Atriox stood at the center of the command room, his massive frame looming over his forces as they prepared for the assault on the UNSC Autumn. His voice echoed through the chamber, dripping with menace and anticipation.

"The so-called UNSC... petty and weak. The Banished will tear this ship apart, and I will revel in watching every shred of it burn. But if they dare to defy me? They will pay dearly for their insolence."

Just as Atriox prepared to launch his attack, the air around him shimmered. One by one, his soldiers began to vanish into rifts, pulled away from the command room without warning. Atriox's grandiose speech faltered as confusion turned to rage.

"What is this? Where are my warriors?" Atriox bellowed, his fists clenched.

From one of the rifts, Agent Jonesy peeked out with a mischievous grin. He taunted Atriox with playful sarcasm. "Hey, big guy! Looks like your friends are taking an unexpected vacation!"

Seething with anger, Atriox charged toward the rift, determined to crush the insolent intruder. He stormed through the tear in space, emerging into the vast hangar of the UNSC Autumn. The hangar was alive with the buzz of Marines and personnel, all staring in anticipation of the imminent battle.

Master Chief, Arbiter, and The Foundation stood ready, watching as Atriox, his eyes burning with fury, locked onto them.

"You dare to defy me here?" Atriox's voice echoed through the hangar. "You will regret bringing me to this place!"

Master Chief, ever stoic, barely flinched. "I didn't bring you here."

Arbiter stepped forward, his energy sword ignited. "You overestimate your power, Atriox. This is not your victory to claim."

Seeing Arbiter standing alongside Master Chief, Atriox's rage flared even brighter. "You! Even the Arbiter has turned against me! To think I trusted one of your kind!"

With a roar, Atriox swung his massive gravity mace, sending the nearby Marines scattering. His sheer presence created chaos as the Marines were forced to retreat, giving Atriox more room to fight.

"If any of you pests interfere," Atriox warned, "I will not hesitate to kill all of you!"

From within Master Chief's visor, Cortana's voice rang out, calm and steady. "Chief, I've got your six. You're not alone in this."

Master Chief remained calm, his voice unshaken. "Be ready."

Atriox charged, his hammer sweeping through the air with a thunderous crack. Master Chief dodged just in time, his reflexes sharp from countless battles. Drawing his energy sword, he readied himself for the coming onslaught.

Arbiter leapt into the fray, his own energy sword humming with power as it clashed against Atriox's hammer. The hangar was alive with the sound of energy crackling and metal clashing as the two warriors exchanged brutal blows.

Beside them, The Foundation stood resolute. With a dramatic flourish, he unsheathed the Infinity Blade, its energy humming with untold power. Jonesy, watching from the sidelines, gaped in astonishment.

"Is that the Infinity Blade?" Jonesy exclaimed, eyes wide. "How did you get that?"

The Foundation, focused on the battle ahead, simply replied, "I have my ways."

Without hesitation, The Foundation charged, wielding the Infinity Blade with precision and power. The blade crackled with energy as it met Atriox's hammer. Atriox, momentarily caught off guard by the new weapon, roared in frustration.

Master Chief and Arbiter moved in unison, attempting to flank Atriox, but the warlord was no fool. Spotting Arbiter first, Atriox delivered a punishing blow, sending him crashing back with a devastating punch. Swinging his hammer wildly, he knocked Master Chief off his feet with the sheer force of the strike.

Now focused on The Foundation, Atriox swung his hammer again. The Foundation deflected the blow with the Infinity Blade, the collision creating a shockwave of electricity and thunderous sound. The two warriors clashed, their weapons creating sparks with each impact.

Regaining his footing, Master Chief rushed to Arbiter's side, helping him up. Together, they regrouped with The Foundation, once again facing the towering warlord.

"You think that oversized knife will stop me?" Atriox sneered, his voice filled with disdain. "I've faced weapons and warriors far more fearsome than you. Your blade might cut through lesser foes, but against me, it's just another tool."

With a smirk, Atriox raised his gravity mace high and slammed it into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent the Marines sprawling and momentarily disoriented the trio.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Atriox moved swiftly, using his immense strength to hurl debris and large crates in The Foundation's path, forcing him to navigate around the obstacles. Meanwhile, Atriox advanced on Arbiter, forcing him into close-quarters combat. Each of Arbiter's energy sword strikes was met with Atriox's hammer, the two locked in a deadly dance of skill and power.

With a sudden, devastating blow, Atriox sent Arbiter crashing into the wall, leaving him momentarily stunned. Cortana's voice crackled through Master Chief's visor, urgency laced in her tone.

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"Chief! He's going to kill Arbiter!"

Master Chief charged, firing his assault rifle to keep Atriox from delivering the final blow. Atriox, enraged, hurled debris toward Chief, forcing him into cover. The two clashed in brutal hand-to-hand combat, Atriox using his gravity mace to create shockwaves that destabilized Chief's footing.

With sheer brute strength, Atriox hurled Master Chief into a stack of crates, leaving him momentarily dazed. But before Atriox could strike again, The Foundation reentered the fray, the Infinity Blade crackling with renewed energy.

The two warriors met head-on, their weapons clashing with devastating force. Sparks flew with each impact as Atriox's raw power matched The Foundation's precision. But Atriox, ever the tactician, feinted a blow, causing The Foundation to overcommit. Seizing the opportunity, Atriox delivered a crushing upward swing with his mace, disarming The Foundation and sending the Infinity Blade skittering across the floor.

With a final, brutal strike, Atriox brought his gravity mace down, stunning The Foundation. The hangar fell silent as Atriox stood victorious, towering over his fallen foes. Marines watched from the sidelines, their expressions a mix of awe and fear.

Atriox looked down at the trio with satisfaction and disdain, his victory cemented for the moment. The battle was not yet over—but for now, the Banished warlord stood supreme.

Atriox stood tall amidst the chaos, his voice echoing with raw power. "Is this the best your forces can muster? Legends in their own right, yet they fall before my might. Let this be a lesson to all who dare oppose me. I am Atriox, and none shall stand in my way!" His laughter reverberated through the battlefield as he gloated over his apparent victory.

But his enemies weren't done yet. Though battered and bruised, Master Chief, Arbiter, and The Foundation began to recover, formulating a plan.

"Chief, you need to get up!" Cortana's voice rang in Master Chief's helmet, her urgency palpable. "We're not finished yet. They need you!"

Groaning, Master Chief forced himself to his feet, his body aching from Atriox's devastating blows. He regrouped with Arbiter and The Foundation, each of them still standing but visibly worn from the brutal fight.

Arbiter, struggling to steady himself, used his energy sword to rise, his gaze locking with Master Chief's. There was no need for words—their determination to fight burned brighter than ever.

"He's trying to isolate us," The Foundation observed, his sharp eyes scanning Atriox's movements.

Arbiter, ever the strategist, nodded grimly. "Demon, find something to distract him. I'll strike from behind using my camouflage."

The Foundation, having been disarmed earlier, focused on retrieving the Infinity Blade, which had skittered across the floor in the chaos. He mentally prepared himself for the task ahead, knowing that timing and coordination would be crucial.

"I need to retrieve the sword," The Foundation said urgently. "It's the only thing that can defeat him."

Arbiter remained calm despite the weight of the situation. "We'll hold him off as best we can. Timing is everything. Now focus—we have a battle to win."

Atriox, towering over them, sneered. "You just don't know when to stay down, do you? Pathetic. Your resilience is admirable, but it will only prolong your suffering. Come, face me again and meet your inevitable defeat!"

"Chief," Cortana's voice cut in through the visor, her tone sharp, "Use flashbangs. It will buy you and Arbiter some time and slow Atriox down, giving The Foundation a chance to retrieve the sword."

Master Chief's voice remained calm, almost too calm for the storm raging around him. "Let's finish this."

With that, Master Chief launched a flashbang grenade. The device erupted in a blinding flash of light, causing Atriox to roar in frustration, shielding his eyes.

"You insolent fool!" Atriox bellowed, momentarily blinded.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Master Chief opened fire with his assault rifle, keeping Atriox's attention focused on him. Meanwhile, Arbiter engaged his active camouflage, moving stealthily behind the Brute. As soon as he was in position, Arbiter decloaked and delivered a precise, disabling slash to Atriox's legs with his energy sword, aiming to hinder his massive opponent's mobility.

The Foundation seized the opportunity, sprinting toward the Infinity Blade. With renewed vigor, he picked up the weapon and charged at Atriox, delivering a series of powerful, calculated strikes. However, Atriox's brute strength allowed him to deflect each blow with his gravity mace, growling as he weathered the relentless assault.

Arbiter's voice broke through the tension. "Demon! Whatever you used to blind Atriox, use it again! We need to stay mobile, keep him guessing!"

Cortana chimed in, backing up Arbiter's plan. "He's right, Chief. Another flashbang will give Arbiter another opening to strike."

The Foundation, eyes still on Atriox, asked, "Do you think this strategy will hold against him?"

Master Chief's voice remained steady. "We'll make it work."

Master Chief hurled his last flashbang, disorienting Atriox once more. Temporarily blinded and swinging his mace wildly, Atriox was vulnerable. Arbiter took the opportunity to decloak and deliver a series of precise strikes to Atriox's legs and lower back, targeting weak points to further weaken the Brute.

The Foundation, gripping the Infinity Blade tightly, leapt forward from a vantage point, delivering powerful, non-lethal blows aimed at disarming Atriox. He and Arbiter worked in tandem, coordinating their attacks, targeting the haft of Atriox's gravity mace, seeking to break or damage the weapon.

With his mace compromised, Atriox relied on his brute strength alone. The trio maintained constant movement, never allowing Atriox to pin them down. Master Chief provided covering fire, forcing Atriox to divide his attention between his attackers.

Finally, with a powerful, sweeping strike of the Infinity Blade, The Foundation knocked Atriox to his knees. Arbiter, moving quickly, used his energy sword to disable Atriox's armor systems, further reducing his mobility.

Master Chief approached cautiously, delivering a final, calculated strike with his sidearm. He aimed for a non-lethal but incapacitating point, striking Atriox's lower spine. The trio worked together to bind the giant Brute with reinforced restraints designed to hold a Jiralhanae of Atriox's immense strength.

Victory was within their grasp, but then, a sudden, unnatural rift tore open behind Atriox. The Brute, recognizing the same type of rift that had brought him here, let out a final roar of defiance. Summoning all his remaining strength, Atriox surged against the trio, throwing them off balance. Freed from his restraints, he made a break for the rift.

Captain Keyes, watching from a distance, saw Atriox's escape and shouted, "Marines! He's attempting to escape—stop him at all costs!"

A hail of gunfire erupted as the Marines opened fire. Bullets ricocheted off Atriox's damaged armor, but it was too late. The Brute leapt through the rift, disappearing into the unknown as it sealed shut behind him.

The Foundation's voice was stern and urgent. "Jonesy, did you open a portal?"

Jonesy shook his head, his concern evident. "No, I didn't. It wasn't me!"

The Foundation frowned, his mind racing. If neither of them had opened the rift, then something—or someone—else had. His eyes narrowed, and a sinking realization hit him.

"This can't be good," he muttered darkly, the implications weighing heavily on him as the battlefield fell silent once more.