LEVEL 09: "Regret"
CHAPTER 01: "Testament"
CINEMATIC
CORTANA:
Wait, go back.
The chief quickly hits a couple of buttons, and a mini-Cortana appears on a holopad in front of an approximately 1/3 life size hologram of the Prophet of Regret. Regret has been chanting in the background, and continues to do so. He is also gesticulating as he speaks.
CORTANA:
That's what I thought he said.
Cortana turns from looking at the Prophet to looking at the chief.
CORTANA:
The Prophet of Regret is planning to activate Halo!
MASTER CHIEF:
Are you sure?
Cortana snaps, and instead of the chanting, the prophet is now speaking English. The music starts to crescendo.
PROPHET OF REGRET:
I shall light this sacred ring, release it's cleansing flame, and burn a path into the divine beyond!
Cortana snaps, and the Prophet stops talking.
CORTANA:
Pretty much.
MASTER CHIEF:
Commander, we've got a problem.
Cut to Commander Keyes, sitting in her command chair on the Bridge of In Amber Clad. There is a holopad in front of her, generating small orange holograms of whatever she is talking about. While she talks about the index, it shows the index. When she starts talking about the library, she hits a button and the library appears.
COMMANDER KEYES:
So I hear. But from what I understand, the prophet will need an object, the index, to activate the ring. I've located a library similar to the one you found on the first halo. If the rings work the same way, the index should be inside.
Cut to video screen with Sgt. Johnson's face in it.
SGT.JOHNSON:
I bet the Covenant are thinking the exact same thing.
Cut back to Commander Keyes.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Then we better beat them to it, Sergeant. Extract your men and meet me at the library.
SGT.JOHNSON:
Yes ma'am.
Cut back the Master Chief and Cortana.
COMMANDER KEYES:
I'll secure the index, chief. You take out the prophet. He's given us all the intel we need.
END CINEMATIC
CHAPTER 02: "One Way Ticket"
CINEMATIC
CORTANA:
You know, I think the forerunners built these new structures around the old, to protect them, to honor them. Pure speculation, mind you. I'd need to make a thorough survey to be sure.
(Right before first gondola)
COMMANDER KEYES:
Cortana, the covenant are getting nosy. I don't want to give away my position, so I'm rerouting a few stragglers back to you. I apologize, these pelicans are all the support you're going to get.
CORTANA:
Understood, ma'am.
(If you wait around)
CORTANA:
This gondola won't get us all the way to the main temple, but it'll get us close. Let's get on board.
(If you continue to wait)
CORTANA:
If you hit the activation switch, it should drive itself.
CORTANA:
This lake couldn't have been created by volcanic action, which means it was either built this way on purpose, or was created by some other cataclysmic event. Oh, sorry, were you trying to kill something?
(When you reach the first underwater elevator)
CORTANA:
Ah, now I see. There's a submerged section that connects these towers to the outlying structures. Looks like we're going down. Unless you'd prefer to swim.
MARINE:
Full car, comin' up.
(If you wait)
CORTANA:
All right, let's see where this elevator goes.
(As you journey underwater in the elevator, and peer around the murky depths)
CORTANA:
I've intercepted a secure transmission from Regret's carrier to the something called "High Charity". It seems to be a formal apology to the prophets of Truth and Mercy. Apparently, Regret jumped the gun when he attacked Earth. He's asking the other prophets to "forgive his premature arrival," arguing that "no human presence was foretold." That explains why there were so few ships in his fleet. But it's odd that a Prophet would have such bad intel about his enemy's homeworld.
(In the large chamber, looking at the huge hologram of the Prophet of Regret)
CORTANA:
And people say I'VE got a big head.
(When you're underwater again)
CORTANA:
Regret's carrier just received a response from High Charity. A very well encrypted message from the prophet of Truth. Listen to this: "Your haste has jeopardized the fulfillment of our Covenant, threatened our grand design. That you shall be spared a public display of our contempt is thanks only to Mercy and his wise council". Truth, Mercy, Regret. Three Prophet hierarchs. Killing Regret should shake up the Covenant Leadership. But frankly, it sounds like you might be doing Truth a favor.
After emerging from the elevator, there is another hologram of the Prophet of Regret spouting religious rhetoric and chanting.
PROPHET OF REGRET (Hologram):
Every member of the Covenant shall the walk the path. None will be left behind when our Great Journey begins! That is the Prophets' age-old promise. And it shall be fulfilled!
CORTANA:
Great journey? Doesn't he know what these rings do?
(Emerging from this room and killing all the enemies)
PELICAN PILOT:
This is my last run, chief. I'm nearly out of fuel. We've secured the first tower cluster, so I'll set down there. Call when you're ready for evac.
(When you come across the next gondola)
CORTANA:
There. Another gondola. Looks like it leads straight to the main temple. Not much further now.
As soon as you start the gondola, a short exchange occurs.
COMMANDER KEYES:
How's it going, you two?
CORTANA:
So far, so good. We're approaching the main temple now.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Roger that. I'm as close to the library as I can get. There's some sort of... barrier. We're trying to find a way around it. I'll keep you posted.
(When you exit the gondola a cinematic begins.)
CHAPTER 03: "Sorry, Were You in the Middle of Something?"
CINEMATIC
The Chief walks off the gondola and looks around, then up. There are an uncountable number of slipspace ruptures, and hundreds of Covenant ships come out of slipspace, including High Charity.
CORTANA:
That's the largest Covenant fleet I've ever seen- the largest anyone's ever seen. Get inside the temple and kill Regret, before it can stop us.
(As you enter the building)
CORTANA:
The Covenant fleet has launched multiple waves of phantoms. Too many for me to track- We don't have much time. There are honor guards all over this place. Watch your back.
After you enter the "throne room", the prophet talks to you.
PROPHET OF REGRET:
Your very existence offends me, demon!
The great journey will not be postponed!
Guards! Remove this vermin from my sight!
Human filth, you confound this sacred place?
You dare? To interrupt-
Very well- I'll kill it myself!
Warriors! Attack! The demon must die.
Surely, you can do better than that?
You shall not hide from me!
Why anyone would fear this demon is beyond me!
Perhaps you underestimated me, no?
(When you're near the prophet)
CORTANA:
There's the target, take him out!
(If you wait around)
CORTANA:
His throne's shielding is protecting him. Get in close and do whatever you can.
(If you continue to wait)
CORTANA:
You've got to get him out of that throne.
(If you still don't get it)
CORTANA:
Quick, board his throne!
(After you kill the Prophet)
CORTANA:
Bad news, Chief, the phantoms are turning around. The fleet is preparing to fire on OUR position. We need to get out of here.
The chief is standing outside the temple, with dead Covenant bodies behind him. A Covenant ship is directly overhead. A huge purple beam, similar to a grav lift, comes down, hits the temple, and starts getting brighter and brighter. It's obviously a weapon. The chief turns, runs around a corner, and jumps a ledge, landing about 30 feet below where he was. He runs the entire length of the temple, as the temple starts exploding. He barely makes it off, and is flung into the water, where he slowly begins to sink with other bits of stone from the temple. Two tentacles come up from the bottom, wrap around him, and begin to drag him down.
GRAVEMIND:
This is not your grave...
GRAVEMIND:
But you are welcome in it.
END CINEMATIC
