Good luck sir. It's been an honour.

by Jessofages


One such as yourself deserves no mercy.

"Brute ships, staggered line. Shipmaster, they outnumber us three to one !" - Random elite.
"Then it is an even fight." - Rtas 'Vadum.

Forge just stood and watched, his features plastered with a scowl of utter hatred as he watched the white-clad elite recover from the last few minute's of events, constantly fighting the urge to go against his word and just slaughter the beast where it stood. But managed to hold his tongue as he noticed the all too familiar handle of an energy sword that hung from the elite's waist.
As much as it pained him, he decided it would be best to at least hear what this monster had to say, but if any remark was made about it being all innocent and trustworthy, Forge knew that he was more than likely to 'snap'.

Peering around from her lavender friend's form, the still cowering shape of Fluttershy dared to cast her gaze towards the white giant.
What she saw almost made her burst into further tears. Instead she managed to keep it to a heavy sob.
As she continued to stare at the white creature, she watched it kneel over its fallen comrade, gingerly remove its helmet and began muttering something with a soft tone in a tongue she didn't quite understand.
Not being able to withstand the sight of the mourning creature any longer, Fluttershy began to subconsciously trot towards the creature at a slow pace.
Making certain to keep her gaze from the disfigured mess that was the blue creature's former head, she approached the white creature and nudged it slightly with her head, the cold metal of its armour chilling upon her fur. She then promptly screwed her eyes tight as she braced for the worst from the gargantuan before her.
Reviving nothing in return after several minutes, Fluttershy built up the courage to open her eyes once more and move closer to the still grieving creature.
"Shh." She finally said in a comforting tone. "Everything will be alright." She continued, attempting to further comfort the creature, although it was showing no facial sign whatsoever of being saddened by the death of its companion.

Celestia and the others just watched as Fluttershy consoled the creature, who had now taken up the task of gently closing its companion's still open, glaring eyes.
All of them were astounded that it was her who had made the first attempt to communicate after the... 'event'.

As the creature began to rise back to its full height, it looked none the worse for wear, as though it had seen this kind of incident happen before.
Startled by the creatures sudden movement, Fluttershy gave a small, "eep" as she jumped back slightly in surprise.
As she recollected herself, she turned the harshest gaze she could muster towards this 'Forge' creature.
Setting it with a glare that was unaccustomed to her, she drew in a short breath before continuing.
"H..how could you?" She asked plainly, her meek tone filled with apparent anger and her usual stutter somewhat dismissed.
"How c...could just.... just kill it?" She continued to ask, her heavy sobs returning. "It did nothing to you!" She exclaimed as loud as her soft voice would allow, somewhat muffled by her sobbing as she continued to glare at the human.

"It did nothing." Forge repeated to himself in an almost disbelieving tone as he cracked a small grin to himself at the pony's utter ignorance, although his response was still audible enough for the others around him to hear.
"How DARE you!" He suddenly growled, jumping to life and jamming a finger towards the yellow pony who was now cowering behind the monster due to Forge's sudden outburst.
"How DARE you say it has done nothing!" He continued, now completely aware that he was shouting every word he spoke at the frightened looking pony.
"It has done things you can't hope to begin to imagine!" He yelled, now directing his voice at both the yellow pony, who was now in completely in tears and the elite, a large vein beginning to noticeably pulsate on his neck with the rhythm of his agrivated heart.

"Hey!" Rainbow yelled, flying into the creatures face, pressing her forehead against the human's.
"Nopony talks to Fluttershy like that! And anypony who does has to go through me first!" She stated, overconfident that this would calm the creature down.
Forge just stared into the rose eyes of the pony opposite him, the utter hatred blatantly clear in his gaze.

"Gladly." He growled after several moments as he roughly grasped the pony''s ridiculously coloured mane with his armoured, right hand before tossing the pony into the hard ground to his left with relative ease.

"Rainbow!" Twilight yelled, her horn glowing a dark purple as she projected the same restraining spell that Celestia had used moments ago as the rest of her friends gasped in shock as they watched their friend crumple into an unmoving heap as she collided with the floor.

Once again, Forge found himself bound in place. This time by a dark purple aura that surrounded his body.
"Argh!" Forge yelled as he struggled to move. "Release me now!" He shouted at the purple pony who was projecting his bonds.

Pleased that her student was so quick to defend her friends but disheartened that Rainbow had been the first to object the creature's actions, Celestia took this opportunity to once again intervene with the current goings-on.
"No." She repeated flatly, as she watched Rainbow's limp form jerk several times, indicating that she was indeed, still alive.
"Applejack and Pinkie." She said, ignoring the thrashing human.
"Go and send for somepony to collect Rainbow Dash." She instructed, noticing that the throne room was unoccupied apart from herself, Twilight and her friends, Forge and the white creature who still stood as though it were a statue, unmoving and silent.
"Seek out the nearest guard and have them send for a stretcher and medical staff." She finished as she received a curt nod from the cow-pony and a salute from the party pony as they raced from the room, out through the large entrance doors which slammed shut behind them.
"Now, Forge." She said, returning her attention to the human who had its teeth gritted in both anger and frustration.
"I need you to listen to what I'm saying and calm down" She began, trying to make her tone as comforting as possible.

Forge decided that this was a good a time as any to cut the Princess off.
"No, Princess." Forge glowered towards the white pony. "I will not listen to anything that this thing has to say!" He yelled, finding that he could now move somewhat in his bonds. Looking over to where the purple pony stood, he noticed that beads of sweat were now beginning to trickle down its face. "It's tiring." Forge thought to himself, seeing a way out of his situation.
"This monster that you hold so innocent and precious is at war with my people." He began to explain. "It is holding what it calls a religious war against us!" He continued, his tone becoming increasingly aggravated.
"They have killed countless humans, wiped planets clean! All it wants is for the human race to be permanently wiped from the face of the galaxy!" He ranted, his rage against the covenant returning, similar to a fire being re-kindled.
"I have seen my friends, my brothers, my people slaughtered without mercy be these monsters." He continued, setting the monarch with a gaze of utmost content as he continued to gradually slacken his bonds, unbeknownst to any other apart from himself.
"Think of it Celestia. Could you watch everything you love. Everything you care for, be ripped away from you in an instant without any sympathy or mercy?" He asked, receiving nothing but the same glare from the white pony.
"To me, and to you. You are nothing but vermin in its eyes. Vermin that needs to be exterminated." He finished, letting what he had said seep into the peaceful monarch's thoughts.
"Just a few more moments." Forge thought to himself as she found he was able to move even more within his purple prison. "Just have to keep her occupied for a few more minutes." He repeated, determined on releasing himself from his shackles.

"P....princess." Twilight said weakly. He legs beginning to tremble under her growing fatigue of holding the fidgeting human in place, beads of sweat now running down the length of her face.
"C..celestia." She continued, desperate to end the spell and allow the Princess to continue it.
Her barely audible cries only met by silence from the white monarch. Who apparently was too deep in thought to address anything else at this given time.

Celestia just stared at the human, disbelief plastered across her features.
"Surely this cannot be true." She assured herself before turning towards the white-clad creature. Who still had a cowering pegasus behind its legs, which apparently didn't bother it in the slightest.
"Is what he speaks of true?" She asked flatly, setting the creature with a harsh gaze, a gaze that still held disbelief that this creature could be responsible for such atrocities.

The white-clad elite just returned the Princess' icy glare with one of its own.
Apparently gathering its response, the elite took several seconds to respond.
Finally lifting it chin slightly, it replied in a hard, gruff voice that sounded as though it were used fairly often.
"What the insect speaks of is true." It began, utter seriousness emanating through its tone.
"Their destruction is the will of the Gods. And so, they must be eradicated so that those who see may tread the path." It continued, its multiple mandibles opening and closing with every word it spoke.

Celestia was taken aback. "How could one creature do so much." She asked herself, still seeking answers.
"You spoke not of this in our last meeting. Why did you not tell me?" She asked the white creature, still in disbelief.

The elite just stared the white alicorn down with its unwavering gaze.
"The will of the Covenant is none of your concern." It finally responded, making a cutting motion in-front of its body with a flat hand right hand, from its left shoulder to its right hip.
"The holy war with these creatures did not involve your kind." It pointed out, taking several long strides towards the Princess, a scowl etched into its reptilian-like features as it left a still cowering Fluttershy in its wake.

Forge watched as the elite advanced on the Princess, unsure of its motives, he finally found himself ready to break his now slack bonds with one final jerk.
"Hey ugly!" He called out to the elite, who promptly turned to face the human.
"Your beef is with me, not her." He pointed out, receiving a look of confusion from the Princess and nothing from the other white pony who was still in the room, who had apparently passed out at some point.
"Why don't you come over here and talk this out, man to freak." He smirked, receiving a harsh snarl from the Covenant warrior, who altered its course and began trudging over to where Forge still stood immobilised.
"Stupid bastard." Forge thought to himself as his attempt at bringing the elite within striking distance had succeeded.

The elite just continued to snarl as it approached the human, anticipating the feeling of killing yet another of its kind.
Reaching Forge, it stood at least a foot and a half taller than he did, forcing it to crane its elongated neck towards the human.
"As you wish." It finally said, its voice full of resentment.

"What's the matter big guy?" Forge mused. "Not so tough without your buddy over there?" He mocked, indicating the best he could towards the fallen elite.
The elite, however, was unamused and quickly responded with another growl and a savage right hook, the majority of the blow catching Forge on the left cheekbone. Leaving it feeling as though it were shattered and with his nose askew.

"I am going to enjoy this." It said, glaring at the human before it who was now wincing heavily on the spot, still suspended by the purple aura. "You will squirm just as the rest of your race has." I continued as it roughly grabbed Forge by the throat.
"My face will be the last thing your pathetic eyes ever see." It finished, as it forced Forge to meet its own gaze.

Celestia couldn't bare to see these two guests of hers fighting amongst themselves as though were a pair of diamond dogs quarrelling over a gem.
"Both of you stop!" She demanded, but received nothing in reply as both creatures continued to glare at one another.
"As ruler of this land, I command you to stop!" She ordered as she contemplated using magic to restrain the white creature as well, her calm tone completely diminished.

"Stay the hell out of this!" Forge yelled back, finding the elite's grasp around his neck slacken slightly as the Princess called to them.
Seeing that he was going to have to act now or never, Forge prepared himself to break his purple chains.

"Do not interfere." The elite threatened as it re-tightened its grip on the human's throat.
He wasn't about to let some heretic creature ruin his vengeance for his fallen brother.

Suddenly, Forge gave one last final, violent jerk against his purple bonds, which in turn, shattered from the purple pony's gradual fatigue and inability to withstand anything more than slight movements.
Feeling his arms drop once more, Forge launched his right hand towards his side-arm before ripping it from its sheath and firing several rounds into the stomach of the startled elite, who promptly released its captive as its shield flared from the multiple impacts.
"Dammit. This bastards got his shield up!" Forge frantically thought to himself, realising that this wasn't going to be as easy as the first elite.
Before the elite could work out what had just occurred, Forge managed to level the barrel of his weapon and let loose the remainder of his clip into the shocked looking elite before the weapon clicked, having nothing left to fire.
"Shit." Forge thought as he discarded the pistol and drew the assault rifle from his back, flicking the safety off as he did.

The elite took several moments to fully grasp the situation. One moment, the human was within his grasp. The next, he found himself standing like a stunned Unggoy, his shields flaring from what he assumed was an attack from the human's primitive weapons.
Growling, it recollected itself and groped its hip for its plasma blade.
Finding the curved hilt, the elite drew it and ignited the light blue blade.
What emanated from the hilt resembled two, gruesome, curved blades. Each curving around either side of the hilt and extending into two sharp points.
Raising the noble weapon, the elite began charging towards the human at an unnatural pace, preparing to slice the human in half at the first opportunity and put the heretic out of its misery.

Forge anticipated the coming charge, he realised the elite had no other option.
Pulling the trigger of his MA5B, he set a hail of lead towards the oncoming elite. The majority of his rounds connected with their target, while the others collided harmlessly with the wall behind the elite.
As the elite reached striking distance, Forge found himself ceasing fire as he quickly ducked into a commando roll to his right in order to avoid the elite's battle roar, followed by a 'whirring' noise as the blade sliced through the now empty air where Forge had once stood.
Regaining his footing, Forge continued his onslaught as he watched the ammo counter on his weapon slowly decline. Remembering that he had forgotten to take inventory of his current ammunition, Forge cursed himself as he prepared for the elite's next strike.

Missing its target, the elite roared again as it spun to face the human. Blade raised, the elite swung once again as bullets continued to pepper its shield.
Intending to cut the human in half, the elite swung the sword horizontally once more, only to have the human dodge the blow once again.
Growling, the elite quickly followed the attack up with an overhead strike on the human. Only to find the blue blade jammed in the ground. Frustrated, the elite swung with its free hand balled into a fist, connecting with the unsuspecting human's side, and sending it into the air, leaving it sprawled on the ground, its weapon skidding past where it had landed.
Sensing its near victory, the elite gave a low chuckle as it removed its blade from the ground with a swift jerk and began to stride towards the injured human who was now clutching its side in agony.

Forge hadn't expected that. One moment, he thought he had the elite beaten, the next he was sprawled across the ground, his MA5B missing and his side aching as though the elite's blow had shattered several ribs.
Forge had only a second to cough up a mouthful of blood onto the previously clean floor before he felt the cold grasp of the elite around his throat once more as he felt himself being lifted from the hard floor below him.
As he felt his feet leave the ground, Forge began to choke before meeting the gaze of the white-clad elite that held him, its eyes burning with fury.

"I will enjoy this." He heard the elite snarl at him as he watched it raise its weapon once more.
"Not....if I can help it." Forge managed to splutter as he used the last ounces of energy he possessed to retrieve Lucy from her sheath and bury her blade into the hard muscle of the elite's arm that held him.
Having already worked its shields almost the entire way down, it didn't take much energy for Forge to twist the blade into the elite's forearm before he felt its grip finally slacken and release him.
As the elite recoiled in pain, Forge quickly located his fallen assault rifle and jammed a new clip into it that had conveniently fallen from one of the pouches that lined his waist.
As he pulled the release on the weapon, it gave a satisfying 'click', indicating that is was prepared to fire.
Giving a blood curdling yell, Forge pulled the trigger once more and unleashed a renewed volley of fire upon the elite, who was still attempting to remove the combat knife from its flesh.
Forge watched as the bullets punctured the unshielded armour of the elite. Small spurts of purple blue blood rupturing from the multiple holes in the elites form.
He continued to fire as the elite began dropping to its knees, its expression blank once more as it fell with a 'thump' to the hard ground below.
Ending his stream, Forge noticed the elite was still wheezing after all the punishment it had received, its great chest rising and lowering slowly as it did.
Limping over to its form, Forge found it laying in a pool of its own dark purple blood, its breaths coming in forced rasps as it spoke its next words.

"The.....journey......awaits." It rasped between its heavily laboured breaths, blood beginning to ooze from the corners of its mouth.

"Give them my regards." Forge responded plainly before placing several more rounds into the wounded elite's temple, causing the elite to jerk one final time as he silenced it.
Forge wheezed as he dropped his rifle and clutched his side, the clatter of the weapon echoing throughout the throne room, the pain in his side now being much greater than it had several minutes ago.
Turning his gaze to the Princess he was only met by a look of complete shock after what she had just witnessed, her pupils much smaller than he remembered and her mouth agape and fumbling as she appeared to be attempting to from some viable sentence.
Smirking at her appearance, Forge turned back to the blood covered corpse of the white armoured elite.
Looking the corpse over, he remembered being in such a situation before and couldn't help uttering a phrase he had used once before, not that long ago.
Between his own laboured breaths, his now failing vision and the constant taste of blood in his mouth, he mustered his energy and said with his best attempt at a cocky smirk, "And for the record..... I would have..... kicked your ass...... the first time..... if the lady....... hadn't.......stopped..... me." Before promptly spitting up another mouthful of blood and feeling his weight collapse underneath him.
As he fell back against the cold, hard floor with a heavy 'thud', Forge stared off into seemingly nowhere with a glassed expression as his vision gradually failed him.
Coughing several more times, Forge felt his mouth fill with his own blood once more as he watched his world plunge into darkness...... and he knew no more.....