- soulguard
- |
- Exalted Mythic Member
Stage 14: Blood oath
Dorenth
22:03 October 24, 2552
Capital City of Jogrennilee
High Council chamber: Well of Honored Souls
The street lights flickered loosely in the night, as shadowy skyscrapers wailed in a gust of wind. The streets of Jogrennilee had never been so eerily quiet, as it was a city of bustling activity even at the latest hours of the night. Bonfires could be spotted throughout the city as corpses continued to burn. Tearful roars carried across the city as elite warriors mourned the deaths of their young and mates, while others pledged vengeance and spat upon the brute corpses.
A few jackals that were lucky enough to survive and hide after the attack failed, were quickly hunted down and torn to shreds by the enraged elites. Some of the jackals were imprisoned for information, but the jackals did not have any information worth sparing their lives. In one instance a jackal was taken out into the street, and in a barbaric display of chaos, it was beaten by a mob of angry females that had lost their young, and then ripped apart while it still lived. The elite warriors that policed the area knew that such an act was beneath them, but they allowed it to happen. When the angry mob had finished, the warriors cautiously ordered the females to their homes.
The signs were all around the council members, and they knew that order had to be reestablished otherwise the elite’s honorable society would return to the old days. The days when order was merely a word, discipline did not exist, and the strong ruled with fear. Within the elite council chamber, order and discipline had once again been established. City officials from all over the world had been called together to discuss future plans and the words of the Arbiter last transmission. Each side of the stadium sized building was filled with high ranking elite officials and the members of the high council.
“We must act without haste!” An official roared from his seat. Many of the elites applauded his outcry.
“How can we act without the words of the Arbiter?” Elder Vornaldea stated from the central podium. “He fights this war, which is now well beyond our reach. Our duty is to rebuild and prepare for another advance from the brutes. The Arbiter has told us his plans, and the council has agreed. Earth is where the war will end, not here.” The room grew quiet as whispers filled the room.
“How can the council condone this?” Came the cry of an official. “We have lost so much during the last twelve hours and you ask us to simply sit and wait? We won’t justice and revenge! Let us send a message to the brutes and those that ally with them, let us strike fear into their hearts! I say we attack!” A massive roar of approval waved throughout the crowd of officials, as the small band of elders loosely looked around in concern. The blood oaths taken by so many throughout the day had only fueled their wrath, only a dead brute corpse killed by their own hands would appease them. Things were not going well.
“We hear your words, brothers, but you must understand.” Vornaldea stated. The experienced elder had seen many battles and because of the death of elder Barremmee, the original head of the elite high council, he was now leading what was left of the high council. “Despite what you may want to believe, we have been severely weakened because of this betrayal. If we attack the brutes now, we will be defenseless on our home front. But this is also why our alliance with the grunts and hunters are of such importance now. Once we have strengthened our bonds to them, and rebuild the planetary defenses, then we shall seek the wisdom of the Arbiter and justly decide on our actions against the Covenant. We, the members of the high council, beg for you to have patience. According to law, only our military leader can grant permission to attack. And I am sure that the Arbiter will approve of this, but not until our defenses have been reestablished.” The crowd once again mumbled to themselves, and several nodding heads amongst the group seemed to show acceptance of the elder’s words. “Now I would like to welcome representatives of those we have wounded because of our shameful trust within the Covenant. We were fooled into hating the humans because of the prophet’s teachings, and we have always misused the grunts. For those of you who are not aware of this, the grunts are the reason we are here today, and the reason Jogrennilee did not fall.” Elder Vornaldea turned and waved to the two creatures at his side. Palab and Eric both stood and walked toward the elder. Neither wanted the spot light or praise, but they both knew that they represented their kin.
Every elite in the stadium bowed their head, and the high councilors all dropped to their knees in a humble display of forgiveness.
“Human.” Vornaldea spoke from his lowered position. “The Arbiter has gone to make peace with your kind. We have wronged your kin for far too long in this war. Your hatred for us must be severe, but yet you came to the aid of our brethren aboard the Life and Sacrifice. For this we thank you and welcome you to our world. You and your ship mates aboard will not want for anything while you are here.” Vornaldea stood to his feet and placed his hand upon Eric’s shoulder. “We had believed that our war with you was a holy cleansing and only now have we come to understand that this was all a lie taught to us by the prophets. We can only hope that your world leaders will approve of the Arbiter and join us in our quest to end the prophet’s goals.”
Eric heard the elite elder’s words and he clearly understood, but deep within him there was something yearning for him to grip a weapon and make one of the elites suffer. Eric did not have any ill feelings toward the elites, but he didn’t want the elites to think that forgiveness would be so easy to achieve. He wanted to show them that there was a very deep hatred within all of humanity, but such an act would only make him as barbaric as the brutes. He looked up at the elite elder and realized that he wanted him to speak, to say something to those that had just bowed to his feet. Eric approached the podium and looked across the crowd of elite faces. He then pondered if a possible ally or a temporary alliance would really work out. He was onboard the Life and Sacrifice for three days and witnessed countless scuffles between the humans and elites. Luckily there were no deaths, but surely there was great hatred. Eric had also fought an elite simply to gain respect amongst the crew of the Life and Sacrifice. Suddenly Eric realized what he had to do.
“I’m not going to bore you with some political bull.” Eric stated to the officials. “I’m not a diplomat, I’m a warrior. I only understand actions, and you have killed countless humans in what you believed to be the right thing. We fought for our survival while you attempted genocide on humanity. Humanity will not forgive you, no more then your warriors will accept us. But what I can say is that your society is built upon honor and strength. If my platoon wishes to gain your respect, then they must earn it. As their leader, I place myself in the position to gain that respect.” The crowd began to grow restless at the humans words. Admitting that they were wrong was one thing, but giving a human even more respect then he had already received was beyond comprehension.
Eric continued, “You say you welcome us to your world, and that your Arbiter has gone to make peace. I ask you, will you respect us? Will the honor of the elites allow you all to respect a species that you have defeated so easily in combat? You have beaten us back for thirty years, forcing us back into our home system, and now at the end, when we believe that all is lost, you come to us with an open hand. I have studied your society, your actions, your classes, and I know that you will not respect us. To you, we are no different then the grunts.”
Palab looked out at the crowd, knowing that Eric’s words were true. “You are a pride filled society, and even though you wronged us, you will only see yourselves as better then us, not equal. But who am I to change hundreds or thousands of years of elite history. What I say is to allow me to earn the respect for all of my kind. Regardless of what happens with the peace talks on Earth, let me be the representative that earns humanities approval.”
“Do you know what you are saying, sergeant?” Ship master Domadree stated from his seat. He sat beside Eric and Palab and was now pleading for him to accept what the council was saying. “The only thing that will give you this respect that you seek, is for you to take the trials.” Domadree barked, but softly enough that only a few elders heard him.
“Captain, let him speak.” Lieutenant Simyaldee stated from his seat behind Domadree. The Mirratord second grinned sharply as Eric looked back toward him. Simyaldee folded his arms and smiled. “He won’t be seeking the trials alone.” Palab then stepped forward, as if on cue from Simyaldee’s words.
“Me too wish to earn elite respect for me kind.” Palab stated as he stood at Eric’s side near the podium. The crowd seemed even more anxious at the little grunts words. “With respect come freedom to do as will. With respect come better opportunity for grunts. With human, we seek to take trials.” A roar of confusion and outcry erupted from the officials, but the elders new better then underestimate the grunt messiah.