HALO: The New World

The walls of the cavern shook with the sheer power of the roar, causing rocks to fall and ping off my shields. Massive footsteps crushed stone, thundering closer and closer to my back. I whirled around, and saw a gargantuan dragon before me. A thin, angular snout, diamond eyes, twisted horns, glimmering red scales, and a lot of teeth.

I could not move, it was as if the monster was staring into my soul, commanding me to stay in position. The beast reared its head back, drew a breath, and spewed flames upon me. I was mesmerized, as the ruby and garnet colored fire swirled around me, dropping my shields precipitously. The breath of the dragon was strong, but I was confused. Surely a mythological creature would be stronger than a weak plasma blast?

It too was befuddled, shaking its great head as if to think this was all a dream, a feeling I knew too well. I used its momentary pause to my advantage, whipping my hand to my Battle Rifle and sighting the optical scope on the dragon’s shoulder. It tilted its head in bemusement at the small, metal object in my hands, before bellowing out in pain as a trio of armor penetration rounds tore through indestructible scales, exiting cleanly through the other side. That roar would surely attract more hostiles, so I booked it out of the cavern, leaving the fire-breathing monstrosity behind me. The creatures of this world were strange, and if here there be dragons, then here there be monsters.

I ran for approximately two kilometers, before stopping at a massive oak tree. I slid down its side, resting my head upon my knees. This place was worse than any warzone, worse than the Covenant, worse than the Flood, worse than losing my men. My mind was splitting at the seams, and I had no therapist to help. No Drill Sergeant to bawl orders out about me being a lily-livered coward who deserved to be feasted upon by maggots, no fellow soldiers to joke with me about commanding officers. I had no relief except for memories, and those were too harsh.

I had no choice, the only rest I had gotten was from being knocked out, and I fell into a deep slumber. I was a little boy again, playing outside in a field. I had a remote control helicopter in the air, and the remote in my hands. I gazed and laughed in wonder at the little machine, dancing with the wind and twirling its shining blades to stay aloft. Then I noticed a creature, that was not part of my childhood. It looked like the goddess from before, but this one was a deep, midnight blue, and its mane and tail looked like the night sky reflected upon a stream. It’s eyes bore a great sadness, watching my young self giggle at the antics of a toy. It then looked at me, somehow seeing the Spartan IV that used to be that little child. Then it spoke, in a tone that seemed soothing as waves lapping gently upon a shore, saying, “I am sorry for what we have done. There is a pony who may help, find her at the edge of the Everfree.”

I never expected one the monsters in this terrible place to try and help my clearly alien self, and was taken back by the flow of sympathy that came with her voice. I just knew it was a female, as a child knows it’s mother, as a worm knows the ground and a bird knows the sky. I felt a longing, just to help. I then awoke, remembering only those words she had spoken. I wanted, no, needed, to find the one the goddess of the night had told me of. It was an indescribably urge, like how a soldier feels the need to fight, for it is all he has known. I had kept my emotions hidden for too long, taking them out in my work upon my foes. I had never simply talked about them, and I feared the reaction. Despite my doubts, I stood up, picked a direction that seemed proper, and set off.

Minutes passed, feeling like days, as if time were a slug trying to escape the coming sun, and reach the cool safety of the grass. I walked, and walked more, an autonomous action for which I did not think about, simply did. I saw many strange sights as I traveled, including a moldy rope bridge that led to a crumbling castle, made of ivy-covered masonry and mildew covered tapestries. I saw more patches of those sinister blue flowers, cliffs that seemed to be hidden as normal paths, trees that looked like they bore faces for Halloween.

I knew not how long I walked, only that the sun was starting to rise when I reached the end of the forest, apparently called the Everfree. I saw a cottage, with… Animals. There were many animals gathered outside it, apparently taken care of by a single, butter colored pegasus with a bubblegum pink mane. They froze as I stepped out of the forest, startled by the appearance of a large, armored thing, that had no visible eyes except for white slits. Then the pegasus started moving again, whispering to the gathered ensemble, and flapped over to me. I had no idea how to react, for this pony did not act with fear or anger or shadowed interest, but with pure, distilled curiosity and empathy. It then spoke, so quietly I could not hear it. I knelt down, and it shrunk away, suddenly afraid.

This must be the one that the night deity spoke of, I realized, as the pony came forward again, and spoke slightly louder, enough so I could hear, “Hi there. I’m Fluttershy. Are you okay? You don’t look like any animals I know…”

Whoa, okay. The pony thought I was an animal, not a monster. I didn’t want to spook her, so I simply nodded my head, and waited. I didn’t know what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect to be dragged along, hand in hoof, towards the little cottage and gathering of animals. This pony confused me, and also scared me a little. I had no idea of what to do, what would happen, or anything, for that matter. This land was new to me, and I had a terrible start. I still feared the white goddess, and wanted revenge, but this little pony had a calming effect. She trotted into the cottage, myself in tow, and started fussing about. She poked and prodded, hoof bouncing off my shields, not noticing or not caring, questioning me about where I came from, my eating habits, if I was okay with other animals, if I was the only one of my kind or if there were others, and a torrent of other questions. She then remembered her other charges, and rushed from the building.

I had no fucking idea about what just happened. I had gone from terror of the ponies to animal that needed to be cared for, in who knows HOW much time. I slumped, mind slowly rebuilding itself after the strange interrogation. I heard a solid thwack, as something bounced off my shields. I looked to my right, where the impact originated, and saw the most disgruntled, disappointed, self-centered, and all together pissed-looking rabbit, large foot thumping the floor in a huff. The look in it’s eyes screamed, this is MY house. Get the fuck out. I was irritated, being insulted silently by a damn bunny, of all things. As it threw another carrot, I snatched it a split second before it impacted, and squeezed my fist. Juice came out and vanished on my shields, before I opened my hand and let the orange dust that had been a carrot float out of my palm.

The action spoke volumes, and the rabbit took note, quivering on its rubbery legs before hopping off. Now that I was no longer distracted, I detached my Battle Rifle, took it apart, and started cleaning it. I had found it to be calming, especially after a tough mission, to simply disassemble my weapons and start cleaning the metal constructs. It worked just as well in this world, full of the greatest terrors I could ever imagine. The butter pegasus had left the door open, so as soon as I finished polishing my gun, I attached it once more and strode from the cottage. The pegasus had helped, but not in a way that it could understand. I walked once more into the forest, which seemed to be my greatest refuge, despite all the challenges it threw at me. My mind was intact, I had my armor and my guns, I had a place that I knew I could go to, and I had a purpose: return to the place I knew was safe, the area where I had arrived in this god-forsaken hell.

It was always the walking. I had done it too often in this land, always traveling from destination to destination, legs pumping to extricate myself from a situation, breath coming in ragged gasps as I continued kilometer after kilometer. I had never travelled so much by foot, not in the UNSC Infinity or on any other mission. My legs burned, too much pressure forced onto the limbs, and my stamina was starting to falter. I came upon the clearing once again, and sat.

I had nothing to do but sit and think, ponder my situation which seemed to be absolute insanity. Was I really in a straightjacket, wrapped up nice and cozy in a padded room? Or was I really living this nightmare, and all of this was real? I stopped myself before my mind could shatter once more, I could not lose my sanity once more. It was what kept me with reality, if this was it. I sat, wondering about this situation. I sat, gazing ahead, at nothing yet everything. I sat, simply because I had to, and my body could not put up with anymore torment.

A purple flash. I was startled from my reverie, afraid of the torture that was sure to follow, my mind being torn apart as the beasts looked for answers once more. I stumbled backwards, as I caught sight of the lavender unicorn. The unicorn that had waved, and shut the door, before I was taken. The unicorn that had helped rip my mind apart at the seams. The unicorn from who I had no idea how it felt, what its purpose was, why it wanted me. I hit a tree with my back, and scrunched up away from the lavender terror. Then, what happened scared me more than anything. It bent it’s head low, tears falling from it’s eyes, as it said in the most solemn tone I could ever hear, “I’m sorry.”

The one who had helped the goddess of the day rend my sanity, was apologizing to me. It felt shame for what it had done. Why did it do so? What did it mean? Was this a setup for another trap, where my memories would be delved into once again? Was this all a ploy? The unicorn seemed to sense my thoughts, and lifted it’s head. I saw a look of pure sincerity and sorrow for it’s actions, and I was terrified. I could never harm those who forgave me. It was the reason why I never killed civilians, when I had fought Insurrectionists. I had always avoided killing the families I felt were those of the Covenant I had slain, so that I could feel some sense of pride, in not being a mindless murderer. The unicorn had struck a nerve, causing me to collapse into a nervous wreck.

I never noticed when the unicorn came forward, and touched my shoulder with its hoof. I was too busy sobbing, tears staining the inside of my helmet, as I mourned for all those I had lost, and the relief and terror that one of my torturers forgave me, and felt shame for its actions. I never noticed the embrace, as it rocked me back and forth, trying to calm me down. I never noticed, I never cared, and I only cried.

And cried.

And cried.