*Objects in mirror maybe closer than they appear...*

"Arbiter? What are you doing here?" Rtas Vadum asked once Thel appeared out of the dark tunnel. Immediately activating his energy sword once he caught a sight of an seven foot figure in green armor walking behind the Arbiter to which Thel stopped him by placing his arm in front of Rtas Vadum's chest.

"Don't! He saved my life within the horrors of that wretched hive. If it wasn't for him, I would not be here to lead our species toward freedom! Thel protested before pulling Rtas aside in private. "The Hierarchs have planned for our execution after we obtain the Sacred Icon."

"How?"

"After heat of battle with the Parasite, I've started to question my faith within the Covenant. Questioning everything, even my past to find answers, and even things that the Prophets will never understand." Thel said.

"Arbiter? That's heresy. The Prophet's will have you hanged for it." Rtas replied back to Thel.

"Is it? Think. Does it seem strange to you that the Hierarchs would hold back your ships then enact the Changing of the Guard without approval of the High Council? Why they would send only us and not the Fleet to obtain the Sacred Icon?" Thel explained to Rtas.

Rtas stood there for a moment thinking thoroughly about what the Arbiter said. Connecting the dots, thinking how the High Prophet of Truth snapped at him just for questioning on the act of Changing of the Guard. He turned around, starred back at Thel, then deactivated his sword in anger and disgust once he himself came to the realization as well. "By the Gods, you're right. How could they do this to us? We've defended them for over a millennium, giving our lives for the Great Journey only for them to betray us at the end."

"So? Are you willing to join us brother?" Thel asked.

"Yes. The Prophets and their Brute pets will pay heavily for their crimes." Rtas replied, then gave the Doom Slayer a curious stare. "Who's your friend?"

"A friendly human I've met within the horrors of the facility and I've observed him fight the Parasite with the elegance of our own Swordsmen. When I was ambushed by the parasite, he saved my life and in return we've agreed on a truce." Thel explained, giving the Doom Slayer a silent wave to walk over.

"Really?" Rtas questioned with sincere curiosity while rubbing one of his mandibles.

"Slayer, this is my brother Rtas Vadum. Commander of the Sangheili Special Forces. He has accepted our agreement and will fight among us." Thel Vadam introduced the Doom Slayer to Rtas Vadum. The Doom Slayer held out his hand and Rtas responded in kind, forming a silent partnership between them.

"In the center of this zone is the Sacred Icon, we must find it." Thel replied.

Rtas clenches his fist as he rallied his Sangheili; "We shall cut into the heart of the infestation, retrieve the Icon, and burn any Flood that stand in our way!". Hearing approving roars from nearby Sangheili as they all stood around him, the Arbiter and their new ally, the Doom Slayer.

Rtas turned to Thel and the Doom Slayer to say, "The parasite is not to be trifled with. I hope you both know what you're doing."

Both Doom Slayer and the Arbiter turned to give the large door a quick stare. The Doom Slayer felt something off, quickly switched to his rocket launcher, and fired a salvo at the door. Watching the salvo hit the frontal shield of a Forerunner Enforcer as it exited outside from the chamber. He and the Arbiter grabbed for the Specter and waited for two other Elites to join them before driving off into the large opening ahead. Making their way inside another large chamber where the Flood and Forerunner machines fought for control.

"The Parasite have controlled our vehicles?!" A fellow Sangheili Elite yelled, firing the plasma turret he is controlling at the Flood-controlled Ghosts. "No matter! They'll die like the rest!"

To the corner of his eye, he spotted a human vehicle surrounded by several boxes and weapons ranging from the Battle Rifle to a SPKNR Missile Launcher. "Arbiter! There's a human vehicle nearby. We could use the firepower!" He yelled.

The Arbiter pulled over underneath where the Warthog is parked. Quickly, the Doom Slayer and a Sangheili Elite jumped out of the Specter to take the weapons and then jumped into the Warthog.

"I've got turret. You drive, Slayer! Go!" The Elite yelled. Firing at the one of the Flood-controlled Ghosts nearby. Destroying it then focused his firepower at the Sentinels that were hovering above. Giving the Arbiter a perfect distraction to hijack a Flood-occupied M808B Scorpion Tank. Ripping the flood form out of it and taking control by blasting away any flood and Forerunner Sentinels & Enforcers who were giving the Doom Slayer trouble.

"Commander! With the help of the Doom Slayer and the Arbiter we we're able to control two human vehicles. We're now making our push into parasite-controlled territory!" The Sangheili Elite called over the radio.

"Copy! Keep pushing! I'll stay behind and wait for reinforcements!" Rtas Vadum replied over the comm.

"Hahah! I love this weapon!" The Elite laughed with glee. Holding tight on the trigger of the Warthog machine gun turret. Unleashing an unending barrage of heavy machine gun fire at both the Flood and Forerunner machines. With his newly acquired M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank, the Arbiter continued clearing the next few sections of Flood. Till he reached the next part of the canyon that is blocked by the debris of a Forerunner machine factory.

The Doom Slayer took point with the Arbiter and an Elite Minor following behind. Trotting into the burning wreckage of the Forerunner ship. Hearing noises of combat echoing from down the tunnel. The Doom Slayer, the Arbiter, and the Elite minor followed the noises of infighting from down the chamber to their right. Discovering a ramp that lead upward to three windows of made out of an unknown material that was impervious to damage. Finding a severed flood combat form corpse lying dead on the floor with one lone Battle Rifle laying on the wall near it.

The Doom Slayer picked up the rifle, finding a full clip inside, and gave it to the Elite minor to which he replied with a silent bow. They watched the ongoing battle taking place between the Flood and the Sentinels inside the Sentinel Constructor Factory from behind the impervious windows. The Doom Slayer counted one Enforcer, four Sentinel Majors, and about twenty combat forms fighting each other. He switched to his BFG-9000, charged it up, and fired. Observing the large green ball of plasma destroying the Enforcer and wiping out all enemies inside the burning chamber with one shot.

"By the gods... that was deeply satisfying. I've never seen such power concealed in a weapon such as your's." The Elite Minor spoke to the Doom Slayer with awe, then asked. "May I?". To which the Doom Slayer shrugged and gave the curious Sangheili his BFG-9000.

"Ergh! This is too much, even for an Elite!" The Elite huffed, trembling his knees from where he stood.

"Give back the Slayer his weapon. We must continue forward before the Brutes reach the Sacred Icon." The Arbiter ordered the Elite minor.

With his BFG-9000 back in his hands, the Doom Slayer let Arbiter take point as they continued through the empty burned out chamber of the facility. Finding several boxes of human weapons scattered about. The Arbiter found an M60 Combat Shotgun and gave it to his fellow Elite in exchange for his Battle Rifle to which he heard him reply with glee; "Thank you, Arbiter! This weapon will serve me well!".

They pushed forward through the thicket of Flood and Forerunner machines. Fighting them both as they eventually reached outside exit of the crashed factory. Finding one lone M808 Scorpion Main Battle Tank parked at the far left side of the canyon. Along with plenty of supplies being guarded by the Flood. The Doom Slayer silently signaled to the Arbiter to grab the tank while he deals with the Flood blocking their path. Choosing his chaingun, the Doom Slayer began unleashing hell upon the unsuspecting Flood. He dodged to his left once the Wraith tank fired a bright blue plasma blob at him, then returned fire. Shredding the flood-controlled Wraith with an unending barrage of depleted uranium shells into its frontal hull. Two flood-controlled Ghosts charged straight for the Doom Slayer. He dodged another incoming plasma mortar and quickly activated his lightsaber. Waiting for the right time to hijack one of the incoming speeding Ghosts that were speeding toward him.

Jumping up into the air, dodging the one speeding towards him and landed onto the hull of the other. Slicing the human combat form's head completely off and finished it off by performing a side kick. Successfully hijacking the Ghost from the wretched hands of the flood combat form. With a new vehicle acquired, the Doom Slayer grabbed for the Ghost controls and fired its repeating plasma cannons at the other incoming Ghost. Destroying it while the Arbiter finishes off the severely damaged wraith tank with one high explosive tungsten round. The Arbiter and the Doom Slayer continued onward into the next large valley that is filled with more Flood and Enforcers that were fighting each other.

The Arbiter heard the afterburners of a Covenant Phantom swooping in. Dropping off a Specter along with Rtas Vadum and several of his Special Operations Sangheili to aid in on their assault of the Library.

"Forward to the Icon! The parasite's ranks swell as we draw nearer to the Library! Steel your nerves, we're not turning back!" A Sangheili SpecOps Elite yelled his battle cry once he spotted the both the Arbiter and the Doom Slayer arrive in their vehicles. Several Sangehili Elites climbed onboard the treads of the M808 Scorpion tank. The Doom Slayer jumped out of the Ghost and offered it to one of the SpecOps Sangheili Elites who was left stranded without a vehicle.

"Thank you, Slayer! May the Gods gift you with eternal salvation!" The SpecOps Sangheili replied before speeding away.

The Doom Slayer observed the battlefield from afar. Watching Rtas Vadum's Specter dogfight with an flood-controlled Gauss Warthog. He selected his special gauss weapon, charging the rail cannon to full power where he noticed sparks flying inwards. He fired at the flood-controlled hog, destroying it in one shot, and then made haste toward battle with his arsenal of doom. Shredding flood-controlled light armor with his chaingun as he pushed his way through the canyon. The Arbiter drove his Scorpion through the twisting snow covered valley. Blasting away flood-controlled light and heavy armor that blocked the entrance to a cavern. A cavern that lead directly onto an ongoing battle between the Flood and Forerunner machines taking place in front of the entrance of the Library.

Feeling his body ache, his mouth dry, and mumbling from all around. Gary felt a ache throughout his body while slowly moving his arms. Stretching outward feeling the blood flow to his gloved hands. Feeling the cool air, picking up the scent of sweat and a smell that he could describe to be burnt Wookie fur. He gagged to the unpleasant smell inside the holding chamber he occupied. As he came to his senses, the mumbles started to grow into familiar voice of both Jeff and Zuma talking to each other about the differences of Imperial and Covenant spacecraft. Gary felt his bare skin of his shaved head touch a metallic surface. Opening his eyes to see the long bars of a jail cell. Quickly coming to an conclusion that he, Jeff, and Zuma have been captured by the Covenant. Noticing his vision quickly return, Gary turned his head over to his right. Watching a large, heavy set furry ape curiously search through their gear. Finding a large bag of chewy blue glowing mushrooms inside and started eating them. Soon after the Brute finished eating the bag of mushrooms. He started to feel a bit strange and noticed swirls with flashy colors wiggle on the walls. Gary, Jeff, and Zuma knew what is about to happen and quietly observe the Brute experience its first psychedelic trip. The Brute stood still, dropped his plasma rifle to the ground, then dropped down to his knees in awe. Starring at the exit of the prison hall to see the main exit door warp into a bright light. Where a few floating Unggoy who wore dark robes exit out from the bright light.

"Greetings. We are the Unggoy of the fifth dimension." A hooded Unggoy spoke with a soft voice, then continued. "We are the gate keepers of the Great Journey and you have been chosen to follow the path."

"I... I must. Show me the path...Holy Unggoy." The Brute mumbled with awe as he calmly stumbled out of the prison hall. Walking out of the cell block with the door closing behind him and the cells opened up,

"Heheh... He going to be like that for a while." Gary laughed, walking out of his opened cell. Grabbing the Covenant Carbines from two containers that are nearby.

Zuma quietly waited by the door for his friends as he peeked out to see the first floor of Holding Chamber B devoid of Covenant guards. Except for the lone tripping Jiralhanae Brute who is busy chatting up a storm with a couple of weapon crates. Quietly signaling Jeff and Gary to move up toward the main gravity lift, Zuma watched the tripping Brute begin to argue with an empty weapon container about the values of life then quickly ran up the ramp once the Brute's back was turned, jumping into the lift to the next section. Finding several dead Grunts once he arrived and followed the corpses of fallen Covenant Grunts as he made his way through the twisting halls of High Charity quickly picking up a mix of plasma and carbine fire that made him sprint toward the ongoing battle. Finding Jeff and Gary exchanging fire from a bunkered down Kig-yar squad hiding behind several purple crates. Expecting the maroon armored Sangheili to ambush the humans, the Kig-yar squad stopped firing and moved up and in unexpected surprise, Zuma tossed a plasma grenade at the squad. Sticking one kig-yar in the face hearing it's scream of agony as it and the it's squad were enveloped in a blue-white explosion within a matter of seconds, splattering the walls with more purple gore than needed.

"Ugh. More purple? I swear the Covenant needs a better interior decorator. Am I right?" Jeff laughed.

"Hell yeah. These guys love the color purple way too much. All we need is to find some spray paint cans and we're golden." Gary replied.

"I agree, a little orange wouldn't hurt." Jeff said as he looked around the area they are in.

"How about some lightish red?" Gary suggested.

"Nah, there's too much of that already." Jeff replied then asked. "Would yellow work?"

"Ehh... I don't know. What about rainbow?" Gary replied.

"Dude, rainbow is not a color. It's a mix of colors." Jeff replied with laughter.

Jeff and Gary both continued talking about on ways to change the color scheme of the Covenant walls. With some comments making Zuma quietly laugh as he watched them have a friendly argument about using blood as new color palette. Quickly thinking of a comment to break the ice. "How about blood?"

"Ah now you're talking... wait who said that?" Gary asked. Turning around to see Zuma kneeling his back on a wall, then waved. "Oh hey, Zuma."

"Seriously? Blood? Doomguy is not here... Well not yet, at least." Jeff finished while searching the dead corpse of an Kig-yar sniper for any grenades. Turning around to see Zuma and Gary waiting for him. Reunited, the guys walked pass the charred Kig-yar corpses, reaching another section where only two active teleporters resided with one on the left and other to the right.

"Hmm...? Where should we go?" Gary wondered, tapping the bottom of his helmet.

"Quick decision!" Jeff laughed as he ran into one of the teleporters.

"Dammit Jeff!" Gary yelled in anger and chased after him with Zuma behind him, yet his anger soon dissipated once he witnessed acres upon acres of plowed land with tall stalks of glowing cannabis flowing freely in the wind from where they stood on top of an grassy knoll.

"By the power of Vader." Gary spoke in a hushed, awed whisper.

"Fields of green... it's beautiful!" Jeff exclaimed with excitement, running down a dirt path on his left.

They scattered outward in different directions as would children in a candy store. Plucking off glowing buds off the stalks while unknowingly tripping the silent alarm and alerting the Covenant of their location.

"Damm... this bud has a great aroma." Gary spoke while continuing sniffing the glowing purple flower in his hands, muttering. "I bet this bud is just as good when smoked."

Gary pulled out his pipe from his equipment pack and placed a perfect wad of the glowing bud into the bowl. Igniting up the bowl with his lighter. Inhaling the smoke and quickly feeling the effects seconds later.

"Oh yeah... that hit the spot. Sweet honey with a hint of mango." Gary said as he hit the pipe once more.

"Having fun?" Jeff asked, looking at him.

"Hell yeah...*cough!* You've gotta try this bud." Gary replied, handing Jeff the pipe.

Jeff held the pipe to his mouth and inhaled the smoke inside. Immediately feeling the alien THC coursed through his veins. Experiencing a sense of relaxation around him. Making all of his worries soon disappear in a matter of seconds while not weakening his body. He took another hit from the pipe feeling more relaxed and turned to Gary. Observing him collecting more of the glowing bud into a plasteel canister for later. While exploring the chamber, the duo heard voices among the silence. "Shhh! Gary! Quiet!" Jeff whispered to Gary, then heard high pitched voices of Grunt Minors arguing over about team players of an alien sport game.

Hearing their voices grow, Gary quietly searched around him. Finding a blue canister with an unknown glowing liquid inside. He started splashing the tall cannabis stalks with the unknown liquid, then fired a charged plasma bolt at one of the drenched stalks. Gawking at the fire quickly growing in a matter of seconds. Gary gave the empty canister a peek then back at the raging inferno that is quickly growing out of control as he and Jeff walked backward. "Run!" Jeff yelled.

Preoccupied with smelling buckets filled with freshly picked cannabis bud. Zuma sensed the skunky aroma of burning cannabis and disregarded the ominous warning as he thought it was his brothers enjoying themselves. Eventually, his assumption ended once he heard blood curling screams from within the field. "Brothers?!" He called out with worry. Quickly turning around to see several acres of cannabis on fire. He called out for Jeff and Gary by name once more as the inferno raged. Only for his calls to be answered with more blood curling screams of Covenant grunts burning alive. Soon, his worry for his brothers lessened once both Jeff and Gary stumbled out of the field to the door that is locked behind him.

"My brothers? What happened?" Zuma asked with a desperate tone.

"We must tripped an alarm somewhere because we've heard Covenant grunts poking around, then genius here decided to drench the field with some kind of fuel and light the whole field on fire."

"Hey it worked, didn't it?" Gary defended while hacking into the door keypad, eventually getting the door open. "Door is open! Everyone inside!" Gary yelled. Turned to fire a carbine bolt into the door keypad, locking it down for good.

"Whew! That was too close." Jeff sighed in relief.

"Agreed..." Gary replied with a deep breath, looked around the hall they were in and started walking. Finding another gravity lift located toward the end an jumped in. Riding it up to find another chamber decked with all sorts of alien technology.

"Oh, hell yeah." Jeff mumbled once he became awestruck by the treasure trove of artifacts that were illuminated by the light inside the chamber, they were in.

"By the gods..." Zuma spoke as he walked inside. Touching several alien artifacts with immense curiosity. Finding a large box which had the word "BLAST!" plastered on the front. He reached out his hand to push one of the buttons the vending machine. Pulling it back as a mechanical noise was heard from within the machine. Kneeling down to pull out a yellow soda can from out of it. Feeling the icy coldness in the palm of his hand, curiously pulled the tab, and took a sip to taste the sweet citrus juice inside.

"Oooh. That's good." Zuma whispered to himself then looked back at the vending machine. "I wonder if there is any more of these inside?"

"Damm, check this out. A suit of Imperial Scout Trooper armor. How the hell did this end up here?" Gary questioned, starring up at the armor locked up behind a plasma barrier and placed his Covenant Carbine onto the shelf beside it to fiddle with the keypad to get the armor he so desired.

"Who knows? Some of this stuff looks like equipment from our universe. Including some alien lookin stuff, I've never seen before." Jeff replied while walking around the room as he curiously touched some of the artifacts that appeared to be Imperial gear that he recognized, including another DC-15A blaster rifle locked inside a plasteel case.

"Hello my baby." Jeff whispered as he brushed his hand across the glass. Finding two latches on the front, he opened the case lid, and pulled it out carefully. Inspecting the rifle to find that he can add attachments onto it, along finding an unopened box filled with unused blaster clips inside.

"I don't need you anymore." Jeff chuckled, tossing the Covenant Carbine onto the floor and took the DC-15A, attachments out from the box. Stuffing his ammo pack with blaster clips until not one more could fit.

"We should consider ourselves lucky there isn't an Gungan Sith Lord frozen in carbonite stored up in here too." Gary chuckled as he fiddled with the keypad. Shutting off the barrier, grabbing the clean set of Scout trooper armor, and started changing. "Like a glove!"

You can say that again, bro. I hope we do not see that psycho again." Jeff replied to which Zuma asked; "Gungan? What is a Gungan?" while he curiously searched around the artifact room drinking another BLAST! soda.

Gary calibrated his helmet HUD and then noticed something located in a dark corner of the room, hidden underneath a table by the back corner. A large strange box wrapped in chains. "What is this?" Gary questioned as he walked over to the dark corner of the chamber and kneeled down to pick up the box off from the ground. Brushing off the thick layer of dust from the top to see strange alien symbols written in red.

"Yo Zuma! Jeff! Look what I've found!" Gary yelled, waving them both over.

"Where did you find this?" Zuma asked Gary as he took another sip of his energy drink.

"I've found it hiding underneath that table by that far corner over there and with all this dust on it who knows how long its been under there." Gary replied.

"Hmm...I say let's open it and see what is inside." Zuma said activating his energy sword to cut the chain, tossing the chain aside. Opening the box both Gary and Zuma found a strange box inside with the letters that spelled the word 'Ouija' on the front along some old wax candles packed inside.

"Oooojia board. Hmm... I'm guessing this is an old Sangheili dialect maybe. What do you think?" Zuma thought while sipping on his soda can.

"I don't know" Gary replied scratching his head while looking at the strange word on the box, then replied. "Maybe you're pronouncing it wrong. Maybe its wiji? Or uhhh... Wega board. Yeah, that's it! It's a Wega board." Gary exclaimed.

"Hmm... Well? How do we use this wega board?" Zuma asked while removing the Ouija board out from its box along with a small but heavy book that is made out of flesh. Opening the first few pages to see the table of contents written in alien blood of varying colors.

"Creepy. So, what is it?" Jeff asked, taking a peek at the demonic book made out of various alien flesh noticing the strange wording written in blood.

"Hell if I know and whoever made this is one dammed sicko." Gary said while he turned page after page, looking at the blood stained pages that were written in an strange language.

"Hmm... I see. This book is written in various languages including... Mandalorian? The Hell?" Jeff pointed out the lettering in one page then noticed several pages written in Imperial and in Basic making him uneasy. "Dude. This book is a creepy spell book and we should put it away. Just sayin."

"I hear you bro, but some of these are far too interesting to not read out. Come'on what's the worst thing that could happen?" Gary replied, stopping at a page. "Here's one... Let's see... Folsa Shuma leto... *cough* ... Vine, vi salsa de queso." Gary spoke as he tried one of the dark spells written inside of the book and seconds later, a large portal opened dropping a large platter of corn chips with a bowl of cheese and salsa dip onto the table before them.

"Well that was fucking cool... You know what, Gary? Gimme that, I wanna try one." Jeff spoke, grabbing the book by its cover. Plopping it down onto the table by the platter of corn chips and cheese dip, flipping though the pages while Gary and Zuma snacked in front of him.