LEVEL 10: "Sacred Icon"
CINEMATIC
The scene opens on the hallway leading into the Sanctum of the Hierarchs, lined with Honor Guards. The Arbiter is walking toward the doorway, while several Brutes are advancing up the corridor. As the Arbiter walks past, a Brute wrenches the staff from a reluctant Elite Honor Guard. Another Elite surrenders his helmet. Two Brutes are shown bickering over another one of the helmets, while another appraises his staff as if were a new toy. The Arbiter walks past a pair of dejected Honor Guards without their headdresses, and enters the Prophets' private quarters. He steps between two Brutes smugly dressed as Honor Guards, and the camera reveals the Spec-Ops Commander and two blue-armored Elites speaking with Truth and Mercy before a viewscreen/window showing the Delta Halo.
SPEC OPS:
This is unprecedented. Unacceptable.
TRUTH:
A Hierarch is dead, Commander.
SPEC OPS:
His murderer was within our grasp; if you had not withdrawn our Phantoms-
TRUTH:
(interjecting) Are you questioning my decision?
SPEC OPS:
No, Holy One. I only wish to express my concern that Brutes-
TRUTH:
Recommissioning the guard was a radical step, but recent events have made it abundantly clear that the Elites can no longer guarantee our safety.
SPEC OPS:
I shall relay your . . . decision . . . to the Council.
Spec Ops and his companions turn and walk out of the room. They pass the Arbiter, and both he and Spec Ops trade respectful nods.
TRUTH:
Politics. How tiresome. Arbiter, did you know that the Elites have threatened to resign? To quit the High Council? Because of this . . . exchange of hats?
ARBITER:
We have always been your protectors.
TRUTH:
Indeed. But these are trying times, for all of us.
MERCY:
Even as the humans' annihilation filled us with satisfaction, the loss of one of the sacred rings wracked our hearts with grief.
TRUTH:
Putting aside our sorrow, we renewed our faith in the prophecy that other rings would be found, and see how our faith has been rewarded.
Truth gestures to the image of Delta Halo, and Mercy bows his head, spreading his arms out reverently.
MERCY:
Halo. Its divine wind will rush through the stars, propelling all who are worthy along the path to salvation.
TRUTH:
(He strokes his beard in false pensiveness.)
How to start this process? For ages we searched for one who can unlock the secrets of the ring, an Oracle.
Truth gestures toward the central pedestal in the room, where we see what looks like a holographic image of 343 Guilty Spark, deactivated.
TRUTH:
And with your help, we found it.
MERCY:
With appropriate humility, we plied the Oracle with questions. And it, with clarity and grace, has shown us the key.
Beside Guilty Spark there appears an image of the Index.
TRUTH:
You will journey to the surface of the ring and retrieve this Sacred Icon. With it we shall fulfill our promise.
MERCY:
Salvation for all!
TRUTH:
And begin the Great Journey.
Cut to an image of Delta Halo. A Phantom swoops past, descending toward the ring's surface. Within the Phantom, Tartarus steps up beside the Brute pilot.
TARTARUS:
Once the shield is down, head straight to the Library. I do not wish to keep the Hierarchs waiting.
The Arbiter stands in the Phantom's troop bay.
ARBITER:
The human who killed the Prophet of Regret . . . who was it?
TARTARUS:
Who do you think?
ARBITER:
The Demon is here?
TARTARUS:
(snorts) Why? Looking for a little payback?
ARBITER:
(clenches a Carbine tightly in his hands)
Retrieving the Icon is my only concern.
TARTARUS:
(chuckles)
Of course.
The Phantom swoops toward the Sentinel Wall, behind which is the Library, protected by a shield. It hovers over an opening in the wall, where several covenant corpses are strewn and there are obvious signs of battle. The Arbiter drops out of the gravity lift and lands in the alcove. he prowls forward, when behind him rises up a large, clawed machine; an Enforcer. he turns to face it and fires upon it, but deals no damage. The Phantom swoops in again, firing, and blows off one of the Enforcer's legs. It turns to give chase.
TARTARUS:
Lower the shield, Arbiter! I'll pick you up when you've finished.
END CINEMATIC
Chapter 2: Uncomfortable Silence
The Arbiter descends into the Wall and encounters a pair of Grunts and a Jackal.
GRUNT 1:
Arbiter our savior! (Stupid Jackal, say thank you!)
Shortly after, the Arbiter moves down a hallway with large turbines on either side.
TARTARUS:
You're getting close to one of the shield generators. Many of my Brutes have fallen trying to take it down.
Another Grunt is encountered and joins the Arbiter's entourage.
GRUNT 2:
Big . . . scary thing! Run away! Please, don't make us go back . . . .
The Arbiter presses on and enters a large chamber, with an Enforcer hovering at the far side.
TARTARUS:
Its useless to attack an Enforcer from the front. Hide in the shadows, wait until it loses interest. Then, strike the beast when its back is turned!
The Enforcer is destroyed.
TARTARUS:
Now, find a way to lower the shield.
The Arbiter proceeds to shoot/activate the pillars in the room
TARTARUS:
You've released the shield's power source. Now, find a way to remove it from its cradle.
The Arbiter hits a big glowey button. The player gets annoyed at Tartarus' nagging.
The platform detaches and moves outside, as the shield recedes overhead. Tartarus' Phantom swoops in as the platform nears the far wall.
TARTARUS:
I'll pick you up on the ledge ahead.
A doorway opens in the wall ahead, and an Enforcer comes out, with Sentinels battling . . . Flood combat forms beyond? The Enforcers fires on the Phantom, and Tartarus cuts and runs.
TARTARUS:
Blasted machines! Find your own way through the wall, Arbiter!
Thanks, Tartarus. The Arbiter fights through the tight corridors beyond the platform and, amongst other things, encounters the corpses of slain Marines. Through a window, he spots several live Marines trying to fend off Flood combat forms.
MARINE 1:
Proceed to the objective! We'll hold them off as long as we can!
MARINE 2:
Uuughhhh! Aghhhhh! Get it off me!
MARINE 2:
Suppressive fire! Suppressive fire!
Moving down the corridor, the Arbiter battles more Flood and Sentinels. After several hallways and platforms, he catches another Marine transmission.
MARINE 3:
Negative ma'am! They are not Covenant! Cover that doorway!
The Arbiter continues on, and reaches the far end of the Wall, where Covenant forces have been trying unsuccessfully to land. He reaches the ground far below, and steps out into open air. Several Elite orbital drop pods hit the ground around him and Spec-Ops Elites emerge.
ELITE 1:
By the rings, the Arbiter! This Quarantine Zone has been compromised; we must do what we can against the Flood. Our leader has landed further in, let us join him!
The Arbiter and his new allies punch through Flood resistance and arrive at another camp, where another Elite and the Spec Ops Leader are fighting off the Flood.
SPEC OPS:
Arbiter! What are you doing here? (Flood screams resound across the valley) We must hold this camp until reinforcements arrive.
The Elites struggle but with the Arbiter's help hold the camp until a Phantom arrives to drive off the remaining Flood.
END CINEMATIC
