CHAPTER 4 - SOMEONE ELSE

POV - Franky

This was bad. This was very bad. Zak wouldn't budge from the Covenant computer and he wouldn't tell me what he was doing. Even when I told him that the marines had already left, he just shrugged and went back to his work. Stan kept looking around nervously and Steve would persistently tell us that we needed to leave. All of us knew that if we were spotted, the Covenant would start asking questions. I heard a slight hiss from behind me and I turned around, towards Zak. A coil had come out of the computer and he held it in his hand. Even though I was sure I already knew the answer, I asked anyway, "Zak...what are you doing?"

He turned around finally and grinned slyly. "I'm going to take back what belongs to me. I'm taking back my memory." He yanked the coil farther and grimaced slightly as he slid it into the port at the back of his neck.

I was about to stop him, but I stopped when uncertainty hit me. If I stopped it, would I hurt him? Would it take MORE of his memory? But if I didn't, could something come through BESIDES his memories? Or maybe even awake something already in him..? There was a sniffling sound coming from down the hall and Roy shifted from one foot to the other, saying, "Franky, someone's coming."

"Stay out of their way. Use your camo."

Something wasn't right. Zak's voice sounded different; altered. I started turning around, not wanting to take my eyes off the hallway, but wanting to face my friend. "Zak, we have camo, but YOU don't. We have to stick together. We can't let the Covenant get you. What if- Where are-?"

"Above you." I looked up, and sure enough, there he was. There happened to be a sort of grid and narrow shaft above us, and Zak was on the ceiling by holding on to the grid and having each foot holding place in the shaft. I stared up at him and he grinned. "Stay out of the way. I'll deal with them." I was about to argue, but he made a face and I gave up. I looked to the others and nodded. We switched on our camo and waited in silence.

POV Change - Zak

They had no idea. I had a feeling that Franky new something had changed, but definitely not how much.

The sniffling got louder and two Grunts appeared from another hallway and I listened to their conversation.

"Napa! Stop your blubbering!" said Grunt number one. "You know that if one of the Sangheili saw you, they'd have your head!"

"I know, Jager, but…" the Unggoy named Napa sniffled, "…they killed Gaara! Those stupid humans killed my brother!"

"Yes, I know. But we all lost ones we cared about today. Besides, it wasn't just humans. They say the…" he looked around to make sure no one was listening, and continued, "…they say the Demon was here also. He took out most of the troops. There's a rumor that the sacred one was here, too."

Napa stopped sniffling and questioned, "Do you really think so?" clearly interested. I didn't give the other Grunt time to reply. I jumped down and grinned at them, eyes narrowed. Jager screamed and started running away a fraction before Napa did, as I ordered, "Stay where you are," and they froze, shaking in fear. I walked towards them and tapped the first speaking Grunt on the shoulder, smirking as he jumped. "You, Jager, will announce my arrival to the commander of this ship. Now, go. I'll be waiting. As the two Unggoy scuttled off, I turned around to face where Franky and the others were hiding. I smiled. I could smell their fear… They knew.

POV Change – Franky

I knew it! I knew something like this would happen! I should have…I should have pulled out the wire when I had the chance.

As I thought, something didn't exactly go into him, but awakened something within him. Back on Earth, Zak's twin sister had told me that when he was born, Lord Azriel (the lord of the Dimension of Death, where spirits are to be judged. Zak's parents happened to be on business there when his mother had given birth to Zak, his two brothers, and his sister) placed a sacred seal onto Zak's soul. She said that when Zak's heart had stopped beating (he died at birth, but then came back), he passed between the world of the living and the world of the dead and came in contact with an ancient spirit called the Darkness…

Weeks earlier, before all this happened, I had noticed that Zak was acting a little strange, but…I never thought it would come to this. This person standing in front of me was not Zak. This thing was evil.

POV Change – Zuka 'Zamamee

So…the boy had come willingly after all. I wondered why, after all this time, he chose to stop running away. We had lost many in trying to capture him, even a well-respected Fields Master. I walked down the corridor with four of my Sangheili brothers behind me, along with the two Unggoy who reported to us. All seven of us were in camouflage, and I gripped my rifle tightly. This could be a trap. None of us knew for sure. We turned the corner and there he was, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, head bowed, and eyes closed. Our pace slowed to make less noise, but it was useless. Without even looking up, the pale boy gave a quiet chuckle and said, "Hello, Zuka."

I flinched. Not only did I not appreciate being called by my given name, but also it was almost impossible for him to know we were coming, more or less know I was among them. Sighing, I turned off my camouflage, as did the others. I took a step forward and announced, "You are to come with us. The hierarchs would like to see you."

The boy stepped away from the wall and faced me, saying, 'That's fine with me," with a mischievous grin. He seemed different; something about this boy wasn't the same as before. He seemed to be a completely different person. But it wasn't until I looked into his eyes that I noticed the real change. I couldn't hold my gaze there, for I saw Death reaching out for me. His eyes were no longer the pale green they had been, but cold, black holes into a dark nothingness. He laughed coldly as I looked away and started walking before anyone else did.

POV Change – Master Chief

"This is bad! This is bad! This is very, very bad!" Cortana panicked as the Pelican headed away from the Covenant cruiser. "How could we have lost track of him so easily? Wasn't anyone watching him!" She didn't give anyone time to answer. "We have to go back. We need to go back to the Truth and Reconciliation and find him!"

"Cortana," the Master Chief sighed, "you need to calm down. Our first priority is to get the captain to safety. Zak's extremely skilled and strong. Besides, he's got his friends to help him out. He'll be fine until we can get there."

The AI was about to argue when Captain Keyes cut in. "Actually, Chief, I think Cortana's right."

"Sir?"

"Cortana told me everything she knows about this Kumashiro kid, and the way I see it, he's more important than I am right now. Who knows what'll happen to him if the Covenant get to him? I know this Darkness stuff sounds kind of crazy, but what I saw while being held captive…I'm starting to believe… They've got at leased two Prophets aboard that ship, and I have a feeling that they know more about Zak than we ever will." He paused and gave a deep sigh, then turned to the Master Chief. "Foehammer can drop you and Cortana off, and then bring me back to the base." John was about to argue, but stopped when Keyes gave him a stern look. So that's what they were going to do. They were going to try and save me…

POV Change – Zak

I was being escorted to the throne room by the seven Covenant, including Zuka, who had come to retrieve me. Apparently, there just happened to be three Prophets aboard this ship. Oh, goodie… I noticed that the two Unggoy were shaking and the four Elites would look at me from time to time with uncertainty. Then I looked at Zuka. It seemed he refused to look at me now. I smiled at this fact and decided I wanted to know what was on his mind…

I still do not understand… Aside from his strange features…this boy seems human… Could he really be one of them? He seems normal enough…but when I touched his arm before, I did not feel skin as I should have; I felt fire… But…

He must have noticed me, because he stopped and looked up. The Sangheili looked strait at me and I returned his gaze, sending, You'll see, into his mind. I grinned as his eyes widened and he looked away again.

I heard a slight rustle from behind and let the corners of my mouth turn up a bit. So, Franky and the others decided to follow after all. They were doing a very good job at keeping their presence a secret. I was impressed at how much their stealth skills had improved. We then came to a pair of larger doors and the two Guard Elites glanced at each other as the one to out left stepped forward. "State your business." He turned to me and narrowed his eyes as I grinned coldly. "And who is he?"

'Zamamee also took a step forward and countered, "We are here to see the High Prophets, as ordered. He is the one they wanted."

The guard's eyes widened and he took a step back, saying, "He is-?"

"He is…" The guard looked to me and I narrowed my eyes, still grinning, showing my fangs and forming a deep growl in the back of my throat. He looked back at Zuka, sighed, stepped away from the door, and nodded to the other guard. The doors parted and opened up into a room that was both wide and long (very long). There were Elite High Honor Guards lining the pathway, and there were, all the way in the back, were the three Prophets. Well, well, well… Franky and the others are seeing a Prophet for the first time. And three rather important ones, as a matter of fact.

They were Truth, Mercy, and Regret. I walked forward with my arms crossed and felt my tongue slide across my fangs. The continuous murmur and stares from the ones around me only fueled the fire within. They will see… They will all see… Regret raised a hand and all the talking stopped except for his own. "Zak. What an honor it is to have you here at this time."

Honor?

Why is it an honor to the Prophets that he be here? Is he not human?

The boy does not bow. Is he so important that even that is excused?

The boy looks so human, but I know he is not. Besides hi inhuman features, there is something else… It is his scent. It is so familiar, though I cannot place it.

I smirked as I listened to the thoughts buzzing around the room and let my hands rest at my sides. "No, no. I am honored to be here…at the finding of the first Halo."

Truth's mouth formed a barely noticeable smile as he said, "I see you have changed…much since we last met all those years ago on the human planet called Reach."

"Seven years can have its effects." There was a long silence. Seeming as though the universe was holding its breath with absolutely no noise besides the low hum of the lights. Truth held my gaze; he was the only one that would, and I admired that. All else were afraid the darkness in my stare would swallow them whole and never let go. "But," I continued, breaking the silence, "as you should know, the change is not complete. And it's happening more rapidly than planned. I can barely control it."

"Of course. We knew this would happen all along. Just for that, a solitary room has been prepared for you to continue your metamorphosis."

"I see…" I knew my expression had grown solemn and I bit my tongue, tasting the warm, red liquid from the wound, and then feel it heal itself up. Truth ordered the same group of Elites to lead me to the "solitary room" where my transformation would take place. Now, all stared; especially Zuka. This time, it was his gaze that never faltered. But I didn't care. The only thing I could think about was what Truth had said. They had known. They had known all along that my transformation would go out of control. My eyes narrowed at the thought. Why was I not told earlier? What was he planning…?

The guards led me to a door and stopped. I walked into the semi-large room and leaned against the nearest wall, still biting my tongue. One of the four Elites was about to say something, but I commanded the door shut with my mind, and it did so. It was about a minute of waiting before I felt the stab of pain from within and was forced to my knees. To lessen the struggle of the change, I tore off the tattered, black shirt I was wearing and discarded it to the side. The temperature in the room rose and I cringed as I felt the seven long spines come out of my back (three each just the three ports down my back, two near my shoulders, and two more just below) and I felt warm liquid drip to the floor. Bones crunched, shape changed, and I felt the flames growing inside of me. The fire-resistant armor formed around my limbs, and I knew the transformation was complete.

POV Change – Zuka 'Zamamee

Four cycles had come and gone, and I grew tired as I stood guard. I was just stifling a deep yawn when I noticed a hot glow coming from the door. Molten metal fell from it and the door crashed outward, filling the hallway with thick smoke. Thinking an explosion had occurred, I ran to the opening to find the source, but stopped short when I heard a deep growl from within the room. The smoke cleared and my eyes widened. What stood before me looked much like one of my brothers, but jagged horns came from its brow, and it had spines similar to that of a Lekgolo's. The skin of this creature was a grayish brown, like my own, but seemed cracked in places where a dim, fiery glow resided. Its eyes had the same light, but held a chilling darkness deep within… His armor looked much like my own, but seemed blacker than night with an orange colored lining, and its shoulder plates spiked up, and… Then I noticed it. On the left chest plate, there was a symbol I had seen many times before in the ancient scriptures… It was the sign of Di'Ani; Lord of Darkness.

POV Change – Zak

Some parts still hurt, but I pushed the pain aside and thought about the task at hand. I was about to head back to the throne room when I noticed someone to my right. Zuka… He was down on one knee, his head bowed. "You are…truly…the one…" I made a slight hmph noise and started to walk away, but he continued, "Are you truly that boy?"

A long silence enveloped the area, and I did not turn before answering. "I was that boy, Zuka 'Zamamee. Make no mistake about that. And at this rate, I never will be again."

POV Change – Mater Chief

John had a bad feeling; a large knot was forming in the pit of his stomach. Cortana was still bickering about how the Pelican was moving too slow, and he was beginning to agree. Something wasn't right.

"Sir?" Foehammer's voice came in over the speakers. "I'm picking up data from an unknown sender. I'm not sure if it's safe or not. Cortana, can you try and figure out what it is?"

"Yes," Cortana said as she appeared at the back of the Pelican. "It appears to be some kind of AI."

"Covenant or human, Cortana?" Keyes asked.

"Neither, Captain. I can't figure out who the sender is; the data structure is like nothing I've ever seen before. Would you like me to bring it through?" Keyes grunted in acknowledgement and Cortana's hologram faded. When it appeared again, she was not alone. What stood beside her appeared to be a man. This man had one black angelic wing, blond-spiked hair, blue eyes, dark-clad armor, a tattered blood-red cloth that covered up the lower half of his face and draped down his back, and what appeared to be an overly large sword wrapped in bandages.

"I am the AI called Cloud. I was sent here by Zak's friends."

That got everyone's attention. Sergeant Johnson was the first to speak up. "Well, I'll be damned. Zak has his own personal AI and didn't tell us about it. So, Cloud, 'the fucks been happening over there? Is the kid ok? Did the Covenant find him?"

The male AI's expression darkened and he sighed, saying, "I'm afraid I have some bad news." They all held their breaths as Cloud paused. "The Covenant didn't find him…he found them… I'm aware that you have all been told about the prophecy… I have to warn you that the legend is true. Zak had a very powerful figure from the Covenant, among other legends, sealed within his body called Di'Ani; meaning darkness. That darkness has awakened and he is extremely dangerous. He's not himself anymore. He's someone else…"

"Hold on – hold on – hold on!" Johnson shouted. "You're saying that all that Darkness mumbo-jumbo was true!"

The armor-clad AI lowered his gaze and sighed, "I'm afraid so. If you're planning to-."

"I knew it!" Cortana cut him off. "I told you that we should have turned around sooner, but no! Now the Covenant has Zak, and who knows what they're doing? They could be torturing him!"

"Well, Cortana," Cloud said, crossing his arms, "you don't have to worry about that. If they even considered that, they'd be dead before the second thought."

POV Change – Zak

This body felt good; much more fitting than the humanoid form from before. As I flexed my newly structured muscles, the urge to kill was growing and I took in a deep breath, smelling fear. I walked down the vacant halls, knowing that all but the guards still resided in the throne room. When I neared the door, the Honor Guards tensed, but I did not slow my pace.

Who is this? He is like no creature I have seen before.

Fool. Do not question. Look at his eyes; he has the blood lust. And did you not see his chest plate? There; the mark of Di'Ani.

Impossible…

I neared, and the guards parted, opening the doors. The chatter stopped and silence filled the room once more.

Who is this?

What of the boy?

He's scary…

Look at that symbol…

Di'Ani! But is that possible?

Di'Ani, have you come to deliver us, your brothers, from out cruel fate that is soon to pass?

I slowed my pace and looked to the right; the direction of the last thought. A Sangheili… An old Sangheili. This ancient Elite was cloaked in brown, his head slightly bowed and his amber eyes staring right at me. I blinked once, and he was gone. I quickly shook off my feeling of uncertainty, thinking, It was nothing; just a side effect of the transformation. I was just passed half way when Truth spoke. "I assume that your transformation was successful? And that you can now change shape at will?"

I nodded and cringed slightly, changing shape as I walked. The change was much faster than before, and I now padded along on all fours in the shape of a wolf. I grinned, showing my razor-sharp teeth and the crowd shifted uneasily. Just watch this… Then I was, once again, on two feet; returning to my human form.

"That second form," said the Prophet of Mercy, speaking up for the first time since I had arrived, "the furred one, was one of the three spirits that reside in you, was it not? The wolf, along with the crow and the serpent."

I nodded, changing back to my true form as an Elite general rushed in and bowed. "Hierarchs, the humans have returned, along with the Demon. Requesting permission to gather more troops."

"Granted," Truth said. "I'll allow you bring in more of your warriors, but you must let Zak come with you. I'm sure he's wanting to test out his new abilities." My eyes narrowed at the fact that he had used my human name, but I nodded. I was looking forward to fighting the Master Chief. This would be fun.