Unsung Hero

Gravemind

Ash wakes up and finds himself being wrapped by a huge tentacle and dragged along a corridor.

"Chief!" Ash calls out.

"I'm still here!" Chief is being dragged along side Ash.

They are pulled into a huge chamber. Eventually, they are brought towards the head of a massive creature: the Gravemind.

"W-What... is that?" Xi questions.

The two Spartans are held in front of the Gravemind's head, a mass of fleshy mandibles. It speaks in a deep, gravelly voice.

"I...?" The Gravemind questions. "I am a monument to all your sins."

As the Gravemind talks, it breathes out Flood spores. Chief looks up and notices they are not alone. Four tentacles bring forth a struggling Arbiter and a wounded and struggling Tesa, as they are held next to each other.

"Relax." Chief calls out. "I'd rather not piss this thing off."

"Demon and the Reaper!" The Arbiter says in surprise and Tesa growls at the two Spartans.

The Gravemind make a loud huffing sounds, and indicates the two Spartans and drags them close. "These ones are machine and nerve, and has their minds concluded." A tentacle moves around Ash's head. 

The Gravemind then makes another brief huff, before indicating to the Arbiter and Tesa, then dragging them close. "These ones are but flesh and faith, and are the more deluded." He shakes the Arbiter around and turns him upside down. A tentacle pokes at Tesa's wound and she hisses in pain as it bleeds.

"Kill me or release me, parasite." The Arbiter orders. "But do not waste my time with talk!"

"There is much talk." The Gravemind states. "And I have listened. Through rock, and Metal, and time. Now I shall talk, and you shall listen."

The Gravemind raises two tentacles, one wrapped around a red Monitor, and the other merged with an infected Prophet of regret."

"I thought I killed him!" Ash says as he looks at Regret.

"Greetings!" The Red Monitor greets. "I am two-four-oh-one Penitent Tangent. I am the Monitor of Installation 05."

Regret struggles to speak through his excruciating pain. "And... I am the Prophet of Regret, Councilor most High... Hierach of the Covenant!"

2401 notices the Master Chief and Noble Six. "Reclaimers? Here? At last! We have much to do. This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak!"

"Stay where you are! Nothing can be done until my sermon is complete!"

"Not true." 2401 states. "This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and one actual. It is ready to fire on demand."

Regret speaks to the Arbiter and Tesa. "Of all the objects our Lords left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles!" He then yells. "They know nothing of the Great Journey!"

"And you know nothing about containment! You have demonstrated complete disregard for even the most basic protocols!

"This one's 'containment'..." The Gravemind gives a disgusted huff. "And this one's 'Great Journey'... are the same." It lowers its tentacles, and Regret shrieks in fear. The Gravemind speaks to the Elites. "Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent, or all will perish as they did before."