Sacred Icon

Summary
A Halo 2 campaign level. As the Arbiter, you make your way through a wall filled with Sentinels and Flood, ending in an open-air Elite encampment, which you must defend successfully from Flood onslaught before the next level, Quarantine Zone, starts.

First Cinematic: "Uncomfortable Silence"
{fade in on Covenant-looking structure}

{text: Sanctum of the Hierarchs, Covenant Holy City, High Charity}

{camera pans down, we see a large hallway with rows of Honor Guards, the Arbiter walks through, close up of Arbiter}

{Arbiter watches as Brutes take Honor Guard equipment from the Elites, Brutes fight each other for choice parts, Arbiter walks through a large doorway, past Honor Guard Brutes to where Prophets Truth and Mercy speak with Elites}

SpecOps Commander: "This is the worst govern. Unacceptable."

Prophet of Truth: "A Hierarch is dead, Commander."

SpecOps Commander: "His murderer was in our grasp. If you had not withdrawn our forces..."

Prophet of Truth: "Are you questioning my decision?"

SpecOps Commander: "No! I have wish to expess my concern that the Brutes..."

{Truth hold up a hand for silence}

Prophet of Truth: "Recomissioning the guard was a radical step, but recent events have made it abunditly clear that the Elites can no longer guarantee our safety."

SpecOps Commander: "I shall relay... your decision... to the Council."

''{Half-Jaw and his Elites leave, Truth speaks to the Arbiter}

Prophet of Truth: "Politics... How tiresome. Do you know, Arbiter, the Elites have threatened to resign, quit the High Council, because of this exchange of hats?"

Arbiter: "We have always been your protectors."

Prophet of Truth: "These are trying times... for all of us."

Prophet of Mercy: "Even as the humans’ annihilation fills us with satisfaction, the loss of one of the Sacred Rings wracked our hearts with grief."

Prophet of Truth: "Putting aside our sorrow, we renewed our faith in the prophesy that other rings would be found. And see how our faith has been rewarded."

{they turn to a large viewscreen of Halo}

Prophet of Mercy: "Halo! Its divine wind will rush through the stars, propelling all who are worthy along the Path to salvation."

Prophet of Truth: "How to start this process? For ages, we searched for one who might unlock the secrets of the ring. An Oracle. And with your help, we found it."

{they turn toward 343 Guilty Spark, who seems to have been suspended in a gravity beam}

Prophet of Mercy: "With appropriate humility, we plyed the Oracle with questions. And it, with clarity and grace, had shown us the key."

{triggers a hologram of the Index}

Prophet of Truth: "You will journey to the surface of the ring, and retreve this Sacred Icon. With it, we shall forfill our promise."

Prophet of Mercy: "Salvation for all!"

Prophet of Truth: "And begin the Great Journey."

{fade to black, fade in on Delta Halo, a Phantom flys toward the surface, cut to interior}

Tartarus: "Once the shield is down, we'll head straight to the Library. I do not wish to keep the Hierarchs waiting."

{Focus on the Arbiter, zoom in as he speaks}

Arbiter: "The human who killed the Prophet of Regret... Who was it?"

Tartarus: "Who do you think?"

Arbiter: "The Demon is here?"

{Focus on Tartarus}

Tartarus: {Snort} "Why?" {Re-focus on Arbiter} "Looking for a little payback?"

{The Arbiter draws a Carbine and holds it}

Arbiter: "Retrieving the Icon is my only concern."

Tartarus: {Laughter} "Of course."

''{Cut to exterior panoramic view of Delta Halo's Library, with the Sentinel Wall in the foreground. The Phantom flies towards the Sentinel Wall and stops over a landing. The Arbiter drops from the Phantom, which then flies off. Behind the Arbiter, an Enforcer rises up and slowly advances. He whirls around and fires three shots from his Carbine, to little effect. Suddenly, the Enforcer is hit by a sustained burst of plasma fire and loses its right-back leg. The Phantom flies by and away, and the Enforcer chases after it}''

Tartarus: "Lower the shield, Arbiter!" {Cut to mugshot of Arbiter} "I'll pick you up when you're finished." {Fade to white, gameplay starts}