The Good, the Bad, and the Didact

Monstrous

Being back on Mantle's Approach felt different; dark, lonely and threatening at every corner. The reason for that was because: I was no longer welcome here like I was before. The Didact would not simply allow me to wander about this time. He was definitely going to send his forces after me. I was no Spartan, but I had some basic knowledge about fighting. Maybe, with just enough luck along with basic knowledge, I would survive the battles ahead. The weapon I picked up was a Promethean scope weapon called the Lightrifle, and I had hoped it would be useful in a distance. I did not trust myself with close quarters yet.

I walked up the ramp into the next room with two pillars. I had forgotten how much the Didact loved the colour orange. Every wall, floor, tower, and platform had orange lines on it, like a neon nightclub Halloween-themed. I spotted a Watcher up ahead flying over one of the small pyramid pillars. Those things always reminded me of bugs with rings on each side. I ran towards the closest pillar, and peered at the top. I looked through the scope of the Lightrifle to track the Watcher. What was it doing? Most of the UNSC had not encountered much of the Prometheans, but I heard Watchers were nasty little guys.

"Where reason does not stop you, perhaps force can at least delay you." The Didact's voice echoed through the room, and my heart gave a leap. The Didact was not joking when he said he was going to stop me from reaching him.

The Watcher folded its round little wings and flew away from me, and I pulled the trigger. The creature suddenly dismantled; its two rings fell to the ground and a small orange implosion was seen, leaving no trace of any other pieces. Too easy. I thought, but what about the Knights? I had killed a Crawler once, now a Watcher, but it was clear that Knights would be a challenge. I proceeded to the room on left.

All was quiet at first. Every room on Mantle's Approach was wide open, as I remembered. Places for cover were small, and not around every corner. The scampering noise was heard once again and I panicked. Crawlers were not a big threat, but I had no armor on, and no shields. Just a few shots from any enemy could kill me, if I wasn't quick enough.

The next room turned out to be empty with three tall pillars in the back, sealing off a terminal behind them. But the sound of vicious breathing, that wasn't my own, was heard from the right corner of the room. I ran to the right wall and peered around the corner; two Knights were wandering the area. They were pacing as it seemed. The huge pods above their heads made them almost limp. I didn't know how to fight Knights but I was not taking chances.

A rash decision was made; I grabbed one of the pulse grenades from my belt and chucked it straight at the two Knights. The grenade lit up, and hit the ground creating a red void between the two Knights. The Knights were distracted instantly, as both of them screamed in agony some kind of battle cry that sounded like a mechanical roar.

I sprinted past them as fast as my legs could move to the next room. The door closed behind me quickly just as I heard gunfire on my six, and then I plummeted down the gravity lift into a darker room. I didn't even know if I was on the right track to the Composer, but all I could hope was, I wasn't lost.

However, I knew that I could not avoid combat forever now that I was no longer welcome on this ship. The Didact would eventually grow tired of my evasion, I would have to engage. But why was I so afraid of killing his Prometheans? I wasn't killing him, I was killing his underlings. That was certainly better than killing him.

As I walked into the next room my heart raced. This room looked similar to the map room, with lights hanging from what looked like a topless ceiling, and fast-moving pillars ascending to who knows where. In front of me a portal suddenly opened. I looked around and suddenly dozens of Knights appeared on the surrounding platforms. This is why I hate teleportation when it's used by the enemy. The Knights cried out, and their faces suddenly burst open to reveal a glowing orange skull within it. Then I jumped into the portal.