Chapter 3

An: I think you will enjoy this.

"Get down!" A marine yelled as he gun down a grunt just in time. "We got to move! Now!" The cries of the children rang loudly across the air as Jacob lead several refugees on his own. He was separated from his squad when the covenant dropped a building on top of them and was helping stranded survivors ever since then.

Street after street, block after block, Jacob did not rest as he gathered whatever he can and leads them towards the fall-out shelter. 20 civilians were in his care. 20 men women and children alike depend on their survival on him.

The burden was heavy, almost unbearable for him, but he had to push on. He had to save what he can. Jacob led the small group towards a crossing where the closest bunker was located. He checked for any covenant forces before taking point.

"A-are the spartans going to help us mommy?" Jacob heard a terrified cry from a girl as her mother tried to console her child with little success. Jacob chewed his lips hard as he inwardly cursed the spartans.

Super soldiers? Humanity's last hope? They can't even do shit! We are dying out here and where are they?! Jacob wanted to scream in frustration but held it in as it was what the people needed. They need heroes, champions that they could look up to in these dark times.

Not someone like him, just a regular plain marine. A regular soldier. "! Move!" Jacob yelled as he fired just in time above them when a grunt jumped down from one of the buildings. Screams echoed throughout the road as the civilians run for cover as Jacob bring up the rear.

Jacob desperately tried to defend the group as he slaughtered grunt after grunt. Though for every grunt he took down, three more took its place. They were endless like the tides. It was hopeless and yet Jacob fired.

He cannot abandon these people. They were his people, his kind. He'll be damn if he let any covvies do so as they pleased. A bolt of plasma almost graze his side as he felt the heat burning his body. Without the armor, Jacob doubted he will able to endure the searing pain.

Jacob grimaced as it was another lucky moment for him. He always considered himself to be a lucky guy as he survived more encounter than any one today. Unfortuanetly however, his luck had to ran out.

Jacob blinked in despair when a audible click signals the empty clip. Jacob tried to reload when a stray bolt hit his shoulders. He went down with a scream as the flesh in his bones boiled.

It hurts. M-mom it hurts! Jacob cried inside as the pain simply overwhlemed him. Ah... am I going to die? Jacob thought for a moment as the thought calmed him. The pain was unbearable, but if he dies... it would go away... right? Jacob slowly closes his eyes when a scream jolted him back up.

In his peripheral vision, Jacob saw the civilians being chased by grunts. For a split moment, Jacob could see the grins on the grunts faces, the crying tears and faces of the children. It was as if... they were enjoying it? Enjoying... killing civilians?

A spark of hate engulfed his body as he forces it to stand. He had to defend these people. He had to! With a roar, Jacob forces his horrible and injured body to reload a fresh clip. He squeezes the trigger just in time as he took down 3 grunts who passed him.

I have to save them! I have to fight! Jacob screamed as he grabbed his knife before jamming the blade into the throat of a surprised grunt. Without pause, Jacob grabbed the plasma grenade it had on its side and primed the grenade towards its kin. Jacob fought ferociously as well as desperately for their survival.

He used the hatred he saw as a fuel for his body. As a strength to push pass the pain and fight! Jacob fought like a madman, swinging the blade relentlessly to those who dare near him while firing with his rifle. He had to fight! To protect them!... alas the will inside finally died down when he saw behind the grunts.

It was an elite. A being so powerful that no one but a spartan could ever hope to best it. Jacob wanted to cry as his sacrifice was for naught. They were all going to die. He could do nothing but watch as they begin to massacre the civilian. To kill their children and- A drop pod suddenly landed in the middle of the grunts.

Jacob's eyes widen as well as those who saw it as it meant only one thing. Spartan. Or what Jacob believes at least as it was either spartan or odst, though he prayed it was the former as the pod landed in the middle of the field.

Only the most insane and foolish odst would dare to drop there. The covenant seemed to believe this as well as they hurriedly encircled the drop pod and ignore Jacob. Jacob saw this and hurriedly forces himself to fire back. He had to help the lone spartan inside.

He had to help him! He would die if- A deafening burst exploded from the pods, killing grunts who stand too close to it as a mighty roar soon followed. Jacob shielded his eyes and blinked as the dust bloomed over him. And then there was this sound.

It was loud. It was deafening. It was like a... cannon? Jacob opened his eyes to see the horror before him. Five giants strode out from the pod. Each was a shoulder and a head taller than a spartan. Their mustard yellow armor was as large as the soldier within itself as they fight.

Jacob freezed. Their helmets and visor were nothig like spartan. It was not a clear and open visor but more akin instead that of a masked. A very furious mask, but that was not what caught Jacob to freeze.

No, it was the way they fight. He had seen spartans fight. UNSC propaganda showed over and over again the gallant and brave actions of the spartan. But these men... no, these angels were like... death.

They fired at the covies with unnatural precision, hitting their head always before moving to the next target at unnatural speeds. A group of grunts by the number of four exploded as 2 more kigyar soon followed. By time they killed the 7th, only then did the first body dropped.

Jacob could not even believe such marksmanship was possible. It was impossible as every kill require faster than a second, but Jacob was proven wrong again and again as head after head explodes into gory little pieces. The spartans fought like heroes.

Fought like the hope of mankind. These warriors... they fought as if they are death incarnate. Each fire from their roaring canons took 4 or more grunts as they quickly decimated the troops. The covies fired back but their aim was laughable compared to the warriors.

It looked as if they were purposefully missing their shots as the giants move with unrelenting force. Always moving, always aiming, always firing, Jacob swore he never seen such perfected brutality before as they all move with the intent to kill. Even when they are under fire, they never faltered for a moment.

The giants would take cover behind rubble and debris and fired with uncanny and fatal precision. And then there was the 5th man who wielded a chainsaw-like sword. Jacob was baffled by the weapon.

Who in their right mind decided to create a chainsaw sword? It was madness, highly impractical and totally worthless for the army... but for these beings, these incarnation of wrath... it might just be the perfect blade.

He sliced, crushed, and dismembered any who came close to him. He was so fast that 4 of the bodies were still standing before he move on to the next. It was incomphrensible how these gigantic monsters move with such grace and alacrity despite the heavy armor they bear.

It was too beautiful, too mesmerizing! Jacob was so mesmerized by these displays of power that he did not notice the elite sneaking up until it was too late. Thanks to all the chaos, the elite was able to capitalize the moment. The elite's energy sword roared to life as it launched.

"W-watch out!" Jacob yelled a second too late as the elite had already lurched forward, aiming its energy blade towards the neck of the sword wielding angel. He's going to die. His-!!! The air seemed to freeze as the warrior blurred for a moment. The next moment, he was grabbing the elite by the throat.

Jacob stared in shock as his brain was still processing what just transpired. The elite's eyes widen in shock as well as it desperately tries to break free from the grasp. It tried to use the energy sword but was surprised yet again as the warrior grabbed its hand and crushed it with no hesitation.

The elite roared in pain as the blade fell. Fear begins to crept in as it finally realizes what was going on. It tried to kick the warrior hard on its chest, but the giant simply stared into its eyes. The warrior's grip tightened for a moment as the elite's shield flickered to life.

A translucent sapphire light covered the elite as it flailed desperately. Jacob thought he would break free when the light begins to tremble. The elite screams into panic but the giant did not let go and instead tightened his grip, causing the light to flicker now as it trembles violently. 

The elite panicked one last time, trying to smash the helmet of the giant, anything at all to break free from the grasp of death. It smashes its hands over and over again, even if the wrists were broken, the elite desperately fought for its life to no avail. The shield collapsed.

The warrior heaved the elite high, staring at its eyes before letting out a single gargle whisper. Its voice was full of resentment. Full of disgust as Jacob barely understands the word. "Alien." The warrior whispered before driving its blade into the abdomen, ending its life in an instant.

Jacob went down hard on his back as he could not believe it. The elites, creatures the marines dreaded and feared who could butcher their ranks in seconds, died so pitifully in the hands of these warriors. The elite even had the element of surprise and still it died.

And it was this fact that terrified Jacob. He had seen spartans fight. Saw how they move, how they react. Even when they fight these elites, they struggled but won the day by sheer tactical brilliance or unyielding will. The spartans look... human.

These giants however were anything but human. Their unrivaled speed and brutal strength paled even that of a spartan. They were so fast, so violent that it broke something within Jacob as the battle was quickly ending.

When the battle was over, the civilians who were hiding slowly came out of their shelter. Jacob turned and saw he was not the only one who saw these death incarnate moved. Their gazes looked up in awe and horror the same way he had. For how come someone so strong goes unnoticed?

The giants suddenly turned and move towards Jacob. Their heavy and bulk armor should have slowed them down significantly. Hell, Jacob thought they could barely move at all! It was then Jacob remembered what they had just done mere seconds ago as he suddenly screams in panic.

Seeing these giants standing was enough to make them freeze. Seeing them walking towards you was another thing entirely. Shouts and screams of fear filled throughout the air as the civilians hurriedly ran back into hiding.

Jacob hurriedly grabbed his fallen rifle and replaced the empty clip with a fresh one. With shaky hands, Jacob aimed towards one of the giants. His ragged breathing was increasing by the second as they step closer.

Jacob tried to pull the trigger. Tried to frighten the giants despite what he had seen. His fingers failed him however when he saw only then how terrifying these beings really were the closer they get. They were beyond human.

He highly doubted he could injure one of them, much less kill one of them. He even thought the giants could smell his fear as he shouted the loudest scream he could ever muster. "S-stand back! I'll shoot! I'm warning you!"

Surprisingly however, the giants took heed of his warnings and stopped before lowering themselves to a kneel. Their heights were still a head and shoulder taller than the rest of them, but the intent was clear. They mean no harm. Slowly, the civilians calmed down as well as Jacob as one slowly step forth with its arm raised in caution.

The one seemed to relay something between his fellow giants as they soon rise in unison and disappeared into the distance with uncanny speed. Jacob and the civilians barely had a second to react when the remaining giant moved to remove its helm.

"S-stop! D-don't move!" Jacob hurriedly shouted as he feared something bad would happen. The giant stops midway before replying in a heavy mechanical tone. "I am not here to harm you." The giant said as he begins anew. "S-stop! I said... stop?..." Jacob trailed off at the sight before him.

Gasped escaped from the civilians as a handsome man reveals himself. He had nutty brown hair and beautiful ruby-like eyes. They were expecting a battle harden and possibly even a grotesque-looking human. Yet what presented before them was none other than an angel itself.

"Don't be afraid. I am not going to hurt you." The angel smiled as everyone almost instantaneously relaxed. It was as if his aura casted the dread and fear they had endured for the last couple of days away and replaced them with safety and peace instead. The civilians took shelter once more to the rubble but stayed near to hear what he has to say.

"W-who are you? What do you want?" Jacob manages to speak for the group, still aiming the rifle at the angel. The angel turned to Jacob and smiled before answering. "My brother's called me Asticious but you may simply refer to me as Adam. I... apologize for frightening you.

I should have known normals would be susceptible to transhuman dread." Jacob blinked as he did not understand clearly what he was saying. Transhuman dread? Normals? What is he talking about? Jacob thought as the angel begins to speak once more.

"As for why I am here... well, it is our duty to save the lost children of humanity from the clutches of these... xenos." Jacob and everyone were shocked by the sudden hostility in his tone. The moment he mentioned the covvies, his entire aura turned dark. Malevolently dark.

Adam seemed to notice their unease as he quickly reassures them. "Don't fret, my brothers and I are here to help. We are your allies." Jacob and the others immediately felt calm once more. Allies. It was so hard, so rare to find someone so strong and proclaimed itself as an ally.

The entire group seemed to sobbed from his words. "Guardsman." Jacob blinked as the angel stared at him once more. "Can you put your stubber away? It is quite rude." The angel calmly explained as Jacob hurriedly lowered his rifle.

"S-sorry. Instincts and all..." Jacob awkwardly excused as the angel nodded. The civilians slowly came out of their cover. Most were still terrified of the angel but their curiosity had gotten the best of them. "A-are you a spartan?" The group turned to a child who had once asked her mother. The child's question suddenly caught the interest of the rest as the angel turned and smiled.

"Spartan? I am sorry little one. I do not know what these spartans are, but you may think of me as your angel. Your guardian angel. I will be here to guide you all to safety." Adam smiled as the child stare back in awe. "Wow..." The child mumbled in awe as Adam chuckled.

"As much as I wish to speak more with you, we have to get you to safety first." Adam said as he dons on his helmet once more. "You there, guardsman." Adam motions at Jacob as he hurriedly stiffens. "Y-yes?" Jacob stuttered as the giant moved.

His once pristine and clear voice had been distorted once more by the helmet. "Do you have any ideas for a safe location for the civilians?" Adam asked as Jacob hesitate. "I-I do, but I'm not sure if you can be trusted yet." Jacob hoped he did not anger the angel as he stood still.

"... Time is running out guardsman. I need to save all the people that I can. I need your cooperation on this one, please." Jacob blinked then as he stared at the angel's crimson visor. His voice, though heavily distorted, still carried the intent and care he heard before.

"I know it is hard for someone like you to believe it, but please do trust me when I say this, 'We are here to protect you' so please." Like a father who is anxious to bring their child home after an accident, Jacob seemed to forgot the capabilities of these behemoths.

It was so... caring. Full of love, of compassion. Jacob was so moved by the words of Adam that all his doubts and worries were soon blown away. The angel before him offered him assurance, of safety that no UNSC propaganda could ever hope to give.

For once, Jacob trusted the angel as he slowly nodded his head. "...Alright, follow me then." Jacob said as he led the group once more. He felt safer this time however as a single angel was in their ranks. Guarding the children of humanity from those who dared to prey on them.

"This is Mercy 1 to all squads. Report." Asticious said over the vox cast as several replies soon followed. "Salvation 1 had secured the civilians. Same here for Dominance 1. And Honor 1." Asticiious nodded as he calls in once more.

"Deliverance, Protection, and Lamenters, what's your status." Asticious called as 3 of the 7 did not respond immediately. When the reply came, Asticious instantly knew why. "This is Deliverance 1... we were too late. The xenos murdered the civilians by the time we arrived.

Same here for Protection 1. ...As well as Lamenters 1." Every astartes who heard the report trembled for a moment. Their hearts burned incandescently before tucking the pain and loss at the back of their minds. They were lamenters.

They never had it easy. Not then and certainly not now. There will always be a variable. A curse that would always kill the innocent or one of their own. Though even in their darkest times, they would never submit to the control of the great enemy.

The stars burn, the world crumbles, and humanity would overcome chaos before a single lamenter would ever fall to chaos. "Brother Asticious, xenos inbound 3 kilometers west, 4 kilometers east, and 2 kilometers north. Numbering between 10 to 15 each." A static voice suddenly barked out.

"Drop them. No foul xenos would ever hurt our people again." Asticious growled as the reply soon came. "Of course brother." The reply abruptly cut off as the sound of distant fire echoed around them. "W-what was that?" Asticious turned behind him as he smiled.

"Have no fear, my brothers are clearing ahead of us." Though the helmet blocked his smile, Asticious saw the look of relief washing over the civilians. For now, it was enough. "Tell me guardsman." Asticious mentioned over Jacob as he took point.

"Y-yes?" The marine stuttered as Asticious smiled. "No need to be nervous. We are humans after all. We look for each other's back yes?" The marine shuddered for a moment before nodding stiffly. "Yes sir." The marine said as Asticious nodded.

"So as I was saying, may I know your name guardsman?" The marine blinked as he struggled to reply. "M-may I know why you ask sir?" Jacob replied. "You are the first who I had met since we arrived. I wish to know the brave guardsman who stands before me today."

The marine reddened for a moment before speaking. "J-Jacob. Jacob Esmond sir." Jacob replied as Asticious laughed. "A fine name. Simple, but a fine name nonetheless." Asticious found himself laughing as it was a name he once carried before he transcend to be one of humanity's guardians.

An angel... Jacob found himself adoring the man. Jacob was never really a religious fellow. He attends to masses here and there, but he never once considered religion as highly as he does so now. The despair and hopelessness he felt when he saw the planets of mankind fall.

The fight for survival when the covenant appeared and the brilliant light of hope in the coming of these... angels. Jacob found himself praying to whatever higher being there is from above. The man simply gave him hope. Gave them security and protection in an uncaring and relentless galaxy.

"Tell me Jacob. What was your world like? Before these xenos invaded?" Jacob blinked once again at the burst of hostility the man excludes. Whenever the man whispered the word 'xenos', an incomprehensible sense of rage and disgust permeates his voice.

Somehow, Jacob finds solace and comfort in their fury. He was furious, enrage even by the atrocities committed by the covenant. But he was weak. Far too weak to make any difference. With the presence of the angel however, Jacob found the strength to bite back once more.

"W-we are but a minor naval world sir. We restock, maintain ships, and prepare colony vessels for the journey. I-I was one of the dock boys, sir. It was a small but humble and fulfilling life, sir... until they arrived." Jacob cried in frustration as he too felt the outrage from the civilians.

"It was 7 maybe 8 years now? I cannot recall anymore. It all happened so fast. They arrived and started destroying our worlds. Forced to be a conscript as we have no need for dock boys anymore... they have taken my life sir.

It was a simple job, sure, but I was happy then. Saving money to marry a girl I know of. Would have settled down soon were if not for these bastards." Jacob gritted his teeth. He wanted to shout, to scream in profanity at the damnable covenant but Asticious beat him to it first.

Jacob blinked as the Astarte suddenly clasped on his shoulder. Despite his red visor, Jacob could see the burning rage brimming inside his eyes as the angel whispered what Jacob always wanted to hear. "We have arrived Jacob. By the emperor's will, we will make them pay."

Jacob wanted to cry. He wanted to kneel before the man and prayed he could do what he promised. "T-thank you sir... thank you." Jacob whispered. Though he knew it was impossible, it was still better than despairing every day to their inevitable doom.

Jacob thought he saw the angel smile for a moment behind his red visor before a loud crackle inside his helmet spun him to focus once more. "Brother Asticious, we have trouble!" Asticious gaze immediately hardened as Jacob gulped down in nervousness.

"Report." "We have found one of the fallout bunkers, but it is being raided by an overwhelming tide of xenos! They need our aid now!" Jacob who heard their conversation paled as well as the civilians who heard them. Though the translation was hard to get, everyone knew what was happening to the supposed to be safe haven.

"Brother Keros and Brother Vaxas, escort the civilians to a safer location until we clear out the bunker. Brother Teros and Brother Ivar, we will deliver the emperor's wrath with us." "Affirmative!" Two of the lamenters suddenly emerged from the flanks.

"I trust their safety in your care brothers." "Of course brother Asticious, we will not fail!" Asticious smiled as he turned to leave, but not before Jacob shouted. "W-wait! Take me with you, I can fight!" Jacob was hesitant to volunteer himself so eagerly after being injured not long ago.

But when he heard the angels were fighting with them, he could not afford to stand idly. "No, you will stay guardsman Jacob." Jacob opened his mouth to protest but the angel was far ahead of him. "These people still require your protection."

Jacob blinked as the angel mentioned to the 20 refugees. "B-but..." Jacob was stopped once more as the angel clasped his shoulder once more. "You have done well guardsman. More so than any one of us could ever ask for. You have done yours. Now, let us do ours."

Jacob could not tell, but he was certain this time. The angel was smiling. He was smiling at him as Jacob relented. Asticious then turned back before running at full speed. Jacob was once more surprised by the sheer speed and grace of the angels had shown. Even if he had seen it a hundred times, the vision of 8ft tall angels gliding across the field would never get old as he shouted. "Kill them sir! Make them pay!" Asticious smiled before disappearing into the horizon.

Ah right! "Brother Keros could you please aid guardsman Jacob? He fought admirably than any one of us today, I do not want him to suffer anymore. He has done enough." Asticious whispered as he engraved the memory deep in his soul of a lone guardsman throwing his life to save civilians. To save humanity.