August 30th
Planet Reach
Asźod ship breaking yards
She was alone now, completely and utterly alone. That reality hit her with the power of a Wraith bomb, and left her just standing there blankly, almost in disbelief.
She didn't want to believe it. She wanted it to be nothing more then a cruel, pain induced fever dream. It would be so much easier if it was…
But it wasn't…
The truth of it was cemented as she watched her last and only chance of escape rocket into the burning heavens above, never to return to the dying planet she stood upon.
The Pillar of Autumn, the ship carrying the A.I she and the rest of her team had sacrificed everything for. Humanity's last hope for survival rested in the hands of the package she hand delivered to the ship, and that ship wasn't one she was going to be riding on.
No…
She was left behind…
It had gone to hell so fast, that she didn't even think…
Emile had the gun. Emile was supposed to offer the Captain and her covering fire so they could escape the planet. Emile was the one that stared her in the eyes, and offered to stay behind to let her have the chance to live another day. Because in the end, he knew he belonged here, slaughtering the enemy until none remained.
She was the youngest one among Noble Team, the newest member too. Emile knew that, and took her place so that she could live…
And then Emile died…
He promised that he'd always be there for her, and yet, in the end, he died anyway…
The Pillar of Autumn had no chance to escape without the covering fire from the Mac Cannon. And there was no one else alive that could do the job.
She didn't have time to think. There was only one option. The A.I had to escape, no matter what. That was what Halsey drilled into her brain.
So, in place of her teammate, she took the gun. She turned away from the Captain as he held his hand out to her, calling for her, pleading for her to chose life. He didn't want to leave her, but there was no choice left.
She fought her way to the Mac, defended the Captain until he and the ship blasted through the atmosphere. She prevented any smaller ships from giving chase, shooting them all down until the gun stopped firing altogether.
The package was safe, and she was to blame for that. Because of her actions, humanity would have the chance to survive the Covenant that sought their life so. This would be the beginning of the end for the Covenant, that's what Doctor Haulsy made her believe.
But as she watched the hulking ship vanish into the sky, becoming smaller and smaller, until she could no longer see it, it hit her.
She was alone…
And that future where the Covenant lost the war against Humanity, she would never get to see with her own two eyes.
Her mission was complete. She did it. She listened to her Captain. She didn't go lone Wolf, she stayed with her team to the very end. She followed all her orders, never spoke out of line, and did the best she had to offer. She was a good girl that followed all her orders, because it was those orders that were supposed to keep them all alive…
And in the end, everyone else died anyway…
And standing there atop the Mac Cannon, eyes staring listlessly at the dark clouds that choked out the sun, she waited for her next command. But it would never come, because no one was left alive to tell her what to do. Nothing met her coms but that dreadful static, leaving her to waste away I'm silence.
Was this it? Was this her fate? To die. Alone and abandoned on a burning planet, cut down by the unending hordes that relentlessly persecuted her? With no chance of escape, no chance of survival?
Was this it…?
She didn't know how long she stood there, watching as a violent storm slowly approached her. Her mind was in a haze as she slowly climbed down from the gun, stopping to stare at the blank gaze of her last team member.
He looked so peaceful sitting there, his carved visor staring up at her lifelessly. She could almost hear his voice as it cracked a joke, trying to ease the tension of any situation.
But that voice never came. And it never would…
She wanted to scream at him. It was his fault that she was stuck here, not hers!
Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he have lived? Then maybe they both could have escaped the planet. Why did they all have to leave her? They could have lived, together…
The Spartans, they were like family to her, the only family she ever had. The only family she ever had the chance to love and protect, and she couldn't even do that.
And they were all gone. And now…
Now it was her turn to join them…
With a jolt she realized something, and a tear began to fall, hidden behind her red flashing golden tinted visor.
"I don't want to die…" The words were so quiet that she almost thought it was a ghost, whispering into her ears. But it was her. With those words came a startling realization.
"I don't want to die." She whispered again, louder this time. The UNSC had used her to complete its mission, then expected her to just sit and die once it was over.
She bent down in front of the dead Spartan, her brother in arms. The very action sent searing pain shooting up her spine, old wounds rearing their ugly heads. The dull red flashing on her HUD caught her attention for probably the fiftieth time, the suit warning her of her poor state.
With the adrenaline having worn off after the end of the battle, she was left feeling like she was dead on her feet. Her biometrics were dangerously low, perhaps twenty percent out of a hundred.
She'd taken so much damage, it was a miracle that she survived up until this point. But she ignored that pain, instead reaching for the dog tags hanging around the EVA Spartan's neck.
They were all gone now, and only she remained. And yet, some part of them stayed with her, living on within her. She wouldn't forget them, she couldn't…
She was thirteen when she joined Noble team, and only just barely turned sixteen during the war on Reach. Noble Team was like blood to her.
Carter was like her father, the cold calculating man that knew what needed to be done. She knew everything would go according to plan whenever he was leading her.
Gorge was like an uncle to her, a giant uncle that killed anything that dared to threaten her life. He didn't even give her a choice when he sacrificed himself to save her life.
Kat was like an older sister to her, always joking around. Her sarcastic attitude would occasionally clash with her professional side, but it never brought up issues on the field.
And Emile was her older brother, through and through. He was strangely protective of her, and had always stuck his neck out for her. And that mindset seemed to take him to the grave.
And Jun…
She had no idea the whereabouts of Jun. Whether he was alive. Or if he had died too.
It didn't matter. He wasn't coming back for her. It was up to her now. She had to carry the weight of everything. There would be no one else to save her. There would be no drop ship to pick her up. Everyone else was either already off planet, or dead…
She didn't know what to do.
She tore herself out of her own head, glancing back to the skies above. The Covenant hadn't noticed her presence yet, or they didn't care. But they would eventually, and if she stayed here…
"I'm sorry…" Her voice came out as a choked whisper, as she pressed her helmet covered head against his cold lifeless one. "I'll live.. For you…"
She eyed the man's shotgun, the one he always had. She decided to take it with her. In a way, Emile would still be protecting her, just like he always had.
She attached the weapon to her back, the magnetic clamps holding it in place. Shakily, she stood to her feet, using a nearby support rail to steady herself.
Her whole body throbbed, her right arm having gone partially numb hours ago. She struggled to put weight on her right leg, the fall she made from space having done a serious number on her. And the fall out of the pelican hours ago had only made it worse.
But she wouldn't sit there and die. She wouldn't spit on the grave of her brothers and sisters by giving up now.
She set her eyes on the horizon, her breathing labored. Her heart hammered behind her breasts, trying desperately to keep her alive.
She turned for the stairs, limping with every step. She gathered gear from every body on her way out, friend or foe.
They wouldn't need them anymore anyway…
A short distance away, hidden atop the ruins of another unnamed UNSC base, the eyes of an Elite Shipmaster watched her intently. He saw as the demon shot down the Super Carrier in low orbit, killed hundreds of Covenant soldiers, and allowed for the humans to escape.
He sat back and watched it all, and he offered no assistance to his quote unquote brothers in arms. They had brought the wrath of the demons upon themselves, and he would not be the one to pull them out of their situation.
The Covenant were wrong. He had been lied to his entire life. But he was done being tricked.
He wasn't alone in his thinking either, having a small fleet that thought along the same lines as him. The Prophets had betrayed them all, and only few were bright enough, and brave enough to stand up.
His sudden betrayal of the Covenant would come as a surprise to the Prophets, but it would be far too late before they ever learned of it.
He and his army were sent down here to ensure that the human's didn't escape on their mothership, by any means necessary. But when the pinnacle moment came, the Super Carrier that opposed the human's received no aid from him.
He sat back and watched as it was shot down, and he had the power to stop the demon that did it. But now was when his rebellion would truly start.
He would quietly aid the human's in their efforts, until it was time to mount the rebellion. He already had support in some of the higher ranks of the Covenant, but now was not the time to openly strike. He would bide his time for now.
Besides…
He had another goal in mind for the moment…
"Shipmaster Rek, the demon will not survive out there…" Beside the specially armored white Elite was his second hand, an Ultra who was devoted to his cause. "It will surely meet its end in the valley."
"It likely means to regroup with the others. That group was already wiped out days ago. It is likely unaware of this fact." Another voice of reason spoke up beside him, a second Ultra.
The Shipmaster's eyes narrowed behind his helmet. He wanted that demon, the one responsible for laying waste to so many of the Prophets armies, alive. If he could convince it to join them, perhaps that could be the start of a relationship with the human's armies. And he desired it for himself, a demon of his own.
The little human's listened to the demons, and if one of their finest warriors made a pact with him, it could potentially convince them too.
But that wouldn't happen if all the demons were wiped out. His plans were nearly ruined when he heard of the fate of the demons at the ruins of the human's base. He planned on taking them in, but the Covenant was faster. None survived the attack.
But then he found himself this one. It was smaller then the others, and it was left behind by its own. If he didn't step in now, it would eventually meet the same fate as the rest of its kind.
But he had heard the words flying around between the armies, of the stories behind this one. It was dangerous, more so then it's allies.
He desired that power for himself, the thought a deeply pleasurable one. He saw beauty in the demon's strength, and wished to add it to his own. He needed to move now, otherwise he would lose this chance forever.
The Covenant would be out for blood, wanting to punish the one responsible for allowing the humans to escape. He must step in before then.
"We move now, Mok, Jok. Do not allow those vermin to touch the demon. We must get it alive." Rek exclaimed, standing up. He wanted that demon to himself, and he wouldn't stop until he had it in his arms…
All around her was dust. Lightning roared across the burnt skies, casting a flashing light over the lifeless lands below. The recollection of time seemed difficult to keep up with, as she'd been walking for what felt like days now.
There was supposed to be an outpost out here, in the valley beyond the ship breaking yards of Azod, but she never found it.
She eventually stumbled across an abandoned base, the place where every Spartan made their last stand. But when she arrived, they were already long gone. Dead bodies littered the scorched earth, all having been cut down days prior.
And now here she was, the last of her kind, forgotten by the world.
She was so tired, her eyes felt like they were bleeding. Her stomach was screaming at her, begging her for food, but she had nothing to give it. Her broken bones pleaded with her for a moment of rest, just about ready to give out on her.
And as she limped close to the body of a Spartan commander, she couldn't help but feel like this was the end. Shakily, she lowered herself to rest against the wall next to him.
She felt the rest of her energy vanish once she was off her feet, and her head lolled to the side. She barely had enough energy to breathe, let alone move. She wasn't sure of it before, but the blood that had begun to pool inside her helmet was proof of it. She had a punctured lung, and every breath was a sharp stabbing pain.
The dull beep of her heart monitor had been drowned out by the sound of her heart's painful hammering in her chest. The only reason she was still alive was due to her suit, damaged as it was, struggling to keep her going.
Her vision was blurry, blinded by her own blood. Everywhere she looked she was surrounded by the dead, sitting still very similarly to how she now sat. Perhaps this was it. She would die, slumped up against a wall, her heart finally giving out.
A bloody tear fell from her eyes, her body seemingly ready to accept the end. She didn't want to die. She wasn't going to die…
She just…
She just needed some rest…
Maybe…
Maybe then…
She could think… of…
Think of a… a way off this…
This…
…
Her eyes fluttered closed, her heartbeat slowing to a crawl…
Perhaps… Perhaps death wouldn't be so…
Bad…
Maybe then…
Maybe..
She could see her family once again…
…
In that moment her body went slack, and she, for the first time in weeks, fell asleep. Her head lolled back, and she looked no different then the rest of the dead bodies surrounding her…
She jerked with a start, her head snapping forward. Her mind was a haze, but the rapid rush of adrenaline gave her a bit of clarity.
"H-Haah…!" An open mouthed gasp of pain escaped her lips unhidden, unable to hold back a short cry. Spartan's weren't supposed to feel pain, but she was well beyond the point of mere pain…
Using the wall for support, she shakily stood to her feet. Her left hand held her Magnum, as she didn't trust her right hand with a weapon right that moment. She could barely feel her right arm at all, instead using it to support herself.
She was reminded as to why she suddenly awoke, as the tell tale signs of movement on her motion tracker caught her eyes. She made her way to the open wall, taking a peak out from behind it.
Her fears were proven correct, as she spotted an entire platoon moving for her. Two separate groups closed in on her location, each with a large number of Grunts, Jackals, and Elites.
How?
How had they found her?
What gave her away?
"Cuh!" She coughed, blood splattering against her visor.
Oh…
That's probably how…
It was likely that the Jackals sniffed her out, as she had probably left a trail of blood all the way here.
Damnit!
There was no use in hiding now. She needed to kill them off before hiding somewhere else. This place would not be her grave. If they wanted her life, then they were going to have to rip her heart out of her chest to stop her!
Her eyes snapped to a Frag Grenade resting at her feet. She took a quick second to take stock of all the dead bodies in the room, and more importantly, the weapons and armor abilities they all had.
She wasn't going to die here! Not today!
She suddenly stepped out into view, and her gray armored form momentarily stunned the approaching force. They were surprised to see their foe so openly exposing itself, and that surprised lasted long enough that the grenade that rolled to a stop at the Grunt's toes was unavoidable.
"D-Demo-!" The Grunt's cry of horror was cut short, the explosion ending four Grunt's and stunning three Jackals. In the ensuing chaos, she whipped out her sidearm, capping the delirious Jackals that barely managed to avoid the blast in the head. One body per bullet, as it always was.
Blue plasma reined down upon her, the Elite's barely hesitating to gun her down. Her shields flared, reaching for maximum current output. But in her current condition, that wasn't much.
She holstered her Magnum, and pulled out her Assault Rifle. Most of the plasma rounds struck the wall she used for cover, and the Elite was unable to escape as she riddled his body with bullets. The alien's shields dropped, and half a second later he did too.
"Brother!" The other Elite roared, drawing his sword. He snapped his attention away from his fallen brother, and back to the Demon that took him away. The plasma grenade that stuck to his face a moment later was his punishment for daring to take his eyes off of her for even a second.
The remaining Grunts screamed in horror, running in random directions. "Big one's dead! Run for your life!" Their shouts thrust discord into their ranks.
Six dropped the weapon to the ground, pulling out her Magnum once again. The Jackals were peppering her location with plasma pistol rounds, and most of them missed her entirely, but a few struck true. Her shields flared, dropping to half power.
She heard a battle cry from her left, and spotted another group of Covenant storming her position. They were too close for her to safely use the same tactic again, and she instead ran for the Grenade Launcher resting halfway across the room. Thankfully it was loaded, and the first round hit the Elite square in the face.
The explosion rocked the creature, and dropped his shields. He couldn't get to cover fast enough before she rained hellfire upon him. The Elite dropped like a ton of bricks. Angered by this loss, the other Elite charged her before she could reload another grenade.
She tossed the empty weapon to the side, and drew the Shotgun she had on her back. The powerful weapon tore into and through the alien's shields, sending brain matter everywhere.
"Gah!" A sharp cry of pain flew from her mouth, the burning of plasma slamming into her stomach. The Jackals she forgot took her by surprise and littered her with plasma rounds. Her shields dropped, and the pain was something else entirely. She cradled her wounded stomach with her right arm, her left one handing an Assault Rifle. Her aim struck true, and the pesky beasts dropped dead.
She fell to a knee, her breathing coming out in short fitful gasps. She felt her vision blurring, the storm crashing in the skies above her.
Perhaps that was the last of them…
She dropped the weapon, cradling her bleeding belly with one arm and holding the wall for support with the other. Her shields flared as they struggled to recharge. Her eyes widened when she noticed the large crack in her visor, her HUD partially malfunctioning.
Ignoring this, she stepped out into the open, eyeing the battlefield for any more opponents. To her relief, no more seemed to come.
Maybe now she could-
She turned around, the sound of dirt being kicked up her only warning. She threw a first out in instinct, her eyes widening as she stared down the eyes of a Zealot.
"A-Ahhh!!" She screamed, her right arm caught in a viscous grip. She felt the broken limb give out entirely underneath the warrior's strength. She couldn't react as the alien violently kicked her square in the chest. Her vision blurred, blinded by her own bleeding eyes.
"Demon! Fight me!" The Zealot roared, taunting her. 6 was downed for a few moments, the Elite keeping a healthy distance away from her. She struggled to stand, her right arm hanging uselessly at her side. She eyed the creature with her one good working eye, drawing her knife with her left hand. Her stance was wrong, and it was something that the alien noticed.
She was leaning on her left leg, putting as little weight as possible on the opposing limb. The creature, despite itself, laughed.
"Fool! I shall make you pay for spilling the blood of my brothers." It rushed her. The following hand to hand combat was horrible. It knew her weakness, and it capitalized on her.
"N-Ahg!" She screamed, as it ducked her knife swing, delivering a vicious kick to her right leg. She dropped like a puppet with its strings cut, unable to stand. Her hands were pinned down under its massive feet, her knife sent flying away.
She couldn't move…
She couldn't breathe…
Everything hurt, and she couldn't do anything about it. She swung her left fist into its leg, but there was barely any force behind it.
"I'll make you suffer, like you did my brothers!" With a roar he stomped her helmet covered face in, her helmet breaking underneath the strain put upon it. Her face was covered in her own blood, the sharp shards of her visor falling apart in front of her eyes.
She stared up, mouth open in silent shock. Her eyes, for the first time were unhidden by her helmet, as little of her visor remained to defend her. The creature drew his sword, the heat of the plasma blade radiating throughout the air.
And as he descended upon her, to finish her off once and for all, his eyes locked with black midnight. He hesitated, only slightly, but it was there. Their eyes locked, rage filled eyes of a beast, and the tired dying eyes of a demon. The Elite hesitated.
Without warning she used her powerful back muscles and managed to wrap her large powerful thighs around his neck, throwing him to the ground. The Zealot couldn't respond in time before she snapped his neck, the alien dropping to the ground dead. She didn't even have time to stand as the last enemy, an Elite she hadn't seen rushed her, kicking her to the ground. She hit the dirt like a puppet with its strings cut, and all her strength seemed to finally leave her.
A blast suddenly echoed across the empty battlefield, her eyes snapping open. Her pupils dilated, staring up as her killer fell over sideways. She sucked in a sharp breath, for a moment not daring to believe that she still lived.
She heard voices in the distance, many of them. Her head hurt, the sounds mixing together. She couldn't move, and everything hurt so badly that she felt herself becoming delirious. But she sat up, feeling around for the energy sword the Elite had just been prepared to use against her.
Her left foot found the ground, but she couldn't tell if her right foot did. She couldn't see her right leg at all. She could barely see, her right eye blinded by her own blood.
The voices were coming closer now, getting clearer. Despite trying desperately to cling to consciousness, she felt her vision fading fast. Her body shook violently as she stood, straining her ears to listen for the sounds of footsteps.
She… She wouldn't die here…
She…
She coughed up blood, staining what remained of her visor in red. She was vaguely aware of the sound of heavy footsteps somewhere behind her. She didn't think, reacting on impulse as she turned and swung the sword.
Something caught her wrist, stopping the weapon short. She felt her hands shaking eyes closed as she lost the strength to even hold the weapon, the grip on her firm, but not painful. She grasped for the thing that stood in front of her, trying to support herself as she fell.
A shadow slowly cast over her, the imposing form of an Elite Ultra towering over her blotting out the sun.
She suddenly felt a pair of large muscly limbs sneak underneath her form, her arms falling to the side as a surprisingly gentle grip lifted her from the scorched earth. Her head lolled back, no strength left to even hold it up. Her lone eye wandered the open air above her, curious and confused in her delirium.
"This one… dying. We.. too late. … must get back to… ship…" She heard the voice through the fog that filled her head, the sounds jumbled around.
"… Covenant were… fast… We delayed too long… Should have stepped in… sooner…" That voice was different, softer sounding. Her head tilted to the left, her eyes locking with the helmet covered face of an Elite. He looked down to her for a moment, their eyes locking.
The grip on her seemed to become even more protective. Her broken body waved in the wind as the warrior pair ran, gaining as much distance from the battleground as possible.
Her last thought before she blacked out was how nice their hands felt underneath her… They were warm, and held no will to end her life…
They were…
Nice…
"Shipmaster, the retrieval team has returned…" The voice echoed in the empty control room, the dark purple walls casting a harsh glare around the room.
On the far side of the room was a viewing window, the sight of the burning planet below easily visible. Covenant Super Carriers covered its skies, turning any who would try to escape to ashes.
"Have they been followed?" The question rang out in the empty hall, Rek patiently awaiting a response.
"No, Shipmaster. The team was not followed." The other Elite, the bridge control led spoke up. "They are arriving in bay nine as we speak. They have brought with them the demon. It has already undergone emergency treatment and is being moved to sector seven for proper attention."
Rek hummed, standing from his command chair. "Good. You have control of the bridge. I shall return." The Shipmaster announced, not waiting for a response from his bridge team. His heavy footsteps echoed throughout the empty purple halls, his white armor reflecting of the shining walls.
Elite's saluted to him as he passed, offering their displays of respect to their leader. Even the Grunts and Jackals offered respect, although in their own ways. He was ten feet of hulking lean muscle, powerful and extremely dangerous. He towered even over his own brethren by a solid head and shoulders, a clear leader among his people, revered and even lusted after by many of his own kind back on his home world.
He was eager to reach the demon, to see it up close personally. To finally hold it in his grasp, and bring it to his side. He'd waited long for this moment, and he was willing to wait until they were physically capable once more.
A walk through the halls of the super carrier found the Elite eventually arriving at the onboard medical facility at sector seven. His eyes shined as he beheld the form of the demon he so dearly sought, eyeing her form as she lay on the medical bed.
His assumptions were correct, as this demon was female. Her head of long wild black locks were splayed about across the table, covered in her own blood. Beside her was a Jackal, the raptor-like alien having already begun cleaning her up and administering a drug into her system in preparation for immediate surgery. Beside her and extremely damaged was her helmet, the visor nearly completely destroyed yet the helmet remained intact.
"Shipmaster." Rek turned at the call, facing an Elite Minor that approached him. "The demon has suffered grave wounds, many from plasma weapons. I am… unsure if she will survive the night…"
"Do what you must. I will not have her dying on my ship, do you hear me?" Rek snapped, eyes narrowed.
"Yes, Shipmaster. It shall be done." The Minor bowed, returning to 6's bedside at once. It was going to be difficult to repair the damage done to her body with her armor in the way, but non among his crew had accurate knowledge pertaining to the removal of said armor. They would make due, he would make sure of that.
"Hrk..!" A bloody cough caught everyone's attention, and Rek was beside her at a moment. Blood trickled down her pale white lips, light brown eyes staring blankly ahead. She didn't fight the large alien hand that gently grasped her chin, eyes slowly turning to meet the gaze of the one responsible for her continued existence.
"Rest now, tiny demon." Rek muttered softly, gently caressing her chin. 6 found herself unable to fight his request, and her eyes closed a moment later. The drugs finally seemed to hit her system, and her mind went blank. Rek stepped back as his team moved in for immediate emergency surgery.
She would live…
He wouldn't allow her to die…
Chapter
1
End?