A/N: The last chapter was a shocker, so I intended on this one being a strong step up from that. The fight between Xero and the infected Master Chief, you all know it's going to be one hell of a fight.
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Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! Out of all the things that isn't good...this tops the list in almost every catagory.
The Chief stood stone still, tentacles swaying back and forth. His razor sharp claws twitched every now and then. His MJOLNIR armor was warped in various places, the gold visor of his helmet was smashed and a pair of pale sickly green eyes stared out through it.
"John...no...this can't be real!" Cortana cried. I took a step back keeping my shotgun trained on my once fellow Spartan, "Cortana? I know your hurting right now. But this is kind of a bad time." I whispered. Chief took a heavy step forward and I fired my shotgun without thinking twice.
An energy shield flared to life protecting him. "You have got to be shitting me." I said loading another round and firing again. The shield came back up and he took another step forward. "You said his nerves were damaged from the quick thaw right?" I asked Cortana firing another round with the same results.
"I did, but with the parasite's way of regenerating dead cells...who knows what could have happened to him." I fired the rest of the round's in the shotgun and went to switch weapons.
John suddently jerked forward and seemed to fly across the platform and backhanded me. I flew off the catwalk and landed on the floor hard, making a large dent in the metal.
"Ow." I mumbled getting back to my feet. A loud roar resounded through the room, and I saw the infected Spartan leaping at me from three stories up. I rolled out of the way just as he slammed into the ground piercing the floor with his claws were I was a second ago.
I pulled out my last M7 and aimed. A human infected Flood was bad enough...but an infected Spartan? "I think I'm in trouble." I mumbled as the Chief stood back up. "What's going on down there Xero?" called Shepard. "I'm...having a little bit of trouble here Commander. It's kind of a bad time." I said firing every round in the SMG, the Chief's shields absorbing them all.
"What's wrong?" she asked. I reloaded my weapon and emptied the next clip, the shield finally died and I pulled out my assault rifle and fired. The slugs bounced off the strong armor plates, but managed to get through the weaker parts and sent green blood splashing out.
"Xero?" called Shepard. I reloaded my assault rifle, but the infected Spartan flew at me again with his claw cocked back forcing me to dive aside. The razor sharp claws sliced clean through the terminal that was right behind me.
I jumped up and slammed the barrel of the rifle inbetween the armor plates and emptied the clip again. "Xero come in!" Shepard shouted. The spikes on the Chief's back twitched, then fired out like little missiles. One pierced through my shoulder sending me into a wall on the far side of the room, dropping my assault rifle in the process.
Gnashing my teeth in pain, I pulled myself out of the wall with the spike still in my shoulder and went into cover. "Fuck..." I groaned. Grabbing the spike, I yanked it right out of my shoulder spilling blood down my armor. "Xero where are you?" I hit my comm, "I'm here Shepard." I grunted.
"What's going on down there?" she asked concerned. "Master Chief's been infected by the Flood. And let me tell you...he ain't no pushover." I said peering around the corner. I saw my rifle laying a few meters away. But no sign of the infected Chief.
"We are already enroute in a phantom to come pick you up. Well drop in and give you a hand." she said . "Negative Commander. This combat form is way too powerful. I'm relaying on my speed and regeneration ability just to stay alive." I said back pulling out my shotgun and reloading it.
"Xero your in over your head! You need backup!" exclaimed Shepard. A familiar roar echoed out and I heard a loud crash above me. The Chief had crashed through the catwalk above me and was dropping in. "Shit!" I dove aside just in time. "Xero!" shouted Shepard. "Just stay in the air until I give the signal!" I shouted back firing my shotgun again and again.
The infect Spartan swung an arm out, I hit a button on my arm and a shield snapped into existance. The claws struck it turning it from blue to red and send me skidding back on my feet. With the shield on my left arm, I held my shotgun in the other. "Chief, I know your in there somewhere. Come on fight back! Don't let the Gravemind control you!"
John just stared blankly, then charged me with speed only Spartans are known for. I brought my shield up and blocked the first strike. I aimed my shotgun, but the other set of claws sliced it to pieces forcing me back.
He kept up the assault, my shield was red and about to give out. I drew one of my energy swords and slashed a large mark in the front of his armor, spilling green blood down his front and causing him to roar in pain.
"I'm sorry John." I said raising my sword, I plunged it right through his chest. The two points sticking out of his back.
Everything slowed to a crawl. The Chief looked down at the sword through his chest with mild interest, then he looked up at me.
One of his clawed hands wrapped around my throat, lifting me off the floor with no effort at all. He through be clear across the room sending me crashing through a terminal before hitting the far wall. I bit through the pain and looked up to see the infected Spartan look down at the sword through his chest before grabbing it and pulling it out.
With a loud crunch, he crushed the hilt in his hand and dropping it to the floor before skulking my way. "Dammit...Cortana, any ideas on how to stop him?" I asked staggering back to my feet. "I honestly have no idea. He's stronger, faster, and more durable than any Flood form ever encountered. And that shield doesn't help matters. Your best bet would be to overload the engine core and hope it takes him out when it explodes."
I shook my head, "I'm so sorry Cortana." "Don't worry about it...The John I knew is gone. That thing is not him, just a monster that only consumes." I drew my M7 and my magnum, "It's time to bring down this house." I said getting ready to end this.
X General POV X
Two forms ran down the halls of Forward Unto Dawn, but they were not Flood.
"Are you sure that you tracked him to here?" asked a middle aged woman. "Very sure, considering he's the only living thing left in the colony. That and the fact his armor is easy to spot when uncloaked." said a tall man with a German accent.
They drew closer to the sounds of combat on the engineering deck. "I just hope we get there before it's too late." said the woman.
X Xero's POV X
The second seal on the engine core erupted. I lept awat just as the Chief slashed through the catwalk under me with his claws. "Just two left." I said running to the next one. I grabbed the covering and started to pull. But the Chief was on me before I could pull it off.
I drove my elbow hard into his head, then took out my knife and stabbed it repeatedly into the opening in his visor. He reared back and roared in pain allowing me time to pull the vent covering off and fire a burst from my SMG into it.
The vent erupted like the last two. "One more Xero! The engines beginning to overload!" The infected Spartan got his second wind and came at me again. I aimed at him but he knocked my weapon out of my hand. I brought my hands up immediately. "Maximum Power."
Three rapid punches to the chest send him staggering back. An uppercut sent him back another few steps. He slashed, I ducked under it and lept into the air with a wide spin kick that caught him in the head and sent him crashing to the floor below.
Not wanting to waste time, I ran for the last seal.
A pure form dropped down and backhanded me off the catwalk.
I flipped in the air and landed on my feet. "Shit. He's got back up." I said gritting my teeth. The pure form dropped to my level followed by four others. "Five on one? Sound's fair." I said with a shrug drawing my energy sword and my shield.
The five pure forms all charged me, I ran at them and slashed. The super heated plasma blade sliced the head off of one of the Flood. Another slice split one in half at the waste. One of the other pure forms swung wide hitting my shield and sent me skidding back.
Pulling the shield off my arm, I threw it like a large frisbee that sliced through two of the remaining pure forms before hitting the far wall and shattering. Now there was only one.
It transformed into it's speed form and made a run for it. I charged after it and stomped down on it, squishing it under my feet. "That's it for you pal." I said with a smirk.
Chief landed on the floor behind me, "Ready for round two?" I asked scooping up my assault rifle and reloading it.
The doors behind the infected Chief opened, and Flood forms of all kinds surged into the room and stood behind him as though they were waiting for his orders. "This is not good. We're out numbered by dozens." said Cortana. "I know." I said focusing on the horde before me.
The Chief raised his hand, and dropped it.
On the mark, the horde surged forward. I fired my weapon into the crowd, dropping several but the horde just ran over their dead and kept coming. I took out my pistol in the other hand after reloading the assault rifle and fired both weapons. Emptying both clips in seconds.
Bodys fell with every round fired. But the more that fell, more seemed to take their place. It was no secret why they were called the Flood. I couldn't help but think that after I bashed a crippled skull with the barrel of my pistol.
The horde was close. I drew my energy sword again and started slashing my way through them. A few pure forms in their offensive stage were stuck on the high wall and was raining down their spikes on me. "Xero theres too many of them!" exclaimed Cortana as several spikes pierced my shoulders, chest and legs. Biting through it, I kept up the assault. Not giving the parasites the satisfaction of falling.
I started to back up, making sure that the Flood was kept back. Dozens laid scattered dead across the floor. With a few well placed pistol rounds I managed to take down the pure forms on the high wall.
"I...got them all." I said breathlessly. I was spent, exhausted beyond every concievable notion. Prophet had managed to use the suit's inner network to force the spikes out of my body. "Your wounded and exhausted. We need to finish off the engine core and get out of here." Cortana said with concern.
I took a few deep breaths, "Your right. Lets finish th-" before I couldn't finish my sentence, a big set of claws pierced through my stomach.
John picked me up, and ran across the room and into a wall. The large razor sharp spikes burst out my back and sank into the wall behind me, pinning me to the metal wall.
Blood driped out of my mouth and my HUD was shaking with static. I looked up into the ghoulish eyes of my Spartan brother. I gritted my teeth. He wasn't John-117, just a fucking parasite using his body like a puppet.
"Your strong...I give you that." I said coughing blood onto my visor. "But your no Spartan!" The infected Chief started to raise his other claw. "Your not Master Chief! Your just a fucking useless, weak, parasite!" The claw raised higher. "And like all parasites...you. Die! OUT!" I brought up both legs with what strength I had and kicked the creature hard in the chest sending him crashing through a terminal a hundred feet away.
I fell to the ground in a heap, blood dripping from my wounds as the nanites started to repair the damage. "Xero you've lost a lot of blood." "I know." I said applying medigel to seal the wounds and getting to my feet trying to get my second wind. "You can't keep doing this, your body will give out at this rate." I knew Cortana was worried. She lost John, and was afraid that I'd be next.
But I wasn't planning to die here.
I grabbed my assault rifle and slammed in the clip...my last clip. My pistol had only one round left in it. "Come on freak. Let's end this!" I roared charging at him.
A loud shot rang out and the infected Chief's head violently snapped to the right. "Now's not the time to sacrefice yourself Xero." My eyes widened. "Mom?" Another shot was fired and the large Flood toppled over.
I followed the tragectory of the shot...and to my shock I saw Doctor Halsey and Jun standing on the catwalk infront of the last seal of the engine core. "You can't take much more brother, I suggest that we blow this engine and escape." said Jun keeping his sniper rifle trained on the undead Spartan.
Thanks to Jun's distraction, I ran and lept back up onto the catwalk where they were. "Nice new suit. Do I even want to know what happened to the last one?" Halsey asked. "Long story mom. I'll tell you later." I said ripping the last cover off.
Jun emptied the last of his clip and reloaded as I pulled my last frag grenade. "Get ready to run!" I shouted pulling the pin and tossing it into the vent. "Go!" The three of us ran for the door as the grenade went off and cracking the last of the engine's seal.
X General POV X
Commander Shepard stood on the phantom as they made their approach to where they were suppose to pick up Xero.
Kat was flying the ship with ease, Ashley next to her manning the ship's plasma guns. In the troop department with the Commander stood Soap, Kaidan, Emile and Jorge. She hoped that it was enough to keep the Flood off of the ship long enough for the evac.
"Shepard! Come in!" Shepard hit her comm, "I'm here Xero. We're about a click away from you." she replied. "Good, we still have 10 minutes. Listen, we have two more people coming with me!" said Xero over the sound of an explosion in the background.
"Got it. Just make sure you guys get out of there." Shepard said as the link ended. "More survivors?" asked Soap. "Apparently." said Shepard hitting the door to the cockpit, "10 minutes! Try to ger there in 4!" "On it!" Kat shouted back as they all felt the ship speed up.
X Xero's POV X
I bent down and hoisted Dr. Halsey out of the hole in the deck. Jun soon followed as we kept running down the corridors as the ship started to shake apart around us. The clock on my HUD read 8:51 and was dropping.
We ran until we hit a dead end. "Shit!" I shouted. The loud roaring shreek of the Flood came from down the corridor. Jun took a defensive stance with his assault rifle out, the doctor aimed an M7 that was on her.
"Prophet! Search for a weakness in the hull!" I shouted taking out my own rifle. The first of the Flood appeared and we opened fire. A combat form fell, then another, then another. My rifle clicked empty, "Fuck, I'm out!" I shouted. Jun pulled out another clip and tossed it to me, "Make'em count!" he shouted back.
"Weak point in hull detected." I looked back at the wall and saw a red X appear on the wall infront of us on my HUD. I immediately switched to my energy sword and stabbed the wall. The gunfire and the sound of more Flood dropping dead echoed in my ears as I started to cut through the ship's hull.
"We're almost out!" shouted Halsey. I pushed the blade farther until I managed to make a big enough hole before kicking out the large circular chunk of metal. "Let's go!" I shouted shooting down the corridor to give them cover. Jun reloaded quickly and grabbed Halsey and jumping out the hole. After my clip ran dry again I jumped out too.
We landed on a large flat chunk of the Dawn outside. "There's the phantom the team's coming in." I said pointing to the dot that was getting bigger fast. My HUD read 6:12.
Suddently, a loud roar resounded from the hole we came through. The infected form of Master Chief came through and started to come for us. "Jun, get mom to that ship" I said bringing my sword to bare. Jun nodded and picked her up before running farther down the ship.
I didn't give the infected Spartan a chance and charged at him. He brought up a claw and swiped. "Not this time!" I shouted diving under the attack and slashing with the energy blade.
The creature's left arm flew from it's body and it roared in agony. I spun again and sliced clean through his waist splitting him in half. The infected Chief struggled to stand without legs. I stabbed my sword down and pinned him to the ship.
"Like I said." I said walking to the head of the Flood form. "Your not John-117." I reached into the rotting flesh and grabbed hold of something and ripped it from the creature. "These are his." I said holding the dog tags. "Now rot in hell you freak!" with that I ran like hell just as the phantom hovered over the ship, Jun and Halsey jumping inside.
Shepard waved for me to come on while they fired their weapons. The Flood was swarming all over the ship and were following after me. I pushed my skills to the limit and kept running. I made it through the last expanse and jumped onto the ship.
Kaidan fired a singularity sending combat forms flying. Soap manned the stationary plasma turret and took down a pure form before mowing down the others. "Take off!" shouted Shepard as she fired her assault rifle.
The phantom started to lift into the air. A combat form latched onto the skid of the ship, I leaned out with my pistol and aimed at It's head. The form let out a roar as we climbed into the air. "YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED! MY WILL STRETCHES FAR BEYOND THAT OF THIS WORLD! THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR PATHETIC RACE AND OTHERS IS AT HAND! WE WILL NOT BE DEFEATED."
I took off my helmet and glared. "But today...you lose." I pulled the trigger and the combat form plummeted toward the ground.
The skid's closed and Juno went full speed toward the atmosphere. The ship shook violently when Forward Unto Dawn expoded with the strength of 50 warheads. It wasn't as big like the Autumn on the first Halo ring...but strong enough to wipe out the Flood.
"It's good to see you again Jun." said Jorge. "And you too mom." he said grinning at Dr. Halsey. "It's good to see you again too Jorge." said the doctor as the phantom made for the atmosphere.
I slumped onto the floor just starred out into the void of space as we headed back to the Solace. The fight had taken a major toll on me physically and emotionally and I couldn't find the strength to stand. Taking my helmet off and setting it aside and I wiped the remaining blood from my chin.
"Xero?" asked Shepard sitting next to me on the floor. "Good work down there." she said with pride. I just nodded, my mind mudded with too many thoughts to speak. How could I take pride in what happened? Over 90% of the colony was wiped out by the Flood. Said parasites were now loose in this dimension siding with the Reapers.
And above all...one of the biggest heros of the Halo verse had fallen.
When I didn't respond she looked concerned. "Xero? Are you okay?" Shepard asked. Cortana appeared on my shoulder spooking the Commander for a moment. The AI placed a holographic hand on my cheek for comfort. Even though I couldn't actually feel her hand, the fact she was trying made my inner termoil a little more bareable.
I looked down at the dented and slightly rusted dogtags in my hand. "No." I said in a voice just above a whisper. "I'm not okay..."
A/N: The Chief has been laid to rest. And I know that several of you wanted there to be a way for the chief to be turned back to normal, but as you all know that once the Flood infect something that there is no going back. Whatever is infected belongs to the Gravemind, and their only salvation is death. But I made sure that the Chief went out the way a Spartan should go out. Update coming soon.