The Covenant dig site was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
As we crept closer to the excavation, the ground beneath us hummed with energy, as if the very planet itself was reacting to what the Covenant were pulling from its depths. The massive, ominous crater before us was surrounded by alien machinery, their glowing, blue energy conduits snaking around the edges of the pit like hungry serpents. And deep inside, something dark and metallic gleamed under the floodlights.
Whatever they were digging for, it was massive—and ancient.
Objective Update: Investigate the Covenant Excavation.
Ruby took point, signaling for us to move in closer. We stuck to the shadows, using the terrain and equipment for cover. The Covenant forces patrolling the area didn't seem to have noticed our presence yet, but I could feel the weight of the tension building. It was the calm before the storm, the moment just before everything went to hell.
"Any idea what we're looking at here?" Yang asked, her voice a low whisper over the comms.
"Not yet," I replied, eyes locked on the structure in the pit. "But whatever it is, the Covenant want it bad enough to send an army to protect it."
We crept closer, moving around the edge of the pit. Pyrrha and Weiss stayed low, their eyes scanning the area for potential threats, while Ruby, Yang, and I moved ahead. As we reached a small overlook, we got our first clear look at the object buried beneath the ground.
"It's… huge," Ruby whispered, her silver eyes wide with awe.
The structure was massive, easily the size of a UNSC destroyer, but its design was unlike anything I'd seen before. It wasn't Covenant, that much was clear. The metal was dark and pitted with age, its surface etched with strange, alien markings that glowed faintly under the lights.
"Whatever this is, it's not from around here," I muttered, my eyes narrowing. "Not Covenant, not human. Something else."
Weiss pulled out a small scanner, her expression tightening as the device beeped. "The energy readings are off the charts. It's giving off some kind of… resonance."
"Resonance?" Yang asked, looking between us. "Like it's alive?"
"Not alive," Weiss corrected, frowning. "But definitely active."
New Objective: Investigate the Ancient Structure.
Before I could respond, the ground shook beneath our feet. The rumbling started softly, then grew in intensity, rattling the equipment around us. The Covenant forces below looked as confused as we were, their movements becoming frantic as they scrambled to figure out what was happening.
Then the object moved.
It was subtle at first, just a shift in the metal, but as the rumbling continued, the structure began to rise, pulling itself out of the ground as if waking from a long slumber. The Covenant soldiers below scattered, some fleeing, others firing uselessly at the object. But it didn't stop. It kept rising.
"What the hell…?" Pyrrha breathed, her eyes wide.
"This is bad," I muttered, my grip tightening on my shotgun.
"Fall back!" Ruby ordered, her voice sharp. "We need to get out of here before—"
Before she could finish, a blinding flash of light erupted from the structure, sending a wave of energy rippling through the air. The force of it knocked us off our feet, and for a brief moment, everything went white.
Mission Failed: Investigate the Ancient Structure.
When my vision cleared, I was lying on my back, the world spinning around me. My HUD flickered, struggling to reboot, and I could barely make out the shapes of my teammates scrambling to get back to their feet. The crater was now a seething pit of chaos—Covenant forces scrambling, the massive structure humming with energy, and the air crackling with residual static from the blast.
"Everyone… alright?" I croaked, pushing myself up.
"We're fine," Ruby replied, helping Weiss to her feet. "But we need to get out of here. That thing's waking up, and we do not want to be here when it does."
"No argument here," Yang grunted, steadying herself against a nearby rock.
I glanced back at the pit, where the ancient structure now floated above the ground, surrounded by swirling clouds of energy. Whatever this thing was, it had just come online, and it wasn't interested in staying dormant anymore.
"We need to regroup with the others," I said, motioning for the team to move. "This mission just got a hell of a lot more complicated."
New Objective: Escape the Covenant Excavation.
We bolted, sticking to cover as we made our way back toward the edge of the dig site. Covenant forces were still scrambling, but it wouldn't be long before they regrouped. The air was thick with tension, every step sending my heart pounding harder in my chest.
As we reached the perimeter, my comm crackled to life. "Hawk, this is Bishop," the voice came through. "You've got Covenant air support inbound to your location. Get the hell out of there, now!"
"Copy that!" I replied, pushing the team forward. "Go, go, go!"
The sound of engines roared overhead, and I glanced up to see a pair of Covenant Phantoms bearing down on us, plasma turrets spinning up.
"Move!" I shouted, diving for cover as the first volley of plasma fire streaked toward us.
We scattered, sprinting for the rocks, as the Phantoms opened fire. Plasma bolts seared the ground around us, sending up clouds of dirt and debris. Yang blasted one of the turrets with her shotgun, while Ruby and Weiss laid down cover fire.
"Keep moving!" I called out, reloading my rifle as we ducked behind another ridge. "We need to get out of their range!"
We ran, dodging plasma fire and weaving through the rocky terrain as the Phantoms chased us. The Covenant weren't letting us leave without a fight.
But we weren't about to give them the satisfaction.
Character Sheet:
Name: Jasper Spears
Callsign: Hawk
Occupation: Pilot, formerly of the IMC
Affiliation: Former IMC, UNSC (Temporary, allied with ODSTs)
Rank: N/A (Formerly Pilot, 2nd Lieutenant of the IMC
Attributes:
Agility: 8/10 (A veteran Pilot, trained in quick movements and combat reflexes)
Strength: 7/10 (Solid close-combat skills, combined with endurance from years of field experience)
Tactics: 9/10 (Years of war experience allow for excellent battlefield awareness and strategy formulation)
Marksmanship: 8/10 (Proficient with a wide range of UNSC and Frontier weaponry, with a focus on precision-based firearms)
Leadership: 7/10 (Reluctant leader but growing into the role with time)
Skills:
Titan Instincts: Enhanced reflexes and agility, learned from years of piloting Titans. Improves battlefield awareness and movement efficiency.
Squad Cohesion: Gains tactical advantage when working with a trusted team. Increases effectiveness in coordinated strikes.
Tactical Infiltration: Expertise in stealth operations, allowing for increased success in stealth-based missions.
Demolitions Expert: Newly acquired skill that increases effectiveness with explosives and demolitions during combat scenarios.
Equipment:
Primary Weapon: BR55 Battle Rifle
Secondary Weapon: M90 Shotgun
Armor: UNSC standard issue, customized helmet and armor set to Frontier specifications.
Special Gear: Tactical Knife, Fragmentation Grenades
As we kept running through the chaos, one thought dominated my mind: this war just got a whole lot bigger.