly the Precursors, who knows." The Lord of Admirals implied. "All I know is that you have a Crucible to attend, so attend it."

Lugging on the final pack of rations into his survival kit, Griffin sighed and put on the large sack upon his back. With his assault rifle locked and loaded, Griffin looked back to the mirror and nodded to himself. If there was an unconscious feeling that was him, the man that was Christian was gone and all that was left was the cradle that contained him... his mind. His identity, and what he was becoming.

Walking out into the passages that led him outside, Griffin would see hundreds of cadets getting themselves into a mass formation. He could easily see that out of the hundreds of cadets in ranks and columns, everyone was in a battalion formation, all companies and squads from every class put together in the same formation. Standing at the head was General Black with the rest of the instructors, staff, and drill instructors standing at parade rest before the General.

And when the general call to attention was called, everyone clapped their boots together in a single order.

"This is your final test Cadets! Everything we have trained you this year has come to this final journey! Those of your squad leaders and higher ranking cadets have gone through this course many times, but it it is up to you to ensure your squads survival in this challenge!" General Black began. "We carry the symbol of the Roman General and now we undertake a tradition that dates to the first great wars of Earth! The Crucible is your greatest test, your final proof to become future officers of the United Nations Space Command!"

"You have proven to have survived the mental challenges of your courses, now you shall undertake the physical challenges of warfare! I expect you all to not leave us wanting. Understood!?"

In a single chorus, the entire formation exploded with a single word:

"AXIOS!"

General Black would make one single smirk, before he nodded to the instructors and he would take his place beside his warthog. A single master sergeant would make his way to the head of the formation and stood at attention.

"LEEEEFT...FACE!"

Griffin and the rest of the few hundred cadets followed the single command.

"BEGIN! DOUBLE...MARCH!"

With a single, triumphant charge, the entire academy of cadets began a mass charge into the forest, the rush into the Crucible would become their final test for the academic term. It was not only where they could prove themselves academically, but also in the eyes of the UNSC to see if they were worthy of bearing the marks of an officer. Multiple chants and cadences would be uttered as the hundreds of cadets made their lugging into a three-day event. It would push everyone to their limits, but with the coming warning from many of the senior cadets and their gruesome training, the ascent into the hill country would be a smooth pace into what they would face in the coming hours...

Griffin knew it wasn't physical strength that he would be tested these many hours; it was going to be a test of leadership and brotherhood... and see if he was fit to command.

"Let us march into the nights brothers and sisters! It is time we earned our colors tonight!" Griffin roared into the military formation, ready to bring everyone back as a fighter and not as a casualty.

General Black

Temporary CIC Post, CAMS

General Black watched on the holographic sensors that displayed the map overlooking the entire training field that comprised of The Crucible's perimeter. Already, the general initiated an ambush along the incoming Battalion of cadets. However, instead of catching the entire battalion by surprise, he would see the Cadets beginning to take more tactical methods once they passed through the entrance into the training area. Strangely enough, the communication traffic between the cadets were all cut from his end, muffles and feedback loops were all that were heard in their system.

And to top it all off, it was Cadmon Lasky who gave the order to take off their helmets.

Something in the son of Audrey Lasky was emerging in this course, whether it was because of Cadet Phoenix's tactics or an adaptation of his own; the entire battalion deemed it fit to follow his command with the advise from Cadet Phoenix. What Black tried to understand was how quick the battalion was in order to follow through with a squad leaders point of view with advise from a cadet. In fact, this should not have happened and now the Marines he had deployed into the training ground did not engage the battalion where they came.

Not wanting to fall into the trappings of the cadets tactics, Black would pull his initial forces back and order the drill sergeants to their posts for the obstacle courses.

"Damn it," cursed the general.

"Not expecting them to adapt so quickly?" Smith asked, his position in the logistics post was to predict the unpredictable cadets, even as they outwitted the generals plan and his as well.

"You damn well know it. Prepare the next tests once the cadets finish their obstacle courses and their sparring exercises. We have forty-two hours to prove if the academies best and brightest can outwit and outperform our forces." He ordered.

"You mean if Cadet Phoenix can be able to outmatch us?" Questioned the logistics officer.

"Yes... if Cadet Phoenix can outmatch us." Grumbled the General.

Griffin Phoenix

Sparring Circle, CAMS

"So after this, we will be engaging whatever the Academy can get to throw at us... for nearly the rest of the Crucible?" Griffin asked Lasky. While the large and towering human softly breathed, the rest of the squad was catching their own breaths in awaiting the sparring exercise that awaited them. The young man had helped the platoon get through the harder exercises of the obstacle course, even with the screaming of every Drill Sergeant telling the man to drop dead weight and leave the squad behind. Griffin suffered several trying punishments for his actions, but the platoon they were assigned to made it and everyone; including Triarii squad had the ability to recover while the battalion caught up.

"Yes, so save your energy and rations, we will be engaging Marines on their own turf." Lasky panted.

"Good... maybe we can get Griffin to chomp them up." Orenski chuckled.

"Nice try, I don't think he will get to see action... they will probably take him out first." Ramirez pointed out.

"That means you will be the guy who follows my orders." Griffin chuckled, soon waiting for the rest of the squad to catch their breaths. And when they were, Lasky started to make his march to the sparring circle.

"Alright cheerleaders, let's go!"

Colonel Mehaffey

CIC Post, CAMS

"General, is this the correct course of action? They are still too young for this." Mehaffey asked as General Black was finalizing the operation.

"Kennedy, this is what will make them or break them. So far they have outperformed and have triggered a textbook escalation." Smith replied to the colonel, causing her to look directly at the officer.

"Throwing ODST's at junior officers is beyond overkill." Mehaffey started.

"It is done Colonel," General Black replied. He would turn around to look at her with a glare in his eyes. "They will learn a few lessons if they survive, get wiped out, or utilize a casualty retreat." He would speak, looking out to the entrance of the tent with several fireteams of ODST's and Marines now rushing out into the forest ahead.

With this, Colonel Mehaffey would return to her post, worried for the outcome of this clear case of escalation.

She wished the battalion luck in their survival.

Ramirez

Forest, CAMS

"Ramirez! Take your fireteam and secure the enemy position!" Griffin roared from a nearby foxhole. For three hours after passing the sparring circle, they were already engaged by incoming Marine fireteams peppering their positions. Because they had anticipated the incoming marine squads coming after them, Triarii squad were the first to engage the Marine entrapment and took cover before the marines had a chance to take anyone out.

However, his thoughts were interrupted when several pings and cracks of incoming gunfire caused him to snap out of it and throw his smoke grenade into the distance over his foxhole. It was a diversion to cause the marines to open fire into that line while he, five cadets from Triarii Squad to get out of their foxholes and bolt into the shadow of the hill. When he and the rest of the fireteam made it to the treeline, they would notice the marines beginning to wrap around their position.

"Fuck, they know we are here." Ramirez cursed. He would motion to the fireteam to stay put.

However, that was when the marines fell to the ground when several shots came from Sagillius Squad's position. He would soon see Rika and Sarah bringing the fire down on the marines, allowing Ramirez and the fireteam to overwhelm the marine fireteam. He balled his left hand into a fist and pulled down, then pointed at the marine squad, sign enough for him and the five cadets to raise their rifles and rush the marines before they notice they were charging.

Fifteen shots was all it took before the marine squad lay unconscious on the ground.

"Go-go-go!" Ramirez roared, now taking the charge to rush into the forest and scout the clearing ahead.

Nothing, but the position could very well be filled with dummy mines or a textbook ambush. It was here that Ramirez waved the fireteam down and told them to halt, soon motioning two cadets to go back to battalion to bring reinforcements and report the position. However, when the two cadets started to tactically make their way back, fifteen shadows in the other side of the clearing opened up and started to unload their rounds into their position. He would see the two cadets jump into a neighboring bush while he and the other cadets lay behind trees, roaring out as the bark took in the stun rounds while shattering with every prick from the assault.

"You two, get to battalion and report our position! We'll hold them off!"

"Fat chance Ramirez!" Niko's voice ordered as he popped out of a nearby treeline, already covered by ten cadets from other squads to back and support him. "We will provide cover, you go get the marines!"

"Copy that! Fireteam, throw a grenade into the field and pop a smoke grenade into the marines position; we are hitting them hard!" Ramirez roared, just as Niko and the ten cadets returned the marines fire with concentrated fire. Ramirez would throw his grenade into the field and watched the mines explode with the grenade. Once the smoke grenade from a fellow cadet popped and covered the front of the marines line of fire, Ramirez got into a crouch and started to make a b-line into the tall brush with his team.

It was at the moment when he reached the end of the brush, did he see what was moving across the tree line.

No one could forget the looks of an ODST trooper, or an entire squad of them.

Ramirez would signal for the fireteam to fall back, a silent retreat along the brush while they still had cover. And when they finally reached Niko, the man yelled at him. "Hey! Why did you fall back? The marines are still there!" He bellowed.

"It is a trap, there are ODST's in that tree line!" Ramirez replied, motioning his fireteam to head back. "I am heading back with my fireteam to relay the map path, do you think you can hold them off?" He asked Niko.

"My family is full of them ODST's of course I can pull 'em off!" He chuckled, not even phased by the fact he would have to contend with a squad of ODST's. But because they had no cover to cross the clearing, it gave Niko confidence to hold them off. "Go, get them here, we can handle it!" He spoke, motioning Ramirez away.

Clapping the thickly man by the shoulder, Ramirez nodded and rushed off and yelled for his team.

Looking back, Ramirez would see the large man aim his rifle down the treeline and bellow out a laugh.

"A'ight boys, time to see if y'all can last against the best of the best!"

Griffin Phoenix

Forest, CAMS

Even while standing near the front lines and dug in a foxhole at the center of combat, Griffin was at the center of the battalion's command net. He could feel the pressure that General Black was pushing upon them. There were way too many marines that he sensed along the outer boundaries of their perimeter pushing upon their positions, some cadets were hit as casualties and their [not dead] bodies were dragged back at the continued barrage of gunfire from the marines. He felt the crash of artillery rounds bursting in areas that were closed off, pinging the deadlock throngs of consistent firefighting.

This was a mental battle as well as a physical one. The shock of battle rocked Griffin's mind as he looked over the battlefield, with many men and women of the battalion rushing through battle lines to find their avenues of attack. With Ramirez's discovery and hole into the trees, Griffin sensed he was finding something out to flank the marine company hammering their front.

The second he saw Ramirez and his team rush out of the tree line where Griffin sent Niko to reinforce him... there was something wrong through the whole process.

"Lay down covering fire!" Griffin roared, just as a few combat teams opened up on the marines that were about to come out from their foxholes.

The moment when Ramirez and his team came into his foxhole, Griffin looked to the group of them. "What's the situation?" He asked.

"ODST's across the clearing of the forest, we have cleared the zone but we need reinforcements to hold the flank!" Ramirez roared as the marines replied with a wave of gunfire over their heads. "Niko and his team is holding them off!"

"That flank is bad then, send Able Company to secure the forest and have it as a backup! Screen it for mines and then make a holdout, dig trenches if you have to!" He ordered, looking into Ramirez's eyes and nodding. "We can do this, grab what you can and secure the site, we need to have a path into the enemy lines!" He ordered, soon pointing to the forest. "And remember, take all enemy ammunition, use it to your advantage!"

"Yes sir!"

In the few seconds that it took for the cadets to move from foxhole to foxhole to rally their fireteams, Griffin would move ahead and motion to Bravo Company and Charlie Company to prepare for cover and indirect assault patterns. There were five-hundred things preparing to unload on Griffin, and he understood the forest was the bait. To see Lasky and the other squad leaders preparing their teams to rush out and decide on a subversion of attacks, it caused the man to wave to the squad leaders to gather them for additional information.

"Prepare for an ODST assault in the next five hours, they will use the combined assault on us as a way to breach our perimeter and take us out from the inside. I will need you all to cover ground, then use it as a means to dig us in further so that we can keep them out and keep us well defended!"

"What about the other companies?!" A squad leader named Alex chimed in.

"They are almost finished with the trenches, we won't have long until we can begin the first night cycle without needing to worry about sending out patrols." Griffin spoke up, "We need to lock things down and ensure the enemy will not have an inch into our perimeter!"

"Phoenix, are you sure this is the right strategy?" Lasky asked.

"Yes, it is. We need to have this FOB before we initiate any attacks. If operations do not go well, we need a fallback plan before going in and fighting our enemy." He replied. "Now, let's do this before sundown, we have three hours until we need this all completed." Griffin implied, causing the squad leaders to look to each other and nod.

"Got it." Lasky replied.

"Good, then I will help hold this front, I will see you in the night."

And another chapter completed!

First off, I just want to say this: To all the reviewers who are bringing up the "My Immersion" comments on their reviews, I am going to say it reads off pretty comically. If anyone has seen TheRussianBadger's clip of "MY IMMERSION", just know that is what you sound like whenever I read your reviews; keep that in mind because you may be looked at as comical rather than someone to be taken seriously. Second, to those in the reviews who write flames, just know that you encourage me to keep on writing even more of the things you hate; you make me wake up in the morning and choose violence [insert villainous laughter here]. Remember, you are reading someone's work who is taking creative liberties of topics that were not explored, so you will find something that doesn't meet your expectations.

To everyone that has provided positive feedback and genuine critique of my writing and work; I will continue to seek more time to freshen out my writing and ensure that you have something that doesn't read off as chicken-scratching. You are the reason why I come to read the reviews and consider your feedback whenever it comes down to creating the writing piece.

Now, regarding the chapter: Yes, this is going to be a two-parter! The Crucible is a genuine twist and change from what USMC's original Crucible in Parris Island. As you can tell, this event doesn't have you fighting other reserve Marine Units and Special Operations groups against a Battalion of Trainees. Hell, the odds of any trainee getting out of that as a survivor and not as a casualty are pretty low.

I'll leave it up to you on how this is going to go.

See you all next chapter,

-True

Quote of the Day:

"RAMIREZ!"

-Sergeant Foley