Halo: Second Chance

Chapter 1: Awaken

The Demon.  That was the last thing I vividly remember falling down that elevator shaft.  After that, big explosions, and that, darkness.

I awoke once more but everything was a blur.  A Cryosleep pod door being ripped open by a large gray fuzzy figure.  A cryosleep pod?, I thought, Who put me here?.

"The readout says he's alive."  a voice to the right of me said.  A familiar accent.

Another Sangheili?  Am I being rescued?, I thought.  After that, the big figure pulled me out of the cryosleep pod.  My limbs wouldn't work so I couldn't react.

"We best make our way back to the ship before those Kig-Yar pirates show up with reinforcements.", said the big figure carrying me,his voice sounded deep and gravelly.  Not like a Sangheili's.  I've never heard nor seen a race like this during my years in the Covenant.  The last thing I remembered was being brought to a hangar and into some sort of dark crimson ship and then I blacked out.

I woke up to the sound of beeping within my helmet.  I looked around ignoring the beeping and saw that I was in Some sort of tent.  I looked down and saw that I was laying on some sort of fur.  After Surveying my surroundings I looked at the interface in my sealed helmet.  It showed a little diagram of my armor in the top right corner in a light blue.  Major collateral damage in the upper back centerplate., I thought, I reached back and sure enough I felt a large dent at my upper back in my armor.  If that was not there my spine would have surely broke.  My attention was then directed to voices I started hearing outside.  More of those deep, Gravelly voices I could not recognize.  I slowly got up and almost collapsed.  It felt like I haven't walked in ages.  How long was I in that pod?  I Thought as I staggered to the tent's entrance and pulled back the green flap that served as a door.  I got a startling sight in return.  

I was on some sort of planet at some sort of military camp.  I could see hills of green grass and rocky mountains in the distance.  Looking around the camp I could see multiple tents and metal buildings as well.  But the individuals.  I saw unggoy with their large tanks filled with methane on their backs.  Kig-Yar lulled about with their wrist mounted plasma shields on or off bringing some color into this camp.  Among Sangheili I saw a more prominent race.  Towering over most Sangheili wearing various assortments of armor and various weapons were bipedal giant aliens.  Some showed a light gray or black fur and many showed gray, leather thick skin.  They wore assortments of colored battle armor and various looking weapons.  So many questions began to race through my mind.  Where am I?  Is this the covenant?  What are these hulking brutish aliens? My thoughts were interrupted by a deep voice,

"Your finally awake," said a voice to my right.  I looked and saw one of those hulking giants,  "Atriox wants to see you personally.",  he said.

"Atriox?"  I asked, surprised to even hear my own voice again.

"Our leader."  He said looking at me with surprise mixed with disgust.

"He's a prophet?" I asked, afraid as memories started roaring back at me.  My failure to kill the Demon.  The image of my head lopped off entered my mind, making me shudder.

"A prophet? A PROPHET? AAHAHAHA!"  he let out a loud bellow of laughter before getting back into a serious tone,  "Your not serious are you?".

"Why would I joke to you" I said, definitely more confused.  He told me to follow him.  He lead me on a dirt path to a large metal building 

"I don't know what he sees in you but go ahead, he's waiting for you in there.".  The giant said to me.

I tapped on the panel next to the door and it opened and inside was a dark room with a large table with red holographic glass.  I walked inside and the door closed behind me.  Once I was inside, I hear a voice.

When we found you aboard that wrecked ship in space, I looked through some old Covenant files until I found your name."

I saw movement in the far corner of the room as a dim light was turned on and I saw him.  He was a foot taller than me, wearing white power armor and was one of that race I've not seen before.  He had long hair that ran down his head in thick strings and he had white warpaint on his face.  I looked closer and realized it resembled that of a skull.

"Zuka Zam'Amee, Blessed by the might prophets themselves to hunt the horrible Demon." He says almost in a gloating manner.

Hearing my name again made me suddenly think Wait- yes. That is my name, As if I had forgotten it myself.

"If you are here to kill me for my failures, you do not need to gloat." I said to him in a stern tone.

"Oh I'm not going to kill you.  As a matter of fact, you may be of great use to me.  You know The Demon better than anyone here.  You could say that I'm giving you a second chance.  A chance to redeem yourself and prove your worth."

This through many questions into my head.  So many I just had to ask.  "So this isn't the Covenant?"

"Of course not!" Atriox exclaimed, almost disgusted.  "Your in a war camp of the Banished."

"The Banished?" I asked, gaining a surprised look from Atriox.

"We are Ex-Covenant warriors who are making a kingdom of Mercenary and crime."

"Ex-covenant?" I asked which made me ask the other question that was on my mind, "What happened to the Covenant anyway?"

"You don't know?" Atriox asked partially dumbfounded and partially annoyed.  "It split into a a small faction under Jul'Mdama after the Arbiter killed the Prophet of Truth.

"The Arbiter did what?" I was absolutely dumbfounded Who is the new arbiter?  Why would he kill Truth? " The other Prophets as well- dead?"

"Correct"

"Impossible." I muttered.

"Lets get this back on track shall we?" He says and I nod.  "I want you hear.  I do.  But like all other recruits, I give them a fair chance.  So you are going to have to go through my little boot camp."

"What activities shall I learn in this training period?" I ask wondering how long this will take. 

"One week of Jiralhanae equipment training, five days of marksmanship, one week of combat, and one day for the final test." He says.

"And if I refuse?" I ask.

"Oh. Simple.  You die right here right now."  He says with a bit of malice in his tone.  "What will it be?"

With no other choice to take, "I Accept."

*****Author's notes:

So this is my first Halo fan story based on some lore!  I hope you like it and I will try my very best to get chapter two out next week (Now out!!!) . If you have any feedback to give me or just general comments go on ahead you are free to do so!!