Sorry for the incredibly long wait everyone, but I've run out of ideas with this story and I've kinda lost interest. My current plan is to link this story up with whatever the Halo 3 plot will be, and I can't really write any more until I find out more about the Halo 3 plot. So The War of Rage is being put on hold until the release of Halo 3 next year. In the meantime, check out the other story I'm working on. It's called Shadows of an Empire. It's a post-war fanfic in which the UNSC tries to keep itself from crumbling apart. It's going to be filled with crazy plot twists as it progresses. I've gotten a few good reviews for it so far. That should keep all you guys occupied until I start working on this story again.

Anyways, here's a short snippet of the next chapter I was working on. I had intended on making this much, much longer, but I lost interest after I wrote this part and I couldn't get any good ideas. So yeah, go read my other story once you've read this. And once again, I'm sorry to keep all you guys hanging, but I don't really have a choice.

Chapter 20: Meanwhile…

City of Divinity, Gantrithos

12th Cycle, 5th Division, 3rd Stage, 9th Age of Reclamation (Covenant Holy Calendar)

0405 hours, October 31, 2552 (UNSC Military Calendar)

Staff Sergeant Shank shook uncontrollably as he hid in a crevice in the side of a building. One of those three-legged stone Guardians prowled the streets alongside his hiding place. Half of his platoon was killed before they had met up with the Guardian, and the other half, weary from several hours of intense battle, was completely wiped out by the leviathan. Jim had barely escaped from it, but not unscathed. During the battle the Guardian swept Jim's legs out from under him, breaking them both in the process. Private Roberts had come up to him and offered to carry him to safety, but the Staff Sergeant denied the help assuring Roberts that he'd be fine. Jim continued to fire at the creature from his prone position, but when the last of his troops had been killed he lay still hoping the Jorgothar would think he was dead. Jim saw his chance when the Guardian turned its back, and he dragged himself as fast as he could to his new hiding place.

The Guardian let out a deafening roar and surveyed the street for survivors. Jim had been waiting in the crevice for nearly five minutes as the Guardian prowled outside and shock had just started to set in. In his semiconscious state he heard several explosions near his position. The Guardian roared again and thundered down the street towards its attacker. Several more explosions followed during the next few minutes as the Staff Sergeant slipped further out of consciousness. He stayed awake just long enough to hear the rumble of Scorpion tanks and faint footsteps nearby, and he let himself fall out of his hiding place.

"Lieutenant, we've got wounded over here!" Jim heard as he saw a blurry figure run towards him and kneel next to him. "Hang on, sir. We'll get you out of here."

"Wh-what's g-going on?" Jim managed to stutter.

"Our job is done, sir," the Marine said. "We're leaving this place."

Jim felt himself being lifted and managed a faint "Oo-rah" before the last remnants of his consciousness left him.