The Spirit of Fire drifted through an unknown star system, her engines humming steadily. For days, they had tracked Covenant forces, following fragmentary intelligence reports and signals that led them deeper into uncharted space. But it wasn't until they intercepted the Covenant's encrypted coordinates that they realized where the enemy was heading.
They were on the verge of discovering a Shield World.
Captain Cutter leaned over the tactical display on the bridge, frowning at the strange readings. The structure ahead was massive, a hidden Forerunner world encased within an enormous sphere.
"This is it," he murmured, voice laced with awe. "The Covenant's been after these Shield Worlds to tap into their technology. If they unlock it… they could bring the entire galaxy to its knees."
"Captain," Cortana's hologram flickered to life beside him, her face tense. "I'm detecting heavy Covenant presence and traces of Flood spores. It looks like the Covenant aren't the only threat down there."
A wave of unease swept over the bridge crew. Jamie Vega, who had been listening nearby, stepped forward. "Captain, if the Flood has reached this Shield World, containment becomes our top priority. We can't let them get off that planet."
Cutter nodded, his expression hardening. "Agreed. Jamie, Red Team—I want you to lead the ground forces. Your mission is to assess the Covenant's defenses and get us as close to the core as possible. If the Flood is active here, the stakes just got a whole lot higher."
Jamie exchanged a look with Jerome, the leader of Red Team. "We'll get it done, Captain."
The Pelican drop ship rattled as it descended toward the surface of the Shield World. Below them, the landscape unfurled in surreal, ancient splendor. Forerunner structures stretched in every direction, towering monoliths that seemed to pulse with a strange energy. The artificial sky glowed in muted blues and greens, casting an eerie light over the landscape.
As they neared the landing zone, Jamie spotted Covenant and Flood forces scattered across the surface, locked in brutal combat. The Flood had established a foothold, their biomass clinging to the Forerunner structures like a dark, twisted parasite. It was worse than Jamie had anticipated—Flood infection forms swarmed the battlefield, overwhelming Covenant Elites and Grunts alike.
The Pelican's engines flared as it touched down, and Jamie and Red Team immediately leaped out, weapons at the ready. Covenant forces noticed their arrival, and plasma fire streaked across the landscape to meet them. Jamie activated his energy shield and fired back, hitting a Jackal square in the chest. Jerome and his team took point, their disciplined movements making them a formidable line against the Covenant troops.
"All units, move up!" Jerome's voice boomed through the comms. "Clear out these Covenant forces so we can push further into the structure."
Jamie led his squad forward, clearing a path through the Grunts and Elites who had entrenched themselves behind cover. He sprinted to the front, firing bursts into the alien ranks, moving with practiced precision. To his left, Alice took down a Brute Captain with a clean shot to the head, while Douglas threw a grenade that sent a cluster of Grunts flying.
"Jamie, there's movement on your right—Flood infection forms incoming!" Cortana's voice crackled over his helmet comms.
He turned just in time to see a horde of spindly Flood forms swarming toward them. The Flood shrieked, their bodies lurching and twisting as they attacked. Jamie aimed his rifle and squeezed the trigger, unleashing a spray of bullets that tore through the infection forms, but more kept coming, their grotesque shapes blotting out the landscape.
"This is getting out of control," Alice muttered, crushing an infection form under her boot. "These things are relentless."
Jerome nodded grimly. "Stay sharp. We're pushing into the main structure. Captain Cutter wants eyes on the Covenant's objective."
The Spartans moved in formation, making their way toward the towering Forerunner building at the center of the complex. Covenant forces and Flood forms tried to slow them down, but the Spartans were unstoppable, mowing down anything that got in their way. As they neared the entrance, Jamie caught sight of a massive Covenant Scarab lumbering into view, its towering legs crushing Flood forms underfoot.
"Captain, we've got heavy resistance here," Jamie reported, pausing to reload as the Scarab's plasma cannon lit up. "The Covenant's deployed a Scarab."
On the Spirit of Fire, Cutter's voice came through, calm but tense. "We don't have much time, Spartans. You need to get inside that structure and figure out what the Covenant's after."
Jamie glanced at Jerome, who nodded. "We'll handle the Scarab," Jerome said, gesturing for Alice and Douglas to split off with him. "Jamie, get inside and get us some intel."
Jamie nodded and sprinted toward the main entrance, ducking as a blast from the Scarab scorched the ground beside him. He sprinted up the steps and slipped into the structure, entering a massive hall lined with glowing Forerunner glyphs. As he moved forward, the walls began to shimmer, and the air felt heavy with an electric charge.
"Cortana, any idea what the Covenant is looking for in here?" Jamie asked, glancing at the symbols on the walls.
"Based on their trajectory… it looks like they're heading for the core of the Shield World. If they access the control center, they could activate any number of devastating weapons or defenses."
Jamie moved deeper into the structure, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall. The glyphs pulsed, and he could hear distant sounds of combat—the Covenant and Flood battling outside, unaware of what lay within. Then, just as he rounded a corner, he came face-to-face with a massive Flood combat form.
It lunged at him, tentacles flailing, but Jamie dodged to the side, slamming his shoulder into it and firing his assault rifle at point-blank range. The creature shrieked, its body convulsing before collapsing in a heap. Jamie kept moving, knowing there would be more.
"Jamie, the Covenant are converging on the lower levels," Cortana reported. "You're going to have to hurry if you want to stop them."
He picked up the pace, descending a spiraling ramp that led to the lower levels of the structure. The temperature dropped, and the walls grew darker, covered in Flood biomass that writhed and pulsed. Jamie activated his flashlight, illuminating a narrow passage filled with Flood spores.
As he moved down the corridor, he heard the unmistakable hum of Covenant energy shields. Up ahead, a group of Elites stood guard, their backs turned to him. They seemed fixated on a large Forerunner control console, frantically pressing holographic buttons. Jamie took a deep breath, then sprang forward, catching the Elites by surprise.
In seconds, the Elites were down, and Jamie approached the console. He activated his comms, sending the data back to the Spirit of Fire.
"Captain Cutter, I've found what the Covenant were after. They're trying to unlock the Shield World's core."
"Good work, Jamie. But we've got more bad news," Cutter replied, his tone grave. "Flood signals are converging on your location. They're aware of the core's presence, and they're coming to take it."
Jamie felt his pulse quicken. "Understood, Captain. We'll make sure they don't get that chance."
Just then, a rumbling shook the ground, and the walls began to shift, revealing a massive door that opened up to reveal the core chamber itself. The artificial sun glowed at the center, casting an ominous light over the entire room. Flood and Covenant forces swarmed the entrance, their chaotic battle spilling into the core's open space.
Jamie knew what had to be done. He activated his comms again. "Captain, the only way to end this is to destroy the core. We need to set the translight engine here and get back to the Spirit."
"Understood, Spartan. We'll prep for immediate extraction," Cutter replied.
Jamie took a final glance at the core, the weight of the mission settling over him. They would have to destroy this Shield World—and everything on it—to keep the Flood contained. But he was ready.
The real battle was only beginning.