Shadow Walker Of Fire: Funny you mention that story. That's actually one of this story's inspirations along with The Mantle Of Remnant(KtyouvsWriting), Dust And Echoes(trestwho), and The Reclaimers From Remnant(TehArbitur53).

I'M STILL ALIVE BITCHES! I appreciate you guys being patient little buggers. School and non-fanfic projects took some time away but I'm bacc, enjoy le fic.

A Huntress In A Demon's World

Chapter 4: Spartan Killers?

Remnant, 2009(Remnant Calendar)

"Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah, Rubes?"

"Have you ever wondered what could be out there?"

Yang shifted her position to look at Ruby better, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean like, beyond Remnant."

"Aliens?" Yang asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah."

Yang shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe?"

"Well, if they existed, do you think they would be friendly or mean?"

"Probably would want to invade or somethin'," Yang said with another shrug. "It's not S.E.T. where the alien's nice and all."

"Aw come on, Yang! You don't know that!"

Yang laughed, "Alright, tell ya what. Let's say aliens exist, if they are evil, you have to pay me 40 lien, if they're nice, I'll pay you 40."

Ruby crossed her arms and looked at her sister. "Deal."

Yang smirked before placing her hands behind her head, she knew that would never happen. Not in a million years.

Zeta Halo, 2560(UNSC Calendar)

"No! I can't stand this! Oh, you are-"

"Breathe."

"No! You don't get to tell me what to do! You don't get to tell me anything!"

Ruby groaned as she opened her eyes. She rubbed her head before standing up.

"Ugh, guys?" She asked while holding her head in pain.

"I count three anti-aircraft cannons. You'll be safe" Chief said before looking at Ruby, "You ready to move?"

She nodded, "Yeah, yeah I'm good." She grabbed Crescent Rose and followed the Chief.

"Wait, hold on!" Esparza said while getting out of his seat. "Safe? I haven't been safe since I found you, remember? You were out there on your own and you'd still be if it wasn't for me!" He said while jabbing a finger at the Spartan.

"I thought I was going home."

"There won't be a home if we don't stop the Banished," Chief said.

"You keep saying that. We're outgunned. Outnumbered. I know I saw Condors over there. I'm going to dig through them and find a working Slipspace drive. Once you're done with this war, we get far away from here. Far away."

"Wait here," Chief said, walking down the ramp.

"Whoa, please! Let me see what I can find."

Ruby placed a hand on Esparza's shoulder, "It's not exactly safe out there by yourself. Once we get back, we'll look together. Okay?"

Fernando reluctantly nodded, "Alright then." He said before heading back to the cockpit.

Ruby looked outside to see an AA cannon in the distance, up on a tall hillside. "Alright then, let's do this."

The duo took off in the ship graveyard, littered with destroyed UNSC Frigates and Pelicans. Those had to have been the biggest ships she's seen so far, even if they were in pieces. She wondered how large the Infinity is. If the Banished Dreadnoughts up in the sky were any indication, pretty damn large.

Ruby looked to her right to see a turned-over Warthog, "Hey, maybe we could use that Warthog?"

Chief looked over to where she pointed, "It'll work." He headed over and flipped it right side up before hopping in the driver's seat. "Take the gunner."

Ruby's eyes lit up at the thought of using the chain gun. From what she saw from the Marines, it looked kinda fun. She jogged over before hopping onto the platform and gripping the handles. Chief stepped on it and the Warthog roared to life, traveling across the low water. It was a little bumpy, but it was tolerable.

She looked ahead to see a Banished settlement ahead, which happened to be right under the AA gun. For whatever reason, the gate was down, giving her a clear shot at the troops inside. She narrowed her eyes with a smirk and opened fire, cutting down a squad of Grunts and Jackals. They had mere moments to open their mouths before having their lives ended by a hail of bullets.

Chief ran over an Elite before hopping out of the Warthog. Ruby followed him before cutting down a few Jackals.

"Human fast! Big scythe!" Said a terrified Jackal.

Ruby spun her scythe and dashed at a Brute, tearing open his throat. She kicked away a Grunt before using the back end to jab a Jackal's chest. Chief grappled a fusion coil and threw it, burning those unfortunate to be in its trajectory. He slammed the butt of his Battle Rifle into a Brute's face before filling its stomach with bullets.

Ruby looked ahead to see a ramp leading up to a platform that held a large elevator that went up to the tower. Red markings appeared on the ramp, she looked up to see Banished dropping down. The doors broke open to reveal enraged Brutes. They roared out before charging at the young huntress.

She narrowed her eyes before dashing at the first one. She cut the leg, getting it to stumble. She used the back of her scythe to hit the Brute before slitting his neck. She jumped over the second one trying to take her head off with a punch before tearing open the back of his neck.

"Hey! Over here!"

Ruby turned to the source of the voice. Marines! She ran over and found two Marines imprisoned in the yellow ropes that were all too familiar to Ruby. She spun her scythe and cut down the Jackals and Grunts guarding them.

"What the hell!?" The male Marine exclaimed.

"Holy shit!" Said the other.

Ruby grabbed an S7 from a crate and shot out the generator, letting the Marines free. They grabbed their own weapons before heading over to Ruby.

"Who the hell are you, kid?" The first one asked.

"Long story short, I'm Ruby Rose and I'm with the Chief!" She said while turning on her heels and running off, the Marines following. "We're taking out three AA guns, care to help?"

"Not much of a choice, huh?" The second one asked, "Let's do this shit!" He said while shooting down a Grunt. Joining the Chief, the four mowed down the Banished forces under the AA gun. The first Marine shot down a Jackal with a shotgun while the second threw a plasma grenade.

"Demon flare, scatter!" An Elite called out.

While the Elites and Jackals managed to dodge, the Grunts weren't so lucky. The explosion threw its victims into the air, letting the four humans press on. Chief slammed his BR into the jaw of an Elite before filling it with shots to the chest. He grappled a fusion coil and threw it at an attacking Jackal.

Ruby dodged plasma shots before cutting down a Grunt, impressing the Marines with her speed. She jumped over an Elite and kicked his back before slashing his neck.

"Damn!"

"The speed on that girl!"

The remaining Banished forces under the elevator were quickly taken care of, allowing the group to head onto the platform. Chief pressed the button, getting the elevator to ascend. This gave them a nice view of the surrounding area. Ruby wished she could see the ring before it was blown up. Then again, that could lead to it being fired. The horn of a Phantom made her sigh as the elevator came to a stop.

Chief threw a frag at a group of unsuspecting Brutes and Grunts. Their screams were quickly silenced by an explosion and shrapnel. The Banished quickly opened fire, only to meet the same fate as the hundreds of others before them.

Ruby looked up to barely dodge red plasma fire. She noticed a turret in the distance shooting in her direction.

"We've got a turret up ahead!" She called out.

"Noted," Chief replied while caving in the skull of a Grunt underneath his armored boot.

Ruby focused her attention on the turret before sprinting at it, using Crescent Rose to bash and slash at any Banished in her way. She dodged its attempts to hit her and slid to the side of the machine. Popping the shield with her sniper, she spun her scythe and slashed the Grunt inside. Coming up with a bright idea, she hopped into the gunner seat.

"Cover me!" The two Marines went by each side of the turret while Ruby mowed down Banished forces.

Once again, they were quickly taken care of, allowing Chief and Ruby to float up into the AA gun via the grav lift. Chief let Joy onto the terminal.

She scoffed, "They call this security? Watch this."

Suddenly, alarms went off and the doors that let outside closed.

"The UNSC lost this war months ago." The voice of Atriox said, getting the two to look at a hologram of him. "Your people are broken. Scattered. Hunted. Defeated. By me. To tell you that it was difficult would be a lie. We are always one step ahead! The Ring is under our control. Soon the Auditorium will be as well."

'The Auditorium? What's that?'

"The Harbinger and the Banished share a goal, but we've gone months without a true challenge. Nothing to test our might against. Then the Spartan returns from being thought dead. Along with a human that wields a scythe and harnesses speed like no other."

Escharum appeared next to Atriox, grinning. "This will be my last fight. Set a fire in your heart, Spartan! Bare your fangs! Fight hard! Die well." The hologram of them both disappeared.

"Who was that other guy?" Ruby asked.

"No idea," Chief replied. "That word, Auditorium, what is it?" Chief asked the AI.

"I was hoping you knew, I'm new, remember?" She snapped her fingers, "Okay, done here." She said before Chief picked her up. A slot in the wall opened up, revealing a yellow glowing object, not dissimilar to the ones that held Marines prisoner.

"Do the honors," Chief said to Ruby.

Ruby smiled because shooting it with her sniper. It exploded as the AA gun began to rock. The lockdown stopped and the doors opened.

"Alright, time to leave!" Ruby said before jumping out, the Spartan right behind her. They got as far as they could before the AA gun exploded behind them.

"One down, two to go!"

"The Banished are mobilizing in a big way," Esparza said over comms, "Clock's ticking, guys."

"We're moving to the second gun."

"We are running out of time," Esparza said.

"So, the Harbinger and the Banished share the same goal. What do you think it is?" Ruby asked.

"Rebuild the Ring," Chief replied.

"Why though?"

"Maybe they want to go home too," Esparza said.

Ruby looked around the landscape, "Alright, which one's next?"

Chief pointed at one in the distance, "That one." He said. Regrouping with the Marines, they headed back down the elevator and towards the Warthog. Chief jumped into the driver's while Ruby took the gunner. A Marine tagged along and took the passenger's seat.

Chie stepped on the engine and the Warthog took off in the low water once more. Mowing down a few Banished soldiers along the way, they made their way up to the second AA gun. The Banished were gifted bullets to the skull and slashes to the neck by the Spartan and Huntress.

A familiar roar got them to turn around and see a pair of Hunters approaching them.

"Of course, there are Hunters," Ruby said before dashing at one. She dodged its attempt to squash her and slashed at its back. The beast roared before whipping around, only for Ruby to be already behind it again. She quickly looked to see the Chief riding on top of the other Hunter, driving his fist into its neck.

Ruby turned her attention back to the Hunter before rolling under a swing. She slashed at its side, eliciting a roar from it. She ran around it before jumping up and aiming her S7 at it. Narrowing her eyes, she pulled the trigger, putting an end to the Hunter.

She looked over to see the other Hunter slump over. Chief walked over to a small cave area holding a terminal, he pressed it and the grav lift powered up, letting them enter the stationary weapon. Chief let Joy onto the terminal.

"Alright, the lockdown's probably gonna trigger again, but we'll be outta here in-" She was cut off when said lockdown triggered and the doors shut.

"How many Spartans remain? Do you even know? There would have been 50 at Laconia Station. Possibly more. Such a loss." Escharum said as his hologram appeared.

"Do you feel it? In your heart? Does it leave a hole?" He asked. "I was Atriox's finest recruit. I understand sacrifice and when one is necessary. When our enemy arrives, we meet their challenge. It is why he created the Hand Of Atriox. He found the best, the cruelest, the most effective killers in the universe, and taught them to be even better. The Spartan killers are coming for you."

"Who are you?" Ruby asked.

"I am Escharum, human! Our battle is on the horizon, I hope you don't disappoint." He said before disappearing.

"Spartan Killers? Everyone is trying to kill you. I'm done here." Joy said before Chief picked her up. Ruby blew up the source and the two jumped off as the AA gun exploded.

"Two down, one to go!"

"Chief, we're being contacted on UNSC channels. By...Spartan Sorel?"

"Put it through." He said.

"Spaaaaaartan. Spaaaaaaaartan. I know you can hear me. Will you die with honor? I doubt it. You are human. Weak. Pathetic. I will crack your armor and peel you from it. It will not be my first Spartan blood, but it will be the sweetest."

"They're sending a Spartan killer? Chief. This is crazy, we gotta get out of here. We need to move." Esparza said over comms.

"Not yet. Hold position." The Spartan said.

"When this goes bad, it's on you."

Ruby looked over to see the final AA gun right on the other side. "Huh, it's just over there."

They hopped back into the Warthog before rolling over to the final AA Gun. Ruby mowed down a group of Grunts while Chief ran over a Brute. They got out before dealing with the rest. Heading up the elevator, Chief immediately placed a bullet in a Brute's skull. Ruby dashed over to a Grunt and Jackal before cutting them down.

Chief filled an Elite will bullets before he caught something in the corner of his eye. He looked over to see a Jackal sniper lining up his shot on...oh no.

"Ruby!"

"What-AGH!" She cried out as the Stalker Rifle struck her back, causing her to nearly lose her grip on Crescent Rose. She stumbled forward, feeling the pain of the plasma on her back.

"What!? The human survived that!?" A Grunt exclaimed.

"She's insane!"

Ruby whipped around to see the surprised Jackal. Her eyes narrowed before dashing at him. She yelled before cutting him down. She dodged fire from another turret and gave off three shots from her sniper, two taking the shield down and the other killing the occupant.

Chief grappled onto a Ghost and kicked its Sangheili occupant out before gunning it down.

Finishing off the rest of the squad, the two headed up the gravity lift.

"That aura of yours. It's quite resistant." Chief commented.

"Yeah. Good thing I still have it, huh?"

Chief nodded before letting Joy onto the terminal.

"Last one, and que the lockdown.' She said, holding her hands up in anticipation. Only for nothing to happen. " Huh, no Escharum? I'm almost disappointed. Almost." She said before hacking into the Banished code. "Alright, do the honors, Ruby."

Ruby shot the source and the two jumped off the gun. Ruby turned to watch it explode.

"Done and done!"

"Good work, Ruby."

Ruby gave a short bow, "Why thank you, Master Chief."

The Phantom horn caught their attention, they looked up to see one pass above, heading down into the ship graveyard, where more were already there.

"There's repeated frequency across all Banished channels. The first part is Hand Of Atriox and...deploy."

"Chief, where are you?" Esparza asked over comms.

"We're on our way!" Ruby replied.

"I'm sorry, I-I can't stay!"

"I lost his signal," Joy said.

"We gotta get down there before the Banished find him!" Ruby said. Chief nodded.

"Let's move." He said while taking off down to the graveyard. Jumping back into the Warthog, they took off. They watched as the Phantoms flew away from the graveyard, presumably after dropping off infantry.

When they arrived, it was quite the scene.

"We've got...well a lot," Joy said. "See that Chopper? That must be one of the Spartan Killers."

Ruby looked over to see a Brute in a modified Chopper. A crashing noise made them look up to see a Banished drop pod lad on a structure above, revealing another Brute, carrying one of those large guns the two Chieftains had.

"And that's the other one, take them out!"

"Weapons free."

Ruby narrowed her eyes and opened fire on the Chopper. The vehicle turned around and fired back. The Chopper suddenly sped up, plasma blades appearing on the sides of the vehicle. Chief immediately swerved, the blade scraping against the side. Ruby pulled on the chain gun, getting it to turn and shoot the Chopper again. The Chopper turned and continued firing at the Warthog.

Chief took notice of the smoke on the hog's hood. He turned the vehicle around and drove straight at the Chopper.

"Uh, Chief?" A concerned Ruby asked.

"Jump on my signal."

The Chopper sped up, blades appearing again. Ruby began to notice that it was getting quite close. Really close.

"Chie-"

"Now!"

Ruby kicked off the gunner while Chief jumped out of the driver's. The Chopper tore through the Warthog like butter. Ruby watched as the Chief grappled onto the Chopper and kicked the Brute occupant out.

'Smart move.' She thought to herself before dodging plasma fire from Banished forces. Chief turned the Chopper to face the Brute, carrying a scrap cannon.

"Today's the day you DIE, Spartan!" The Brute roared. Chief sped at the Brute, who managed to dodge, the blade nipping at him. The Brute roared before firing his scrap cannon, most shots missing the Chopper.

Ruby looked up to see the other Spartan Killer on the platform. She narrowed her eyes and petaled up the structure and landed a kick on the Brute's face before unleashing a flurry of scythe spins. The Brute grunted as his shield was quickly being chipped away.

The Brute attempted to bash Ruby's head in with his cannon, only for the huntress to avoid it with ease. Hoisting herself up on Crescent Rose, Ruby landed a double kick to the Brute's chest, nearly knocking him off the edge.

The Brute growled in annoyance and fired his cannon at her, only for Ruby to avoid it.

The Master Chief narrowly missed the Brute on the ground when he used his jetpack to avoid the Chopper. Unfortunately, the Chopper's aim when looking up was less than desirable.

Ruby looked back to see the Chief still engaged with that Brute. She turned her attention back to the other Brute and blocked a strike from his scrap cannon. She spun Crescent Rose and struck him multiple times before jumping up and landing a kick to his face.

She took notice that he was nearing the edge again and took out her sniper before shooting him. The Brute grunted as his shields were dangerously low. Ruby yelled as she slammed the blunt end of her sniper into the Brute's face, knocking him off the platform.

Ruby immediately petaled behind the second Brute, landing a kick to the back of his head. He turned to hit her with his cannon, but she avoided it. Sliding behind him, she tripped him up with Crescent Rose and knocked him down with the scythe's blunt end.

She heard the engine of the Chopper and looked up to see Chief lining up a ram. She turned back to the Brute and landed numerous strikes on him.

"ENOUGH!" The Brute roared and attempted to strike her with a fist. She weaved out the attack and kicked him in the chin. The Brute stumbled back and was at the perfect place. Well, not for him.

Ruby smirked and jumped over him, confusing the Brute. He turned just in time to watch the Chief ram the Chopper's blades into his abdomen, shattering his shields and digging into his body. The Brute roared in agony before slipping under the Chopper's wheel.

SQUELCH!

Ruby, holding onto the back of the Chopper, wincing at the sound of the Brute's demise and didn't dare to look back at the bloody mess it was now.

"Okay! Chief, take out the other guys, I'll distract the other Spartan Killer for you!"

Chief nodded and Ruby jumped off the Chopper, landing in front of the remaining Spartan Killer. The Brute growled, "I wanted the Spartan, not the child."

Ruby shrugged with a fake sad expression, "Sorry, not sorry." She dashed at him, landing multiple strikes. The Brute growled, attempting to block some of the strikes, but failing. Ruby leaped to the side and kicked at the Brute's ankle, forcing him onto a knee. Runy spun before landing a kick to his face, knocking him down.

"Chief!" She called out.

The Spartan turned the Chopper around and made a beeline for the remaining Spartan Killer. Ruby looked down to see the Brute trying to get back up, so she kicked him back down. She looked back up to see Chief closing in. She took a final glance at the Brute.

"Nothing personal, just business and all." She jumped into the air as Chief made quick work of the recovering Brute. A second squelching noise fill Ruby's ears as she winced once more.

Chief stopped the Chopper and hopped out, Ruby shortly following.

"We did it."

"I saw you against the first one, good work up there." Chief said.

Ruby rubbed the back of her head, "Ah well, I had awesome teachers." Her mind immediately went to Esparza, "Joy, anything on Esparza?"

"Give me a moment...got it! He's here, in the ship graveyard. I hope he's okay."

The three of them began their search for their pilot with Ruby leading it, petaling from wreck to wreck.

"Esparza!? Esparza can you hear me!?" She called out, receiving no response. As they continued their search, Ruby took notice of an object on the ground. It almost looked like a helmet. A broken and battered one but still.

"Hey Chief, come look at this."

Chief walked up beside her, looking at the helmet in her hands. It was a black color with a shattered blue visor, one Chief was familiar with.

"It's a Spartan helmet," Ruby said, "I wonder who it belonged to."

"Spartan Locke," Chief said.

"Locke?" Ruby parroted.

The Spartan nodded, "He's someone I knew. Fought against him once."

Ruby tilted her head, "You...fought another Spartan? Why would you need to do that?"

"I can tell you the full story another time, but I was his target."

Ruby nodded, then her eyes widened with remembrance. "You said the same thing about Cortana, how she was your target and all. Why?"

Chief was silent for a moment. He knew she would keep asking, and she's already seen tidbits about her from the dust and echoes. "Let's find Esparza first, then I'll tell you."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

The two continued on their way, Ruby still calling out for Esparza. The Chief looked over to a small hill where another downed Pelican was. Ruby looked at the Chief, then looking where he was.

"Think he's over there?"

"Potentially."

"Alright, let's go then!" Ruby said before heading in that direction, Chief right behind her.

"Esparza! Esparza you here!?"

A series of thuds caught their attention to the interior of the Pelican before Esparza came from a door that led into the Pelican, wearing a pilot's helmet.

"Animals.." He muttered before taking the helmet off. "Ruby, Chief, my eyes didn't deceive me back there."

"What did you find?" Ruby asked.

"Three UNSC Condors, finding one is rare. Three? A miracle." He said before pointing towards the wreckage of one. "Torn apart. Completely gutted. Slipspace drives obliterated."

He points to the second, visibly showing his frustration.

"Another, shattered and cratered over a kilometer."

And the third one.

"And there. The last one. All of it." He said while walking over to it. "Crushed. Broken. Beaten! Useless!"

Chief stood in front of him, "Enough." He said, raising his voice just a bit.

"When!? When is it enough, Chief!? When we're in there? Because that's where I belong. In there, with them!" He said while throwing away the helmet.

"Wait, what are you talking abou-" Ruby attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, only for Esparza to brush her off.

"Worthless junk.."

Esparza looked at the Chief, "I'm not you! I'm not a pilot! I'm not even a soldier, a Marine!"

Ruby's eyes went wide. He wasn't a pilot? He seemed pretty good at it. Great even.

"I stole that Pelican. You wanna know why?" Esparza sighed, "Of course you don't. Have you ever been scared? So scared that you-" He cut himself off before sitting on his knees by the edge. Ruby sitting beside him and Chief taking a knee.

"You should leave me with the rest of the garbage."

"We all fail. We all make mistakes. It's what makes us human." The Chief said.

"I'm sorry Chief, but how have you ever failed?" Esparza asked. Ruby had to admit, she was curious as well.

A small silence filled the area before Chief spoke. "I should have protected Cortana. Stopped everything from going wrong. I failed her. I will not fail you." He looked over to Ruby, "Either of you."

A small smile appeared on Ruby's face. "Hey, even if you aren't a licensed pilot, I think you're pretty awesome." She said, "I mean the way you got us after we jumped from the Spire was pretty cool, seems like real pilot material to me."

Esparza gave a small smile, "Thanks, Ruby."

"This is all you've got, Esparza. And it's all we need. The way hone is straight through those Banished guys. We can't do this without you."

"We need you." Joy said, appearing in Chief's hand.

"We can fix this." The Chief said.

""Together."" Ruby and Joy said in unison.

"Of course we can." Esparza said before taking a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this." He said while standing up and heading to the other Pelican.

Ruby looked over to the Chief, who gave her a brief nod. Ruby smiled before heading to the Pelican, Chief following shortly.