ItsGettingMessi
07-06-2012, 02:58 PM
This is my first attempt at doing a story about fc wars. more will be coming but this is just the start of a story that might take along time to finish
Prologue
I could hear our pursuers closing in on us. They we getting so close I could hear the crackle of leaves and the crunching of branches behind me, my breath was coming in labored gasp. To my left was my friend Purple, I could tell he was equally tired by the sweat dripping down his face.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up” I try to tell Purple but it barely came out. My heart was pounding so hard I was afraid that it might end up just bursting inside
“Just keep running.” Purple replied. He seemed equally tired but we knew that we could never give up .Slowly the sounds of our pursuers became louder and louder. We put on an extra burst of speed for a short time.
We came to a clearing in the forest; in the middle of the clearing was our doom. The clearing was split in half by a river that’s current was so strong that not even a boat could cross the water. “So this is how it ends.” I quietly say more to myself then to anyone else.
“So it is.” Purple replies solemnly. I turn around to face our pursuers. No sooner had I turn around then I saw the cursed red bodies of the evil R.E.D.D. troops, four of them, each outfitted with a DMR.
“Hands up where I can see them!” The lead soldier barks. I look straight at him and followed his order. I wasn’t scared of death, when some people become a Spartan they accept their fate to die by the bullet of a gun. I also knew the risk I was taking when I chose to try and escape, as did my friend hopefully.
I close my eyes and relax, my mind was flashing back as to how this incident came to pass. It felt as if I went death during those few seconds.
“Time to die, traitors,” The red soldier told us, his voice muted by the last little bit of my adrenaline. I tense up as I wait for the bullet that would surely rip through my chest and end my life. Then I heard the boom of a gun being fired, never have I felt calmer than in those few seconds of my life.
Chapter one
My name is Messi, nothing less nothing more; I was born on reach and have lived here my whole life. Purple and I have known each other since we were thirteen, both of us decided to become a super soldier so that we could join the R.E.D.D. army to help the Empire. We were both blinded by the thought that the Empire was perfect and kept us from the hands of the murderous B.L.U.E.’s.
When we got their though we quickly learned just how huge our thoughts were misguided. When I was enlisted under the R.E.D.D. army I saw some of the worst moments of my life their, it would haunt me forever.
A R.E.D.D. patrol came back with a prisoner, the commander slowly tortured him by cutting him everywhere on his body. When he didn’t give the answers the answers he like he responded by cutting off his arms. The loyal soldier still didn’t respond so he was hanged then and there, all of this was done publicly.
A month after we joined we already were planning to desert, we hoped maybe to be able to make it to a B.L.U.E. army base to join up with the rebels. Sadly though a patrol that was out was alerted about us and chased us. Purple and I had left our armor and guns behind because we thought it would just slow us down. We knew that the price of deserting was death on sight but we couldn’t take it anymore. If I had one regret it would be that I didn’t take any R.E.D.D.’s down with me.
Then I was brought back to reality before me, and my death that awaited.
Chapter two
The shot fired, but the sting did not come. “So this is how death feels does it?” I thought quietly to myself, and then I heard another two shots. This confused me enough to open my eyes, before me laid 3 dead R.E.D.D.’s behind the still breathing lead soldier. Before he could react though a sword came ripping through his back, coming all the way out through the other side, the sword was brought back and the body fell to the floor with a plop. The killer was obviously a soldier of the B.L.U.E. army, based on his blue armor; he held a bloodied katana in both hands.
I stood there for a while not knowing whether or not to be afraid or thankful. Then from both sides of the clearing came three more soldiers came out. One you could tell was obviously the commander based on how he held himself and the fact that his armor was brighter and better. One was curiously colored for he had blue and green stripes running horizontally across the light armor that he had, and the last looked to me as just another Spartan that anyone would see in blue armor.
“King that’s enough,” the leader ordered.
“Yes sir,” the soldier, King, sheathed the sword in the case running along his back and went back to fall in with the rest of his team.
The small team’s guns were still pointed at us so I knew that we were still in a dangerous position. “What are you two doing here?” The leader asked.
Purple seemed to be at a lost of words so I spoke up instead, “We were running away from them, sir.” I told him while also pointing at the bodies.
“Then why were they chasing you?” The leader replied right away.
So I told them the story of how Purple and I came to be standing right where we were.
When I finished the story, with help from Purple, there was a period of silence that the leader must have been thinking. “Russian.” The leader spoke, breaking the silence.
“Yes sir.” The plain looking Spartan replied.
“I want you to go on back to base and tell them that we have to new hopeful recruits.”
“Yes sir.” Came the reply immediately, he was gone from sight in a manner of seconds.
“Recruits,” I thought to myself silently, “that means we are to join the army.” All the running Purple and I have done today had finally paid of, we were about to join the B.L.U.E. army.
One thing though that was on my mind that I couldn’t dispel, “Uh sir, who are you and what were you doing here?” I asked
“My name is 2nd lieutenant Lloyd, the one with green is gunnery sergeant James, and the swordsman here is corporal King, we are just about to leave back to our base on the other side of this river when we heard people running. Now if you wouldn’t mind we need to take these bodies and throw them in the river.”
We quickly did that and we were off.
Chapter three
The journey to the B.L.U.E. base took the rest of the day, by the time we got there the sun was already sinking into the horizon. The base was practically a fort in the middle of nowhere, it was placed in a giant clearing, patrolling nearly every inch of the walls were dozens of troops.
“Welcome to base Ascension.” Lloyd informed us. The doors were opened immediately and we stepped inside. The base was filled with tents, but that was what I expected
“This place has been a B.L.U.E. base for the past ten years.” Lloyd informed us, probably just to impress us. “Now you two shall stay here for tonight until we figure out what to do with you two tomorrow. This place is for the new recruits, you two though are the only recruits here, you will stay here until we figure out what to do with you two.” With that done we went into the small housing unit, inside was exactly as I expected, rows and rows of beds. The beds were standard military grade beds that Purple and I have been sleeping on forever.
“I can’t believe how lucky we are.” I tell Purple thinking back on the past days experience.
“I know I could have sworn we were going to die back there.” He replies, “Where do you think we will do know that we are here?”
“I don’t know but I’m guessing we will join a squad tomorrow and who knows from their.”
I then laid down on the bed and was out nearly instantly into the world of sleep.
Chapter three
I was awoken by someone shaking me awake, “Come on Messi you might want to get up.” I rub my eyes then open them slowly. “Come on we were requested to practice.” Purple says shaking me again, I look around and see a suit of blue armor on the bed next to me.
I suit up, and then me and purple walk out of the house. Right outside was the soldier named King, his sword still with him. “Come on now follow me.” He said simply. The sun was just now coming up when we got to the practice arena. Inside was a giant room that seemed completely bare. “Wait here.” King ordered.
We stood there for a minute then a new B.L.U.E. came before us. “Attention!” he ordered. Purple and I salute immediately, “So you two want to join the B.L.U.E. army do you?”
“Yes sir!” We both reply.
“Well I’m major Salvanous, commander of every soldier in this fort. I didn’t get here by accident, I’ve spent years in wars, and I’ve seen many men die. Are you two going to be another casualty of this war? Let’s see what you two have got in you.” He pauses for a second then points at Purple, “You what do you do.”
Purple stalls for a second then finds his voice, “Heavy weapons sir!”
He then points at me “How about you?”
I was ready for this so I responded instantly, “Sniper sir!”
Salvanous thinks to himself for awhile. “You two are in luck, we have one spec ops group that happens to need those types of soldiers. Soon enough we shall see how good you actually are.” He paused then yelled “King!”
The soldier came at once, “Yes sir!” he saluted
“Say hello to your new squad members.” Salvanous told him.
King looked at us then smiled, “Let’s go meet the rest of your squad.” And with that he left and we followed.
When we got to the squads housing units we saw a few new faces but already knew most the squad. There were the four soldiers who helped us and a person in white with a robotic arm, and someone in practically no armor and knives all across him.
“So these are the new recruits are they?” The knives man said. “Specialist Chaos and that over there is warrant officer Rayven.” He said pointing to the last person.
“I don’t see them lasting that long.” Rayven said,
“Something about the voice didn’t seem right.” I thought to myself but before I could decipher it a foot soldier ran into our tent.
“Outpost alpha is under heavy fire, Major Salvanous has ordered your whole squad to move to assist.” He then left promptly.
“Ok Spartans move out, that includes you two, time to see how good you guys are.” And next thing i know we were on the way to my first fight.
Chapter four
“So what exactly is Alpha base?” I ask Lloyd in the pelican.
“It is our closest base to the R.E.D.D. city of Hyperion, so if it falls it will mean they can attack us much easier, it cannot fall.” He replies quickly.
About twenty minutes later I hear James, “We are about three minutes away; you should be close enough for communications.”
Lloyd turns on his comms; he talks for a minute then turns it off. “Alpha is on the verge of falling, it is our job to take keep that from happening, they have estimated about five hundred R.E.D.D.’s are compared to our one hundred, it will be a tough fight, but that’s why they sent us. So ready up Spartans because here we go. You two new guys please don’t die we might need you.”
I could hear the sound of gunfire before I could see the base itself. I have done practice fights before that no one could get killed in, but this was something completely different. I was scared so much that I felt like I could die. We dropped down about one hundred yards away from the base; I strapped my sniper on my back, grabbed my DMR and a few magazines. When we got to the base everything got more grim, the base was already down to about seventy five men and were losing more and more every minute, the dead and wounded were lying everywhere from the top of the walls to the inside of the tents.
Lloyd talks to the man in charge for a second then call us together. “Ok, this will be a hard fight but we can still do this, Messi there is a sniper tower not to far from here, take that and take out as many R.E.D.D.’s as you can, the rest of you follow me.”
A soldier shows me the way to the tower, it was on the same side as the wall that was being attacked but far enough away from it that they wouldn’t be firing at it directly. We both walk up to the top of the tower and into the sniper chamber. The very first thing I notice is a dead body in one corner of the tower.
“That was my best friend.” The soldier says, “And our last sniper, please Spartan kill as many of those damn R.E.D.D.’s as possible.”
“Don’t worry I will take out as many as I can.” I ensure him, he then leaves and I start to set up. I open up my squad comms to report in.
“I’m at the tower sir.”
“Good now take any soldier out that you can see, the rest of us are going to be on the wall taking down anyone who comes to close. We all might just need it.” Lloyd tells me.
The tower was a very small room, there was only a single window in the room for you to shoot out of, and other than that it was all black. I walk to the window and I survey the battlefield, the sight was horrible. It looked like the enemy would surely win in just an hour or so.
Seeing this possibility I quickly grab my sniper and start getting to work.
Chapter five
The R.E.D.D.’s must have suspected that there would be no more snipers that could come to the tower, none of them seem to notice when I went to the window and took aim at the first soldier I saw.
I took a second to line up the crosshair to the soldiers heart, took a deep breath then steadied my hands. I felt myself pull the trigger, the recoil hit my shoulder but I barely felt it. The bullet raced through the air then ripped into the soldier’s chest, he dropped dead instantly.
I get out of the window for a second so that they think that it’s still empty. I look back through the window and this time look for a specific target. I found a man in front of a group of soldiers obviously giving him commands. My crosshairs line up to the commander’s face, once again the bullet whizzed through the air then buried itself right between his eyes. His guards to his side were splatter with the blood of the person they were protecting. I saw the soldiers immediately start to run in all directions to try to get out of the way. I drop two more soldiers that couldn’t get away then draw back to reload.
“How are you doing their Messi” I hear Lloyd’s voice ask through the comms.
“Fine sir, I took out one of their commanders. How are things going on over their sir?” I reply
“Good job, and things are slowly getting better here. They seem to be slowing their attack. Keep taking out as many soldiers as you can.”
I didn’t need told anymore; I went back to the window and found a pocket of soldiers. That’s when I remember I need to reload; I quickly did that and went back to the pocket I was at. I quickly take out four more soldiers before they even knew what was happening. I repeat this and soon I was out of magazines to use.
I search the corpse of the soldier who was still dead inside; I found three more mags and set back to taking out more of the soldiers. The sniper was like another part of me, every shot destroyed the targeted soldier as easily as I could talk.
By the time I finished the first mag I noticed a problem, their was a five person squad of what looked like Spartan soldiers. I immediately informed this to Lloyd.
“Take them out now!” He ordered. “Remember aim for the head, their shields won’t protect them.”
“Yes sir.” I told him, then I set to taking out my new targets.
The five Spartans were walking so casually that they seemed to want to be taken out. I set my scope to the middle one they shoot him in the head, then I go to the one on the left before he could react. They both fell to the ground dead. The rest of the squad quickly scattered.
“Sir, I took out two out of the five Spartans, the other have scattered.” I inform Lloyd.
“Good work, just keep a look out for the rest of them, kill them on sight before they kill us.” He responds.
I scan the battlefield but I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Suddenly a sniper round bangs into the wall behind me, I dive down under the window.
Judging by how the sniper bullet came in I had an idea as to where the sniper was at. I quickly come out and look to where I thought he was, I saw him laying their in a bush. I pull out of the window just in time for a bullet went whizzing just by my head. I take a second to compose myself before quickly going into the window again. I see him then aim at his head and shoot, all in a manner of seconds. He died just as the rest, I noticed to that he was one of the three remaining Spartans.
I call back in to tell the rest of my squad that theirs only two left.
“Ok don’t worry about them now, just try to take out all the soldiers you see.” Lloyd instructed me.
I take two more out and put in my second to last clip. Soon I was down to my last clip. I easily take out three more soldiers but I wait to use my last shot. I scan the battlefield for a better target that might do more damage. I saw a man in a black buttoned uniform and bright blonde hair, about two miles away; I knew it would be a hard shot. He seemed to be talking with a group of higher ranking soldiers.
I adjust my shot for the slight drop that would come from the shot; I then noticed the slight wind that was in the air and had to quickly adjust for that. I slowly pull the trigger. I hold my breath; the bullet nailed him right in the chest. The people who were around him were surprised by this, they instantly dispersed.
“Sir, I’m out of ammo, want me to meat up with you?” I ask Lloyd.
“Yes and we took out those last two Spartans, your friend purple took one and I took out the last. It looks as if they are retreating though.” Lloyd replied.
The information relieved me and that’s when the mental fatigue from the fight started to kick in.
Chapter six
The base seemed nearly deserted as I walked through it. I could hear the moan of the inured and dying, and the bodies of the already dead. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be a soldier either helping a wounded or taking him to the “dead room”.
The revelation shocked me, “So this is the aftermath of war, is it?” I brood quietly to myself. Then I realized something, I have killed a few number of people today, who’s to say they didn’t have a family waiting for them to come home, only to be crushed when they learn about their fate. This made me stop right where I was for a second. “Who’s to say I’m not a murderer?” I whispered out loud.
I continue walking to the wall to meet up with my squad after a minute or so just standing their. When I got their, I was immediately greeted by Purple. “That was quiet an experience wasn’t it?” he ask jokingly.
“Uh, yah sure I guess.” I quietly reply. My mind was still focused on my thoughts from earlier that I didn’t notice Lloyd come up right behind me.
“Good job their kid.” Lloyd told me.
“Thanks you, sir.” I reply.
“No need for that anymore kid, just call me Lloyd.”
“Ok, Lloyd.” I say, “So what do you think the casualties for both sides were?” I asked Lloyd
“Well we lost at least four hundred soldiers today. They lost probably the same amount, but more importantly they lost five Spartans, that’s quiet the blow to the enemy, thanks mostly to you.”
This started me thinking again, “Because I killed three Spartans some of our men’s lives were saved, but at the cost that the enemy’s men will die more, it all brings death no matter which way you look at it.
“Hey kid you there?” Lloyd asks me, bringing me back to the real world.
“Uh yah, I’m just in shock of this all I guess.” I reply.
“Oh the first battle shock, probably the first kill also. Look at it this way kid, you killed to save lives. That soldier you killed could have killed two more, sure some people might be upset but you have to believe that the cause we fight for will be worth it in the end.”
I took that all in, “So maybe if I kill them then in the end I can help free and help the people who are being hurt by the empire right?” I replied to Lloyd.
“Correct, the empire has killed many people in cold blood…” Lloyd stops there for a second, there seemed to be pain in his next words. “If we stop the empire then maybe we can stop them from doing this.” He finished
There is defiantly a story behind this but I decided not to ask it right now. The talk with Lloyd helped me a lot, I didn’t feel as bad but the shock didn’t go away fully.
Our squad spent an hour helping the wounded get to different med bases then we left back to Ascension.
The pelican ride seemed fairly quiet for most the way, everyone seemed to be taking in the last battle, only every once in awhile did someone speak.
Journal entry one
I found this unused journal just lying on my bunk. Inside was a note saying, “This should help cope with the stress of war- Lloyd.” I don’t know exactly what I will do with this, maybe help vent.
The first battle I was just in was horrible. When I first became a Spartan I never would have expected any of this to happen. The war has already opened my eyes more than anything else has and it’s only been a few months. I have witnessed death and I have dealt it, both are horrible and I wish I could take all the memories back.
The squad I’m in doesn’t seem to like me to much, besides Lloyd and Purple the other four seem to avoid me. Maybe it’s because they don’t expect me to last that long here, I don’t know but that would be my guess. I don’t plan on dying for awhile though.
When I first pulled that trigger on that soldier I felt nothing, no remorse no pity, it shocks me now thinking about it. I realized something though from the first battle in that sniper tower. When dealing death one is not affected right away, it works like a time bomb. Every time you kill someone you add that much more explosives to it, then when there is no one else to kill the timer hits zero. When the timer hit zero for me I felt like I would rather it had been a real explosive on me rather than in my mind. If it wasn’t for Lloyd’s advice I might have gone nearly insane.
The time is late now though and I’m still tired from the battle so that will be all for now, I hope though that if I die someone will find this full and will keep it so that I may go on.
-Messi, private first class.
Chapter seven
The first week in the B.L.U.E. army was a blur. We went on patrol awhile but never had any action. Me and Purple made a few adjustments to our armor. I made mine black more so that I might be seen less. Purple had his legs and shoulder pieces colored purple so he could be identified, he also got two smg’s customized purple just for fun.
The squad started to get friendly, I learned something also. The person with the robot arm Rayven was a girl, that’s why when I first heard her talk something sounded off. I almost asked her about her hand but decided to leave that until later.
While we were sitting around one day Lloyd came into our tent with a Spartan behind him. “This is Elf, he will be our second sniper and will be accompanying Messi on recon missions.”
I was the first one to come over and greet him. His armor was just standard Spartan armor, and he was of average build.
The others beside Purple didn’t say anything; they just stood their evaluating him.
“Great another recruit.” I heard Rayven mutter.
The other three just went back to what they were doing. “Don’t worry.” I told Elf, “They did that to us last week when we joined, you just have to prove yourself.”
“Ok good, I was hoping they wouldn’t always be like that.” Elf replied.
Nothing excited happened for the rest of the week. Elf seemed to be a fairly decent sniper; he wasn’t as good as I was so I helped him quiet a lot so that he could get better.
For awhile I thought that there would never be any action again. One day though Lloyd told me that Salvanous wanted to talk to me and Elf for a mission.
When we got to Salvanous’s tent he was already their waiting. “Come in” quick.” He ordered.
We did as he ordered and stood their waiting for directions. “I want you two to go on a recon mission. You will take special mongooses and go to a provided coordinates and report what you find, understood.” He quickly told us.
“Yes sir!” We both replied.
“This is very important mission, you will be leaving tonight. I would only trust a Spartan for this mission. You must not get caught now get going.”
We both saluted then left back to prepare for the mission we just received.
Chapter eight
The sun was starting to set on the horizon casting a golden hue across the base. Every thing seemed to be perfectly still as I set to getting ready.
I had my sniper sitting on my bunk next to my DMR, a few grenades to be strapped on to me just in case, my pistol, and five clips for each weapon, any more would slow me down, I brought my backpack just in case I needed to take something from where we went. I talked to Purple for a second before I left.
“So what exactly are you preparing for?” He asked. I just then realized I had forgotten to tell him about the mission.
“Elf and I are going on a special mission, I don’t know what exactly but it obviously involves recon considering it’s only two of us.” I replied very simply.
“Oh, ok good luck and try not to die.” He replied jokingly.
“Trust me, I don’t plan on it.”
I walked through the camp slowly, wondering exactly what this mission would involve; I could feel my weapons hanging on my back, weighing me down a bit. I got to the front gate where I was met by Salvanous. I immediately saluted him.
“At ease soldier.” He told me. He waited for me to regain my normal posture. He then proceeded to give me a paper. “Don’t open it until you get outside of here, you don’t want spies seeing this.” He whispered silently. “Inside you will find the coordinates of where your objective is located, once you get there report to me and I will give you more information, understood?”
“Yes sir.” Was all I replied.
“Good soldier, now once your fellow soldier is here leave right away.” Salvanous then slipped away back to his tent probably. I stood there waiting for about half a score of minutes. Elf came running up to the gate.
“Sorry I’m late, I couldn’t decide what to bring.” He told me.
He had a full backpack strapped behind him, he had a hard time just standing straight with it in. “What’s in there?” I asked him
“Umm let’s see food, water, extra guns, med packs, and a box of mags.” Elf replied
“You do know you weren’t supposed to bring that much.” I tell him. “Any ways get rid of half the food and water, give me the half that’s left, keep the mags and get rid of any extra weapons, and do it quick.” I commanded him.
Elf quickly did as I said and we set out of the base
Chapter nine
When I set foot out of the base I reached into my backpack and pulled out the note that Salvanous had given me.
“Spartan, you will find two mongooses located a few yards east of your position, they will be hidden by branches. Once done, put the specified coordinates into your GPS. Report to me when you get to the specified coordinates. Avoid any contact with personals, and most importantly do not get caught.”
I reread the note one more time so that I didn’t skip over any information. I then set the coordinates into my GPS in my helmet and turned towards Elf. “Follow me.” Then we set of towards the mongooses.
They were hard to find, I nearly skipped right over them that’s how well they were hidden, once we found them we got rid of the cover and got on them.
“So where exactly are we going?” Elf asked me.
“I don’t know exactly just follow me there.” I replied, and then we left towards out mission.
The mongooses were as silent as a still night and carried us through the forest like we were being pushed by the wind itself. Everything around us moved quickly but the night sky. The sky in Reach is different then that of earth. First of all there are two moons, it leads to a much brighter night, and also the stars are completely different since the two planets are not in the same solar system.
We rode for maybe two hours then I noticed we were close. “Slow down.” I told Elf from our comms. We came to a clearing about a mile away from our objective. “Wait here for a second.” I ordered Elf.
“Ok.” He just replied. I walked away a few yards then radioed back to Ascension.
Nearly as soon as I radioed in the voice of Salvanous was instantly speaking. “Are you near the position Spartan?” He asked quickly
“Yes sir, about a mile away from the coordinates.” I told him.
“Good, now the coordinates that I gave you will lead you to a red base. I want you to have Elf stay where he is and you to go and recon the place and find whatever information you can, stay there until you feel you have enough information Understood?”
“Yes sir.” I turned my radio off and went back towards Elf. “Wait here; I will be gone for a long time probably. If the sun starts coming up then destroy that mongoose and leave back to base.” I told him
“What are you doing exactly?” He asked confused.
“Don’t worry about it, just stay here.” I replied.
“Ok”
I jogged the rest of the way to the base I was told about, I finally got to it after a few minutes. Right when I saw it I stopped my jog and went into a crouch. I looked around for awhile; I found a small hill not so far away that I could use to be able to see most of the base. I crouched over to it then lay prone on the top of the hill, I pulled out my sniper and looked at the base.
To me it looked like a smaller version of Ascension, there was chain guns placed at regular intervals, and soldiers patrolling the walls. I looked closely in the inside of the base trying to see about how many tents there were. It seemed like there were enough tents to hold seven hundred soldiers easily.
Something didn’t seem right though about the base, some of the tents seemed smaller and more decorated then the rest. At first I thought it was officer cabins until someone stepped out of one. I instantly recognized that it was a Spartan, a higher ranking one at that based on his uniform that he wore instead of armor.
I looked at all the bases and figured that the base could probably hold six Spartan squads of at least seven people. That would make this place nearly impossible to take down by regular means.
I started to report this back to base when a spotlight shined right on top of me.
Chapter ten
As soon as I saw the light on me I rolled back down the hill that I was set up on, I knew it was useless though. I could already hear the footsteps of soldiers coming to my position.
They wouldn’t be able to see me from the other side of the hill so I took of into the forest, I wouldn’t be able to get back to Elf because he was located on the other side of the base.
While I was running I realized that I they would search everywhere in the forest and would probably find Elf before I did.
I turned my comms on and told Elf to get back to base without me.
“Are you sure?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I said through my breaths. “Make sure you destroy the other mongoose, I’ll see you back at base.” I told him. I knew I wouldn’t make it back to base, I would be lucky to survive the night.
“Goodbye.” Was all Elf told me.
So that was it, I am running for my life from an enemy that will probably catch me one way or another. I thought to myself for awhile as I was running, if I am going to die, I’m not going to be going alone.
I kept running for awhile until I found the perfect place. I found an easily climbable tree and scaled it without delay. I grabbed my sniper from my back and prepared for the trackers.
When I got up there I realized that there was a perfect view from the way I came to be able to hit a few of the first soldiers coming in. I broke some of the branches on the other side and covered myself up so that I wouldn’t be seen. I went into a crouch and waited
The minutes ticked by as if it were a life time, I could feel the sweat dripping on my skin, the pounding in my heart was louder than my labored breathing.
I heard the footsteps coming in from far away; I calmed myself and prepared for the encounter that was to come.
Chapter eleven
The footsteps got louder, it sounded as if they were going at a slow jog as to not miss any signs. My uneasiness got bigger and bigger, soon they came into view. There was only about five of them, none Spartans thankfully. There was one in the middle of the five that was commanding the others, “He must be the leader.” I thought to myself. I scoped in my target and squeezed the trigger. At this range he stood no chance, he went down with a bullet going right through his heart. I quickly aimed for another person and shot him a second after I shot the leader. I didn’t look to see if he died; instead I dropped my sniper and jumped down from my hideaway. I pulled my magnum from its holster in mid flight, when I hit the ground I instantly shot two shots to one soldier’s chest. I switched to the next one and sent two into his head. The other was able to get a shot of, my shields took the damage and gave me enough time to shoot him and take him down.
I picked up my sniper, reloaded both my weapons. I looked around at the bodies, they were all dead. I knew I couldn’t stay here so I started going off deeper into the woods.
I turned on my GPS and set in the coordinates of the nearest outpost, I might as well try getting back. I ran into another scouting party up ahead. This one was bigger, about eight people, but I thought I could take them. I grabbed one of my grenades, pulled the pin out and tossed it into the thick of them. I grabbed my DMR and hid behind a tree. The three seconds could have been the whole night to me.
The boom sounded; I heard some of the shrapnel hit the tree I was behind. I came from around the tree and shot the only standing soldier. I went through the group, only one lived. I decided to let him live since he was unconscious and wouldn’t be able to do anything for awhile.
I started walking through the woods towards my destination. I only encounter a small patrol of three, I didn’t even bother taking them out so that I may keep my energy. It felt like id been in this woods for my whole life, it seemed as if it would never end.
Slowly the golden rays of the morning sun started peaking through the foliage.
I found a tree and decided I would take a short break by it. I sat down and pulled out some of the supplies Elf had brought with him. “Thank god he brought this.” I thought as I ate the cold food. I then grabbed one of the two canteens and took a quick drink.
I felt slightly better after this; I looked at my GPS and noticed that I was only about 15 miles to our closest out post. This encouraged me enough to get me to keep going. I walked for another few hours, by this time the sun was high up in the sky.
“10 miles away” I thought as I looked to my GPS. “I’m surprised I made it this far.”
Another hour I was only 8 miles away from the outpost. Everything seemed so tranquil in this forest, the birds were chirping nice and quietly. I felt like I could easily get lost in this peaceful place.
Only 7 miles left, I was nearly close enough to be able to radio them.
I passed through to a clearing and noticed that there were no birds, no nothing.
“Damn, why was I so stupid.” I said aloud. I grabbed my DMR and rolled just in time. Grenades exploded all around where I just was. I quickly picked of two soldier who were together.
The bullets started sounding, my shields took them for a second, I wouldn’t last though. I felt the first bullet go through me. It felt so warm despite what I expected. I knew it wasn’t fatal but it sure did hurt.
Another took me in the leg and sent me to my knee. I fired a few more bullets dizzily, none probably hit. I fell to the ground and couldn’t get up.
“This is how it ends then.” I thought.
The bullet stopped but then came the sounds of footsteps.
I wasn’t scared, I knew death awaited me but I was ready to accept it. I slipped my pistol out without them noticing and placed it under my chest. I could see blood starting to come around where I am laying. They started to gather around me, It sounded as if there were at least a score of them.
“Well turn him over.” One yelled at the others.
I still wasn’t scared when I felt a foot roll me over. Instead I took a tighter grip on my pistol. When I went onto my back I steadied my arm and fired two shots into the person who kicked me over. I then got up bashed one guy with my pistol. I shot another two shots at someone.
The ground quickly swallowed me and everything faded into nothing.
Chapter twelve
The first thing I noticed was that I was alive, and then came the pain. The made me lose conscious again for a few minutes. When I regained my senses I immediately prepared for the next wave of pain. It hit just as hard, I took it though without crying out. I couldn’t cry out for that would show weakness.
When I finally started to get used to the pain I started to take in my surroundings. My armor was gone, I was tied to a tree, I was also very weak, probably from blood loss.
I then slowly opened my eyes, I was met with the face of a red soldier. He immediately slammed his fist into my stomach. This shot extremely painful tendrils running through me, almost making me pass out again.
I knew I had at least one rib cracked now. I spit out some blood that had pooled in my mouth and opened my eyes again.
The soldier who punched me went over and whispered a few words to the man and he came over to me. “So you are the person who was spying on our base now aren’t you?” He asked me
“What does it matter to you?” I growled back at him.
“Oh nothing much, I just want to know why you were sneaking around my home.” He replied coolly.
“I’m not telling you anything.” I yelled, then to add emphasis on it I spat a bit of blood right into his face.
“So be it, I will force you to tell me everything you know.” The commander said with a grimace, he immediately punched me right in the face.
“That’s it?” I laughed at him. The pain hurt more than I thought it would but I didn’t care, I would take this all day if it would protect the B.L.U.E. army.
The punches kept on coming; I slipped in and out of consciousness multiple times. I didn’t know how much longer I could survive this.
After an hour at least the punches finally stopped. “He’s useless to us, kill him.” The leader said.
One of the soldiers came over to me and cut my bonds. I finally got to look around at my finally got to look around at my death spot. I knew the spot, ironically it is the same place that I first met Lloyd.
“How fitting, I joined B.L.U.E. here and now I leave it here.”” I thought to myself quietly. They forced me to my knees right by the river, I could hear the river running behind me, it sounded so very peaceful.
“Make it slow and painful.” The red commander ordered his executioner.
“Yes sir.” He replied with a slight smirk.
The gun sounded, I felt the bullet hit me right in the hip. This sent me down to my stomach. “Get up!” the soldier growled at me.
I tensed up as I heard him come closer to me, I felt the gun barrel on my head.
“Now you die filthy dog.” The soldier grimaced.
Chapter thirteen
The second that my life was about to end was one of the most confusing I had ever experienced. What someone thinks when they die may be different for each person, but for me it was about my past. My whole life was replaying before me, I remember always being the one out on the side, blending in with everyone so that I might not be noticed.
Purple on the other hand was more out going; he talked with a bunch of people and was able to make any one laugh at any occasion.
Still though we became friends, how though I can’t remember exactly.
I remembered my early kid years, they were not all that long ago because at this moment I am only 21, and I remember when I first decided I want to join the Empire. I was in class when they had a recruiting assembly; I was instantly coerced into the idea as I was 10 and would believe anything someone told me was right.
I spent nearly every day training to be the best soldier ever. I got my parents to send me a junior shooting classes, I learned quickly I was not a fit with an automatic weapon. They felt clumsy in my hand and just didn’t belong. The second they gave me a mini rifle I fell in love with it, the accuracy and reliability was unmatched.
After a year of being there Purple surprised me with showing up in the same class I was. In this also Purple was my exact opposite, he was able to use the automatic weapon with ease; the rifle to him though was like the devil.
We were at the top of our classes in each of our respective divisions. We impressed the Empire that we were immediately sent the Spartan project, everyone else was our age at about 12 years old.
The training for that was gruesome; it was so bad that my mind has blacked it out from my memories. I knew the training hardened me, pain was something that didn’t bother me to much anymore, death was something that I now accepted as much as I would life.
Right after the training I joined the R.E.D.D. army; Purple and I were one of the few people that made through that batch. The rest I have said before.
Chapter Fourteen
I hated the position I was in, I was fine with having a gun on me, a Spartan should never kneel to their enemy. Sadly though I was not in the right position to be designating what happened now.
I still cared not that I was about to die, I had protected my fellow members and that’s all that matters.
I heard the sound of a gun being fired. Strangely though I was not dead, I looked to my side and noticed that my executioner was dead. Next thing I knew was that shrapnel filled the air, I covered my face but I was still hit in the legs by a few rogue pieces.
I was sent to my back from all the pain of my wounds, I worried about only covering myself and taking as little space as possible, I grabbed my executioners DMR and crawl behind a tree. Another grenade went of by me and more pieces hit me sending me into a black haze, I could only see a little that wasn’t cloaked inn blackness.
A form appeared from my right side; my instincts kicked in and immediately told me to shoot. I stopped myself just in time for I noticed that the armor was slightly blue.
The form came to me and that’s when I noticed the robotic arm.
“Rayven, is that you?” I try to say, it came out very painfully
“Yes, now hang in there until this is…” She stopped suddenly.
I saw her head look down at her heart. There a blade protruded obviously going straight through her.
She fell to the ground instantly; in her place was the commander from earlier.
Adrenaline pumped through me instantly dispelling all pain.
I tackled the guy and tried to take out his knife. He was able to stab me once, it didn’t feel fatal though. That was all he was able to do for a grabbed his knife and plunged it deep into his skull.
I fell to the ground, I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I was losing consciousness fast, blood was around me and some of it was mine. I didn’t know if I would wake up this time. More forms huddled around me, I couldn’t see anything but shadows.
Then there was nothing.
Chapter fifteen
Pain shot through my head, jolting me up. This was met once again by another shot of pain. I could hear a loud and very rapid beeping coming from my right side, maybe it was my left, before I could do anything more though I felt cold hands pushing me down.
“He’s… cardiac arrest…” said a muffled voice somewhere. I could feel my arms flailing around, but I couldn’t tell what I was doing exactly. After what seemed like ages of this I felt a cold needle slip into one of my veins. My first instinct was that I have been shot, so I fought harder and harder. Slowly the black images in my eyes became darker until they were no more.
I had what I believe could be classified as a dream. I was running, but I wasn’t even moving. All around me faces of those who I have killed showed up in front of me, I saw each of them die time and time again. Finally came a soldier in B.L.U.E. I saw the knife plunge through her armored body again, and then her tumble and the face of my last kill show up.
Then I saw a ceremony, slowly they carried a body by.
This sent a jolt through me and woke me up.
I heard the familiar voice of Salvanous, “Finally you’re up”.
Then I fell back again into my living nightmares.
Chapter sixteen
Slowly the nightmares started to dim out of my vision. Light burned straight through my eyes, forcing me to close them shut even tighter. I felt light headed, I could barely hear anything, but I kept myself from jolting up.
I little while later, but to me it felt like ages, a nurse came in. “Can I help you with anything?” she asked me in a very courteous tone.
“Water” I rasped. I don’t think she understood me though because the sound that came out from myself didn’t even sound like my own. She walked away and I closed my eyes.
A few minutes later she came back, followed with someone in a bright white suit. She slowly handed me a cup. Without even thinking I grabbed it and gulped it all down right away.
“Looks like you have finally decided to join us again lance corporal Messi.” The doctor said. I didn’t understand why he called me a lance corporal. Then I noticed my suit in the back, it contained a single chevron with the crossed guns.
Good, I deserve this after risking my life like that. “How long was I out?” I asked the doctor.
“Let’s see,” he then flipped through a couple of papers. “You were brought in here about three weeks ago with critical injuries. From what I see, you are lucky to be alive right now.”
“And what happened to Rayven?” I tried to ask, tears coming to my face.
“I am sorry, she died instantly. They wanted to bury her after you awoke, but they didn’t know if you would even survive.” The doctor’s words seemed to be getting farther away with every word he said. It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t been caught, then no one would have died. Next thing I knew I was in my living nightmares again.
I awoke to a very familiar face sitting right next to me, many familiar faces. All around my bed were all of my squad mates, all except one. “Where is Lloyd?” I asked before anyone could talk.
“He was stationed to another base” Purple told me.
“Why?”, “Because the leader of the Brotherhood thought it would be best if he went to command a base, but we already have a leader here.” King told me. “That means I am the new CO of this squad” he continued, “And that chaos is our new XO”.
The rest of the day went by like a blur, I went back to out bunks, but it didn’t feel right. We were down a lot of men now, and we lost our two highest ranking members.
Journal Entry two
So this is what war is like is it? If you asked me when I was a kid I would have never told you that I wanted to grow up and become a killer. That is how fate would have it. It doesn’t matter if you are doing it for a good cause.
Our race is set up in a weird way, we see a person who kills someone without a gun as a murderer, yet if that person magically had a gun and was shooting you, then it changes things to where their life is worth less than that innocent person. I don’t care what anyone says, if you kill someone no matter who it is, then you are a murderer. Whether or not you murder for good or not doesn’t matter.
Everyone does something for a reason, we call our enemies bad but that is only because they don’t share the same ideas as we do, why is that? Is it because we area a race that wants to be right so bad that we will kill over it. That is what I believe the human races supreme downfall is.
When we had the covenant war we were able to bond together to protect ourselves, but when that was over we went back to fighting. Are we no better than the brutes that fought and killed each others clans? I hope that we are, but we are probably more a like to them then any other species that we will ever find.
-Lance corporal Messi
Chapter seventeen
The chill of winter slowly descended upon the camp. The night was cold, the air very still. As I walked through the camp, I thought about what my next mission would be. That’s all that seemed to matter to me now, getting the next mission done. It scared me realizing this. I was scared that I was turning into one of the monsters I was fighting to stop. No, I thought to myself, I am the one trying to get rid of those monsters that would harm people.
Those words were what always guided me. I knew that I was a murderer, I knew that I have killed someone who had a family, yet I couldn’t let those feelings bring me down. Those men that I have killed always come up in my dreams. Sometimes I see all the men lined up in a straight line, all their faces have so much detail that it seems real. Then one by one they all die. Other times i see the men’s family standing over all their graves. The tears on their face are clearly visible, the flowers they lay at their feet as clear as the morning sun.
Those dreams are gone as quick as they come. Sometimes I wake up to see another one of my squad mates up some times. I wonder if maybe they are having the same dreams that I am having.
I had woken up earlier that night from one of those dreams. I couldn’t stand it in our tent, so I had to leave and get out. During the day the camp seems so fun, but at night I would rather prefer a thousand year old mansion than walking through the camp. The only way any one would know that people are alive here is by the occasional grunt of a sleeping soldier, or the small fires built by the men taking watch.
All I heard was the pop of a gun. It took me less than a second for me to feel the pain in my lower back. I instantly fall to the ground, hoping to play dead. The ground was so cold, yet the blood running down my back was so warm.
He stood over my body. Why has no one come yet. Then more gunshots filled the air. Hell, we are under attack. I flipped onto my back, and kicked the guy as hard as I could in the chest. My enhanced strength sent the guy flying back, he never got up. I ran over to him, grabbed his pistol and ammo, and sprinted back to my squad.
I saw a few dead bodies by the tent, but none of them ours. Inside was different though. The smell of death hung heavy in the tent. Only James and Purple were there.
“Where is everyone else?” I asked them both
“Dead” was all the reply.
The shock that I felt was stronger than being struck by lightning. “How did this happen?” I hurriedly asked them.
“They…” A noise then sounded behind me. I spun around just in time to see two soldiers peek in. I popped them both in the heart before they even saw me.
“Now hurry up what happened?” I asked again.
“They ambushed us, we were lucky we weren’t in the tent” James told me.
“Well this isn’t the time to just stand around and do nothing” I told them, gunshots sounding everywhere, “Now let’s get a weapon and show them how we fight.”
Then searing pain hit me in my back hit me. I fell to my knees clutching my back.
“You are in no condition to fight,” Purple came to my side, supporting me.
“I’m fine” I told him, “Let’s go, we need to make sure Salvanous is a live.
Chapter Eighteen
We were running through the whole camp. Everything was in hell, gun shots sounded everywhere, half the camp was up in smoke, and there seemed to be an endless amount of the enemies on this place. We met a small squad of about 6 marines and quickly saved them from a firefight. They came along with us.
Finally we made it to Salvanous’ tent, it was empty.
“Come on, he has got to be here!” James yelled. The tent was in utter disarray, papers were strung everywhere as if a hurricane had blown threw here.
“I hope he didn’t have anything important here.” One of the marines piped in.
“I’m certain that he did” I told everyone. “He is one of the higher people in this army after all, just the more reason to go and find him.”
“Well we better get moving then.” Purple told us.
I turned to the marines, “You guys stay here, protect this place with your lives.”
“but…” One of them interrupted.
“No buts, we need to be able to keep as much information as we can for this. Do not let the enemy even get one paper.”
“Yes sir” The marines saluted, and we left.
The firefights had started to become more silent, we seemed to be gaining the upper hand as well. We passed by a few similar squads as before, and sent them back to the tent, thinking that to become our meeting place for after the battles. Then the fire came back, my vision blurred for a second, but I couldn’t stop, not now, with someone’s life on the line.
I carried on, ignoring all the pain, and not letting my friends know about it. We finally got to the walls, which we climbed up to instantly, to survey the area. What we saw could scare even the most battle hardened man.
There were scores of them, they seemed to never end. “I thought they would never attack us.” James said, in utter disbelief.
“I thought they were all disbanded, let alone in this full of numbers.” Purple told us, completely dumfounded.
“I myself don’t care, I’m just glad that they haven’t fired at us.” I told my companions. “Don’t shoot guys,” I continued, “They have not shown themselves as enemies just yet.”
“One of them is coming to us” James said, a bit uneasy.
“Let him come, he is not showing any hostility, he doesn’t even have his weapon drawn on us.” I told James to give him a bit of confidence. The thing walked up to our gate then, spoke.
“I am here to support you” That is all he said, and all of us were put to ease.
“Who will speak to him?” James asked “I certainly won’t.” He continued, Purple seemed too much in shock to even say one word, so I had to be the one to speak up.
I stood up, “Your support would be much appreciated, and very timely, but tell me, what is your name?”
“I am the Arbiter, which is all you need to know.”
Journal entry three
I’ve been fighting for what seems forever. All of that time full of pain. The life of a soldier, my life, is not one of enjoyment.
It has been a year since that attack on Ascension. I have made many leaps in the chain of command since then, yet it doesn’t help. Bellator has only gained one person as the Arbiter graciously joined up with us to help us out. Alas, it doesn’t ease the pain of the loss of my friends.
This journal has become thick with ink. I hope that one day it can serve to teach a lesson to someone. This war, war in general actually, is never worth the cost. We fight for someone else’s greed. Very few of those people who we fight for look at me and would be sad if I died, yet we still fight for them.
I have grown tired of this war, I wait for my end. I will not grow old and retire, that is not the way of a Spartan. I will die fighting for those men of greed, yet they shall never know what I have done for them. They will never know what the pain feels like, what you think as you watch your own men being buried. That is how an officer thinks though.
I hope that someone reads this one day, and they chose not to waste there lives for the greedy men of this world. If this journal can save at least one person from dieing like how I will one day, then I have done more good than I have ever done on the battlefield.
Murder just leads to more murder, and I have done more than most people can say that they have. My dreams are haunted by the specters of those men. They form there own legion. They feel as if they may just crush me, yet they have no strength.
I grow tired of this war. I hope that it ends soon for me, one way, or another.
-Second Lieutenant Messi
Chapter nineteen
The winter snow was just starting to fall, the chill biting through to a man’s bone. Ascension had settled down and was now back to normal, yet it had even more defenses now.
I was standing over my desk when James walked into the tent, shrugging off the snow on his shoulders. “Are you still writing in that little diary?” he asked jokingly.
“You know very well I spend most of my time on this” I replied back, joking along with him.
He replied, but I didn’t catch it as I heard running from outside. The sound was coming closer, not farther away, and they were very frantic. Next thing I knew Purple came dashing in, his face red even though we could all run forever.
“You… guys need… to come” He said, gasping for air.
“Hold on a second, catch your breath” James joked, punching him on the shoulder. Purple took a second to ready himself, and started to talk again. “We need to see Anarchy, he has a very important mission for us to undertake, and he needs us there ASAP.”
Why would Anarchy need us? He just recently became the leader of this place, and has yet to even acknowledge us here. O well it must be important then.
“What about the Arbiter?” I asked
“He is already there”. Then we were quickly moving through to learn what our new mission would be.
When we finally got there we quickly saluted Anarchy then went to sit down, eager to hear what his new orders were.
“Ok” Anarchy started, his clean black jacket giving him a very commanding look, “We have gained much more intel on that base that was reconed more than a year ago. It turns out that they are using that place as a storage house for there army. They are reported to have enough weapons to be able to supply every man in this base twice, and enough food to let them last a three month siege comfortably. I want Bellator to infiltrate that place, and send it to the sky. This will allow us to be able to have a better foothold in this region. Do I make myself clear?” He ordered
“Yes sir” The other three replied, yet I wasn’t that sure of this mission.
“Sir?” I asked. “Go ahead” Anarchy continued. “How exactly do you plan on us doing this with only four men, we might be some of the better soldiers here, yet four isn’t a lot.”
He stared at me, and then chuckled. “I have already taken that into account, you will find some help right outside right now, in fact I’ll have them come in now.” He then went to the tent then quickly came back, followed by four men.
The last guy came in, and I was about to fall over. It was our old leader, Lloyd! Why he had come back I didn’t care, but I was glad to see him. He gave a knowing smile when he saw me staring at him.
“So you all know what you must do, I will give you some time to get acquainted, but you guys will leave as soon as the first tips of the sun disappears.”
“Yes sir” We replied, saluting, then left.
The sun was already starting to set, but that didn’t keep us from catching up with each other. The three other people seemed to be very good recruits.
One guy seemed to be the oddest of them all, he never talked. His name was Zeke, and he just sat in the background, doing nothing.
Another was called Jamie, and he was the exact opposite in personality. He seemed to always be talking, and seemed to never know when to be quiet, but that didn’t matter too much because we needed someone who could talk, and make people feel better.
The other two were called Lyrics and Freelance, and they were nearly exactly the same. They knew each other very well, and held themselves the same way.
Finally the sun was starting to set, and we had to make sure all of our gear was ready. I brought my standard sniper and silencer, my DRM, and my Magnum, each with an extra five clips, and two grenades just in case.
Then we went to Anarchy’s tent to get some last words of advice. He met us there then gave an object to Purple. “The bomb” Anarchy said with a small laugh.
“You are to plant it, then get half a mile outside of the blast radius.”
He then gave me the detonator saying, “Don’t go blowing up Purple as soon as he enters the base now soldier”
Before we left I handed Anarchy something, my journal. This is because it had just recently grown full of ink, and I didn’t need it anymore. “Make sure that at least someone reads it,” I told him, and then walked away.
Next thing I knew we off, driving four of the specialized mongooses that I had been in just a little over a year before as the sun’s rays start to disappear underneath the surface.
Chapter 20
Everywhere I looked I could see the past events that had happened to me. We passed by the clearing where I was held prisoner. I could still see the part in which Rayven had died. All of it caused a very sobering effect on me. Many people had died from this mission, some of them on our side. I hope that none of that will happen this time.
The time passed by so quietly that it seemed to spread on forever. Then we saw the base on the horizon, the same base. We stopped at the same exact spot that I had stopped at before.
The base was set up in a common strategic setting. The base had one door at the front, and it seemed to be easily penetrable, then was set up so that the east and west side was on a hill, making it hard to get up. The south side was the same as the north side, but it had no entrance.
We all gathered around and everyone looked at me, as I knew more about this place from my experience here before.
“Ok,” I started, taking a second to make a few last adjustments, “I want to have Free and Lyrics go to the south side, hit them from afar and try to draw their fire to you. When that is done, Lloyd, Arbiter, and Jamie, you guys will hit there gates with a few rockets, that should easily take it down. Move into the base, and try to take out as many enemies as you can. When they move in, I want to have Purple and James move in, then plant the bomb in the middle, and we will leave. Zeke you and I will be on sniper support. You will follow me and we will have an over watch position to support the infiltration team. We will not fire until they are being distracted on that south side. When Purple gets in there I will join him there just in case, and Zeke, you will watch out for reinforcements. Just give us a heads up if any come. Ok guys, let’s get this done.” We then said our goodbyes and proceeded to get into position.
Zeke and I made it to the hill. From there we could see everything from this over watch. Slowly everyone was in position, Lyrics and Free were in cover on the south side, and ready to start there strikes. I could see the others on the far side of the north side, and as I zoomed in I could see Purple with the launcher in his hand. “Figures you’d take the rockets” I joked over the comms.
“Well I already have the bomb, might as well take this explosion also” He joked right back.
“Ok well guys, is everyone ready?” I asked.
“Yes sir, south side is ready.” Lyrics called.
“This place is about to blow up.” Lloyd yelled.
“Well then let’s go.” I took a small pause to ready myself, “Fire on them now, and let’s deal the reds a blow that they won’t forget anytime soon.”
The first shots were then fired, and I readied myself to take out more enemies. “Is it worth it” I silently though. “Do these men really deserve to die?” I questioned. I quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of my head and lined up my first target in my scope.
The tips of the morning were just starting to show as the first enemy fell.
Chapter twenty-one
I quickly went through half of my mags, yet they still had plenty more men there. “How are you guys holding up there?” I asked Lyrics.
“We are doing fine. They seem to be concentrating on us quite intensely. Please hurry up now and blow that gate up.” He replied.
I took a quick look over the complex and saw that they were all indeed more on that side. “Ok Purple, show them how blue gets things done.”
I had barely finished speaking when I saw the rocket streak through the air like a comet. Before that one even hit, another one was trying to catch up with it.
One explosion, followed by another filled the air, the gate lay in complete ruins, nothing left.
“Ok infiltration team, go!” I yelled. Zeke and I were able to quickly go through another clip easily as we took out the stunned enemies. I was coming down to my last mag, so I picked my shots so that I hit the people who were at the biggest threat.
“How you doing Zeke?” I asked. Zeke then showed me a bag of what I figured to be extra ammo. I suppressed a smile at that and quickly added my last mag in.
“The compound is mostly cleared. Jamie has taken a hit, but will be fine.” Lloyd called in.
“Ok Purple move in, I will be joining up with you also right now” I told the bomb team. “Lyrics, rendezvous with Zeke. That is where we shall meet up to leave here. Zeke make sure no reinforcements come, and tell us if some do” I then laid my sniper down, and took off to catch up with Purple just in case something happens.
Chapter twenty-two
I had met up with purple before they even got to the gate, but it caused a bit of sprinting. We then went into the base and met up with Lloyd.
“How you hanging up there?” I asked Jamie.
“I’ll be fine, could use a bit of rest when we get back though.”
“You three,” I said pointing to the infiltration team, “I want you guys to go back and meet up with Zeke, since we have everything covered here.”
“Yes sir” They then left.
I then turned to Purple, “Well let’s get to arming this bomb.”
All three of us then went to the center square of the base. “How much damage do you think this will do?” James asked Purple.
“Enough so that we will feel it from quite a ways away.” He laughed.
“Well,” I said, “We better not be in that blast radius.” James said, we all laughed a bit at that one.
The sun was now slightly visible in the horizon. It’s light casting a soft glow on everything around us. All seemed at peace, and as if nothing bad had ever happened. The only thing stopping that is the occasional body that is seen here or there, and the wet ground around them.
Finally the bomb was armed and we could leave.
“Ok let’s hurry up and get out of here” James said. “I’m sure they had time to ca…” Before he could finish, a grenade appeared in between us.
“Move!” I yelled. The grenade exploded, my shields went down just slightly.
“You guys ok?” I asked.
“Shields are at 70%” Purple said.
“Mine are at 25%”
I had to think quick. Who threw that, and how many of them are there?
“James, stay behind cover until your shields recharge, and Purple keep your eyes out for whoever did this”
The next second went by forever. Then I saw them, three soldiers in MJOLNIR armor.
“Shit” I said, “We have Spartans. Be careful” I suppressed them so as to give James some time for his armor. I heard more shots fill the air to my side. I didn’t even have to think to know that they were coming from Purple’s two sub machine guns. Then finally came the three quick sounds, signaling that James was back in it.
“Concentrate your fire on the one on the left, then when the one from the right breaks, thinking he isn’t being watched destroy him.” I ordered. The plan seemed to be working out perfectly. Then the firing on the right stopped. “Get ready” I said. I then noticed the figure move from the right side. “Now!” I yelled.
All of a sudden the man on the right’s shields flared, then quickly fell. The bullets then tore through him, and he died before he was even able to hit the ground.
“Ok we will keep them suppressed. Then James, you will sweep around to the left to take out that guy from behind.” I ordered. “How you guys doing on ammo?”
“I still have about 8 clips for my machine guns, and still 5 clips for my magnum.” Purple replied.
“I have about 5 for this BR, and another 4 for the AR with me.”
“Ok good, now light them up purple, you take the guy on the left, I’ll take the guy in the middle.”
Slowly they started to stop shooting. I tossed a grenade to the guy in the middle. That must have scared him a bit as he stopped shooting for a bit. Purple then saw what that did, and did the same.
“Ok James, move!” I ordered. I saw James streak across the area. If I wouldn’t have known that he was doing it, then I would have never even have saw him.
“Moving into position now.” James’ voice said. “O no he has a….” The voice then faded away.
“James!” I yelled over the comms. His vitals were slowly starting to flat line.
“You won’t have me that easily.” I heard James’ voice say, very weakly though. An explosion sounded through the air. Where the two Spartans used to be was now just ash.
“No!” I heard Purple gasp, but I didn’t care. I took out my pistol and sprinted straight for the last Spartan.
Chapter twenty-three
The Spartan saw me charging him, and his courage must have faltered as he retreated into a building. I barged through there recklessly. I quickly found the red Spartan. I charged him and tackled him to the ground.
He quickly kicked me off of him, sending my pistol flying across the room. I didn’t care though; this last guy had to die. I whipped out my knife, as did he, and went to engage him.
Our blades flashed across each other, he was the stronger, yet I was the faster. I scored the first hit. He sent his blade in a sweeping motion. I punched his blade hand and went in for a stab. I didn’t hit him, yet his shields went out.
We went on for what seemed forever. My shields then went out when he kicked me in the chest and went through a sweeping motion with his knife. We exchanged a few more attacks.
He started to tire, but so was I. He went for a strong side cut. I gathered the last bit of my adrenaline and rolled under his blade to the right. I stood on my knees and stabbed him right in the back, then swept his legs right out from under him.
He was lying on the ground and rolled over, but didn’t get over. I stood over him a second to compose myself, then went for the kill.
The first thing I felt was the cold feel of steel, but I had to continue. I plunged that knife deep into his heart with all my strength. His armor caved in on him, and he died right then and there. That was when I noticed the red blood coming from my armor.
Purple then ran into the base, and was surprised at what he saw.
“I’ve been stabbed.” I said, the cold feel of the steel was now able to be felt in my arms. “I’m not going to be able to get back.” I continued.
“Don’ say that, we need you here.” Purple told me, his voice pleading.
I would have said more, but then the comms flared with Lloyd’s voice. “You guys need to get out of there, they have about a thousand troops on there way it looks like.”
I knew how this would end, but I wasn’t scared. “Go” I told Purple, “Get back to them and leave, just do something for me” I stopped to steady myself. “Make sure that someone reads that journal of mine. I don’t care who, but someone needs to.”
“Don’t say that.” Purple cried, “You will be fine”
I went up to him and pushed him away, obviously surprising him. “Go!” I yelled, “I will hold them off until you get outside the blast area, then I will take out not only this base, but a whole lot of those idiots.”
Purple didn’t even say anything, he was to shocked by it all, he just left, but at the door he dropped his two machine guns and the rest of his ammo.
“Zeke, cover Purple on his way out, and Lloyd make sure Bellator stays strong.” I told the men on the ridge.
“You’re not coming out?” Lloyd asked.
“I wouldn’t even make it to the ridge” I told him.
“Ok soldier give them hell, and don’t leave one to see noon.” Lloyd then ended the comms.
Chapter twenty-four
I steadied myself for a second, and prepared for my last stand. I went over and grabbed Purple’s final gift, and retrieved my pistol. I searched the other Spartans body and found a few extra mags for the machine gun.
“I’m not going out without a fight” I said out loud. “The reds will remember this day for awhile. I had one thing I had to do, one simple job, and a Spartan always finishes his mission.
Slowly timed passed by me. My arms were now completely cold, but I could still use them fully. Finally I could here the soldiers entering the base. I then noticed that my shields were full. Good, I thought, that will let me cause even more havoc.
The footsteps were coming closer, and then I saw the first marine. “Hey I yelled, come at me.” I then shot the surprised marine right in the head with a pistol bullet.
They all quickly swarmed the front of the building. Just as I thought they would. I switched to the machine guns and popped out of the cover. I easily mowed down a score of them, and my shields were only at 90%. I quickly reloaded and did the same, this time more careful to avoid bullets. The bodies started to pile.
Soon the enemies were starting to be able to cover themselves in there fallen comrades bodies, which they did. I picked out my grenade, then went over to the dead Spartan right by me. He had another two grenades, so I tossed my grenade into the mass of dead and living bodies, and grabbed the two grenades.
Bodies flew everywhere, as did blood. I looked back and had to resist the urge of throwing up. Everywhere were pieces of bodies, and the moans of soldiers were very loud.
I was now down to only two extra mags in the machine gun, and my death was fast approaching. My legs were starting to grow cold like my hands, but I didn’t care. I quickly spent my last shots with the machine gun. I went to the dead Spartan and stole his pistol and ammo.
The soldiers were now starting to enter the building. I could hear the footsteps at the door. My shields were now at 75%. I had both my pistols out and at the ready. The footsteps were now around the corner. I tossed another grenade and was satisfied as I heard quite a few men yell.
The first marine turned the corner very scared, and was met with two magnum shots to the chest. More poured through, and more died. The bodies there filled the doorway, and made it impossible for them to make it through.
That didn’t stop them from using the other doorway though. I didn’t realize that until I heard the rounds come off of my shields. I spun around and quickly took out the soldiers. I was coming down to my last mag, and my shields had just recently taken a lot of damage, and were at 25%.
The sound then filled the house. I barely had time to dive out of the way as the house exploded around me from a rocket.
My shields were down, and I was coughing up a bit of blood, but I still had my pistol. Two soldiers saw me and went towards me. I spent my last shots on them.
“So it ends” I whispered while pulling out the detonator. I wasn’t even scared of this. I knew that by know my friends were out of the blast radius. “Well my friend” I continued out loud. “It falls to you to lead them.”
I pushed down the detonator, the button offering no resistance, and yet it was all comforting.
Prologue
I could hear our pursuers closing in on us. They we getting so close I could hear the crackle of leaves and the crunching of branches behind me, my breath was coming in labored gasp. To my left was my friend Purple, I could tell he was equally tired by the sweat dripping down his face.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up” I try to tell Purple but it barely came out. My heart was pounding so hard I was afraid that it might end up just bursting inside
“Just keep running.” Purple replied. He seemed equally tired but we knew that we could never give up .Slowly the sounds of our pursuers became louder and louder. We put on an extra burst of speed for a short time.
We came to a clearing in the forest; in the middle of the clearing was our doom. The clearing was split in half by a river that’s current was so strong that not even a boat could cross the water. “So this is how it ends.” I quietly say more to myself then to anyone else.
“So it is.” Purple replies solemnly. I turn around to face our pursuers. No sooner had I turn around then I saw the cursed red bodies of the evil R.E.D.D. troops, four of them, each outfitted with a DMR.
“Hands up where I can see them!” The lead soldier barks. I look straight at him and followed his order. I wasn’t scared of death, when some people become a Spartan they accept their fate to die by the bullet of a gun. I also knew the risk I was taking when I chose to try and escape, as did my friend hopefully.
I close my eyes and relax, my mind was flashing back as to how this incident came to pass. It felt as if I went death during those few seconds.
“Time to die, traitors,” The red soldier told us, his voice muted by the last little bit of my adrenaline. I tense up as I wait for the bullet that would surely rip through my chest and end my life. Then I heard the boom of a gun being fired, never have I felt calmer than in those few seconds of my life.
Chapter one
My name is Messi, nothing less nothing more; I was born on reach and have lived here my whole life. Purple and I have known each other since we were thirteen, both of us decided to become a super soldier so that we could join the R.E.D.D. army to help the Empire. We were both blinded by the thought that the Empire was perfect and kept us from the hands of the murderous B.L.U.E.’s.
When we got their though we quickly learned just how huge our thoughts were misguided. When I was enlisted under the R.E.D.D. army I saw some of the worst moments of my life their, it would haunt me forever.
A R.E.D.D. patrol came back with a prisoner, the commander slowly tortured him by cutting him everywhere on his body. When he didn’t give the answers the answers he like he responded by cutting off his arms. The loyal soldier still didn’t respond so he was hanged then and there, all of this was done publicly.
A month after we joined we already were planning to desert, we hoped maybe to be able to make it to a B.L.U.E. army base to join up with the rebels. Sadly though a patrol that was out was alerted about us and chased us. Purple and I had left our armor and guns behind because we thought it would just slow us down. We knew that the price of deserting was death on sight but we couldn’t take it anymore. If I had one regret it would be that I didn’t take any R.E.D.D.’s down with me.
Then I was brought back to reality before me, and my death that awaited.
Chapter two
The shot fired, but the sting did not come. “So this is how death feels does it?” I thought quietly to myself, and then I heard another two shots. This confused me enough to open my eyes, before me laid 3 dead R.E.D.D.’s behind the still breathing lead soldier. Before he could react though a sword came ripping through his back, coming all the way out through the other side, the sword was brought back and the body fell to the floor with a plop. The killer was obviously a soldier of the B.L.U.E. army, based on his blue armor; he held a bloodied katana in both hands.
I stood there for a while not knowing whether or not to be afraid or thankful. Then from both sides of the clearing came three more soldiers came out. One you could tell was obviously the commander based on how he held himself and the fact that his armor was brighter and better. One was curiously colored for he had blue and green stripes running horizontally across the light armor that he had, and the last looked to me as just another Spartan that anyone would see in blue armor.
“King that’s enough,” the leader ordered.
“Yes sir,” the soldier, King, sheathed the sword in the case running along his back and went back to fall in with the rest of his team.
The small team’s guns were still pointed at us so I knew that we were still in a dangerous position. “What are you two doing here?” The leader asked.
Purple seemed to be at a lost of words so I spoke up instead, “We were running away from them, sir.” I told him while also pointing at the bodies.
“Then why were they chasing you?” The leader replied right away.
So I told them the story of how Purple and I came to be standing right where we were.
When I finished the story, with help from Purple, there was a period of silence that the leader must have been thinking. “Russian.” The leader spoke, breaking the silence.
“Yes sir.” The plain looking Spartan replied.
“I want you to go on back to base and tell them that we have to new hopeful recruits.”
“Yes sir.” Came the reply immediately, he was gone from sight in a manner of seconds.
“Recruits,” I thought to myself silently, “that means we are to join the army.” All the running Purple and I have done today had finally paid of, we were about to join the B.L.U.E. army.
One thing though that was on my mind that I couldn’t dispel, “Uh sir, who are you and what were you doing here?” I asked
“My name is 2nd lieutenant Lloyd, the one with green is gunnery sergeant James, and the swordsman here is corporal King, we are just about to leave back to our base on the other side of this river when we heard people running. Now if you wouldn’t mind we need to take these bodies and throw them in the river.”
We quickly did that and we were off.
Chapter three
The journey to the B.L.U.E. base took the rest of the day, by the time we got there the sun was already sinking into the horizon. The base was practically a fort in the middle of nowhere, it was placed in a giant clearing, patrolling nearly every inch of the walls were dozens of troops.
“Welcome to base Ascension.” Lloyd informed us. The doors were opened immediately and we stepped inside. The base was filled with tents, but that was what I expected
“This place has been a B.L.U.E. base for the past ten years.” Lloyd informed us, probably just to impress us. “Now you two shall stay here for tonight until we figure out what to do with you two tomorrow. This place is for the new recruits, you two though are the only recruits here, you will stay here until we figure out what to do with you two.” With that done we went into the small housing unit, inside was exactly as I expected, rows and rows of beds. The beds were standard military grade beds that Purple and I have been sleeping on forever.
“I can’t believe how lucky we are.” I tell Purple thinking back on the past days experience.
“I know I could have sworn we were going to die back there.” He replies, “Where do you think we will do know that we are here?”
“I don’t know but I’m guessing we will join a squad tomorrow and who knows from their.”
I then laid down on the bed and was out nearly instantly into the world of sleep.
Chapter three
I was awoken by someone shaking me awake, “Come on Messi you might want to get up.” I rub my eyes then open them slowly. “Come on we were requested to practice.” Purple says shaking me again, I look around and see a suit of blue armor on the bed next to me.
I suit up, and then me and purple walk out of the house. Right outside was the soldier named King, his sword still with him. “Come on now follow me.” He said simply. The sun was just now coming up when we got to the practice arena. Inside was a giant room that seemed completely bare. “Wait here.” King ordered.
We stood there for a minute then a new B.L.U.E. came before us. “Attention!” he ordered. Purple and I salute immediately, “So you two want to join the B.L.U.E. army do you?”
“Yes sir!” We both reply.
“Well I’m major Salvanous, commander of every soldier in this fort. I didn’t get here by accident, I’ve spent years in wars, and I’ve seen many men die. Are you two going to be another casualty of this war? Let’s see what you two have got in you.” He pauses for a second then points at Purple, “You what do you do.”
Purple stalls for a second then finds his voice, “Heavy weapons sir!”
He then points at me “How about you?”
I was ready for this so I responded instantly, “Sniper sir!”
Salvanous thinks to himself for awhile. “You two are in luck, we have one spec ops group that happens to need those types of soldiers. Soon enough we shall see how good you actually are.” He paused then yelled “King!”
The soldier came at once, “Yes sir!” he saluted
“Say hello to your new squad members.” Salvanous told him.
King looked at us then smiled, “Let’s go meet the rest of your squad.” And with that he left and we followed.
When we got to the squads housing units we saw a few new faces but already knew most the squad. There were the four soldiers who helped us and a person in white with a robotic arm, and someone in practically no armor and knives all across him.
“So these are the new recruits are they?” The knives man said. “Specialist Chaos and that over there is warrant officer Rayven.” He said pointing to the last person.
“I don’t see them lasting that long.” Rayven said,
“Something about the voice didn’t seem right.” I thought to myself but before I could decipher it a foot soldier ran into our tent.
“Outpost alpha is under heavy fire, Major Salvanous has ordered your whole squad to move to assist.” He then left promptly.
“Ok Spartans move out, that includes you two, time to see how good you guys are.” And next thing i know we were on the way to my first fight.
Chapter four
“So what exactly is Alpha base?” I ask Lloyd in the pelican.
“It is our closest base to the R.E.D.D. city of Hyperion, so if it falls it will mean they can attack us much easier, it cannot fall.” He replies quickly.
About twenty minutes later I hear James, “We are about three minutes away; you should be close enough for communications.”
Lloyd turns on his comms; he talks for a minute then turns it off. “Alpha is on the verge of falling, it is our job to take keep that from happening, they have estimated about five hundred R.E.D.D.’s are compared to our one hundred, it will be a tough fight, but that’s why they sent us. So ready up Spartans because here we go. You two new guys please don’t die we might need you.”
I could hear the sound of gunfire before I could see the base itself. I have done practice fights before that no one could get killed in, but this was something completely different. I was scared so much that I felt like I could die. We dropped down about one hundred yards away from the base; I strapped my sniper on my back, grabbed my DMR and a few magazines. When we got to the base everything got more grim, the base was already down to about seventy five men and were losing more and more every minute, the dead and wounded were lying everywhere from the top of the walls to the inside of the tents.
Lloyd talks to the man in charge for a second then call us together. “Ok, this will be a hard fight but we can still do this, Messi there is a sniper tower not to far from here, take that and take out as many R.E.D.D.’s as you can, the rest of you follow me.”
A soldier shows me the way to the tower, it was on the same side as the wall that was being attacked but far enough away from it that they wouldn’t be firing at it directly. We both walk up to the top of the tower and into the sniper chamber. The very first thing I notice is a dead body in one corner of the tower.
“That was my best friend.” The soldier says, “And our last sniper, please Spartan kill as many of those damn R.E.D.D.’s as possible.”
“Don’t worry I will take out as many as I can.” I ensure him, he then leaves and I start to set up. I open up my squad comms to report in.
“I’m at the tower sir.”
“Good now take any soldier out that you can see, the rest of us are going to be on the wall taking down anyone who comes to close. We all might just need it.” Lloyd tells me.
The tower was a very small room, there was only a single window in the room for you to shoot out of, and other than that it was all black. I walk to the window and I survey the battlefield, the sight was horrible. It looked like the enemy would surely win in just an hour or so.
Seeing this possibility I quickly grab my sniper and start getting to work.
Chapter five
The R.E.D.D.’s must have suspected that there would be no more snipers that could come to the tower, none of them seem to notice when I went to the window and took aim at the first soldier I saw.
I took a second to line up the crosshair to the soldiers heart, took a deep breath then steadied my hands. I felt myself pull the trigger, the recoil hit my shoulder but I barely felt it. The bullet raced through the air then ripped into the soldier’s chest, he dropped dead instantly.
I get out of the window for a second so that they think that it’s still empty. I look back through the window and this time look for a specific target. I found a man in front of a group of soldiers obviously giving him commands. My crosshairs line up to the commander’s face, once again the bullet whizzed through the air then buried itself right between his eyes. His guards to his side were splatter with the blood of the person they were protecting. I saw the soldiers immediately start to run in all directions to try to get out of the way. I drop two more soldiers that couldn’t get away then draw back to reload.
“How are you doing their Messi” I hear Lloyd’s voice ask through the comms.
“Fine sir, I took out one of their commanders. How are things going on over their sir?” I reply
“Good job, and things are slowly getting better here. They seem to be slowing their attack. Keep taking out as many soldiers as you can.”
I didn’t need told anymore; I went back to the window and found a pocket of soldiers. That’s when I remember I need to reload; I quickly did that and went back to the pocket I was at. I quickly take out four more soldiers before they even knew what was happening. I repeat this and soon I was out of magazines to use.
I search the corpse of the soldier who was still dead inside; I found three more mags and set back to taking out more of the soldiers. The sniper was like another part of me, every shot destroyed the targeted soldier as easily as I could talk.
By the time I finished the first mag I noticed a problem, their was a five person squad of what looked like Spartan soldiers. I immediately informed this to Lloyd.
“Take them out now!” He ordered. “Remember aim for the head, their shields won’t protect them.”
“Yes sir.” I told him, then I set to taking out my new targets.
The five Spartans were walking so casually that they seemed to want to be taken out. I set my scope to the middle one they shoot him in the head, then I go to the one on the left before he could react. They both fell to the ground dead. The rest of the squad quickly scattered.
“Sir, I took out two out of the five Spartans, the other have scattered.” I inform Lloyd.
“Good work, just keep a look out for the rest of them, kill them on sight before they kill us.” He responds.
I scan the battlefield but I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Suddenly a sniper round bangs into the wall behind me, I dive down under the window.
Judging by how the sniper bullet came in I had an idea as to where the sniper was at. I quickly come out and look to where I thought he was, I saw him laying their in a bush. I pull out of the window just in time for a bullet went whizzing just by my head. I take a second to compose myself before quickly going into the window again. I see him then aim at his head and shoot, all in a manner of seconds. He died just as the rest, I noticed to that he was one of the three remaining Spartans.
I call back in to tell the rest of my squad that theirs only two left.
“Ok don’t worry about them now, just try to take out all the soldiers you see.” Lloyd instructed me.
I take two more out and put in my second to last clip. Soon I was down to my last clip. I easily take out three more soldiers but I wait to use my last shot. I scan the battlefield for a better target that might do more damage. I saw a man in a black buttoned uniform and bright blonde hair, about two miles away; I knew it would be a hard shot. He seemed to be talking with a group of higher ranking soldiers.
I adjust my shot for the slight drop that would come from the shot; I then noticed the slight wind that was in the air and had to quickly adjust for that. I slowly pull the trigger. I hold my breath; the bullet nailed him right in the chest. The people who were around him were surprised by this, they instantly dispersed.
“Sir, I’m out of ammo, want me to meat up with you?” I ask Lloyd.
“Yes and we took out those last two Spartans, your friend purple took one and I took out the last. It looks as if they are retreating though.” Lloyd replied.
The information relieved me and that’s when the mental fatigue from the fight started to kick in.
Chapter six
The base seemed nearly deserted as I walked through it. I could hear the moan of the inured and dying, and the bodies of the already dead. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be a soldier either helping a wounded or taking him to the “dead room”.
The revelation shocked me, “So this is the aftermath of war, is it?” I brood quietly to myself. Then I realized something, I have killed a few number of people today, who’s to say they didn’t have a family waiting for them to come home, only to be crushed when they learn about their fate. This made me stop right where I was for a second. “Who’s to say I’m not a murderer?” I whispered out loud.
I continue walking to the wall to meet up with my squad after a minute or so just standing their. When I got their, I was immediately greeted by Purple. “That was quiet an experience wasn’t it?” he ask jokingly.
“Uh, yah sure I guess.” I quietly reply. My mind was still focused on my thoughts from earlier that I didn’t notice Lloyd come up right behind me.
“Good job their kid.” Lloyd told me.
“Thanks you, sir.” I reply.
“No need for that anymore kid, just call me Lloyd.”
“Ok, Lloyd.” I say, “So what do you think the casualties for both sides were?” I asked Lloyd
“Well we lost at least four hundred soldiers today. They lost probably the same amount, but more importantly they lost five Spartans, that’s quiet the blow to the enemy, thanks mostly to you.”
This started me thinking again, “Because I killed three Spartans some of our men’s lives were saved, but at the cost that the enemy’s men will die more, it all brings death no matter which way you look at it.
“Hey kid you there?” Lloyd asks me, bringing me back to the real world.
“Uh yah, I’m just in shock of this all I guess.” I reply.
“Oh the first battle shock, probably the first kill also. Look at it this way kid, you killed to save lives. That soldier you killed could have killed two more, sure some people might be upset but you have to believe that the cause we fight for will be worth it in the end.”
I took that all in, “So maybe if I kill them then in the end I can help free and help the people who are being hurt by the empire right?” I replied to Lloyd.
“Correct, the empire has killed many people in cold blood…” Lloyd stops there for a second, there seemed to be pain in his next words. “If we stop the empire then maybe we can stop them from doing this.” He finished
There is defiantly a story behind this but I decided not to ask it right now. The talk with Lloyd helped me a lot, I didn’t feel as bad but the shock didn’t go away fully.
Our squad spent an hour helping the wounded get to different med bases then we left back to Ascension.
The pelican ride seemed fairly quiet for most the way, everyone seemed to be taking in the last battle, only every once in awhile did someone speak.
Journal entry one
I found this unused journal just lying on my bunk. Inside was a note saying, “This should help cope with the stress of war- Lloyd.” I don’t know exactly what I will do with this, maybe help vent.
The first battle I was just in was horrible. When I first became a Spartan I never would have expected any of this to happen. The war has already opened my eyes more than anything else has and it’s only been a few months. I have witnessed death and I have dealt it, both are horrible and I wish I could take all the memories back.
The squad I’m in doesn’t seem to like me to much, besides Lloyd and Purple the other four seem to avoid me. Maybe it’s because they don’t expect me to last that long here, I don’t know but that would be my guess. I don’t plan on dying for awhile though.
When I first pulled that trigger on that soldier I felt nothing, no remorse no pity, it shocks me now thinking about it. I realized something though from the first battle in that sniper tower. When dealing death one is not affected right away, it works like a time bomb. Every time you kill someone you add that much more explosives to it, then when there is no one else to kill the timer hits zero. When the timer hit zero for me I felt like I would rather it had been a real explosive on me rather than in my mind. If it wasn’t for Lloyd’s advice I might have gone nearly insane.
The time is late now though and I’m still tired from the battle so that will be all for now, I hope though that if I die someone will find this full and will keep it so that I may go on.
-Messi, private first class.
Chapter seven
The first week in the B.L.U.E. army was a blur. We went on patrol awhile but never had any action. Me and Purple made a few adjustments to our armor. I made mine black more so that I might be seen less. Purple had his legs and shoulder pieces colored purple so he could be identified, he also got two smg’s customized purple just for fun.
The squad started to get friendly, I learned something also. The person with the robot arm Rayven was a girl, that’s why when I first heard her talk something sounded off. I almost asked her about her hand but decided to leave that until later.
While we were sitting around one day Lloyd came into our tent with a Spartan behind him. “This is Elf, he will be our second sniper and will be accompanying Messi on recon missions.”
I was the first one to come over and greet him. His armor was just standard Spartan armor, and he was of average build.
The others beside Purple didn’t say anything; they just stood their evaluating him.
“Great another recruit.” I heard Rayven mutter.
The other three just went back to what they were doing. “Don’t worry.” I told Elf, “They did that to us last week when we joined, you just have to prove yourself.”
“Ok good, I was hoping they wouldn’t always be like that.” Elf replied.
Nothing excited happened for the rest of the week. Elf seemed to be a fairly decent sniper; he wasn’t as good as I was so I helped him quiet a lot so that he could get better.
For awhile I thought that there would never be any action again. One day though Lloyd told me that Salvanous wanted to talk to me and Elf for a mission.
When we got to Salvanous’s tent he was already their waiting. “Come in” quick.” He ordered.
We did as he ordered and stood their waiting for directions. “I want you two to go on a recon mission. You will take special mongooses and go to a provided coordinates and report what you find, understood.” He quickly told us.
“Yes sir!” We both replied.
“This is very important mission, you will be leaving tonight. I would only trust a Spartan for this mission. You must not get caught now get going.”
We both saluted then left back to prepare for the mission we just received.
Chapter eight
The sun was starting to set on the horizon casting a golden hue across the base. Every thing seemed to be perfectly still as I set to getting ready.
I had my sniper sitting on my bunk next to my DMR, a few grenades to be strapped on to me just in case, my pistol, and five clips for each weapon, any more would slow me down, I brought my backpack just in case I needed to take something from where we went. I talked to Purple for a second before I left.
“So what exactly are you preparing for?” He asked. I just then realized I had forgotten to tell him about the mission.
“Elf and I are going on a special mission, I don’t know what exactly but it obviously involves recon considering it’s only two of us.” I replied very simply.
“Oh, ok good luck and try not to die.” He replied jokingly.
“Trust me, I don’t plan on it.”
I walked through the camp slowly, wondering exactly what this mission would involve; I could feel my weapons hanging on my back, weighing me down a bit. I got to the front gate where I was met by Salvanous. I immediately saluted him.
“At ease soldier.” He told me. He waited for me to regain my normal posture. He then proceeded to give me a paper. “Don’t open it until you get outside of here, you don’t want spies seeing this.” He whispered silently. “Inside you will find the coordinates of where your objective is located, once you get there report to me and I will give you more information, understood?”
“Yes sir.” Was all I replied.
“Good soldier, now once your fellow soldier is here leave right away.” Salvanous then slipped away back to his tent probably. I stood there waiting for about half a score of minutes. Elf came running up to the gate.
“Sorry I’m late, I couldn’t decide what to bring.” He told me.
He had a full backpack strapped behind him, he had a hard time just standing straight with it in. “What’s in there?” I asked him
“Umm let’s see food, water, extra guns, med packs, and a box of mags.” Elf replied
“You do know you weren’t supposed to bring that much.” I tell him. “Any ways get rid of half the food and water, give me the half that’s left, keep the mags and get rid of any extra weapons, and do it quick.” I commanded him.
Elf quickly did as I said and we set out of the base
Chapter nine
When I set foot out of the base I reached into my backpack and pulled out the note that Salvanous had given me.
“Spartan, you will find two mongooses located a few yards east of your position, they will be hidden by branches. Once done, put the specified coordinates into your GPS. Report to me when you get to the specified coordinates. Avoid any contact with personals, and most importantly do not get caught.”
I reread the note one more time so that I didn’t skip over any information. I then set the coordinates into my GPS in my helmet and turned towards Elf. “Follow me.” Then we set of towards the mongooses.
They were hard to find, I nearly skipped right over them that’s how well they were hidden, once we found them we got rid of the cover and got on them.
“So where exactly are we going?” Elf asked me.
“I don’t know exactly just follow me there.” I replied, and then we left towards out mission.
The mongooses were as silent as a still night and carried us through the forest like we were being pushed by the wind itself. Everything around us moved quickly but the night sky. The sky in Reach is different then that of earth. First of all there are two moons, it leads to a much brighter night, and also the stars are completely different since the two planets are not in the same solar system.
We rode for maybe two hours then I noticed we were close. “Slow down.” I told Elf from our comms. We came to a clearing about a mile away from our objective. “Wait here for a second.” I ordered Elf.
“Ok.” He just replied. I walked away a few yards then radioed back to Ascension.
Nearly as soon as I radioed in the voice of Salvanous was instantly speaking. “Are you near the position Spartan?” He asked quickly
“Yes sir, about a mile away from the coordinates.” I told him.
“Good, now the coordinates that I gave you will lead you to a red base. I want you to have Elf stay where he is and you to go and recon the place and find whatever information you can, stay there until you feel you have enough information Understood?”
“Yes sir.” I turned my radio off and went back towards Elf. “Wait here; I will be gone for a long time probably. If the sun starts coming up then destroy that mongoose and leave back to base.” I told him
“What are you doing exactly?” He asked confused.
“Don’t worry about it, just stay here.” I replied.
“Ok”
I jogged the rest of the way to the base I was told about, I finally got to it after a few minutes. Right when I saw it I stopped my jog and went into a crouch. I looked around for awhile; I found a small hill not so far away that I could use to be able to see most of the base. I crouched over to it then lay prone on the top of the hill, I pulled out my sniper and looked at the base.
To me it looked like a smaller version of Ascension, there was chain guns placed at regular intervals, and soldiers patrolling the walls. I looked closely in the inside of the base trying to see about how many tents there were. It seemed like there were enough tents to hold seven hundred soldiers easily.
Something didn’t seem right though about the base, some of the tents seemed smaller and more decorated then the rest. At first I thought it was officer cabins until someone stepped out of one. I instantly recognized that it was a Spartan, a higher ranking one at that based on his uniform that he wore instead of armor.
I looked at all the bases and figured that the base could probably hold six Spartan squads of at least seven people. That would make this place nearly impossible to take down by regular means.
I started to report this back to base when a spotlight shined right on top of me.
Chapter ten
As soon as I saw the light on me I rolled back down the hill that I was set up on, I knew it was useless though. I could already hear the footsteps of soldiers coming to my position.
They wouldn’t be able to see me from the other side of the hill so I took of into the forest, I wouldn’t be able to get back to Elf because he was located on the other side of the base.
While I was running I realized that I they would search everywhere in the forest and would probably find Elf before I did.
I turned my comms on and told Elf to get back to base without me.
“Are you sure?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I said through my breaths. “Make sure you destroy the other mongoose, I’ll see you back at base.” I told him. I knew I wouldn’t make it back to base, I would be lucky to survive the night.
“Goodbye.” Was all Elf told me.
So that was it, I am running for my life from an enemy that will probably catch me one way or another. I thought to myself for awhile as I was running, if I am going to die, I’m not going to be going alone.
I kept running for awhile until I found the perfect place. I found an easily climbable tree and scaled it without delay. I grabbed my sniper from my back and prepared for the trackers.
When I got up there I realized that there was a perfect view from the way I came to be able to hit a few of the first soldiers coming in. I broke some of the branches on the other side and covered myself up so that I wouldn’t be seen. I went into a crouch and waited
The minutes ticked by as if it were a life time, I could feel the sweat dripping on my skin, the pounding in my heart was louder than my labored breathing.
I heard the footsteps coming in from far away; I calmed myself and prepared for the encounter that was to come.
Chapter eleven
The footsteps got louder, it sounded as if they were going at a slow jog as to not miss any signs. My uneasiness got bigger and bigger, soon they came into view. There was only about five of them, none Spartans thankfully. There was one in the middle of the five that was commanding the others, “He must be the leader.” I thought to myself. I scoped in my target and squeezed the trigger. At this range he stood no chance, he went down with a bullet going right through his heart. I quickly aimed for another person and shot him a second after I shot the leader. I didn’t look to see if he died; instead I dropped my sniper and jumped down from my hideaway. I pulled my magnum from its holster in mid flight, when I hit the ground I instantly shot two shots to one soldier’s chest. I switched to the next one and sent two into his head. The other was able to get a shot of, my shields took the damage and gave me enough time to shoot him and take him down.
I picked up my sniper, reloaded both my weapons. I looked around at the bodies, they were all dead. I knew I couldn’t stay here so I started going off deeper into the woods.
I turned on my GPS and set in the coordinates of the nearest outpost, I might as well try getting back. I ran into another scouting party up ahead. This one was bigger, about eight people, but I thought I could take them. I grabbed one of my grenades, pulled the pin out and tossed it into the thick of them. I grabbed my DMR and hid behind a tree. The three seconds could have been the whole night to me.
The boom sounded; I heard some of the shrapnel hit the tree I was behind. I came from around the tree and shot the only standing soldier. I went through the group, only one lived. I decided to let him live since he was unconscious and wouldn’t be able to do anything for awhile.
I started walking through the woods towards my destination. I only encounter a small patrol of three, I didn’t even bother taking them out so that I may keep my energy. It felt like id been in this woods for my whole life, it seemed as if it would never end.
Slowly the golden rays of the morning sun started peaking through the foliage.
I found a tree and decided I would take a short break by it. I sat down and pulled out some of the supplies Elf had brought with him. “Thank god he brought this.” I thought as I ate the cold food. I then grabbed one of the two canteens and took a quick drink.
I felt slightly better after this; I looked at my GPS and noticed that I was only about 15 miles to our closest out post. This encouraged me enough to get me to keep going. I walked for another few hours, by this time the sun was high up in the sky.
“10 miles away” I thought as I looked to my GPS. “I’m surprised I made it this far.”
Another hour I was only 8 miles away from the outpost. Everything seemed so tranquil in this forest, the birds were chirping nice and quietly. I felt like I could easily get lost in this peaceful place.
Only 7 miles left, I was nearly close enough to be able to radio them.
I passed through to a clearing and noticed that there were no birds, no nothing.
“Damn, why was I so stupid.” I said aloud. I grabbed my DMR and rolled just in time. Grenades exploded all around where I just was. I quickly picked of two soldier who were together.
The bullets started sounding, my shields took them for a second, I wouldn’t last though. I felt the first bullet go through me. It felt so warm despite what I expected. I knew it wasn’t fatal but it sure did hurt.
Another took me in the leg and sent me to my knee. I fired a few more bullets dizzily, none probably hit. I fell to the ground and couldn’t get up.
“This is how it ends then.” I thought.
The bullet stopped but then came the sounds of footsteps.
I wasn’t scared, I knew death awaited me but I was ready to accept it. I slipped my pistol out without them noticing and placed it under my chest. I could see blood starting to come around where I am laying. They started to gather around me, It sounded as if there were at least a score of them.
“Well turn him over.” One yelled at the others.
I still wasn’t scared when I felt a foot roll me over. Instead I took a tighter grip on my pistol. When I went onto my back I steadied my arm and fired two shots into the person who kicked me over. I then got up bashed one guy with my pistol. I shot another two shots at someone.
The ground quickly swallowed me and everything faded into nothing.
Chapter twelve
The first thing I noticed was that I was alive, and then came the pain. The made me lose conscious again for a few minutes. When I regained my senses I immediately prepared for the next wave of pain. It hit just as hard, I took it though without crying out. I couldn’t cry out for that would show weakness.
When I finally started to get used to the pain I started to take in my surroundings. My armor was gone, I was tied to a tree, I was also very weak, probably from blood loss.
I then slowly opened my eyes, I was met with the face of a red soldier. He immediately slammed his fist into my stomach. This shot extremely painful tendrils running through me, almost making me pass out again.
I knew I had at least one rib cracked now. I spit out some blood that had pooled in my mouth and opened my eyes again.
The soldier who punched me went over and whispered a few words to the man and he came over to me. “So you are the person who was spying on our base now aren’t you?” He asked me
“What does it matter to you?” I growled back at him.
“Oh nothing much, I just want to know why you were sneaking around my home.” He replied coolly.
“I’m not telling you anything.” I yelled, then to add emphasis on it I spat a bit of blood right into his face.
“So be it, I will force you to tell me everything you know.” The commander said with a grimace, he immediately punched me right in the face.
“That’s it?” I laughed at him. The pain hurt more than I thought it would but I didn’t care, I would take this all day if it would protect the B.L.U.E. army.
The punches kept on coming; I slipped in and out of consciousness multiple times. I didn’t know how much longer I could survive this.
After an hour at least the punches finally stopped. “He’s useless to us, kill him.” The leader said.
One of the soldiers came over to me and cut my bonds. I finally got to look around at my finally got to look around at my death spot. I knew the spot, ironically it is the same place that I first met Lloyd.
“How fitting, I joined B.L.U.E. here and now I leave it here.”” I thought to myself quietly. They forced me to my knees right by the river, I could hear the river running behind me, it sounded so very peaceful.
“Make it slow and painful.” The red commander ordered his executioner.
“Yes sir.” He replied with a slight smirk.
The gun sounded, I felt the bullet hit me right in the hip. This sent me down to my stomach. “Get up!” the soldier growled at me.
I tensed up as I heard him come closer to me, I felt the gun barrel on my head.
“Now you die filthy dog.” The soldier grimaced.
Chapter thirteen
The second that my life was about to end was one of the most confusing I had ever experienced. What someone thinks when they die may be different for each person, but for me it was about my past. My whole life was replaying before me, I remember always being the one out on the side, blending in with everyone so that I might not be noticed.
Purple on the other hand was more out going; he talked with a bunch of people and was able to make any one laugh at any occasion.
Still though we became friends, how though I can’t remember exactly.
I remembered my early kid years, they were not all that long ago because at this moment I am only 21, and I remember when I first decided I want to join the Empire. I was in class when they had a recruiting assembly; I was instantly coerced into the idea as I was 10 and would believe anything someone told me was right.
I spent nearly every day training to be the best soldier ever. I got my parents to send me a junior shooting classes, I learned quickly I was not a fit with an automatic weapon. They felt clumsy in my hand and just didn’t belong. The second they gave me a mini rifle I fell in love with it, the accuracy and reliability was unmatched.
After a year of being there Purple surprised me with showing up in the same class I was. In this also Purple was my exact opposite, he was able to use the automatic weapon with ease; the rifle to him though was like the devil.
We were at the top of our classes in each of our respective divisions. We impressed the Empire that we were immediately sent the Spartan project, everyone else was our age at about 12 years old.
The training for that was gruesome; it was so bad that my mind has blacked it out from my memories. I knew the training hardened me, pain was something that didn’t bother me to much anymore, death was something that I now accepted as much as I would life.
Right after the training I joined the R.E.D.D. army; Purple and I were one of the few people that made through that batch. The rest I have said before.
Chapter Fourteen
I hated the position I was in, I was fine with having a gun on me, a Spartan should never kneel to their enemy. Sadly though I was not in the right position to be designating what happened now.
I still cared not that I was about to die, I had protected my fellow members and that’s all that matters.
I heard the sound of a gun being fired. Strangely though I was not dead, I looked to my side and noticed that my executioner was dead. Next thing I knew was that shrapnel filled the air, I covered my face but I was still hit in the legs by a few rogue pieces.
I was sent to my back from all the pain of my wounds, I worried about only covering myself and taking as little space as possible, I grabbed my executioners DMR and crawl behind a tree. Another grenade went of by me and more pieces hit me sending me into a black haze, I could only see a little that wasn’t cloaked inn blackness.
A form appeared from my right side; my instincts kicked in and immediately told me to shoot. I stopped myself just in time for I noticed that the armor was slightly blue.
The form came to me and that’s when I noticed the robotic arm.
“Rayven, is that you?” I try to say, it came out very painfully
“Yes, now hang in there until this is…” She stopped suddenly.
I saw her head look down at her heart. There a blade protruded obviously going straight through her.
She fell to the ground instantly; in her place was the commander from earlier.
Adrenaline pumped through me instantly dispelling all pain.
I tackled the guy and tried to take out his knife. He was able to stab me once, it didn’t feel fatal though. That was all he was able to do for a grabbed his knife and plunged it deep into his skull.
I fell to the ground, I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I was losing consciousness fast, blood was around me and some of it was mine. I didn’t know if I would wake up this time. More forms huddled around me, I couldn’t see anything but shadows.
Then there was nothing.
Chapter fifteen
Pain shot through my head, jolting me up. This was met once again by another shot of pain. I could hear a loud and very rapid beeping coming from my right side, maybe it was my left, before I could do anything more though I felt cold hands pushing me down.
“He’s… cardiac arrest…” said a muffled voice somewhere. I could feel my arms flailing around, but I couldn’t tell what I was doing exactly. After what seemed like ages of this I felt a cold needle slip into one of my veins. My first instinct was that I have been shot, so I fought harder and harder. Slowly the black images in my eyes became darker until they were no more.
I had what I believe could be classified as a dream. I was running, but I wasn’t even moving. All around me faces of those who I have killed showed up in front of me, I saw each of them die time and time again. Finally came a soldier in B.L.U.E. I saw the knife plunge through her armored body again, and then her tumble and the face of my last kill show up.
Then I saw a ceremony, slowly they carried a body by.
This sent a jolt through me and woke me up.
I heard the familiar voice of Salvanous, “Finally you’re up”.
Then I fell back again into my living nightmares.
Chapter sixteen
Slowly the nightmares started to dim out of my vision. Light burned straight through my eyes, forcing me to close them shut even tighter. I felt light headed, I could barely hear anything, but I kept myself from jolting up.
I little while later, but to me it felt like ages, a nurse came in. “Can I help you with anything?” she asked me in a very courteous tone.
“Water” I rasped. I don’t think she understood me though because the sound that came out from myself didn’t even sound like my own. She walked away and I closed my eyes.
A few minutes later she came back, followed with someone in a bright white suit. She slowly handed me a cup. Without even thinking I grabbed it and gulped it all down right away.
“Looks like you have finally decided to join us again lance corporal Messi.” The doctor said. I didn’t understand why he called me a lance corporal. Then I noticed my suit in the back, it contained a single chevron with the crossed guns.
Good, I deserve this after risking my life like that. “How long was I out?” I asked the doctor.
“Let’s see,” he then flipped through a couple of papers. “You were brought in here about three weeks ago with critical injuries. From what I see, you are lucky to be alive right now.”
“And what happened to Rayven?” I tried to ask, tears coming to my face.
“I am sorry, she died instantly. They wanted to bury her after you awoke, but they didn’t know if you would even survive.” The doctor’s words seemed to be getting farther away with every word he said. It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t been caught, then no one would have died. Next thing I knew I was in my living nightmares again.
I awoke to a very familiar face sitting right next to me, many familiar faces. All around my bed were all of my squad mates, all except one. “Where is Lloyd?” I asked before anyone could talk.
“He was stationed to another base” Purple told me.
“Why?”, “Because the leader of the Brotherhood thought it would be best if he went to command a base, but we already have a leader here.” King told me. “That means I am the new CO of this squad” he continued, “And that chaos is our new XO”.
The rest of the day went by like a blur, I went back to out bunks, but it didn’t feel right. We were down a lot of men now, and we lost our two highest ranking members.
Journal Entry two
So this is what war is like is it? If you asked me when I was a kid I would have never told you that I wanted to grow up and become a killer. That is how fate would have it. It doesn’t matter if you are doing it for a good cause.
Our race is set up in a weird way, we see a person who kills someone without a gun as a murderer, yet if that person magically had a gun and was shooting you, then it changes things to where their life is worth less than that innocent person. I don’t care what anyone says, if you kill someone no matter who it is, then you are a murderer. Whether or not you murder for good or not doesn’t matter.
Everyone does something for a reason, we call our enemies bad but that is only because they don’t share the same ideas as we do, why is that? Is it because we area a race that wants to be right so bad that we will kill over it. That is what I believe the human races supreme downfall is.
When we had the covenant war we were able to bond together to protect ourselves, but when that was over we went back to fighting. Are we no better than the brutes that fought and killed each others clans? I hope that we are, but we are probably more a like to them then any other species that we will ever find.
-Lance corporal Messi
Chapter seventeen
The chill of winter slowly descended upon the camp. The night was cold, the air very still. As I walked through the camp, I thought about what my next mission would be. That’s all that seemed to matter to me now, getting the next mission done. It scared me realizing this. I was scared that I was turning into one of the monsters I was fighting to stop. No, I thought to myself, I am the one trying to get rid of those monsters that would harm people.
Those words were what always guided me. I knew that I was a murderer, I knew that I have killed someone who had a family, yet I couldn’t let those feelings bring me down. Those men that I have killed always come up in my dreams. Sometimes I see all the men lined up in a straight line, all their faces have so much detail that it seems real. Then one by one they all die. Other times i see the men’s family standing over all their graves. The tears on their face are clearly visible, the flowers they lay at their feet as clear as the morning sun.
Those dreams are gone as quick as they come. Sometimes I wake up to see another one of my squad mates up some times. I wonder if maybe they are having the same dreams that I am having.
I had woken up earlier that night from one of those dreams. I couldn’t stand it in our tent, so I had to leave and get out. During the day the camp seems so fun, but at night I would rather prefer a thousand year old mansion than walking through the camp. The only way any one would know that people are alive here is by the occasional grunt of a sleeping soldier, or the small fires built by the men taking watch.
All I heard was the pop of a gun. It took me less than a second for me to feel the pain in my lower back. I instantly fall to the ground, hoping to play dead. The ground was so cold, yet the blood running down my back was so warm.
He stood over my body. Why has no one come yet. Then more gunshots filled the air. Hell, we are under attack. I flipped onto my back, and kicked the guy as hard as I could in the chest. My enhanced strength sent the guy flying back, he never got up. I ran over to him, grabbed his pistol and ammo, and sprinted back to my squad.
I saw a few dead bodies by the tent, but none of them ours. Inside was different though. The smell of death hung heavy in the tent. Only James and Purple were there.
“Where is everyone else?” I asked them both
“Dead” was all the reply.
The shock that I felt was stronger than being struck by lightning. “How did this happen?” I hurriedly asked them.
“They…” A noise then sounded behind me. I spun around just in time to see two soldiers peek in. I popped them both in the heart before they even saw me.
“Now hurry up what happened?” I asked again.
“They ambushed us, we were lucky we weren’t in the tent” James told me.
“Well this isn’t the time to just stand around and do nothing” I told them, gunshots sounding everywhere, “Now let’s get a weapon and show them how we fight.”
Then searing pain hit me in my back hit me. I fell to my knees clutching my back.
“You are in no condition to fight,” Purple came to my side, supporting me.
“I’m fine” I told him, “Let’s go, we need to make sure Salvanous is a live.
Chapter Eighteen
We were running through the whole camp. Everything was in hell, gun shots sounded everywhere, half the camp was up in smoke, and there seemed to be an endless amount of the enemies on this place. We met a small squad of about 6 marines and quickly saved them from a firefight. They came along with us.
Finally we made it to Salvanous’ tent, it was empty.
“Come on, he has got to be here!” James yelled. The tent was in utter disarray, papers were strung everywhere as if a hurricane had blown threw here.
“I hope he didn’t have anything important here.” One of the marines piped in.
“I’m certain that he did” I told everyone. “He is one of the higher people in this army after all, just the more reason to go and find him.”
“Well we better get moving then.” Purple told us.
I turned to the marines, “You guys stay here, protect this place with your lives.”
“but…” One of them interrupted.
“No buts, we need to be able to keep as much information as we can for this. Do not let the enemy even get one paper.”
“Yes sir” The marines saluted, and we left.
The firefights had started to become more silent, we seemed to be gaining the upper hand as well. We passed by a few similar squads as before, and sent them back to the tent, thinking that to become our meeting place for after the battles. Then the fire came back, my vision blurred for a second, but I couldn’t stop, not now, with someone’s life on the line.
I carried on, ignoring all the pain, and not letting my friends know about it. We finally got to the walls, which we climbed up to instantly, to survey the area. What we saw could scare even the most battle hardened man.
There were scores of them, they seemed to never end. “I thought they would never attack us.” James said, in utter disbelief.
“I thought they were all disbanded, let alone in this full of numbers.” Purple told us, completely dumfounded.
“I myself don’t care, I’m just glad that they haven’t fired at us.” I told my companions. “Don’t shoot guys,” I continued, “They have not shown themselves as enemies just yet.”
“One of them is coming to us” James said, a bit uneasy.
“Let him come, he is not showing any hostility, he doesn’t even have his weapon drawn on us.” I told James to give him a bit of confidence. The thing walked up to our gate then, spoke.
“I am here to support you” That is all he said, and all of us were put to ease.
“Who will speak to him?” James asked “I certainly won’t.” He continued, Purple seemed too much in shock to even say one word, so I had to be the one to speak up.
I stood up, “Your support would be much appreciated, and very timely, but tell me, what is your name?”
“I am the Arbiter, which is all you need to know.”
Journal entry three
I’ve been fighting for what seems forever. All of that time full of pain. The life of a soldier, my life, is not one of enjoyment.
It has been a year since that attack on Ascension. I have made many leaps in the chain of command since then, yet it doesn’t help. Bellator has only gained one person as the Arbiter graciously joined up with us to help us out. Alas, it doesn’t ease the pain of the loss of my friends.
This journal has become thick with ink. I hope that one day it can serve to teach a lesson to someone. This war, war in general actually, is never worth the cost. We fight for someone else’s greed. Very few of those people who we fight for look at me and would be sad if I died, yet we still fight for them.
I have grown tired of this war, I wait for my end. I will not grow old and retire, that is not the way of a Spartan. I will die fighting for those men of greed, yet they shall never know what I have done for them. They will never know what the pain feels like, what you think as you watch your own men being buried. That is how an officer thinks though.
I hope that someone reads this one day, and they chose not to waste there lives for the greedy men of this world. If this journal can save at least one person from dieing like how I will one day, then I have done more good than I have ever done on the battlefield.
Murder just leads to more murder, and I have done more than most people can say that they have. My dreams are haunted by the specters of those men. They form there own legion. They feel as if they may just crush me, yet they have no strength.
I grow tired of this war. I hope that it ends soon for me, one way, or another.
-Second Lieutenant Messi
Chapter nineteen
The winter snow was just starting to fall, the chill biting through to a man’s bone. Ascension had settled down and was now back to normal, yet it had even more defenses now.
I was standing over my desk when James walked into the tent, shrugging off the snow on his shoulders. “Are you still writing in that little diary?” he asked jokingly.
“You know very well I spend most of my time on this” I replied back, joking along with him.
He replied, but I didn’t catch it as I heard running from outside. The sound was coming closer, not farther away, and they were very frantic. Next thing I knew Purple came dashing in, his face red even though we could all run forever.
“You… guys need… to come” He said, gasping for air.
“Hold on a second, catch your breath” James joked, punching him on the shoulder. Purple took a second to ready himself, and started to talk again. “We need to see Anarchy, he has a very important mission for us to undertake, and he needs us there ASAP.”
Why would Anarchy need us? He just recently became the leader of this place, and has yet to even acknowledge us here. O well it must be important then.
“What about the Arbiter?” I asked
“He is already there”. Then we were quickly moving through to learn what our new mission would be.
When we finally got there we quickly saluted Anarchy then went to sit down, eager to hear what his new orders were.
“Ok” Anarchy started, his clean black jacket giving him a very commanding look, “We have gained much more intel on that base that was reconed more than a year ago. It turns out that they are using that place as a storage house for there army. They are reported to have enough weapons to be able to supply every man in this base twice, and enough food to let them last a three month siege comfortably. I want Bellator to infiltrate that place, and send it to the sky. This will allow us to be able to have a better foothold in this region. Do I make myself clear?” He ordered
“Yes sir” The other three replied, yet I wasn’t that sure of this mission.
“Sir?” I asked. “Go ahead” Anarchy continued. “How exactly do you plan on us doing this with only four men, we might be some of the better soldiers here, yet four isn’t a lot.”
He stared at me, and then chuckled. “I have already taken that into account, you will find some help right outside right now, in fact I’ll have them come in now.” He then went to the tent then quickly came back, followed by four men.
The last guy came in, and I was about to fall over. It was our old leader, Lloyd! Why he had come back I didn’t care, but I was glad to see him. He gave a knowing smile when he saw me staring at him.
“So you all know what you must do, I will give you some time to get acquainted, but you guys will leave as soon as the first tips of the sun disappears.”
“Yes sir” We replied, saluting, then left.
The sun was already starting to set, but that didn’t keep us from catching up with each other. The three other people seemed to be very good recruits.
One guy seemed to be the oddest of them all, he never talked. His name was Zeke, and he just sat in the background, doing nothing.
Another was called Jamie, and he was the exact opposite in personality. He seemed to always be talking, and seemed to never know when to be quiet, but that didn’t matter too much because we needed someone who could talk, and make people feel better.
The other two were called Lyrics and Freelance, and they were nearly exactly the same. They knew each other very well, and held themselves the same way.
Finally the sun was starting to set, and we had to make sure all of our gear was ready. I brought my standard sniper and silencer, my DRM, and my Magnum, each with an extra five clips, and two grenades just in case.
Then we went to Anarchy’s tent to get some last words of advice. He met us there then gave an object to Purple. “The bomb” Anarchy said with a small laugh.
“You are to plant it, then get half a mile outside of the blast radius.”
He then gave me the detonator saying, “Don’t go blowing up Purple as soon as he enters the base now soldier”
Before we left I handed Anarchy something, my journal. This is because it had just recently grown full of ink, and I didn’t need it anymore. “Make sure that at least someone reads it,” I told him, and then walked away.
Next thing I knew we off, driving four of the specialized mongooses that I had been in just a little over a year before as the sun’s rays start to disappear underneath the surface.
Chapter 20
Everywhere I looked I could see the past events that had happened to me. We passed by the clearing where I was held prisoner. I could still see the part in which Rayven had died. All of it caused a very sobering effect on me. Many people had died from this mission, some of them on our side. I hope that none of that will happen this time.
The time passed by so quietly that it seemed to spread on forever. Then we saw the base on the horizon, the same base. We stopped at the same exact spot that I had stopped at before.
The base was set up in a common strategic setting. The base had one door at the front, and it seemed to be easily penetrable, then was set up so that the east and west side was on a hill, making it hard to get up. The south side was the same as the north side, but it had no entrance.
We all gathered around and everyone looked at me, as I knew more about this place from my experience here before.
“Ok,” I started, taking a second to make a few last adjustments, “I want to have Free and Lyrics go to the south side, hit them from afar and try to draw their fire to you. When that is done, Lloyd, Arbiter, and Jamie, you guys will hit there gates with a few rockets, that should easily take it down. Move into the base, and try to take out as many enemies as you can. When they move in, I want to have Purple and James move in, then plant the bomb in the middle, and we will leave. Zeke you and I will be on sniper support. You will follow me and we will have an over watch position to support the infiltration team. We will not fire until they are being distracted on that south side. When Purple gets in there I will join him there just in case, and Zeke, you will watch out for reinforcements. Just give us a heads up if any come. Ok guys, let’s get this done.” We then said our goodbyes and proceeded to get into position.
Zeke and I made it to the hill. From there we could see everything from this over watch. Slowly everyone was in position, Lyrics and Free were in cover on the south side, and ready to start there strikes. I could see the others on the far side of the north side, and as I zoomed in I could see Purple with the launcher in his hand. “Figures you’d take the rockets” I joked over the comms.
“Well I already have the bomb, might as well take this explosion also” He joked right back.
“Ok well guys, is everyone ready?” I asked.
“Yes sir, south side is ready.” Lyrics called.
“This place is about to blow up.” Lloyd yelled.
“Well then let’s go.” I took a small pause to ready myself, “Fire on them now, and let’s deal the reds a blow that they won’t forget anytime soon.”
The first shots were then fired, and I readied myself to take out more enemies. “Is it worth it” I silently though. “Do these men really deserve to die?” I questioned. I quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of my head and lined up my first target in my scope.
The tips of the morning were just starting to show as the first enemy fell.
Chapter twenty-one
I quickly went through half of my mags, yet they still had plenty more men there. “How are you guys holding up there?” I asked Lyrics.
“We are doing fine. They seem to be concentrating on us quite intensely. Please hurry up now and blow that gate up.” He replied.
I took a quick look over the complex and saw that they were all indeed more on that side. “Ok Purple, show them how blue gets things done.”
I had barely finished speaking when I saw the rocket streak through the air like a comet. Before that one even hit, another one was trying to catch up with it.
One explosion, followed by another filled the air, the gate lay in complete ruins, nothing left.
“Ok infiltration team, go!” I yelled. Zeke and I were able to quickly go through another clip easily as we took out the stunned enemies. I was coming down to my last mag, so I picked my shots so that I hit the people who were at the biggest threat.
“How you doing Zeke?” I asked. Zeke then showed me a bag of what I figured to be extra ammo. I suppressed a smile at that and quickly added my last mag in.
“The compound is mostly cleared. Jamie has taken a hit, but will be fine.” Lloyd called in.
“Ok Purple move in, I will be joining up with you also right now” I told the bomb team. “Lyrics, rendezvous with Zeke. That is where we shall meet up to leave here. Zeke make sure no reinforcements come, and tell us if some do” I then laid my sniper down, and took off to catch up with Purple just in case something happens.
Chapter twenty-two
I had met up with purple before they even got to the gate, but it caused a bit of sprinting. We then went into the base and met up with Lloyd.
“How you hanging up there?” I asked Jamie.
“I’ll be fine, could use a bit of rest when we get back though.”
“You three,” I said pointing to the infiltration team, “I want you guys to go back and meet up with Zeke, since we have everything covered here.”
“Yes sir” They then left.
I then turned to Purple, “Well let’s get to arming this bomb.”
All three of us then went to the center square of the base. “How much damage do you think this will do?” James asked Purple.
“Enough so that we will feel it from quite a ways away.” He laughed.
“Well,” I said, “We better not be in that blast radius.” James said, we all laughed a bit at that one.
The sun was now slightly visible in the horizon. It’s light casting a soft glow on everything around us. All seemed at peace, and as if nothing bad had ever happened. The only thing stopping that is the occasional body that is seen here or there, and the wet ground around them.
Finally the bomb was armed and we could leave.
“Ok let’s hurry up and get out of here” James said. “I’m sure they had time to ca…” Before he could finish, a grenade appeared in between us.
“Move!” I yelled. The grenade exploded, my shields went down just slightly.
“You guys ok?” I asked.
“Shields are at 70%” Purple said.
“Mine are at 25%”
I had to think quick. Who threw that, and how many of them are there?
“James, stay behind cover until your shields recharge, and Purple keep your eyes out for whoever did this”
The next second went by forever. Then I saw them, three soldiers in MJOLNIR armor.
“Shit” I said, “We have Spartans. Be careful” I suppressed them so as to give James some time for his armor. I heard more shots fill the air to my side. I didn’t even have to think to know that they were coming from Purple’s two sub machine guns. Then finally came the three quick sounds, signaling that James was back in it.
“Concentrate your fire on the one on the left, then when the one from the right breaks, thinking he isn’t being watched destroy him.” I ordered. The plan seemed to be working out perfectly. Then the firing on the right stopped. “Get ready” I said. I then noticed the figure move from the right side. “Now!” I yelled.
All of a sudden the man on the right’s shields flared, then quickly fell. The bullets then tore through him, and he died before he was even able to hit the ground.
“Ok we will keep them suppressed. Then James, you will sweep around to the left to take out that guy from behind.” I ordered. “How you guys doing on ammo?”
“I still have about 8 clips for my machine guns, and still 5 clips for my magnum.” Purple replied.
“I have about 5 for this BR, and another 4 for the AR with me.”
“Ok good, now light them up purple, you take the guy on the left, I’ll take the guy in the middle.”
Slowly they started to stop shooting. I tossed a grenade to the guy in the middle. That must have scared him a bit as he stopped shooting for a bit. Purple then saw what that did, and did the same.
“Ok James, move!” I ordered. I saw James streak across the area. If I wouldn’t have known that he was doing it, then I would have never even have saw him.
“Moving into position now.” James’ voice said. “O no he has a….” The voice then faded away.
“James!” I yelled over the comms. His vitals were slowly starting to flat line.
“You won’t have me that easily.” I heard James’ voice say, very weakly though. An explosion sounded through the air. Where the two Spartans used to be was now just ash.
“No!” I heard Purple gasp, but I didn’t care. I took out my pistol and sprinted straight for the last Spartan.
Chapter twenty-three
The Spartan saw me charging him, and his courage must have faltered as he retreated into a building. I barged through there recklessly. I quickly found the red Spartan. I charged him and tackled him to the ground.
He quickly kicked me off of him, sending my pistol flying across the room. I didn’t care though; this last guy had to die. I whipped out my knife, as did he, and went to engage him.
Our blades flashed across each other, he was the stronger, yet I was the faster. I scored the first hit. He sent his blade in a sweeping motion. I punched his blade hand and went in for a stab. I didn’t hit him, yet his shields went out.
We went on for what seemed forever. My shields then went out when he kicked me in the chest and went through a sweeping motion with his knife. We exchanged a few more attacks.
He started to tire, but so was I. He went for a strong side cut. I gathered the last bit of my adrenaline and rolled under his blade to the right. I stood on my knees and stabbed him right in the back, then swept his legs right out from under him.
He was lying on the ground and rolled over, but didn’t get over. I stood over him a second to compose myself, then went for the kill.
The first thing I felt was the cold feel of steel, but I had to continue. I plunged that knife deep into his heart with all my strength. His armor caved in on him, and he died right then and there. That was when I noticed the red blood coming from my armor.
Purple then ran into the base, and was surprised at what he saw.
“I’ve been stabbed.” I said, the cold feel of the steel was now able to be felt in my arms. “I’m not going to be able to get back.” I continued.
“Don’ say that, we need you here.” Purple told me, his voice pleading.
I would have said more, but then the comms flared with Lloyd’s voice. “You guys need to get out of there, they have about a thousand troops on there way it looks like.”
I knew how this would end, but I wasn’t scared. “Go” I told Purple, “Get back to them and leave, just do something for me” I stopped to steady myself. “Make sure that someone reads that journal of mine. I don’t care who, but someone needs to.”
“Don’t say that.” Purple cried, “You will be fine”
I went up to him and pushed him away, obviously surprising him. “Go!” I yelled, “I will hold them off until you get outside the blast area, then I will take out not only this base, but a whole lot of those idiots.”
Purple didn’t even say anything, he was to shocked by it all, he just left, but at the door he dropped his two machine guns and the rest of his ammo.
“Zeke, cover Purple on his way out, and Lloyd make sure Bellator stays strong.” I told the men on the ridge.
“You’re not coming out?” Lloyd asked.
“I wouldn’t even make it to the ridge” I told him.
“Ok soldier give them hell, and don’t leave one to see noon.” Lloyd then ended the comms.
Chapter twenty-four
I steadied myself for a second, and prepared for my last stand. I went over and grabbed Purple’s final gift, and retrieved my pistol. I searched the other Spartans body and found a few extra mags for the machine gun.
“I’m not going out without a fight” I said out loud. “The reds will remember this day for awhile. I had one thing I had to do, one simple job, and a Spartan always finishes his mission.
Slowly timed passed by me. My arms were now completely cold, but I could still use them fully. Finally I could here the soldiers entering the base. I then noticed that my shields were full. Good, I thought, that will let me cause even more havoc.
The footsteps were coming closer, and then I saw the first marine. “Hey I yelled, come at me.” I then shot the surprised marine right in the head with a pistol bullet.
They all quickly swarmed the front of the building. Just as I thought they would. I switched to the machine guns and popped out of the cover. I easily mowed down a score of them, and my shields were only at 90%. I quickly reloaded and did the same, this time more careful to avoid bullets. The bodies started to pile.
Soon the enemies were starting to be able to cover themselves in there fallen comrades bodies, which they did. I picked out my grenade, then went over to the dead Spartan right by me. He had another two grenades, so I tossed my grenade into the mass of dead and living bodies, and grabbed the two grenades.
Bodies flew everywhere, as did blood. I looked back and had to resist the urge of throwing up. Everywhere were pieces of bodies, and the moans of soldiers were very loud.
I was now down to only two extra mags in the machine gun, and my death was fast approaching. My legs were starting to grow cold like my hands, but I didn’t care. I quickly spent my last shots with the machine gun. I went to the dead Spartan and stole his pistol and ammo.
The soldiers were now starting to enter the building. I could hear the footsteps at the door. My shields were now at 75%. I had both my pistols out and at the ready. The footsteps were now around the corner. I tossed another grenade and was satisfied as I heard quite a few men yell.
The first marine turned the corner very scared, and was met with two magnum shots to the chest. More poured through, and more died. The bodies there filled the doorway, and made it impossible for them to make it through.
That didn’t stop them from using the other doorway though. I didn’t realize that until I heard the rounds come off of my shields. I spun around and quickly took out the soldiers. I was coming down to my last mag, and my shields had just recently taken a lot of damage, and were at 25%.
The sound then filled the house. I barely had time to dive out of the way as the house exploded around me from a rocket.
My shields were down, and I was coughing up a bit of blood, but I still had my pistol. Two soldiers saw me and went towards me. I spent my last shots on them.
“So it ends” I whispered while pulling out the detonator. I wasn’t even scared of this. I knew that by know my friends were out of the blast radius. “Well my friend” I continued out loud. “It falls to you to lead them.”
I pushed down the detonator, the button offering no resistance, and yet it was all comforting.