Desolation

Butting Heads

A/N: Very long chapter! Worked all day on this, hope you enjoy the read ;)

But, before we get into that, I wanna say a few things. Mainly, thank you all for the feedback! For some strange, annoying reason, I can't see your comments on my story, so I've decided to respond to you lot in the chapters themselves. On this chapter I've decided to leave it for the end, but please let me know if it would be better elsewhere!

on a side note...

Took the time to rewrite LOTS of chapters, including the intro, "Crash and Burn", chapter 2: "First Contact", and most importantly, chapter 4: "Khazo". The intro and chapter I just added a lot of details to, writing the past few days has really strengthened my vocabulary, so I've decided to touch up on a few things. However, on chapter 4 I added a lot of things, including a new character! Give 'em a re-read if you want!
Anyways, on to the story!

The two Elites shared a quick glance between eachother before rolling in opposite directions to dodge the airbourne grenade that flew from the still grinning marine's hand. Both were sideways in the air as the bomb exploded between them, damaging their shields and bringing up a blue film of energy around their armor. To the marines watching, it looked almost synchronized, like it was part of a play.

Snapping out of their brief moment of awe, the soldiers charged forward, raising their assault rifles towards Xure, who ducked under a piece of the destroyed Phantom's hull.

Still recovering from his sub-zero misadventure, the Sangheili could not steady his shaky aim. The needles from his weapon flew harmlessly past their marks, sticking into the trees behind the charging humans who had taken cover behind the other end of the metal he had his back on, putting the soldiers in a sort of standoff. The three marines took shots at Xure, who then countered with a few unsuccessful needles in their direction before ducking once more.
'Blast these infernal humans!' he thought as his upper mandible bent into an "L" shape, a Sangheili's take on gritting teeth.

...

Khazo's shields completely popped from taking the blast of the grenade, so he was forced to take cover straight away. Tough as he may have been, the Elite was no fool. Another bullet wound would be the end of him, and he knew it.

After his HUD indicated that the shields were recharged, he leapt out from behind cover and took a few shots at the soldier closest to Xure, grazing his arm and landing one just under his shoulder, to which the marine responded with a satisfying yelp.

...

Kuis howled as the needle entered his flesh, grasping it and yanking out the crystal just as it went off in a tiny explosion. He could no longer hold his assault rifle without the use of his left arm, so he quickly unholstered his magnum with his other hand, firing towards the red Elite behind a tree that had just shot him. Quickly, he ran around to his enemy's exposed flank, landing a few quick shots that were deflected by his shields. "Why don't you take that armor off so we can have a fair fight, eh?" He yelled over the sounds of gunfire, reloading his magnum behind a tree. Kuis heard the red Elite click a mandible as he sent a few more needles whizzing past his head. Sweat appeared on the young soldier's brow, that was twice in the past minute he had come within an inch of dying. A grin spread across his features, he lived for this kind of adrenaline rush!

"Come on, bastard! Let's dance!" He exclaimed, rolling behind a fallen log, taking cover closer to the alien.

...

Puzzled, Khazo stopped suppressing the marine for a moment to replace the empty cartridge in the needle rifle. Was this soldier mad? If he didn't know any better, he could've sworn the human was having... fun.