A/N: First public go at writing; just to see reception; I'll probably(?) see this through regardless of the reviews to help me improve my style. However, I will see if I can rack my brain for more ideas and stuff if demand arises.

Also; Legal Stuff(Just in Case): The Cover and my Profile picture are screenshots from MCC; which I have customized myself, and as such I believe they fall under Derivative Works. Either way, none of this is being bought or sold.
Please don't sue.
Just send a message and I'll remove the offending material.

Edit: Tried improving the intro. Maybe its less jarring of a character description.

Reach

August 30, 2552

2000 Hours

Sierra Beta-312

The wind rustled my beaten and scarred armor. The Command Network Module hung somewhat loosely, the Hardened Up-link Module was flickering.
My 'Counter-assault' armor plate rattled against the Mjolnir. The Patrol scarf flapped with the wind, the cloth trying to escape its magnetic hold.

I looked over my armor. Couldn't hurt to do a status check.

The steel and blue color scheme was now more 'steel and ash with a slight hint of faded blue'. Most of the paint had been scratched or burned off during the last week or so.

FJ/Para shoulder and knee guards were cracked, pitted, and dented; yet still stayed stuck firmly on.
This prototype armor with its MK VI systems had saved my life, and ONI had let me keep it even now.

Noble team's dog tags dangled in the wind. I tucked them into the hardcase built into the extra armor plating. The soft-case wouldn't keep it safe.
The Trauma kit and my custom survival kit wavered back and forth, banging against my hip. Good to know its still there.

I knelt down to Emile's propped up body, and grabbed his kukri. I had already grabbed the dog tags when I first got here. The kukri went on my right shoulder, in honor of my brother in arms.

Kat's Magnum and Carter's DMR felt like they were burning holes in my armor. "I'm sorry..." I walked off.

The Covvies were going to be all over the place soon, and I didn't feel like making my last stand in some shitty shipyards.

Death. That's all that was left on Reach. Numbly stalking across the field for four hours after I dropped off the package. Hope it was worth it. Was it? Carter. Emile. Kat. Jorge. Jun? Not yet. Can't be; if it was; well…
"Wouldn't hafta hunt down his body to complete the collection…" I grimly joke; slightly chuckling at how I had almost forgotten Jun and how his dog tags rested in the hard-case with the rest of Noble. Coming across a small valley that would serve well, I started setting up the area. Too open? Slap down a few barricades. Move a few turrets here; a few there… Well, it might as well have been another Khe Sanh. As I continued to prepare myself for my final stand, I found a heavily damaged Pelican, which had miraculously avoided crashing, and had only suffered a rough landing. It seemed to still be space-worthy, so I dropped a point on my TacPad to remember to try falling back here. Trekking onwards, I stumbled across a compound, half-ruined by plasma.

"Perfect. It's time to get my shit over here, some cover's better than none."
Looking up, several Banshees pass overhead.
"Shit, gotta hurry."

After a little while of hauling a literal city block's worth of rubble and enough weapons to arm a UNSC Frigate while dodging Covenant patrols, I slipped into the ruined house, Emile's knife at the ready. Deciding to send out one last hurrah via broadcast, I sent out my final call, heavily encrypted but leaving my location wide open.

"Jun, if you an' the Doc ain't off planet yet, I'm redirecting the Covvie heat to me. I'll try and make my own way off-planet, so don't worry 'bout me. You still owe me those drinks for Algolis; Doc. Don't either of you die on me; Reach has enough bodies already. Six, signing off."

I sighed, making sure the defenses were ready. Dead Spartans and Marines were respectfully propped up against the walls, with their weapons propped up by them or slightly off to the side.
"Knowing my luck, I'll still trip over 'em…" I grumble, remembering what happened on Algolis. Readying an SRS-99 I found, I crouched down and took aim. Scrolling through my HUD, I managed to find my ancient music player's controls; selecting a classic rock song. The armor spat out its usual status message.

Playing:
"Dead Man Walking"
By "WAR*HALL"

"Damn things...Aim's never quite right whenever I fire these things…" I grumble as I line up my first shot with an Elite's head. The Elite's head exploded in a mist of purple as the Grunts ran for cover; with the song's notes beginning to swell. Redirecting my aim to a new target, I found a squad of Jackal snipers. I let free with my rifle, quickly running dry 3 mags as the Jackal squad went down. A Brute decided he had had enough and charged me; yelling all the while.

"Shit, I didn't sign up to be no matador!" I joked, swinging the sniper around as I emptied the mag, with all four bullets finally putting the brute down. The music began to reach a climax, rising and lowering in tone.
"Coulda swore I aimed for the head…"
Swapping mags, I noted it was my second to last mag.

"Better make it count...On second thought;" I said, curiously while ripping the scope off the SRS-99.
"How's this handle?" I asked myself as I flicked the rifle towards a squad of Elites charging me, pulling the trigger three times. My jaw dropped as the three shots tore through all 7 Elite's heads, creating a spray of purple blood.
"Seriously? That's the reason why? Goddammit." I gripe to myself while fighting off the encroaching Covenant forces. It was at that point I saw a large glob of blue plasma arc through the sky.

"A fuckin' Wraith, huh?! Bring it on!" I shouted as I fired my last round and tossed the sniper for a M45 shotgun. I began running for the Wraith, blasting my way through Covenant forces as Elites and Brutes tried to block me, Grunts and Jackals tried to nick me from afar, and other Grunts were just running. My shields flared at each shot, but I shrugged it all off and kept going. The Wraith came onto the scene, running over several of its own. The gunner opened fire, and my shields broke. Having enough, I tossed a plasma grenade right into the Wraith's plasma cannon and kicked off the front of the vehicle, giving the Grunt gunner a faceful of pellets. Dashing for my defenses, I picked up one of the turrets and fired until the magazine ran out; culling the enemies like a scythe to wheat. I picked up a Spartan Laser and aimed at a Phantom flitting about, trying to drop off troops. The weapon emitted a loud whine, then the ruby red laser flashed out; slamming into the drop-ship. The music faded into silence. Then, a sound.

A distinct noise, like normal plasma but heavier than usual. An unmistakable ignition noise.
Hunters. Elite.
Behind me.

Turning around, I roundhouse kick the Elite while leveling my charging Spartan Laser at the Hunters. One shot released, it punched through the left Hunter's plasma cannon. The Hunter exploded in flames and orange blood, coating my armor. The second one rushed me, but I shoved a plasma grenade into its chest, jumping back as it exploded.

More Elites swarmed me, intent on making sure I died. Hours passed by as I fought them off, my fortifications melted to slag and my weapons going dry one by one. The traps I set went off, until only one detonator remained. I had held up in the building, it being the only thing still left standing. As the Covenant forces swarmed my position, I fought my way to an exit, thumbing the detonator with the building right behind me. The explosion knocked me down, my shields failing then quickly recharging. My helmet's visor cracked and was about to shatter; and I found that my HUL had broken off. Not like I was going to need it for long.

Getting up, I ran into a squad of Elites.
"Still? Let me die in fucking peace; dammit!" I shouted, spraying them with my MA37 and Kat's Magnum. They rushed me one at a time, slowly knocking me to the ground and inevitably, one shoved its energy dagger into my chest.

My eyes drooped closed, with the Elite withdrawing its dagger and stepping away; my last sight was the Covenant cruiser above about to glass the area…