Hey! Sorry for the long wait... life ya know? Anyway huge time skip in this one and...stuffs! Thanks for reading!
Songs are The War by Angels and Airwaves and Kings And Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars.
Promise, no more million year waits. And if you catch any spelling mistakes let me know, its like 5 am and I am too tired to catch em.
The ocean is on fire...
Gunshots, death, Orders, music.
The sky turned dark again...
Grande, targets, music, death.
As the boats came in...
Allies, music, death, enemies.
And the beaches stretched out with soldiers...
Death, music, death, music, death, missing, lost, death, death-
With their arms and guns It has just begun...
"CHIEF! LOOK OUT!"
John nearly flipped the warthog as he was driving as he spun the steering wheel, turning it violently it avoid the shots from the Brute Chopper.
The Marines in 'hog sprayed bullets at it, all while Chief executed evasive maneuvers from behind the wheel.
Shaking his head, John felt a breath of heat wash over him from a close plasma burst, but he wasn't calm. There was now cold breath in his head to calm him, no slight sharpness to keep him focused. He felt too hot, much too hot.
Believe, do you want this?
He was on earth, trying to get away from base. He had done so much...they had done so much... the halo rings, the prophets, the flood... him and her. Now it was just Him, and a few marines, trying to get to...where again? His head was killing him...
Believe, do I want this too?
He was there physically, but mentally... he wasn't so sure. Since destroying the halo ring, everything had been happening so fast he couldn't place to moment where it had all become so desperate. Every victory he had came with a price, and right now, it was less about winning and more about surviving.
Why won't you tell me that It's almost over?
That's why they made the choice, right? He had to, she said it. It'll be alright, he told her. I'll come back, it'll be fine. He promised her. And here he was, running around Earth trying to do something to fight the Covenant back while she was up there on High Charity giving him time to save everyone..or die blowing the rings and the ship she was on to ensure he did. It wasn't right.
Why must this Tear my head, inside out?
He knew he would get her back, soon if he could, but not having her here with him? It just felt so painfully wrong. He could fight and take orders just fine, but without her...he was missing how he got through it all. Shaking his head, John barley noticed the overjoyed whooping of the Marines as the chopper blew, or the disappointed groans as another showed itself immediately after.
And the houses, laid out like targets...
John knew he had a short time limit to stop the Convenient and rush to get Cortana back... he hoped nothing got to her before he did... John cursed as and volley of shots rocked the jeep, nearly catching the side of his head. He turned down his music so he could hear better, hoping that the sound of gunfire would clear his head.
With the deafening sound We watched them all go down...
Paying more attention now, John noticed red streaking his visor, marring his vision. With one hand and a growl of annoyance, he swiped at it and turned to check on the marine next to him in the passenger seat, a warning to be careful on his tongue.
And the families, now useless bodies...
Whatever he was going to say died in his throat as he look at the marine, his blood covering John's side and seat. The marine was gasping for breath, a wound in his neck gushing blood while he frantically tried to keep his hands over it. The marine behind him in the gunner seat still shooting, oblivious to the situation. John quickly turned ahead and found a place to stop the jeep while the sound of a Chopper exploding sounded behind him.
They lay still black and blue...
John jumped out and ran to the other side of the jeep, while the gunner just caught sight of squad mate. John grabbed the marine, and pulled him as easily as he could out of the jeep before setting him down against a tree.
A gift from us to you...
"Marine get me a med kit, now." John called over his shoulder to the gunner, all while applying pressure to the marine's neck. The marine was gasping for breath, frantically putting his hand over John's and trying to talk.
"Mast- Plea..." The marines gasped out his voice a mix of gasps and coughs. john could see now the marine was covered in wounds all over his chest...he was losing too much blood...
Believe, do you want this?
"I know, don't talk, try to breathe." John grabbed the biofoam the gunner handed him and was about to put it on the marines wound, when he stopped him. The marine pushed at chief hands and John was surprised at the strength in them.
The wounded marine looked at chief with a steel in his eye's that Chief hadn't seen before, and it froze him. "Save...not gon...make it... Finish... miss...on..." The Marine lifted his hand from John's and gave a weak salute, before letting them fall to the floor.
Believe, do I want this too?
John watched the marine squeeze his eyes shut, his body shuddering in pain. John put his hand on the marine's shoulder as the gunner kneeled down and grabbed the marine's hand and squeezed.
"See you on the other side, Charlie..." the gunner whispered with a catch in his voice. John didn't move to look, just stayed with his eyes on the marine in front of him and the blood collecting on his hand.
Why won't you tell me that It's almost over?
They didn't move until Charlie had passed. It wasn't long, but it... it was one of the things that would stay with him...the look in the marine's eyes, there was a strength in them that held some familiarity to him.
"Permission to...stay sir?" The gunner asked John as he turned to walk back to the jeep. John felt lost, he had seen soldiers die, had seen fellow Spartan's die, but none had looked at him like that except...Sam...
Why must this Tear my head, inside out?
"...Why?" John looked to the gunner who was staring back at him. The question wasn't asked harshly, just to test the one asking.
"Because I want to protect him." The gunner said looking chief square in the eye. John nodded, satisfied with the answer. He climbed into the driver's seat and grabbed a gun, motioning the Marine over. He handed him it, while the marine took it he asked John a question.
Believe, do you want this too?...
"Sir...do you think...he was a good solider? He always wanted to be...always pushed himself..." The marine stopped talking and looked to chief expectantly, his eyes shining.
John started up the jeep, but before pulling out answered the marine.
"He would have made a good Spartan."
John drove off, trying to shake off the scene he had just left. Five Choppers came into view near an under pass, and he welcomed the distraction. Pausing his music and switching the song, he prepared to jumped out of the 'hog while a chopper screamed toward him.
Into the night, desperate and broken. The sound of a fight, Father has spoken...
Aiming with one hand, John fired off shots toward the driver when the chopper turned until he saw the brute go limp, then counted the seconds until his jump. The chopper flipped, rolling at the jeep sideways and nearly crushing John if not for him dodging while jumping away from the wreak.
We were the kings and queens of promise. We were the victims of ourselves...
John rolled with his jump, the sound of crushing metal and explosions behind him. He stood quickly, and nearly sprinted to the chopper, its driver laying limply on its controls. the chopper looked to still be functional, if not for some smoke coming from the engine and a lot of dented metal.
Maybe the children of a lesser God. Between heaven and hell...heaven and hell...
Pulling the brute out, John noted another 'hog had shown up. It flew past him and at the other choppers, drawing their attention and allowing him to get into the brute vehicle.
Into your eyes, hopeless and taken. We stole our new lives, Through blood and pain...
John punched to chopper into to full speed, heading straight toward the others. He spun up the guns, firing at the first chopper he got into range. It blew with a satisfying explosion and a hail of metal and brute parts. The other hog's gunner nearly started firing on him until he saw who was operating the brute's mount.
In defense of our dreams, In defense of our dreams...
As John drove past the 'hog to get to another target, he stole a glance at the gunner, he looked familiar somehow, though Chief couldn't place how. Guns firing re-focused him, and he turned back to the fight at hand. The 'hog fell into pace beside him, its gun pelting the opposing Covenant.
We were the kings and queens of promise. We were the victims of ourselves...
Chief signaled for it to cover him and loop around, while he raced ahead. He tore through one chopper, demolishing it and its driver as it turned to chase the 'hog. His chopper screeched in protest, its engine and frame shuddering with the impact.
Maybe the children of a lesser God. Between heaven and hell...
A Chopper to his right blew, sending more smoke and shrapnel into the air. The 'hog's driver beeped it's horn in excitement, and John could hear their calls from here. He scanned the area for the last Chopper, and found it behind a support under the overpass. Turning his vehicle, he drove straight for it as the 'hog pulled up beside him.
Heaven and hell...
They were almost to it, and John began firing his guns at the chopper, while the 'hog did the same. He could see the smoke start to rise from the chopper, and figured it only had a few more seconds until it blew.
The age of man is over...
Suddenly, the jeep Pulled away, nearly flipping in its attempt to bank. The driver Screamed something at Chief, but it was drowned out by a wrath's shot hitting the ground in front of John's chopper. The chopper buckled, and John was thrown from his seat as it blew into fiery metal parts.
A darkness comes and all...
John's vision blackened with his impact and the world seemed to blur. He tried to lift his head but a pressure made it pound with amazing force. he couldn't hear anything, save for muffled yelling and...music? His vision started to clear and...he saw blue... Cortana's blue. He squeezed his eyes shut while his music became sharper and skipped, repeating the last line.
"These lessons that we've learned here...Have only just begun..." She sang to him, her eyes devoid of their light and her smile holding no warmth.
For a moment he felt an icy breath on his neck, in his head...his eyes snapped open.
He gripped his head in one hand, and blinked at the sunlight shining through his visor. He sat up quickly, feel none of the ill effect he had experienced a moment ago.
He has had flashes of her before, but none like this. He felt a new need course through him, one to get back to high charity as quickly as he was able. There was something very wrong with Cortana.
"Chief!" The 'hog drove up to him, slightly smoking and dented, but in one piece.
"Man, that was a bad hit, we thought- well doesn't matter. There's a wraith up there on the hill, didn't see it. We need help taking it out" The driver shouted while pointing to the wraith's position.
John nodded, and motioned for the 'hog to lead the way.
The gunner jumped down and walked over to Chief with an assault rifle, waving off his fellow marines.
"Damn Chief that was hard hit, you ok? Haven't seen you for a while." Stevens asked, while tilting his head and looking John over. John was surprised, he hadn't seen Stevens since coming back from the first Halo ring, and didn't think he meet the marine again.
"Fine, you Stevens?" John's voice betrayed none of his surprise, but he did shake the marines hand when offered
"Not a scratch yet. Anyway, figured you'd need a rifle to take down the wraith...and maybe a grenade, right?" Stevens handed John the weapons with a bright smile, which John took gratefully.
"Right, thanks. Cover me with the gun. I'll get the wraith." John was about to head back when Stevens called him back.
"Right-Wait! Where's Cortana, I heard-"
"She stayed behind." John cut him off, giving him the same answer he gave Johnson. Stevens looked down at the ground for a moment, his posture slouching a bit.
"Oh...well, you're gonna get her back right? I mean you and her were...um..." Stevens asked, his question dying off with his embarrassment.
"I made her a promise, I intend to keep it. No matter the cost" John said seriously while shouldering the assault rifle.
Stevens brightened and nodded, "That means messing up a lot of Covenant right?"
John nodded and turned to go up the hill, calling to Stevens over his shoulder.
"And anything else that gets in my way."
