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Chapter 8 - Memory Leak

"You--filthy, filthy bastard! I will hunt you down and delight in wringing your organs dry, and I will devour your eyes right out of their god damned sockets!" The disembodied voice bellowed and shrilled out with such force that the walls reverberated, and Xal backed against the elevator wall, grasping his rifle in his hands and visible shaking.

"Try me then!" Xal shouted back down the hall, slamming his fist at his chest, "I WANT you to try to kill me! You have failed so far, you stand no chance against me, or anyone else now!"

"The last words you hear will be of your murder!" The voice screamed back at him in rage, "Come and find me!"

"I WILL!" Xal screamed back at him, "And when I do I will rip YOUR eyes from your god damn sockets!"

"XAL!" Kvaz screamed at him, grasping the Kig-yar by his shoulders and pinned him against the elevator wall, "What are you screaming for?! STOP IT!"

"K-Kvaz! Did you not here what he said!?"

Kvaz looked at him with widened eyes, "Who? You have been screaming at nothing, you could have alerted the entire deck by now!"

"No!" Xal stammered, "That--that voice! The murderous one--threatening to disembowel us! Do not tell me that I am crazy!"

"I never said you are," Kvaz quietly replied, and stood up from him, looking over his shoulder into the aphotic hallway. Death; swarming in like a virus, haunting every step and every waking moment of mine. Seems you infected him too with your poisonous, disgusting agenda--I cannot hear you anymore, not as loudly. Stepping out into the hall now Kvaz looked over the roof and the walls, scanning every inch curiously before speaking, "Whatever you did to me--I cannot hear the ship as I did. What you heard was not a voice--it was the embodiment of the ship's intention for us."

Xal shuddered but stepped immediately beside the Commander and looked out into the dark, feeling embarrassed, and enraged at the same time. He was assured by the Commander he was not crazy--but he would be stupid to ever scream out into the dark halls again. They could hear the excited wails of the dead off in the distance and Kvaz led them away from the flood, crouching to avoid their gaze. The medical spire occupied the next twelve floors; however Kvaz explained there was one place in specific they needed to venture to, which was behind where they stored the Flood Virus Chamber.

From around the corner several infected brothers came stumbling into view, dragging their feet across the ground. Kvaz moved to where Xal was and crouched beside him as the infected flanked off from each other, one traversing down the hall from which they arrived. When the infected passed, Kvaz led Xal to their left, managing to avoid contacting the infected, and finding their way to a five-legged intersection. He looked over the signs, and then quickly brought Xal with him down one path, second to the right; he barely remembered how to get in it, trying to remember how he escaped it.

"Commander how far away is it?" Xal asked quietly as he kept beside the Commander, "Where are we exactly?"

"The Chamber is a few floors above; right now, we're at a sort of--rehabilitation center, for the personnel assigned to this area." Kvaz whispered to him as they passed endless locked doors, "They were used for those who were given too much exposure."

"To what?" Xal asked quickly.

"Whatever it was that caused the erratic behavior you saw in the logs. While on patrol I recall encountering a similar incident."

Xal nodded briefly as Kvaz led him through to a lobby, which was deserted and left with a putrid odor of rot. The smell was beyond describable in its horrendous effect; blood stains were evident throughout the room, covering the floor and walls. They carefully walked across the room, and Kvaz avoided looking at it the best that he could. Xal and Kvaz pried open the split door, sliding each heavy plate against the wall apart from each other, and preceded up a stairwell. Xal was beginning to develop an ache behind his eyes and at his forehead, rubbing it with his fingers and groaning in aggravation at the persistence of it.

The next section Kvaz explained was off limits to the general public, he had only been here twice in the past and led Xal through the area. Hallways were now like rings, connecting at 4-legged junctures where each room that they surrounded was like a large home, with several layers behind the doors. Peering through Xal momentarily saw site of the strange technology therein, which held a strange, telescope looking apparatus with numerous appendages near the base, hovering over a sun-dial shaped item.

"What in the hell were they doing?" Xal whispered, backing away from the door, "It looks--more of a torture device."

"I cannot say; I do not know what came of the flood aboard this ship. Have you noticed we've not seen them?" Kvaz began slowly, looking back at Xal, "That the flood--the primary source of interest, has not even metastasized?"

"Yes--I noticed. Where do you think they are?" Xal asked him, and receiving only a shrug from Kvaz, who told him that this is what they needed to find out, hinting only loosely that he had a suspicion from a recording of a scientist he kept with him.

Following him around further, Xal's curiosity peeked as he observed more and more rooms with strange, foreign artifacts and machines. Some contained large, cylinders filled with dark liquid and cables which would lead towards the roof, and one such odd one was a plasma filled chamber, with a tree inside of it. He stared at it in confusion and dismissed it as utter nonsense, wondering what in the great hell they could have honestly attempted to learn, or do. In one such tube there was a strange, dark organic object that resembled a flood virus, but he could barely make it out, and shined his light over it. It was grotesque at first, with long tendrils coming out of its body, as if it had mutated into something far worse than the original virus. Then again--the non-existence of this flood--could it have been a ruse? A cover most likely--to mask their truer intentions, I think.

He found other rooms filled with strange plants, large and small incased in fluid, and some fat cables which led to a central hub in the center of the room, which looked similar to Forerunner spires. Doors leading out had been left open, it was difficult to make out some of the other items in the darkness, but most of what he had seen was strange. Xal turned away from the glass to find that Kvaz had now disappeared from his site,

Briskly searching around the area he heard a noise and presumed it was the commander, trying not to be lost in the large labyrinth of rooms. Finding his place at the end of the strange layout he was greeted with emptiness, and began to grow more annoyed when the sudden appearance of a hideous, eyeless Sangheili limping from out of the doorway with a dark mass cascading down its sternum. The creature began to grasp at its own throat and bent over with a hideous display of hurling a disgusting liquid; hurling and convulsing in a hideous display. Kvaz appeared from around the corner and looked at Xal curiously, who remained motionless with a gaping jaw and staring at something on the ground.

"Xal--you are pale. What is wrong with you?" Kvaz asked as he approached, stepping forward through the body of the Sangheili, whose image became more vaporous.

"Kvaz no! Move, get away from it!" Xal panicked, throwing his arms up and cried out, "Get away from it, now!"

Kvaz looked down by his feet where Xal's focus was, and he saw nothing, stepping away from the area as the Kig-yar rushed up to him, seeing the shivering, sunken in body convulse and heave another liquid mass. It looks up with dark, eyeless sockets towards Xal, and he felt that hideous, malignant stare penetrate deep into his body! Xal trembled and felt his skin go cold, and Kvaz was worried something had happened to him, reaching over to gently touch him on the shoulder. Xal cried out as palsy gripped his heart with a shiver, and he groaned out a horrifying sound of pain and despair, collapsing onto his knees. Kvaz too was overwhelmed by the sudden convulsion of fear and pain in his body; it was as if his heart were gripped by the snares of death he had for so long avoided, and he flung his arm away from Xal, panting and hold onto his chest. He felt him-self pushed away by the Kig-yar who chocked out in pain as he stepped through the unworldly creature, and the stab of agony through his leg brought him to the ground, and he felt him-self near ready to vomit!

"Move away from it!" Xal cried out again as he clenched his stomach and felt his body grow hot, and he struggled to suppress the sudden urge to vomit again. Kvaz rushed around whatever it was Xal had looked at, stepping behind him, pulling him away from his location and held him by the shoulders until Xal had relaxed. He panted weakly and sucked in breath, holding his face as a headache had suddenly splintered its way behind his eyes, and Kvaz worriedly observed him, while ignoring his own symptoms.

"You did not see it, did you?" Xal croaked out and pointed, "Right there--the dead thing?"

"Yes, I did not see what was there. Only you did. What did you see?"

Xal swallowed and shuddered, looking away from the spot and to Kvaz's hands. "I saw something dead, or dying. It was vomiting all over the floor where you stood, god damn it was disgusting."

"Have you seen them before?" Xal inquired, "Ever--or that voice I heard?"

Kvaz replied with forlorn, "Consider this place a looking glass into hell--that is what an old comrade of mine would have said, but with a little more religious fervor."

"Xal, come in--it is Elsv, do you read me?" A familiar voice chimed in and Xal was quick to respond, and Elsv was delighted to hear that he was safe.

"Is this Elsv? I am Commander Kvaz 'Alakavee, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Xal is recovering from an incident, but he is fine, I assure you." Kvaz had leaned over and introduced him-self immediately, and Elsv elatedly introduced him-self to the Commander, proclaiming it an honor to meet him finally!

"Sir it is a great honor to meet you--when Xal told me you had survived, and was aboard--I admit I was not shocked! Is he ok, what happened to him?"

Kvaz smirked and laughed quietly, "Well thank you for the honors, my brother. I owe you my gratitude for assisting Xal; it would be great to meet you soon. He is all right, seems some food he ate declared war with his insides."

"Oh I see--that is_very_ unfortunate, wish him my best. Speaking of such, Xal, I was able to locate a data archive that belonged to a deceased scientist who had downloaded his research into an external device! I have it with me; I am on--Floor Nine."

"Floor nine? You are good at navigating," Xal spoke with a crackle to his voice, "When do you think we'll finally be able to regroup?"

"You will find a hidden teleportation grid located behind a wall in the Research Facility; there is one in each spire." Kvaz began, "Use it to find your way to our location; I will expect you to be here."

"I will see if I can locate it, Commander. In the mean time I was unable to corral the ship from space--but I did manage to send out several distress signals. I believe one was answered."

Kvaz nodded and glanced to Xal, "Anfi is alive, Elsv. I have had limited contact with him, he does not know Xal is alive, nor you. I am awaiting another message from him, in the mean time, I will require your assistance for a task Xal and I will be engaging in."

"I see-- then be weary then, both of you. Xal my friend I will try to regroup with you as soon as I can, I am glad you are both ok. I will see you soon!

? ? ?

. . . Kvaz growled lowly as he pulled back the metal plating with all of his might, slipping the joints out of the metal grooves, and heaved it back with a furious snarl, snapping it off the wall. Tossing it on the pile of panels behind him, the stone revetment of a temple like structure came into view, with long and archaic scroll inscriptions across the door arch. As more came to light Xal recorded it the best he could with a light, noticing strangely engraved cornices and an archivolt decorated with otherworldly symbols he did not recognize.

"Commander, how did you manage to find this?" Xal asked him quietly, keeping the light on Kvaz so he could work.

"I--hhggh, found it by accident." He explained as he rested his hand against the wall and sighed, slamming the butt of Xal's rifle behind another panel and aggressively peeling it off the metal trellis that covered the stone surfacing. As he doorway became exposed and Xal could see more of the glyphs decorating the aedicule, Kvaz explained he had traced the source of an odd smell to the wall. Upon inspection he was able to pull back a panel enough to see what was hidden behind, but had been chased away by the infected when they occupied this area.

"I believe that they hid their best experiments here, I do not know how they traveled in--hrrrgh, or out!"

Kvaz ripped back another metal panel and huffed out; throwing it to the ground, he now looked over the steel lattice that covered the door. He dug his fingers through it and snarled, rearing his arms back with full force but could not initially break it apart. He grasped the rifle and slammed the blade against the metal working until he severed enough of the pieces, and called Xal over. The two of them pulled back a flap of the metal enough for them to squeeze through, and then push the stone door open.

"What--is this place?" Xal asked quietly, peering down the long vault tunnel, "What is this ship, exactly?"

Kvaz looked over in wonder at the strange architecture which seemed older than time, and he stepped away to observe the temple's visage. He did not know what it was, or how much of this ship was repurposed, and it amazed him he had so far never actually discovered locations similar! Xal too was struck with amazement at it, the discovery momentarily taking precedence over the low rumbling that he did not at first acknowledge behind him. He held onto his head and grumbled as he felt the low buzz of his headache returning, and it was this time more obnoxious than before. Kvaz had sensed something else entirely.

CRASH! SLAM!

The shattering of glass and slamming of doors from behind them began to fill the once silent air, and Kvaz laughed loudly, now knowing the ship could indeed feel the pain he inflicted! The trampling of feet began to rise like thunder and the cries and howls of the dead, with a deep tremors in the ground made Xal feel suddenly more alarmed than ever! He could see objects beginning to slide about until they fell off the desk, and furiously began to push the temple door open, finding it would not budge and slammed his fist on it!

"Chtn'eyhe-- latgh'ehy, ahng'gotha ." Behind them these words where whispered--a strange intonation of a mantra that neither of them had ever heard. It was slow and voiced by many deep from the darkness of the rooms behind this one; it drew from within them a primordial sense of fear, as if they had awoken their eyes from a nightmare. A blurred sense of urgency overcame Kvaz who desperately began to try to push the stone door, finding it unmoving, and slammed his fists into it, shouting!

"Nilgrh'too latgh'ehy nythoo'shtaä koo?h! Nilgrh'too latgh'ehy nythoo'shtaä koo?h! Ayarnk ash'thlbh nhygl'oob' oshu!" The voices became a demonic magnitude of vocalizations, an abhorrent cacophony that surrounded them from all corners of the room in omnipresent chant! Xal covered his ears and bit down on his teeth, groaning aloud as his ears began to ring.

"What in the great hell are they saying!" Xal shouted over the noise to Kvaz, who screamed over the deafening ensemble that he did not know!

"CHTN'EYH KVAZ, LATGH'EHY KVAZ! CHTN'EYH XAL, LATGH'EHY XAL!" The evil voice bellowed out to them as if from inside of their heads, and both of them nearly collapsed at the roar!

"NO ESCAPE, NO LIFE! NO ESCAPE AND NO LIFE!" The magnificent volume and evil communicated through the voice was beyond their description; and emerging in the room was a crowd of the undead Sangheili, rigidly standing and shouting out the horrifying, alien words.

"Shut the hell up!" Kvaz screamed back out into the dark room and grasped at his temples, holding them tightly! "GOD DAMN YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Xal felt his brain beginning to burn from the words and it was like hundreds of voice, shouting into his ears at one time, he stumbled against the wall. Holding him-self up, he then moved to Kvaz and grabbed him by the arm, keeping the Commander close! The beasts began to move closer to them, and Kvaz looked around desperately for a means of escape, keeping Xal behind his body, watching in terror as the army approached.

"Ratu'nangtha intathst nus ha'nunu'ctha nugh! Taft'asuun goka sha gu anthuans sunat!" A new voice had begun to scream in contrast to the other voices, shouting against their repeating mantra, as if further away from them. "Hupadgh orr're, stell'bsna orr're! STELL'BSNA ORR'RE!"

This voice begun to shout ever more new phrases and Kvaz and Xal backed against the wall, finding that the temple door had begun to slide open now; there was a sudden shove of their bodies that sent them into the dark vault tunnel. The crowd shrilled in anger and began to rush towards them, and the tunnel door slammed shut, muffling their maddening cries! Xal and Kvaz rushed far away from the door in the darkness, and Xal kept his light ahead until they had ran underneath a ribbed dome, and he frantically shined his light all around!

"Where do we go!" Xal begged him, and Kvaz did not know now where to go, but he and Xal continued forwards, running until their legs would give out beneath of them! Arriving at the ending of the vault they emerged into a stone nave, reaching high above them, and the voices that were behind had begun to fade. Kvaz grasped Xal by his shoulders and held him tightly as they took refuge against the wall behind a column, and the Kig-yar shook hard as his head throbbed.

Kvaz looked around and lifted the Kig-yar into his arms as he ran through the nave until he reached another door, this one sliding up automatically and lead them into a Cella type room, faintly illuminated with amethyst lights emitted at the base of various Exedras with the statues of the Prophets. There were strange artifacts all around that reached up to the great stone buttresses at the top, carved into them were strange and unusual shapes, and a bas relief of monsters, and creatures near the top. Kvaz felt a low hum in the air--a sensation at the back of his mind and at the tip of his flesh, it was not the adrenaline that made him feel this way.

What in the great hell--how was this hidden inside of this ship!? How--where did any of this come from?

"Commander Kvaz, are you all right?" Elsv spoke from over the intercom.

"Yes--we are inside a strange. . ."

"The Temple. I know where you are," Elsv interrupted him quietly. "You should see statues of The Prophets, and several Stelea with inscriptions on them."

Kvaz halted mid step, whispering into the microphone, "Who are you?"

"Elsv, where are you?" Xal began with a low groan, "We're stuck somewhere up in the top of the spire."

There was a quiet sigh and Elsv confirmed he knew of their location, and instructed Kvaz he would need to keep walking through the Cella, and pass into Hall Church. Kvaz however refused to do until Elsv explained him-self, immediately accusing him of having led Xal on, in the attempts of causing them harm, and purposely avoiding him! Elsv pleaded that he had not done such a thing, asking them please to follow his instructions, and Xal argued with Elsv, demanding to know how he knew so much.

"Just do as I ask you, please!" Elsv begged them desperately, "There is not a lot of time before they are able to find you in here too!"

"WHERE--ARE--YOU!" Kvaz shouted at Elsv, "If you do not tell me this god damn instant, I swear I will break you if I find you!"

Elsv sighed softly, "I--fine. I'll show you where I am. But you must exit this room, and when you do you will find a vault to your left, which will lead downwards. Follow it."

Kvaz looked at Xal with uncertainty but he placed him on his feet, and the two followed the directions. They were led to a sliding door which took them out into the ship once more, and this time into a hallway which was by the gallery which scientists could commute between schedules. Elsv guided them around the corner, further and further away from the hall until they had come to a juncture, and Elsv now hesitated.

"To your right," he spoke softly with a tone of dejection, "You will find a room which has been locked. The code is One-Zero-Nine-Zero-Eight-Five, I am in there."

"Is this some kind of game? Why do you not just walk out of it, brother?" Kvaz demanded, but Elsv ignore him, and Xal pleaded to know if Elsv had been lying to him.

"If I were meaning to harm you, I would not have helped you save Kvaz's life, Xal. You can open the door if you chose, or go back to the temple."

Kvaz and Xal moved to the door, and Xal stepped back as Kvaz punched in the code, and unlocked it, then grasped it by the handle, and flung it open. There was only darkness in the room at first, but Elsv breathed slowly with a shake in his voice, as he told Xal to look for him at the back of the wall. Shining his light forward, the light slid over the boney, leather covered remains of a body that lay against the wall. Xal stuttered as he fell to his knees, and Elsv quietly sighed, "You can see--that my gauntlet is active."

The vision was soul shattering: Xal felt whatever strength that was left inside of him had died in that instant, and it took but mere moments for the cataclysm of reality to set his body into a fury of emotions. "What--what--what is this!" Xal shrieked out in horror as he turned his eyes away from the decayed remains, shouting at full force at Elsv, "WHAT IS THIS!? TELL ME!"

"That is what is left of me." Elsv quietly answered, "I--I am sorry, my friend."

"HOW ARE YOU DEAD!?" Xal shouted even more loudly, becoming hysterical as his face grew hot, grasping his head and hunching over, "I cannot take this! I cannot take this anymore! WHY ARE YOU HERE!?

"Xal! I--I cannot explain to you this--because I do not know it. You were the only person who ever saw or heard me. When your team came aboard the ship--you were the only one that had noticed me." Elsv sighed quietly and his voice trembled, "I have been dead since the outbreak--wandering the halls, watching those who lived be killed, or waste away, or be murdered by others! You have seen ghosts--do not deny it."

Xal trembled and stuttered as he felt his eyes become blurred and heavy, unable to settle the idea that his friend was truly dead as he gazed at the corpse. He sucked in a hard breath and wiped his face, standing up, and his voice broke as he forced out his words, "Then--how did I see you?"

"I do not even know--when I realized you could see and hear me, I prayed you would be able to help set my soul free! I am stuck here, in this--hell! Kvaz was right, that this place is the looking glass."

"Then you were never really gone--were you?" Kvaz asked him quietly, turning away from the corpse to look at Xal, "Or did you truly vanish, to help us?"

"Yes--and no; the times I did not talk--was me reliving the last moments of my life, before I did. Xal has seen them--the echoes of death, suffering over and over again. Soon I will appear in this hall, and you will see how I did--please leave before that."

"No--no! Elsv no!" Xal cried out with tears of anger, gripping his fists, "You--you cannot be dead, my friend! I have lost Gat, and You--this is not fair! DAMN THIS PLACE!"

"Xal! Please--I am here--I promise you my friend. You and Kvaz must survive, and stop this weapon from being rediscovered!" Elsv pleaded, his voice becoming hoarse, "Return to the temple, and look for a hidden teleportation grid behind the Stelea beside the Prophet of Mercy. It will lead you to the body of the ship--be careful, it is the most dangerous area."

"Then what?" Kvaz asked him quietly, "And the voice--?"

"That is whatever the demon is who inhabits the temple." Elsv answered quickly, "Now go--leave! I do not want you to see me--not like that."

Kvaz grabbed Xal and pulled him away, and Xal sobbed hard as he was lifted up from the ground and he followed Kvaz back to the temple. When the door had shut behind them, Xal leaned against the wall and sobbed harder, damming him-self for ever having a friend, damning Elsv for ever caring! He felt arms wrap around him as Kvaz embraced him, silently, and Xal cried hard into the Sangheili's neck until he forced him-self to stop, growing exhausted, and his face sore from.

"Xal--I am sorry," Kvaz whispered quietly.

"It is not your fault," Xal muttered back to him, keeping his eyes closed.

Kvaz held onto the Kig-yar for as long as he could, unable to imagine the pain he must feel, or his sorrow and betrayal. Xal took in deep breaths and trembled as he exhaled, and when he seemed stable Kvaz's eyes did not leave him, and he reached up, gently holding Xal by his jaw.

"I promise you--I will not leave your side, Xal." Kvaz quietly began, "I--have grieved for weeks in silence, and alone. I will not let you do the same--I am here for you, and because of you."

Xal looked up to him, his wet eyes reddened from the tears and he nodded once, and felt his cheek touch Kvaz's. As they began their ascension back to the temple, another voice began to speak to them, this time, over the intercom system.

"Touching moment from the two of you--you detestable scum do not deserve to set foot in this sacred temple." The voice was coarse and the breathing was raspy, "Your dead heretic will suffer this ring of hell, and nothing you do will ever put a stop to it!"

"Who are you?" Xal began with a growl, "Are you the one who has tormented us!"

"YES!" The voice cheered, "I am astounded you could not recognize my voice--Commander Kvaz."

Kvaz's eyes widened, and he gripped his fists tightly. He said nothing, and Xal looked up to him; Kvaz knew exactly who this was, and he was silent.

"I had warned you--that the Prophets were far more prepared and able than you purported. You have seen but only the outer shell of the mantle they crafted, a true weapon to cleanse this galaxy!" The voice laughed weakly with obvious strain to speak. Kvaz closed his eyes and looked away, breathing in and out slowly, relaxing his fists.

"So you have been hiding here, the entire time." Kvaz growled, "Tha--you wretched, zealot mongrel! When I find you, I will enjoy cutting your spine from inside of you!"

"HA! Commander, do not be such an idiot! You would not even begin to know how to kill me--after all, you have never even killed one of our infected kin! You are too weak to be able to!"

Kvaz ignored this taunt and led him and Xal to where Elsv had directed them. Kvaz grasped the Stelea and flung it to the ground, smashing the stone with a loud slam. He quickly typed in the coordinates for where he would need to venture with Xal, without saying a word to him, and the two prepared for their transition into the main body of the ship. They were not prepared for the site that would befall them, as a hideous array of dead Sangheili were scattered, their bodies savagely disfigured, and their skulls seemingly empties. Kvaz staggered as he smelt the air, which was thick and moistened by the odor of blood and flesh.

"Where--are we?" Xal whispered to him.

"A part of the ship even I was never allowed into." Kvaz whispered as he passed through the only door of the room, which would lead them into a second Nave, this time modernized and metallic. He felt sick to his stomach as he viewed the countless dead bodies that filled the room, these ones were treated as the same as the previous room.

"Who was that voice?" Xal asked him quietly.

"Sub-Commander Tha 'Varakee--I assumed him dead, he seemed to have been here the entire time." Kvaz frowned deeply as he whispered quietly, "I never expected him to be some kind of mass murderer--he is just as delusional and homicidal as his leaders!"

"How are we going to stop him then? There must be a way to decimate this ship, unless The Prophets did not even consider the idea."

"I've taken care of it for you," Elsv spoke quietly through Xal's gauntlet. "Hell--again."

"What have you taken care of?"

"The ship's orbit will decay in one hour, and plunge it-self into the sun. There are no nuclear devices aboard to extirpate its existence."

"How did you do this?" Xal asked him.

"I found a body--and possessed it. It was--difficult, and it was all I could manage to do."

"Then how the hell do we get off of it?" Kvaz demanded instantly.

"Tha is not far from you, where--it all began. You will find it, and when you are there--you must kill him. That is all I can say to you now, I will follow you, though you cannot see me."

Kvaz and Xal looked to each other and nodded as they passed through a corridor that seemed almost endless; at the end was a faint white light, oscillating with purple hues. The further and further they walked the colder it became, and whispering chanting began to grow; when they had arrived at the end of the corridor, it gave vista to the strangest, nonsensical device that either of them had ever looked upon. Monuments of metal that formed into a triangular, acute pyramid reached up to the top dome of the building, and there were numerous cylinders filled with fluid, and the bodies of Sangheili, infected by the flood inside of them. These wires lay scattered, dragging them-selves down several layers to where a single pool of water at the base of the room lay.

The area had become overgrown by what seemed to be blackened vines that enveloped the surroundings and up the strange Forerunner Relay Arch. The area looked as if it had been neglected for an eternity, smelling of plant life, and water. Kvaz had walked along the balcony until he came to a cylinder of cool water, with a flayed Sangheili body, and wires attached to the brains of the Flood, and its own. It was appalling and maddening--he turned his eyes away to Xal, who him-self could not to look at this macabre display.

"They were all sacrificed--great warriors, or thinkers from your planet, and other species." Elsv spoke quietly from behind them, through the microphone. "All of them subjected to the technology of the Forerunners, perverted by the ambition of The San' Shyuum."

"What is it?" Kvaz asked quietly, "Why--are my brothers like this?"

Elsv did not know, merely admitted it was part of the Noosphere Cataclysm and that below was Tha, who would undoubtedly tell them everything they needed to know, as he loved his didacts.

"How do we kill him?" Kvaz asked quietly.

"I do not even know this either--but there were warriors in the past--two who had learned to kill him. I know that my chanting harms him, if--I could find a way inside, I could subdue him long enough."

Xal and Kvaz hastily moved down the elevator shaft where they were greeted by the abhorrent site of Tha, who lay naked, flayed and wide eyed in the pull of water. His blue, skinned flesh was a disgusting and hideous site that made them both weak to their stomachs; when Tha had sat up to look at them, his eyes wide, his gums and teeth exposed on his mandibles, Kvaz nearly vomited.

Silently the male arose, long wires connected to various parts of his skull and body floating over the surface as he stood now on a podium, and looked at them. Xal looked to Kvaz who was in awe at the site, the monstrous and demonic form merely standing silently, illuminated from the lights below. He did not speak for moments longer as the two of them stepped over the moss and verdant grown, keeping a distance from him. Tha finally moved forwards and approached them at the length that the cables permitted him, expressionless still, until he finally spoke to them.