Disclaimer: Another chapter? When's this guy gonna give up? Yes that's right people, there's a new chapter in town. Read/Review PLZ People. What's that? You want me to say that again? Alright, READ/REVIEW! Happy now?
Jake: thanks for the info, but I already knew that. I have the Strategy Guide after all. Although I did not know that black Elites were Stealth Elites.
NamelessHeretic: I have not read 'Final Strike' or any other such books. As a matter of fact, I didn't know that there were books/novels of HALO. I had always assumed that HALO only came in Game form. I will attempt to find these HALO books. If I find them I might write a Fic about them.
Chaos Excalibur: Two Reviews? How rare! Thanks for the constructive criticism, I appreciate that. By the way what does 'Deproving' mean? I have had no luck in finding the meaning of this word.
High Charity
Location: High Charity, Covenant City/Homeworld
Time/Date: Unknown
Aboard Phantom 419
Sergeant Johnson stood at the Phantoms view screen. High Charity filled the screen as the Phantom descended towards a landing pad. Movement caught Johnson's gaze. Several Flood forms were stampeding towards the incoming Phantoms.
One Flood, a Combat Form, stood on a downed Pelican Dropship (HALO 2---High Charity) gazing transfixed at Johnson's own Phantom. Johnson and the Flood form both locked eyes with each other. Anger and Hatred for all living things overwhelmed Johnson. Images of countless horror filled his mind, all full of death, pain and gore.
Johnson broke the link by turning away. He turned towards Miranda Keyes. She was busy speaking with the Marines. Johnson walked up to the crowd to hear what was happening.
The Flood form stood with it's 'brothers and sisters' waiting for the Phantoms to land and unload their troops. The first 3 out of 10 Phantoms 'touched' down. Almost immediately, Covenant and Humans disembarked. 30 Covenant and 7 Humans in all.
Without a hint of hesitation, the Flood attacked. 15 Combat Forms and countless Infection forms sprang towards their foe. The Covenant and the Humans stood their ground. The Humans adopted a square formation, while the Covenant adopted their usual formation.
Grunts bravely facing enemy fire with the Elites cowering behind them. The Hunters just stood there, annihilating anything that came at them. Plasma and Bullets shrieked towards the charging Flood. 5 Flood Combat Forms and several Infection Forms fell to the onslaught.
But the last Combat Forms and Infection Forms kept coming. They paid little attention to their fallen allies. Two Combat Forms Reached a Marine. With a single strike of its Tentacle-hand, the Marine was thrown backwards, blood coming out of his mouth. The Combat Form repeated the process with another Marine before it was cut down.
The other Combat Form, weakened by enemy fire, attempted to hit a Marine on the head. In it's weakened state, the Combat Form could not cave the Marines head in, which is what usually happened. The blow only knocked out the Marine.
Meanwhile, the Grunts, aided by the Hunters, were heroically fighting off the Food Forms. The Elites were running about squealing like pigs, wetting themselves, etc
Eventually the fight was won by the Humans and Covenant, and all the Flood were dead. The Marines and a few Covenant that were wounded, were treated. The Elites stopped panicking and surveyed the massacre.
The Elites boasted of their fighting spirit and how they 'defeated' the Flood single-handedly. The Grunts and Hunters gritted their teeth, a few of them cursed the Elites.
The Elites smelled strongly of urine and were avoided by everyone else.
"Well, what next? Questioned Johnson to Miranda
"We will have to go through many Flood infested corridors, halls, etc. and after that, attempt to save the other Covenant from destruction and find the MC and Cortana. I already told you the plan" answered Keyes
"Yeah, I know, it's just that I forgot it while I was busy killing the Flood" finished Johnson, with a smirk
Keyes shook her head and moved of to the doors that led into High Charity. The Humans and Covenant walked down the corridor and through a door. The Humans and Covenant entered a vast hall, with the ceiling stretching out forever making everyone feel small and insignificant.
As the Humans and Covenant, over 100 Covenant and 7 Humans, reached the middle of the hall, the sounds of Infection Forms moving filled the hall. Fear gripped the hearts of the Humans and Covenant. Then the distant echoes of the Combat Forms yells and shrieks reached the great hall, seemingly mocking their victims.
The Humans and Covenant gripped their weapons. The first signs of the Flood's arrival made themselves known. Some Infection Forms danced about near a door. The smell of rotting bodies, blood, viscera and death entered the hall and made itself known
Another shriek from the Combat Forms, more louder now, signalled the Floods arrival.
Then they came.
The Flood crashed through both doors that were set on either side of the hall. 100 Combat Forms and seemingly hundreds of thousands of Infection Forms and Carrier Forms brought up the rear.
The fight for Survival was on.
The Humans and Covenant opened up with their weapons, cutting down thousands of Infection Forms and 30 Combat Forms. But still they came. The Flood charged into the fray and commenced their slaughter. Covenant fell to the incoming Flood. Even the Elites fought hard, knowing that their lives depended of their fighting skills.
The Humans were at the head of the group, leading the way.
Johnson saw an Elite fall to a dozen Infection Forms, it's eyes filled with pain and fear as its body was transformed into a Combat Form. Johnson put a few rounds into it. Then a Combat Form lurched towards Johnson, it's Tentacle wrapping itself around Johnson's arm, squeezing it tightly.
Johnson yelled out and tried to get loose, but the Combat Form was too strong. A salvo of bullets tore through the Combat Forms Tentacle and its body. It fell with a shriek to its death. Johnson looked round and saw Miranda Keyes with her guns smoking. She gave Johnson a smile. Johnson's expression changed from relief to fear. He brought out his pistol, aimed and fired.
Miranda Keyes stood next to a Red Armoured Elite, helping the Elite mow down a few hundred Infection Forms and some assorted Combat Forms and Carrier Forms with her dual SMG's. All around her, came yells and cries from Covenant in pain. A particular yell attracted her attention, and she turned round. Johnson's arm was held by a Combat Form, attempting to pull him out of the group where he could be killed. Without hesitation, Keyes brought her guns to up and fired at the Combat Form.
The bullets ripped through the Combat Form, its green blood splattering out behind it. Johnson retrieved his arm and turned to face Keyes. In spite of the bloodshed around her, Keyes smiled at Johnson. Johnson's face suddenly became fearful. He brought his gun out, aimed just above Keyes head. Keyes saw her life flash before her eyes as the single bullet screeched through the air towards her.
The bullet hit the Infection Form in the face and it detonated in a cloud of blood and body parts. Keyes looked at the cloud of a once Infection Form and back at Johnson. Johnson had his own smile on his face. Then he turned back and resumed fighting.
Blood and Body parts littered the floor. Mutated beings that were once rampaging, uncontrollable beasts, lay dead. Other bodies, bodies of Grunts, Elites and Hunters lay at random places. The surviving Covenant looked down at their fallen Brothers and Sisters in remorse. Revenge filled their eyes as their feet walked in the blood of the fallen as they left the battlefield, the place of death. they had lost 45 Grunts, Elites and Hunters.
In silence, the Humans and Covenant carried on their journey towards Shangelt's stronghold. After walking for an age with no indication of the Flood or Shangelt's stronghold, the Humans and Covenant came to a door. It was of the usual kind that was found throughout the Covenant Homeworld/City. There was, however, some strange markings around the doors frame and the Covenant started to become tense.
The Humans felt this tension, but did not know fully why. They came to the door and it opened. The lead Humans and Covenant stepped through the now open door. The tension of the Covenant rose to an unbearable height. An amazing sight forced itself upon them. For those who had not entered the hall beforewere dumbfounded. The ceiling stretched upwards, seemingly for an eternity. Down below was a huge, square structure, with bridges that surrounded the structure on all sides. Water surrounded the structure.
"Behold," announced the Arbiter to the Humans, in a dramatic, deep voice, "the Mausoleum of the Arbiters".
The Humans and Covenant came to a Grav-lift. The leading Humans and Covenant went down the lift. The Grav-lift came to a stop and the Humans and Covenant disembarked. Almost immediately, the Grav-lift went back up to collect the rest of the Covenant. Before long, all the Humans and Covenant were gathered together.
The bridge stretched out before them in a foreboding fashion. The foreboding fashion did not emanate from the dark, murky water that surrounded the Humans and Covenant, nor did it come from the dark, almost eerie structure that lay before them.
It came from the bodies.
Hundreds of horribly mutated and mutilated bodies that festered on the bridges floor. Flood and Covenant limbs lay scattered amongst the bodies at random intervals. A Flood Combat Forms leg here, a Grunts arm there and other general body parts littered the bridge. So did the congealed blood which was splattered everywhere along the bridge. All in all the bridge emanated grotesque images of death to whoever set eyes on it.
And it was this bridge that the Humans and Covenant had to cross, reluctantly. The lead Humans and Covenant, which consisted of seven Humans and ten Zealots, including the Arbiter, stepped onto the bridge. The Humans and Covenant made slow progress across the bridge. Eventually, though, the Humans and Covenant reached the other side. Almost immediately the squeal on an excited Grunt was heard and a Grunt was seen running towards a shadow.
"Look, sir, Elites!" squealed the over-excited Grunt
The Zealot de-cloaked and came towards the leader of the newcomers, ignoring the Grunt as it fainted from lack of methane. The Zealot stopped in front of the Arbiter.
"Arbiter… but I thought you were dead!" exclaimed the Zealot
"I am not, though I need to see Shangelt" announced the Arbiter
"Yes, I will take you to him now" said the Zealot.
The Zealot turned around and lifted the still unconscious Grunt onto hisshoulder.
"Follow me" said the Zealot
The Humans and Covenant followed the Zealot into the Mausoleum of the Arbiters.
The Humans and Covenant entered the Mausoleum of the Arbiters and over 5000 assorted Grunts, Elites and Hunters greeted the Covenant like old friends. Then the Grunts, Elites and Hunters saw the Humans, and brought their weapons to bear. The Arbiter stepped forward, arms stretched outwards with his palms up.
"The Humans are our Allies now, do not harm them" bellowed the Arbiter.
The Covenant laid down their weapons. The Humans and Covenant followed the Zealot. The Humans and Covenant passed what looked like a medical room that had been set up quickly. Grunts, Elites and Hunters with various injuries were being tended to by the medics.
One Grunt stood out from the others. As Johnson and Miranda passed the Grunt by, they saw his guts splayed out of the unfortunate Grunts stomach, its blood matted its uniform. A medic crouched next to the Grunt, a look of utter pity on its face. The Grunts eyes were half closed and it looked as if it was in a dream state. The Grunt was terminally wounded, and ten minutes later, the Grunt died.
The Humans and Covenant reached a Command Post that had been put up quickly and messily. Struts were hanging down and walls collapsed. A squad of Grunts and Elites were attempting to maintain the Command Post or CP as it was called. As the Humans and Covenant approached, the Grunts stopped working, giving the Arbiter a Covenant salute. The Arbiter returned the salute. While the Grunts were saluting, the wall that they were trying to fix back into place fell down and knocked out a Grunt.
Three Gold Zealots came out to greet the new arrivals. The lead zealot had an Energy Sword and the other two Zealots had Carbines. The lead Zealot addressed the Humans and Covenant.
"Greetings, I am Shangelt" announced Shangelt "I take it that you are the Reinforcements?" queried Shangelt
"No, replied the Arbiter, "we have come to aid your forces escape"
"What about the Flood? What about them?" asked Shangelt
"We have not seen the Flood for a while. If we go now we may be able to commandeer the Nemesis's Retribution from the hanger. If we go in force we may be able to get there with little casualties" said the Arbiter.
"Yes, said Shangelt in a thoughtful manner, "yes we shall do that"
Shangelt turned to a Zealot with a communications device
"Tell all soldiers that are able to bear arms to meet me at the north entrance of the Arbiters Mausoleum" ordered Shangelt
The Zealot gave a swift 'yes sir!' and started to relay the orders to the other Covenant via the comms unit. Shangelt turned back to the Arbiter.
"I hope you know what your doing" and Shangelt stalked off to meet his troops, followed by the two Zealots.
An hour later, all the Covenant that were able to fight formed a circle around the wounded. The wounded were on stretchers. The dead were burned. The Humans and Covenant left the Mausoleum of the Arbiters for good and headed off towards the hanger where the Nemesis's Retribution was docked.
After an hour of travelling, the Humans and Covenant came to a door with Holographic Pedestals on either side. The Humans and Covenant paid no attention to the Pedestals. A blue figure of a woman appeared. She had numbers and other markings running down her body. Keyes, Johnson and the Covenant noticed her. Somewhere in the crowd, an Elite fainted and a Grunt ate a shrimp. The Hunters just stood there, looking soulful.
"Cortana! Where's the MC?" asked Keyes
"I'm fine, thanks for asking" answered Cortana
"Where's MC?" asked Johnson, not noticing Cortana's sarcasm
"He's gone back to Earth in the Forerunner ship" answered Cortana "are you making for the Nemesis's Retribution?"
"Yes, we are" confirmed Keyes
"I detect a large force of Flood surrounding the Nemesis's Retribution. I estimate exactly 1000 Combat Forms and Carrier Forms and countless numbers of Infection Forms. Also the Flood have blocked off all the other routes out of High Charity" announced Cortana.
The Humans and Covenant looked uneasy. Cortana disappeared into a crystal chip.
"Looks like this is the only way we can go" said Keyes, as she took the chip.
After a few more hours of travelling, the Humans and Covenant came at last to the Docking bay, and there they saw the Nemesis's Retribution docked and ready to launch. Humans and Covenant hearts and faces filled with happiness. Then their expressions fell and their hearts lost all hope, for they saw the Flood. Hundreds upon hundreds of Combat and Carrier Forms stood waiting for the Humans and Covenant. Countless numbers of Infection Forms swirled around in great clouds of yellow pus bags. Even though they knew there would be Flood, the Humans and Covenant became fearful
The Humans and Covenant looked upon this force in dismay. Then the Arbiter, Shangelt and Jilanamee' deployed their Energy Swords and ran to meet the Flood, closely followed by the Humans and Covenant.
A while later, the Humans and Covenant boarded the Nemesis's Retribution. After wiping out all Flood resistance aboard, the Humans and Covenant left high Charity. The dead were left to rot
Disclaimer: sorry there was no fight scene at the end. I wanted to get on with my next chapter, Earth. Hope you liked the chapter. Gta5ccjs out.