Me: Yes! The Gravemind is gone! Someone blew it up! But now I need to have someone else do the disclaimer… Well, good thing I managed to, persuade, a prophet to come to this little place.
Mercy: So filthy! I do not even want to know what that stench is.
Me: Dead Gravemind and Flood.
Mercy: By the Forerunners, cleanse this horrible place! He has no authority over Halo. But he really should cleanse this awful place. Is that blood?
Me: Uh, no?
Chapter Eleven
Hyak looked around the room and was rather surprised to see he was behind a brute, one that was standing where an Honor Guard would stand. He could see Truth and Mercy giving a speech to the citizens of the city, an Unggoy, a methane breathing grunt, recording it all with a camera the Covenant often used for communications. An orb of electricity hovered over the grunt, and the demon crashed down, flattening the camera and crushing the poor thing to death. He shook his head, grabbing the needler the grunt had been wearing.
"The demon!" Mercy floated back in shock, but Truth was in utter disgust. "Kill it!" A number of brutes stepped into sight, and the large silver pad under the prophets descended to a lower level, another descending from the ceiling to fill the gap. Master Chief reacted to the brutes quickly, firing the needler at them. The pink crystalline projectiles stabbed several in the eyes and throats, killing them instantly. Another went down when a needle embedded itself in the leg and exploded, sending the mutilated body crashing into the others. In what was possibly three blinks of the eye, five brutes were dead, three crippled and paralyzed, leaving only two to battle.
Hyak took action before the brute, or Jiralhanae, could move. He grabbed a small knife from its belt and jumped on its back, stabbing the short weapon into the monster's throat and dragging it down the chest, blood surging out and pooling under it as the brute collapsed, dead. He jumped a good ten meters in distance, ramming into the other brute as it began to rampage, cutting the spinal cord with a single quick swipe.
"Well, I didn't expect you to help kill them," the armored demon muttered, crossing his arms.
"Just be grateful, insect. I hate the Jiralhanae more than I hate your kind."
"Aren't you human yourself?" It was the feminine voice from before, causing Hyak to turn and look for the source. "You can't see me. I'm an AI for John."
"Cortana, since when have you been on a first name basis with me?" Hyak growled in Sangheili, cursing the crazy use of artificial beings.
"If you seek to chase the prophets, follow me." He strode onto the silver pad, waiting by a control panel of sorts. "Are you coming, demon?"
Master Chief shrugged, following the human elite and touching the controls. A stream of data entered it, and the glowing blue figure of Cortana stood, going through the system. Hyak hissed a warning to her, but the AI ignored him.
"Okay, I've got it. The lift should begin in a few moments. And don't think I don't know what you said a little bit ago, kid. I am an AI, after all." Before any sort of retort could be made, the lift descended rapidly, forcing the teen to grab a hold of something sturdy.
Master Chief remained still during the descent until the lift stopped. Cortana faded into the system before Hyak could stop her, and he cursed silently as a bolt of plasma flew past. Another bolt flew his way, and he drew his energy sword, slicing the heated substance out of the air. The Unggoy that fired threw down its weapon, crying out in surprise and fear as it began to run away.
"The holding cells are on this level," the elite muttered. "Several humans are here, so I would free them quickly. I'll deal with any who see us." Before the demon could respond, Hyak raced off, following the Unggoy so it could not spread word of him or the demon.
Rose waited carefully by the door of the holding block, Gilc behind her with the marines. Putting her head to the door, she could hear muttering in a grunting language. Her guess was brutes, and she had a feeling they weren't happy.
"Sounds like someone or something is making a lot of noise, and the brutes aren't happy about it," she said in a hushed tone. Gilc nodded, stepping forward to open the door, weapon at ready.
The elite shouted a Sangheili war cry as the door opened, firing his plasma rifle and killing the surprised brutes with head shots. A couple of marines snuck forward and armed themselves, leaving only a few unarmed.
"Okay, sergeant," one of the marines said, facing Rose, "exactly what do we do now?"
Smiling, the young woman shifted her head towards Gilc, a signal that the marines did not take lightly to.
"You can't expect us to follow a hinge-jaw! He could turn on us at any second!"
"What if he leads us into an ambush, huh?"
Gilc growled at the marines before any more could protest, and began to speak uneven English.
"I do not betray those at my side, humans. No matter their species." Rose winked, and GIlc held up the plasma rifle for effect. "If I even thought of betrayal, a bolt would go through one of my hearts and kill me." He growled again, and one of the marines shook violently in fear. Rose chuckled silently, knowing he had just soiled his pants.
"Well, boys, get moving. Gilc here isn't a patient alien." Gilc started off, and the marines followed hurriedly, Rose taking up the rear.
Crys of pain sounded around a corner as the group made their way through the holding level, and needles that had missed their targets could be seen bouncing off the walls and exploding. Heavy stomping was a distinct sound, and it was something that was all too familiar to marines and any member of the UNSC.
The chief was wreaking havoc. The thing he did best.
Me: Sorry for the length, I couldn't decide what to write. Well, it seems that every time one person gets seperated from someone else, two people meet up! So, with Rose, Gilc, and the marines about to join with Master Chief, where exactly is Hyak?