September/7th/2007

Path of Hidden Chapters.

By Vile Deadboss

Notes: Hmm, this was sorta rushed. Anyhow, Enjoy!

Chapter V: Mission Failed.

The crimson armored Major hid himself among the foliage that served to hide him and his Elites. But no one hid more well than the silver Field Commander that was sent to to assist them on this mission. The said Silver Elite was hiding behind a tree without any of the Swamps plants in the way. Saying that they would give him away while he was in Camo. The very camouflage the special type of Elites carried and this Silver Elite was indeed special. And wise, the Major himself thought that the moment he was placed under that Elite's group so long ago. He was invisible and knowing this..

Van Rukamee was most assured that Juen Unalee will survive if they did not. It wasn't long that they wait and hid. The human's aircraft, The Pelicans came into view, flying overhead and towards the location where the swamp was more clear for them to land enough to drop off a few marines, since that's all the Pelicans seem to do. Drop them off. Where they would meet first is the Grunts and Jackals that were purposely placed there. The cannon fodder. However not without firepower as there were shades ready to greet them also, he had one Elite ahead of them to notify them what type of humans there would be. And considering the past circumstances, They would need that Elite to inform them Especially if the Human in Armor is among them.

"I wonder if their objection is the same as ours." Rukamee would hear the Silver Elite speak in his headset. A private connection to him and spoken quietly. The Major turned his attention over to the tree, barely seeing the Elite that shifted as he was crouching down behind the tree. He would raise his free hand to activate his helmet's private code that was to Juen Unalee, deciding to keep his eyes forward and answer him. But answer him with what?

"We don't even know why we are here besides that we needed to make base. They took over the Butte." he paused on that thought. "Would they seek to make a base here to?"

"Or they know we are here, and decided to exterminate us."

Rukamee snorted to that idea. "That would be foolish, there are so few of them, it would be suicide for them to attempt that."

"Would it be? Let's keep in mind, we are thinned out here. Very thinned out. Especially when the Leaders made themselves very clear that we are to investigate and protect this area." Juen Unalee reminded the Major. "..At any cost."

At any cost. That said alone made Rukamee take in a deep breath of the heavy humid air and exhale it out annoyed. Yes, he would give up everything to do as the leaders say but can he really do that if there is nothing here to truly protect besides themselves? One thing he had feigned to show, much as they used it, the Forerunners tools, lands, and everything that is sacred and the entire covenant had grown to survive on, meant little to him. And he never understood why. He didn't choose to fight to protect the Prophets beliefs or for the Forerunners, he did it because he wanted to protect himself and his kind.

And that wasn't good enough to anyone but Unalee.

A click in his helmet that he knew would be heard but not only himself and Unalee but the rest of his Elites as well. "Exellancy, the humans garb is green. Not black and the human in armor does not ride with them."

"How many?" Unalee asked in authoritive tone. The Sangheili were quiet until the Elite would respond.

"Eight."

"That should be enough for the Kig-yar and the Unggoy to deal with. Engage them." He would silent completely then. The click heard to end the report, a throaty warble cry of command was heard not to far off and soon the sound of plasma and gunfire shots were heard. The Elites would watch carefully and listen to the battle. The grunts on the Shades were also heard as they would take out the humans.

All that should've been done in an instant until the Pelicans flew by suddenly. This made the Elite's tense.

"They never left!" One of the Elites spoke. Van Rukamee turned his attention to the Elite to glare at him. The Minor went silent immediately. And not to long, the Pelicans that flew by carried more humans that would drop grenades, Fragment type and use their rocket launchers on the covenant that gave themselves away through the firefight. Ontop of that, the humans on ground still lived and they had with them those Rocket launchers that dealt with the shades quickly. Cries of the Jackals, Grunts and the Elite that was ahead heard.

Rukamee tensed. He already lost one of his Elites and thus grew the urge to hop out of his hiding place to engage the humans but made himself still. "None of you Move." He would command in a low growl. "Wait til they are closer. Deal with those with the explosive weapons first." The plants that were victims to the explosives would rain down in shreds. And water had splashed near the Elites but none of them would move. And lucky enough, that none of those Grenades came near them and the humans had not yet noticed them. They were still among the darkness of the swamp and watched the humans now approach but in caution. Their weapons carried flashlights upon them. Waving them this way and that to watch their flanks on all sides.

Their objection was certainly to head for the complex. And it seemed out of the eight that arrived, only six survived. Rukamee was more angry at this as they had many grunts and jackals out there that should've outnumbered these humans alone.

"Looks clear so far." One of the humans spoke as he would pass by the tree that Unalee hid against. Unaware of the Camouflaged Elite. Another Human was passing by two other Elites but so low to the ground they had crouched, the human was busy looking for tall creatures that she failed to look down.

"Pelicans can't do much when we reach the Complex." She would raise her hand to her helmet. "Falco 618 and Alpha 780. This is the Ground Team. All is clear, You may send in the rest of the crew, Over."

Rukamee frowned upon hearing this. More humans?

"Roger that Ground team. Over."

The humans were exceptionally loud, thought Rukamee, so he took that as a favor but still. The humans with the rockets Must be dealt with and Now. It seemed his thoughts were taken to action ahead of him as a hiss of a plasma sword was heard. The humans turned in alert to see the floating sword that was swiftly brought down on one human with a rocket launcher. Not given the chance to scream as his body fell to the swamp ground with a splat.

"Camo-Elites!" The human female shouted as he she raised her weapon at the floating sword. But Rukamee didn't give her that chance to shoot Unalee as he would jump out and hit her arms and the weapon down with his arm. Using the butt of his plasma rifle to knock her on the head. A sickening crack heard as her body fell limp. The other Elites jumped out and didn't even Bother to fire their weapons as they would immediately jump the humans, remaining two humans that had the rocket launchers. Making their weapons aimed up incase they fired and deciding to crack their necks to finish them.

The two remaining humans that were not attacked opened fire on the Elites. Thankfully their shields lasted against the shots before Unalee would rush them and slice the humans down, unlike the first human he killed, they screamed and cried in pain before their bodies would fall to the murky floor.

None of the Elites were injured, This Rukamee was thankful for but.. "They know now we are here and their reinforcements will approach." Rukamee turned to face two of his Elites. "Scout ahead, unseen if possible and give me a number."

The Elites nodded and rushed ahead to do that. Unalee however deactivated his energy blade so he would crouch near one dead human and scooped up the rocket launcher that had fallen. Rukamee wondered what Unalee had in mind. "If there is many, and now few of us. We could take refuge in the Complex."

"You're not suggesting that we retreat?" Rukamee hissed to that idea. Given there is certainly few of them, they still had a chance to hold their ground there. Unalee shook his head slowly. Moving to stand with the human's weapon hefted over his shoulder.

"Oh no, I said we take refuge. To deal with the human's we could use their own weapons against them."

"Blasphemy!" One of the blue Elites spatted. "Why should we use their inferior weapons to last? The Leaders will have our heads if they find out!"

"If they find out." Rukamee turned his attention to his Elite. "If you wish to survive and make a victory of this. Then I say we take his suggestion and learn to use their weapons."

"Precisely."

"Leader." The voice of Qutamee heard had Unalee tense. "Commander Umos Zuralee made contact and they were able to take hold of their position. However, he demands that we join him below."

"Demands? We have orders to hold our positions here."

"Rukamee! Commander! the humans come in twice the numbers than before."

Rukamee cursed. "Return to the complex, Quickly!" He glanced to his two remaining Elites. "Gather up the human's weapons and take them to the complex. Now." The Elites moved quickly to do that. Grabbing hold of not only the rocket launchers but their grenades and other weapons that they were able to carry. Rukamee assisted them on scooping up their weapons also before all Elites now ran for the complex.

"But he says there is something below we must see. And that Elos Zutamee might need assistence."

"We are returning." Juan Unalee didn't like it. But he waited for the two Minor Elites to appear before he would run back with them to the complex. The Covenant now taking cover to hide. Unalee noticed the humans were prepared. If their numbers are twice as much than before. Than there is another aircraft about that they had missed. He wondered if they had noticed the pilot in that case because the pilot failed to notify them of this.

Deciding to make contact now to see if the pilot is Still with them. Placing a hand beside his helmet as he would duck outside of the wall of the complex. He needed to be outside of the building to contact him and watched carefully for any approaching humans. They were coming. the flashing lights were proof of that. "H'los Ramalee, Respond."

Silence.

"This is Field Commander Juen Unalee. Respond, H'los Ramalee."

Another moment passed before he would hear a click. "...Unalee..." The voice hissed. Making the Elite still completely as it was indeed the pilots voice but it sounded slow. And carried a liquidy sound like the muck of the swamp was stuck in the pilots throat."..Unalee... Join us..."

"Who is this?" It wasn't the pilot. And the voice made Unalee's skin crawl. It did not sound natural to him at all.

"Fly with us... Fight with us... Kill.. with us.."

The voice droned on with that liquid hiss. Soon he would hear the scream of the ship He and Rukamee came in on. Fly overhead, passing the complex but whomever was in control made the Ship turn sharply. Hitting the tall trees and crashed into one. And another, And another. The ship would soon come screaming down on the approaching humans that all yelled and screamed as none of them had expected a Covenant ship to come crashing down upon them.

Van Rukamee who heard the noise came rushing out. Finding that the silver Commander was still outside but his eyes fell to the ship that came down to hard and exploded upon impact to the murky swamp ground. Pieces of the ship flying and killing most of the humans that were trying to head for the complex. Unalee was frozen to where he is, shocked to see the pilot do that. But.. was it really the Pilot?

"Unalee? What happened?" Rukamee asked immediately.

"I don't know.. Something happened to the pilot." His only answer to that. The chills that the voice left upon him were still there and growing. "That was our only way to leave.. We should head down below."

"If we join the Covenant at the west. Our chances of Survival might stand better."

Juen Unalee turned his teal eyes over to Rukamee questioningly. "The humans went to attack the west first. How can we be sure if there is any survivors there at all?"

"More covenant were sent over there. If no survivors, there certainly would be the ships left." Rukamee was certain on that. His eyes remained ahead as he studied the flashing lights. Some humans were alive still and they looked to be busy searching for survivors now. Why else would their lights wave about frantically like that?

Or so he thought until he heard them open fire and Not at them. The humans looked like they were dealing with something else. Screams were heard and their pelicans had left now. And there was no other covenant survivors, who could they be fighting? The Elites felt uneasy.

"Let us go below." Unalee rushed inside the complex. Rukamee nodded in agreement before he would follow the Silver Commander quickly.

"Has the Lift risen yet?"

The first to answer was the Grunt. "It has! It came not to long ago!" The Grunt however seemed relunctent to get on it like the rest of the Elites. Unalee and Rukamee glanced to the Lift and upon it were two dead Jackals and one dead Elite. The one that Unalee had left to Zuralee.

"What happened down there?"

"Commander Zuralee says it's clear and we could join them below anytime." Qutamee would pull away from the tower and gathered his plasma weapons. But.. he stared at the human weapons the Elites have collected. "Do we really need those?"

"I have a feeling that we do, Qutamee. Take your pick." Unalee went over to the pile and picked up one weapon that the humans called the Assualt rifle. Deciding to take that moment to familiarize himself with the trigger of the weapon. "They were proven to be effective against us. And we know they will be twice more effective against them."

"Hurmph." Qutamee looked at the weapons with disapproval. The other Elites didn't say anything as they would all take their pick on what weapon to use. The bigger the weapon was, the more comfort they took in that. Rukamee also gathered one of the Rocket launchers himself and went to stand on the lift. Waiting for the other's to join him. But kept his honey colored eyes at the Complex front. Prepared to shoot anything that decided to dare enter but he saw nothing yet.

For some odd reason, he felt like something out there was watching them and waiting for them to head down below. Holding tight to his plasma rifle, he would hiss at those hidden pair of eyes. Whoever it would be, he will survive it, Him and his Elites will survive anything that is thrown at them.

He will make sure of it.

The other Sangheili would soon join Rukamee on the lift and the Grunt, who decided to stick with his plasma pistol hopped on the lift to join the Major. When he finally teared his eyes away from the entrance area of the complex to look at the Grunt. Rukamee gave a short moment of thought before he would hand over his plasma rifle to RuRin. The grunt looked at the weapon surprised than looked up to Rukamee questionably. "Past battles had said those have been useless against the humans. Try this for now."

RuRin was relunctent but he would trade his pistol for the Elite's weapon as he didn't want to offend him. It was heavier for the grunt but perhaps the Sangheili could be right. It might be effective against what they'll face soon. When they were ready and armed, Juen Unalee gave the nod to the Elite near the controls to have them descend now. The human's screams could still be heard outside. Whatever was out there, they weren't looking forward to facing, so perhaps lucky they could avoid it if they go below.

But whoever attacked the covenant below were effective and strong enough to kill two Jackals and one Elite that remained on the platform with them still. They now descended. All prepared to meet whatever was below down there.

To Be Continued.

More Notes: Okay, so this wasn't to bad compared to Chapter Six, after reading this one, I realized I made a few mistakes on six. Oops. I better go fix that now! If I don't drown in Halo 3 to much. Thanks to my Oh so loving older sister, she decided to buy me my very own 360. And not just any but the Halo 3 Edition 360. Ya know.. the green one? It's pretty nifty. but who cares about that right? Get to chapter six! Yes Sir/Ma'am! getting right to it. Chapter six...