Chapter 41

Location: Covenant Stronghold - Inner Courtyard

Date: May 13, 2534

Time: 0845 Hours

The world was a blur of pain and chaos. My vision swam, the edges of everything fading into darkness as the pain in my side radiated through my entire body. I could feel the warmth of the blood soaking into my armor, the steady drip echoing in my ears like a countdown.

Alice was there, her arm wrapped around me, pulling me through the courtyard as plasma bolts sizzled past us. The Covenant forces were everywhere, their energy weapons lighting up the sky as they closed in from all sides.

"Stay with me, Cass," she muttered through gritted teeth, her voice tight with strain.

I tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come. My mouth felt dry, and every breath was a struggle. I could barely focus, my thoughts slipping away like sand through my fingers.

The pain was overwhelming, a sharp, searing agony that made it impossible to think, impossible to do anything but cling to the edges of consciousness.

But I couldn't let go. Not yet.

Through the haze of pain, I saw movement—Doss charging through the battlefield, his rifle blazing as he cut through the Covenant forces like a force of nature. He was shouting orders, his voice booming over the comms, rallying the squad as they fought to hold the line.

But the Covenant wasn't giving up. They were pressing harder, their numbers overwhelming, their firepower relentless. I could feel the pressure building, the weight of the situation crushing down on us.

We were outnumbered. Outgunned. And I was bleeding out.

"I'm not losing you," Alice muttered, her voice barely audible over the chaos. "We're getting you out of here, Cass."

I wanted to believe her. But the darkness was closing in fast.

Location: Covenant Stronghold - Reinforcement Point

Date: May 13, 2534

Time: 0850 Hours

I wasn't sure how long we'd been moving. Minutes? Seconds? Time had lost all meaning. All I could focus on was the pain, the way it pulsed through me with every beat of my heart. I could feel my strength slipping away, my legs growing weaker with every step.

But Alice wouldn't stop. She was practically dragging me now, her breathing heavy as she fought to keep me on my feet. I could hear the desperation in her voice, the strain as she pushed herself to the limit.

"Come on, we're almost there," she said, though I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or herself.

Suddenly, Doss appeared beside us, his face grim as he laid down suppressing fire, giving us the chance to move. He grabbed my other arm, pulling me up with a strength that seemed impossible.

"Keep moving, Cass," Doss ordered, his voice steady and commanding. "You're not dying here."

I tried to focus, to force my legs to move, but it was like my body had stopped listening. Everything felt numb, distant, like I was watching it all happen from somewhere far away.

I could feel Alice and Doss pulling me forward, their voices blending into the background as the sounds of battle filled my ears. Plasma bolts hissed past us, explosions rocked the ground beneath us, but they never let go. They never let me fall.

And then, just as my vision started to fade completely, I heard it—a roar. Deep, guttural, and terrifying.

A Brute.

I barely had time to process it before the massive figure barreled toward us, its spiker raised, ready to tear us apart. Alice let go of me just long enough to raise her rifle, but I knew she wouldn't be fast enough. The Brute was already on us.

I thought it was over.

But Doss stepped in front of me, his knife flashing in the dim light as he charged the Brute head-on.

The Brute roared again, swinging its spiker in a wide arc, but Doss was faster. He ducked under the swing, slamming his knife into the Brute's side, just beneath its armor. The Brute staggered back, howling in pain, but it wasn't down yet.

It raised its weapon, aiming at Doss.

"No!" I tried to shout, but the sound came out as little more than a weak gasp.

Before the Brute could fire, Alice was there, unloading her entire clip into the Brute's chest. The shots hit dead center, and with a final, bone-shaking roar, the Brute collapsed, crashing to the ground in a heap of armor and muscle.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Location: UNSC Evac Point - Covenant Stronghold Perimeter

Date: May 13, 2534

Time: 0905 Hours

I barely remember the rest of it. The pain, the blood, the way my body seemed to drift in and out of awareness. I felt Alice and Doss pulling me again, dragging me toward the evac point as the sounds of the battle faded behind us.

I wasn't sure if we'd made it. I wasn't sure if I was even still alive.

The next thing I knew, I was lying on the cold metal floor of the Pelican, my vision blurred, the sound of the engines roaring in my ears. I could feel hands on me—Alice, her voice distant as she called for the medic, her touch steady and reassuring despite the chaos around us.

I blinked, my vision slowly coming back into focus. I could see her face now, hovering above me, her expression tight with worry.

"You're gonna be okay, Cass," she said, though I could hear the strain in her voice. "Just hold on."

I tried to nod, but my body wasn't responding the way it should. Everything hurt. Everything was cold.

But I was still here. Somehow, I was still here.

I could hear Doss talking to the pilot, his voice calm despite the situation. He had saved me. They both had.

The darkness was still there, lingering at the edges of my vision, but I forced myself to focus on Alice. On the way her hand gripped mine, steady and strong, pulling me back from the brink.

"We're getting you home," she said, her voice soft now, the battle over. "Just stay with me."