Jan/24th/07

Path of Hidden Chapters.

By Vile Deadboss

Notes: I wasn't planning to quit this one at all. At one point I considered it but others said that I was going to be beaten, shot and mauled with a Brute Hammer if I didn't. So Enjoy!

Chapter III: The Walls With Eyes.

It had been two hours now, they had scanned as far as they could before they were forced to stop. Placing grunts or jackels in rooms so they would not get lost, using them as markers. All of the rooms in the temples looked the same. It was easy to get lost even though they all carried copies of the maps and layouts of the temples but the maps were scrambled somewhat. Only some of the rooms and halls were shown and they reached dead-ends where a room should be.

They were going to need more covenant soldiers down here.

"Commander." One of the blue-colored Elites spoke as he would look at the leader of the group. "This is a dead-end as well."

Juen Unalee nodded slowly as he stayed behind the corrider they were in. Studying the symbols of the Forerunner on the walls, trying to decipher what they meant. He was taught what few of the symbols mean but it was all still confusing for him. One shape meant so much... but there was a particular shape on the walls that he kept seeing, like it were some warning. Least.. a part of him was saying it was a warning. He could be wrong. "Alright. Lets turn back."

With that command the Elites turned to leave the corrider and back to the room where they left a grunt behind. Whom shuffled about nervously. The grunt squeaked surprised and his plasma rifle up and ready but lowered it immediately when he realized it was the Sangheili returning. They stopped for a moment to figure out the plan so far. "We'll need to set up a communications tower here. The walls are to thick to reach above."

"L-leader?" The grunt spoke, nervously and out of line but he felt that he had too. Unalee turned his attention to the Grunt and waiting for the small being to continue, the Grunt was thankful that it wasn't going to recieve a scolding or worse. "When you disappeared through the halls. I've been hearing scritching noises.. above." the grunt pointed to where he heard it but there was nothing on the ceilings or anywhere.

The Elites glanced up and listened for any sound the grunt had spoken of but.. there was nothing. One of the blue armored Elites snorted. "Tricks in your mind."

"But one we should be wary of nonetheless." Unalee spoke, surprising the blue Elite. "You're staying here with him. I'll have a group join you two in a few with a communications tower and supplies."

The blue armored Sangheili seemed relunctent as it took him more then a second to reply "Yes, leader."

With that, the silver Commander turned to leave the blue Elite and Grunt behind. The other blue armored Elite would follow his leader through the halls and other rooms they have passed before. Receiving a nod, a grunt, or a squack from the other Covenant they left behind in the rooms. In one massive room that had a bridge, clear, blue and purple, Prismatic colors that were bright and flowed in a neat line. Above the group of Elites, Grunts and Jackals that were carrying in purple boxes of weapons, towers and one Shade that was in pieces and have yet to be assembled.

Unalee assessed the situation before his attention turned to the other leader of the group who seemed to have just returned himself. This Elite was silver as well, golden eyes would glance around before he would head toward Unalee, his face seemed grim, mandibles were shaped to an unsure frown for an Elite.

"Umos Zuralee." Unalee greeted, a slight tilt of his head. "Is there a problem?"

Zuralee nodded slowly, unsure of how to begin. "As a matter of fact." he would tip his head to have Unalee and the blue armored Elite with them to go near a corner. Away from wandering ears, especially the Grunts. Zuralee spoke in a low tone as he continued. "I had an Kig-yar and an Unggoy stationed here." he would lift a small block and above it, a holographic map. To show the layout of the path his group had taken. "We had left them there." He would point to a room that was marked red. His doing of course. "When we had returned to that room, they were gone. Not a trace of their blood, weapons, nothing was left behind."

Unalee found that confusing. "Humans?"

Zuralee shook his head. "No sign of them. And unlikely they had ran away, there was nowhere they could flee to without running into us or any of the guards that I stationed here and here." he would point to the rooms where he had left part of his group behind. Unalee's mandibles shaped to a frown. He had a bad feeling about this. "Also.." Zuralee continued. "The Unggoy keep mentioning they hear something else among the halls. A scritching noise of some sort."

"Yes.. the Unggoy I had left behind mentioned that too."

Both the leaders went silent, looking at the room that was marked red. Perhaps this place in particular needs a further inspection. "Zuralee, take J'ar Kuhalee here with you and some of the Elites here to investigate that room. I shall return above to bring more help and supplies."

Zuralee didn't object to that idea. "Understood." He closed his fist around the block, immediately shutting off the map. He would tip his head at the blue armored Elite in a silent command before turning to go and pick out some covenant soldiers to assist with him to the room. Satisfied that was left to Zuralee as he watched the younger Elite that was with him now follow the other leader. Juen Unalee began to make his way back towards the massive elevator area where many of the covenant soldiers came from.

Perhaps he would get the chance to speak with Rukamee again.

Elos Zutamee leaned against the wall of the temple they were in. Watching the grunts heft supplies back and forth from the fourth ship that came in with them. Once the load was done, the ship would be ready to leave for another possibly. They would need to be ready to face the humans anytime now. However this ship seemed to carry more Shades then anything. He didn't recall asking for Shades.. was there something else going on that the High Commanders were not sharing?

His onyx gaze fell on the red armored Elite that walked by. Counting the number of Shades that were unloaded so far and would soon make a face at them. His mandibles giving a click that was either from irritation or confusion. "Why so many?" He would ask. Obviously a question nobody could answer but Zutamee himself however that Elite mearly grunted in response.

"Darn good question."

Van Rukamee left his attention from the disassembled shades and to Zutamee, noting of the confusion on his face was just the same. Perhaps the Spec Ops Sangheili truly didn't know why there was many Shades sent. "Are the humans on their way here?"

"It is assumed so. We must prepare and quickly." Zutamee would push away from the wall. Walking towards Rukamee but to stand beside him, looking over the number of weapon crates and such they had taken out of the ship. "Once Juen Unalee returns with confirmation it's clear. We'll start-"

He stopped when he heard the lift rise up. All the personnel in the area paused to see whom it was but they were all greeted with the sight of the said silver armored Elite. Juen Unalee.

Zutamee couldn't help but grin. "Well.. speak of the Field Commander."

Rukamee seemed to have relaxed, giving an exhale without a thought but that which caught Zutamee's attention. However keeping silent as both Elites would watch the silver armored one approach them.

"Report." Elos Zutamee demanded immediately. Unalee would nod, bringing up a small cube that would pop up above it the layout of the areas he and Zuralee had been through. The lines of the halls and rooms in the color of purple.

"All is clear in the areas that we've searched through. Zuralee is doing further inspection and-" He paused the second Zutamee brought up his hand, studying the layout of the bottem temple til his eyes would narrow to a certain red-colored area. That hand lowering to point to the area.

"Explain."

Unalee had his mandibles together in a firm line before he would speak. "Zuralee had posted one Kig-yar and one Unggoy in that room. When they had returned to that area, both of them disappeared."

That was all Unalee needed to say before Zutamee would click his mandibles together, Rukamee tipped his head in wonder what was going on as he would look to the Spec Ops then to the map. Zutamee would soon pull away from them. "Major, Get two groups ready for me to head below." He would turn his attention to Unalee. "I want you to stay up here with the Major, keep those supplies and Shades coming. I think we may need them. Soon." At that, he turned and begin to head out of the building, placing a hand to his helmet.

Rukamee and Unalee both watched the black armored Elite leave, silent for a long second before one of them spoke. "Do you think he knows what is down there?"

"I believe so." Unalee sighed, closing his hand around the cube to turn off the map. "Let's go get those groups ready for him."

Outside, Zutamee had informed the pilot to use the private code again. Waiting a moment as he would gnaw his teeth together. A habit usually done when a slight nervous. And he rarely gets nervous but dealing with something that he has no information on how to deal with it Usually makes him nervous.

"Zutamee."

He never thought he would be pleased to hear that voice but dreading it as well. "Exellancy. Juen Unalee has returned with confirmation that the temple you assigned us in is clear." he paused.

"But?"

The voice continued for him, waiting. "There is something down there, it seems we have lost a Kig-yar and an Unggoy already."

The voice was silent on the other end. Zutamee clasped his hands to tight fists then released. What he updated was pretty vague, he didn't give Unalee a chance to report fully, that mistake was his. "Exellancy.. Zuralee is investigating now why they disappeared."

"Zutamee." The voice began. "The humans are now on their way to the temples. I will have two phantoms sent full of minor elites to assist you. The prophet insists you find that room and retrieve what is in it if possible."

That was what Zutamee was afraid that his leader would say. "With all due respect.. What if it's not..?"

"If it is what you and I think it is. Then have that place locked down, and get everyone out of there. you will need to be fast for once the humans move in, you will have trouble getting out."

Zutamee was silenced for a long second before he would tighten his hands to fists once more. "Yes, Exellency."

"And Zutamee.. " The voice paused for a moment. "...Make sure they all can get out if possible."

A click heard that the connection broken off. Zutamee frowned as he wondered what else the leader was going to say. There was something else, wasn't there?

"Elos Zutamee."

The voice made the black armored Sangeili flinch slightly and turned to see whom. Juen Unalee gave him a small nod. "They are ready to head down below at your command."

Zutamee's lips parted, wanting to say something but it was more of a realization. Until he remembered about the connection.. he placed a hand to the side of his helmet. "H'los Ramalee, did he..?"

"Private code is disconnected."

"Alright, lockdown the cockpit and prepare to fly at a moments notice. You are to wait here until Commander Juen Unalee says otherwise. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander."

That all done, Zutamee nodded his head to Unalee in a command to return to the temple. "The humans are on their way here, we'll need to be ready for them."

Unalee was confused to why the other was leaving him with that sort of authority? But his mandibles quickly shaped to a snarl. "The humans? Are you certain?"

"We need to.." The Spec Ops paused on that. Taking in a deep breath of the humid air before continuing. "I was sent here for a specific duty. I am going below with the group you and the Major provided for me. There will be two phantoms here sent with back-up. Once I am done what we are here for, we pull out immediately."

"And if you don't return?" Unalee asked. This had Zutamee pause in his steps. Not expecting the other Elite to say something like that, but it was a perfectly standard question. Still. He turned to face the Commander to answer that question.

"If I don't return in time, You will pull everyone out of here as quickly as you can. Kig-yar, Unggoy, Sangheili.. Everyone if possible."

Turning away to resume his way to the inside of the temple, he tightened his fists. Nervous again, he didn't like it at all. But the Field Commander's next words struck him to stop again.

"He told you that, didn't he."

Zutamee whipped around quickly to look at Unalee, confusion at first written on his face until that same realization from before came back on him. He relaxed somewhat. "Yes.." his split-mouth shaped to a smile. "You're his.."

Unalee shook his head immediately. "Do not speak of that. Not here."

"Am I wrong?" Zutamee tipped his head to a side curious. Unalee lowered his gaze, raising his right hand to place on his left arm. The silver Elite looked at first as though ashamed but sadness was there instead.

"No, you're not wrong. I am.. that." Juen Unalee lifted his gaze back to Zutamee and gave him a small glare. "But speak of it to No one. I am sure he made that clear to you."

"Very. He never told me who though." Elos Zutamee chuckled. Turning away to begin his way to the temple, when inside, he would glance around, pleased to see the Grunts, Jackals, and Elites all prepared with the proper weapons on them and the others about were preparing for the coming battle. The towers there were set up and crates of weapons, Shades, and more towers were on the platform. Prepared to go down and join the rest of the covenant below. Van Rukamee was beside the platform, helping one of his Minor Elites take some weapons out of the purple crate. Zutamee wasn't sure.. but he had this feeling he wasn't going to come back up, up here anyways.

"Alright. let's go." Elos Zutamee went to go stand on the platform with the group that was ready for him but his hand was raised to the Elite to pause him from taking the lift downward. Turning his attention to Juen Unalee who entered the temple himself but stood to watch the Onyx Elite. "Field Commander Juen Unalee, Until I return, I leave you here in Command of this post. I expect the groups below would want a hand, so send what you can below but keep enough to assure us a safe passage out of here."

"Understood, Zutamee." Unalee nodded once.

"Also.. Our leader would want a report soon. But I won't be able to give it to him. Ask H'los Ramalee to patch you into the private code and it is done." With that said, he would turn to nod his head to the Elite near the lift controls. The Elite catching the command pressed the button that would have them all descend below to the temple underground.

Turning his gaze upward briefly, that feeling sinking in alot more then before. At first he was blaming the descending lift but really, that was what he wanted to blame. He knew what they were going to face.

And he knew the weapons they have may not be enough.

To Be Continued.

More Notes: I was a little surprised though. First shot, so many mistakes and I didn't think anyone would be interested. But despite that I was going to continue regardless. I have two more chapters done, but I wasn't really going to put them up without InTheSilence and MangosSleepingBeauty. But being so busy, this one will have to do. I'll put up the next two chapters shortly. After a quick game of Halo 3.