Disclaimer: The universes involved in this story belong to their concurrent owners. Original content belongs to me or another person that may own a part of it; Gryllians, Legio Mechanicae, Xenomorph empires (separatists and loyalists)[Idea by me].

The following universes that are planned to be involved in this novel:

Halo

Battlestar Galactica

Aliens vs Predators

Mass Effect

Star Wars

Star Trek

If any content relating to certain part of lore seems way off, it is like that on purpose. This story's canon is part of a role-playing group I am part of, and thus runs on a different plotline. If you do not understand certain elements within this novel, please put your question in your review and I will answer when I can. Please give feedback.

Enjoy reading :)

EDIT: I'll be revising and remodeling this story. Also, title change haha.

Prologue

0326 HOURS, JUNE 28, 2571 (MILITARY CALENDAR)\

MAGNUS VIRTUS SYSTEM, BIMACULUS

The plains were a somber gold with new greens of spring grasses arising, fresh and new. Deep blue flowers dappled the surface of the plains. The skies were blue and thin white wisps stretched across the pure unpolluted air. Slivers of heat were rising in the distance like that of waves, of which was normal as of the temperature of a mid-afternoon.

Giant wasps buzzed across fallen logs to return to a nearby tree so that they may build their homes. Massive dragonflies zipped through the air to catch and devour prey. Large cattle with spikes protruding from their spines and horns from their heads grazed about the fields of dry grass. Distant mountains hovered over the trees from afar like massive guardsmen. They were brown and green and had white peaks attributing to their great height. Clouds of white, thicker than those over the fields of gold, poured from behind the peaks. Far above, higher than the clouds, two crescents glowed in the afternoon sky from the sunlight of three stars sitting adjacent to them. This was a truly interesting system, a ternary star system. With three stars and two moons above, there was a great peacefulness that resided on this field.

However, the peace was short lived. The peace was ended when first explosion rocked the soil and tore dirt and grass from the ground. A blue bolts of hot plasma stretched across and struck a great six-legged silver machine that returned with a larger raging red bolt. Explosions ripped into the terrain and two forces met.

One side consisted of the Gryllians, and great monsters they looked. They were nearly completely covered in armor, with some more than others. Their four legs allowed them to traverse quickly and leap great lengths. Many were at least seven feet tall, and others even more than that. They had cylindrical type bodies and bore deadly clawed hands on each arm. Their helmets glowed at the eyes, mostly blue.

Several hulking machines like the six-legged one marched across, firing red-hot plasma across the field of bleeding soldiers to their enemies, the Legio Mechanicae. These machine-men were also nearly as huge as the Gryllians, with the greatly modified of them even larger than so. They were human, or the remnants of the physical Humanity which had been mechanized. They were brutish and powerful and their greater ranks could completely annihilate the average Spartan.

More explosions tore into the landscape, following by whines and whizzes of explosive rounds or plasma. Flying machines raced across the once blue sky and littered it with ammunition and smoke. Metal rained from above as a Gryllian Interceptor Cruiser, over a kilometer long, ripped into the atmosphere with smoke and fire trailing it. It smashed into a mountain with its huge wedged bow and exploded, destroying the graceful land around it and turning it into a fiery blackness.

Gryllisus's eyes snapped open in terror as he looked across a similar field, though this field had more mountains afar and several forests lining its edges. He was remembering a battle from long ago. It resulted in the destruction of the planet and its atmosphere. He remembered the field especially. The field held the bloodiest ground-side battle of the conflict. It was nicknamed the 'Field of Blood' by many and it went down as part of one of the largest engagements to occur during the Gryllian and Legio War.

He looked up at the sky and saw the system's two stars and then spotted the only moon of the planet. He did this to reassure himself, that he had not somehow travelled back and was about to experience this battle all over again. The Legio Mechanicae were one of the only enemies to truly instill fear into him.

His eyes shut again as he meditated in his spot on the flat, cool rock. His mind was completely void and registered the sounds of life around him. Here, too, there were giant dragonfly-like insects that fascinated him. These flying arthropods were also domesticated and keep as pets by Gryllians. They were also dangerous and could tear apart any of its prey with ease.

Several hours passed in peace as he enjoyed his break from the business of ruling an empire. They had been released from the toils of a massive conflict that took many lives, and he wanted some peace from the bleak aftermath that stained his mind. Nevertheless, he was broken from his peace as he sensed a being approaching from behind him. He took a moment analyze the offender of his meditation, and found it too be one of the guardsman that watched over his dropship. He then found it to be one of his most trusted, Tabellus. More than likely, news had come about that was imperative for him to listen to. He concluded the importance once he felt the stress that peaked the Gryllian's normally composed mind.

"What news do you bring me, Tabellus?" The meditating Gryllian droned.

"I bring news of Kholo."

With that, the large Gryllian opened his eyes and looked across the field with tired eyes. His normally vibrant red orbs were dulled from wielding sorrow towards the subject of the news. Most rulers would have killed the messenger for bringing bad news, but Gryllians praised news that was good or bad. Knowledge was important, and was also power.

He felt a pang in his heart as he remembered his brother from the memory of a time long ago. Kholo, to him, was misguided and searched for something that didn't offer what he thought. Kholo sought salvation out of the Forerunners, of whom he had managed to build up a cult to worship and do whatever was possible to gain strength from the long lost civilization.

The Forerunners were an ancient and extraordinarily powerful race that existed eons ago. Their technology, seemingly impossible to destroy and frankly easy to use to create destruction, existed through the centuries unaffected by the corrosive process of time. Their weapons were capable of marring the faces of planets and causing stars to go a brilliant supernovae. Their faster-than-light slipstream travel was far advanced and allowed vessels to traverse the diameter of the galaxy within an hour or so. They constructed super-massive structures capable of wiping out life within the galaxy or harboring it.

The ancient race, a grand shadow of the past, seemed invulnerable. They controlled the entirety of the galaxy and its satellites with an iron fist that could be deemed as tyrannical, yet peaceful. But history told that no empire was indestructible.

The Flood, a parasitic race of unfathomable infectivity and power, existed and broke the grandiose Ecumene. It unnoticeably corrupted the Forerunner's government and rotted it from within. The Primordial, as one of the remaining Forerunner constructs he spoke with named it, managed to bend a powerful asset of the Forerunner's to its will and used it to cripple them with its overwhelming power.

Soon, as stories go, the Flood grew to power that could only be described as 'unrealistic.' They 'infested' the alternate dimension that was slipstream space, brought massive, far more ancient structures to life to crush planets and disable ships, and turn entire planets into one massive singular hive mind strategist.

All for the reason of revenge, so it seemed to Gryllisus. A long, thought out and calculated revenge. But, what for? Gryllisus did not know. The Forerunner constructs, so far, did not know the history prior to one million years ago. They only knew the gist of the Primordial's intent.

The Gryllian emperor rose up from the ground, stretched, and nodded to the courier. They left to the shuttle that rested several miles away in silence. After nearly half an hour's walk, the two reached the ovular vessel. They set off from Gryllisus' 'Fields of Meditation' and headed back to the capital city of Bimaculus, the capital world of the Gryllian Imperium, Primus.

"What news is there of Kholo, Tabellus." Gryllisus seated, raising his eyes upon the smaller courier.

"Kholo has been spotted on Glory, and appears to be on another search. He went as far as annihilating a Kobolian station and devastating a fleet."

"Attacking Kobolians? Do you know the intent? I do not remember any information of Colonials occupying that planet. Unless there is something they are hiding."

"No, this attack took place within the Stadol system. A known civilian world." Tabellus assured.

"A civilian world? Kholo's forces should have been completely annihilated by the orbital defenses!"

"According to the reports, the planet was under siege by Xenomorphic forces before Kholo's arrival. Reports also said that one of the Kobolian's operatives was captured."

Gryllisus nodded solemnly and peered out the viewing window, where he could see the great city of which they were quickly approaching. Primus was huge and rested between and upon two mountain ranges. There were huge platforms that scaled the sides of the mountains themselves, which held extended parts of the grand city. High above, also a part of Primus and also stretched around the world, were the great sky towers. They acted as atmospheric filters that kept pollution down to nearly nothing and doubled as aerial cities.

The great capital city held towering skyscrapers and great aerial pathways between buildings. Rail lines curved about the city and linked districts to districts. The transport weaved about around structures and threaded through the city. It then traveled underneath a bridge connecting the peaks of two huge skyscrapers and beheld a massive tower, wide at the base where there were other structures and railways. It then ran up similar to that of a pyramid and eventually tranformed into two pillars that ran up into the air until they bulged and merged once more at the peak.

The transport vessel hovered higher until it reached one of several platforms jutting out from the main pillar. The vehicle grounded itself and gravity locks held it in place as Gryllisus and his courier left for the main room. They boarded a gondola to travel to the central hub, and when they reached it they took through several more halls and eventually found themselves in a huge, atrium-like room. In the center laid a hovering holographic table that currently showed the Milky Way galaxy. Off to the sides, there were enormous windows that let in large amounts of the comforting sunlight. Above, chandeliers dangled and ribbons of light swirled and flexed around each crystal and stretched between each glamorous decoration. At the far end, there was a great desk with many holographic images and other pieces of décor.

They passed between two rows of intricately designed columns to reach the table and Gryllisus took the time to turn and view the busy city below before diverting his attentions to the beings surrounding the table awaiting him.

"Greetings brothers." Gryllisus nodded.

After a brief exchanging salutations, they settled down on hover chairs that came out from the base of the holographic table. They looked about as a smaller, holographic Gryllian appeared before them atop the surface of it. The entity was covered in ornate robes and clothing that hinted a great intellect about it. It acknowledged the council before him with a courteous nod.

This being was Superious, the Gryllian Imperium's finest discovery. It was a Forerunner AI that, rather than pledging its allegiance to Humanity, recognized the Gryllians worthy to be its caretakers. Its origins was from an artifact that was discovered on a Forerunner installation of a nearby world. However, despite the fact that it was a Forerunner ancilla of great power, it was amnesiac, unfortunately for the Gryllians. Though, may it have had lost much memory, it was still very powerful and was able recall some of the Forerunner era, especially the darkest times before the cleansing of the Flood.

"As most of you are aware, the traitor brethren known as Kholo has been discovered upon Glory." Superious stopped for a moment, anticipation building. "It is suspect that he is engaging in more hunts for Forerunner devices, and from what witnesses have stated, his behavior have become more erratic and dangerous."

Much chatter commenced, but Gryllisus remained silent. Hours earlier, he was remembering the very battle on that planet. Now, he was more than likely going to pay a visit to the place that was devoid of known life but so full of brutal history. Even now, old derelict ships orbited the planet and one of its wrecked moons was continuing to fall apart slowly in its orbit. Much of the surface of the planet were battle made scars now. That was primarily due to the magnetic accelerator siege cannons that were forced to destroy the Legio forces that swarmed it.

"How has Kholo placed his forces?" Gryllisus inquired, regaining his composure.

"Currently, he has vessels orbiting a station over its only intact moon. I presume that he has found something very important on the planet, or the moon. I would expect heavy anti-air emplacement where his search site would be." The ancilla responded.

"I suggest we send in a fleet and wipe them out. The execution would have to occur at close range, meaning we'll be going in headfirst. It'll be quick and deadly. Perhaps we'll stow our friends, the Colonials, along. Kholo has been badgering them as of late." Kronos noted.

Kronos was the closest friend of Gryllisus. They fought together for over a thousand years, ever since their escape of the Legio Mechanicae's biological research world, BEW-719. The memory of that world was capable of making all of the members of the Immortal Council shutter. From there on, Kronos remained to be Gryllisus's second-in-command, Supreme Lord of Admirals, and greatest friend.

"Kholo has done more than mere badgering. Earlier, Kholo had attacked a Colonial station not too long ago. They will want to come along. The plan that you suggest would be best followed. Kholo's Cult fleets are not as powerful, and they use older variants of our weaponry." Superious informed, following Krono's suggestion.

"Then that path we shall follow." One member accepted.

"And I as well." Another followed suit.

Soon, the suggestion was accepted and the threatening feelings of Kholo had diminished. Of course, Gryllisus himself was worried. Kholo never let himself out in the open like this. Usually, he kept to small skirmishes and acts of piracy. There was something important about that place and Gryllisus felt that he knew. His treacherous brother must have found a Forerunner artifact and this artifact had to have been powerful in some sense.