Sacred Icon

For Forerunner artifact, see Activation index. For the Halo 2 Vista achievement, see Sacred Icon (achievement).

Sacred Icon is a Halo 2 campaign level. As Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee, the player makes their way through a wall filled with Sentinels and Flood, ending in an open-air Elite encampment. The player must defend it successfully from the Flood onslaught before the next level Quarantine Zone starts. This is the first and only level where Jackals are encountered as allies. This is also one of three levels with human enemies ever in the whole series.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

Fade in on the interior of a Covenant structure.

Sanctum of the Hierarchs, Covenant Holy City, High Charity

Panning down, in a large hallway with rows of Honor Guards, the Arbiter, Thel 'Vadamee, walks through.

'''Vadamee watches as the Jiralhanae take Honor Guard equipment from the Sangheili guards. Some Brutes fight each other for choice parts. As 'Vadamee ascends the stairs leading to the Prophet's Inner Sanctum, a pair of former Honor Guard Sangheili pass by him, without their helmets and energy staves. 'Vadamee walks through a large doorway, past the new Jiralhanae Honor Guardsmen (one of whom snarls at him in the Anniversary) to where the Prophets of Truth and Mercy speak with Rtas 'Vadumee and two of his Special Operations Sangheili.''




 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "This is unprecedented... Unacceptable."


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


 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "His murderer was within our grasp. If you had not withdrawn our Phantoms-"


 * Prophet of Truth: (slightly indignantly) "Are you questioning my decision?"


 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "No, Holy One! I only wish to express my concern that the Brutes-"

Prophet of Truth holds up a hand for silence


 * Prophet of Truth: "Re-commissioning the guard was a radical step. But recent events have made it abundantly clear that the Elites can no longer guarantee our safety."


 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "I shall relay your... decision, to the Council."

''Rtas 'Vadumee and his Sangheili leave. He nods to 'Vadamee, who returns the nod. The Prophet of Truth speaks to 'Vadamee.''


 * Prophet of Truth: "Politics (small sigh)... How tiresome. Do you know, Arbiter, the Elites have threatened to resign? To quit the High Council? Because of this... exchange of hats?"


 * Thel 'Vadamee: "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 filled 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 prophecy that other rings would be found. And see how our faith has been rewarded."

They turn to a large view screen of Installation 05.


 * 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: "But 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 piled the Oracle with questions. And it, with clarity and grace, has shown us... the key."

Mercy triggers a hologram of the Activation index.


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


 * Prophet of Mercy: "Salvation for all!"


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



''Fade to black, fade in on Installation 05. A Phantom flies toward the surface. Cuts to Phantom cockpit: Tartarus approaches from behind the Jiralhanae pilot.''


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

Focus on 'Vadamee, zoom in as he speaks.


 * Thel 'Vadamee: "The human that killed the Prophet of Regret... Who was it?"


 * Tartarus: "Who do you think?"


 * Thel 'Vadamee: (surprised) "The Demon is here!?"

Cut to Tartarus.


 * Tartarus: (affirmative snort) "Why?"

Cut to 'Vadamee, who stands next to a Jiralhanae.


 * Tartarus (COM): '"Looking for a little payback?"

'Vadamee draws a Carbine and readies it.


 * Thel 'Vadamee: "Retrieving the Icon is my only concern."


 * Tartarus (COM): (skeptical laugh) "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. A battle has been fought here recently, as evidenced by Aggressor Sentinel wreckage and Covenant blood on the ground.''

'''Vadamee drops from the Phantom, which then flies off. Behind 'Vadamee, an Enforcer rises up and slowly advances. 'Vadamee 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 the Enforcer chases after it.''


 * Tartarus (COM): "Lower the shield, Arbiter! I'll pick you up when you're finished."

{Gameplay}

Uncomfortable Silence
''In the first room, there are some Constructors repairing an entrance. If 'Vadamee destroys one, some Aggressor Sentinels will appear (if on Legendary difficulty, the Sentinels will appear automatically) and will only stop spawning if 'Vadamee destroys the Sentinel launchers that create them. He meets a frightened Unggoy, who recovers upon seeing the Arbiter''

After 'Vadamee jumps into the passageways moving downward, and the first room, he meets another Unggoy.

''After 'Vadamee enters the next room, he finds a group of Unggoy and Kig-Yar fighting Sentinels. After he defeats the Sentinels and cuts off any more from entering, one of the Unggoy speak to him.''


 * Unggoy #1: "Arbiter... our savior!" (pause) "Stupid Jackal, say thank you!"

If 'Vadamee stares at the Unggoy long enough, or just waits around:


 * Unggoy #1: "If hungry, eat Jackal!"

'Vadamee moves into the next room.


 * Tartarus (COM): "You're getting close to one of the shield generators. Many of my Brutes have fallen attempting to take it down. Let's see if you fare better."

'''Vadamee finds another piston and enters the tunnel, sending him downwards. An Unggoy running toward him.''


 * Unggoy #2: "Big, scary thing! Run away! Please! Don't make me go back!"

They encounter more Aggressor Sentinels.


 * Unggoy #2: "Ahh, more bad things! Arbiter! Protect, protect!"

'Vadamee reaches another piston, and drops down to the shield generator.
 * Tartarus (COM): "You've reached the power source, Arbiter."

An Enforcer descends from above.


 * Tartarus (COM): "It is useless to attack the Enforcer at the front, especially when its shields are up. Stay in the shadows, wait until it loses interest, then strike the beast when its back is turned."

'Vadamee destroys the Enforcer.


 * Tartarus (COM): "You've reached the power source. Overload the locks holding it in place."

After 'Vadamee overloads (or pushes them to save ammo) the first three plug locks


 * Tartarus (COM): "One more, Arbiter."

Note: On higher difficulties, the dormant Sentinel Launchers in the room will activate and start spawning Sentinels.

'Vadamee overloads the last one.


 * Tartarus (COM): "Release the power source. Now, find a way to remove it from its cradle."

'''Vadamee activates the holo-panel. The Sentinel Launchers in the room all explode. The platform drops down and starts moving as the door in front of him opens.''

Buyer's Remorse
Above, the bright-green shield surrounding the Library is fading away, followed by Tartarus's Phantom flying lower towards the other side of the wall.


 * Tartarus (COM): "Our path to the Library's clear. I'll pick you up on the ledge ahead."

The door of the approaching wall opens to another Enforcer, which begins to fire on the Phantom.


 * Tartarus (COM): (growls) "Blasted machines! Make your own way through the wall, Arbiter!"

The Phantom retreats, followed by an attack by Aggressor Sentinels and a break-out of Flood combat forms.

'Vadamee gets through the wide-opened door in the wall and reaches a piston at the other end.

As 'Vadamee proceeds through one of the hallways below, his COM link picks up a Marine's transmission.


 * Sergeant Stacker (COM): "Proceed to the objective, we'll hold out as long as we can! (screams painfully) Get it off me!"


 * Sergeant Banks (COM): "Suppressive fire, suppressive fire!"

'''Vadamee rushes towards the source of the commotion and sees in the distance a group of humans fighting a mass of Flood. The parasites usually overwhelm and kill the outnumbered Marines. If any Marines do survive and they see 'Vadamee, they will shoot at him.''

'Vadamee reaches the next bottom floor.


 * Stacker (COM): "Negative, ma'am! They are not Covenant!"




 * Marine #1 (COM): "Cover that doorway!"

'''Vadamee fights through hordes of Flood, Sentinels and Enforcers. He finally drops down to a long tunnel, and reaches the bottom of the wall.''

100,000 Years War
As soon as the doorway opens, an airborne Sentinel manufacturing facility can be seen in the distance as it is shot down by Wraith mortars and crashes into the Quarantine Zone.

'''Vadamee proceeds through the snow. Covenant drop pods land across the canyon. Sangheili exit from them.''


 * Sangheili #1: "Forerunners be praised, the Arbiter!"

With the assistance from fellow Sangheili, 'Vadamee defeats small waves of Flood.


 * Sangheili #1: "This Quarantine Zone has been compromised, we must do what we can against the Flood. Our Commander has landed further in, let us join him."

'Vadamee crosses a bridge and through a tunnel, and meets the Spec Ops Commander, Rtas 'Vadumee.


 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "Arbiter!? What are you doing here!?"

Rtas 'Vadumee is interrupted by screeches of the Flood.


 * Sangheili #2: "The Flood is upon us!"


 * Rtas 'Vadumee: "We must hold this camp until reinforcements arrive."

''After the fight has gone on for a while, a Phantom descends from above, firing on any remaining Flood in the zone. Fade to white.''

Level ends.

Glitches

 * Invincibility can be obtained via a glitch in the part where players fall down one of the tubes to see the Phantom for the first time.
 * In both times where Marines are heard combating the Flood, there are actually Marines fighting the Flood near the Arbiter. However, once the player approaches their locations, the Marines will drop dead. It is possible, with some practice and the Sputnik Skull, to grenade jump across the chasm and land next to the Marines. They will show red on the reticule and will attack the player even when the player does not attack them.
 * The dead Marines and Brutes in this level blink their eyes from time to time.
 * The Jackals' Unlimited Plasma Pistols glitch can be done on this level.
 * During the fight with the first Enforcer, if the player blows off all its attacking parts, the Enforcer will use its Invisible Sentinel Beam.
 * If the player proceeds to power-up all Absorbers without destroying the Enforcer, it (with all Sentinel Launchers and Sentinels) will self-destruct just before the door starts to open.
 * When the player reaches the section where the Flood is encountered, any surviving Jackal (if still alive) may drop its shield and its weapon, though this is a very rare occurrence. (This glitch is made easier if the Jackal is holding a Plasma rifle).
 * The player can make a Flood form freeze by jumping over it repeatedly.
 * The Charging Needler Glitch can be performed on this level.
 * Sometimes the first Grunt in the level is invisible.
 * The first Grunt encountered can be turned invincible when he falls down the tube. It only works with this one Grunt.
 * In the beginning of the level, a strange weapon can be seen when the Phantom attacks the Enforcer. It appears to be a Battle and Plasma Rifle fused together.
 * Sometimes if the player gives a Jackal a carbine and reach the area where the Enforcer and Sentinel Majors are attacking the Flood, their carbine will become invisible.

Miscellaneous

 * At times the player may initially find two Grunts and one Jackal instead of two Jackals and one Grunt, and on some occasions two Jackals and three Grunts. However, this is quite rare.
 * Occasionally when sliding down the pistons alongside a Grunt, it may die on impact.
 * When the Grunt is sliding down the first piston, it will sometimes stop just before falling onto another slide and refuse to follow the player any further. This can be avoided by letting the Grunt jump through first and pushing him down when the player jumps.
 * This is the first level to have Flood Infected Marines, Sentinel Majors, and Enforcers. It is also the first where the player can use Human Weapons while playing as the Arbiter.
 * Because Sacred Icon is the first part of a two-part level, the player's weapons will carry over to Quarantine Zone, unless one of the weapons is a Rocket Launcher. If the player completes Sacred Icon with a Rocket Launcher, he or she will start Quarantine Zone with a Covenant Carbine and an Energy Sword.

Mistakes

 * When the level starts, for some unknown reason, the Carbine will be maxed out and even though the Arbiter fire 3 rounds into the Enforcer, the carbine will have a full magazine. This is similar to when the Arbiter shoots at the Heretic Leader's banshee, and no rounds or charge is expended on the weapon.
 * Notice when sliding down the last Piston in the level, there will be snow in the tunnel even though the Arbiter is inside a fully concealed tunnel. The snow could possibly be Flood ash. More likely this is a glitch that happens because the outside level has been loaded (and the snow with it) causing the snow to show early.
 * One of four Elites who came by Orbital Insertion Pod does not have his energy shield.
 * The first dead Brute there will be an Elite plasma rifle near his body instead of a Brute plasma rifle.
 * In the beginning cutscene, when the Enforcer is about to attack the Arbiter, the Enforcer does not have its primary shields activated.
 * There are 3 weapons total with more than the maximum limit of ammo: Battle Rifle, Covenant Carbine, and Needler.
 * In Halo 2 Anniversary, the opening cutscene shows the Phantom flying to the Sentinel wall backwards. It is likely an oversight by Blur Studio.

Easter Eggs

 * The Mythic Skull can be found on this level.
 * Throughout the level the player can find weapons containing more rounds than their capacities, including Battle Rifles, Pistols and Needlers.