Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 4300-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(Sigma Octanus IV, February 30th, 2532.)
Halius was not a scholar, he was not some brilliant mind, nor one of the emperor's chosen. He was not this great librarian or hero of the Ultramarines.
He was a warrior, a tool, a weapon to be deployed against the enemies of man, and a soldier who had been skilled enough to deal with the horrors of war.
Halius stood atop a twisted piece of metal… A fallen covenant battlecruiser the fleet above had shot down and sent into the graveyards here… With one hand? He sliced off the head of a zealot attempting to duel him. The other? Fired his bolter at the waves of covenant soldiers.
Around him? War waged, Ultramarines and their brothers? They fired bolters, lasguns, and all manner of weapons at the covenant, several Astartes taking plasma weaponry to their armor which boiled and blackened.
Below them? Dozens of marines and guardsmen fired at the Covenant army from beyond cover, a few falling to the ground as weapons found them and burned them.
Halius stood and led this army as he crashed against the waves of covenant soldiers.
Here he fought and here he would stand… If Master Chief did not wipe out the covenant here? Halius believed he might have to fight their army off himself.
If nothing else? Halius planned to die fighting as most Ultramarines would.
He raised Blind Justice and stepped into the melee of soldiers, chopping, and stabbing at them with all the fury of a hurricane.
This was what he wanted… This was his home and it was where he was most skilled at.
The crack of Linda's rifle reminded him just how much spirit humanity had.
(With Master Chief)
Chief slammed an elite into the wall and peppered it with gunfire, killing the alien soldier as the sounds of explosions reminded him.
There was a war here… If not for the fact they were trying to kill them? Chief might have joined the melee outside; it was clear the war was just beginning and the UNSC and Imperium were giving just as good as they had.
If nothing else? He would be impressed if the covenant killed them easily. It was clear the UNSC and Imperium would not die until they were brutally beaten down and peppered with gunfire.
They were soldiers and they fought like soldiers. The UNSC and their factions both tried their best but it was clear all that was coming was a delaying action.
Still? Master Chief could guess that Halius and his group were doing as best they could be… It was clear that beyond all shadow of a doubt, Halius was doing all he could to make sure the enemy was properly defeated.
The Spartans were greeted by a roar, a horrid noise that reminded them that there was.
There were a lot of different ideas left to deal with for now as he clicked his fingers and then paused.
"The covenant is rallying… No, there is more reinforcements… Cruiser moving into position!" Igaros stated as Halius hummed.
"Continue holding the line! Either we hold the line, 100 or 100000000? We fight them." Halius stated as another explosion rocked the entire area.
There appeared a few seconds of silence before more gunfire was heard. Chief hurried into the next room… Only to be greeted by a familiar monster who rose and roared at them.
Hunters, a pair of hunters… Chief cursed as the group of Spartans began to engage them.
(With Halius and the others)
There were indeed more covenant soldiers. It appeared they were reinforcing the area and he knew more and more that he had to force them backwards.
Halius shook his head, watching as the warthogs from before continued to snipe holes in the covenant army. Wherever a blur of crimson or blue armor fell? More came in for the time being.
Halius hummed, shook his head, and emptied his hand bolter once more, kicking back another elite before a brute forced him back with their hammer.
Halius snorted to himself, and more and more soldiers came… So, the UNSC/Imperium force dug in, took cover, and continued to fight the rest of the army off.
Halius knew more and more they had to continue to fight the rest of the covenant army off.
There were more soldiers there, far more to think of now.
The problem with fighting off such a wave of soldiers? There was no real stratagem to counter waves of charging infantry beyond continuing to fire into them.
"That cruiser is going to overwhelm us soon…" Jerome stated, tossing his spent shotgun as Halius dropped his empty hand bolter.
"Agreed… We have lost close to 50 soldiers… And even if we have killed a hundred or so? We are not going to beat them conventionally this way." Halius stated as more soldiers poured in.
Halius hummed and then looked to the side. The hill which he had asked the pair of rhinos to hold was still held for now.
They had bought the time they could. They had done what they could as soldiers.
"Master Chief? We cannot hold the position outside the city… Finish your mission then retreat… Admiral Cutter? We require an orbital strike if you can." Halius stated before he shook his head.
They had a lot more to try and figure it out as he thought of what was going on… He was greeted with the answer in the form of a crackle.
Their salvation came in the form of a familiar whine as a craft flew down, the hatch below them as it slowly dropped its payload onto them.
A GA-TL1 longsword dropped a group of M888 bombs and a barrage of ASGM-10 missiles.
If Halius could salute an armed vehicle? He would have… Instead? He simply decided to allow them to retreat and honor the sacrifice that the pilot had taken to allow them to relax.
There was a lot more to try and figure out… But part of him believed in the logic of the battle above.
Still? They had a lot more left to deal with… A LOT more left to deal with and it hurts now to believe anything happened for less than a few seconds… Though? To be fair? They had a lot more to understand.
(In orbit)
The battle was clear working out less stellar for both sides… Admiral Stanforth moved from the bridge window to another next to him.
He had his misgivings on the idea… But it was clear the covenant on the surface was causing problems… And so were those encroaching Orks.
On the plus side? The Orks were giving the Covenant fleet pause even as they took more and more losses.
The UNSC had lost 4 frigates and the Imperium a trio of destroyers that drifted in orbit around them.
"There are more reinforcements… Other covenant ships flanking the planet… Regroup with the rest of the garrison!" Halius stated as Stanforth cursed.
It was clear to him that both sides of the war on this planet were suffering just as many losses.
To be fair? The entire army of soldiers now was easily the most distracted thing on the battlefield.
"Sir? Orders?" Stanforth heard as he sighed and realized he was going to have to make a choice either way… And part of him realized the dozens of covenant ships were pressing them just a bit harder than he wanted.
"Continue to hold the line… Tell me if anything changes… For now? Let us see how much damage those greenhorns do to the covenant." Stanforth ordered as he sighed.
There was a time to panic and a time to act… And this? He knew not which he belonged to them.
To be fair? They had ZERO idea as to how this might go.
(With Halius and the others)
One of the Salamanders collapsed a shot through the sternum causing them to wobble slightly as he thought of how this could have gone.
Halius looked at the others… And it was clear to him that at least something would break, something always did.
To be fair? NOTHING was resembling them for now, they had to distract the next moment for now.
The next soldier in the line? Halius hummed and then paused for a moment, the rest of the soldiers in the line were all too disturbed as to how to fight.
Halius with the rest of the group continued to figure it out. Halius as he cracked his fingers and then thought of the next moment.
He had a lot more to try and deal with for now and then cracked a smile as he realized they had mostly fallen back safely.
The group watched the recovering covenant soldiers… Dozens of elites, jackals, brutes, and grunts… Along with several of those drone-like aliens who Halius guessed were also infantry.
He knew more and more that they were coming towards them with venom. Halius started to fire his bolter at them as he blinked to the side.
The group started to fire on the encroaching army of soldiers, Halius paying attention to the assault carrier overhead which had yet to bombard them.
But it was starting to deliver reinforcements which Halius knew would eventually overwhelm the army of Imperium and UNSC soldiers if nothing else.
Halius would not let them do so as long as he lived. He fired the rest of his bolter at them and tossed the gun to the ground.
"Hold the line!" Halius stated before he shook his head, ensuring that they would fight.
Halius hummed to think of what the next move would be like for now. They would hold the line or die.
Halius picked up a fallen bolter and continued firing as did the other Astartes in the group…. The UNSC and Imperium rallied on the hill, all of them busy trying to hold off the covenant hordes which slowly swamped them no matter how many were killed in the process.
Halius hummed and then thought of Master Chief… He was their only hope of trying to hold off the covenant army when it came down to it… He knew that the Spartan would continue to fight as would the Ultramarines.
Halius sighed and then thought for a fiber of a second what was growing on his mind. He did not at all back down at the time being, he would not let them try and tear down the enemy now at the point.
It was worth it for now. They had a lot more to deal with, they had more and more chaos within their minds… Something within them both had to end, something within it all would end.
To be fair? They were not able to think for more than a few seconds… He had ZERO idea of what was going on now.
Halius hummed to himself and relaxed for now… They were going to war now and they would not be able to think, an idea which would not end for now.
She had a LOT more to deal with for now… The idea of it all had to be ended for now and for good reason.
The idea of it now had cut them deep to the end of the day…. It was too much for now and it would remain that way now and not once would be dealt with for now. The idea on his mind was a curious idea at the end of the day.
Halius seemed to be dealt with as he realized what was occurring for now. Halius relaxed a few seconds of amusement later now.
It was a lot harder to deal with for now and for a good reason… They had a lot more to deal with for now.
They had a lot more to deal with for now as he clicked his fingers. The soldier within the Astartes was curious about how they planned to win.
Then again? He was fascinated by how much they tried to deal with it all now… Now? it had been harder and harder to deal with now at the time being.
Halius continued to fight, to attempt to think as he tried to fight. He had plans to fight the enemy and that was the clue in which he had to deal with.
To be fair? There was nothing short of chaos now and chaos at the end of the day. The idea of it needed to be done and dusted as he paused to himself.
There was a lot more to deal with for now, the idea within them was too curious for now, and for a good reason.
To be fair? He was asked to fight and he would continue to fight as he had to for now.
Halius exhausted his ammo within seconds and then tossed the weapon away, awaiting the rest of the enemy attempting to fire at him once more.
Halius shook his head and sighed to himself as he cracked his fingers, they had a LOT of further ideas to exhaust he hoped.
"Continue to fight… There will be a lot more to deal with for now… Now? We need to hold the line." Halius stated before he shook his head.
Both warriors were eager to fight for now. He knew the enemy would continue to fight them… Now? Now he fought once more as he paused to think.
(With Master Chief and Blue Team)
Chief slid into the ground, too much had to deal with it being done for now… This was a lot more to try and think about for now.
Chief would continue to fight; they were asked to do something and the battle would continue.
The soldiers in them would continue to fight… Perhaps they had a lot more to try and figure out.
"Hold the hill, rally around me, and await the Spartan!" Halius stated as the words of violence reached them.
Halius seemed to be dealt with for now as he paused and then thought of it all now and it will become harder and harder to think of it.
They were skilled as a soldier continued to fight. They had more to try and think of fighting for now.
Chief would continue to fight and it was clear he and the others had to fight for now. The soldiers were skilled, they were warriors and they acted with the same desperation as to how it needed to be, how it would go was something that he had to consider.
They had a LOT more to deal with for now and they would have dealt with it and then thought of what would happen if they failed.
He decided he did not like what was to be offered and instead tossed himself into the hunter, gripping the creature as it screamed and whined, whirling around like an uncontrollable gorilla.
Chief felt slammed into the wall hard enough for the concrete to fall from it… His shields drained to a quarter and he knew he could not afford to let himself fail.
(With Halius)
Halius bared his fangs against the covenant as much as he could. The gleam of plasma weapons washed over the UNSC and Imperium soldiers.
Marines fell, burning away as elite and grunt crashed to the ground, corpses pockmarked with bullets. The whine of wraiths shook the earth as 3 more rhinos emerged from the smoke, guns firing away.
Halius cut down another elite, skewering the ultra on his blade and dicing it in half, he had expended all his ammo on the covenant… His grenades had done all their harmful damage.
Halius welcomed the covenant, blade held high as he and the remaining soldiers fought. Halius drowned out the dying marines and Cadian shock troopers, he pushed away the war cries of covenant soldiers.
He focused purely on combating the enemy…. There was a larger focus on what was going on.
Halius pushed away everything beyond combat. The soldiers under his command fought as well as they could… As did his brothers.
So? He focused on doing what he could as a Lieutenant, keeping morale up and rallying the soldiers around him.
"They will break before we do! Keep fighting, we show them humanity's teeth today!" Halius roared as he pointed Blind Justice at the covenant.
If he was to die here? He would die on his feet, serving Ultramar… Serving humanity.
The clack of Linda's rifle reminded him the Spartan was fighting alongside him.
Halius nodded to himself, they would continue to fight and they would have nothing else to deal with for now.
Halius raised his blade and directed their fury entirely against the covenant.
"Master Chief has been in the city too long… I fear he might have fallen." Halius stated before parrying another brute and cutting them down with a slice to the throat. "We cannot hold the covenant off forever… Even with support." Halius added as his blade continued to rip into the covenant.
"Chief doesn't die easy," Linda stated, dropping the next magazine into her weapon.
"Perhaps… But we are not so lucky." Halius responded as Igaros headshot another brute, vaporizing their skull.
Halius guessed that in another 5 minutes? Reinforcements or not? They would be forced to retreat; they had fought as valiantly as possible but it was clear they would be fighting as if they were fighting an ocean.
To be honest? Halius knew this would happen… But he still put faith in the Master Chief.
Halius was greeted by the tides of covenant starting to part as if they had finally been broken. He had guessed they were going to break sooner or later.
Yes, it seemed to be harder and harder to think of… To be fair? There was something else to amuse himself with.
Through the waves of the covenant, soldiers strode a zealot… Or at least a hologram of one and one he blinked for a few seconds as he looked at them, he was curious for now.
There was a lot more to deal with for now… It was curious as to end it.
Halius glanced at the elite who spoke to him for a few seconds.
"You will not stand between us and the Great Journey, demon." Halius heard as he blinked and shook his head.
They had more to deal with… Now? Now they would continue to relax for now. Halius felt his eyes narrowed for a moment.
"The Elite from the Siege," Halius stated before he growled. "You are behind this assault," Halius added as he shook his head, growling to himself as he paused to think.
"And you are the demon who has led the assault on the covenant." The Elite stated as Halius snorted.
Halius pondered how long it would take for the nuke to be set up… The UNSC and Imperium soldiers looked at him with Halius humming and held up his blade.
Halius spun his blade, contemplating what was growing on the horizon.
Halius eagerly wanted to fight… But he did not have to as there was an alert on his HUD.
Chief had primed the nuclear bomb. Halius just had to distract the covenant and he assumed he knew how.
"Igaros… Tell the Retribution I require a single cannon bombardment." Halius stated as he made a motion for the Imperium to disperse.
Halius shook his head and then clicked his head and he paused to relax for now. The idea as he thought of it while he wished to pause it for now.
The soldier within him wanted to fight the elite, cut him down… The Ultramarine cared little for anything besides completing the war here.
They had a soldiering mission to understand. The idea of it was something else to deal with for now.
They had FAR more pressing concerns to deal with… And honor? Honor would not stop Halius.
"We need to get out of here," Igaros said and Halius nodded.
"When they are distracted? We get the air support and withdraw… We have air support coming." Halius stated as he sighed and then shook his head.
If nothing else? He killed a lot of covenant soldiers… If not? He simply took solace in the idea they would be stopped here.
Halius was finally greeted by a massive explosion which terminated several buildings and sent the entire army… His included, falling backward. Several Thunderhawks and a trio of pelicans emerged as the Rhinos took this clue to flee along with the warthogs.
Halius retreated towards the nearest aircraft, himself eager to do nothing. Halius seemed to be dealt with for now as he sighed to himself and then cracked his fingers.
Halius boarded a pelican along with Igaros and the remains of Red Team and Green. Halius watched as the dozens of covenant soldiers began to climb to their feet before the pelicans turned, their M370 autocannons pelting the covenant with gunfire.
"We need to get out of here NOW," Halius stated as their pelican reached full occupancy.
The transport made for the Imperium and UNSC command camp as did the others, at least one pelican smoking as the craft did so.
Halius had no time to consider how many soldiers died in sacrifice for humanity before a flash of light lit up the city.
The fireball expanded massively, engulfing the entire city and even the cruiser and carrier above them. Halius did not expect it to destroy either warship but he could hope it would at least cause damage.
Their fleet of dropships raced away as did the warthogs and rhinos. Halius knew the armored carapaces of the rhinos would keep them safe from even a nuke's fallout.
The warthogs? The warthogs were just barely able to keep ahead of the blast, the shockwave still causing the trio to crash and throwing them ahead like toys.
Halius questioned just how many warriors had died in pursuit of saving this planet. He would look at the logistics logs… But he assumed they would not be fully close as to how it would be.
(In orbit)
The Covenant fleet appeared to have vanished. The dozens of covenant ships who had menaced them? Had since left, he had never once seen the covenant withdraw their forces from a battle.
Though? The UNSC and Imperium had not escaped the battle unscathed.
"Sir? Confirmation of Havok grade nuclear bomb below." Stanforth heard as he frowned to himself and looked at himself.
"Has the covenant fleet retreated?" Stanforth questioned which he would have to deal with.
They waited for the rest of the fleet. Stanforth knew there would be losses simply for the scale of the covenant fleet.
"They are pulling their forces back," Stanforth stated before he looked to the side.
"Good… Then contact Admiral Cutter, and tell him he is free to reinforce the ground forces." Stanforth stated before he shook his head.
Stanforth seemed to be dealt with as he contemplated the next option.
(With Halius)
Halius hummed, looking at Linda… He questioned what was going to occur now, either the covenant forces had to be depleted or they would redouble their attack.
Halius took a moment to breathe, he leaned on the wall behind him… To be fair? Halius guessed he was exhausted; most of the day was spent in war.
"How many did we lose?" Halius asked, curious as to the number.
"Within the battle? 120… In the last few days? 1000 without counting orbital losses." Halius heard as he sighed.
"Damn it…" Halius muttered before he realized to try and relax. "How long until arrival?" Halius questioned and the pilot shrugged.
He quieted all his thoughts for now. The Ultramarine within him was too tired now and that would not change, it would never change now… The idea of it all made him quiet… It made him content.
Halius being himself simply leaned upon the wall, the seats not designed for his bulk… For the weight of him.
He knew damn well what was going to be dealt with for now as he clicked his fingers… They had a lot more to deal with for now.
They had a LOT more to deal with for now… There were a lot of things to discuss.
"You know, the more we fight? The more I believe you just want to fight." Igaros stated before he looked to the side.
"As long as there is a war? I will fight, Igaros… We have zero desire to ponder anything… We must fight, we must fight, and when there is no war to fight? We retire." Halius stated before he looked to the side.
There was a lot more to try and figure it out as he thought of it as he relaxed.
Halius hummed and then cracked his fingers… They had a lot more to deal with for now.
Halius was curious… And he was interested in it all for now. Halius relaxed for now and then he took a deep breath, he was all too interested in the idea of something beyond it all as he hummed… There was nothing left.
He guessed the battle was not over just yet… There was a LOT more to this.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
The next chapter will be a duel between Arbiter and Chief and Halius… And no, I am not going to make a curb stomp battle.
I wish to point out that the next chapter will be more and more about the war itself… I also want to try and make better war scenes.
There are about 20 or so chapters left within the Covenant War arc.
The next chapter will be 900-6500 words, be in 2-10 months, and show more of the battle for Sigma Octanus. Until the 900-6500 words, Lighting Wolf out!
