Enjoy it while it lasts.

Yes. I'm writing something.

Yes. I can write.

Yes. I can at least do something peaceful.

Yes. The world is ending.

You should welcome the horsemen. They're still sore cuz I beat them in poker.

Enjoy this text-wall.


I watched the Reclaimer and the Meddler crash onto the installation. Their craft slammed into the snowy ridge, overlooking a deep valley. Fortunately, both survived. The Reclaimer forged a path forward, while the Meddler brought up the rear. Both missed my terminal. Both walked into certain death.

Suddenly, I detected an outbreak near their destinations. No! The Reclaimer needed to reach his target. Quickly, I scrambled the Sentinels and placed them on high alert. No Flood would be allowed to compromise the Reclaimer's mission.

He opened fire with his weapon onto a Flood form. A primitive weapon, but effective in this case, as the Flood form wilted and tore apart. If I had a face, I would have smiled. The Reclaimer and the Meddler made short work of the Flood, fighting their way up to the Control Room. The Sentinels would mop up the survivors.

They waited outside the Control Room, fending off a seemingly infinite amount of Flood forms. I let off my equivalent of a huff of distaste. Despite my omnipotence over Installation 00, Installation 04 was still under that pesky 343 Guilty Spark.

I tired my best to replace the fallen Sentinels, but the flood were taking their toll. If nothing was done soon, the Reclaimer would fall.

And the Flood would have their victory.

No...I would not let that happen. Not after what I did. I was about to activate the Sentinel Enforcers when a red laser tore through a Flood combat form. I let off a sigh of relief. The other Reclaimer had arrived. Along with 343 Guilty Spark. The Doors were unlocked.

Time was catching up to me.

Silently, I locked all doors that would lead to useless corridors and rooms, carving a straight shot path to the Control Room, minimizing turns and corners. It wasn't long before the reached the heavy doors of the Control Room.

The dull grey metal seemed to convey a sense power and fear, even to me. Soon, I will have to steel myself for the greatest challenge of all.

Watching a rampant monitor attack, and possibly kill the Reclaimers, while I can do nothing.

Guilty Spark, as I had predicted, went rampant as a result of hearing that his installation was to be destroyed due to premature firing. Unfortunately, he killed one of the Reclaimers. It was the one in a weaker combat skin. The other Reclaimer opened fire on Spark immediately, assisted by the Meddler. Spark fired it's laser at the Meddler, depleting it's shields, but the Meddler pressed on. I was honestly impressed.

Suddenly, the downed Reclaimer lifted it's heavy weapon and fired on Spark, knocking it out of the sky for just a moment. Long enough for the other Reclaimer to take the fallen one's weapon as he fainted. The Reclaimer lifted the weapon, and fired on Spark. Over and over again until the Monitor exploded in a burst of blue flame and static.

Unfortunate, but necessary.

The fallen one had died, but not before handing the Reclaimer the construct containing the Index.

The time had come.

The Halo had been activated.

The Reclaimer and the Meddler left the area, just as the Control Room collapsed under the strain of a premature firing. Just as the exited the area, a swarm of flood entered. I cursed myself for letting my guard down. I tried to hail the Sentinels.

No...

They were beyond my control. They must be rampant, after Guilty Spark's demise. No matter. They would be too preoccupied handling the Flood. I diverted my attention to keeping the station in one piece, just long enough to get the Reclaimer back to safety.

They fought well, cutting through the Flood and Rampant Sentinels like a hot knife through butter. Soon, they reached a vehicle. Primitive, by my creators standards, but enough to get them off the ring safely.

It was time for my greatest challenge. I called upon every scrap of my willpower to keep the installation from collapsing beneath their tires, destroying pathways that would lead them to their deaths. The strain was unbearable, but then I thought back to my creators, and spurred myself on. I would not let their efforts be wasted.

They were nearing their ship. Just a bit longer. Then, with strength I never knew I had, I kept the entire stretch to the ship up, preventing their collapse. The strain was eating at my core. Soon I will have to give up.

Just a little bit longer. This will be my penance for my sins.

They made it. I relaxed, and allowed the platforms to fall. Next, I tried to keep the portal open for as long as I could, to allow the Reclaimer and his Friend a safe passage.

The Halo array fired. It also destroyed a large portion of my installation. My grip fractured, and the portal shut prematurely. The light. It flooded my vision. I have never seen such a...Beautiful light.

And so here at the end of my life, I do once again betray a former master. I'm not so foolish to think this will absolve me of my sins. One life hardly balances billions. But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And he shall be my example

I will tell you who I am. I am Mendicant Bias. And this, is what I have done.

So how do ya like it? If it's okay, I might consider posting one story per week...

Btw, that was a Halo Fanfic.

~CSF