The Heretic

Summary
The Heretic is the first level of Halo 2, consisting entirely of cinematic.

Transcript
{fade in on the broken pieces of Halo}

{a Covenant ship flys by, camera pans with it to a giant Covenant ship (High Charity)}

''{Text: Covenant Holy City, High Charity. Ninth Age of Reclamation}''

{close up of High Charity, dozens of Covenant ships swarm around}

{fade to a ledge across from rows of stadium-like seats, several Banshees fly around, the camera slowly zooms toward a door on the back of the ledge}

Elite Commander (voice over): "There was only one ship."

{fade in to the Council Chamber, rows of Honor Guard Elites stand at attention, a gold Elite stands at the end, he faces three Prophets}

Prophet of Regret (voice over): "One? Are you sure?"

Elite Commander (voice over): "Yes. They called it Pillar of Autumn."

(we see stadium seats filled with Elite and Prophet Councilers, they mutter amongst themselves}

Prophet of Mercy: "Why was it not destroyed with the rest of their fleet?!"

Elite Commander: "It fled. As we set fire to their planet."

(Flashback: the Pillar of Autumn flees Reach}

Elite Commander (voice over): "I followed with all the ships in my command."

{Flashback: a Covenant ship approaches Halo}

Prophet of Regret (voice over): "When you first saw Halo, were you blinded by its magesty?"

Elite Commander (voice over): "Blinded?"

Prophet of Regret (voice over): "Paralized? Dumbstruck?"

Elite Commander (voice over): "No."

{back to the present, we see Regret is a hologram}

Prophet of Regret (hologram): "Yet the humans were able to evade your ships, land on the Sacred Ring and desecrate it with their filthy footsteps!"

Elite Commander: "Noble Hierarchs, surely you understand that once the parasite attacked-"

{the Council members mutter angrily}

Prophet of Mercy: "There will be order in this Council!"

(the Prophet of Truth raises his hands and comes foward}

Prophet of Truth: "You were right to focus your attention on the Flood, but this demon, this "Master Chief"...

{Flashback: the destruction of Halo}

Elite Commander (voice over): "By the time I learned the demon's intent, there was nothing I could do."

{the Prophet Councilers stand up and yell angrily, Elite Councilers mutter to each other, Tartarus chuckles to himself}

Prophet of Regret: "Prophet of Truth, this has gone on long enough. Make an example of this bungler, the Council demands it."

{Truth holds up a hand, silencing Regret}

Prophet of Truth: "You are one of our most treasured instruments. Long have you lead your fleet with honor and destinction. But your inability to safeguard Halo was a collosal failure."

Prophet Counciler: "Nay, it was heresy!"

{the Councilers yell, the Elite Commander looks back and forth between them}

Elite Commander: "I will continue my campaign against the humans!"

Prophet of Truth: "No! You will not."

{Truth looks at Tartarus, he barks a command, Brutes escort the Elite out}

Prophet of Truth (voice over): "Soon the Great Journey shall begin. But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet," {close up of Truth} "And you shall be left behind."

{fade in, Truth's crown's holographic Halo fades into Earth's moon}

{pan down to three MAC stations in Earth's orbit, a few UNSC ships fly around}

''{Text: Earth Defense Platform, Cairo. 10.20.2552 (Military Calender)}''

{cut to the nearest platform}

Officer (voice over): "Your plating was about to fail, there's viscosity throughout the gel layer.

(cut to the armory of Cairo Station, the officer handles equipment on a table}

Officer: "Optics, totally fried. And lets not even talk about the power supply." {we see the Chief's helmet on the table} "You know how expensive this gear is, son?"

Master Chief: {puts on the helmet} "Tell that to the Covenant."

{fade to white}