The Legend

Chapter 1: The Construct

Military Calendar:

March 4th, 2931. 22:34

Location: Vault of Glass, Venus.

"Kathy, to your right!"

The Hunter, Kathy Rosslyn, ducked under a swipe from a minotaur, rolled between its legs and pointed her shotgun at its face. Bang. The massive machine blew into a million pieces as her void powered shotgun, the Party Crasher, unloaded two shots into it. She glanced at her radar and spun around to face three goblins that had snuck up behind her.

She pulled out her NA3D1 Salvation State Scout Rifle, and with three quick shots, ended the Goblins existence in a brilliant explosion. She reloaded and threw the spent magazine over her shoulder, then looked down her sight towards Atheon.

The monstrous Vex was standing tall, firing its cannon at Marco, the Titan classed guardian on her fire team. The man was right next to the massive Vex machine, hitting it with everything his heavy machine gun, the BTRD-345, had. It ripped and chipped away at the Vex's metal armor but it wasn't enough.

Three orbs of brilliant purple suddenly slammed into the Vex lord and sent it stumbling backwards, allowing Marco a tactical retreat via his glide ability. Next to him landed the Warlock of her team, Leon. He opened fire with his fusion rifle, the Frenzy, and tore Atheon a new one with void ammo.

With a smirk under her exotic helmet Kathy teleported forward and the moment she landed, fired her rocket launcher, the Gjallarhorn. It slammed into Atheons center and detonated its payload.

Atheon's armor ripped and sheared as the three combined their assault. It stumbled back even further up the steps of its lair, right underneath the archway that hung over the stairs.

"Going arc blade." Kathy said over their comm line. She felt the light rush over her and pulled out her dagger as lightning started swirling around her.

She saw Marco rush forward, "I'll loosen it up!" He slammed into the Vex, unleashing the full force of his super charged attack. The lightning and light blasted apart what remained of Atheons armor and the vex started to fire randomly as its systems began to overload.

"I got its gun." Leon announced and his high-powered sniper rifle sounded off six consecutive shots.

Kathy didn't even need to look to know that Atheon's gun was nothing but scrap metal and sparks now. She teleported forward, and instead of doing a normal slash or area attack, she summoned all of her light into her blade and slammed it into Atheon's center with every ounce of her strength.

She cursed as Atheons core detonated in a flash of white light that sent her flying backwards.

Her back hit the front of one of the massive stone pillars behind her team, and she flipped over the top of it. She saw the chasm bellow and looked up to the stone platform floating in the middle of the chasm. She quickly used the last of her light to teleport right to the edge of the platform. She grabbed on at the last second with one hand and pulled herself up.

"Too close." She huffed, laying on her back with an exaggerated sigh.

"Kathy?" Marco called out over the Comms.

She sighed again, "Alive. Just hit my back pretty hard."

"Thank God you're ok." Marco replied. She nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her, and got back to her feet. She made sure her golden white cape was in one piece and made sure her guns were still on her back. Her armor she could repair, those she couldn't.

Once she was finished checking herself over she jumped and teleported back to the entrance to the Glass Throne.

A few moments later Marco and Leon both arrived. Both, just like her, were worse for wear. Their armor's were dented and scorched from all the plasma shots that had hit. Marco was missing a shoulder piece, Leons robe was torn up in almost every area and Kathy's helmet was cracked, and her boots were torn and bloody.

But they had done it.

They had beaten the Vault of glass, beaten the lord of time, Atheon.

"Any idea where their bodies are?"

She looked over at Leon. His arms were crossed and he was looking around, his head hanging a little low. She frowned.

They had won, but lost three other guardians in the process. Three more who had fallen to the darkness.

"No bodies. Saw Gregory fall off the edge. Rodriguez got turned to ash by Atheon's gun. Ashlynn was blown to bits. Poor girl. She was what? Eighteen?" Marco stated before he turned around and brought out his Ghost, Parker.

"Seventeen," Kathy sighed rubbing the back of her neck. Her armor dulled the soothing effect but she still felt the slight massage she gave herself as she thought of death. When a Guardian died their Ghost could revive them, but if the darkness was strong enough the Ghost was powerless and if their Ghost got destroyed then they were lost forever. She had had a few close calls but fortunately she hadn't died yet.

But many of her friends had.

"Lets head back. The Speaker will want to hear about this." Leon stated in his deep, calming voice. He called out his own Ghost named Parsha, while Kathy called upon her own.

Her ghost, Tyrion, appeared in front of her. His outer shell was a mixture of black and blue, the result of an upgrade for him she found a few months ago. He twirled around then floated to a still in front of her, and said, "Ready to go?"

She took in a deep breath then replied, "Yeah. Let's go." She glanced back at her fire team.

"Meet you guys back at the Tower."

And with that she was gone.

"Eat me Marco. You have no idea if she's even into you."

Kathy bit her lip as she trudged through the dimly lit, white halls of the Lower Tower, Marco and Leon following behind her. She was forced to hold back both a sigh and laugh as Marco and Leon yet again went at it.

"You're a dick. She's totally into me! She agreed to have lunch with me!" Marco exclaimed from somewhere behind her.

"With you and another person. What was his name, Tim?" Kathy said, looking over her shoulder back at the two guardians. Leon was lean, tall, dark skinned and bald with a huge smirk plastered on his face. His armor was repaired and fresh while he carried his helmet under his arm. Marco was olive skinned and smaller than Leon, but had a sturdier build. His armor was slightly banged up still, but that was his style. He had a short buzz cut, a scar across his left cheek and stood taller than Kathy by only a few inches unlike Leon the giant.

Marco growled at her, "Hey at least I've had a date in the past few months!"

She laughed and turned around, "Please. I've had more dates in the past year than you've had in the past ten years."

"Burn." Leon chuckled.

"You're a burn!" Marco exclaimed, his cheeks going red as a beet.

"And you're a child." Kathy rolled her eyes and moved the hand not holding her helmet to the metal sliding door off to her left where a little blue scanner popped up. "Anyway, talk to you guys tomorrow. I'ma hit the hay."

"Lazy." Marco snapped while Leon replied, "Night Kathy."

She nodded and waved her hand over the scanner. It recognized her unique bio signature and opened up. She stepped inside her humble abode and the door closed behind her.

The room was a modest size, fifteen by fifteen. It sported a bed, nightstand, TV, and a closet. A door to the bathroom was on the far side. The lighting was dim, and the air conditioner was blowing cool air through her room. It was clean, and aside from the shattered shotgun framed on the wall, the only miscellaneous stuff she had were the few books on her nightstand and a potted flower.

She sat on the bed and brought Tyrion out.

"Tyrion. Armor please, and make sure you get my helmet repaired before sunrise."

"Of course." Her Ghost replied, then it shined its light over her and her armor vanished. She was left in her undergarments and after Tyrion vanished she pulled out a set of shorts and a T-shirt from her night stand along with new undergarments.

For a few minutes she sat and listened. She listened to the seeping air as it was pumped into her room. She felt the hum of the lights and heard the sounds of laughter from a fellow guardian down the hall. She smelled the essence of a rare earth flower, a rose, that stood on her nightstand.

It was all so peaceful; a perfect contrast to the fighting and death that plagued the solar system beyond the Last City.

Kathy smiled sadly then headed over to the bathroom door in her room. It slid open for her with a almost inaudible sigh then closed just as silently once she was inside.

The space was small. Big enough for maybe one or two people, with a single vanity and drawer, a simple light fixture, toilet, and a walk in a shower that was meant to fit only one person. It was nice overall, with painted white tiles, sleek metal walls and roof, and the fresh smell of flowers from the air freshener that she had installed months ago.

Her eyes traveled to the mirror hanging above the vanity, and she shriveled her nose at the sight of her matted, curly, red hair hanging down past her shoulders. Dried sweet clung to her hair and she ran her hand through it before slipping out of her undergarments. She turned around and waved her hand over a small control panel next to the shower. A light blue display glowed to life and she simply pressed on the touch screen and moved the temperature dial to her preferred setting of ninety nine degrees Fahrenheit. She pressed on another button that powered up the water pressure to enough where it would feel like a light massage.

Once she'd finished setting the shower to her preferred temperatures she pulled open the glass door and slipped inside.

Her muscles instantly relaxed as the water caressed her scared and pale body. The freckles on her right shoulder darkened slightly thanks to the heat, and she leaned against the wall. For a moment she allowed her toned, slim body to relax, the normally tense muscles loosening up and allowing her a brief moment of pure and utter peace.

The moment ended and she washed her hair free of sweet. She washed her body free of sweet then rubbed away the dried blood from her legs and feet, where her armor had been pierced in battle. Her wounds, which had already healed over thanks to the light her ghost provided, were washed clean.

She finished cleaning herself and stepped out of the shower. With a wave of her hand the blue display on her wall disappeared and the shower turned off. She opened the drawer under her vanity and grabbed a towel.

It took a bit, but once she was dried she changed into her new clothes and headed back out into her room.

She grabbed a book off her table, an old Earth book from before the Golden Age called, The Lord of the Rings. She checked her bookmark and started up reading again with a smile on her face.

"Hey Tyrion?"

The Ghost appeared. "Mam?"

"Play me some tunes."

"What would you like?"

Kathy bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling for a moment before she responded, "Play me some soft rock. Old Earth stuff."

"Perfect choice."

She smiled and continued reading the adventures of Frodo and Sam while the song Jukebox Hero played in the background.

Military Calendar:

March 4th, 2558. 18:43.

UNSC Prowler, The Intent.

Location: Classified.

"So those are you plans when we get back for shore leave?" Captain Gregory Holland asked with a smile as he leaned back in the Captain's chair. His crooked teeth and short hair complimented his olive skin and overall relaxed demeanor.

His first mate and second in Command, Lieutenant Jefferson Hills, a dark skinned man with the best personality you would ever meet, laughed and leaned back in his chair at the communications station as he inspected the ring he held. "Yup. Gotta wife her now or she might find so marine prick to get with while I'm gone."

"Homey she's too good for ya anyway! I say fuck her and leave! Bet ya she's gonna leave ya ass when ya get back" Officer Rodriquez yelled out from his seat at the sensors station on the other side of the bridge. He was an olive skinned old man with too little hair and enough wrinkles to make a grape jealous.

"Shut Rodriquez, you wouldn't know a woman's feelings from a can of beer." Petty Officer Linda Pennyworth shouted from her place at the back of the bridge; the weapons station. Besides being in charge of all weapons, her shaved head, and scar across her whole face from a plasma sword that screamed- Don't fuck with me- she was small in stature and light skinned, but the Captain knew she could throw a punch.

"Eh," Rodriquez laughed, "ya probably right! It's why I just sleep with em before they can hurt me again!"

"You're a sour old man you know that?" Sergeant Caitlyn Hanson, the pale skinned, short haired blonde, said from her place against the wall where she was just relaxing and watching the crew go about their day. She was their team leader for any ground operations and was one hell of a marine who also acted as bridge guard. She was nice, and Captain holland had always wondered about the ring she wore on a chain around her neck.

"Psh. I'm sour cause my damn wife screwed more men in the two years I was out fighting the damn Covenant than ya screwed in ya entire life sweetheart." Rodriquez roared in laughter as he winked at Sergeant Hanson. The blonde flipped him off.

She was nice, but everyone was a dick to Rodriquez.

Captain Holland just shook his head and looked out the viewport, into the darkness of space. Twinkling light barely flickered in the vast blackness of space. They were five hundred light years from the nearest colony and he wondered when then next time he would see a civilized planet would be.

They had spent the past three months out here, patrolling the entire outer rim for a traitor of the UNSC in their Prowler, The Intent.

On any other ship, they probably all would've been in trouble for goofing around like they were, but truth be told that was just his crew. When it came down to it, they got their work done efficiently and effectively. They had survived the Covenant war, silenced a new insurrectionist group that had been forming on one of the outer colonies, tracked communications between their prey and his allies, and had even taken out a rogue Covenant ship. They never lost, and they didn't have any of those fancy Spartans to help with the odds either. It was why they were sent to keep an eye out on things.

Still, the Captain had to reign in their child play when it got out of hand. Of course this wasn't out of hand. It was normal. Everyone was still watching their stations and sensors, and they joked and talked to pass the time. That was the downside of longterm missions with a small crew.

A crew of twelve to be precise. Him, his bridge crew, the two engineers down in the engine room, the squad of four marines that hung out in the loading bay and training room, and of course their newest addition to the crew-

"Captain, Commander Palmer's headed up here." Lieutenant Hills stated as he looked at his station. The look he gave Holland was one of confusion and disapproval.

"Again?" Sergeant Hanson groaned aloud.

"Probably want's to see if anything new's come up." Officer Pennyworth said from her station as she looked over their weapon status for the umpteenth time.

"Well, there notin new. We haven't even seen another ship in months. Don't even member the last people I saw beside ya people." Officer Rodriquez announced.

"Alice." Captain Holland stated and the smart AI of the Intent appeared in front of him on the holotable that stay before the viewport. The AI liked to take the form of an Asian woman in sleek armor from the feudal days of japan.

The AI smiled at him from her perch, "Sir?"

He got up off his chair and walked over to the holotable. "Any news from HIGHCOM or Lasky?"

"None sir. Orders remain the same. Not surprising, but the deep space anomalies are still occurring. Admiral Osman has sent you a personal message. It's waiting at your private tablet. "

He sighed. "All right. Just keep an eye on everything." He would check the message later. Osman was a dick, and he didn't feel like ruining his good mood with a message from her.

"Sir." Alice replied with a bow before disappearing which he disapproved of. Some AI's took their forms too seriously. Alice was one of them. Maybe he should talk to her about it.

Captain Holland straightened his stance as he brought up several fields on the holotable. He wondered what Osman wanted. The woman was the bane of his existence, but he knew not to cross her. She had taken down that reporter, Benjamin, and that only scared him more. Poor guy. What would happen if he spoke out against her?

He heard Sergeant Hanson coming up behind him and looked back at her when she said, "Sir, if I may ask when will Commander Palmer go back with Lasky?"

"Whenever HIGHCOM tells her too. She was ordered out with us you know that. It's not like she chose it."

"But why her sir?"

"Beats me. Probably has to do with the assassination attempts by one one seven at the peace talks." The Captain responded shortly.

"So in case he's somewhere out here in the middle of nowhere Palmer can take him down? He's the Master Chief. I don't care what her record is but she won't stand a chance."

Hanson sighed when he failed to reply, then rubbed the back of her neck before she continued. "Do you believe it sir? That he did it? Killed all those people?"

"Doesn't matter what I believe. HIGHCOM wants him."

Then with a hiss, the doors to the bridge opened up and they both turned around to see Commander Sarah Palmer walk in. She was fully armored, minus her helmet, and her gaze was cold. She walked over to them and looked at the files. "Do we have any new leads?"

"None. Still looking." Captain Holland informed.

"Keep me updated." Palmer then turned away from them and walked back out of the bridge. It was a daily thing she did. She came up to see if there was any news and if there wasn't, which there hadn't been for three months, she would leave and go back to training. Why she armored up none of them knew.

"I don't like her." Hanson stated once the Spartan was gone.

Holland laugh darkly. "You don't like Spartans period."

"I like the Chief."

"Everyone does." Holland smiled sadly. The Savior of humanity, Petty Officer Master Chief-117. A man they all admired. A man they had to hunt down. Life was funny that way.

"Sir, I just got a ping!" Officer Rodriquez called out.

Holland's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"No idea."

"Alice do we have visual?" He asked.

The AI appeared on the holotable again and stated, "No sir. The construct is too far out and too small for anyone to see without aid."

"Construct?" He asked.

"Eight by ten sir, made of an unknown metallic element… Which is strange to say the least." Alice replied.

He placed his hand on his chin and thought. "How far out is it?"

"Four thousand six hundred and twenty eight meters off our starboard side."

The Captain gawked. That was close. Way too close for comfort. "How the hell did it get so close without us noticing?"

"I'm still investigating sir. It could have a stealth function." Alice replied.

Rodriquez laughed. "We're manning a prowler! The most advanced stealth ship in the galaxy! How the hell could that thing slip past us!"

Ignoring his subordinate Captain Holland ordered, "Bring us around so we're facing it. I want to get a clear line of sight." His crew followed his commands and the Intent slowly turned to face whatever this construct was. The flickering lights of stars slipped by as the ship turned, the back void of space never leaving the viewport.

"Sir! I'm picking up an electromagnetic gravity field!" Lieutenant Hills announced, a slight edge in his voice.

"Slip space drive just powered up!" Officer Pennyworth informed. Holland looked back at her in horror. "Alice what're you doing?"

"Nothing sir. It's not me!"

"What?" He asked looking at the AI.

"No one aboard this ship has accessed any slip space functions, and I can't access the slip space drive or any related functionalities. Something's blocking me." The AI stated. Her head was lowered as she obviously tried to figure out what was happening.

"Rodriquez, Alice, shut down the drive now! Get the engineers on it! Hills, Pennyworth, enemy contacts?" Captain Holland called out.

"No sir. We're alone with the constrict!" Pennyworth replied.

Hills then spoke, "Sir, gravitational field is expanding! We're being pulled towards the construct!"

"Alice put all power into our engines. Get out us out of here!"

The AI didn't respond but he had faith in her. He looked out the viewport and outside everything was calm. Nothing stirred in the void of space. Suddenly the ship trembled, sparks flying from the light fixtures and several consoles, while red alarms started blaring.

"Sir, we just lost all engine power!"

"Alice!" He roared.

The AI finally responded, "Sir, I've lost access to all engine functions. Whatever's blocking me out doesn't want us going anywhere." For their AI to sound worried left Hollands heart plummeting. He looked around. They'd lost engine's and lost control of the slip space drive.

"Pennyworth get me weapon's solutions on that construct. Let's blow it to hell!"

"Sir, all weapons systems just went offline!"

"Communications are gone!"

He growled. "Is anything working?"

"Life support and shields are stable!"

He stared out to where he hoped the construct was. Every time humanity ran into an unknown construct or machine it ended badly. Halo was the first example of that. Requiem that last.

"Pull all power from non essential systems and reroute it to life support and shields. Send out every beacon we've got!" He ordered rushing over to his chair and strapping himself in.

"Launching beacons." Alice replied. "All power is being diverted to life support and shields."

"Sir, the field is expanding! I'm getting slip space fluctuations that aren't coming from our drive!" Hills said looking back at his Captain. Holland just shook his head. He was lost. He'd been in firefights, in battles that would scar most men, but this was different. Here he was and his ship was completely out of his control. What sacred him is that even his smart AI had no idea what was happening.

What could baffle an AI like that?

There was a silence and he looked up. A massive hole in space, black, and swirling with purple and red clouds around it, wavered right before his ship. It completely took up the entire viewport and the stars were no longer visible.

Something told his hands to grab on to his chair. He did. "Brace!"

Then their world shook. Metal trembled, sirens wailed, screams and commands filed the air, hands grabbed onto anything for support, lose objects flew all around, and the black void of space swallowed the ship whole. Then it slammed shut in a bright flash of white.

Stars twinkled.

Nothing stirred.

Only a beacon floated outwards, pinging and calling help for a ship that no longer existed in its universe.

A/N

Hello everyone. So I decided, why not bring together Bungie's greatest creation, Halo, with their next big thing, Destiny. Most major characters from Halo will appear, and this story will take place after Halo 4 and the escalation comics. I may add elements of Halo 5, but that'll have to wait till the game actually comes out.

Thanks for reading! God bless!

-Metal4k