[b]Part 9 - Escape[/b] Shouts echoed around John, waves of Grunts and Jackals were jeering from the stands, Elites were watching, arms folded with sneers on their condemning faces. And high above sat the new Kaidon and his entourage. "Demon," Kaidon K'zath spoke in a raspy tone, "You stand before the court here today to pay for your sins. This highest act of heresy must be punished." There were nods around the gigantic room. "How can I commit heresy when I'm not even a part of your government, O' great Kaidon?" The Spartan mocked. "Silence! The charges against you are numerous, murder, thievery, heresy, unauthorised landing-" "What the hell?" John exclaimed in disbelief. "Unauthorised landing? I didn't want to crash here, despite how great you all have been to me." The Kaidon waved a hand, and suddenly, an Honour Guard standing next to him bashed him to the ground. "Impudence." He heard the Elite mutter. "Hold your foul tongue Demon, lest it be ripped for your mouth." The Kaidon called. "For these crimes Demon, the Council decrees that you be sentenced to death by Plasma Sword. Does anyone in this room have an objection to this?" K'zath cast a dark look around the hallowed hall, daring someone to speak. "I object!" Shouted a voice, and as one, thousands of beings turned their heads towards this voice. It turned out to be an old Elite in a white robe, standing up. Probably a priest of some sort. "And on what grounds Deacon?" The Kaidon asked, voice dripping with venom. "This man has done much for our race, he helped us break away from the Covenant, he stopped the mad man Truth, and most importantly, destroyed the Parasite. And yet, now we are once again engaged in a petty war, you choose to kill him? Shame on you K'zath, scum like you don't deserve to hold power!" The ancient Elite still stood, suddenly concious of the attention he had attracted. K'zath reclined in his chair, a snarl of anger darkening his face. He turned towards his Guards. "Kill him." Spoke the Elite simply, the Deacon's face paled. The Guards hesitated for a second. "But, noble Kaidon, this Sangeheili is a Deacon, surely we can not-" "He is a traitor to our race, and an example must be made of him. Now kill him, or else." A crazed look nested upon K'zath's face. The Guards still wouldn't move. "We cannot touch this one K'zath, he has done nothing wrong." They insisted. "Blasphemy!" The Kaidon shouted in anger at them, the Guards flinched. "Very well, if you shall not kill him, I shall do it myself." The Elite drew out an Energy Sword, and strode through the masses to the Deacon, who was still frozen in place with horror, unsure whether or not he should flee. "Murdering me will not silence the truth K'zath!" The Holy man quivered. K'zath drew next to him, and threw him down to the floor, scattering a group of nearby Jackals. "That is where you are wrong." He whispered, and drove the burning blade into the Deacon's heart. The old Elite gave a strangled moan, twitched once, then died. A gasp came up from the crowd. "Any other objections?" The Kaidon said as he walked back to his throne, his voice echoing throughout the silent hall. No one spoke. "You heartless bastard." John spoke directly to the Elite's face. Everyone else in the hall silently agreed with the statement. K'zath smiled. "Execute the Demon." He spoke grandly. An Honour Guard converged on him, now this was a killing he could follow through. Excited calls rang across the hall. John tensed himself, ready for one last fight. He heard an Energy Sword crack in the crowd, not from the guards, and suddenly the earth beneath his feet began to shake. Then all hell broke loose. *********** The Arbiter had drawn out his sword as the new Kaidon had given the order for the Spartan to be executed, he was just about to jump at the Honour Guard moving in on him and kill him, when suddenly, a huge tremor occurred. Something big was coming, and it was getting closer. *********** "Is that the Citadel up ahead?" Johnson shouted at the Monitor. The Scarab was moving at a very quick pace, it had engaged active camouflage, a little trick that was activated thanks to the ever helpful Engineers, and Avery could not help but marvel as they moved passed numerous outposts and patrols unnoticed. "Indeed Sergeant, it is. John resides inside the main chamber. We must hurry, he is about to be killed." Mendicant Bias replied frantically. "Don't you worry Light Bulb, if my boy Chief is in there, then you can be sure as hell I'm getting him out." They were just more than 100 metres from the Citadel now. No one had detected them yet. Damn impressive technology, Johnson thought. "So, what's the plan?" The Monitor queried. Avery held down a trigger next to him, the front of the Scarab began to glow green. "You'll see." ************* "Any last words Demon?" The Honour Guard inquired as he drew out his sword. "Yeah, the food was lousy." He taunted. "Farewell Demon." The Elite said, and he raised his sword to strike. Everyone was silent as the climax of the day drew nigh. The rumbling outside was growing louder. Suddenly, a mighty explosion crashed through the metal wall of the hall, and with a deafening surge, a powerful green beam exploded in the Honour Guard, incinerating him where he stood. ************* "An impeccable shot Reclaimer." The Monitor remarked, impressed. "Why thank you Light Bulb." Johnson said. ************* As soon as the explosion tore through the silence of the hall, John took advantage of the turmoil that swept through the crowd. He ran up to one of the nearby Honour Guards, and felled it with a single blow to the head. The other Guards had noticed him attempting to escape, as had K'zath. "Kill him!" The Kaidon shrieked manically. "Kill the Demon!" The words sent a shiver down John's spine, he had heard the same words from the Prophet of Truth not too long ago. As one, around thirty Elites clad in gold and red armour rushed towards John, ceremonial energy staves discarded fro their burning swords. John bent down and picked up a stave, it's power depleted. Essentially, it was a toughened stick. You had to feel sorry for the Elites. Around him, Grunts, Jackals and Elites were in panic. John realised for the first time that most of them probably weren't soldiers. He was snatched from his train of thought though, as one of the Honour Guards lunged at him, a grotesque sneer on his face. With lightning quick reactions, John veered to the side, and dealt the Elite a deadly blow to the head. Another went a similar way. A Jackal ran past in terror, Shield gauntlet raised above. With a well aimed kick, John sent the Jackal flying across the hall, where it smashed into the wall. Just before a barrage of plasma rifle fire hit John, he activated the dropped gauntlet, brought it in front of him and heard the superheated shots dissipated upon it's glowing surface. Elite after Elite fell at the Spartans hand, he was invincible. He began to back away, searching for an escape. More Scarab blasts shot forth, destroying any attempts on the Elite's part of maintaining order. Just after John felled another desperate Honour Guard, curb stomping it on it's toughened neck, he saw a glint of light out of the corner of his eye. A Jackal sniper scope, and it was poised to fire. There was no way John would dodge it in time. He was dead. Suddenly, next to the sniper, John saw a vivid violet Energy Sword activate, and an Elite in white, silver gilded armour cut down the Jackal. The Elite's head turned towards John, and gave a nod. Although John couldn't see his saviours face past it's headpiece, the nod seemed familiar. Noticing the rush of enemies still surging towards him, John picked up a plasma rifle from one of his fallen foes, and ran. The Elite who had saved him followed. "Fools!" He heard the Kaidon shout behind him. "I will kill this worm myself!" The Spartan entered a tunnel, one which he hoped would lead outside of the Citadel. He took a glance back, and with a start saw the Elite who had saved him. John raised his rifle, even though the Elite had saved him, it could still be hostile. Relief broke out as he saw it's face. "Arbiter?" John asked in disbelief. "The one and only Spartan. Now come, I know of a way out of here." The Arbiter ran down the hallway, and John followed, still in shock. They turned a corner. And ran into an army of Elites, all armed with Energy Swords. They backed away slowly, but stopped when they saw K'zath and five Honour Guard Ultras closing in from the other way. They were trapped.