Halo_ Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe - Eric Nylund [30]
Parabum’s captains tensed up at the outburst, and Ceretus could sense the fear rise in both Hammadus and Facius. Parabum raised and swung his hammer just as a wild scream distracted them all.
IT ALL happened in the blink of few seconds. After Six raised his voice, Nixaliz and Vern shouted like mad, and the captives cleared the view and Brien popped off two shots. One hit Big Boy right in the chest, just as his hammer struck the face of Six. The second shot meant for Six wedged itself into the shoulder of Butch. All three monstrosities hit the ground within seconds of one another, and just as he expected, chaos erupted. Ludo tensed up as one of Big Boy’s captains leapt for the hammer, and then attacked him with all he had. Brien didn’t waste much more time watching the melee; he ran like mad for the hills, firing tranq darts at any Brute within fifty yards of him, the other captives at his heels. Or so he thought. When he turned around only Dasc was behind him.
“What happened to the others?” He turned, panting, eyeing the commotion behind him. He saw Nixaliz, Brute spiker in her hand, firing shots into the face of Big Boy. Her revenge didn’t last long, as another Brute simply smacked her head clear of her shoulders. Some of the others were trying to make their way up the hill slowly, but the Brutes were quick to follow, snatching them up, ripping them to shreds, some tearing into their flesh with their teeth.
“Come on. We gotta move, Dasc.” And they took off in the direction of Brien’s camp, turning every so often to make sure that they weren’t leaving anyone behind or that some Brute wasn’t on their tail. Their adrenaline died very close to the camp, and the two men collapsed as soon as it was in eyesight.
“I think we’re safe for now . . . shit, I need a break.” Brien panted, throat dry and hoarse. He looked up at the sun. “Exfil should arrive in a few hours or so. We still got another two and a half miles to the rendezvous point. We got time.”
“I can’t believe we did it.” Dasc barely was able to get the words out; his mouth looked dry and brittle beneath his matted beard.
“There are some hydro packs near the tent up there. Help yourself, bring me one, too . . . .” He looked up into the sky, smiling, knowing that he survived another one. What he witnessed here was of severe interest to command, but there was no way they could fold these Brutes into their fight. They seemed beyond control. How the Covenant kept them at bay and of service to them was something he wanted to know more than anything. He heard Dasc coming up from behind him.
“Here you go, Doc.” Dasc handed him the hydro pack. “Never tasted sweeter.” Brien could hear Dasc’s slurping. He laughed to himself. Dasc Gevadim. He couldn’t wait to tell his peers about this.
“So how far to the rescue?”
“About two and a half miles, we should get moving in—”
A bullet from Brien’s M6 seared right through Brien’s head.
DASC KNEW he would never meet that rescue craft. He devoted his entire life to Triad; to return to the public eye would prove him a phony, and the hearts and minds of millions would be broken, shattered. What was one man’s life for the comfort and faith of countless others? He thought he heard the Calypso arrive, and imagined the recon team as they surveyed the area, the camp, laying all Brute survivors to waste. And it was days before he decided to head down there again.
He strolled through the human and Brute carnage, taking the opportunity to kick a few Brute corpses as some sort of revenge. With each kick he cried, harder and harder until he crawled up tucking his knees into his chest, and wept himself to sleep. He awoke hours later, the smell of all the death around him striking him anew. He turned over to his back to stare up at the night sky. He’d never felt so alone, even knowing that all his followers were still out there.
“Transcendence.”
The word may or may not have come out of