The Truth of the Rings - A Halo story

Part 8 - 343 Guilty Spark

On this installation, snow was a perfect white color with zero impurities. Rocks are a perfect gray with little difference in anything. The grass is all the exact same perfect short height. It is because every landscape the ring generates has to be perfect, because a computer can't comprehend otherwise. It can't comprehend some grass being unhealthy or different lengths, or the rocks having other hidden minerals, or even the water being tainted with things in it.

And that is where the jungle stands alone. A green, foggy and rainy haze. Confusing structure, confusing layout, and generally nonsensical. Just like a real jungle. Difficult for a computer to comprehend, harder for it to generate. Every green seems just a little too dark. The fog just a bit too thick. And sometimes, there's no ground where there should be.

And Floyd pushed that advantage over the covenant hard. The covenants equipment was typically blues, yellows, and glowing neon colors. He was a dark green, and barely glowed. He blended with the leaves perfectly.

Chief was deployed nearby an opening, the opening that reportedly chief was last seen entering. Floyd was sent where the Marines were sent. It was hard to admit for him, but he was concerned more about them than Keyes. Keyes was his commanding officer and it was his duty to ensure his will was enforced correctly. But it was his job as a leader to bring his men back alive. Even if Johnson's team wasn't technically "his" men, that didn't matter to Floyd. They Still were soldiers. Soldiers he fought beside and respected. His duty was to them too.

Floyd stepped through the jungle, rifle in hand, until he found an opening. Corpses littered the area, all covenant. He figured they likely headed inside to seek cover, and followed inside. Red blood caked the area, but not even a quarter of the blood was red. It was all Blue. And it was everywhere, covering entire hallways. And while that was good, meaning they probably survived.... There was one thing that ticked him off. A lot. There were no bodies with them. Just... Blood.

Very slowly he stepped through hallways. He could hear everything around him like always. Which is what made him more worried. Because for the first time in his life.... Silence. Utter silence. The only noises were just... Quiet creaking around corners occasionally. And it was making him nervous. Every time he turned a corner there was a sound behind him. Like a Scurry almost. He whipped around every time... Nothing there. Eventually, after making his way through long enough, he encountered a covenant patrol team. Putting them down was pretty easy but they seemed off their game. Like their attention wasn't on him. Which was strange.... The covenant hated Spartans, especially Spartans IIs. The 'demons' weren't enough to scare them.... What was?

Eventually after a good bit of walking, He put his arms up to a door. It was half caved in, which did kinda confuse him. But once he tore it open, an elite corpse fell onto him, with a large hole in it's chest armor. Looking at how the hole looked and the results and injuries... He was sent flying into the door from Blunt force. And as Floyd looked into the room, it dawned on him. 3 Marines left stood in the room, all fighting for their lives. Not with their weapons, with their knives. Small creatures of some kind on top of them.

He pulled the door open and saved the Marines. Looking down at one, he immediately checked them for injuries. They were fine. "Status report."

"We got Separated from Johnson sir, he went to find Keyes. They said they found him on comms before getting cut off. The rest who came along are dead."

Just then, HIS comms flared up.
"Sierra 117 to Sierra 181, come in."

"I read, Chief have you met them too?"

"Yeah. Keyes is gone, I have a whole squad left. Foehammer gave a location for a tower nearby our position, make your way towards it with anything survivors."

"Roger." Floyd looked at the Marines "follow me. We are gonna meet with the Master Chief and get you out of here."

The Marines fell into formation behind them as a large horde of the small creatures came at them. The group began running, Floyd jogging in front of them so they could keep up. They made their way through Hall after hall, Floyd grabbing a shot gun from a fallen Marine on his way through. Eventually they did manage to arrive at a door outside, with creature that looked like the smaller ones but... Bigger. All dead however. They seemed to be like zombies, infecting and taking bodies of victims. He finally made the connection about the lack of bodies but regardless, kept moving. Dead enemies usually meant Chief or at least allies nearby, and just like clockwork, they arrived at the tower just under a minute later. As foehammer made her decent, Floyd looked up and saw a small floating metal ball looking thing. ".... Chief...?" He pointed as John looked at it.

As it lowered to be Infront of them, the Metal ball could now be seen easier. It was indeed a floating metal ball, with a smaller blue ball inside that almost looked like an eye. Without a word that Floyd caught, the two appeared on a rooftop of the tower. Chief kept listening to the ball, which probably was the smarter move. Floyd however quickly moved to the edge, watching as the Marines safely escaped. Finally able to relax, Floyd turned back to the ball.

"I am 343 Guilty spark, and I am the monitor of this installation, installation 04! Someone has released the Flood, and it is my functional to make sure it does not leave this installation, but I require your assistance. Come, this way!"

As it finished speaking, Floyd looked around him to notice his shield was flaring very weirdly, and he was being covered in a strange light. And as soon as he noticed, he was whisked away, leaving nothing more than dust and echoes of his signature.