Reach, near Aszod - SEPTEMBER 12 2552

Two weeks.

Two weeks had passed since she saw her last way out, the Pillar of Autumn, leave the planet. Despite their destroyed Cruiser, the Covenant kept swarming the Aszod Shipyard even though the Pillar was long gone. She had judged it wise to leave before she got overwhelmed. She had spent the last two weeks always on the move, only stopping in order to take a short rest. She had now arrived at what looked like an abandoned UNSC outpost. She instantly noticed the multiple bodies of Spartan soldiers on the dirt. It was obvious that this place had been the last stand of many of her brothers and sisters.

Exactly two weeks and sixteen hours had passed since the Pillar of Autumn left. Some people wouldn't have bothered to remember such details, but not her. She had grown accustomed to knowing the exact time of day, for it could make the difference between a failed or successful mission.

'But what is the mission here ?' She wondered as she slowly stepped into in the building, her grip firm on her shotgun. She had picked it up next to Emile's body just before she jumped in the mass drive to cover the Autumn. She had strapped a flash light to the shotgun after her helmet was cracked due to a lucky suicide Grunt who managed to sneak near her. The damage had made her night vision inoperable, something she would pay dearly for when a group of Skirmishers ambushed her in the dead of the night. She had dispatched them quickly, but she knew that if there were Elites or Brutes with them she might have not survived the encounter.

'Survive…that is the mission,' she reminded herself as she checked the body of a fallen Spartan for ammo. Normally she would have had a maximum of two weapons with her just like every other Spartans. But given her current predicament, she had decided to carry by hand an MA37 Assault Rifle, with her M45 Shotgun and her SRS-99AM Sniper rifle on her back. She also still had a Magnum in her right holster, but this was a last resort if she ran out of ammo mid-battle, something that seemed more and more probable as the days passed and ammunition became scarce.

She instinctively looked up to the ceiling upon hearing the familiar hum of a Phantom flying above her. Switching to her Sniper Rifle, she noticed that she had no bullets left for it and made the hard decision of throwing it away. Keeping many weapons on her was slowing her down and she would have enough time to scavenge after the fight was done, provided that she would survive. Taking her shotgun, she also checked her remaining ammunition.

'Only nine rounds remaining… gotta make them count,' she stopped for less than a second as she remembered Jorge's last words to her before he threw her overboard and activated the Slipspace bomb, taking out the Covenant Supercarrier.

She was thrown back into the fray before she could enjoy this victory, or even honor his death.

Shaking slightly her head, she prepared herself to ambush the Covenant forces that were landing just outside the building. It was in moments like this that she wished she had kept her Cloaking ability, but she had opted to replace it with an Armor Lock ability that had saved her from many plasma grenades that would otherwise have been fatal.

As she positioned herself on the wall next to the only entrance, she noticed that she could still hear the sound of the Phantom, which surprised her considering that Phantoms didn't linger around after dropping their troops.

'There's more than one…' she realized with growing worry. In the last two days, her encounters with Covenant troops were usually patrols that were unlucky enough to stumble upon her (or sometime the other way around), but the fact that multiple Covenants squads were landing around her could only mean one thing.

They were here for her.

She steeled herself as she could hear the chatter of Grunts and Elites growing louder. Pointing her shotgun at the door, she waited for the unlucky one that was about to cross it. Two minutes later, one Grunt walked through the door unaware of her presence. The Grunt walked forward and another followed, and this was when she made her move. Firing once, cocking the shotgun, and firing again, the two Grunt were literally pushed back and fell dead.

'Seven rounds'

Dashing to the door, she found a third Grunt standing petrified at the door, to whom she immediately hit with the butt of her shotgun. She heard to her right the warcry of an Elite and just had enough time to fire her Shotgun before the Elite could stab her with his Energy Sword.

'Six'

The Elite fell just before her, and she could see what awaited her outside. Four squads were spread around the entrance, each of them composed of four Grunts and one Minor Elite. There was also a fifth squad made up of four Ultra Elites and one Zealot leader. She ran forward and tossed her last two fragmentation grenades, killing the Grunts of two of the squads and leaving only unshielded Elites.

Closing the distance fast, plasma shots began to light up the area around her, her shields tanking a few hits. Killing the first unshielded Minor with her shotgun, she took one of his Plasma grenades and threw it at the second Minor, hitting it square in the chest. A second later, the Elite disappeared in an explosion of blue plasma.

She was caught off guard when her shields completely disappeared and realized that she had been hit by a charged shot from a Grunt's Plasma pistol. Taking cover behind the remnant of a wall, she saw the two remaining normal squads move into cover while two of the Ultras lit up their swords and charged at her from her right. She noticed that the Zealot leader stayed behind guarded by the other two Ultras.

Sword-wielding Elites were a danger up close, but also an easy target for a shotgun. Even the reinforced shields of an Ultra could be one-shoted by a full salvo of pellets. As one of the Ultra was forced back by the force of her shotgun, the other had just enough time to close the distance and slash his sword at her. She barely dodged by jumping out of her cover and immediately fired again with her shotgun after cocking it.

'Four'

She didn't waste any time firing two other shots at the unshielded Elites, both of them falling to the ground. Plasma shots both blue and green still flew around her, but she knew that just one of them would hurt badly with her shield down.

'Two'

She dashed to another ruined wall for cover and looked at the Zealot's squad. A pit began to form in her stomach when she saw that more Phantoms were dropping troops behind the enemy squad. One of the two Ultras, seemingly emboldened by the reinforcement, ran toward her cover with his energy sword in hand. As soon as he was in range, she fired with her shotgun, disabling his shield, and fired again.

'Zero'

But the Ultra still ran toward her.

She could see patches of blood all over the weak points in his armor but the Elite carried on regardless. Dropping her shotgun, she grabbed her Assault Rifle and aimed it at the Ultra.

But he was faster and swatted it away from her hands. His hand, balled into a fist, connected with the visor of her helmet and a second crack appeared on it, though the hit hadn't phased her and she took out her combat knife. The Elite then lunged forward with his sword but her hand fitted just right between the two energetic blades and she squeezed as hard as she could on it. Feeling the cracks of his bones, she saw that he dropped his blade and used the opportunity to thrust her knife into his neck, a weak point that every Elite's armor shared. The Ultra put his intact hand on the knife in an attempt to remove it, but what remained of his strength faded and he fell to the ground, the knife still embedded in his neck.

Just as she took back her knife, something hit her, and she instantly knew what it was upon hearing the hissing sound.

She activated her Armor Lock ability and planted her fist on the ground. She saw the Plasma Grenade fall just under her and explode. While the ability could negate any damage, it turned her into a sitting duck while it was active, so she was used to doing quick activation and deactivation of the Armor Lock. Even though she hadn't been burned alive by the plasma, the shock of the explosion still dazed her and she noticed that the HUD of her helmet had completely turned off.

Trying to regain her bearing, she took off her helmet and threw it on the ground, the hot air burning the bare skin of her face. Her eyes landed on the Assault Rifle that she had dropped and she immediately grabbed it.

'Where is…,' her thought was interrupted when she saw an Ultra marching towards her, spraying with his Plasma Rifle. She immediately returned fire and the Ultra's shield dropped before he fell to the ground lifeless. She heard footsteps and the ignition of an Energy Sword from behind. She turned around and elbowed the Elite that was behind her, knocking out his shield. She then took out her pistol and finished him.

'How many…,' she was once again interrupted when another Elite fired at her, and before she could fire back, yet another Elite opened fire from another direction.

'I'm surrounded.' She fired to both Elites with her Assault Rifle and Pistol, each gun in a hand. Both Elites also fell, joining their dead comrades. A third Elite charged her and closed the distance before she could fire, knocking her on the ground. The Elite then attempted to jump on her with an energy wristblade activated but she stopped him and forced him back with her leg. Before she could see what she had done, another Elite rushed toward her with his sword.

'That damn Zealot…' she realized that this Elite was the same Zealot that she previously saw standing back with a squad of Ultras. He probably waited for his comrades to join the fray before attempting to take her on.

She would have considered it a wise move if she wasn't running on adrenaline.

The Zealot attempted to stab her with his sword but, just like the other Ultra, she stopped him with one hand and punched him with the other. The other Elite that tried to jump on her tried again, and she barely dodged the wristblade before elbowing him. She looked back to see the Elite fall, though she didn't know if he was dead or unconscious.

Returning her gaze to the Zealot, her eyes widened upon seeing the Elite standing above her with his wristblade ready to strike. The Zealot thrusted the blade before she could react. She felt the blade go through the unshielded armor just under her breastplate and pierce her chest. Everything stood still, almost as if neither the Zealot nor her believed what just transpired.

Then, as the adrenaline inside her subsided, she felt the pain settle in. Her eyes closed, and darkness overtook her, the last thing she saw was the Zealot's shocked face.

She was finally about to join the rest of Noble team.

Reach - Low orbit

Blasted Humans…

Each time it looked like he was about to completely wipe them out, a group of ships or a single one would always escape and flee toward unknown worlds.

Which was exactly what had happened here.

He had ordered his fleet to set up a blockade around the planet to prevent any human ships from escaping. He had been careful enough to order any Jiralhanaes shipmaster under his command to enter the atmosphere and directly help ground forces. But for once the fault layed not upon a Jiralhanae, but upon a Shangheili shipmaster.

Hako 'Varudee was the shipmaster of the CCS-class cruiser Sacred Transgression. Just like the rest of the fleet, he had been assigned to the blockade, but his ship detected a human ship on the surface just under where his was located. Seeking personal glory, Hako broke the blockade and joined the land battle below in an attempt to destroy the ship before it could take flight. This resulted in the Sacred Transgression being shot down by one of the Demons, allowing the humans to flee through the hole in the blockade created by the Transgression's departure.

Unfortunately, the shipmaster had died in the crash.

'Not only did he disobey order and brought shame to his name, but he died before he could even reach his coveted glory.' He thought, he had lost count of how many glory-seeking Shangheili, sometimes very promising ones, would die a pointless death trying to impress their superiors.

He shook his head slightly. Even though this memory was only two weeks ago, he needed to focus on the matter at hand. He noticed movement in the corner of his eyes and looked at the Shangeili standing beside him. His armor shined of an unstained blue. This combined with his apparent young age showed that this was probably his first deployment. The Shangeili Minor fidgeted nervously, his fingers drumming repeatedly on his Carbine. Despite that, the Minor stood straight, trying his best to hide his anxiety

'I was exactly like him once, nervous yet eager. I hope he will make it far.' He remembered his own time as a simple Minor. He had been lucky enough to be assigned under the more…competent leaders that weren't blinded by faith or honor, allowing him to rise through the ranks of the Covenant military until he became Supreme Commander at a relatively young age, a feat which he was greatly proud of. "What troubles you, young one ?" He asked the nervous Shangeili.

The Minor looked back at him and was silent for a second, probably surprised that a high-ranking officer would speak to a simple soldier. "I do not wish to offend you, Supreme Commander," answered the Minor after finding his voice.

"Nonsense," said the Commander, shaking his head dismissively, "It will take more than mere words to offend me," 'Otherwise I would have not made it this far,' he added mentally, "speak your mind."

Still surprised, the Minor cleared his throat before speaking, "Commander, should we not be chasing the human ship? I know that the rest of the fleet is giving chase, but are you not afraid that we will lose it ?" He asked with a little more confidence.

"I understand your concern, but I place a great trust in my shipmasters." Replied the Commander as he turned his gaze toward the Phantom's pilot, hoping to see just far or close they were from their target. "And even if the humans elude us once again, what we are about to get should hopefully be an adequate compensation."

"What is it that we're acquiring here, Commander Vadamee? All human resistance has been wiped out and I doubt that any of them will survive until the end of the month."

"You will see," said Thel with an air of finality. He knew that the Minor was not the only one wondering this question as he distinctively remember the faces his crew bore upon announcing that they would stay here while the rest of the fleet pursued the human ship.

He looked at the rest of the crew inside the Phantom, the three other Shangeili were also Minors. When he decided to go planetside, he chose the first soldiers he saw to accompany him, for time was of the essence. Each one of them stood at rapt attention.

"Supreme Commander, we have arrived at the landing zone." Announced the phantom's pilot. "Our forces tell us they have secured the area."

"Good, land us as close as possible." He took out the hilt of his Energy Sword for a rapid inspection, something which the Minors mirrored with their own weapons. He then felt a slight shake as the Phantom landed, and one of the sideway doors opened. Immediately, the Minors walked out with their weapon raised to secure the area. Trusting his escort, he walked out of the Phantom a second later.

'What did the humans called this planet again? Ah yes, Reach.' It was a simple name yet one that hold much meaning. Reach was a fortress world for the humans, with layers upon layers of defense spread around the planet. It had been discovered by Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee and his fleet while hunting for Forerunner artifacts. At the time of its discovery, 'Barutamee was unaware that he had stumbled upon one of the most heavily fortified human worlds. After understanding why he had met such a fierce resistance, the Supreme Commander contacted High Charity to inform them of the situation. The Hierarchs had ordered every Covenant fleet nearby to assist the invasion, including him. He was supposed to take command of 'Barutamee's flagship, the Long Night of Solace, and destroy any human resistance on the planet.

Instead, as he came out of slipspace, he was greeted with the Solace pummeling into the atmosphere in two parts, its midsection completely gone.

To see such a massive warship, which was the symbol of the Covenant's might, being torn apart in a million pieces and engulfed in flames as it entered the atmosphere, was an unforgettable sight. At first, he had been worried that the humans had developed a weapon or a warship capable of fighting a supercarrier. Such a ship could have posed a threat to the entire invasion force if it had existed.

Instead, he quickly learned what had transpired, and was both surprised yet unphased upon hearing the truth. Surprised that a group of humans had hijacked a corvette and used it to smuggle a Slipspace-Bomb that, when activated, sent half of the Solace into oblivion. Unphased that the one leading this operation was a Demon.

The same Demon that would later destroy the Transgression. The same Demon that had been wreaking havoc on his armies ever since. The same Demon that they had just taken down after many casualties.

Thel marched forward into the now silent battlefield, his purple cape flowing slightly into the wind. Numerous corpses of Unggoys, Kig-yars, and Shangeilies littered the ground. The hot, almost burning air bathed the sky in an ominous red. He remembered what this world used to look like before they had started their plasmic bombardment. He found no joy in reducing worlds into nothing but a burning rock. But he did find solace in knowing that he was fulfilling the will of the Prophets.

He eventually spotted the body of the Demon. Before it was a Shangeili Zealot on both knees, likely reciting prayers. Even though his back was facing Thel, he could see that the Zealot had taken off his helmet for it laid next to him. Upon approaching, the Zealot casted a glance backward, but fully turned to him upon realizing who he was. "Supreme Commander, Zealot Rota 'Muradee at your service," said the Zealot, bowing his head in respect.

"Greeting, warrior of Murad," answered Thel reciprocating the head bow. 'Good to see the Murad family still stand strong', he thought. The Murad Keep used to be a strong ally of his own Keep. But as he left to join the military years ago, Thel had heard that the Murads were suffering from internal strife. He had hoped that the Keep would endure and not fall into irrelevancy. The fact that a Shangeili of the Murad was a Zealot was a reassuring sign, and Thel believed that this Rota could restore order in his house if he had managed to attain such a position.

Thel returned his attention to the Demon that was laying on the ground and his eyes widened. He has seen enough humans to recognize their gender, and the human before him was definitely a female. He had been surprised when he first fought a human female soldier, he couldn't fathom at the time why they would let their females join the warriors and simply assimilated it to a cultural difference.

Now he knew exactly what drove this peculiar practice: Desperation. Since their species were being slaughtered, the human leaders likely didn't care who they sent as long as they were good warriors, and the Demon before him proved that their female soldiers were just as capable as their male ones. "Is she dead ?" Asked Thel to Rota.

The Zealot shook his head. "No, she is simply unconscious. I was saying my final prayers before finishing her. Would you prefer being the one to slay her, Commander ?" He offered, which surprised Thel. Offering to finish an enemy was a sign of respect for the Shangeili, but it was usually done by the leaders to their soldiers, not the other way around.

"No," answered the Supreme Commander after a few seconds of stunned silence, "in fact, no one will kill her today." He announced and braced for the coming storm.

A heavy silence hung into the air. The Zealot's jaws were slightly widened in shock, but he quickly found his words. "Supreme Commander, have you…have you forgotten the words of our Prophets? We were tasked with-"

"The complete destruction of the Human race, yes I am aware," interrupted Thel, his hands crossed behind his back, "and may I remind you how hard it is for us to find one of their worlds? Had we known the location of each of their planet, this war would have ended twenty years ago !" He said firmly, and it was true. In battle, the humans rarely stood a chance before them, but they were particularly elusive and hard to find. Many times a Covenant fleet would just fly by a planet unaware that they had flown over a human colony. It had gotten to the point that they would sometimes send scouts backward or leave a few ships behind so that they were sure they didn't miss anything.

"And you want to extract information from her? Do you really believe that you can break a Demon?" Said Rota with a certain edge to his voice. It was obvious that the Zealot was furious, but he hid his emotion rather well, something that Thel could commend.

"I do, and if she refuses to reveal what she knows then she will die, as the Prophets ordered." Said Thel as he motioned for his escorts to carry the Demon into the Phantom, which they complied immediately.

Rota sighed, casting one last look at the female Demon as the Minors lifted her up. "I… see. But should the Demon choose silence, I will be the one to kill her." He demanded with determination.

"I will grant you this if you so wish, but this means that you will have to travel with us. Will the Ministry of Fervent Intercession agree to this ?" Asked Thel, the Zealots usually reported to the Ministry of Fervent Intercession who sent them on missions to find Forerunners artifacts, but they could be ordered by local commanders to participate in a battle if they were needed, as such was the case for him.

"They will understand, I too am following the words of the Prophets." Countered Rota as he walked to the Phantom.

Thel watched him march in silence then turned back to his Minors. "Send a message to our healers aboard the Seeker of Truth, tell them to be prepared to heal a human." He ordered, the only Minor that wasn't carrying the female (which he recognized as the one that questioned him earlier) nodded.

As he turned toward the Phantom, he caught a glimpse of something shining in the corner of his eyes. Intrigued, he marched toward the object reflecting light on the ground. He recognized it as the Demon's helmet, although it was dirty and damaged, with cracks on the visor. Normally, he would not have even looked at it, but this time he decided to take it. He figured that he would have ample time to study it in greater detail while chasing the human ship.

The engine of the Phantom roared to life as Thel embarked into the vehicle, his Minors carrying the Demon inside and laying her upon the ground while Rota watched in silent contemplation. The Supreme Commander looked at the burning valley of Reach and sighed as the door of the Phantom close and it soon took flight.

He had taken what was perhaps the riskiest gamble of his life, now he could only hope that the rewards would justify his decision.