Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Terminator crossover. Thank you for the support that you've shown. I deeply appreciate it. While I am happy that you wish to see the BattleTech crossovers finished up, I am also wondering what crossovers you want to see after the ones I've got going on are completed. If you have any crossovers that you want to see, like a BattleTech - Dungeons & Dragons crossover as an example, let me know in the reviews below. Either way, thank you for your support, and I hope to see you in future chapters. As always, leave a review and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Terminator franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Carolo Pictures, Hemdale, Skydance Productions, 20th Century Fox, Lightstorm Entertainment, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers, producers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.


Delta Halo

Unknown Location

November 3rd, 2552

The silence that hung in the rocky area like a fog was quickly dispelled when a glowing, gold-white portal opened in the air, before discharging two individuals. As soon as he flew out of the portal, Thel gave a shout as he flew out face first, landing on the ground with a muted thump as he landed on all fours. Nearby, Bero wasn't quite as lucky, as he flew out face first, only to land almost immediately onto the ground. Getting up, he spat out some dirt that had been forced into his mouth, before cleaning off his face and mandibles. "Arbiter," he asked, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Thel replied, massaging part of his arm, which was sore from the landing. "The Parasite did not infect me, as far as I know. Can you sense any kind of infection?"

"No," Bero replied. "As far as I can tell, you have not been infected. I do not sense the Parasite's ravaging madness inside of your mind."

When he said that, Thel breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that, while he was talking with the Gravemind, that it had infected him without his knowledge. Fortunately, Bero's evolution meant that he could sense the mind of an individual infected by the Parasite, and if he said that he wasn't affected, then Thel had good reason to believe him. Where are we, he thought for a moment. Looking to the right, he spotted what appeared to be a vast network of cliffs, all of which were holding what appeared to be a massive, tropical rain forest. They were high enough on the mountainous terrain that he could see an ocean, as well as what appeared to be a massive, Forerunner structure that was off in the distance. Looking around, he could tell that the only way to reach the structure was via air, as it was separated from the mainland by a narrow channel of water. We will probably learn of where we are as time goes on, he decided. Right now, we must focus on warning any fellow Sangheili we encounter of the Jiralhanae's treachery and retrieve the Sacred Icon, or as the Gravemind put it, the 'Key.' Turning to Bero, he asked, "Can you sense any minds up ahead?"

There was a moment as Bero concentrated, his eyes becoming half-lidded as they glazed over slightly. A moment later, his eyes fully opened and he said, "Yes, Arbiter. There are a number of Jiralhanae presences ahead of our position. In addition, I can sense Sangheili minds as well. They… they are in pain. We have to help them!"

"Then we will," Thel decided. "We will head out towards the beach that I spotted just moments ago. If you sense any other minds, inform me immediately." With that, they began to proceed towards the Brute's location. Walking along, he spotted what appeared to be a plasma rifle that was lying on the ground. Picking it up, he continued forwards, where they found a mortally wounded Sangheili lying on the ground, his breaths coming in rasps. Spotting them, he tried to speak, only for grunts and groans of pain to come out. "Bero, can you…"

"I can," the Sangheili swordsman replied. Bending down, he sat down before taking the Sangheili's head in his hands, extending a few tendrils that gently pushed into the Sangheili's neck. "Ssshhh," he said, a comforting tone in his voice. "It's okay, young warrior. Just think what you were trying to say, and I will hear it." For a few moments, both Sangheili were still, with Thel watching for any approaching Brutes. A second later, he heard a heavy sigh, prompting him to turn towards the two. The wounded Sangheili was dead, as Bero withdrew the tendrils and closed the Sangheili's eyes, a frown on his face as he got up. "Rest now," he said quietly. "May your soul find it's way to the halls of your ancestors." Walking over to Thel, he said, "He passed on into the void, but not before telling us a warning."

"And that would be," Thel asked.

"The Jiralhanae are killing any Sangheili that are ahead of our position. He also pleaded with us to save as many Councilors as we could." Shuddering somewhat, Bero continued. "He was so frightened, Thel. He was scared of dying alone, so I did what I could do: I gave him company until his time came. The last thing he said was 'It's so beautiful', and then he died. I wish…" A halting gasp came from his mandibles, and it looked as though he was about to cry.

Hugging Bero with a single arm, Thel said, "You did what any decent person would do, Bero: you comforted him in his final moments. Wherever he is now, I can say that he is probably happy that you did what you could for him." Looking around, he said, "Still, we cannot tarry any longer, or other Sangheili will suffer the same fate as well." Nodding in agreement, Bero proceeded forwards, with Thel quickly following. As they proceeded forwards, they heard footsteps approaching their position. Acting quickly, Thel vanished using his Active Camouflage and got into some bushes, while Bero took off his armor and shape-shifted, morphing into a small, reptilian creature. They were just in time, as moments later, a pair of Brutes appeared around a corner. Both were carrying a Sangheili corpse, which had been mutilated by an extremely sharp weapon, while grumbling about getting something to eat. As soon as they were close enough, Thel got up and, in one smooth motion, plunged an Energy Sword he found into the Brute's body, severing it's spinal cord and killing it instantly. At the same time, Bero elongated his reptilian tail, while enlarging his body, spearing the second Brute in the chest before morphing into his Sangheili form. Moments later, he retracted his tail, absorbing the limb while the Brute toppled to the ground, a hole where it's heart was supposed to be.

With the first Brutes down, they proceeded forwards, looking around for any more trouble that was ahead, spotting another pair of Brutes, Bero morphed his body once again, fusing his legs together while elongating them outwards, his hips melting into his legs in the process. Slithering forwards silently, he snapped the neck of one of the Brutes, before slithering forwards quickly, wrapping the limbless portion of his body around the other Brute. Before it had time to react, he elongated his mandibles outwards, before biting down with his fangs, his neck muscles contracting as they pumped powerful toxins into the Brute's body. The primate-like alien attempted to scream, only for Bero to squeeze the limbless portion of his body, while using a pair of tendrils to seal the Brute's mouth shut, silencing it's screams of pain. After a minute, the Brute's struggles began to weaken, as the toxins went to work. In thirty seconds, the Brute was incapable of moving. In another thirty, it was incapable of doing anything at all. Unwrapping himself around the alien, he regrew his legs and hips, while absorbing his tail and reverting his bodily proportions back to normal. Turning behind himself, he watched as Thel brought back his armor. "No," he said a moment later. "I'll put my armor back on once we've dealt with the other Jiralhanae." After a moment's hesitation, Thel nodded in agreement, before the two proceeded forwards.

They quickly entered another small area of the mountainous terrain they were in, which had a pair of rocks in the center of what appeared to be a small, circular clearing. An earthen ramp led upwards to a Forerunner alloy door that was located at the top of a small embankment nearby. The ground was muddy, with footprints that had been made in the soft, moist dirt. The Brutes were here as well, with one tossing the body of a Sangheilian off the edge, while the others were patrolling around for any trouble. A Brute Captain was present in the are, with the small, red banner he wore on his armor clearly identifying him as the leader "Bah, what's taking the others so long," the Brute Captain asked one of his subordinates. "If I find them slacking off one more time…"

"They're probably checking to make sure the other Elites are dead," his subordinate replied. "I think we should wait a little longer before we go find out what they are doing. If they are slacking off, I'll reduce their rations by half to make them think over the consequences of laziness."

"Sounds like an excellent plan." the Brute Captain beamed. What he didn't know was that those would be the last words he would speak while alive. Unbeknownst to the Brute Captain, Bero had been moving towards their position. Spotting a group of Brutes, he shape-shifted, melting his body into a congealed mass of gelatinous flesh, while changing the color of his body to become difficult to see. Flowing over the ground, he moved past a few Brutes that had been walking towards his position, with the ape-like aliens not noticing him one bit. Flowing behind the Brute Captain, he silently regrew into his normal form, before extending both arms out, making a whistling sound as he did so. Turning around, the Brute Captain and his subordinate only had enough time for their eyes to widen before Bero's arms morphed into long tentacles, each one with a sharp, bony spine on the end. Both Brutes screamed in pain as the tentacles speared through their bodies, slicing their spines and hearts in half before tendrils grew into their bodies, dissolving organs and bones in the process. Moments later, both Brutes were dead, their bodies hanging limply from Bero's tentacles.

At the same time, Thel, who was still on the clearing down below, struck as well, sticking a plasma grenade he'd scavenged from a corpse to a Brute's head. The alien roared as the grenade detonated, killing it instantly while he charged forwards, Energy Sword in hand. Slicing off the arm of a Brute, he decapitated the screaming alien seconds later, while Bero, having shifted to his normal form, charged down the hill, morphing his fingers into razor sharp talons before attacking. Grabbing a hold of one Brute, he bit into the alien's neck, his fangs injecting powerful toxins into the Brute's body. The Brute screamed as the toxins went to work, with the alien attacking the Brute that was about to fire on Thel with a Brute Shot. Driven into a frenzied state, the Brute Bero had bitten attacked the other Brute, pummeling it into submission before falling over, the toxins going to work dissolving organs and bones in frighteningly fast order. Within sixty seconds, the Brute was dead, it's body having been overwhelmed by the toxin. It collapsed to the ground seconds later, dead. Noticing Bero's tired features, Thel handed him some food rations. "Are you alright," he asked as Bero ravenously tore into his food.

"One moment," Bero replied, before swallowing some food whole. Noticing a lizard on a nearby plant, he elongated his tongue, spearing the creature before swallowing it whole as well. Before he could stop himself, a loud belch erupted from his mouth. "Oh, a thousand apologies," he groaned. "Sorry, Arbiter. My shape-shifting abilities require considerable amounts of energy, as do the venom glands in my neck. That why I feel very hungry once I've used them for quite some time." He belched again a moment later, though he was able to cover his mouth this time. "Oh dear… I think I have indigestion."

"Will you be alright," Thel asked.

"I will be, Arbiter," Bero replied, belching one more time. "I've adjusted now. I should be fine." With that, they proceeded up the earthen ramp, towards the door that they had seen when they entered the clearing.

Putting on his armor, Bero was about to speak when the door opened, revealing another Sangheili. His armor was dented, and there were streaks of blood on it, but it was clear that it was Brute blood, not Sangheili blood. Noticing a pile of Sangheili corpses, he gasped before moving towards it, eyes widened in horror. "By the Forerunners," he gasped. "What have these Jiralhanae done?!"

"The Brutes have betrayed us," Thel replied. "My friend here, Bero, is telepathic. He could sense the thoughts and memories of the Jiralhanae leader, Tartarus, as though they were his own, but that is not the worst. The worst tidings of all is that the Prophets approved of his plan. They were colluding with him all this time. I wish that I had seen it sooner."

"Is this true," the Elite gasped, surprised. When Bero, who had caught up with them, nodded, the Elite growled, with that growing turning into a roar as the Elite smashed his fist against a rock, causing the surface to crack. "They have spilled out brethren's blood, and for that they must die!" As soon as he said this, Thel watched as several Drop Pods came out of the sky, landing before the Elites inside got out. "A Zealot," the Spec Ops Elite remarked. "So much for subtlety and secrecy." Looking at Thel, he said, "We have to rescue as many of our brethren as possible, before the Jiralhanae can get to them."

"Agreed," Thel replied.

"Bah! Over so soon," the Zealot on the ground remarked. Reaching their position, he said, "Arbiter. It is a sad day for our kind. The Jiralhanae have betrayed us, and rumor has it that the Prophets have ordered the destruction of our species. Are they true?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Thel replied.

"Then it is a dark day," the Zealot remarked. "It will not be our end, though. As long as we stand alongside you and fight by your side, the Brutes will learn the price of their arrogance and treachery." Nodding in agreement, Thel and Bero proceeded through the doors, with the other Sangheili in tow. t extended for some distance. The walkway they were on connected to a series of large platforms that the Forerunners had built, with a tall, central spire in the center of one of the circular platforms. On the left side, there was a chasm that extended down to a river that was flowing along at high speed. On the right side was an earthen walkway that led towards another door on the other side of the chamber, with an earthen ramp that led towards the upper section. The Brutes were here as well, as Bero told Thel, There are more Jiralhanae on the other side of the chamber. There are also a few Kig'Yar and some Unggoy. As far as I can tell, the Unggoy are being forced to serve the Brutes, with the Kig'Yar being forced to do the same as well.

Thel was about to speak out loud when he realized that the cave would amplify his voice, which would make it much easier for the Brutes to hear him. On top of this, he remembered that Bero could hear his thoughts as though he was talking out loud. Thank you, he said to the young Sangheili. Can you convince them to help us should we encounter them?

Yes, Bero replied. We just need to get close enough, then I can communicate with them. I can also sense other minds, but they are not familiar to me. If we get closer, I might be able to identify them.

Agreed, Thel nodded. Moments later, he watched as Bero shape-shifted, melting his body into the same, gelatinous flesh he had become during the mission at the Forerunner gas mine. Once he was fully liquefied, he flowed out of his Combat Harness, and towards the Brutes on the other side.

"What just happened," the Zealot next to him asked. "Did Bero just…"

"Melt," Thel finished. "In a manner of speaking, he did. During his mission aboard the Infinite Succor, Bero was infected by the Parasite. He managed to reject it's influence by force of will alone, though he was heavily mutated in the process. As a result, he has the ability to bend and morph his flesh by will alone, making him a shape-shifter. He is also a telepath, which means he can communicate with other organisms without speaking, while sensing their thoughts, memories and emotions as easily as if they were his own."

"I see," the Zealot remarked. "So, is he under his own control, or is he an unwilling servant of the Parasite?"

"He is not under the control of anyone but himself. The Parasite was surprised that he had succeeded in resisting them. He is also immune to their attempts to infect them. I saw a Parasite attempt to infect him, only for his body to absorb it completely, consuming it for nutrients and energy."

"Really," the Zealot remarked. When Thel nodded, he said, "Well, as long as Bero maintains strict discipline, then I won't have a problem with that."

"He has shown the highest restraint and moral responsibility with his powers," Thel reminded the Zealot. "I have no doubts about his ability to use them responsibly."

While they were talking silently, Bero continued to move up ahead, flowing through small cracks and holes in the rocks and dirt. It seems as though not all of the others are sure that I am under no one else's control, he thought, his mind touching the other Sangheili thoughts and emotions. I will show him that I am under my control and no one else's, but it is his decision to make in the end. If he decides that he doesn't trust me, then that is his choice and not my own. As he flowed along, an idea came to Bero moments later. Flowing behind the Grunt and Jackal, he waited for the Brutes to stop looking before flowing around both aliens, muzzling their mouths and restraining their bodies before dragging them over to a darker part of the area. Regrowing into his normal self, he said, "Wait here. Once my friends and I get over here, you will assist us in defeating the Brutes." Not wanting to argue with a Sangheili that could shape-shift, the Jackal and Grunt nodded in agreement. Reaching out to Thel's mind, he said, Now!

As soon as Thel heard Bero's telepathic message, he acted. Moving out of cover, he took aim with his Plasma Rifle and opened fire, sending plasma bolts directly into the body of a Brute. The alien fell to the ground dead, while the other Elites immediately charged into the area, opening fire on the other Brutes. Caught off guard, the Brutes were forced to retreat, running back up the earthen ramp and towards the exit on the other side. As soon as they did that, Bero acted immediately. Morphing his arms into long blades, he reinforced the bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles in his body before charging forwards, extending each bony blade until they were a good two feet in length. Roaring loudly, he charged into the Brutes, slicing through arms and bones with razor sharp arm blades, while growing a long, muscular tail that he used to bludgeon any Brutes that got too close to him.

It was a madhouse, as Elites and Brutes engaged each other in a brutal melee. Thel's Energy Sword was a blur as he cut through a pair of Brutes with shocking ease, their fur covered flesh doing nothing to stop the high energy blade that was cutting through their bodies. On the other side, Bero was, practically speaking, a living, breathing tornado as he cut through Brutes with ease, twirling and moving as though he was dancing, rather than fighting. Eventually, all of the Brutes in the cavern were dead, with most falling from weapons fire, while the ones Thel and Bero had engaged were sliced and diced like meat being sold at a shop. Morphing his arms back to normal, Bero began walking towards the exit when he sensed a number of minds approaching. Moments later, a swarm of Buggers flew through the area, each one screeching and chittering loudly as they flew upwards. As they did so, Bero began to growl and groan again, holding his head as though he was suffering from a migraine headache. "Bero," Thel asked as he and the others prepared to defend themselves. "What's happening to you?"

"I… don't know," Bero growled, his voice strained as he spoke. "I feel… strange." Moments later, whatever was happening stopped, as he stood up fully and walked over to the front. It was in that moment that the Drones fired, sending plasma bolts directly at the team. What happened next shocked Thel; instead of taking cover, Bero extended a hand outwards in a manner similar to when he stopped the missile that would've killed him. As soon as he did, the plasma bolts seemed to slow down, almost as though they were going through increasingly thick air. Moments later, they came to a stop in front o him, almost as though some powerful magnetic field had stopped their forward momentum. It wasn't just plasma bolts either, as magneta glowing Needler rounds were floating in the air as well. Out of child-like curiosity, Bero reached forwards and plucked one of the Needler rounds out of the air, examining it before dropping it to the ground. At the same time, the plasma bolts dissipated, while the Needler rounds fell to the ground, shattering as they did so.

Behind him, Thel's mandibles had drooped downwards, forming the Sangheili equivalent of a Human's jaw dropping in shock. "How…" he gasped, pure amazement in his voice.

"Amazing…" the other Zealot gasped.

At the same time, the Drones, shocked by what they were seeing, landed, with Bero walking over towards one. Reaching towards one that was on a nearby column, he extended a hand out before touching one. Moments later, his skin changed into an exoskeleton similar to that of the drones, with insect-like wings growing out of his back. For the most part, other than a few changes on his body, he remained mostly normal. After a few seconds, he changed back to normal, before turning to the others. "It's alright," he told them. "They won't attack us."

"How do you know," Thel asked.

"I communicated with them," Bero replied. "They were surprised I was able to stop their barrage, even more so when they heard me speaking to them. I told them the truth and, while they are angry, they are more than willing to help us. They'll act as forward scouts, and tell us if there are any Jiralhanae up ahead."

"Good," Thel nodded. With that, they began to proceed forwards again, with the Drones flying ahead of them to scout out the area. Eventually, they reached a multi level room that led downwards, with a number of Brutes in the bottom chamber. Realizing there were no elevators or ramps leading down, the group had to proceed down the levels by hopping down, one at a time. There were Jackals on each one, but when Bero spotted them, he was able to telepathically communicate with them, attempting them to join the Sangheili in their efforts to survive. Not all were willing to listen, however, as some of the Jackals fired back at them, forcing them to retaliate in order to survive. Eventually, after killing the Brutes, they reached the bottom level, before proceeding into another hallway. The hallway led into a large chamber, with a door on the other side of a central partition in the chamber. As they reached the door, it opened up to reveal a number of Brutes that were in an open aired part of the area behind the door. Spotting the Sangheili immediately, the Brutes opened fire, while Thel, Bero and the other Elites got into cover and opened fire as well. While the Brutes were good, they were not able to counter the group, as the Drones had alerted them to their position well ahead of time. At the same time, Bero was able to read the thoughts of the Brutes, allowing him to advise Thel on how to counter them.

Moving outside, they found themselves in another clearing in the mountainous terrain. Beyond a rock that jutted out into the path were a number of Ghosts that were on the ground, inactive and ready for use by a eager pilot. The clearing sat at the entrance to what appeared to be a gorge large enough for the small vehicles to travel through. The Brutes were also present in this area, with a number of them carryingBrute Shots, as well as what appeared to be Spikers. Thel frowned at that. Brute Spikers were some of the more inhumane weapons that the Brutes used; designed to fire out white-hot spikes at subsonic velocities, Spikers were know to inflict grievous wounds onto their targets, often requiring amputation if they hit an arm or a leg. If they went into a person's torso, that individual could expect intense, blinding pain from both the object inside of them, as well as the intense heat that the spikes carried. Be careful, Bero, who also knew about the weapons, warned the others. Those Spikers will inflict egregious wounds onto our bodies if we are not careful.

Noted, Thel replied. Using his Camouflage, he snuck up towards the Brutes, moving around until he was directly behind them. Drawing his Energy Sword, he plunged the weapon straight into the body of a Brute Captain, silencing the creature in an instant. Caught off guard, the other Brutes moved to attack, only to be caught in the middle of a crossfire, with the Sangheili firing their weapons while moving. The Brute's relatively unarmored bodies were incredibly vulnerable to the Sangheili weapons, with each one of the ape-like aliens screaming as they fell to the ground, dead. One Brute began to go berserk, only to be speared through the chest by Bero, a tendril extending from his chest before punching through the Brute. Withdrawing and absorbing the tendril, he looked around for any more hostiles, only to find none. "Warriors," Thel called out. "We only have a few Ghosts present. Some of us will have to walk."

"Understood, Arbiter," one of the Zealots nodded. "We will proceed on foot and silence any Jiralhanae that stand in our way."

"I'll remain on foot," Bero informed Thel. "With my abilities, I should be able to quickly move. One of the other Zealots can have the Ghost." As he said this, he morphed into a quadruped reptilian creature that had a very muscular body and a long, muscular tail. Snarling loudly, he began running forwards, quickly reaching a speed of 45kph as he rounded the bend. At the same time, Thel got into one of the Ghosts and began piloting the vehicle forwards, with a Zealot getting into the other one before following him. The rest proceeded forwards on foot, keeping a measured pace in order to prevent themselves from becoming too tired. Rounding the bend, Thel found himself entering a much larger clearing than the one he had been in previously. This clearing was massive, with a number of small embankments in the area, as well as trees that towered towards the top of the gorge's clearing. Rocky platforms were present on the walls of the canyon, with the canyon having another entrance that curved off to the right. The Covenant was present here as well, with Brutes, Jackals, Skirmishers and Grunts throughout the area.

As soon as he drove into the area, Thel found that an intense firefight was already underway. Apparently, Bero had managed to convince some of the Grunts and Jackals in the area to join the Sangheili in their fight for survival, as the Skirmishers on the rocky platforms were firing Beam Rifles at the Brutes, with a few scoring kills here and there. Some of the Jackals and Grunts had sided with them as well, resulting in an intense firefight as the Brutes, their allies, and the Sangheili's allies duked it out against each other. Moving forwards, he fired the Plasma Repeaters on his Ghost, silencing a few Brutes in the process. "Look out," the Zealot that was with him shouted, prompting Thel to look to the right. As soon as he did, a Spectre came into view, with the Brutes on that vehicle firing what weapons they had at the Jackals and Grunts on the ground. Bero, spotting the incoming threat, quickly communicated telepathically with the Skirmishers, who immediately began firing on the Brutes in the Spectre. The Gunner was the first to be killed, with a Beam Rifle bolt tearing through it's skull, while Bero leaped onto the vehicle, forcing the canopy to the driver's compartment open. Hurling the Brute out, he used a number of tendrils growing out of his back to pull the other Brute's off, sending them tumbling to the ground. Getting off the vehicle, he waved over a few Sangheili that had reached the clearing, with those Sangheili quickly getting in and manning the Spectre.

With their firepower effectively doubled, they continued to advance towards their primary objective, which was the beach that Thel had spotted earlier. Any Brutes that crossed their paths were immediately silenced, while any Grunts, Skirmishers and Jackals that they encountered, they attempted to reason with. Fortunately, it appeared as though the Brutes were already becoming drunk on their newfound authority, as quite a few of the lower castes of aliens didn't like them one bit, only obeying out of pure fear of punishment. As a result, after traveling through a few more clearings, they had nearly doubled in their effective manpower. Eventually, as they traveled forwards, they reached what appeared to be a waterfall, which led to a clearing up ahead. Looking around, Thel spotted what he realized was a Forerunner structure that was up ahead, with a pathway that bridged a small gap and led towards another part of the facility. The Brutes were here in force, with a large number of them more than willing to kill anyone that got too close. "Get ready," he informed the gathered forces. "The Jiralhanae will not let us pass easily. Fight with honor and dignity, and we will get through this alive."

"Understood, Arbiter," the other Sangheili nodded, along with the allies they had made along the way. With that, Thel began to look for a way to enter the clearing, which had a large pool of water that the waterfall was continuously feeding. Spotting a dirt ramp that led down into the area, he proceeded to drive his Ghost down into that area, firing his Plasma Repeaters at any Brutes that were present. Suddenly, he was thrown off of his Ghost by a powerful explosion, with his head hitting something in the process. His eye sight became blurry and sounds were muffled and muted, almost as though there were pieces of cloth stuffed into his earholes, and a ringing sound was present. A moment later, he felt someone picking him up, before dragging him over behind what he realized was a rock. As his vision returned to normal, his hearing also returned, becoming clear moments later as the ringing stopped.

"Arbiter," a Sangheili shouted. "The Jiralhanae have a Wraith!"

"Where's Bero," Thel shouted, his eyesight returning to normal moments later. He got his answer when a Brute was hurled into the rock wall behind the rock, it's head being crushed as soon as it hit the hardened stone. Peering over the side of the rock, he watched as Bero hopped off the Wraith, before it detonated explosively. Where the Ghost was at, there was a large crater, presumably from the impact of a Plasma Mortar bolus. A few dead Grunts and Jackals were around the hole, though thankfully no one else was injured. Grimacing, Thel sat down as he placed a hand against his head. "What happened," he asked.

"The Wraith's Plasma Mortar blast threw you out of the Ghost," the Zealot that rescued him explained. "You hit your head on a rock when you were thrown by the blast. I'll need to take your helmet off for a moment." Nodding in compliance, Thel felt the Zealot remove his helmet, before looking at where he had been hit at. He winced as he felt a thumb gently pressing at that part of his head. "You are fortunate, Arbiter. You appear to have only suffered a bruise. Did anything happen when you were thrown?"

"Yes. My vision became blurry and my ears were deadened. I'm alright now."

"You are doubly fortunate, Arbiter. It seems as though you were only temporarily stunned by the blast, and your impact with that rock. Were the bolus any closer, it would have vaporized you immediately. Once the battle is over, we will see to any other injuries that you have." Putting his helmet back on, he nodded to Thel, who got up and picked up his weapons, which had been hurled off his back when the blast impacted him. Once he was fully armed once again, they proceeded forwards. It was clear that it was more than a bruise on his head, as he could feel pinpricks of pain on his back. Just as he took a step forwards, he roared in agony as pain erupted in his back, his body collapsing a moment later.

"Arbiter," he heard Bero shout. "One of the bones in your back has been dislocated by the blast." Looking at the other Sangheili, he said, "Hold his legs. I'm going to do what I can for him. The rest of you, make sure no other Jiralhanae approach us." While he said this, Thel felt tendrils wrapping around his upper shoulders, head and neck, while a few Sangheili took him by his hooves. "Ready," Bero asked. When the others nodded, he pulled… hard.

Thel shouted as they pulled, as he could feel the force that Bero's tendrils were exerting, with a brief spike of pain as soon as the younger Sangheili pulled. Moments later, there was a loud CRACK, with the pain in his back disappearing almost immediately. Gasping in relief, he felt Bero and the others release him, allowing him to get up moments later. Almost immediately, he felt better than before. Picking up the Carbine he dropped, he turned to Bero and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Arbiter," Bero replied. With that, they continued on ahead, weapons at the ready. Moving through a store room, they found what appeared to be a weapons stockpile that was present. Grabbing whatever ammunition they could carry, they proceeded forwards, exiting the storeroom and heading along the interior of a cave that was reinforced with Forerunner alloy. Spotting some Brutes, they quickly took them out, before reaching a door.

"I'll make sure the area is clear," Thel told the others. Once they nodded, he proceeded through the door, coming out the other side moments later. Walking through a hallway, he found himself exiting onto the very beach that he had seen just an hour ago. Spotting an incoming Wraith, he got ready to fight when it came to a stop, resting on the ground moments later.

There was a sound as the crew compartment door opened, with Thel's eyes widening in surprise when a familiar face came out of the compartment. "Arbiter," R'tas gasped, surprised. "You've survived. Thank the Forerunners! The Councilors? Are they…?"

"Murdered, by the Jiralhanae," Thel growled.

Smashing a fist into the nanolaminate hull of the vehicle, R'tas snarled. "Vile beasts! The Hierarchs were fools to trust them!" As he said this, they watched a Phantom fly overhead, coming to a stop at the entrance to the Forerunner structure off in the distance. Moments later, two individuals were lowered, before walking inside the structure. After a moment, R'tas said, "This was where the Councilors would be at, to celebrate the Commemoration of the Sacred Icon, the start of the Great Journey. The Jiralhanae have the place locked up tight."

As he said this, Thel could hear the Gravemind's words in his mind. Looking up at the veteran Sangheili, he said, "I need to get inside."

"I have a plan, but we'll need help," R'tas nodded.

"I have allies that are waiting to come out here at my word."

"Then mount up, Arbiter. We have to stop that Brute."