Flood spore

"One single Flood spore can destroy a species."

- Rtas 'Vadum

Spores are the most basic kind of infection form in the life cycle of the Flood.

Overview
Spores serve as the most basic form of Flood encountered in a given outbreak. They are comprised of Flood Super Cells (FSCs) which have encysted themselves to form a chitinous outer layer. This layer protects the cells inside, and allows the spore to float in the air and with the breeze and remain dormant in a given environment for centuries at a time. The exterior is additionally covered with bulbous growths and ragged spines, which can be crushed if grabbed. However, the shape of spores can be variable, allowing them to shape their form to accommodate their environment.

Upon contact with a suitable host, the spore becomes active and begins to consume the victim it has become attached to - regardless of it is sapient or not. Unlike their larger pod infector cousins, spores do not immediately convert their host into a combat form, but instead use them to gestate the production of more FSC and spores - turning the host's biomass into a series of egg-like incubators. This process ultimately culminates with the host gestating larger infection forms inside itself, which then burst free and begin to spread the infection far and wide. This process is extremely painful, as the spores intentionally keep their victims alive while their bodies are reshapen into breeding grounds for future stages of Flood infection. Unfortunately, there is no cure once infected by a spore nor a vaccine which can prevent their infection - or any way to reverse the mutations they inflict. To date, the only known countermeasures for them are containment and incineration. In some cases, the spore itself may serve as the initial basis for an infection form to grow from.

The creation of Flood spores is a priority for the Flood, especially during the Feral Stage of a given outbreak. Upon the establishment of an outbreak, the Flood begin to emit spores into the atmosphere to begin expediting the conversion of the local biosphere as local fauna and flora are converted and broken down. Animals and mangled corpses settled upon by spores are generally turned into static growths such as blisters. Overall, the presence of spores precedes the production of larger and more mobile infection forms, which in turn go on to produce the main drivers of Flood outbreak. When an outbreak reaches the later phases of the Coordinated Stage, the bodies of those killed in action against the Flood are turned into massive spore towers, or "spore mountains", at the heart of the established Blightlands - which themselves begin to pump more spores into the planet's atmosphere as the Flood solidifies its victory over a given world. Spores may be weaponised by the establishment of Flood structures such as launchers, which intentionally launch clouds of spores targted at enemy forces with the aim of forcing them to succumb to infection. Flood dispersal pods may also be used as a vector to launch spore packets onto a target world, especially from an infected starship in orbit - though such pods may also be generated in ground-based hives and fired with a discharge of built-up gases. Naturally-occurring meteors and comets may also be repurposed by the Flood as carriers for spore deposits - aided by the spores' natural longevity.

Once a Flood outbreak is underway, spores are naturally produced as a byproduct of the infection of other hosts. Combat forms and pure forms alike gestate spores within their bodies, which are released when the Flood form is attacked or killed. The Gravemind itself produces billions of spores from its own body, though seems to be able to control their effect and grant selective immunity to potentially useful allies - such as in the case of Thel 'Vadamee, who was captured by the Gravemind and exposed to spore contact without an environment suit though was seemingly unaffected by the changes.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo 3
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Evolutions
 * The Mona Lisa
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Silentium
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Halo: Shadow of Intent
 * Halo: Fractures
 * Defender of the Storm
 * Halo Infinite: Memory Agent
 * Halo Infinite