Tempered Steel
CHAPTER- Prologue
FORGED IN PLASMA
Dense vegetation slapped against his bloodstained face while miniature suns of violet plasma
raced after him, threatening to end his already short lived existence. At only 22, he thought he knew everything
there was to know, accomplished every goal worth aiming for in life, but a Brute assault on one's home city has a
startling ability to remind you of all you havent done. The hellish images of savage Jackals slaughtering a
preschool full of children and devouring their tiny forms flashed once again in his mind, nearly breaking his spirit
and resurging the suicidal thought that to him seemed to be his only route to peace: stop running...
The dull "thump" of a projectile needle exploding nearby helped reassert rational thought, his legs pushing him
ever deeper into the jungle landscape around his grandfather's home. Hopelessly lost he followed his ears, the rapid clatter
of automatic weaponry to answer and silence the mangled tongue of the Covenant hordes igniting the spark of hope within him.
Spent brass casings glisten like stars in the night sky among grotesque burned corpses of local UNSC militia that paid in blood
for the lives of helpless civilians that lie upon his morbid path to salvation.
Without warning a high pitched hum is heard, heralding a tremendous roar: the chin mounted chaingun of a UNSC Pelican dropship.
Hot brass falls like rain in a downpour from ovehead, tracers and titanium jacketed rounds tearing through flora and alien bodies alike,
showing no mercy amidst the cries of agony. The lumbering dropship glides slowly down opening its rear hold to reveal a small team of
the UNSC's fearless infantry, all equipped in green camo, a grenade belt, a seemingly endless supply of MA5B clips loaded with 7.62mm
armor piercing rounds, and the Helljumpers' insignia upon their left shoulders. An unknown voice commmands him to climb aboard, and he doesnt
need to be told twice. The Helljumpers were here. The professionals. The only among the human ranks that stood a chance against the
Covenant onslaught. As far as he new anyway....
The infernal racket of the chin gun seemed to creep into his very core, his teeth vibrating madly. Uncomfortable, but safe, he voiced no
complaints, thankful to set eyes on live humans instead of the singed corpses he seemed to be growing accustomed to. Scanning the faces around
for someone to talk to, his fearful gaze was met only with the hardened expressions brought on by seeing countless comrades die in battle. He was
in the company of those that handed out death like dealers in a card game, those that met the Reaper head on without hesitation, and sent his
bony, squid faced form back to the hell from which it came. As a child he had dreamt of being like them, without fear, protecting those he cared
most for, but the realization that the only way he could ever make something of his life now was to actually do that- and destroy part of his
humanity in the process- disturbed him more than the savagery of the Covenant forces ever could.
"Get us back to the retreat point, there's nothing more we can do here...."
He glances at the man who spoke those words, the solemn look he finds telling him more than some useless conversation could. The Covenant
won, again. His home planet was soon to be nothing more than a lifeless glass sphere and a bittersweet memory. Tears danced at the edge of his vision
but he managed to push them away. Now was not a time for weakness, especially not when he was surrounded by soldiers. So he simply watched through the
Pelicans canopy as enemy Seraphs and UNSC Longsword fighters danced in the distant skies, exchanging rounds and death counts, playing their parts in
this twisted drama stretching across solar systems. Enormous pearlescent purple capital ships dominated the horizon, making quick work of the humans'
cities, defensive positions, and anything else the local branch of the UNSC could throw at them. It was no longer a war...it was a long, cruel, undeserved
execution of the human race.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Please, by all means jump on me for every inconsistancy you find and every idea that doesnt fit in with Halo canon that you find. This is my first piece,
and unless i get some constructive criticism i cant fix what's wrong. Also, i want to hear about EVERY SINGLE INCORRECT SPELLING YOU FIND. I pride myself
on my english skills and i dont want to get caught slacking. Hopefully ill not end up on the wrong side of the "n00b wars"....
-k0m8a7
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