Different Galaxies Same Fighting Hearts

by BeeSamusnChief

After losing Cortana, and gaining his team back. Master Chief would have never thought of himself to become a father figure. Sent to investigate an unkown alien planet, the Covenant have invaded. Chief, and the rest of Blue Team, are put in a situation they've never been through in spartan history. Link to the full cover /art/Different-Galaxies-Same-Fighting-Hearts-Cover-569152729

22. Final Message

The ending of this Chapter may be slightly different as I will most likely be continuing on while we wait for the DLC for Infinite, or whatever we are to expect for the Halo games.

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More voices and memories flashed through Master Chief as they passed through the portal. Memories. Memories that belonged to Doctor Halsey. The creation of her cloned mind. Memories that were created by Cortana. Her desire to create a perfect world. Her threats to the ones who disagreed with her forceful reckoning. Her domination.

Waking from the vision, John clenched a fist as he got onto to a knee, shaking the trembling sensation from his body. Holding out his hand to present Weapon, who seemed to be recovering herself.

"What just happened?" He questioned. The vision he just witnessed still echoing in his mind.

"You told me to get us close" Weapon gazed behind her where she saw Samus picking herself up off the floor ahead of them.

"Did you see that?" Chief asked curiously as Samus approached him.

Samus didn't reply, walking past the Spartan. Trying to shake off the numbing sensation coursing through her body.

Weapon gave the teen a concerned smile as she strode by them. Hoping her friend was okay after that rocky teleportation. "We passed right through a data cluster." She turned her focus back to the Spartan. "I guess it did feel... I don't know... real. Very real."

Master Chief silently agreed with the AI. "Where now?" He questioned.

"I don't know. There's a lot of noise down here. Or up here... or just... here. We need to find some place to break through. Figure out where we are" Weapon replied, gesturing to the woozy teen behind the Master Chief.

Chief stood up as Weapon vanished from his hand. They were in a decent sized room. It was very quiet and calm.

Samus visibly jumped when she felt a hand cup her shoulder plate. Gazing over her shoulder to see her armoured adopted father.

"Are you okay?" John asked, waiting for Samus to turn away from the wall she was staring at.

"Yeah. We should get moving. Echo 216 doesn't have much time." The bounty hunter gestured for her Spartan to follow. Effectively changing the subject.

"Let's find a terminal, so I can get us some information." Weapon encouraged.

Master Chief followed Samus, even though none of them knew where they were, or where they were going. He was shocked that all of the AI's venomous remarks had faded. It took their friend being in a dire situation to reconnect them. Chief wanted to apologize, but he didn't know where to start. It also wasn't the time to do so, until Echo 216 was safe.

"The bridge is out here." Weapon announced as the two warriors walked up a ramp.

"Chief, terminal." The Bounty Hunter gestured to the terminal she had discovered on a secondary platform.

"Put me on there and I'll get the bridge." The AI told the Spartan leader.

Master Chief didn't hesitate to place Weapon on the pedestal. Weapon immediately went to work, discovering their location. And a problem. "Interesting. Good news first. We're close. There's a Banished structure above us. It's big... Oh... no."

"What is it?" Master Chief asked concern lingering in his tone as he focused entirely on the AI.

"There's a message. For you." Weapon hesitantly replied, playing the said message.

A hologram of Echo 216 appeared next to the teen. His pained suffering hard to watch. Master Chief approached the hologram, wanting nothing more than to save the man from his torturous restraints.

"Chief... Samus... I couldn't..." Echo 216 hissed until the pain became too much.

"He's alive. Barely." Weapon told the two warriors.

"We need to save him." Samus added, terrified for the man, she had seen too many humans in Echo 216's exact position. She did not intend to fail Echo 216.

"Chief... please..." The Pilot begged through agonizing pain.

"Do I have your attention Spartan? DO I?!" Escharum's hologram appeared. Chief approached anticipating his next challenge. "You feel his pain. Each twist of my blade hurts you as much as him. He will not die by my hand, but he will suffer until you stand before me. For the Banished, victory is our shared cry. A refusal to cower, to bend. Our weakness beaten from us. Banished. It makes us strong!"

"Chief!"

Samus winced as Echo 216 cried out in pain screaming for Chief to help him.

Master Chief stood silent, watching the threatening message. Every muscle in his body was tense. He wanted nothing more than to save the Pilot from the clutches of the crazed War Chief.

"Your humanity makes you weak. Vulnerable. Defeatable. Our time together is ending. I await our final fight." Escharum's hologram disintegrated ending the message.

"Chief, there are coordinates embedded in the message. We're going to find him." Weapon reassured the stressed Spartan.

Crossing the bridge, they were met by Banished forces. It was to be expected though.

"The Banished have found us. Chief look out!" Weapon warned as they got across the bridge.

Grunts, they were easy to take down. Samus fired a charged plasma shot using her wide beam to wipe out a variety of foes. "Clearly only here to slow us down."

"Agreed." Master Chief agreed with his teenager. Firing his gun, taking down two more Grunts, and a Jackal.

Moving further up the building, the whispers once again echoed and rang through the corridors.

"I'm here. I'm with you."

Samus shook off the haunting whispers, turning to the right she led Chief down another large ramp through the massive room.

"Wait, you two. There's something ahead out the window." Weapon pointed out as they approached the window.

Banished Phantoms flew by, letting the duo know there were more enemies that lay ahead.

Weapon recognized the structure that stood in the distance. "I recognize that structure in the distance. Not by sight, but by signal."

"Purpose?" Master Chief asked.

"Unknown, but the Banished are diverting their forces to guard it's construction. If it's rebuilt I can only imagine their intentions." Weapon explained to the Spartan leader.

"It won't be." Samus assured her AI friend that the reconstruction would not get completed.

Going through the next rooms, more Banished appeared. To no one's surprise. As they travelled through the room approaching a terminal, the whispers of Cortana could be heard.

"I'm my mother's shadow. I'm not who I used to be."

Chief placed Weapon onto the terminal. The AI attempted to begin her work, but the large hologram of Cortana interrupted her progress.

"Cortana. Former UNSC AI Leonidas stands with you. How should I proceed?"

"Population?" Cortana asked starring at the holographic space station in front of her.

"Laconia station currently holds seventy six Spartan fours. They have orders to stand against you." Leonidas replied.

"Short sighted fools. You have served me well, Leonidas. Your sacrifice is appreciated." The AI leader gave her order to her underling. Referencing that she wanted the station to be destroyed.

Samus watched in horror. Master Chief was still but just as disgusted as he witnessed the terrible act his former AI conducted.

"Understood. Goodbye, Cortana." The space station exploded seconds after the AI's goodbye.

"No. She took out the training facility? Those Spartans..." Weapon turned to Master Chief in shock.

"All gone." Chief replied emotionlessly.

"All of them?" Weapon asked hoping there was at least one survivor. But unfortunately the Spartan's nod confirmed her dreaded question. Weapon shook her head in disbelief. "But why would she..." The AI spun around as the gravlift she tried to activate earlier, activated.

"Let's move." Master Chief collected Weapon. They could not waste time. He preferred to avoid the subject of Cortana anyway.

Samus followed Chief into the blue beam. Listening to the rogue AI's whispers as they ascended the gravlift.

"There will be no more sadness. No more anger. No more envy!"

At the top of the gravlift they stepped into a new room. Quiet. No hostiles. Master Chief thought as he took a step forward getting a sharp disorienting pain in his head.

Samus caught onto Chief's pain as he winced, taking an off balance step forward. "Dad, are you alright?"

"I'm alright." John replied pushing forward. "Take point. I will stay right behind you."

Samus gave a small nod in understanding making her way to the next door.

"There's another lift nearby. It'll take us to the surface." Weapon told the two as they battled four brutes

Making their way through the Banished forces. The whispers continued the further they travelled.

"You found me. But so much of me is wrong, out of place. You might be too late..."

The echoing memories were... haunting. Yet... meaningful. That haunting sentence was exactly how Samus felt when she reunited with Master Chief on that Banished frigate.

"There's a lift over there..." Weapon pointed out as Chief's view glanced by it.

Samus narrowed her eyes, a bit confused as she took out the last remaining enemy in the room. "Where? I don't even see it."

"And... It's not powered up. The Banished are really trying to stop us. We're going to need to find a way to..." Weapon told the two as they fought what Banished were in the way.

"I got it." Samus sighed after easily taking down the last Brute. The Banished were beginning to try her patience. Preventing them from quickly getting to Echo 216.

Taking down two more Brutes, Chief glared at Samus as she strode towards the gravlift's empty power source. "You know how I feel about you..."

"Yeah I know how you feel." Samus hissed, beginning to power the gravlift back up with her glowing arm. "We're pressed for time. The pressure is on, and a life is on the line. We cannot waste a single moment anymore."

"Wait. Is that... Earth?" Weapon asked a hologram of Earth appeared behind them.

"Yes." Master Chief answered the AI. Diverting his attention away from his stubborn teen.

"What's it doing here? It's beautiful..."

Before Chief could reply a hologram of Cortana appeared next to the globe.

"This is not a negotiation, Lord Hood. This is your surrender. My terms are clear. You are aware of my capabilities and... I am fully acquainted with yours. If Earth's government wants to fight, feel free. But hear this. It's a battle you will not win." Cortana threatened Earth with zero feelings of remorse.

Samus weakened, falling to her knees with a pained yelp as she powered up the gravlift.

Chief leapt to Samus's side helping the struggling girl of the floor. "Samus..."

"Let's... not waste time.." the teen panted, refusing Chief's help. Samus got to her feet making her way over into the gravlift. She wasn't interested in hearing yet another lecture from her adopted father.

Master Chief reluctantly followed his stubborn teen into gravlift. Before Chief could comment on the teen's unsafe practices, Weapon questioned the scene they just witnessed.

"Wait... Cortana, threatened, Earth?"

"Her forces led an assault on UNSC in Sydney. Wiped it out." Master Chief replied to the curious AI.

"Wiped out the headquarters?" Weapon felt she already knew the answer but she hoped it wasn't worse than what she thought.

"All of it. We had to hide. Regroup. Come up with a plan." The Spartan continued to explain emotionlessly.

"To stop her?" Weapon asked.

"To survive." Samus replied through a laboured breath.

Weapon had no words she was appalled by the actions of the rogue AI.

As they entered the new room the doors around the trio suddenly locked.

"That's not good. It's like someone doesn't want us to leave. Plug me in let's figure this out." The AI told the Spartan as their frustrations grew. As soon as she entered the system, Cortana appeared once more.

"Atriox. Leader of the Banished. How do you stand?" The purple AI hologram questioned the Brute Warmaster.

"With the Banished. Always. Forever." Atriox replied with little emotion.

Cortana circled the Brute, sizing him up as she pondered that response. "And you understand the consequences of defiance?"

"I do. Do you?" The Brute said, following Cortana's movements.

"The intricacies of any action are complex. The reactions numerous yet predictable." Cortana simply replied pulling up a hologram of the Brute homeworld. Gaining Atiox's full attention as her Guardians surrounded the planet. "Look upon Doisac one last time and remember. You chose this path."

All the Guardians lit up with a sickly glow as they fired, the planet cracked and shattered in a fiery demise as the Guardians easily terminated the Jiralhanae homeworld.

Atriox's face contorted into pure malice, as he watched his home be destroyed. "As did you, Cortana."

"She destroyed their home?" Samus asked with concern. Seeing an entire planet being obliterated was not a new sight to her, but she almost sympathized for the Jiralhanae.

"Escharum... Atriox's... An entire planet? How could she do that?" Weapon added, purely in just as much shock as the teen.

John hung his head in shame. "It's my fault." He shamefully admitted.

"How?" Weapon scoffed confused.

"I should have stopped it. I could've reasoned with her." Master said as Samus shook her head in disagreement.

"Could you? It was her choice." The bounty hunter scoffed at her Spartan.

"Her programming." Weapon added turning towards to the green armoured Spartan.

"Was it? I don't know anymore." Master Chief turned his head away from both the AI and teen.

Weapon snapped her fingers as she went into deep thought. "There's something you're not telling me, I'm..."

"The only way to access the Ring... to reach Cortana..." Chief was hesitant on answering the AI skepticism

"Was to make a copy." Weapon thought aloud.

As flashes of Weapon's similarities to Cortana played for the AI, Samus gazed at Chief, knowing the AI was not going to like what she was about to discover.

Weapon spun around in disbelief. "I'm her?!" She said devastated.

Master Chief nodded. "Yes. An exact copy. It was the only option we had left.

"My routines... systems..."

"All copies. Halsey removed any information that could compromise you. You're her. If we'd never met."

Samus watched as Weapon's expression turned from devastated to petrified.

"Will I d-do what she did? Become what she became? Am I that already?!"

All of Weapon's concerns were the exact same ones that Samus had running through her head. Scared of the possibility of becoming the universe's most feared bioweapon.

Master Chief had been reluctant to trust this AI. Weapon's feared concerns were exactly why he didn't allow himself to trust her.

"My mission was to ensure that doesn't happen." Master Chief reassured the concerned AI. "It still is." He turned his gaze to his equally wary teen.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The AI dropped to her knees in defeat. "That isn't me! It can't be." Weapon's thoughts became darker as she realized how dangerous she could become. "I shouldn't be here. Your mission was to destroy me. An audible ping could be heard from Master Chief's armour as she restored the deletion protocols. "I restored the deletion protocols. I'm ready. It has been an honour. Just promise me one thing. Whatever happens. Save him. He needs you."

Samus shook her head no as she approached the AI. She wanted to take Weapon from the terminal, but kept her ravenous hand away. Taking a step back as Chief stepped closer.

"You two are all he has." Weapon closed her eyes, anticipating the deletion. But it never came.

Master Chief took Weapon from the terminal, holding her in the palm of his hand. "We do it, together."

"How... how can you trust me?" Weapon finally got up to look into the golden visor.

"I don't... But I want to." Master Chief gave his most honest sincere reply to the AI. Turning his gaze to Samus. "I betrayed your trust, both of you. I don't intend to do so again. In my ignorance you continued to go through with our mission even though I was wrong."

Samus exhaled deeply taking a step towards the Spartan. "Next time talk to Weapon. She's your partner. If you just explained that you had the deletion protocol in place for if things went south. We would've been more understanding. Weapon, told you multiple times that she should be deleted..."

"Correct. I would've understood your reasoning behind a sudden deletion. If you had just told me in the first place." The AI added, agreeing with the teen.

"I... I would've..." Chief tried to find the words for what he was feeling. But he couldn't pinpoint the correct ones.

"Chief. You thought if you told Weapon, about the protocol, that she would've felt threatened? Like she had a gun digging into her back the entire time." The bounty hunter mentioned.

"Yes. I-I..."

"We're more understanding then you believe, Chief." Samus told her adopted father as they continued forward towards the now activated door.

"Okay, let's go save him." Weapon changed the subject after the Spartan replied with muted silence.

"Your friend will die in agony, just like the rest of the humans on this Ring!" A Brute Chieftain spat as he opened fire with his turret.

"Then we're lucky I'm not fully human!" Samus leapt backwards shielding Chief from the incoming shots. Having depleted all her energy tanks that shielded her armour, the shots stung immensely as the rapid fire pelted her.

Master Chief quickly deployed a shield in front of them. Relieving Samus from the turret's bullets. He could see that his adopted daughter was suffering. Unsheathing his combat knife Chief would make quick work of this attacker.

The Brute charged through the shield continuing to fire at the Spartan.

Master Chief took the brunt of the weapon fire, leaping sideways, confusing the Brute as he disappeared behind it. The Brute screamed in agony as Master Chief used his combat knife to grapple it's massive body. Finally reaching the collar of the struggling Brute, Master Chief took his deadly blade, driving it deep into the alien's neck. Blood splattered everywhere as the Chieftain collapsed in a bloodied heap.

"You don't have to protect me like that." John told his struggling teen, flicking the blood off of his knife.

"I... don't. But... I do." Samus smirked behind her visor, as she followed Chief through the next couple rooms with a few remaining Banished members.

Samus absorbed whatever life energy she could get from the remaining stragglers. But it wasn't enough to quench her ravenous hunger.

"We made it!" Weapon cheered as they finally exited out to the surface. "Now all we need... wait. I'm picking up something on all Banished frequencies... That, is not good..."

"What's wrong?" Samus asked curiously as she scanned the area for enemies.

"I know where he is. What this place is. This is where Chak Lok shipped his victims. The House Of Reckoning." Weapon responded with concern.

"Uh, the party place, gotcha." The teen sarcastically remarked as she took in the beautiful orange sky.

John rolled his eyes behind his visor at the ridiculous comment his adopted daughter made. "Let's move. Samus" he gestured for his unpredictable daughter to take the lead.

Samus took the lead, taking the team through the Banished littered valley. She strived to satisfy her parasitic hunger, taking down any Banished victims that stood in her way. While Master Chief hijacked a Wraith. Firing devastating blasts at the threatening Banished approaching his combating daughter.

"That must be it." Weapon said as they came up to a barricade. "House Of Reckoning. I was right it really is a suitable ominous name. How do we get in there?"

"We fight." Chief responded as he blasted the last of the Banished attempting to guard the locked gate.

"We got that. Any other ideas?" Samus groaned leaping over the barricade to no surprise finding more Banished.

Master Chief used his grapple to scale the barricade. Landing perfectly on the other side as Samus began easily eradicating the enemy forces on this side. "The bridge is out ahead."

"The controls are up on that platform." Weapon said marking a waypoint for the duo.

Getting to the control platform Chief, approached the controls. Before he could engage with the control panel metal, groaned, and screeched, as the bridge suddenly activated.

"Okay. I guess we're being expected." Weapon mentioned as they observed the bridge form.

Samus leapt down to the bridge with Master Chief. It was quiet for the moment, staring up at the intimidating structure, it was impressive.

As they got halfway across Weapon began to have second thoughts about all this. "What if it's a trap? I mean... it's a trap, right? It's definitely a trap... Are you even listening to me?"

"It's a trap." Samus replied with zero emotion.

As they were about to enter into The House Of Reckoning, Master Chief cupped a hand on his daughter's shoulder holding her in place. "Samus?"

The Bounty Hunter stood still facing the entrance of the hellish torture tower. Waiting for Chief to speak what was on his mind.

"Samus, are you prepared to go in there, and face your torturer?" Chief asked with concern for his teenager.

"Yes." Samus replied emotionless.

"Are you certain?" Weapon questioned with an equal amount of concern for her friend.

Master Chief gave an encouraging squeeze to Samus's shoulder. "Do not focus on your hatred. We're not here for revenge."

"I'm not here for revenge. I'm here for redemption. I'm here to save a friend. Just like you are." Samus reassured the Spartan of her intentions.

Master Chief nodded releasing the girl. "Let's go."

"I'm ready when you are, Chief." Weapon said as they entered the tower.

"Where is he?" Samus asked as the entered a small corridor.

"Unknown. There's an unusual signal up ahead. Maybe that's him." The AI replied to the teenager.

Exiting out of the corridor they were all greeted by Escharum's hologram. "I thought perhaps that I had misjudged you. That you would allow your cohort to die for... the greater good. I pity you that I was correct. The House Of Reckoning. Such an appropriate name. Many of your kind have entered this arena. None, have, left! Come, look upon my work. Understand why we won." Escharum's conniving hologram disappeared after expressing his threats.

"Well... that was a warm welcome." Weapon sarcastically remarked watching as Samus ventured behind where the hologram was displayed.

Master Chief joined the girl at the observation window. Taking in the hellish arena below.

"Huh, looks like the arena I was put in during those first months." Samus mentioned as her eyes scanned the familiar grounds.

"Is it possible that you were taken here before?" Chief asked as he scanned for enemies in the arena.

"Like I mentioned, they moved me around quite a bit because I kept escaping. I rarely got to see where I was going when being transported. I just basically appeared with my escorts, in new ships, or buildings. But they did throw me in battle arenas quite a bit, just to try and break me down. But in this one? I am uncertain." Samus shrugged in reply to Chief's query.

"Escharum, mentioned that no human has ever left this place alive. You probably weren't taken here, Samus." Weapon mentioned to the teenager.

"Human." Samus quirked an eyebrow behind her visor.

"Yes." Weapon confirmed that's what she had said. Gaining a chuckle from Samus. "Oh, wait you were saying that out context weren't you?"

"Mhmm. No, Human. Has ever left here alive. I may have been mistaken for a Spartan in the beginning off my capture. But the Banished called me anything but a human afterwards." Samus scoffed to the AI, as Chief turned to lead them out the room.

"Mutant, if I remember correctly." Weapon thought aloud.

"Yes... that." The teen sighed with a groan, as Chief led them into the mentioned arena.

"It is no accident the Banished were able to win so decisively." Escharum's voice boomed through the intercom speakers surrounding the arena. "Arm yourself Master Chief. Scavenge this battlefield. Know that each item you find is a remanent of their sacrifice, and a testament to our strength. Now start this fight!" As soon as Escharum cut off the speakers, alarms began to blare loudly.

Everything about the situation was very familiar to the Bounty Hunter. Samus's Metroid urges began to become overwhelming as too many potential victims were in the vicinity. Trying to restrain her temptations to leech the life from every alien in the arena, Samus siphoned the life from a handful of victims. Stemming her hunger and replenishing her own energy. She restrained herself from further using her Metroid powers as Chief closed in, fighting along side her. Regaining the use of her arm cannon Samus unleashed a storm of missiles on the Banished stragglers. She was thankful that Chief took out the majority of the Banished forces. Properly equipping himself with the weaponry that had been left behind by fallen soldiers.

"I think that's all of them. We should keep moving." Weapon said as Master Chief put down the last threatening Brute.

Samus nodded following along side her adopted father. She could tell this was just a ploy to fatigue her adopted father before he arrived at Escharum.

"Your Created. The false God Cortana destroyed my world, my home! But she could not kill the fire that burns in the heart of the Banished. It made us stronger! Can you say the same?" Escharum's hologram once again monologued at the duo.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..." Samus sighed with a groan. "That guy sure likes to scream his opinions."

Master Chief didn't respond to the comments. Stepping onto the lift at the end of the hallway. He stood with his gun at ease as Samus activated the lift.

"Why is he telling you all this?" Weapon asked the Spartan curiously.

John moved his eyes to glance at his tense teen. He could feel the mixed emotions radiating off of his adopted daughter. "Death changes people. It forces you to look at yourself, and make a choice."

"And what did he chose?" The AI continued to air her curiosity.

"Same as I would. Fight." Master Chief replied as the lift reached the top.

The lift took them to yet another arena where everything was thrown at them. Snipers, Hunters, suicidal Grunts, heavily armed berserk Brutes. All while Escharum continued to monologue.

"This was never about ceremony but about observing choice. Reactions. Fear. Gather what you need, Spartan. A storm approaches beyond these walls. Each misstep you make is the ammunition I need to dismantle your spirit. Prepare yourself for the end!" Escharum threatened the Master Chief as the Banished attacked.

"The only end I'm looking forward to, is shutting that guy the hell up!" Samus spat as she used her speed boost to mow down a pack of Brutes. She had guessed correctly, all this was a ploy to wear Chief down before his battle with Escharum.

Once the arena was cleared the AI cheered. "We did it! Well... you guys did it."

"Let's just keep going." Samus sighed leading them towards another lift. Where once again Escharum's hologram appeared to monologue.

"The world. Looping. Repeating forever. It is a symbol of life, or a cruel joke by the Forerunners." Escharum's hologram disappeared and reappeared after they exited off the lift. "You were there when we struck the Infinity. The first Dreadnaught came from the side." Both Samus and Chief furrowed their brows as the holographic Brute hit a nerve. "In the chaos that followed, you hardly had time to notice the other three bear down upon you. Do you know how long it took us to neutralize your greatest ship?"

Samus raised her cannon at the hologram. "Do you know how fast I can deactivate this fucking hologram!" She hissed as Chief lowered her cannon.

"Four minutes! In four minutes, the Infinity, mankind's finest achievement, became a memory." Escharum's hologram chuckled venomously as it disappeared.

Samus glared out the observation glass. Another arena? No this one was different... A fort like structure sat in the middle of the room. Dark, the only thing illuminating inside the small building was an dim menacing blood red light. Following Chief warily into the arena, Samus could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, something didn't feel right.

"The end approaches..." Escharum came over the intercom as Master Chief stocked up on weaponry. "But first... a surprise."

Samus could've sworn she caught a trick of the light from within the structure they were about to enter. But her ears were the ones to redirect her attention to the sound of a child.

"Okay daddy's listening. Can you say, hi?"

"Can't wait to see you again. Hi!"

Samus didn't wait for Chief to finish loading his weapons. Climbing her way into the dark ominous building. Those voices... she could tell it was a recording. But she hated to think of a very young child possibly being exposed to this land of horrors.

"Samus, is getting a head start." Weapon mentioned so Chief could quickly follow.

"Dammit..." John cursed under his breath as he rushed over to his curios teen, hoisting himself into the building along side the Bounty Hunter.

"And show daddy how big you are."

Samus traced the voices to a small handheld device laying on the ground.

John knelt down, picking up the small disk like device, portraying a hologram of a mother and child. Getting to his feet, Chief held the hologram out in front of himself and Samus.

"I miss you"

"And I love you."

"I love you daddy."

"So sad."

That voice... Samus could feel her heart beating as if it were going to burst out of her chest. Chief didn't seem to hear it though.

"He's broken." Jega Rdomnai's voice echoed through the darkness.

"Good, can you sing?"

Samus began to hyperventilate as the echoed voice confirmed that her torturer was lurking in the shadows around them.

Chief diverted his attention away from the hologram. Staring in the direction he believed he heard the voice come from.

"You'll break too."

As the child hologram began to sing, Chief put the hologram away. Trying to locate the threatening voice in the dark.

Samus jumped as a familiar red blade was scraped across the floor behind her. Her positioning making her incredibly vulnerable to this powerful warrior.

John watched as the cloaked figure leapt off the floor scaling the ceiling to across the room.

"And soon... you'll meet the end." The Sangheili scoffed as he landed. Glancing at the frozen Samus before locking his vision on the Master Chief. "Say goodbye." Jega Rdomnai activated his blades before charging at the Spartan while cloaking himself.

Master Chief immediately placed a locator beacon to detect the invisible threat. Leaping to the left he grabbed a nearby fusion coil, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Jega was wise to the Master Chief's movements, hurling a supply crate across the dark room into the Spartan, causing the fusion coil to drop and explode on the Spartan.

"Chief! Get up!" Weapon cried out, knowing Jega would be quick to attack the vulnerable Spartan.

Jega was satisfied with his quick thinking. Hearing the pained moans from the Spartan and the desperate cries from the AI. The Sangheili slowly began his approach before another noise diverted his attention. A venomous sneer grew on his face, hearing the teen's terrified panic hyperventilating from her traumatized body.

"Cry out. Scream for help. It will never come." Blademaster taunted as he continued to stride towards the recovering Spartan.

Samus finally snapped out of her frozen trance. Raising her cannon, with her heart racing, petrified. As she warily rushed in the direction of the downed Spartan. Transforming into her morph ball Samus speed boosted into the Sangheili's legs, bowling Jega down. Giving Chief enough time to leap up to his feet.

Jega roared with malice, his assassination getting diverted by the teen. "I will not allow you to escape my grasp again! You will meet your death!" He leapt up, cloaking himself as he charged towards the girl.

Samus switched her visions using her thermal visor to locate the threat. Unfortunately she couldn't in time as the 8'6 Sangheili knocked her to the ground. Jega's massive hoof landing on her throat. Sword barely hovering above her visor.

Master Chief opened fire on the Sangheili, giving Samus time to wriggle out from underfoot.

Dodging Jega's slashing swords with her flash shift, behind the Blademaster she could make out her Spartan collecting fusion coils. Halting herself Samus waited for the Sangheili to attack.

With a growl Jega raised his left blade high, ready to strike down the Bounty Hunter. Samus used her grapple beam to latch onto the blade, yanking it downwards hard, until it plunged into the floor.

"Your humanity is nothing!" Jega growled in frustration, attempting to yank his synthetic bladed arm out of the floor.

Master Chief took the open opportunity to toss multiple fusion coils at the trapped Sangheili. Peppering the assassin with an entire magazine of bullets. Devastating the Blademaster's shielding. Chief used his grapple hook to hook onto the alien, drawing himself in as he wound his free arm back, using his momentum and fist to land a bone crushing blow to Jega.

Samus watched as Jega Rdomnai used his free sword arm to slash at the attacking Spartan.

Master Chief leapt back as Samus unloaded an angry barrage of burning plasma into the vulnerable Elite.

The burning from the plasma was too much to bear without his protective shielding. As Samus inched closer and closer with each charged plasma round. Jega's blade loosened from the ground.

Samus's hand ignited that sickly glow. Hungry for revenge. The teen was eager to plunge her hand onto the Sangheili's head, to fulfill her quench for redemption.

Jega waited for the right moment... suddenly lunging, slashing the girl. But that didn't stop the Bounty Hunter's attack.

Samus ignored the burning pain coursing through her body. Her prey drive overwhelming her. She leapt onto the eight foot tall Sangheili. Latching her ravenous hand onto Jega's head.

Jega Rdomnai roared in agony as his life energy was being siphoned from him. But like Samus, the damage being inflicted upon him did not halt his attacks.

"She's going to get herself killed, Chief!" Weapon gasped as they witnessed the deadly attack.

Samus dodged almost every hit from the two burning red blades. With one big burst of strength the teenager slammed the Blademaster's head into the floor. Continuing to viciously absorb the Sangheili's life.

Master Chief could see that his teenager was in a killer trance. They needed to rid of the Blademaster. But he feared that Samus was pushing her limits, those burning blood red energy swords kept flailing, if the teen wasn't careful one wrong move could kill her. He had to stop this madness.

Grappling a nearby blue fusion coil, Chief immediately threw it at the two. Stunning both of the Sangheili and Bounty Hunter. Quickly grappling his teenager, yanking her away from Jega's dangerous blades.

Jega weakly shook off the sudden stun from being drained. He roared in attempt to make his final attack.

Squeezing the trigger on his rifle it sprayed the dying Sangheili with a storm of bullets. Grappling another fusion coil, Master Chief hurled the explosive causing the Blademaster to collapse and vanish.

"Seems Jega, should have finished the job with your mutant. He wanted to kill your friend. But I promised him a sweeter kill, or a warrior's death..." Escharum spoke emotionlessly over the intercom. "Seems his fascination with continuously torturing victims got the better of him after all."

"W-why you... did that?!" Samus's speech was guttural, broken, and flustered. Her body was numb and shaken, trembling on the inside of her armour. An old injury flared.

"You were taking critical damage. I pulled you away to prevent further harm to yourself. Look at yourself!" Chief firmly replied scanning the Bounty Hunter's damaged armour with his aging eyes.

Samus furrowed her brow behind her visor. Jega vanished after hitting the floor... That didn't mean he was dead. In her eyes it meant the Blademaster had possibly escaped to go lick his wounds. She didn't want revenge. She just wanted to make sure Jega would never harm anyone again. "Y-you..." the girl tried to hold back a wicked cough as the irritation buildup in her throat became too much to bear. "You... L-let him... Escape..."

"Easy, Samus. Let's keep moving." Master Chief replied leading the frustrated coughing Bounty Hunter to the next lift.

"We should check over her injuries. Sounds like Samus was badly wounded. Something seems off." Weapon mentioned to the green Spartan.

"Echo 216 first." The Spartan replied to the AI's surprise.

"Chief, that coughing doesn't sound... Healthy..." Weapon argued, as the teen disengaged her helmet spitting out blood.

"She'll be, alright..." Chief reassured the concerned AI. As they approached the lift with Samus, with yet another hologram of Escharum appearing.

"Whatever the outcome, know this, the Banished control this Ring. We came for war. A thousand legions occupy this world. The Auditorium will give up its secrets. Your interference is just... an irritation. Fleeting" The War Chief coughed as well as he finished his monologue.

Samus's head was once again covered by her armoured helmet. Her coughing proceeding as she continued to attempt to stifle her pain.

"Samus, are you sure you're going to be able to battle?" Weapon questioned with concern heavily weighing in her tone.

The teen simple nodded at Chief as the lift began to ascend. Her nod was reassuring but her pained shallow raspy breaths contradicted her reply.

"I'm getting a read on Echo 216. He's right above us." Weapon told the two warriors as the lift neared the top.

"No official plan. We see what we are up against. One distracts, the other works on releasing Echo 216." Master Chief explained to his teenage daughter, who nodded in agreement as the lift reached the top.

"There, I see him!" Weapon marked the imprisoned man ahead of them. "We need to get him out of that thing."

Chief and Samus warily entered the massive room. It was filled with a surplus of weapons, as if to invite a challenger into the pits. Master Chief was well aware that this was a trap. Everything about this had been a trap.

Echo 216's cries of pain echoed throughout the room. The father daughter duo stepped into the middle section of the room where holograms of Brutes stood. Striding with a purpose, Chief approached the terminal next to the restrained pilot, placing Weapon onto the controls.

Once the AI was placed the Spartan stood in front of Echo 216, waiting for his restraints to give out.

"Chief, you shouldn't... have come for me. I'm..." Echo 216 struggled to speak through his agonizing pain.

"Micro gravity wells are putting enormous stress on his body." Weapon informed the two warriors.

Before Samus could scan for a solution the familiar voice of the War Chief diverted their attention.

"I told you that I would not kill him."

Master Chief and Samus both turned around to locate the voice.

"Leave me... Run!" Echo 216 begged.

"We'll get you out of here." Chief turned to Echo 216 to reassure the Pilot's escape.

"No... you will try." Escharum's threat dripping with venom.

Samus was already stepping away from the Master Chief as he reassured their ally. She was ready to fight.

"Chief, he's here." Weapon warned the Spartan.

"He knows I'm here. This was never a trap. It's a test of mettle. Our battle ends here." Escharum hissed in reply to the AI's announcement.

Master Chief would've been lying if he didn't admit his heart rate was raising as he watched his daughter slowly search for the War Chief. "Get him out of there!" he turned to Weapon with an order.

"On it." The AI replied going back to work.

A fully armoured Escharum dropped in from above separating the Spartan from the Bounty Hunter. "Bear witness! Our story will become legend. Told by those who survived you!" The War Chief roared his challenge as he opened fire upon the Master Chief.

Samus fired back at the Brute as Chief tried to keep out of range of the incoming fire.

"I will fight you until my last breath. Your legend ends today human!" Escharum roared with fury, but he did not waiver. His prize, his focus was the Master Chief's demise. It would take brute force to deter the his attacks.

Samus immediately upped the anti, taking the challenge she used her grapple to pull the menacing Brute off balance taking the aim temporarily off of the Spartan. She followed up with a storm of missiles and charged plasma blasts, dealing a devastating amount of damage to the War Chief's shields.

Escharum quickly hid within a bubble shield. Chief fired at the shield in hopes that it would drop. Only to have Echo 216 scream in excruciating pain.

Weapon quickly rescanned the area, noticing there was more to this restraint than they thought. "The machine is connect to Escharum's shields. Any damage you inflict on Escharum is transferred to Echo 216. The power's transmitted via a series of relays around the room. Let's see if I can... Got it! Relay's exposed."

"Samus, destroy them!" Master Chief ordered as Escharum popped out of his shield.

"Make your choice Spartan! Victory... or your friends!" Escharum opened fire upon Master Chief once again.

Master Chief returned the gunfire, while Samus destroyed a piece of the exposed relay. "R-relay's..."

"Relay's down... and so is his shields!" Weapon announced for Samus, as the Bounty Hunter struggled to speak.

The War Chief growled as Master Chief ripped his armour's shielding to shreds with a hail of bullets. "Perhaps I underestimated you human."

Echo 216 cried out in pain confirming that Escharum's shielding had been reactivated.

"Escharum's shield reactivated. Expose the relay!" Chief demanded as the Brute War Chief once again engaged him with a turret in hand.

"Got it!" Weapon announced, with Samus replying by once again blowing up the exposed piece.

Master Chief picked up a turret off the floor. Firing at the challenging Jiralhanae until the Pilot screamed once again.

"Relay's exposed again, Samus."

As the next piece of the relay was destroyed by the Bounty Hunter, Escharum, began to grow more irate. The Master Chief was his prize to be. But this mutant... continued to expose him. His legendary battle was with Chief. Not the Spartan's nuisance mutant sidekick. Something had to be done so he could claim his prize, his victory, without further interruptions.

Samus joined her adopted father in on firing weapons upon the War Chief, until Echo 216 cried out. Master Chief took cover behind a wall as the rapid firing Brute once again gained the upper hand.

Without waiting for the request from Chief, Weapon, exposed the relay for the teenager once more.

The Bounty Hunter immediately diverted her attention to the exposed relay.

Both Master Chief and Escharum fired at each other. Hearing the relay whirr in protest as Samus fired at it. The Spartan successfully shredded the Brute's shielding, before leaping behind cover as the malice War Chief raged with a malicious roar, before everything went entirely silent.

As Chief stepped out of cover a sudden loud clash and sonic blast rang through the air as Samus was hurled into one of the walls where she collapsed.

Before Chief could reach his daughter, Escharum, violently ripped the teenager off the ground by her throat.

Samus was weak barely able to breath under the crushing claws of Escharum. But she was conscious as the insane War Chief roared in her visor. All she could see were fangs as Escharum's screaming breath fogged her visor.

Chief stood frozen staring at the War Chief who held a gravity hammer in one hand, and his daughter captive in the other.

"Samus is alive, but fading fast, Chief." Weapon warned the Spartan's over his comlink.

"IS THERE A BEATING HEART INSIDE THAT SHELL OF YOURS?!" Escharum roared shaking Samus violently as he spoke.

Samus struggled for air as the claw tightened around her damaged throat. If she could only gain enough strength to fire her cannon before her killer survival instincts took over.

"We cannot free Echo 216, until Escharum, is no more." Master Chief replied, watching as his adopted daughter's hand faintly began to glow.

"The Prophets could not stop us. Cortana could not stop us. You will not stop us!" Escharum screamed tossing the Bounty Hunter at Echo 216. Before charging the Spartan, narrowly escaping the teen's deadly life siphoning power.

"Samus, are you alright?!" Weapon gasped as the teen slowly got up to her feet.

Samus gave a disoriented nod as she turned to look up at the captured pilot.

"Escharum, still has control over the restraints, Chief has to take him down before we can release him." Weapon spoke to the teen who approached the machine keeping Echo 216 prisoner.

"I-is... i-i-it..."

Weapon cringed at the teen's painfully hoarse voice, she could hear the blood pooling through the scratchy voice. "Something's wrong, try not to speak."

Samus wanted to know if sabotaging the machine would effect the attacking Brute. But without a means of communicating with the AI she could not gain a clear answer. Hearing the gravity hammer crashing around she spun to see Master Chief narrowly dodging the rampant Brute. She would just have to find out for herself, without risking Echo 216's life.

Echo 216 gasped, as everything around the room began to fizz and pop until he fell to the floor, his fall being softened by the young teen. "You are crazy for doing this..."

Samus sat next to Echo 216 on the floor next to the terminal Weapon, stood on. Samus's breaths were heavy, she had overloaded the machine with her remaining energy to free Echo 216, and expose Escharum.

Master Chief grunted in pain as the gravity from the swinging hammer shocked him backwards. Using his grapple to create some distance from the War Chief. Pivoting quickly to unleash an entire clip of ammo upon the charging Jiralhanae.

Escharum growled as he felt a surge of power loss in his armour from the Spartan's bullets. But what caught his eye was the fact the mutant had shut down the restraints, she had freed the Pilot.

"Relay's destroyed!" Weapon announced to the Master Chief.

The relay was destroyed Escharum was completely vulnerable. But that would not stop him from attempting to claim his victory. "My greatest battle... My last battle... I will kill you where you stand!" Rushing the Spartan Escharum coughed as he swung his gravity hammer at the Spartan.

Master Chief narrowly missed the hammer but was harmed from the gravity burst it threw out. Master Chief rolled onto his feet, leaping away from the charging Brute. Chief rolled out of the way again unleashing a storm of bullets.

Samus also fired at the Brute that continued to charge the Spartan until he unwillingly collapsed on his dying feet.

Master Chief stood still with his gun still aimed at the War Chief until the Brute collapsed at his boots. John holstered his weapon, quickly jogging over to his teammates.

"I can't believe you guys came for me..." Echo 216 chuckled through pain, as he thankfully gazed up at Master Chief, while Samus jumped to her feet hearing something approaching them. "So we're done now, right?"

"Spartan!" Escharum hobbled around to the small team. "Fight me!"

Samus followed her adopted fathers movements, keeping her cannon at her side as they approached the Brute.

"It's over." Master Chief calmly approached the dying Brute.

"Nothing... nothing ends." Escharum claimed as Master Chief caught him when he collapsed once more. "My death will inspire a thousand others... Tell them I died well."

Samus watched respectfully as Master Chief held the dying Brute until Escharum's last breath.

"I don't understand. You showed him respect. He was a monster!" Echo 216 voiced his opinion on the scene in front of him.

"Yes. But at the end he was just a soldier." Master Chief replied getting up from the floor. "Hoping he'd done the right thing. Questioning his choices." He retrieved Weapon from the terminal before approaching Samus.

"I... So is it over? Their leader's dead, right?" Echo 216 asked as he followed the Spartan to the Bounty Hunter.

"The intricacies of any action are complex." Weapon responded.

"What? What are you talking about?" The Pilot questioned confused.

"There will be consequences. There always are." Master Chief answered.

Echo 216 scoffed looking at Escharum's corpse. "What could be worse?"

(The Harbinger...) Samus snorted with a painful chuckle, knowing the Harbinger and the Endless were still a very large piece of the universal threat before them.

Master Chief nodded in agreement at that text. "We need to move. The Harbinger's at the Auditorium. Whatever she's planning..."

"Is worse. I get it. Okay, just one question before we leave." The Pilot sighed in understanding.

"What is it?" John replied curious.

"Has anyone seen a Pelican?" Echo 216 replied, reminding them that they had no means of fast travel.

Master Chief responded by walking away from the stupid question. It was now a frustrating situation, they would have to move even faster now.

"What? What? I just... I had a lot going on. I was busy!" Echo 216 called after the Spartan as they fast walked out of the room of death.

"There's a nearby FOB occupied by Banished. There may be an operational Pelican there." Weapon told the three as they made their way back down the lift.

"Let us hope." The Pilot replied following the two through the House Of Reckoning. "Thank you for rescuing me. You two took a big risk."

"I told you. I have your back." Master Chief replied, keeping an eye on his daughter. She had blood stains all over her armour, the slashes from their battle with Jega had repaired but the blood remained on her armour.

"I really appreciate it, from both of you. I know I have been reluctant this entire time... But you know I have your back." Echo 216 replied thankfully to his rescuers.

John did a double take as he saw Samus take two steps backwards away from him and Echo 216.

Blood continued to trickle down her throat, causing irritation. Samus disengaged her helmet, coughing out an alarming amount of blood.

"Are you alright?" Echo 216 asked with great concern for the girl.

Samus engaged her helmet with a nod. She didn't dare try to use her voice, remembering Kelly warned her a while ago that the more damage that happens to her voice the higher chance of losing it permanently.

"Are you sure?" Master Chief asked placing a hand on Samus's back.

Samus nodded trying to clear her throat without showing her pain. Gesturing for Chief to continue on, Samus continued moving forward.

Rushing the FOB Samus and Master Chief were able to overtake the Banished occupying it fairly quick. Echo 216 cautiously looked around the FOB trying to locate a single operational Pelican.

Samus got a ping on her HUD waiting for her acceptance. "A-d..."

"Did you say something?" Echo 216 looked over his shoulder at the teen.

Master Chief gazed over the platform he stood behind locating at his occupied adopted daughter. "Samus?"

"A-d..." Samus replied to both mens confusion.

Chief quirked an eyebrow behind his visor, uncertain of whether his daughter was calling him or trying to communicate otherwise. "Samus, text."

(Adam, I think my ship is trying to communicate with me.) Samus texted, turning her gaze to the sky.

"Are you certain?" Chief climbed onto the landing pad Samus stood on.

Samus shrugged uncertain as the ping on her HUD disappeared as if it was never there.

"Let's keep searching for a Pelican." The Spartan gestured for his teen to continue on with their search.

Samus sighed with a pained cough, a small distance from the FOB she spotted the windshield of a downed Pelican. Without telling Chief, and Echo 216, Samus approached the offline Pelican that required a power source.

"There's nothing here Chief, and we're running out of time." Echo 216 sighed in defeat.

Master Chief agreed with the Pilot, they were running out of time trying to search for a means of transportation. "We need to scour the area for any working vehicle..." as he said this his observations took over him. His teen was out of sight. "Samus?!"

"Samus, is located across in the field." Weapon marked the missing teen's location.

(Found one.) Samus texted from where she sat against the cockpit door frame. As both Chief and Echo 216 entered the Pelican.

"You found one. But is it functional?" Echo 216 wondered as he wondered past the teen into the cockpit.

(Fully online, and ready for lift off.) Samus replied, though Echo 216 would never see any of her texts.

"Fully operational, ready for take off." The Pilot replied excitedly.

Samus rolled her eyes with a heavy exhale. (I just said that...)

"He cannot receive your messages, Samus." John took a knee in front of his exhausted teen. "You look drained."

(I'm a bit worn out. But battle ready.)

"You powered this Pelican, draining yourself completely." The Spartan pointed out as the Pelican lifted off the ground.

Samus fidgeted sheepishly as she tried to conjure up a reasonable cover up, though the Chief would see right through whatever lie she fed him. (We needed it.) she replied as Chief lifted her off the floor and placing her in one of the seats.

"Just don't take it offline, because you starved yourself of power." Master Chief told the girl as he positioned himself at the closed hatch.

"Are you ready? It's about to get rough. They're waiting for us. I think they're all waiting for us." Echo 216 communicated as they hit turbulence. "Did you feel that. It's not too late to turn around."

"Chief?" Weapon called so that the Spartan would allow her out.

Chief held out his hand for the AI to stand on waiting for her to further question him.

"Something feels..."

"There's not much time. Too many variables. I need a constant."

Master Chief spun around the area following a floating blue orb.

"I have seen your future." The orb's voices ended as it returned to Weapon.

"The Silent Auditorium? Oh no..." Weapon sadly thought aloud.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Chief asked urgently.

"I should've realized. That's not what it was called. I've been here before. This is where I locked her down." Weapon turned away from the golden visor. "This is where Cortana died."

The blue orb of data once again took off around the Pelican. Samus watching it curiously as it played audible memories.

"What do I call her?"

"Ask her. She named herself."

"Hello Master Chief. I'm Cortana."

"We're here, go!" Echo 216's voice faded in over the distant memories.

Samus jumped out of her seat nearly falling over as a flashing red light and alarm played snapping them out of their focused trance.

"Did you hear me?! You need to go! Now!" The Pilot desperately told his two passengers.

As soon as the hatch opened both warriors leapt out. Samus landing a bit harder than usual, but her weakness was only temporary as she immediately began siphoning the life from the Banished attacking them.

"Are you sure you're okay down there? Want me to wait?" The Pilot asked concerned for the duo.

"Negative. Pull back." Master Chief responded taking a Jackal down with a head shot.

"We'll be in touch." Weapon reassured the Pilot.

"You got it. I'll be waiting for the call. Try not to die, you hear me?" Echo 216 replied, pulling the Pelican away from the drop off zone.

Samus would've replied with a sarcastic remark if she could've. But she continued on forward towards the entrance of the building, leaving many brittle husks behind in Chief's path.

Entering the structure, they were met with more Banished. But they were an easy take down. Jogging through a series of corridors, Cortana's holograms appeared.

"I have seen your future. And I have learned... there will be no more sadness. No more anger. No more envy."

What did that mean? Samus wondered as the approached a similar window to when they saw Despondent Pyre. Looking through the glass there was more Banished. Two Hunter's to be exact.

"Please come find me."

Making their way down the levels, more Cortana holograms appeared with Atriox.

"I've been waiting for you. What's the plan? Take me back to the Infinity for deletion? Halsey's going to love that.

"The UNSC is gone!" Atriox exclaimed to the AI.

"Atriox? How did you..?" Cortana turned shocked to see the Warmaster, instead of the Master Chief.

"It's time to discuss the terms of your surrender..."

"Chief, I'm so sorry..." whispers continued as they made their way down.

(Wait, did Atriox terminate Cortana?) Samus turned to her adopted father.

"I don't know, Samus." John replied emotionless, leading them into the room where the Hunters were waiting for them.

Samus didn't wait for Chief's commands to engage the Hunters. Unleashing super missiles on both Hunters until they were nothing but a pile of dead worms.

Master Chief would've complained about Samus's lack of communication since he was almost caught in her crossfire twice. But he had to be a little more lenient towards his daughter who at the time had no voice to use. "Next time a little warning would be welcomed. A nod or a gesture?"

(Sorry, I can do that. I just don't want to be any further behind the Harbinger, than we already are.) The teen replied with a sheepish shrug.

"Understood. Let's keep moving." John nodded gesturing for his eager teen to take point. He hated the atmosphere of this place. His best friend was destroyed here, he didn't even get the chance to see her one last time.

"Chief?" Weapon called the Spartan as they followed the teen.

"Yes?" Master Chief replied waiting for the AI to continue.

Weapon sighed with concern. "Should we not check Samus's injury to her voice?"

"No."

"No?" The AI scoffed confused.

"It's an old injury, it flares from time, to time. Especially if it gets aggravated in a battle." The Spartan simply replied.

"Can we not do anything to ease her pain?" Weapon asked clearly still concerned for her friend's wellbeing.

"Samus, has never received any treatment for her injury. There's nothing we can do for her." Chief replied as he fired at the oncoming Banished.

Weapon remained silent after the Spartan confirmed they could do nothing for the girl. Though in her mind she didn't believe there was nothing to help ease the teen's agony.

Samus after the last enemy fell, turned to her adopted father. (Are you okay? Being here?)

"No. Not really." John responded honestly.

Samus truly wished she could use her voice to help comfort her adopted father. Thankfully Weapon took over the conversation.

"I bet. She was expecting you but Atriox got to her first. You meant so much to each other. It can't be easy." Weapon sighed, her voice filled with compassion and sympathy.

Passing through another small series of corridors they reached another window that had another holographic vision of what happened here.

"Look around Cortana. Your empire. Over! Your great plan? Ended at the hands of those who made you." Atriox confidently pointed out the flaws the AI had in front of her.

"Not yet." Cortana replied equally confident.

"Oh such confidence. Such arrogance. Do you believe a saviour will come? A Spartan?" The Brute challenged the AI.

"John... The Master Chief will stop you!" Cortana warned the threatening Brute.

Atriox smirked a scoff. "He did not stop me when I crushed his skull. Threw him into the void."

A hologram of Master Chief appeared, floating in space, motionless. Confirming Atriox's claim.

"No." Cortana stared at the hologram in horror.

"You asked me if I understood the consequences of defiance? And what did I say?" The Brute threw back a question the AI gave him.

"You said yes." The purple replied defeated.

"And then I asked you the same question. Reflect on your choices, Cortana. Understand the consequences." The Warmaster threatened the purple AI.

Cortana continued to stare at the floating holographic Spartan. She knew there was still hope. "Samus Aran..." Master Chief's foundling... If Samus had survived the attack, she could recover John. If Master Chief survived... both him and the Bounty Hunter would need assistance...

Samus was taken back as the AI muttered her name under her breath before disappearing. She didn't question it though, as she was positive Chief had too many thoughts going through his head already.

"This place will become your home. This place will become your tomb."

Charging further down to the Auditorium the whispers continued as they battled the Banished forces that attempted to delay them.

"Itried to stay hidden, but there was no escape! But he cornered me, wrapped me tight and brought me close."

Master Chief's emotionless demeanour was diminishing. The closer they got to the place of Cortana's death, the more numb he felt. If he hadn't have gotten beaten by Atriox, he could've been there for Cortana, in her last moments. It was his job to retrieve her, and bring her back for deletion. Instead she perished alone, surrounded by evil...

(Chief?) Samus turned to the Spartan that stood in front of a bridge activation terminal.

"Chief?" Weapon repeated the text message, hoping her voice would catch Master Chief's attention.

John didn't respond verbally, activating the bridge, creating more holographic memories from the floating data.

"I have learned so much, Cortana. This Ring is different. It has secrets within... That I will have!" Atriox exclaimed to the purple AI. "This Silent Auditorium. Do you know it's history? It's true purpose?" Atriox snickered venomously at the silent AI. "I have little need for a failed god. This Ring is all I need. Surrender it to me."

Crossing the Bridge warily with the Spartan. Samus watched as Cortana stayed silent, watching the Brute pace impatiently, waiting for her to reply to him.

Cortana was formulating. Formulating a plan that would be able to benefit and guide her Spartan through this Ring. She just prayed that John's, foundling, would set this formulating plan into motion.

Weapon couldn't keep her thoughts inside, voicing her thoughts to the duo as they got closer to the Auditorium. "The memories... The data... It's more precise. More complete. It's like..."

"We're getting closer to where she died." Master Chief replied, trying to stay emotionless, knowing his daughter could hear his crushed spirit escaping him.

"Yes... But I was going to say deliberate. Like she wanted us to know something." Weapon said getting a nod in agreement from Samus.

(I think she prevented something... Or set something in motion...) Samus mentioned, getting no response from Chief. She was getting frustrated that he hadn't been engaging her in conversation. But she also understood his mind was in a different place right now.

"I feel certain that I am going mad again. So I amdoing what seems the best thing to do."

"Chief, Samus..."

(It's alright Weapon, I know he's in a difficult place right now.) Samus reassured the AI it was alright she was getting no response.

Master Chief opened fire on the two Brutes occupying the large room they entered. Both had turrets firing rapidly at him. Samus was not shy to send them return fire.

Samus rushed up to one of the Brutes, causing it to stumble into the second Brute who turned to see what hit him, shooting his partner in process. The Brute roared in anger and pain, ripping the turret out of his partner's hand, using it to fire at Samus. The teen dodged the bullets.

Master Chief used his grapple hook to hook the turret ripping it out from the manic Brute's hands. He whipped the turret back at the Brutes causing it to knock over one of Brute who landed on the other.

Samus fired two super missiles at the downed enemies, destroying them instantly. Continuing forward, met by more Banished, and whispers, Samus knew they were getting closer.

"You have given me the greatest possible happiness. You have been in every way all that anyone could be."

Navigating through the Banished, the maze like corridors led them into more whispers.

"I can't fight it any longer..."

Barely able to get through the next door Samus hit her helmet on the Monitor that had given them so much trouble in the last hours.

"Except my apology! Immediately." Adjutant Resolution pleaded to the Spartan who immediately aimed his weapon at the Monitor. "My earlier efforts to delete you were misguided. I thought she wanted to rebuild this instillation. To restore it. But I was wrong. Wrong. Wrong."

(What is he getting at?) Samus raised an eyebrow behind her visor, stopping in the middle of the massive corridor.

"Please hurry. The seal is almost broken. But they must not be released!" The Monitor rushed the duo over to the locked door on the end of the corridor. "You must stop her! Stop them. Close the seal."

(Who is them?!) Samus desperately hoped Chief or Weapon would repeat her question to the Monitor.

"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about all this." Weapon mentioned with uncertainty.

"Starting?" Master Chief replied sarcastically, as they walked through the unlocked door.

"Good point." Weapon sheepishly said as the two continued on.

"I was worried perhaps that you were unfriendly. Forgive me. I was wrong. There's so much to learn about this instillation. So much kept from me. But first... Stop her. Please." The Monitor said his final comments to the duo as they disappeared into the Auditorium.

"What I want to say is I owe you all the happiness of my life to you."

With those whispers came another bridge. With another bridge, came more holographic memories.

"Your great plan? Ended at the hands of those who made you. Reflect on your choices, Cortana. Understand the consequences." Atriox's voice echoed as the duo boarded the lift.

Chief held out his hand, allowing Weapon to gain access to the terminal.

Weapon stood in the middle of the terminal as a holographic memory of Cortana appeared behind her.

"How could I have been so stupid? Halsey made a copy. It was the only way." Cortana cursed herself.

Weapon gazed over her shoulder as Cortana disappeared and reappeared behind her.

"There's not much time..."

Samus stepped away as different holograms of the purple AI approached from different directions.

"If Atriox takes control... He has the Ring. A weapon pointed into the universe. And nothing left to lose. My fault. My stupid fault."

With soft turquoise eyes Samus watched Cortana voice her regrets. She knew Cortana would understand the gravity of the hardship she caused. Samus sympathized for the AI. It was just sad she didn't realize her mistakes earlier.

"Not much time. Will this work? There's a moment... John will make it work... He needs help. Samus is a piece of that..." Cortana paced around thinking aloud. "But even if Samus, does her part. John, will still need all the help he can get, while on this Ring... Of course. Was this your plan all along, Halsey? Or is it mine?" Cortana shook her head blowing off any of her second thoughts. "It doesn't matter now. Nothing else matters. This has got to work. John can't do this on his own. He needs the aid of an experienced solitary soul. He needs me. He needs her. He needs, them..."

Samus and Weapon both exchanged glances with each other. Was Cortana really talking about them? Or was this all a coincidence?

Master Chief had nothing to say about the memories he had just witnessed. He knew it wasn't a coincidence. He just didn't understand how everything came to be. He was beginning to understand why Weapon still functioned after her initial mission was completed. As he reached to retrieve Weapon she turned her gaze to his right.

A hologram of Atriox walked by them, approaching the purple hologram of Cortana. "It is time for you to make your choice."

"I have. Thank you, Atriox. You helped me. You really did." Cortana kept her eyes forward as Atriox circled her. "Would you humour me?"

Atriox cocked his head curiously, with a venomous smirk. Waiting for the AI's next words.

"If you knew how you were going to die, how would you live your life differently?" The Purple AI turned to the massive Warmaster.

"I would change nothing." Atriox replied confidently to the AI's pleasure.

"Perfect. Thank you." Cortana walked away from the Warmaster, confusing him into frustration.

"What are you doing?!" The Brute screamed as Cortana continued to leave him behind.

"Making things right."

Samus watched as the blue orbs of data floated around them. Weapon watched as well, coming across a realization.

"It was her. She destroyed the Ring. Stopped my deletion. Why?" The blue uniformed AI turned to the green Spartan.

Chief turned in the direction of their next door, retrieving the AI from the pedestal. Gesturing for Samus to continue following him.

"If anyone could've saved me it would've been you. Everythinghas gone from mebut the certainty of your goodness.I can't go on spoiling your life any longer."

As those whispers echoed through the large corridor they walked through, John's heart beat and anxiety increased. He visibly jumped when he felt a smaller hand press up gently against his back.

Samus said no words, she sent no text. Her turquoise eyes through her dimmed visor, was all she needed to able to communicate her comforting support to her adopted father.

John gave Samus a small nod in acknowledgement. He appreciated her being there for him, it would've been merely impossible for him to do all this, to get this far, without the aid of his adopted daughter, and the Weapon.

"We're here. This is where Cortana..."

"Sacrificed herself." Master Chief finished Weapon's sentence as they made their way into the Silent Auditorium.

(Wow, it's so pretty...)

"Deadly." Chief reminded the teenager as he placed Weapon on the terminal.

"The Silent Auditorium. Forerunner. Obviously. It appears to be... oh no." Weapon went to work as Master Chief and Samus explored around the front of the pedestal.

"What is it?" Chief turned to the AI.

"It's a courtroom. A prison. A place of execution. All these things. Together. Why?" Weapon listed off in misunderstanding.

"To cover their sins. Much like your Chozo warrior, we stood silent. Unable to speak as they passed judgment." The Harbinger spoke as the room began to shift with golden waves of energy. "We could not defend ourselves. We could not reason with them."

"Something's sending a signal. Before you ask, I'm already tracking it." Weapon announced to the Spartan.

Samus furrowed her brow, watching the giant golden orb suck energy from the room. "Hear this, Forerunners! Your Auditorium has fallen! The Endless found! Your sins undone." The orb burst exposing the Harbinger. "Today we return!"

Both Samus and Chief leapt backwards dodging a blast from the Harbinger.

"What's she doing?!" Master Chief hissed, aiming his gun at the hovering alien.

"She's trying to open a connection between her and somewhere else on the Ring." The AI answered the questioning Spartan.

"Where?"

"You deal with her, and I'll find out!" Weapon retorted as the Harbinger launched an attack from the Banished.

"Claim vengeance for Escharum. For Atriox!" The Harbinger encouraged the Banished to attack the Master Chief and teenager.

Samus charged her storm missiles unleashing a barrage of missiles upon the Banished flooding the Auditorium. "D-ad..." Samus coughed violently, quickly switching her communications to text.

"Chief, you need to pay attention to your HUD. Or you may miss something important coming from, Samus." Weapon gave a quick stern reminder to the Spartan. "She can't verbalize without causing damage."

(Shoot them!)

Master Chief read the text, turning Samus's direction he fired at the remaining enemies that had been striped of their armoured shielding.

(I'll expose their weak points, in clusters. You shoot them down.) The teen told her Spartan as she unleashed another storm of missiles.

Chief did as he was told, firing at each exposed enemy ending them where they stood, the method was quick and effective.

"There! I've intercepted the carrier wave from this transmitter." Weapon announced as the Harbinger teleported out of the centre of the room.

"Very well. Prepare yourself." The Harbinger threatened as she teleported directly over to the Spartan who picked up a Sentinel beam.

Master Chief unleashed a ray of death into the Harbinger, easily stripping her of her shielding, she was weakened for this battle.

Samus also unleashed a plasma round into the Harbinger, switching to her wave beam in the process, to gain the ability to shoot through structures.

The teenager could tell the Harbinger was declining in health rapidly. She was either weakened by something other than them. Or she just wasn't as powerful as they had initially thought.

Samus went with the latter. Firing her cannon no matter where the Harbinger teleported she could not escape the gunfire. Until the Harbinger retreated back into the golden energy in the middle of the room.

Both Chief and Samus gazed up to see the golden stream of energy pouring from a new section of the upper half of the Auditorium.

"She's switched transmitters. Re-routing the power through that one. This isn't good. The connection is sentient. It's searching for something." Weapon warned the two, as they fought more Banished and Skimmers flooding into the Auditorium.

As she threw a Grunt, up at a Skimmer, Samus wondered if she added her Metroid powers to the mix of that raw energy. Would she be able to assist Weapon in destroying the transmission.

Before the teen could try Weapon shut down the transmitter. "Okay. The next on is down!"

The exposed Harbinger attacked the Master Chief, who returned fire. Shredding the Harbinger's recharged shields, nearly killing her as he tore her down with a Sentinel beam.

"This must end now!" The Harbinger cackled teleporting with what strength remained.

"It's switched again. It's found something." Weapon told both father and daughter as the golden transmission energy turned to blood red.

"What?" Master Chief questioned, as he ran around to meet up with Samus.

"No idea. But I doubt it's good." The AI retorted.

(Whoa... Alright. Chief, I can probably interrupt that transmitter.) Samus told the Spartan.

"Wait there's something else here. Something's helping me." Weapon responded before Chief could reply to the teen.

"Samus, no. I am not risking losing you. We continue to defend while Weapon, tries to shut it down." John replied sternly to his eager teen.

Samus rolled her eyes behind her visor, firing at the incoming Skimmers. A storm of missiles easily took down the swarms flying in.

Master Chief used his grapple to throw fusion coils at the Banished forces attacking him. All while the Harbinger shouted death threats at him. Tossing grenades into a group of Elites and Brutes, Chief ducked out of the way as a missile flew by him. "Samus!"

(Sorry, was trying to assist you!) The teen immediately apologized for almost hitting Chief with her missile.

"Unless I am pinned down, do not fire in my direction!" Chief hissed as he threw an attacking Brute over his shoulder to the ground, executing it with his rifle. "Find other means of assisting!"

Samus could hear the stress in Chief's tone. He was snapping at her, his frustration being released onto her did not feel good. But Samus understood Master Chief, was deeply upset to be standing, trying to survive, in the very area his best friend perished.

John leapt back using his grapple to quickly escape an incoming Brute. Opening fire on the charging Brute with a hammer. The Jiralhanae smashed his hammer at the Spartan, depleting Master Chief's shielding. Rolling backwards away from the hammer, Master Chief shot the burning Sentinel beam into the Brute until it finally dropped dead.

Gazing down at her now illuminated hand, Samus took a deep breath, prepared to take her adopted father's advice. She would assist in another way.

"There! The last one is down!" Weapon told the two as the transmitter whirred.

"Our struggle is ageless. It will not end here!" The Harbinger threw deadly golden orbs at the Spartan who dodged her.

John fired the last bit of his Sentinel beam. destroying what shielding had regenerated on the Harbinger.

The Harbinger hissed in pain as the Spartan ran out of ammo completely. Leaving him vulnerable. "It will end now. For you!"

Samus didn't give the floating alien a chance to lunge at the Master Chief. Latching onto the aggressive alien she began to siphon what little life remained in the Harbinger.

"Agh! It cannot be!" The Harbinger cried out as she could do nothing to prevent her armour and life from being drained.

"Samus, enough!" Master Chief retrieved Weapon, quickly stopping the girl from completely draining the Harbinger's life until she was nothing but a husk.

Samus reluctantly released the fading creature as Chief approached with Weapon in hand.

The Harbinger panted barely able to stand on her knees. "You have what you need. Tell them I'm sorry it took so long..."

"Who is she talking to?" John asked as they watched the alien take off her helmet in defeat.

"Unknown. The signal's old. Like really old..." The AI replied equally confused.

"My time is ended. Yours too. They will make sure." The Harbinger threatened Chief as the room shifted violently.

"We need extraction!" Weapon called the Pilot as the area continued to violently tremble and shift.

"Of course you do. I'm on my way!" Echo 216 replied.

Samus aimed her cannon at the Harbinger who now stood up, continuing to threaten them.

"The Endless will return." The Harbinger gasped as she finally fell, succumbing to her life being drained from her. Causing the room to go dark.

"I couldn't decrypt it in time." Weapon sadly turned to the golden visor.

"It's okay. You'll figure something out." Master Chief reassured the AI.

Weapon smiled with a nod. "Of course I will. I'm..."

"They'll pair you with another AI. Maybe even another Cortana model if Halsey let's them." Cortana's voice echoed through the Auditorium. Both Samus and Chief scanned the room with their eyes as the voices continued. "It won't be me... But you know that, right?" John turned around to see Cortana's hologram standing behind him staring at them. "But that doesn't matter."

"It's just another echo." Weapon reassured the Spartan.

Samus cocked a curious eye brow behind her visor, taking a step forward towards the purple AI. (No... I think it's a message.)

"She's right John. Just another echo." Cortana responded, making the Spartan hopeful that she was still alive for one last moment. Striding towards her putting his full attention onto the purple AI, John wondered if he should respond.

"Sorry, I'm messing with you. I just had a... feeling that's what she'd say."

Samus smiled, following Chief over to the hologram of Cortana.

"Do you see what I see? So much potential."

John took deep breaths as the hologram stared directly into his golden visor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have much time to plan this. A few milliseconds really. I hope it worked out." Cortana's hologram smiled turning to the Bounty Hunter and AI. With another smile she turned to the Master Chief. "Look at us. We just keep saying goodbye, don't we? But this isn't the end. It's a chance to make amends. To rectify mistakes. And it starts here."

Master Chief stood silent, mixed emotions flooded him as Cortana began to apologize for everything she had done.

"I was wrong. I thought that I could do this on my own, but I forgot that the whole point of this, the entire reason that I chose you in the first place was that we were supposed to be a team. Perfectly suited. Perfectly matched. Perfectly perfect." Cortana's smile was large, warm, and encouraging. Something Chief hadn't seen on his former AI in a very long time.

"In these final moments I know what my last mission is. I need to make sure you two learn from my mistakes. Become stronger because of them. I chose well Master Chief. I really did. Now it's up to you. It's up to all three of you." Cortana gave one last warm smile to all three that stood in front of her, before walking through the Master Chief, ending her final message to her former Spartan.

(Are you alright?) Samus turned to her frozen adopted father.

"I don't know what to say..." Weapon added to Samus's question.

John had no words to say. That was his best friend's final goodbye. Her final gift to him. Although her message was full of regret, encouragement, and sympathy. He felt as if it was almost hollow... incomplete... He never got to say his goodbye in return. But those thoughts had to be put aside as the room began to crumble around them.

"Scratch that! We need to get out of here! Like now!" Weapon said as both Samus and Chief whipped around to stare at the falling structure.

John went to run for the exit, Samus closely in tow. They had to halt as their exit was quickly blocked by a piece of the crumbling structure.

"Options?"

Weapon groaned in frustration and panic. "I'm thinking! Yes, I know, I know. think faster. Maybe there's a way to... maybe there's a way to..."

(Chief?!) Samus waved the Spartan over to the massive blue beam that appeared in the centre of the dissembling room.

"Was that you?!" Chief asked as he whipped around towards the middle.

(Nope!)

"Would it help if I said yes?" Weapon replied as both warriors sprinted to the beam.

"Probably." Master Chief sarcastically remarked, getting ready to leap in with Samus.

"But we don't know where it goes! Or even if it's going anywhere!" Weapon warned the two warriors.

"Any other suggestions?" Master Chief replied surprisingly calm and lighthearted. He gave Samus a nod, to which she returned it.

"No... but.."

Both Spartan and Bounty Hunter sprinted into the portal all while Weapon noted that this was a bad idea.

"But this.. a really bad idea!"

Both Spartan and Bounty Hunter hurled through the air getting thrown down a cliff they tumbled over the rocks and dirt until they slid to a halt at the bottom.

Chief groaned pushing himself up to his feet. Walking over to Samus, he helped her to her feet. "Let's not do that again."

(Aw why not it was painfully fun.) Samus smirked at the Spartan.

"I did try to tell you it was a bad idea." Weapon mentally shrugged as she spoke to the Spartan.

(Where are we?) Samus asked taking in the brightly lit wasteland in front of them.

"Chief. Your beacon just appeared out of nowhere." Echo 216's voice chuckled over the comlink. "Oh I thought I lost you. Where did you go?"

"Echo 216!" Weapon excitedly called thankful they were still in contact with the Pilot.

"Stay put. I'm coming to you." The Pilot replied.

"Where are we?" Master Chief repeated Samus's question as he turned around to gaze at the arched structure behind them.

(Looks like a broken portal?) Samus shrugged.

"Chief, I think the better question is when are we?" Weapon replied with a question. I don't know how, but we've been gone for days. Three days to be precise." The AI expressed how odd their situation was.

"This Ring is different than the others." Chief replied, scanning the broken structure with his eyes.

"The Banished, and the Harbinger, were looking for something that was never found. Why would the Forerunners hide something and throw away the key? Doesn't that scare you?" Weapon turned to the green Spartan that held her.

"No. You?" Chief turned his helmet to the blue AI.

"Of course not." Weapon smiled.

(Kinda. Yeah.) Samus replied, getting a concerning head tilt from Master Chief.

Echo 216 sighed heavily as he pulled the Pelican up to the the two warriors. "Is anyone going to ask me what I think?"

(Sure, how do you feel about all this?) the teen replied turning around to face the hovering Pelican.

"I guess not. Get inside, big guy." The Pilot sighed with relief after locking his vision on the trio.

Samus groaned with an eye roll forgetting that Echo 216 could not see her communications.

Weapon smiled up at the golden visor before retreating back into the Mjolnir armour.

Chief jogged over to the Pelican leaping into the open hatch with Samus. He calmly approached the cockpit where Echo 216 came out with open arms.

"Chief, Chief!" The Pilot excitedly hugged the armoured warrior.

Chief moved his arms to return the hug, but stopped himself. Over the years Samus had trained him to return the happy embraces. Awkwardly lowering his arms to his sides. Making Samus chuckle at him with a smile.

"Sorry. I'm just really happy to see you. Really happy." Echo 216 released the awkward Spartan. "So what do we do now?" He asked handing Chief an assault rifle, to show he's prepared to support them in another battle.

Chief took the gun handed to him with a nod of approval. "We finish the fight."

Echo 216 laughed doing a small jig making Samus take a step back. "Yes! Yes, sir! The Banished still control the rest of the Ring." He led the three into the cockpit.

"Wait." Weapon called out, having Chief reveal her. "I know this is weird, given all that's happened but..."

The Pilot turned to the Spartan and AI with a smile. "What? What is it?"

"We still don't know your name. We can't just keep calling you, Echo 216." Weapon pointed out to the scruffy man.

"No. You can't. Esparza. Fernando Esparza." Echo 216 replied finally revealing his name.

"It's nice to meet you Esparza. Fernando Esparza." Weapon greeted the Pilot warmly.

"Good work, soldier." Master Chief added in acknowledgement.

"And what about you?" Esparza gestured to the blue uniformed AI.

"What about me?" Weapon tilted her head curiously.

"What do I call you?" Fernando replied with a smile.

Weapon turned to Chief unsure.

"Any ideas?" Master Chief asked.

"Well..." The blue AI shrugged unsure of herself. "Do you think it would be okay if I took some time to think about it?" Weapon asked her Spartan, even though she already had an idea of the name she wanted.

"Of course." Chief nodded in understanding.

"Unless you want to..."

Chief shook his head no. "You, get to choose your name."

"Okay. I... I will let you know... When I am ready." Weapon hesitantly told the three who nodded in understanding.

"Alright, here we go." Fernando said as he sat down in the Pilot's seat. "Get ready."

(So should we explore a bit of this area, or what?) Samus asked both the Pilot and Spartan.

---

I am leaving the end of this chapter like this because I am unsure of what Weapon's name is. I know half the Halo community believes she named herself Cortana. And the other half hopes that she didn't. But until DLC or whatever confirms her actual name It's going to stay as Weapon. If I decide to continue on with another chapter until the DLC. But in the meantime I will most likely redo my earlier chapters to make this story a little bit better looking, haha.