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Heaven isn't all its cracked up to be
Posted By: AmokTheClown<amok_84@hotmail.com>
Date: 27 October 2003, 11:54 AM


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Pain ...

Pain like he had never felt before...

It pulsed along every nerve, ripping at them, feeding with some frenzied hunger. Burning away at them. Newer, deeper sensations of agony hit him like waves, with the driving force of an ocean of torment behind them.

He faltered, dropping down to one knee. His mind screaming at his body, but unable to make any connection.

No, it can't end like this. This isn't how it's supposed to work.

Heroes don't die like this.

Heroes don't die...

John 117 lifted his heavy head up at his opponent. Gold tinted visor concealing a mask of pure agony that had etched itself across his pale face. He took a long look at his foe that had overpowered, outmaneuvered and outmatched him. The hunter stood over him, its posture suggesting a certain sense of satisfaction having defeated the green warrior. With a swift maneuver it lifted the Spartan off his feet and slammed him into the ground. It twisted its huge melee weapon a fraction of a millimeter and watched the tiny human grapple with it, trying to push it off his cervix.

Snow fell silently around the two figures. Slowly littering them with white, as if the heavens where trying to camouflage their deadly struggle. Paused in time, separated, distant, alone.

...No quarter asked...

The hunters' bond brother had been killed by the human, he was going to see to it that the puny thing was exterminated. The hunter brought its fuel-rod cannon to bear, leveling it centimeters from the Master Chiefs helmet. The core of the weapon started to emanate a terrifyingly beautiful green light.

A shot rang out. The Master Chief almost flinched until he saw an exit wound puncture itself through a chink in the aliens' armor. The behemoth stumbled and spun, keen eyes searching for its folly. A thin yet discernable trail of white smoke betrayed the origin of the round. The hunter aimed the barrel high and set loose a small green sun the screamed towards a lone marine, lying prone on the ground. The hunter shuddered as the marine fired a quick volley of anti-material rounds, then rolled and dived as his own personal Armageddon arced in on his position.

The marine screamed, looking down at the lower half of his scorched body, his legs had been vaporized just above the knees. Lacerations covered his body from the glass thrown up by the plasma explosion.

The hunter again leveled its weapon, taking a bead on the marine as he tried to crawl to somewhere less exposed. The hunter staggered again, but not from a high velocity round. It slowly dropped to its knees and fell face first into the snow, staining the angelic white with its bright orange blood.

...None given...

John 117 stood over his enemy. He looked over the beast that had almost cost him his life. He made a silent vow never to underestimate these creatures again. Next time, he may not be so lucky. Blood dripped down his right gauntlet, flowing over the barrel of his shotgun. Small flecks of gore slid of the stock, making small orange craters in the snow. He watched the orange droplets hurtle towards the perfectly formed snow, watched it strike the surface, pummeling through the pristine white, destroying its beauty.

Jericho VII, Reach...

Earth...

The Master Chief brushed the last thought aside and jogged over to the marine the lay motionless on the ground. He stirred, and struggled to lift his head so he could view the person he had saved.

"Are you alright sir?" he asked, coughing, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

"You did good corporal" The Spartan replied as he knelt down next to the dying man, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Rielly, Sir. But everybody calls me Rebound" he blinked once, but when they opened again, they looked straight ahead, staring up into the sky, unfocused, unfeeling. His body relaxed, falling limp in the Spartans' hands.

The Master Chief slowly slid his fingers over Corporal "Rebound" Rielly's eyes, shutting them off from the horror the covenant had brought to this world. He dipped his head for a few moments, silently intoning a prayer for the soul of the man who had saved his life.

He took one of the dog tags from around the Corporals neck, placing it in one of his spare pouches. He stripped the firing pin from his anti-material rifle, then, taking one last look at the fallen soldier, jogged away to his next waypoint.

"For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my battle-brother eternal"





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