//------------------------------// // Ashes // Story: Return of the Guardian // by Requiem17 //------------------------------//         Heavy breathing echoed loudly in the small space before being carried away on a strong breeze. The cave floor was graded upwards and slick, as rainwater hurried along its path. Shadow struggled to keep their footing while hustling up the slope. Small curses could be heard as a few of the troopers almost tripped on protruding rock  ledges or stones on the floor that their lights didn’t pick up fast enough.         They were guided onwards by a bright twinkling in the distance, every step bringing them ever closer. The light suddenly seemed to accelerate towards them, the optical illusion a welcome relief to the weary ODSTs. They did however, slow down, not neglecting the very real possibility of danger to ambush them upon their exit.         The light would have been blinding if they hadn’t polarized their visors, daylight now flooding the entrance of the tunnel. Ale was the first to leave the maze behind him. He quickly scanned left to right while stepping away from the gaping maw behind him. Shadow Squad quickly followed in his foot steps, disbanding to prevent a single well aimed rocket shot from taking them all out. “Watch for snipers!” Luna commanded, checking the far ledges on the other side of the canyon wall. Heavy rain pounded just a few feet away from them, an overhang providing them cover from the water. The ground sloped away from them until it met a flooded creek, the raging torrent moving a few hundred meters away from them along the canyon floor until it disappeared into another cave at the end of the canyon. The squad, after having checked their sectors, relaxed. An awed whistle was heard. “This place sure is pretty,” Brenden spoke, hefting his shotgun onto his shoulder. Luna looked down the canyon until it twisted out of view, the giant and painfully green jungle trees a welcome sight. “You’re not wrong about that.” Lilly cracked her neck and stretched her shoulders. “I’m just glad to be out.” “Aye,” Rico agreed, the soldier leaning down next to a flowering bush, gently touching a shockingly pink flower appreciatively. “Gonna pick those for your boyfriend back home?” Sean asked, watching as Rico carefully picked one. Rico pulled a tiny cookbook out of one of his front pockets and opened it to a random page before placing the flower in it, closing the cover tightly. He stepped away while putting it back into his pocket. “It’s for my Nana. She used to have a massive garden planted in the backyard. She must have had hundreds of flowers.” He shook his head. “It’s been years since she’s been healthy enough to tend to them.” Everyone stood quietly for a moment, sobering the thought. Ryan stepped up to Sean and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “Now look at what you did,” he said, gesturing to the squad. Most of the troopers still had their visors polarized, but their body language alone showed that they were feeling a bit morose, no doubt thinking of home. Ale suddenly shifted, the slight noise of his weight crunching the gravel underfoot catching the squad’s attention. “The rebels have been here,” he said, pointing to a small clearing a good distance away, nestled into the underbrush. Luna stepped next to him and peered in the indicated direction. She used her own helmet's zoom capability, now able to see an abandoned campfire and other random junk scattered in the trampled grass. She nodded. “We’re on the right track.” She pointed two fingers forward. “Let’s go. The rain will mask our approach if they’ve stopped again.” The squad lined up in the same order, with the exception of Alex, who had moved up to the front, and stepped out into the downpour, following an almost obliterated dirt path. The trail led down the slope and next to the swollen creek, the water threatening to consume it. The plant life began thickening drastically to both sides, the troopers keeping their wits about them. They didn’t walk far before they reached the clearing, the water having already flooded half of it. Ale went to the remnants of a campfire while the others stood patiently. The super soldier crouched and picked through the waterlogged fire pit briefly before standing up. “There’s still a bit of heat in the sheltered coals. We’re a few hours behind.” There was a rattle as Rico kicked a metal tin, “I don’t know the kind of gear they are packing, but these are outdated rations.” “That’s a good sign,” Ryan stated. “Better for us if they starve.” Dan shook his head. “No, it’s not. If their rations aren’t even good anymore, that means they are spending less money on food.” “Which they can then spend on weapons,” Chuck finished, realization dawning in his voice. “They’ll be toe to toe with us in firepower,” Ale caught everybody’s attention, surprised that the Spartan was participating in generic talk. “And they more than likely out number us.” “It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. After all, the Covenant had even bigger weapons.” James stepped past, checking something of interest to him. Lilly placed a hand on her hip. “While James does have a point, nothing is ever a walk in the park. Not for us.” Ale raised an invisible eyebrow, seeing first hand exactly what Luna had been talking about earlier. James was Lilly’s senior, and he had not seen communication between ranks quite like this before. ‘They really are unique.’ Luna nodded, “Wouldn’t be a Shadow mission if it were easy.” She clutched her weapon before gesturing with her head to move. “Shadow, we’re burning sunshine here.” She pointed for Alex to lead. The troopers began to move out, but did so slowly. The rain, while masking any sounds they made, also made it harder for the squad to spot traps or other ambushes. Alex led, Ale standing right behind him in case he needed immediate support. The troopers constantly checked their sectors while also keeping an eye on where they were stepping. The literal wall of rain eased up as the surrounding trees became older and much, much larger. The tangled canopy proved to be an efficient umbrella. The trail offered very little room to walk in, the razor sharp leaves of the underbrush sliding off the armored plates and tough fabric of the ODSTs. “I don’t like this,” Sean said. “Those split-jaws could be anywhere. And I don’t fancy my chances in jungle combat against lizards.” Nobody answered, very aware of the situation and how fast it could all go to hell. They instead continued trudging through the canyon, tirelessly watching out for danger. At one point, the creek had engulfed the trail completely, forcing the troopers to forge their own path. This was easier said than done, as the soldiers had to navigate almost blindly through the infinite number of bushes. Over the next four hours, the rainstorm worsened. Water began punching through the canopy and practically drowned Shadow Squad, with the exception of Ale, whom had now become the envy of the cold and miserable troopers. It was at the edge of one of the clearings that Alex raised his hand, halting the trooper’s progression. He scanned the other side, as he had done for every clearing, before deeming it safe. The squad stepped out and began to walk across the tall grass. A sharp crack caused everybody to instantly crouch into the cover of the grass. The ODSTs remained quiet while carefully listening for anything that would give the possible sniper away. That is, until another crack sounded off, confusing the troopers. “That’s not sniper fire,” James radioed. The squad stayed put, water pounding off of their hunched forms. The cracks continued, slowly growing in intensity, soon accompanied by varying pops and strained yet odd groans. The troopers carefully shifted, attempting to find the source of the noise. This proved impossible as all sounds echoed from all directions off the canyon walls. A very brief sound caught Ale’s attention, his enhanced hearing registering it as nearby and to the left. He slowly stood up to a half crouch, his eyes scanning the clearing as it lead to the canyon wall. A brief shower of pebbles rushed down the cliff face, causing Ale to drag his gaze upwards. By this time, the squad had noticed where Ale’s attention was focused and checked as well. More pebbles and small rocks randomly fell away from their perches of the numerous ledges. Ale’s eyes narrowed. One of the waterfalls caused by the huge amounts of rain suddenly turned much darker, the groaning and cracking becoming deafening. Luna started, “WE GOTTA MOVE!!!” Just then, the canyon wall gave one last ear shattering pop before an entire section shifted and began to fall, a small wall of water finally being released. The troopers bolted, racing across the large clearing. The water flushed down the clearing and made contact with the ODSTs. While the dispersed water was only ankle height, it was very swift and strong, eroding the very ground beneath them. That was not the trooper’s main concern though. “Oh fuck!” Chuck yelled as one of the massive boulders raced ahead of the oncoming mudslide, passing in front of him by a few feet. The line of soldiers slammed into the jungle, the mudslide racing perpendicularly to them down the clearing behind them a few seconds later. The ODSTs ignored the underbrush and continued to move at a full out sprint, the deadly mixture of rock and water obliterating the plant life. The troopers were no longer traveling in a line, instead running through the incredibly rough terrain randomly. Boulders of varying size smashed through the brush and bounced off of trees, throwing deadly shrapnel into the air. The ODSTs ducked and weaved, jumped and skipped, barely avoiding danger while instinctively keeping an eye on one another. “Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!” Ryan yelled as he crested a small yet steep rise and tripped on a stray tree root, flying through the air briefly before tumbling down the other side. He struggled to his feet before grunting loudly as Chronos slammed into him, throwing him over his shoulder and continuing to move without breaking his stride. Nobody could hear each other over the chaos, indistinguishable shouts and commands drowned out by the roar. The only thing that the troopers could hear other than the sheer destruction was the loud thudding of their hearts and their heavy breathing. Rain pattered against their visors and their muscles burned, all the while adrenaline drowning out the uncomfortable combination of internal heat and cold clothes. “Up here!” Shadow raced after the call of their leader, heading up a large hill. They didn’t stop until they reached the top, the soldiers leaning over and panting. Ryan demanded loudly to be put down, Chronos granting him his wish and letting him flop over his back and land on his rear, a sharp exhale wheezing out of the Private. Ale stepped back towards the way they had come and watched as the massive landslide only grazed the hill as it continued to race both down and up river. He turned and waited for the ODSTs to catch their breath. *Huff* *Huff* *Huff* Sean panted heavily before looking towards Brenden. “Did you *huff* see *puff* how fast *huff* pops ran?” Brenden nodded, standing up straight with his hands on his lower back, taking a few deep breaths. “I don’t know what to tell you.” “It’s insane that’s what!” Sean gasped out. He gestured to Chronos. “He still outpaced us!” Chronos grunted irritably before stepping away. Without missing a beat, Lilly pounced. "Maybe if you dumped your girlfriend and actually lifted a quarter of your weight, you wouldn't have to worry about being shown up by someone three times your age." Sean stood and stretched his legs. "Don't comment on my relationship decisions until you can actually keep one." Lilly stepped forward. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked in a dead tone. Sean smirked. "It means you're a harlot." It was a good thing Lilly’s visor was polarized as the intense anger in her eyes could have started him on fire where he stood. Luna brushed past the two. "Knock it off. Solve your problems when we're not on the clock." She glanced around at all the troopers. "Any injuries?" "Other than a wounded pride," Rico said, pointing to Ryan, "we're green, sir." "Sir," the Spartan spoke, causing her to face him. "The mudslide is slowing down. We should keep moving before the walls become compromised further." Luna nodded before facing her troops, rain slinging off her helmet. "You heard the Spartan, we’re moving. I’d rather we stay a part of the quick and not the dead in this twisty box canyon.” The Captain started moving away. "Why does that sound familiar?" Dan paused. "I think you hit your head, Private. Let's go." James clapped him on the back before walking past. Dan shook his head and walked down the other side of the hill. "I swear, I've heard it somewhere." The troopers quieted down as they walked through the tall grass, ensuring to stay away from the now still mudslide as it would have, without a doubt, caught the attention of anybody traveling through the canyon. With a few last thundering death cries, the bulk of the storm passed. The heavy rain left and was replaced by the final gasps of light rain, the canyon now enshrouded in a heavy mist as the swollen waterfalls continued to plummet down the walls. The squad melted into the heavy shadow of the canyon as the star was now well past its apex. Ale and the ODSTs kept their lights turned off in the low light environment to keep from being spotted. VISR and Ale's own visual upgrades to himself and his equipment were more than enough to navigate in the dense jungle. The cliffs of the canyon began to stretch much, much higher as the large chasm entered a vast mountain range. Ale himself could barely see some of the highest snow covered peaks. The now majestic piles of rock tossed the squad into a much darker part of the crevasse. At one point, the canyon began to get bigger, and the exotic jungle began to be replaced by more deciduous plant life as the squad exited the self contained ecosystem. A small valley stretched to their right and to their left. It was impossible to see the entire thing as it too was covered in the more temperate trees. At long last the rain broke, bright stars twinkling in the night sky. The squad stopped on a small ridge for a brief respite. Low murmurings broke out as the troopers relaxed and stretched, setting their gear down to take some of the weight off their sore legs. Ale stood tall and near the edge of the ridge, keeping watch. The world was a luminescent green in the eyes of the Spartan, his night vision taking advantage of the bright starlight. A stiff breeze rolled off the mountain peaks and into the low valley, the trees swaying gently and the foliage rustling. Luna checked her tac pad for any mission updates from High Comm before looking towards both ends of the valley. She glanced at her wrist mounted computer one more time before moving towards Ale, Chronos approaching them as well. "Spartan," she called for his attention, the angel of death turning his cyan visor towards her. She turned her silver visor to Chronos, "No new mission objectives from Command." She shifted before looking at Ale. "And there's been nothing from the Recon team." "What is the suggested course of action?" Chronos asked in a low gravelly voice. Luna sighed. "Since we don't know the area, nor do we have an obvious target, we'll have to scour the valley for any signs of a Rebel presence." Ale scanned the undergrowth. "That will take a while. A few days if we're thorough." "My thoughts exactly," Luna placed a hand on her hip before gesturing with the other. "Which is why I think we need to split up into two groups." The two soldiers she was addressing straightened and briefly glanced at each other before Ale went back to watching his surroundings. "We'll have to be careful. With possible Zealots running around, ambush risk is high." "Aye." Chronos agreed. Luna nodded. "We need to split up wisely." She pointed at Chronos. "You'll head one, I the other. The two teams need to have balanced skill sets, so you'll take-," Ale's rifle snapped up and he quickly took up a combat stance before rapidly walking past Luna, who turned around with her own sidearm raised. His enhanced eyesight had picked up the movement long before it had entered within his radar's range limit. He stopped and held steady. A shadow melted out of the bushes on the far side of the clearing. Ale paused as a friendly IFF tag popped up on his HUD, the tag identifying the now humanoid shape as one of the Recon members. Ale lowered his weapon as did the Captain beside him. She holstered her weapon before waving her hand, signaling to the now gathered and armed squad to relax. She waited patiently as the ODST hustled with a dead silence up to her and the Spartan. Luna stepped forward. "Corporal. Good to see you." Leonardo nodded, "Like wise sir." "What's the situation?" "A small group of Rebels passed by Sergey and Vega a few hours ago back in the canyon," Leo spoke. "They weren't alone either." He held up a small holographic projector. A slightly blurry image flickered to life. It was hard to make out, but both Ale and Luna were able to pick up the distorted figures of three Elites. "Zealot class," Leo pocketed his projector. "Both Sergey and Vega pursued until they made rendezvous with me. Near as we can tell, the Sangheili are following the Rebels." Luna nodded before gesturing for her squad to rally up. "Confirmed Zealots, and they have a particular interest in our targets." She turned back to Leo. "Were you able to discern which group they came from?" Leo shook his head. "Negative. But preliminary scans of their armor markings suggest Covenant sympathizers." "That's not good," Luna said, tilting her head while thinking carefully. She looked straight to the Corporal. "Where are the others?" "Waiting for us sir. We found where the Rebels have taken refuge." Chuck held out his hands to the side. "Well? What are we waiting for?" Luna nodded. "Lead the way Corporal." Leonardo turned and began jogging lightly back the way he had come. Shadow followed as he led them through the center of the valley, moving quickly between the trees and other obstacles. It was only about midnight by the time the squad reached the other side, following Leo along another ridge line until they dropped down into a small dip in the ground. Sergey and Vega were waiting, both soldiers lying prone by the edge with their snipers aimed down the other side towards the foot of a massive mountain. The squad gathered up behind the two ODSTs. "Sitrep," Luna commanded as she crawled up next to them, looking down at their point of interest. "Reinforced entrance to the mountain near it's base. That's where our targets headed." Vega adjusted his scope slightly. "Nature of the site?" Luna zoomed in towards the dimly lit entrance, noticing several armed guards standing in front of a large and clearly artificial tunnel. "Most likely civilian. They've been stopping the traffic coming in along the narrow roads and checking them. Most of it non-military," Sergey reported. "With the amount and variety of both commercial and civilian vehicles, there's gotta be an entire city under there." Luna pondered his conclusion before clapping them both on the backs. "Excellent work. Let me know if anything changes." "Yes sir," they both responded. Luna crawled backwards until she was sufficiently far enough to stand. She walked a little aways from the gathered team. She activated her radio and synced up with Commands secure frequency. "Fireteam Shadow to UNSC Grazer, do you read, over." She listened patiently as a series of different clicks and beeps echoed over the static, Communications checking the authenticity of the hail. "Solid copy Shadow. What do you need?" "We've tracked Rebel forces to an unknown location. Possible civilian establishment. Can you cross our coordinates to anything in the database for Newark, over." "Give us a hot second, pulling up records now..." Luna looked over to her squad, watching as they quietly held their positions and waited for her orders. A short pop on the radio caught her attention. "Shadow, I've checked the coordinates. There's an old mining facility a few clicks away from you. The mine built a city called Ashes under the mountain. This was to protect it from raids since before the Covenant War. It's currently not under any government control whatsoever. The governing body was evacuated years ago due to sightings of the Covenant in system." Luna paused as she digested the information. "Alright. And Grazer, we've had a confirmed sighting of Zealots. They're following our targets." There was a pause before a different voice came over the broadband. "Shadow, this is Commander Typhoon." "Sir," Luna acknowledged. "Glad to hear you're all in one piece. What's this about Zealots?" "Sir, we have three confirmed Elites. Zealot class. We think that they are Covenant supporters as well sir." There was another pause. "You stay on your primary objective. Hunt down and take out the head of the Insurrectionists. However, these Zealots could prove to be a large problem as well. If you find the chance, find out why they're here, and what they are looking for." "Yes sir, you can count on us." There was a small burst of static before the original radio man spoke, "Shadow, you have ordnance of your tasking when available. Good luck down there." "Thanks Grazer." "Happy to be of service." Luna turned her radio off before turning to face her ODSTs. “Confirmed civilian city. It’s called Ashes.” “That doesn’t sound reassuring,” Brenden said, his MG-3 draped across his chest. “Whether or not it does, we’re still infiltrating.” Luna adjusted her tac pad on her wrist. “Vega, any preferable ways to get in or blind spots?” The sniper remained quiet for a few moments before replying, “We could hitch a ride on one of those trucks.” Dan frowned. “They’ll be checking them. And,” he looked around the squad. “There’s quite a few of us here.” “I say we just take out the guards and stroll in,” Chuck shuffled eagerly. “And how would the Rebel command respond to a missing patrol?” Rico sarcastically responded. “Sir, if I may?” Luna nodded at Sergey’s request. “I agree with Chuck. There’s far too many of us to attempt getting in via ground transport. We’ll likely be discovered. Besides, I’m sure with all the corruption in the rebellion, some of their soldiers have probably taken what they could and deserted.” Sharp clicking and the sounds of gear shuffling turned everyone’s attention to Nisitra. The soldier was buttoning down any unnecessary items and was screwing silencers onto his magnums. Luna quirked an eyebrow. Ale tapped his fingers on his free hand against his thigh armor. He stepped up to the edge of the crater and looked towards the entrance. He stared for a few seconds before stepping back. “Sir, I believe this to be the best course of action.” Luna pursed her lips before turning to James. “Alright, after we take the guards, you’ll have to tap into any available terminals and turn off any possible cameras. Taking the lights out might be helpful too.” “Yes sir.” Luna prepped her two SMGs, the weapons already equipped with suppressors. “Let’s go.”