Truth of the Rings 3 - End of An Era

Part 10 - Fate of the Ring

Floyd eyed the Master chief. He didn't understand Chief's plan. But as he got a Private Text from chief in their personal armor to armor comms... His heart sank. He didn't want to believe what was about to happen. Opening the message, he quickly read through it.

"Floyd, you have been my brother since training. And I've never known a soldier like you. My own mind has been turning against me for days... And yet the only one who noticed was you. Never have I had a closer teammate, maybe friend, beside you...."

Floyd looked at chief... As Chief threw off his helmet.

"After our time in training, Everyone thought I was immovable Titan of faith. Even me. I never take the helmet off because of this... And you know it because you understand the same..."

Chief backed up a bit and pressed 6 digits into his armor's neck keypad.

"Never doubt yourself Floyd. And remember that a soldier is a hero, but even Heroes need someone to guide them through the Dark. I was once that man."

Chief sprinted at the Grave mind, jumping toward it and stabbing its body, climbing it.

".... Now it's your turn. Id never entrust this to someone else..... Keep Jen by your side. You'll need her."

Chief dropped into the Gravemind's mouth, pressing the 7th digit.....

"Good luck, Partner.

-  John 117"

The Gravemind exploded in a massive fusion explosion, the force of maybe 100 grenades at once. and it was over. The Gravemind was no more.

Floyd stepped out from cover, lifting the helmet and staring at it.

Gunny walked over and tapped him "Floyd...? Big Green....?"

Arbiter put a hand to his shoulder. "....A Hero need not Speak, Spartan.... When he is gone, the World will speak for Him..."

Floyd stared into the visor. Thinking back to the beginning....

A young 6 year old boy sat outside the training area, angry. Beside him, another 6 year old boy. The angry one yelled out in anger "That is so unfair!"

The calmer one looked at him. "What is wrong 117?"

"My name is John, First off. 2nd, your number is too high. And 3rd, you saw that! My team came last even though I made it first!"

"Yeah, I showed up late and they messed my number up. I like it though. Im Floyd By the way.... Yeah, John, it's supposed to be a team session."

"But how am I supposed to work with a team?! How do I do that?"

"Well, a good team leader or worker in my mind is someone who knows their team. Knows what they do well or not so well. What they like and don't like. A team inspires each other and pushes each other to be better."

John looked at his new friend "but how can I do that?"

Floyd smiled "just get to know them! Open up to them a bit! They are probably mad so try apologizing!"

John looked down.... Then nodded "you're right.... Thank you!" He stood up and ran off, leaving Floyd there to think.

Years Later.....

Floyd returned from his mission with his team, looking at the other returning Spartans. Both leaders had 117 on their chest as they met up.

Floyd talked first "so what does the enemy have?"

Chief responded "plasma weapons, personal shields, and renewable power. More probably too but that's for the scientists. What did we do?"

"Well chief, YOU found the only survivors on the planet and escorted them to safety, and gave their leader Cadet lasky the piece of a creature he helped you kill. He lost someone close to him and everyone that died that day was someone he knew loosely."

"Understood..." Chief nodded, looking down a bit as each team left.

Floyd however... Stuck around. He gripped his friend's side. "Hey, are you alright?"

"We lost Samuel. It... Should have been Preventable...."

"Hey. Theres a big difference between losing or wasting lives, and spending them. Are you confident you spent his?"

".... He was... So yes..." Chief nodded.

"Then it's ok. Move on.... Be strong. You are the strongest Spartan chief, and one day, Ive got bets on you being the best."

"Thanks Floyd...." The new orange visors held a lot of emotion hidden behind them.... As Floyd drifted out of the visor's stare and back to the ring.

He held Chief's helmet close, standing up. He angrily walked over to the console and inserted Jen. "activate it."

The ring quickly activated and began shooting a beam from the middle, like the last one. He pulled Jen from it, and looked at his 2 remaining team mates. "move!"

The 3 began sprinting through hallways at top speed, past the Flood at top speed. Eventually they made it outside and eyeballed the area Johnson had come from, running up the ridge and toward the door he came from. As they made it through they saw a hog. Floyd jumped into the driver and the other two were in their places, and he took off. Fury drove Floyd at this point, and pure determination. Everyone else here wanted to survive. Floyd had a different goal in mind.

As they drove, Jen kept a count on what percentage the Ring was at. "20%.... "

The trio kept driving, at top speeds now past infected forms, as the ground below them exploded and threw debris in the air. Tunnels, ramps, explosions, even as they were being shot at, they stopped for nothing.

"80%, Floyd Hurry!" Jen was getting worried.

But as they turned the final corner, the other 3 realized Floyd's plan. A frigate, sitting in place after it was abandoned to go with the Shipmaster's Fleet. "Floyd Gun it! Firing sequence is engaging!"

They got closer and closer until finally making a massive jump.... Into the hanger. Without wasting a second, Floyd threw Chief's Helmer at Arbiter "Arbiter, get us out of here with Cortana and plot a course for earth!"

Arbiter got to running with Chief's helmet as Gunny looked at Floyd "What do we do?!"

"Hold onto so-" Floyd was hit in the head by a box as Gunny grabbed a nearby console, the ship beginning to move and jump to slip space, nearing the portal. As the Ship moved toward the Portal, Floyd was throwing into the air, falling toward the Hanger door.