Chapter 6 – Heresy
1150 hrs
6th December 2552
Holy Sanctuary of the Prophet of Truth
Covenant Holy City, High Charity
The Arbiter gave a knock on the giant oak doors and was admitted by the Prophet's Honor Guards. The Prophet of Truth had summoned him.
As Truth floated towards the Arbiter, the Arbiter fell to his knees, "What will your Arbiter do, noble Hierarch?"
"There is a heretic, unlike you, who was destined to be the Arbiter for your failing actions; he was banished for speaking against us. The higher council has approved a mission for you to eliminate this obstacle against our faith", said the Prophet of Truth.
The Arbiter nodded his head in silence and was instructed to make his way to the cruiser, Unending Violence, which would be his mother ship for this almost suicidal mission.
1450 hrs
6th December 2552
Aboard Unending Violence
En route to Forerunner facility
The rest of the Elites were looking at him. He gave a growl, which caused them to be silenced immediately. The Arbiter had been given the Prophet's personal blessing in which none of the Covenant would ever there to go against.
As the Unending Violence came closer to the Forerunner facility, the home of the heretics, an announcement came over the public address that they should precede to the drop ship in Dock L5. A rush of Grunts, Jackals and Elites headed for the drop ship where it was being held by magnetic clamps.
A second later, the drop ship doors slammed shut and it zoomed out into the storm forming outside.
1542 hrs
6th December 2552
Aboard Forerunner Facility
As the drop ship made a light landing, the pilot came out. It was Tatarus, the Brute who had tortured the Arbiter. Tatarus then nodded at the Arbiter who winced at the sight. However, he and many of the Grunts and Elites stepped out onto the deck as Tatarus told him that he would be back soon to collect what remains of him. The Arbiter drew his energy sword and lunged toward Tatarus, however, the drop ship's door slammed shut before he could even touch Tatarus and took off. He withdrew the sword's plasmic proportions and laid it down to readjust his helmet.
Turning around, he gave his sword a light flick and the plasmic proportions came on again. Looking at the Elites, he said, "Let's kick some heretic butt."
As the convoy begin its journey down the ramp. There was heavy resistance from the rebel Covenant. One by one, the Arbiter and his party struck them down with his Energy Sword. There were open holes around in which energy containers fell through on blue conveyor belts. However, his worst nightmare was yet to come.
Suddenly, he saw something yellow and bald at the top of the ramp. It was the flood, a parasite life form that the Covenant feared. This parasitic race has many formations namely infection, combat and carrier forms.
The infection form are tiny little octopus shape creatures that can crawl at amazing speeds. When it approaches an unshielded body, it will punch a hole into the body's neck and penetrate through the body. It then controls the body whether the body is dead or alive.
The combat forms are infected bodies, which have been reanimated and are zombie like. These combat forms have a preference for human weaponry and are capable of operating vehicles. They are also known to carry plasma swords.
Carrier forms are infected bodies unfit to be used for combat. They are then puffed up and have the capability of exploding to unload the infection forms that are being carried inside.
It was going to be a bad day for the Arbiter and company…
2036hrs
6th December 2552
Aboard Forerunner Facility
At the end of the firefight, only two Elites and the Arbiter were left to face the Heretic leader. They had come to the center of the facility as the Heretic leader rushed into a room. As the door sealed behind him, a blue force field shielded the door.
The storm hit the facility and the Heretic leader cursed the convoy to die in the storm. Infuriated, the nifty Arbiter volunteered to cut the cables holding the facility in place. He ran up the slope of performing upper- and under-cut sword strokes with his Energy Sword before arriving at a lift which carried him up to the maintainance room.
2100hrs
6th December 2552
Aboard Forerunner Facility
The station groaned and entered into a freefall down as the Arbiter sliced off the last cable before jumping through the lift shaft. The centre hall was empty save for the bodies of the two dead Elites. The force field was out as the Arbiter walked through the door into the protected room.
2106hrs
6th December 2552
Aboard Forerunner Facility
The Heretic Leader awaited made a dash for his escape craft but the Arbiter surrounded him with suppressing fire from the Covenant Carbine. The Heretic leader tried to explain with the help of the 'oracle', 343 Guilty Spark of Halo Installation 04.
The Heretic Leader threw out two grenades and the Arbiter turned and ran. However, no explosion occurred when the Arbiter looked back. The Heretic Leader had spawned two bosses which were carrying Energy Sword too. In no time, the Arbiter located and stabbed the Heretic Leader. The Heretic slumped onto the floor.
A loud sound came nearer as he saw his drop ship approach and Tatarus zapped the controls of 343 Guilty Spark before congratulating the Arbiter on the good job done as they boarded the drop ship.