Location: Halo Ring Installation, Control Room
Time: Morning
The cold air bit sharply into my armor as I stepped out of the Control Room, my breath visible in the icy chill. The weight of what Cortana had just revealed still hung heavy in the air: Halo wasn't a weapon to stop the Flood—it was a weapon to obliterate all life. The full scale of what we were up against pressed down on me, but there was no time for reflection. We had to move. Now.
"We need to take out the pulse generators before Spark finds another way to activate the ring," Cortana said urgently. Her voice was clear, but the tension in her tone betrayed how dire the situation had become. "I'm marking the first generator on your HUD. It's in the adjacent canyon. Let's move."
I spotted a cluster of Covenant Ghosts nearby, left behind by their former pilots during the skirmish. They were still operational, and one of them would get us to the generator quickly. I vaulted onto the nearest Ghost, the alien vehicle humming to life beneath me as I engaged the controls. With a sudden surge, the Ghost sped across the snow-covered ground, the cold wind whipping past me.
The terrain ahead was anything but empty. Covenant forces still swarmed the area, a relentless reminder of the battle for this ring. Ghosts zipped across the frozen battlefield, while Banshees shrieked overhead, raining plasma fire down on everything below. Covenant and Flood alike were locked in a chaotic struggle, neither side giving an inch. As I dodged incoming fire, I could feel the pressure mounting. If Spark activated Halo, none of this would matter—all of it would be wiped clean.
"We'll need a Banshee to reach the first pulse generator," Cortana advised as I shot through a narrow pass, dodging plasma bolts that illuminated the snowy landscape in sickly green and blue. "There! On the ridge."
Ahead, a Banshee swooped low, its pilot focused on strafing a group of Covenant Elites struggling against a tide of Flood. I seized the moment. I veered the Ghost sharply and leapt from the seat in one fluid motion, my rifle snapping up in the same breath. One clean shot pierced the Banshee pilot's chest. The Elite tumbled out of the cockpit with a thud, its lifeless body rolling into the snow.
I scrambled into the Banshee and took control. The alien craft responded with an uneasy lurch, and I guided it skyward, climbing high above the raging battle below. The controls were foreign, but familiar enough by now. The Banshee banked sharply as I maneuvered through the cliffs, aiming toward the generator.
The battlefield below was a nightmare. Covenant Wraiths sent devastating plasma mortars crashing into the Flood, while Ghosts darted between the carnage, trying to hold the line. But the Flood was relentless, their grotesque forms surging across the landscape, an unstoppable force feeding off every combatant they took down.
"Get us to the generator," Cortana urged, breaking my focus. "We can't afford to waste any time."
I brought the Banshee in low and fast, landing near the towering structure that housed the first pulse generator. As soon as my boots hit the ground, plasma fire erupted. Covenant forces had dug in around the generator, desperate to keep anyone from reaching it. They weren't alone. Flood Combat Forms lumbered across the snow, their grotesque, twisted limbs dragging them toward anything that moved.
"Move fast, Chief," Cortana urged. "We don't have time to engage them all!"
I sprinted toward the generator, my assault rifle spitting fire as I mowed down the Covenant forces in my path. A pair of Elites raised their energy swords, charging at me with terrifying speed, but a well-placed grenade sent them flying before they could close the gap. Behind them, several Flood forms lurched forward, their mutated bodies absorbing plasma fire as they pushed past the Covenant defenses.
"Keep pushing!" Cortana shouted as a wave of Flood Combat Forms crashed into the remaining Covenant forces.
The pulse generator loomed ahead, its energy field crackling ominously. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I approached, the power emanating from the structure almost palpable.
"Step into the beam," Cortana instructed. "Your shields will generate an EMP pulse that should disable the generator."
I hesitated for only a second before stepping forward, plunging into the swirling energy. My shields flared, absorbing the electrical surge, then sputtered out in a burst of light. The pulse generator fizzled and went dark, the power drained from its core.
"Generator offline," Cortana reported, relief in her voice. "But your shields are down. Recharge quickly—we don't have time to rest."
The Covenant and Flood were still fighting, but they hadn't noticed me yet. I crouched behind a wrecked Ghost, waiting for my shields to recharge, all the while watching the battle unfold. Plasma bolts flew through the air, carving deep scars into the snowy ground. The Flood was everywhere now, overwhelming the Covenant in brutal, hand-to-hand combat.
"We're not done yet," Cortana reminded me, pulling my attention back to the task at hand. "The second pulse generator is in the next canyon. Let's go."
Location: Adjacent Canyon
Time: Mid-Morning
I found another Banshee and took off, weaving through the canyon's narrow passages. The battle below was escalating. Wraiths fired plasma mortars that exploded in bright flashes of green and blue, while Covenant snipers took shots at anything moving. The Flood seemed even more aggressive here, swarming over anything they could reach. Their sheer numbers were staggering.
"Head through that door," Cortana directed. "It'll take us to the second generator."
I landed the Banshee just outside a massive Forerunner structure and charged through the entrance. The hallways inside were thick with enemies. Flood Combat Forms lunged at me from every direction, their rotting limbs swinging wildly. I fired in controlled bursts, dropping them one by one, but there were always more—always more.
Covenant forces were also entrenched inside the facility, their plasma fire illuminating the dark halls as they fought to contain the Flood. I didn't stop to engage unless absolutely necessary. Time was running out.
The second pulse generator loomed ahead, humming with energy just like the first. I fought my way through waves of Flood and Covenant forces, my rifle nearly overheating from the constant barrage of fire. I ducked behind cover, tossing a grenade into a cluster of combat forms that were trying to flank me.
"Take it down," Cortana ordered, her voice steely.
I stepped into the energy beam, letting the EMP pulse do its job. The generator flickered, and then went dark.
"That's two," Cortana said. "One more to go."
Location: Final Canyon
Time: Noon
The final pulse generator was in the most heavily fortified location yet. Covenant forces had regrouped, reinforcing the area with Wraiths, Ghosts, and Shade turrets. Overhead, Banshees screamed through the air, strafing both Flood and Covenant alike. The battle had turned into a slaughter.
"We're going to have to fight our way through this," Cortana said grimly. "There's no other way."
I took control of a Banshee and weaved through the chaos. Plasma fire lit up the sky as Wraiths and Banshees traded shots with one another, while the Flood continued to swarm over the battlefield. Carrier Forms exploded in sickening bursts, sending infection forms skittering across the ground.
I landed near the final pulse generator, jumping out just as a pair of Covenant Elites rushed toward me. Their energy swords crackled to life, cutting through the air. I sidestepped the first, firing a burst into its back as it passed, and then dodged the second, slamming the butt of my rifle into its skull. It crumpled, but more enemies were closing in fast.
"Disable the generator!" Cortana urged. "We're running out of time!"
I sprinted toward the generator, my shields flickering dangerously as plasma fire rained down from all sides. The beam surged with energy, and I dove into it, feeling my shields flare and die as the EMP pulse deactivated the final generator.
"It's down!" Cortana announced triumphantly. "We've disabled all three generators."
I took a moment to catch my breath, the battlefield still a whirlwind of chaos around me. We had bought ourselves some time, but the battle was far from over.
"Let's get out of here," I muttered, reloading my rifle as I prepared for the next fight. Halo's firing systems were offline.