A/N: short chapter, I know, but I like to do that before I write a longer one. The next chapter will be longer, I promise.

CHAPTER TWO

Two gold armoured Brutes were dragging an injured white-armoured Elite, named Llau 'Medomee, down a long fleet of stairs toward where more Brutes, including a Brute Chieftain, were standing in a circular room. The Chieftain, who was named Cerberus chuckled in amusement as he watched the guards drop the Sangheili down to his knees in front of him. For a moment, the elite never looked up, and not even when he felt the end of the Carbine press against the side of his forehead at the temple.

"I'm amazed that you survived their beating, Sangheili," said Cerberus. "More amazed that you didn't run and hide like an Unngoy when you realized your squad's lives were ending."

Llau stared at the floor, watching his blood from a gash along his chest drip a small puddle beneath him. If he hadn't backed off in time, the blade of the Brute Shot would've killed him.

"Cerberus," he whispered. "You murdered my comrades behind my back." He narrowed his green eyes. "I will never forgive you. Even in death."

"The Prophets decided the Sangheili are no longer the ideal guards of them and the Covenant," mentioned the Chieftain, "Many of the Covenant have died because of this demon, and no progress has been made to kill him; thus Truth has ordered us to kill all of you and those who follow in your footsteps."

Llau clenched his fingers into tight fists. If only he was still armed with his energy sword, he would kill him before Cerberus and the other Brutes were able to blink He said nothing to the betraying beasts, while he tried to understand what was happening.

"Silent, are we?" asked Cerberus. Smiling, he glanced at another Brute. "Are you ready to die then?"

"Unlike you, I am always ready to die," replied the Sangheili calmly while ignoring the pain in his broken mandibles. He gradually raised his head to look up at him."I'd also rather you kill me with my head held high." He paused, smirking almost. "You, your whole vile race, and the prophets can go and rot in the deep abyss of hell."

Cerberus laughed. "You first."

The Brute with the Carbine pulled the trigger and smiled as the body went limp when the weapon shot through the Sangheili's helmet and flesh.

Behind them, a hatch slid up into the ceiling to reveal one of their brothers standing in the doorway. He walked along a walkway surrounded by water toward them. He went to a knee and bowed at Cerberus.

"Chieftain," he said, "The Prophet of Truth is now ready with his preparations. All of us may enter the control room of our lords so Truth can deliver a speech to us before he activates the Ark." He rose and waited until Cerberus ordered all of them to go into the control room.

One at a time, they entered the room, but Cerberus stopped one with a hand on his shoulder, and waited until the rest were out of hearing range. He turned to him.

"Go back up and patrol the corridors," Cerberus ordered. "If there's any survivors, kill them."

The Brute nodded. "With pleasure." He turned and started up the steps.

"And Kurotus," he added. Kurutus stopped on the fifth step to look back."If you see the demon, return to the control room. I want to see why everyone fears him." While adding, "Repeat my order to the others up there when you see them."

"Yes, Chieftain." He nodded, and continued up the stairs.

Cerberus smirked, baring his teeth and headed into the control room where Truth was waiting to give his speech.

A lone grunt named Nipnap easily played dead in a pile of dead corpses of several other Unngoy and a couple of Sangheili who were assassinated by a couple of Brutes on their way down toward the control room. They've missed him, but since he was covered in blood that wasn't his own and kept still, they thought he was dead.

'They dumb beasts. Nipnap smarter than them.' thought Nipnap as he struggled to push the bodies off of him when he didn't see anyone around. He snickered quietly, abruptly stopped, and waited to see if he could hear anything coming.

Sighing with relief that he was still out of danger, he used the body of one of the fallen Elite as a form of support while he pushed himself up. 'Stupid thing on back.' Looking around, he found a plasma pistol on the ground and picked it up.

'Good.' He thought again when he checked the ammo on the gun, which was barely empty. Once more, he looked right down the corridor and then down the left side of him as far as he could see. Satisfied, he scurried down quietly to the right where he last saw 'Medomee, another Elite, and the rest of the Brutes escort the prophet down.

"Must see if Llau and other Sangheili is safe." He whispered breathlessly, and activated his active camouflage and proceeded to walk ever so slowly down the Forerunner corridor. He kept hidden in the shadows when he could to avoid detection better when a couple of Brutes with bored expressions walked past him. He watched them for a moment as they discussed Cerberus's orders they were told by the second-in-command, which was Kurotus. Nipnap then continued on down until he reached a corner that was connected to another corridor.

He peeked around the corner, and watched as Kurotus fired randomly at a dead Sangheili, which was the one that was with 'Medomee at the time. Where was the squad leader? Llau 'Medomee was a strong warrior, and the Unngoy knew nothing would've happened to him, and wondered if he was fighting in the room behind the closed hatch near the Brute. Now, all he needed to do was to get passed Kurotus, but how?

To be continued...