Chapter 1: Prologue: Darkness of Fallen Moon

I DO NOT OWN RWBY OR HALO CONTENT

For eons, we have nurtured and protected all life in the Galaxy. That was until our rivals, the Humans challenged our claim to the Mantle of Responsibility. Our foe was a hostile relentless one, ever invading, ever conquering, that was until the Didact took command.

Under the Didact's command, We were able to push back our foes only to learn it was too late. The damage we have caused was too late. By the end of the war, the Didact, with his infernal, accursed machine composed the species and devolved them to what I see myself now, a once proud species reduced to cavemen. A shame, but better than being exterminated, I suppose.

To think that these primitives challenged us and almost won the war while fighting an even more evil, vile, truly defiling enemy. The damage was done, the humans were punished with a lower, less advanced form of existence, all because they were trying to survive the coming flood that now threatened all life in this galaxy and other galaxies. The hubris, they claimed the Mantle of Responsibility for all life and all things, yet they couldn't subjugate our species. Now they paid a haughty price for their arrogance but little did we know about the Flood.

The Flood, an abomination to all living things. An ever growing hunger that threatened all things within the galaxy. It was the Humans that attempted to cleanse the galaxy of the infection. We thought of their actions as acts of aggression, when in reality, they were pruning away the infection. Now our greatest fear was realized, the flood had returned, and we were so woefully unprepared. We tried to resist the infestation with conventional means, through massive fleets, ground assaults, defensive lines and offensive lines. We were met with only defeat.

Two of the greatest authorities, the Didact and Master Builder came to the conclusion that we could not fight the flood conventionally, it would be like fighting a virus with military means. No, we had to think outside of the box.

There were two approaches our species took, the Halo Array and the Shield Worlds, sword and shield, to kill and protect. The Builders favored the Halo Array and managed to convince most, not all of the Life Workers to submit to the Builders and their Halos. I, a Life Worker, and the few followers I had, supported the Warriors, led by the Didact.

The Halos, a gross abomination machinery, designed to wipe all life from the face of the galaxy, all in order to stop the flood. It was our way of upholding the Mantle by saving the species from a fate worse than death. Even by receding from history, giving the galaxy a fresh start, reseeding species, this was a horrid stain on our species, this was not upholding and nurturing the galaxy, this was a galactic genocide on an unimaginable scale.

The Shield World, fortified, impenetrable fortresses scattered throughout the galaxy used to outlast the Flood, to launch coordinated attacks while being a haven for those inside. This seemed more in tune with our Mantle, we still preserved life while combating our mortal enemy. However, the Didact had lost the political battle and lost influence among the Ecumene. When we had left for the Unknown, we had heard rumors that the Builders continued to build their Halo array

I joined forces with the Didact, lending my biological expertise to aiding the Warrior-Servants of the Ecumene. Little progress was made when the infestation was first encountered. Upon hearing this news, the Didact had summoned me. He had ordered me take a Seed ship with a sample of humans and go out into distant space, outside of Forerunner Territory.

I was given one task, to find a way to combat the growing threat of the parasite. Our trip was to be done in complete secrecy, no records were made, and all records regarding myself and my followers were to be erased from all systems, including the Domain. We had ceased to exist, all for the salvation of our species.

We made our journey far out of Forerunner space in a Key Ship. Armed with samples of humans and flood and other living specimens, we made our way into the unknown, where we stumbled upon a planet similar to the Human home world. We came across a strange oddity, the celestial body orbiting the planet had fragmented into a great many pieces. The cause has yet to be determined. Seeing this, I have cast away my old name and adopted a new name befitting of this new life, I had renamed myself Darkness of Fallen Moon.

It was a lush planet, and once seeded with flora and fauna that were familiar to humans, we began our task in earnest.

My people have decided to classify the planet as N-35, but I have decided to give it a more personal touch, Remnant. For it was we, the remnant of the Forerunners, who breathed life into the planet, although not out of generosity, more necessity.

We established many research stations and bases on the planet, established four major walled human communities. These communities were to be used to protect the humans from potential outbreaks while also able to keep a watchful eye on them.

As the centuries went on, we were no closer to finding the cure. We had tested on flora and fauna, hoping to discover something, anything. Nothing. We developed new elements to combat the infection to no avail. This dust-like material was excellent in destroying Flood combat spores, but it did little in actually combating the D.N.A of the creatures. We tried to crack the Flood D.N.A to no avail.

So I lent my expertise, we were looking at the wrong source.

Maybe if we couldn't kill the flood, maybe we could pacify them. We delved into human and flood D.N.A. seeing if we could somehow place human D.N.A within in the Flood, it was only consumed and replicated into more Flood D.N.A. We tried to create different species within humanity to see if they were resistant, they weren't. These new subspecies, however, were far more superior to ordinary humans with heightened senses and appendages, yet we have seemed to cause slight turmoil between these new breeds and the ordinary base human population.

That's when we started to delve into dangerous territory. We tried bioengineering different organisms. We tried to create life specifically designed to combat the Flood to no avail. Out of the centuries. We knew the lines we were crossing. We knew we were violating every piece of the Mantle, but it was for the greater good. Testing on humans and other forms of life violated the very core of the Mantle, respect all life, and yet it was for nothing.

We thought we had made progress with the one species we had created. We had melded some of the local *DATA CORRUPTION*. Initial results varied, but we think we have created something that could be used to combat the flood.

*DATE CORRUPTION*

They, however, were had one similarity to the Flood, that must have been encoded into the D.N.A. the outright hostility towards sentient beings.

Progress was made but not complete.

*DATA CORRUPTION*

We had one last desperate gamble. We knew the flood operated off a hive mind. If there was one opportunity, it had to be within the connection between a Gravemind and its various forms. We were on the brink of having a method of combating the Flood until the gates of Hell opened up.

The *DATA CORRUPTION* had managed to escape a facility, killing all researchers. The population grew and grew until when we found out about the breach, it was too late for containment. The humans were safe within their walls, however, we were not. We placed too much reliance on Sentinels, and we paid a dear price for it. Many of us were cut down and consumed by our created.

Little could be done to quell the infestation. Even with the aid of Sentinels, we tried to hold them off, to little avail. These hybrids are vile things, a stain on our legacy. The Didact would look upon this venture as a failure.

*DATA CORRUPTION*

I am the last of my kind on this planet. My sins are unforgivable, I have created something worse than the Flood, something that violates the Mantle more so than the Flood, yet I am given one last opportunity to save my people. Think of my actions as you will, but I did it for my people, I did it for the Mantle….' *END OF RECORDING* Last record of Darkness of Fallen Moon

A/N

Alright guys I wanted to set some things up differently. The whole purpose of this chapter (if you can even it that) is to explain some of the ancient lore of Halo. Do I count this as the first chapter? Meh, more of a prologue if anything. As for Data corruption, yes I wrote them in… however, I don't want to reveal anything just yet xD.

Anywho please leave a follow, review, fav or pm. Give me your opinions people, I wanna hear what you think. I know there isn't a whole lot to go off of yet, but this felt a lot better to write than before…. Regardless I love to hear from my readers, so please don't hesitate to leave a review, it means much more than you think.

P.S. No matter how much I go over this, I am bond to not find some mistakes. I try to triple check, but even still, I miss things. I do my best, though.

Anyway, next chapter will be the actual beginning of the story!

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.