Flesh Wounds

Chapter Twelve "Stuck Here"

34 Pov

"We need to get out! There's a checkpoint west not too far from here!" I yell from behind the others as I sprint to them. Nick has set Sparky down and is looking for something on him. 

"What's the point? Is there even anything there?" 5000 asks me loading what looks to be the last of his ammo into his shotgun. 

"He wouldn't bring it up without there being something.." A shaky voice arrives taking us three by surprise.

"Hey save your breath, keep your eyes shut, and don't move," Nick orders Sparky and takes off his helmet. 

Sparky's hair floofs down in front of his eyes, he opens them and examines everything quickly like he may be out of time to see again, "Guys.." His sight fixes to one point.

I instinctively draw my sword and turn but before I really could see it, Nick found out first, "No..."

I glance back at Nick and then to where he's staring at, "What is-? That.. No." I can feel everything become weak as I only blankly stare at the metal pole coming from out of the ground Dillan, another one lost, impaled through the middle of her chest with it. Arms out and holding the pole as if she once thought possible to get off. 

"Let's just go," I feel a hand on my shoulder as 5000 attempts to calm me down. It really only makes me feel worse but I accept giving in before anything happens, "We have to get off this planet before it becomes our grave."

I can feel myself become lighter, "To hell you're right. If we get to the base we can find a few Warthogs. If we don't we'll be stuck here like her."

"Let's get the bloody smuck out of here," Nick curses and looks at me.

"If we can just go that direction," I shrug off 5000 and point towards the clearer sky off in the distance. "We can mak-"

Nick Pov

"34's down!"

"Crap Beam Rifles get in cover!" I yell out diving for Sparky and getting out of the way of purple flashes of light. I sit up quickly and look around with the DMR in my grip ready to fire at the first thing I see.

"I got him! I've got him!" 5000 is adjacent to my cover as he drags and sets 34 against a building wall. 

I see a red light shining through a high window of a skyscraper. Multiple lights. "Their up in the buildings! Red head lights aim for those!" I shout and aim down sight with Sparkys rifle. I fire once and two bullets fly out making the recoil impossible to control that far. 

"I can't hit them with shit!" 5000 yells picking up 34 and hoisting him over his back with one hand. "We move towards the encampment. Get out of this Danger Zone!"

"Can you walk?" I ask Sparky kneeling next to him and holding my hand out for him.

"Yeah it's just my arm," He answers and grabs hold of my hand with his good arm.

I pull out my pistols and take the bullets out of one and I load the rest into my other, "Take this," I give him the loaded pistol and keep the other on my side, "I want that back after this."

Another flash of light and a jump of sparks next to us is what gets me going, "Before we're shot!" 5000 hurries Sparky and I as we run behind him as he moves at a slow trot compared to how fast we would normally go at this.

As we turn onto an, in one piece, street I can hear Elite shouting commands not lagging to far behind.  

Almost if they were ready to show up on que like a pack of annoying wolves Elites in gold bearing swords come from the corner as their leader in white and red point at us, "Kill the demons!"

(As I write this part Bungie quits on Activision and goes on their own! HELL YEAH!)

As if that isn't bad enough a swarm of Jackals with various weapons come around the enemy corner.

"Heads down!" I scream as I dive for the ground when lasers fly over our heads.

"Can't stop, we've got to keep going as the fire at us or we'll just end up dead by the sword ones," 5000 calmly explains in an oddly new voice that doesn't sound as scary as it has been these past weeks. He's the first to get up and begin his advance, immediately he's shot by a beam only barely scathing his shield. 

"C'mon hurry," I barely speak out to Sparky and get up running as fast as I can with adrenaline coursing through my veins. A few shots hit me in the back but its not able to break my shields, must be a carbine.

"They are running! Kill the cowards!" One of the elite's order with murderous intent. 

I feel a intense heat for a moment as a melee breaks my shields from behind. "Crap!" I sweep around with my leg to face the elite as they trip and fall. I jump on top and butt him with Sparky's rifle, "Go I'll cover your back!" I shout as I stand up firing a double shot into that elite's face.

"God damn it come on you can come with!" 5000 yells at me as he continues to run the opposite direction with Sparky tailing behind him.

"And I won't..." I bend over to pick up the dead elite's sword. I look up at the remaining elites as they crowd around me and draw their bladed weapons.

The white and red general steps out from the group and into the circle, "It seems there is one brave warrior of their hunting party. Worthy to fight us?"

"Only worthy to fight a grunt!" One of the elite's shout causing an uproar of approval from the others.

I keep quiet as the go on about rambling to themselves.

"I, will fight him," A deep elite voice rings out in a threatening tone. As the golden elite steps from the swarm of elites and jackals he turns to the general, who slowly nods in agreement.

"I believe this, is where I die. Where I can lay to rest and put down this pointless and childish quest to find my brother who joined the UNSC at 16. This, is where I meet the blade."

The elite draws a pure black energy sword as I throw my hilt to the ground and pull my knife from my holster.

"I'm going to be stuck here. And I might just be ready for it."