Chapter 4

Miranda Keyes

After deactivating the third barrier tower, John 117 turned to leave. Suddenly the Prophets holy city High Charity appeared out of slipspace. Pieces of the ship were falling off, one large piece collided with the Shadow of Intent damaging it severely, another piece penetrated into the tower releasing a number of flood organisms. After a sort struggle, John made sort work of the Gravemind's troops and regrouped with Thel Vadam. Waiting for him was a Scorpion, a Warthog and a Mongoose. John immediately took control over the Scorpion and lead the way to the Citadel. Inside the tank, John mowed down everything the Prophet of Truth threw at them, Wraiths, Prowlers, Ghosts, Shade turrets, and Towers. Finally they reached the cliffside overlooking the Citadel. In a last ditch effort, Truth deployed 2 Scarabs to gaurd the enterance. Fortunately, a couple of Hornets landed to assist. John got out of the Scorpion and commondeered a Hornet. Using the Hornet's superior agility, John made easily took on both Scarabs decimating the backplates and firing missiles at the power cores. After eliminating the last pockets of resistance, John and the Arbiter's Phantom flew to the very end of the Citadel.

While this was happening, the Prophet of Truth initiated a broadcast to his remaining loyal followers while the brute cheiftain tried to beat Sergeant Johnson into activating the Halos. But no matter how hard they hit, Johnson refused to buckle. "Is that all you got"? He asked, The Brute Chieftain grunted and picked him up. "Come on now, impress me" Johnson continued to taunt. The Brute was about to comply when Truth stopped him. "Stop, you imbecile, he wants you to kill him". Even though John and Vadam were airborn, they still weren't close enough to help. In an effort to buy time Miranda crashed her pelican into the Citadel's far wall. She landed near the controls and jumped out killing a brute as she did. "Johnson, sound off" she called. "What are you doing, get out of here", Johnson yelled. "Not without you" Miranda replied. "You're only delaying the inevitable" Said Truth as Miranda killed another brute. But she was greatly outnumbered and the brutes surrounded both Miranda and Johnson. Truth smiled, believing he had them cornered, "one of you will light the rings". Miranda tossed Johnson a magnum and the two stood back to back. "You cannot hope to kill them all, Truth continued. "You're right" she said "We can't kill them all, but we can kill you" she said. Miranda then turned her shotgun on the prophet. The Brutes to protect their leader and Truth picked up a Needler and aimed it at her. Suddenly a burst of gunfire and plasmafire erupted all around them killing most of Truth's bodygaurds. Everyone looked up and saw John in a Hornet hovering next to a Seperatist Phantom. The Phantom fired another shot, destroying the bridge controls on the other end preventing the remaining Covenant Loyalists from being able to save their leader. John and Vadam jumped onto the platform, Vadam took out the remaining brutes whileJohn killed the Chieftain. Vadam then turned to Truth, grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up. "NO" Truth cried out in despair as John deactivated the Halo firing sequence. Vadam then walked over to the bridge and held Truth aloft for his followers to see. "I am Truth, the voice of the Covenant", the prophet yelled defiantly. "Then you must be silenced", the Arbiter growled, then he drove his Energy sword through Truth's heart. Truth's body went limp and Vadam threw his corpse over the edge before letting out a victorious cry.

Suddenly the whole structure began to shake and heard a sinister laugh as massive tentacles towered above them. "We defeated one evil, only to greet another", Vadam said grimly. Instinctively everyone headed to the Pelican, John immediately took the pilot's seat and took off. With some evasive maneuvering, they manage to get out. "Well that went better than expected" Vadam remarked. "Yeah can you imagine if you two went entirely on foot and had to fight you way through the whole damn building", Johnson joked. Everyone started laughing at that. As they headed further away from the now infested structure, they noticed something moving in the distance. They all soon realized it was a Halo under construction. John then knew what he had to do to defeat the Gravemind.