an ODST among Heroes.

S2-12.

Through data salvaged from wrecked Covenant ships, Izuku pieced together a general layout of the Halo ring’s surface. Among the information recovered, one location stood out: a site labeled as the Cartographer. It wasn’t much, but it was a lead—a potential gateway to understanding this enigmatic structure.

Izuku gathered his team, laying out the plan. “This Cartographer might give us the answers we need. Let’s move out,” he ordered, and without hesitation, his squad mobilized. They knew time was of the essence.

---

Meanwhile, on another part of the ring, Harumuf, a grizzled Jiralhanae pack leader, prowled through the overgrown terrain with his squad. According to the maps his superiors provided, this section of the ring housed something—something significant. Harumuf didn’t care for the details; he only cared for the glory and treasure promised within.

“Keep moving!” he barked, his voice like a rolling thunder that echoed through the cavernous landscape. The ancient Forerunner structures loomed around them, their smooth, cold surfaces overgrown with alien flora.

The group reached a massive, sealed door. Its glowing runes and intricate designs defied their understanding, but Harumuf wasn’t interested in reverence. “No gods’ toys will deny me,” he snarled, motioning for his Kig-Yar and Unggoy underlings to set the charges.

Moments later, the charges detonated with a deafening roar, sending shards of metal and dust into the air. The door fell inward, revealing a dark and foreboding chamber beyond. Harumuf stepped forward, his pulse quickening. But as the dust settled, his excitement soured into frustration.

“All this effort... for nothing?!” he roared, his fury echoing through the chamber. The interior was barren, devoid of relics, treasures, or anything remotely valuable.

Then, a sound broke the tense silence—a faint skittering, like claws scraping against metal. Harumuf’s ears twitched as the noise grew louder, closer. Suddenly, a crash echoed from above, and a swarm of yellow, bulbous creatures poured into the chamber like a living flood.

“Hold the line!” Harumuf bellowed as his underlings scrambled into defensive positions. The Kig-Yar raised their energy shields while the Unggoy fumbled with their plasma pistols.

One of the bulbous creatures lunged forward, latching onto a Kig-Yar’s arm with unnatural speed. The Kig-Yar screamed as its body convulsed, grotesquely twisting and reshaping. Flesh split and reformed into something monstrous, something alien.

The newly transformed abomination turned on its former comrades with a guttural shriek, leaping onto an Unggoy and sinking its grotesque mandibles into the creature’s neck. The Unggoy’s cries of terror were short-lived as it too succumbed to the infection, its body morphing into another horrifying creature.

“This is no relic cache,” Harumuf growled, his voice laced with dread. “This place is cursed!”

Seeing the rapidly growing horde, Harumuf made a split-second decision. “Fall back! Now!” he ordered, his remaining forces unleashing a desperate barrage of plasma fire to slow the advancing monstrosities.

The retreat was chaotic. The once-confident pack now fled in disarray, their morale shattered. As they exited the chamber, Harumuf took one last look at the horrors within, vowing to never underestimate the dangers of the gods’ forsaken ring again.

Little did he know, their escape had only bought them time. The infection was awake, and its hunger was insatiable.

---

As Izuku and his team finished studying the holographic map projected by the Cartographer, they marked the location of the control room on their tactical displays. The layout of Halo was intricate and vast, and the control room was located in a remote and heavily fortified region of the ring. A sense of foreboding settled over the group as they packed up and prepared to move out.

Before they could take a step, a sudden column of light descended nearby, casting long, shifting shadows across the ancient, overgrown chamber. The light shimmered and coalesced into a floating metallic construct. Its spherical body was adorned with intricate, glowing designs, and a single orange photoreceptor pulsed rhythmically as it addressed them in a clear, mechanical voice.

"Greetings, Reclaimer."

The team instinctively raised their weapons, each soldier training their sights on the unexpected arrival.

"I am Monitor 049 Abject Testament, custodian of Installation 03," the machine continued, undeterred by their hostile posture. "The Flood has been released. Their containment is critical to the continued survival of all sentient life. Your assistance is required. Come."

"Flood? What the hell is the Flood?" Izuku demanded, stepping forward while signaling his team to hold their fire.

The Monitor floated closer, its photoreceptor narrowing slightly. "An ancient and catastrophic threat. They consume all, corrupt all, and spread endlessly. They have escaped their quarantine, and I am ill-equipped to stop them alone. As the Reclaimer, it is your duty to assist me."

Before Izuku could question further or argue, the Monitor emitted a pulse of radiant energy. Izuku’s body was enveloped in the same shimmering light, his vision blurring as he felt an odd sensation of weightlessness. His teammates shouted in alarm, reaching for him, but the light expanded and whisked him away before anyone could react.

---

Izuku rematerialized in an entirely different environment. The air was colder, the light dimmer. He stood on a metallic platform surrounded by towering Forerunner architecture, glowing with an eerie, pulsing energy. The sound of distant machinery echoed around him. Abject Testament hovered nearby, its photoreceptor fixed on him.

"This way, Reclaimer. Time is short. The Flood are already spreading. We must act swiftly."

Izuku clenched his fists, taking in his new surroundings and the gravity of the situation. Whatever this "Flood" was, it had to be something far worse than anything the Covenant or his team had faced before. His instincts screamed at him to trust no one, not even this enigmatic machine—but for now, he had no choice.

"Lead the way," he said, his voice steady despite the tension coursing through him.

Abject Testament turned and floated ahead, guiding him deeper into the labyrinth of Forerunner structures.