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Chapter 21 - If I Had A Hammer
As the Elite flew into the air, the Spartan rushed to the Brute. Now wearing the ornate red headdress, the Brute charged the Spartan as he raised the hammer. The Spartan began firing spikes into the Brute as he ran. Each spike flashed white as it hit the Brute’s invincible shield. Aiming at the Brute’s face, the Spartan unloaded the rest of the clip and temporarily blinded him with the shield’s glare.
As the Spartan reached the Brute, he dropped the Spiker, ducked his head, and jumped toward his attacker. Turning slightly, he rammed his right shoulder into the chest of the Brute as he reached up and grabbed the staff of the Gravity Hammer just as it was about to come down. His back on the Brute’s chest and the hammer in front of him, the Spartan held the weapon at bay. The Brute growling and yelling tried to crush his opponent with his massive arms as the Spartan stood between them.
Struggling in the embrace, the Spartan tried to get a better hold on the staff as the Brute’s shield crackled with his own. The Brute’s right hand was just above his and right in front of his visor. The Brute’s left hand was next and the Spartan’s left was at the bottom, just below his waist.
Placing his helmet at the Brute’s right hand and bracing his back, the Spartan switched his right hand over the Brute’s on the staff as his head staved off the Brutes attempt to crush him. The Spartan then quickly twisted the staff of the hammer and turned the sharp blade away from the two. Sliding his head down to the left along the Brute’s chest and leaning back, the Spartan pulled back as hard as he could with his right hand while pushing out with his left. The head of the hammer hit the Brute square in the forehead and sent out its blast.
The Brute lost his grip and flew backward. His shield almost completely covering him in a cloak of pure white, the Brute landed several meters up the cave flat on his back. Being thrown forward, the Spartan caught himself with his left hand and knee as he kept hold of the hammer with his right. Jumping up and turning quickly, the Spartan spun the hammer in his hand as he looked at the Brute. He then rushed back to the Brute and ignored the alarm in his helmet saying that his shield had completely failed.
The Brute got up to meet his attacker and roared his readiness. As the Spartan neared, he jumped and spun counter clockwise and aimed his body to the left of the Brute’s. In the air, he grabbed the hammer with both hands and brought it high over right shoulder. Completing his spin, he brought the Gravity Hammer across his body and slammed it hard into the chest of the Brute as he attempted to catch the Spartan.
Another thunderous explosion rocked the cave as the Brute flew up and landed head first near the body of the Hunter the Elite and Spartan fell last. The Spartan had been pushed backward but landed on his feet, sliding almost three meters along the dirt. The hammer still in both hands, the Spartan again charged the Brute.
The Brute shook his head as he propped himself on one arm in an attempt to get up. Facing down in the trail of orange blood, the Brute looked at the Hunter’s body and then quickly turned to look behind him as the hammer came across his face with a deafening boom.
Flying through the air, the white shielding flickered and stopped. The Brute hit the wall of the cave near the top entrance to the Forerunner installation. The impact the Brute felt dismissed any doubt that his shield was gone. Again trying to pick himself up, the Spartan hit him across the face with the handle of the hammer and knocked the red ornate headdress to the side. A gash opened up on the left side of the Brute’s cheek and gushed blood. The Brute lifted his face from the dirt and watched his red blood drip down in front of him. The Spartan jumped on his back and pushed the Brute’s face into the dirt with his left foot. Reaching down, the Spartan ripped the armor off the Brutes right forearm.
The Spartan jumped off the Brute and yelled, “You thought you could claim yourself as Chieftain!?” The Spartan began to manipulate the armband and continued, “Chieftain of what?!” Suddenly, nine quick beeps and a long tone were emitted from the controller. “You have no slaves! I released their collars!” the Spartan said has he threw the device down the cave.
The Brute looked up from his position as the Spartan yanked the red headdress off his head and threw it behind him. The Spartan again hit the Brute with the handle of the hammer using a sweeping motion and flipped him to his back. As the Brute’s eyes rolled around unable to focus, the Spartan jumped to his chest and turned the hammer’s head around.
The Spartan took the sharp axe blade of the hammer and sliced across the Brute's face from the top right of his face to the bottom left. The two scars now made an ‘X’ across the face of the Brute. Jumping off the Brute’s chest the Spartan said, “And now, you have no tribe!”
The Brute’s eyes returned and looked around. He reached his hands up and felt his face as a look of horror slowly welled up from deep within. The Brute yelled a long loud scream into the cave.
As the scream subsided, the Spartan yelled to the Brute, “Any of your kind will kill you on sight as a coward! If you are lucky! Either way, you are master of nothing!”
The Spartan then turned and walked back down the cave. The Brute lay on the ground and howled. The echoes of the battle sounds eased and tapered off. The sound of gunfire was soon replaced by cheers and celebration.
The Spartan picked up the Energy Sword and walked to the armband lying on the ground. He sliced the controller in two with the sword as it sparked in defiance. Returning the sword to its hilt, the Spartan heard the Brute as he rushed him from behind.
The Spartan quickly turned and swung the hammers handle straight up. The handle met the chin of the Brute and knocked his head back. Stabbing the Brute’s chest with the staff, the Brute fell backward and sat hard on the ground.
“Kill me!” the Brute demanded.
“No”, the Spartan said calmly.
“Kill me!” the Brute yelled louder this time as he got to his feet.
“I don’t need to kill you.” Then continuing more slowly, the Spartan said, “I destroyed you.”
The celebratory yelling got closer to the bottom of the cave. Sounds of humans and Covenant races were getting louder. Motioning over his left shoulder with his head the Spartan said, “They can have you and do with you what they wish.” The Spartan then turned his back on the Brute and walked away.
The Brute stood with his face trickling blood. Fear came across his eyes as he looked to the sounds of the others coming to the cave. With one last look at the Spartan’s back, the Brute turned and ran up the cave.
