Chapter 1 The Stranger

Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Halo or its characters, except my own OCs. Enjoy reading!

Peeking behind, brandor saw a bunch of dudes with torches and weapons. He quickly turned left, dashed past some huge bushes, and as continue to take a left turn, he went dashing past a couple of very large bushes as it's leafs left some red marks on him.

Just as brandor thought he was safely away from his pursuers he heard the sound of a twig breaking, when turning to whereit came from his eyes widened in shock, a wooden club came swinging for his head, Skidding to a stop the club went past his face just mere inches away and misses him.

Sighing to himself the man let's out a sigh of relief but quickly moved back when his attacker swung at him once again, when the large brute misses him Brandor took this chance and pulled out a knife from it's sheath, before the big man could react brandor dashes forth and before the attacker could move again he had bloods running down the blade that had struck him from underneath his throat.

Brandon twisted the knife as the sounds of bones breaking can be heard, the attacker tried grabbing for brandor but he just deepened the knife into his throat. The last thing that took place was the arms hanging dangling with bloods dripping of his hands. Brandor had his foot by the brute head and uses his leverage.

Pulling the knife out of the large man's throat brandor curses at it him with disdain, he then glances back seeing that the other one of the attacker comrades could be seen getting nearer and nearer every moment.

So brandor picked up his feet and proceeded towards the direction where his home is at.

....

Brandor huffed and huffed almost as if he was running low on air, not that he blames himself for he had ran for a couple of hours when the raiders had arrived at the downtown village.

About a couple yards away from where he is brandor could see smokes coming from where his home is at.

Fearing the worst he sped up hoping that his wife and kids were doing alright.

A minute or less brandor had finally arrived to where his home is, looking at it from his point of view he could not believe it. His wife and kids are alive and well. He watches as his wife had swung a sword and slicing through the neck of a man who was down on his two knees.

The raider tried standing up but the woman obviously had the advantage over him and just kicks him right in the center of his chest, the man when getting hit like that got sent rolling backward a few good seven feet. The last thing that the raider sees while grabbing onto his bleeding throat was the sight of the woman who strolled towards him, attempting to speak all he got was a last act of hate from the woman as she brought up her sword and swing it down into his head.

The two kids who were watching the scene notices brandor who was walking towards them, the daughter ran up to her mother and tapped on her side to which the woman was wondering what it is her daughter wanted, she finally catch-up to what the little girl was tapping on her for by turning to where she was pointing at.

Smiling down at her she just chuckles and stepped back to let her run to her father's embrace.

"Father!" Both kids said screaming out to their dad.

Brandor got down onto one knee with his arm spread out and caught the two kids, as they came crashing into him with a hug to which he happily hugged them back and replies.

"Kids I am happy to see you two, but I need you to get inside the house with your mother, ok," Brandor said to them with an edge of urgency.

"What why father? You killed them," The daughter says with a timid sound of her voice.

The son was about to speak as well but his mother had beaten him to it as she walked forth hands crossed.

"Brandor, what the hell is going on? First we were tending to the crops and the next I see is three men dressed in unsightly black armor ordering me to give them golds and coins?"

Brandor looked up to his wife who was staring down at him with an questionable look as if expecting him to answer her, right away at first he was worried about what might have happened to her, but tilting his head to the side he saw three dead bodies, one of the man had his head missing while his body was laid next to a stack of hayes, the second had two of his limbs cut off with the arm inside a metal bucket and his right leg laying two feet from where he laid dead. The third one on the other hand was obvious seeing as how he arrived to see his wife vaena killing him off on the spot.

"Vaena, listen to me, we don't have time to talk, we have to grab the horses and the kids get out of here, now!" Brandor said sounding distress.

"And what of our home, we have just got done building it last summer, and now we are abandoning it," Vaena said to her husband for she and her family were yearning for a home of their own for awhile.

brandor sigh heavily as he strolled forth and held her hands together with his, he then gave her a pleading look hoping that she'll understand his sudden request to leave the very home that both he and her had built with their own two hands.

"Vaena, please you and I both know that the raiders will eventually choose the nearest town to pillage for their own reasons, and not already they had came to our home, for this is why we need to hurry up and leave with the kids while we still can," Brandor said to her sounding keenly yet with a sullen voice.

Within her vaena knew that he was right so she took one last look at their home for a moment, it was here where she and Brandor built their dream home with an adition of a small farm.

She let go of her hands from brandor and turned towards where the barn was at, in the gate fences they built it all the way up to about a few hundred yards so that the cows and horses could have their own seperate sides.

"Fine, but first we have to set the animals free, we're not just gonna flee and leave them to die!" Vaena said sternly.

Standing up straight he reached forward and kisses her on the lips, brandor then break away from it smiling at her.

"Thank you, for at least heeding my words vaena,"

"Whatever, do not get ahead of yourself brandor... Kids with me! We'll be packing your stuff, now!" Said vaena as she trekked towards the house while holding the two children hands.

Quickly acting on what he just remembered brandor rushes for the barn and started freeing every animals he and the family were responsible for taking care of.

Not more then a few good six minute vaena and her two kids came running out of the house with their belongings in hands.

"I just shot one of those bastards down, we need to get a move on!... Here catch!" Said beans throwing her luggage at brandor.

Being the better archer she is then her husband vaena pulled out four arrows and stabbed them into the ground. She pulled out two extra, one in her mouth and one to where as she began pulling back for aim.

After putting his wife's luggage in the back of their caravan brandor faced his two kids and began yelling for them.

"Come on kids! Hurry up!" Yelled brandor.

Pulling back vaena waited for a second and stepped to the sides where she dodges an arrow coming her way, she then stepped back into her former position and took out two to three targets and bent down to pick up the enemy's arrows.

"Vaena come on!" Yelled brandor.

Loud Voices of men screaming out into the open area, multiple came out of the forest as more and more raiders exited From the place they came from. Vaena being the good archer she is grabbed her bow and began taking out the ones that were getting closer to the family home. One raider brought up his shield to block an arrow expecting one to hit it and thinking that the woman had missed him he made a fatal mistake in lowering his shield only to receive an arrow through the eye, yet vaena hadn't stopped as she took out three more raiders with three quick pull.

After that vaena ran for the caravan as brandor brought out his own bow and gave her cover.

"Thanks! Now get going!"

Brandor nodded and turned sharply to his kids and spoke. "Quick! Get to cover and keep your heads down!"

"Got it!" Answered vaena strapping the bow onto her back as she ran behind her kids who were in the hurry of doing as their father said.

Brandor being the last behind them snatched up a sharp wood and hurled it at a raider who blocked it and continued to run after them and stopped when a spear came hurling at him and went straight through his torso as the head of the spear struck the ground behind him.

As she got to the back top of the carriage vaena popped opened a box and inside it was a crossbow, this one however was of a particular weapon of sorts, back when they were traveling vaena used to be a foot soldier for a certain city and one of the visitors who was a dwarf gifted her this crossbow as a reward for her in defeating a beast that was on a trip to attack his daughter. She smiles and thanked the short man for his gift and reached down to grab the weapon.

Quickly loading the arrows into the ten-round loader vaena yelled out for brandor to hurry as she then began taking out a few raiders.

Hearing the call of his beloved the man strapped his bow onto his back and began for the front seat of the carriage and hopped on it. Still not wanting to slow down in any sense of the moment he kept whipping the reins up and down, it was not as a punishment to the horse but as an indication where the two proceeded to speed up while they kept on going with each and every sound of their hoofs plunging into the ground as they continued on running...

Vaena and brandor both huffs letting out a sigh of relief glad that they'd lost the raiders as time went on. The two kids as curious as they are leaned their heads to the side peeking to the back trying to get a look.

"Vaena, I don't think mom and dad would want you doing that!" The brother says nervous for his sister boldness.

Not heeding her brother's word naena instead peeked on over to the back from side of the wagon, as the young girl does it was when she saw as two mount raiders riding horses as they were holding torches while from behind them two more mount riders split from the sides followed by more of their comrades.

"Uhhh mom! I think the bad people are catching up!" naena says to her mom pointing at the direction where the raiders are.

Giving attention to what she said vaena tries to peek her way back to her daughter kraeva and in a quick moment she rushed to the back in a sudden jolt, inches from her face an arrow went flying past her head and struck the wooden floor next to her daughter's hands.

An enraged of compressed anger appeared on her vaena as she went to grab an arrow a frowned when she felt only seven more of them left in her quiver. Signaling for her daughter to stay down vaena sneaky walked towards the back of the carriage all the while using the side wall of the carriage as a cover.

"Damn it!" She cursed strapping one arrow in the string of her bow and began aiming for a target.

Glancing at his wife brandor spoke up out loud to her in inquiry to her sudden outburst. "What! What is it?"

"Seven, more arrows left!" Vaena answered him as she took out one rider. "Nevermind that, make it six!"

"You are the better archer then I am vaena! Make it count with the best you can!" Said brandor as he veered the horses to the left and continued forward as fast as they could go.

"Three more arrows, got damn it!" Cursed vaena who then stood back up and shot at one raider who simply fell off of his horse.

Vaena could feel the cold air from her breath touching her forearm as she focused her aim with one eye shut and the other open, she was about a moment from releasing her index finger from the string when from the corner of her eyes vaena saw as one of the raiders who was holding a spear had heaved it at their direction and manages to struck the rear wheel of the wagon as it immediately broke on impact.

The horses made a neighing sound displaying that it was in shocking distress due to the back corner of the wagon being broken as every object inside had slided to the one side where weight made it difficult for two of the horses to continue galloping as they had to drag essentially everyone.

She jolted forward, she let out a deep breathe and thanked the light for if she hadn't caught onto the side of the carriage it was clear that she would've fallen off and into the waves of raiders.

Brandor had almost fell off of his seat when the wheel was broken and he immediately gripped the reins tightly with one hand and the other he caught vaena's hand just in time as her feet was skidding on the surface ground every duration of the time, so using every ounce of his strength brandor started pulling vaena as he continues sliding on his rear right back into the seat reil.

Just when they thought the worst was over the wagon made a whether surprising occurrence as the front wheels made a bumping sound indicating they probably drove over a solid surface of a rock.

Considerably a multiple whooshing sound of an arrow came flying at their wagon as some of them struck onto the back, vaena heaved herself on over to the kids and brought them under her as she kept them there while using her own body as a shield. She squinted when the fabric cover of the wagon was ripped as some of the arrows cutted right through it.

"Brandon!" Shouted vaena as she knocked a piece of debris out of the way.

"I'm trying!" Yelled back brandor as he attempted to keep the horses going.

A rider's horse galloping from the left side of the wagon attempted to jump onto the back of the carriage but was hit by a flying box from where the kids had threw. Brandor seeing this went for his sword a little too late when another raider had jumped on the left side from him and immediately went to stab him but was struck in the center of his head by an arrow.

Brandor with the sword in hand brought it up and blocked the attack and in respond with his own attack countered by shoulder pushing the raider back, the raider who almost lost balance just smiled at brandor's way and took very few steps forth swinging down on brandor who moved back when the sword smashes down onto the wooden stand as it pierced right into it. The raider tried to pull back and failed to as he then turned to look at brandor who came forth planting his boot to the face so hard that he was sent falling off of the rein stand.

Glancing at his wife brandor cracked up in a laugh as he complimented her shot. "Good aim!"

She tapped the box next to her while holding onto the crossbow. "It's a good thing we have extra ammo's.

Just as brandor went to grab the reins another one of the spears struck the back wheel causing practically everyone from the back to slumped hard face first into the ground with the two kids slamming hard in the wooden floor of the wagon, vaena tried to hold onto something when she lost grib on her kids and hit the edge of a wooden box with her back causing her cry out in pain. On the other hand brandor was hanging on the left side of the rein stand, grunting in annoyance as he focused on keeping himself from losing his grip he began tightening his hands everytime as he pulled himself back up to the stand, when from behind him a raider riding his horse went to strike him and brandor let go while still holding on the rein-rope.

Thinking he was safe for the moment brandor saw as the raider rode near to where the reins is, he reached back for the sheath where his dagger is at and found nothing there, cursing at himself internally brandor in an endeavored tried to grasp the rope reins only to feel a sudden shock of surprise when plopped down onto the wet and muddy ground...

Brandor popped his head out of the small pool of mudd as what felt like a constant painful loud ringing rang throughout his head largely when it made it worse when he banged the front of his head on a solid surface after he had fallen... After what felt like a long and agonizing period having tried to bring himself back to normal the ongoing ringing in his head eventually stopped, trying to steady himself brandor stood up and then lost his steps as he fell forth but at the moment stops in time with his left knee planted down on the ground as not moments later brandor could feel his early dinner beginning to pump up from his stomach as seconds afterwards immediately leans forth and coughs out a piece a meat, he thought that was the last of it as not long after he barfs out the leftovers from his stomach.

Brandor could hear voices belonging to that of his wife and kids, the yell of vaena sounded out as she struck one man across the mouth nearly making stumble back a few steps, she went to strike him again until a second raider came and with a hard fist he hits her aside the head and yanked her by the hair and then began dragging her out of the wagon...

It was awfully blurry for brandor to see clearly with his eyes as dirty water were running down from the top of his head, he brought his right up arm up as he tried reaching for the direction where his family is at as all that he could hear other then seeing was the sound of vaena shouting out in acrimony of anger as she continued punching at the man that held her by the hair. Brandor wipes a smudge of mud from his right eye and saw that vaena was being restrained by two raiders as each of them held her arms down by the ground with force. From the corner of his eyes he saw that his kids cried out to her as they tried running after her till a man picked them up from the scruff of their shirts, vaena seeing this elbowed the raider from the left side and punches the other raider on the right, the raider grunted in pain of having his small dose of bloods dripping down from his nose as he held it.

The man just smiled wickedly at vaena and complimented her with the amount of fierceness that she'd showed and not after that he struck her in the stomach with a right fist as she then fell down on both knees coughing out salivad. Brandor heart began beating rapidly angered by what he saw and rushed to attack only to get hit from a hard blow by two whether large man.

Brandor curses out at the two raiders with foul language calling them names that would have nobles and people thinking he was a rapid man.

One raider grabbed brandor by the head gripping tightly into his hair and then snatches his head upward so as to look him in the eyes.

"Oh I don't think you'd be doing anything at all,"

"If it wasn't for your men, I would've killed you myself ya bastard" Repeled brandor with contempt.

The raider snickered at brandor's words and responded by punching to the stomach causing him to lurched forth.

"Say, you wouldn't mind if we cut her up wouldn't ya," The raider says as he pulls out a knife and slides it across Brandor's right cheek face.

He tried to shake off the two men holding him down and instead got a punch to the side of his ribcage to which he slump down on his knees.

"You hurt my family, and you'll regret it!" Brandor said staring the man dead in the eyes.

In mocking manner the raider spread his arms out as he walked backward while facing brandor, prior to that the man grinned as he bowed down mockingly. "Oh I'm afraid that you have no say in this kind sir, ain't that right boys!"

The groups of raiders all answered with a loud yes inferring to what their leader meant by butchering Brandor's loved ones in front of his very eyes.

"Bring the kids forward, I want him to see the worst thing first," Ordered the man as he brandished his knife while letting brandor see the blade on purpose.

Brandor tried to scream out to the kids alongside vaena who could do nothing but cried out in tears of what's to come to both of their kids. Finally having the chance to speak out brandor didn't get the chance as one of the raider wrapped a piece of clothes around his mouth muffling out his voice so as to keep him from speaking at all.

"Daaad!" Both son and daughter cried out to their parents as they were forced to kneel down on their knees.

"Please, don't hurt them, I'll do anything you ask, just not them I beg of you!" Shouts vaena in misery as watery tears can be seen running down her face from the amount of pain she was in.

"Oh you don't need to feel all sad and crying lady, for you are going to be the very next thing that your dear of a husband will watch die next," Said the leader of the raider as he trekked towards the kids... "Say would any of you two got a last words for your kids, oh wait! You don't,"

"Boss may I get the first kill, I haven't had any for three days," A raider asked.

"Of course my fellow raider, here a weapon for you can use mine," With the blade in his right hand as he held the sharp head the boss flipped it gave it to his henchmen as the raider happily accepted it with a crazed smile.

The raider observed the blade with a sort of acclaim object as if he was staring at a piece of gold. He took two steps forth where he halted in front of the son of brandor.

"Any last words child, before I end you," The colloquialism man said.

"My dad will kill you," The boy said with shooting the raider a glare.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening kid,"

The raider then point the head of the blade at the boy head and brought it up just two feet from the top. Both parents heart began bumping rapidly scared of what's to come next as they knew of what's going to happen next, they wished that there was a miracle out there hoping and praying that they could've done anything to prevent the sight of their boy from being executed.

Just then a loud bang resounded throughout the forest area, everyone of the raiders who heard that grabbed onto their ears from the discomfort ringing still going on through their heads. Everyone thought that was over until a second shot happened and then the third and last...

The loud bang abruptly ceased off everyone turned to see the raider that was about to finish off the boy slumped down on his two knees, they watched as the man decrepitly tried reaching to where an endless amount of bloods can be seen oozing down from, with their eyes everybody trailed where the blood led to which mostly one of if not almost all of them were in shock of what they were looking at, even one of the raiders too were stupefaction at the eye opener as in the center of the kneeling man's chest was a large hole, instead of the usual skin and intact part of what would've been his chest it was replaced with an unsightly sight as what they were staring at were parts of the man bones, the manubrium-stemi down to the body-of-the-stemum was missing, it was as if a large fist from a giant strong enough had punched a sizable fist hole right through him, that was not the ugly part of it as mostly the man's lungs was still trying to pump in air as he continues to try sucking in air for oxygen but fails to especially when primarily his trachea also known as his windpipe was hanging down from his throat as bloods continues dripping.

Merely as the man's last effort to keep on going he made it with one and final step by moving his right arm forth to where the boy is. The poor kid just jerked back resulting in him lightly falling on his rear, then he started crawling backward from being touched out of fear, thereafter the kid kept an eye locked on the raider who stared back at him with a surprising look plastered on his face as he eventually succumbed to his death.

The leader of the group turns looking at every and each direction of the forests in a haste, particularly he and the raiders was as shocked and scared of what had just occurred, every one of them looked around for where the loud bang had originated from, yet they've found basically nothing but pure darkness as the only source of light they've gotten was coming from the moonlight, but due to night and especially that of the clouds coating the moon the place of area they were in was opaquely murky and dark.

The leader of the group a fairly tall raider with a built of that of an average stocky man, he pulled off his helmet showing his fully bandholz facial hair of a beard, the one distinctive thing the man had was a burnt mark from the right side of his cheek. He pointed at brandor with accusingly. "You! You must've led us here on purpose so we could get killed, tell me! Where is your friend at huh... Is it a dwarf, I know how much those short bastards like their large muskets of a weapon, tell me, where is he hiding at!"

Brandor without caring of what the man was asking him off just gave him a chuckle as a second after he laughed at the man's face. "Even if I know who the stranger is or whether it's a dwarf i wouldn't even tell you of who he is, or where his hiding, besides i'd say your friend over there deserved a final sleep for the day,"

"Oh is that so, allow me to show you what happens to those that don't answer to what I asked them... You!" The man said barking at one of his men.

"Yes boss!"

"Finish that kid off, and make sure it's quick!" Ordered the senior raider.

"Yes boss,"

Walking towards the boy the raider gripped onto the dagger on his left thigh sheath and before he could even pulled it out the same loud bang resonated once more as those who heard it winces from the ungodly sight of the raider who simply dropped the dagger on the ground as the kid with his eyes tracked after the blood whereas he then watched it led to top of the man's head, almost all of if not most of his head was missing as only the lower parts of his jaw was still intact with partially all of his top part of his mouth and especially that of the lips being burnt with only the lower teeth remaining.

"What the hell is going on!... You come here!" The leader went to grab vaena but this time instead of the loud bang a distinct yet subtle sound of silenced shot out and took two of the man's fingers off as only his pinky finger hanged loosely.

The leader in an immediate exclamation shouted out in an extreme pain of having parts of his right hand being blown off before he could even reach two feet from where vaena is, he held onto his torn off hand while trying to keep the last remains of it together which was his smallest finger.

He struggled to keep himself standing as he was stumbling back. "What are you fools just standing there for! Find the bastard that did this to me, now!"

The groups of raiders were all in full alert as they looked around for whoever had shot their leader, one man looked over to his right and shot an arrow, and in return one very large flat rock exited the dark where it came from and struck the him in the head.

Now that the atmosphere around them suddenly changed as they all began freaking out due to fear overtaking them.

One of the raiders afraid of what's to happened again walked toward his boss and got a rock flying right into his side of the head as well. As that happened the leader wiped the blood stain off of hit outfit and motioned for vaena to be brought forward.

"Let me go!" Yell out vaena as she tried shrugging off the raider who was holding her down.

"Shut up woman, or el-"

Before the man could even utter another word something else came flying past just above vaena's head at a short period of time that all she could feel was a wooshing sound till afterwards she heard the sound of the raider that was restraining her removes his hands from her shoulder.

Wondering why the man had let go she happened to turned around facing the man and immediately was horrified at what she's saw, the man's right eye socket had a large piece of wood of about two inches wide and four feet long with it's sharp head sticking right through the back of his head. The man was in shock mouth slightly opened as he stumbles back a couple phases, he tried reaching for the wood that was still sticking to his head only to fail as both arms dropped down into a hanging form as he then falls forward as vaena winces at the sound of the wood deepening when the back of the wood hits the ground plowing it even further past his head.

The leader of the group calls out to his men to prepare themselves of any more surprise attack as all he could do now was use his good and only arm since his right was blowed to chunks of meat with bloods still continuing to stain the fabric of tunic wrapped around where his hand used to be.

Everyone of the raiders were scared shitless of what was out there as they turned to every direction with a sudden change of position still terrified on the inside while maintaining a straight profound facial expression outside...

One sound one sound is all it took for mainly every eyes to turned to brandor's direction, brandor wondering why the raiders including that of his wife and kids had a shocked look plastered on their faces when they were looking his way, he spoke out to them questioning why they were acting the way are, he waited for three seconds after as vaena answered him by slowly bringing her right arm up and pointed at the direction he's in, Brandor still obscured by what vaena meant when telling him to look behind did as she said.

That is until he heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming from behind him, brandor turned around to face who it is, as he does he thought that it might've been some other raider or maybe it was someone-else that had walked in on the situation he and his family were in and decided to help however he was right about that yet when he saw the person brandor was jaw-dropper at the sight of the person.

The individual was tall perhaps even taller then everyone around the area, though brandor could see that the stranger towered over then mostly everyone that he's been around due to his size. Intrigued by the savior's height at the moment brandor momentarily was drawn in by that of the weird armor he wore, it was for sure very unconventional piece of cataphract iron armor that covers mostly every part of his body from top to bottom, though he could reckon that he saw knights of different kinds shrouding themselves with heavy sets of armor as on the inside he could discern something that he guessed right was sort of some kind of dark tunic yet had to get a better look when zooming in a bit further, when he does he truly could not perceive what sort of fabric it was made out of cause usually knights or especially every one of the high knights or warriors he met always wears a tunic of distinctive kinds and color on the inside.

Stepping forth to try and stop the stranger from making a mistake for saving them brandor was about to speak out to him and immediately stopped when the green armored man turned his head to look at him as all the brandor could see was a golden-like face plate reflecting a slightly more glint when the moon-light touches it.

"Stay back," The stranger says to him in a stern voice.

"Wait! Y-You can't do this on your own, there's too many of them!" Warned brandor.

"Do not worry, It'll be fine, now keep still," Replied the stranger.

A voice belonging to that of a women in a Texan accent spoke out to the stranger without brandor knowing of her existence, seeing that her partner was as stoic as always when it comes to interacting with civilians the AI would usually make a chatting with him as a way to keep herself entertained.

"Koa look out!"

The spartan known as koa caught an incoming arrow inches away from the visor of his helmet. With a response of his own koa otherwise also known as five threw the arrow as it struck the archer right on his kneecap earning a scream from the raider.

"Thanks for the heads up deha," Says five.

"That's gotta hurt, good thing I'm not him," Quip the AI.

"You've seen worst," Five said knowing how embellishing his AI companion can be sometimes.

For how koa and deha were able to speak without anyone from the outside world knowing about her existence it was thanks to spartan-neural-interface an AI-chip that is slit inside the spartan Mjolnir helmet which would then connect into his mind through two core processors that is implanted in the back of the wearers center of the skull, with this the wearer is able to communicate with his or her partner within their brain without trouble that is of course thanks to a certain doctor, with it the spartan can speak freely with the AI as she resides inside his mind and inside the armor as well.

"Oh boy, looks like you've got a volunteer!" Speaked deha.

She watches as a raider rushes five in a straight run, the man went to stab the spartan and got a kick that lifted him off of the ground just inches and was sent passing through a couple of bushes as everyone could hear the sound of a body impacting against a tree.

Those around stood still shock by what just occur, the leader of the groups of raiders spoke out in demands.

"who are you to think that you can just walk in here and stop us?" Asked the leader.

He stayed still halting himself from speaking and waited for the spartan to talk but all he'd gotten from him was a cold stare from his helmet visor as he diverted his look of stillness at him as if he didn't even acknowledge his presence.

Ticked off from being ignored the man spoke out to his raiders. "Oh so no response huh, well no need to, raiders, attack this giant, and make sure he never stands again!"

Immediately the groups of raiders started to slowly surround the spartan in circles with their numbers. Each and every one of them edging to run and attack till finally one of them rushes him which would then followed by more of his comrades as they all began yelling out in a war cry.

In his helmet huds five counted around the amount of raiders to a couple of small troops, with this many of them they could take out small towns and villages too.

"On your left koa!"

Responding to his partner warning five ducked underneath from a left swing of a raider, the raider was going to swing at him once more with his ax and instead gotten a quick kick to the chest, the impact of the kick had broken the bones of the man as he then went rolling hard in the ground creating a small strip of line in the dirt.

"Thanks for the heads up," Spoke five as he blocked a sword strike to his shoulder.

Without even a moment for the raider who'd did it five just grabbed his face and lifted him up as he then grabbed both of the man's feet with one hand and began using him as a personal club by smashing him against one raider which he then proceeded to beat the others with his own body. The raider screamed out in a pang of despair while he himself was being hit against the body of his fellow raiders, his head was bleeding by a lot with his brain banging against his skull, the excruciating ringing in his mind was thriving rapidly and what made it worst for him was that the spartan had continued to use him as a meat-shield when one of his own colleagues had stabbed him in the abdomen when it was meant for the green armored behemoth.

Done using the raider body as a weapon five just held him in front as multiple arrows came raining down on him. He took a glance at the raider, in the man's eyes were small bloods exciting seeing as how he was coughing bloods out as well, with that he took out one small object the size of an avocado which was of course was in a different size and shape... With it he pulled out a thing which was commonly known by others in the UNSC as the safety pin, it wouldn't had explode if five had slit the the safety cap back in but instead he did not so without a moment of hesitation he quickly puts the grenade inside the man's back hood and threw him towards an incoming numbers of raiders, the raiders caught their comrade checking to see how he was all the meanwhile five was counting down within his mind, after he reached from five to zero seconds a decent size explosion spurt up in the middle of the area killing half of the numbers of raiders as those around ten yards away from the eruption were sent barreling across the fields while some of the others lost nearly all of their hearings from the unbearable ringing in their ears while holding onto their heads.

With his combat knife in hand five twirled it in circles while trekking towards the path to where the raiders leader was running off to. In his mind five was thinking why the leader hadn't even thought of running away while he was busy taking out his man's but he guessed he speculated that the leader was determined that with numbers of raiders under his command he thought they could take him out but instead of that he had of course made him change his course of mind.

About seven raiders surged forward to five's direction, five calculated the steps the seven raiders took all the while he processed a brisk enacted a plan of taking out the targets in front of him.

Five blocked an attack with his right forearm and spin around from the right and gave a kick to the raiders head till the neck dislocated into a different position, the raider from his left rushes to swing very hard at where his breast plate is but five quickly moved backward avoiding the sharp edge of the raider's langes messer-sword. In a quick succession five used his own kukri sword and thwarted a stabbed from the center of his chest armor.

Although it would've done nothing to him if the sword had connected five still wasn't willing to let his guard down when it comes to fighting some medieval people from the past, he had learned this lesson when sparring with sierra-one-zero-four also known as fred who was a spartan in the same generation as him, it was to this fred had advised him that its better to keep a sharp eye open when fighting someone with a knife, funny how that is since five knew fred was an expert in close quarter combat heck both of them once made a bet to spar one another without armor just to test each other capabilities without a use of firearms and Mjolnir.

So it was that time that five took spartan-104 words quite serious and told himself that he wouldn't let his guard down when fighting someone with a knife.

The raider raised his langes-messer sword up in the air and brought it down to the spartan's head but widened his eyes when the spartan with a straight chop to his adams apple causing him to almost lose his breathe as he tried to suck in some air into his lungs through his throat. Five notices the man let go of the sword and took one to two quick steps forth and caught the sword, as the raider glances down to the lower form of the spartan, when kneeling he watches as five flipped the sharp part of the sword and swung it around decapitating three other raiders in an instant, one raider had it worse when the spartan pointed the head of the sword where his mouth is and shoves it forth all the way to the point where the head of the sword can be seen from the other end of the man's head.

Grabbing onto the handle of the sword five pushes it forward to where he heard the skull being cracked opened while he continues to slice right through the raider's head. Pulling it out afterward five glances to his side where a raider seemed to have been running towards him, so with zero remorse he waited for the right time and ran towards him with which he swung down directly to where his lower body is and cuts right through the man's right leg, he didn't stop there as he slid to a halt spins around with directing the sword right back at his targets abdomen and stabs right through his his ribs while thrusting the sword even passed both of the man's lungs.

Five gradually got up on both legs and with one hand caught the last raider's by the neck, he looked at the man as he lifted him up with ease, the raider tried to continuously punching at five's arm only to fail miserably till he stops when feeling the grib around his neck tightening for which he stops and attempted to pried the spartan's fingers off for some air.

"You gonna let him at least breathe some air?" Questioned deha.

"No," Five said answering her simply.

"Why not? We could ask him some question in case we needed to," Deha said to him.

"Don't need to, I've already gotten one," After answering his partners query five just tightened his fist around the struggling raider till he heard a snapped and just threw away the now dead corpse.

With that aside five's eyes caught sight of the fleeing leader just a hundred fifty yards away from where he is as he then locked onto the man, from the right side of his armored thigh was his M6D-Pistol with it he grabbed the gun as it unlatched from it's magnetic holster and aimed it at the back of the leader's foot while also keeping a firm aim right at where his fibula is. A moment of silence comes to pass till it was shattered by the sound of a bang and a second and third one, the following result after he had pulled the trigger was the scream of the leader as he fell down grabbing onto his torn up and bloodied foot.

While the spartan was trekking after the crawling raider vaena had gotten up quick after the she had watched him passed by her and caught her two kids who came running to her. She embraces the two children in a hug for awhile only to cease for a moment when they heard someone coughing. She departed from the kids and turned to look up at brandor who was smiling down at them.

The kids sees their father and immediately went to hug him while vaena stood back up. The four of them heard a loud scream coming from where the spartan seems to have been interrogating the poor raider who looked be in much worst shape then he was before...

Vaena had to cover both her kids eyes when the spartan puts his boot on the raider's left leg and began putting pressure on it all the while earning a yell of misery from the spartan's torment.

"Why does he continues to torture the man?" Spoke vaena as they watched the spartan putting the raider into more suffering all the while as he was speaking to him in a directive way.

"I do not know darling, but i'd say we let the stranger do his thing," Says brandor for he had seen the aftermath of the villages of what this raiders bastards had done.

"I guess you got a point there, this people do have it coming for them, though I didn't expected it would be from someone so dissimilar from knights we've seen, do you think his some sort of foreigner from a another kingdom?" Questioned vaena.

"For as long as I served as a foot soldier for the empress never have I ever seen the kinds of this stranger in the different kingdoms I've been in," Answered brandor although he reckoned that the spartan might be from a distant kingdom he hasn't visited.

"Perhaps he might have been from a different realm, you know like that of those so called draneis," Said vaena as she folded her arms.

Having a feeling that his wife was likely right about her statement brandor notices that one of his kids was missing... Vaena too saw the way that he was acting till both of them saw their son following after his sister who was walking towards a raider.

"kraeva! You can't do that!" Yelled the brother.

Kraeva the sister with a look of anger plastered on her face tightened her hands into a fist while glaring at the dazed raider with a raving look of anger plastered on her face. Taking three steps forth till she felt the cold feeling of a metal kraeva stopped and looked down to see a sword, she knelt down and picked up the six feet lengthy silver sword with trouble holding it but ultimately she manages to hold it up in a high stance, her brother meanwhile was trying to talk some sense into her while the two parents were running towards them, both vaena and brandor were nearly getting close to her about from a few yards. Kraeva grunted in frustration she was angered by this raiders, it wasn't the first time she had seen them but the reason why she was angered by them was that they had once raided her previous village where most of her relatives lived, she didn't know how many of them had survived the attack but one thing for sure was that they had fled while most of them had been slain by the bastards like the man that was staggering from having to wake up for they were responsible for the death of her uncle a man who was one of the defenders of her village.

"Kraeva, stop!" Shouted brandor.

Without a second thought kraeva ignored her father's words and brought the sword down on the raider's head but what she hadn't expected to hear was the sound of a clang, kraeva checked to see if the raider was dead but sees that he was still alive till she catches a glimpse of a large shadow looming over her, she slowly tilted her head up and saw that the Spartan had caught the sword by it's head all without worrying whether it would've cut his hand.

"Listened to your father kid," Spoke five.

A look of fury appeared on her face and kraeva spoke up to the spartan. "And why should I listened to you, this man deserve what's coming, he was the one that killed my uncle!" Kraeva said to five angrily.

"Trust me you don't want to,"

Five had wanted to tell the kid more but halted from doing so for he could have just told the her straight away but after seeing what kids like her had went through back in his world, he did not want a child like her to go down a dark path for one of those examples was the spartan threes.

This little girl looks of anger had reminded him of two spartan threes who's names were kacy philipson and the quiet noble six though B312 would occasionally demonstrate her anger on innies and covenants alike.

"They were responsible for killing my only uncle, this man does not deserve to live, so I want to kill him!" Replied kraeva.

"I understand what you are going through kid but today isn't the day for you to be running down that dark road, and I'm sure your uncle wouldn't want you to go through it as well," Says five which he could then see the look on the little girl lessening.

Both vaena and brandor came jogging and stopped behind their daughter. Vaena being the protective mother she is pulled her daughter away from the spartan as she kept an eye on him for a moment to which she then held kraeva in a tight hug.

"Forgive my wife, she gets protective of the kids after what we've been through, I hope you aren't angry with the way she's acting," Said brandor trying to keep a reasonable chat with the spartan.

"It is alright, I don't mind her anger, cause she'll need it to help protect herself," Replied five.

"Thank you for your kind understanding stranger, although if you do not mind, may I ask of your name stranger you know so we can know of the one who had saved us, besides it is the least you can do for saving my wife and kids," Inquired brandor as he looked at five.

"Just tell them koa, I don't see no harm coming from it," Said deha.

"Sure, we'll do it your way," Responded five as he tosses the sword aside. "My name is five,"

A brow raised and the wife and husband gave a look of discerning towards the Spartan. "Forgive me stranger but is that not just a number?" Inquire vaena.

"It is, my real name can not be told to anyone, five is just a surname that my superior advised me to use instead of my actual name," Five said responding to the ruminative thought going through the pondering parents.

"I see, pardon our mistakes for we are used to knights introducing who they are and what kingdoms kings and queens such as nobles they serve under, although that does reminded me of something, are you a knight of some sorts, do you not serve a noble family royals?" Brandor said asking him.

Five didn't want to answer them right away for he has had to deal with this world people, others had caught sight of him once, he had to be careful of who the people around him are as he did not want to be known by anyone but he doubted that would last at all not after spending almost a whole month being stuck on this unknown planet. But there was one thing though that caught his attention, back to when he had probed the raiders lead commander with questions of worlds and if there was anything or anyone that can help send him back home but the raider had said for it to happen he would have to beat till he was dead so understanding that the man wouldn't cracked as easily as others he just popped out his pistol and ended him for good.

"I'm afraid not, I don't serve anyone from this place nor do I serve under some family of nobility," Answered five.

"Then why the weird armor, maybe you are an elf of some kind, those elves are well known by their hight especially since they valued the color green very much," Says vaena eyeing him up and down.

Understanding what she meant five then spoke. "No, I was just born this way, and for my armor it is for my concerns only," Replied five.

"Then what kind of knight are you, I've never seen one so tall like you?" asks kraeva as she had to wipe a tear off of her face.

"I wouldn't have assert myself as a knight kid, just a rambler, " Replied five lacking a care of what kind of knight there is in this world.

A familiar voice spoke up and five knew full well what his partner was going to scold him mildly of what he said to the little girl.

"Boy with that toneless voice of yours I'm not sure how many people would be fond of the mood you seem to be showing this poor folks," Chided Deha.

"Would not matter anyway, besides, I've already done what you asked of me, I saved this family like you wanted and be done with them and be on my way," Five said in tolerance of deha's comment of him.

Deha shot five a sharp look signifying she was a bit annoyed by his response but quelled from it knowing that koa had a point for if he hadn't stepped in brandor vaena and the kids would've been killed by the raiders, however it was apparent to her that the spartan wouldn't have allowed that from happening as she deduces how considerate he can be sometimes.

"Kraeva, why don't you leave the man alone sweetie, he seems to not be in the mood for a proceeding discussion," Said vaena putting her hand on her daughter shoulder.

Kraeva beg to differ but after seeing the appealing look on her mother face she shut her mouth and replied with a yes as they then walked away.

"Apologies for my young lad lamentable act, she had been through enough pain after wev'd lost our last village to this raiders," brandor spoke sensing that the spartan wasn't in the mood to converse at the moment.

"No need to, the boy is fine, he's just asking a question," Responded five.

"I'm glad to hear that ser five, my boy is quite fond of knights, he wishes to become one as his uncle one day," Says brandor with a subtle chuckle as he glances to where five was looking at.

Five watches as last of the remaining raiders that were able to catch their bearings after having to hold out from the immense explosion that had transpire afterwards, the man and woman once they were able to fully come around and scoured throughout the area and spotted the one man that had led their little group was laid dead, it was clear to them that before he had died his right hand was blown off with a single finger intact though they wouldn't say for the next thing seeing as how his other fingers were bent in different slopes looking as pesky as how his lower right limb was which was kind of unsightly worse as what they usually do to the villagers and small townspeople that they'd slain.

Once the raiders laid eyes on the spartan they took a few steps in sudden terror, one after another they took a glance at each other, there were only fifty six of them total and now that number had lessened down to only four. They heard the sound of the green behemoth moving and immediately fled the scene in fear from having to fight him once more not after what he had done to their fellow raider especially that of their lead man of the group.

Five was contemplating whether he should use his bullets on them but decided not to seeing as how he didn't want to waste his time on them any longer plus it was thanks to deha that he hadn't chase them down and finish them off.

"You sure you don't want me to go after them?" Asked five.

"Yes, I wouldn't have stopped you from doing so, but whoever their leader is I doubt he or she would kill them for failing to even killing a small family," Replied deha in a simpler way.

"Fine, but don't tell me that you were wrong for letting them live," Said five as he turned to brandor who had called over for him.

"Ser five! If you don't mind, can you come over here please,"

Trekking on towards the man the spartan came to a halt where he then glances down a struggling brandor who was trying to pull on a wooden wheel of the wagon.

"I'm assuming you need help with this?" Spoke five as he eyed the wagon.

Standing back on his two feet from having to bent down for a while brandor wiped a sweat from his forehead as he breathe in some air.

"Yes, this wagon is getting to old to the point where it's already broken, heck I've just built it the three months ago and it would've been fine if those barbarians hadn't shot their got damn spear into it, I could've built a new one but mostly of my tools is back at my home where those raiders likely had already burn it down," Responded brandor in frustration.

"Then I reckon it wouldn't be a good idea to head back, the raiders that I fought aren't probably the only ones left alive," Notion five.

He halted in his steps for a couple seconds when catching sight of the two horses who were still strapped to the reins that connected to the wagon.

"Perhaps the horses can benefit you and your family for the ride tonight," Added the spartan.

Brandor shot up flat out cursing at himself for the moment. "For the light, I can't believe I hadn't thought of that, sorry it's just that I've been to immersed in thinking over what had taken place with the raiders,"

"No need to apologize... Although we may need to get a move on, I don't know how many of those raiders might come back for payback," Bidded the spartan.

Sighing to himself brandor looked up at night sky and then back down. "You may be right about that stranger I'm mean five, sorry about that, I'm not used to calling people by numbers,"

"None taken," Said five.

"Mind helping with the horses," Ask Brandor.

In like-mindedness the spartan nodded slightly and walked over to the horses, he first checked to make sure if the the two animals were injured in anyway, subsequently after that it looks like to him that the horses were completely fine with the exception of a few minor scrapes on their side of the skins so with the help of vaena and brandor alongside with the two kids they assisted him with convalescencing the mounts back to their full health. At first five was hesitant in getting near the horses but after they had deemed him not a hostile to them they'd allowed him to first help in removing the bellyband seconds with taking off the backbend backstrap and lines, he and the others then removed most of the kit and harness that bounded the mounts to the broken wagon all except for the saddles and reins.

"I thank you for the assistance ser five, without you it would've taken us quite the time to remove this harnesses," Spoke up brandor as he set the saddle on the second horse after he just finished fixing it.

Vaena had offered that she should take their son on her own horse while he take their daughter with him.

Brandor didn't mind the proposition but as he glances at five's way he just remembered that the spartan hadn't had any mounts of his own for the long ride but the green armored being assured her that he was fine saying that he can walk for the night.

Pessimistic of their savior's affirmation brandor and vaena would then let go of it as they presumed that the spartan was probably too headstrong like most knights in vahrian.

Glancing up at her father kraeva spoke up. "Father where will we be going?"

"Well girl, we'll be going to my sister home who is one of your aunties, you haven't met her yet, but once we get there I'm sure she'll be delighted to meet you," Replied brandor as he ruffles her hair.

"Why is the stranger coming with us?" Kraeva says as she had been mulling over on it for the last few minutes since they'd left.

"Well girl the stranger had saved us, I and your father had talked things over that we'd needed an escort of a guard for night, ain't that right ser five," Said vaena giving the spartan a look of gratify.

"Yes ma'am," Responded five as he walked alongside brandor's horse.

"Aye my daughter, ser five here is a kind man for offering his service in chaperoning for us, although ser five, I like to apologize that I won't be able to repay you in coins for you see the raiders had chased us down before we even had a chance to pack many of our valuables," Brandor said apologetically.

"I don't mind offering protection for the night," Five responded simply as he saw that kraeva was eyeing an apple tree. "Are you wanting of that fruit kid?"

Brandor and vaena followed their daughter's sight to where the tree was standing full of apples sprouting from it's branches and asked their son if he was hungry for one as well to which the young boy responded with a yes.

"Ser five, if you would please," Vaena said asking him.

The Spartan hadn't replied to her and just walked on over to the tree, standing straight without even having to balance on his armored boot all he ever had to do was bring his right arm up and took about seven apples all in palm of his other hand and after that he trekked back to the family of four and handed them an apple as they thanked him in return.

"If you would be okay of me asking, where exactly are we going?"

"Pleased you asked ser five, me and my wife had agreed that we would be heading over to another town far from here where my sister lives with a family of her own, I am sorry for not informing you of that before," Said the man as he watched the Spartan feed his horse an apple.

"I presume it's gonna take a few hours to get there correct?" Said five.

"Why yes, its only about twelve hours,"

Twelve hours thought five, if he was on his own he could've gotten there with a pelican or a worthog before sun rises, but he cleared that out of his mind thinking that this family wouldn't have too fond of a flying piece of metal aware that people from this world would call it witchcraft.

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Middle Of Nowhere...

A raider came running up a stairs as he pushes others out of his way, as he came near the large ten foot door in front of him he busted through it with a hard push.

Once inside multiple people like that of him halted in the activity they were doing and turned to see him running to a seat of stones with various kinds skulls mounted on each sides of it whether they were humans or animals, the dire part of it was that some of those skulls still had parts of flesh sticking into the skulls.

The raider came closer till a hand shot up signaling for him to stop. The raider at once knelt down on one knee with his head bowed down.

"Boss I'm sorry, I have failed y-"

"You know, I have sent my son out to do raid a villages for his twenty second feast day, he was suppose to be the one kneeling before me, not you," The man said sounding frustrated.

Slowly the sound of the stone seat made a scraping sound as the man the true leader of the raiders faced the man kneeling as he leaned the side of his head on his right fist.

"Jall, care to indulge me on my son well being, and why you are here instead of him?" The old man said with sound of his voice sounding like that of an in-depth Viking.

"Of course boss, i-i and jall alongside forty or fifty others you chose to send with him were raiding a small town, we were doing fine for quite a while, jall saw a man he met before fleeing and ordered for us all to chase him down,"

"And this man, why was my son chose to chase him down?" Questioned the old man.

"Well boss, the man was the brother of that knight you've killed in one of the raids we've been in, he thought that maybe if he killed the knight brother he could satisfy you with his head," The man said replying.

"Ahhh, I remember, that bearded knight was a decent warrior, but too bad I didn't get the rest of his people... And of this man he chased down, did you and jall troops get him?"

The man gulped down pretty deep afraid that of what kinds of punishment he'd receive. "Well boss, we did managed to catch the fleeing man and we're about to kill him and his family, until he showed up,"

Without being able to see his eyes since it was covered by a large hood that concealed his face the kneeling raider could feel two eyes bearing down on him.

"Until who raider?"

"I-i don't know boss, it it's like it-it was like we were nothing to hi hi-him, he slaughtered most of us inclu-Arghhh," Screamed the raider when the head of a spear struck him by the palm of his hand.

"Including who!" Says the boss as he twisted his spear causing the raider to scream out in disarray.

"It was the green behemoth, it was he who slaughtered most of our troops, we followed jall's orders and attacked the giant, he tore through our men's as if we were nothing boss, until he use some sort magic spell that caused a large boom that had slain a lot of us... We were knocked out for a moment, but once we woke up we saw the body of your son laid dead beneath the feet of the green behemoth," The raider said explaining the validity of what had happened.

"Too bad that fool of a man couldn't stop his own flaw from happening for he had always been a delinquency to my rules, and not only that he had cost me many other troops. I won't lie I'm at a bit dismal of his fall but however there will be many others sons of mine that'll shined their glory in my name other then being a failure like jall... And before I give you the permission to depart worm,"

"Yes boss, anything you ask I'll do," Answered the raider.

"Put out your arm straightforward," Order the boss.

Without desavowing from his boss demand the raider did as he was asked and straightens his right arm out in a line.

"I may have been dissatisfied of my son jall's failure but for your punishment for failing to keep him alive you will be made as an example for those who failed to uphold their task in keeping my sons alive,"

With that the boss watched as the raider lowered his head down awaiting what was to come of him.

The boss unsheaths his sword and brought it up for all to see and without a moment of hesitation he swung it down on the raider's arm cutting right through his hand.

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