Chapter 9 - Tip Toeing by

The screams were everywhere, as the leader ordered a full retreat, he communicated what happened to his command but got no word. He saw the jackals unable to fight back as they were swarmed, while the rest of the grunts fled wherever they could in a panic. Looking at the rest of his elites, he signaled to them to retreat as they backtracked to the entrance, whoever could follow he would take, but whoever didn't make it with them, he signaled orders for them to detonate their plasma grenades.

His remaining units ran after him through the corridors, and rooms as more parasites flooded after them. He tuned out the screams as his team fled, once they reached the platform, they threw what plasma grenades they had as they blasted whatever parasites made it through. As the platform ascended, it felt agonizingly slow, the spores were able to climb walls, and even more alarming were the ones that fell on them from above.

They were almost there, but the fact that some of the parasites came from above kept them on edge. The closer he got to the upper level, the more worried he got, he could hear plasma fire above them as well.

Once they reached the upper level, he could see his remaining forces fighting with the flood, some of the victims already turned as they were being pelted in plasma, he contacted the rest of his unit to pick them up, but a command came from above, "I'm taking command of this area, your ordered to stay, and cleanse these parasites from the holy land" The elite stopped, shocked by the command, every single member of his unit received those orders. Whoever did this, outright disregarded him, and everything he reported. Even if they fought back the flood, there wasn't enough manpower to fight them back for hours.

The elite saw his men being turned as time went on, they weren't prepared for this, "this is a death sentence!", he yelled, "We don't have the forces to fight back, we are being overwhelmed!"

Whoever gave the orders, cut them off high command, as angry as he was, he couldn't waste time, so he helped his team finish the rest of the flood off. More than half of his soldiers were dead, and they only temporarily beat back the flood. He wasn't a fool, this ring world is massive, and interconnected, they had to leave. He contacted a nearby drop ship, and used his status to force them over on emergency orders. Once they got near, he commandeered it from the pilot.

He ordered his men to board as the rest of the covenant on the drop ship were confused. just as he tried to board himself, he, and the rest of the covenant there, received a notification.

As of now, they were listed as heretics, and traitors, including the crew, and soldiers from the other unit who were on board the drop ship beforehand.

Another elite was shocked, as he swore, "what is this madness!" The leader looked at them, "we need to leave, the parasite will comeback, we cannot stay, put an open message for everyone to avoid this wretched place".

His men quickly followed his orders, the message will be seen by everyone, including the humans. As his men board, he orders the pilot to head back to truth and reconciliation. He wants answers, and to find out who acted against them.

.....

A pelican was flying towards their destination, as the Marines inside argued about songs, "Hey, if the covenant want to destroy this particular part of my history, that's fine by me"

"yeah, better it than us," said the marine beside him.

Sergeant Johnson looks at him, "you ask them real nice next time you see them descenti, I'm sure they'll be happy to oblige.

"LZs clear, wait...we're retreating, the LZ has hostiles. Were also getting word about intercepted covenant communications, the area has been declared lost. I'm pulling out". Sergeant Johnson grins, "You heard the lady, keep the song going"

"uuuggghhhh" X4 Marines

.....

We finally made it, Sylvie's finally taken us through the entrance to follow after them, I get to finally do something!

She flew for a few hours, but we made it through to the platform. After she landed I noticed the scorch marks, seems MasterChef has been using the grenades a lot more huh, though in hindsight the covenant body parts are a bit morbid when in real life, I check the body parts for grenades, but I can't find any, nor can I find their weapons. It's a bit odd, but I'm sure I'll find more as time goes by I have a long way to follow after all.

As I head through the hallways, I notice that all of the bodies have been blown to bits, where did he get that many grenades, wait I'm not seeing any bodies of the Marines they usually die at the start. After hours of walking, I finally made it to a lower level where it opens up to the wraiths and covenant killing a small group of marines at one end of the map. The moment the door opens I finally see a marines body, seems they burned him to prevent infection. I see the scorch marks from both sides, looks like the fight was fierce. I look around, but I find no weapon, I move through. Although I have my backpack and my gear, I like to hoard weapons. I'm getting bored, and I hear nothing, just the snow, and my footsteps. Even as I stand still I just hear my footsteps, wait, that's not my foot steps. I look around, but I see nothing, afraid, I move along.

Hours pass by, I've been moving through the areas, but I see no one, "anyone out there?". nothing...I don't hear them, only when I am walking forward do I hear it, sounds small, like a cockroach moving along the wall. I got goosebumps, I can't stop here. I see more body parts from both sides, looks like they're just throwing grenades at each other, I move past them, I can't stay here, it feels like it's tip toeing by me, playing games with me.

I run....