- Bartoneye93
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- Noble Legendary Member
Yeah. I'm back. Whatcha gonna do about it?
Chapter Six: Execution
Thel awoke on the hard, metallic floor of Vadam Keep's dungeon to see the same thing he's seen his entire captivity. Blue, slightly humming energy wall, purplish-pink metallic walls, floor and ceiling, and Rtas still trying to re-assure him that they would escape, his honor would not allow other-wise. But Thel knew the truth, he knew the horrible unmistakable truth; Thel 'Vadamee of the great Vadam keep was to be executed on his own courtyard. Today was the day the first Arbiter would die on his own lands, by his own people, as a traitor to his kind. Thel knew that his death would go down in sanghelios records; he'd be remembered as a villain and not a hero. Within moments, the quiet patter-patter of unggoy feet sidling over to his cell, followed by the heavier sounds of a large sangheili, probably an honor guard, became audible in the somber room of the dungeons. As the unggoy deactivated the containment shield, Thel looked into the Honor Guards face. There was no anger, no hatred, not even fear. There was only pity on the sangheili's face, and compassion, and sorrow. Though the Honor Guard obviously felt these emotions for the arbiter, there was no emotion in his voice as he spoke the bone-chilling words. "It is time, Arbiter. You have shamed the Covenant and the Holy Prophet has declared you a traitor. Come, your execution is nigh." Thel holds out his arms as the unggoy inch slowly forward trying not to touch the intimidating creature before them, binding him in similar cuffs to the ones he wore when branded by the ruthless jiralhanae Tartarus, as ordered by the prophets before being deemed Arbiter. Thel is lead down the walk of the doomed, knowing that his impending death lay at the end of his path.
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Rtas watched as his ally, his brother, the very sangheili he had built an honor-bond with, was taken from his cell, cuffed, and lead out of the dungeon. The Shipmaster could do no more but pound on the impenetrable force field in front of him, creating a concussion across the barrier and blue flashes of light with each smash of his fist. Rtas screamed in rage as this great war hero of Sanghelios was being lead to his death in the very courtyard the two had learned to sword-fight and hone their abilities. As Rtas was about to turn his back and move deeper into his cell, a loud banging came from over head, then the sound of slicing metal. Rtas moved back to his force shield to get a good look at what was happening about. A very loud electronic hum resounded from above, the force shield between the ceiling and the floor above was deactivated, what was going on? Sparks erupted from the ceiling and small chunks of metal began to be chipped away, someone was coming through, but this was impossible. The dungeons of Vadam Keep were impenetrable, let alone through the ceiling! However, Rtas watched, as did Usze and N'tho in their chambers across from the Shipmaster. A bright bluish green light erupted from the growing hole causing a chunk of ceiling to crash on the floor with a resounding thud; Rtas squinted to see who the visitors were as four figures around five feet tall lowered themselves into the dungeons, supported by a rope and pulley system of some form.
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Thel averted his gaze from the surrounding audience, ashamed that they should see their once-great hero in this state; never to be recorded as a hero, but as a traitor and prisoner. Thel was the very first Arbiter to be imprisoned and executed as a traitor to his people. History would not be kind with his name or his status. His family would be shamed and dethroned from all of Vadam. His own country would fall under the leadership of another family, or fall to the might of a neighboring nation. Either way, Thel knew that the ending of his life was nigh, as well as the end of the family of Vadam as a family of high status. In the distance, Thel could see Hate upon his chair, glaring, practically foaming at the mouth, at the sangheili who had killed Truth, Regret, Mercy he would be slain and dishonored here in the courtyard of his own family, for his whole race to witness. Thel watched as a large jiralhanae, the one known as Pragarus, wielded a large metallic staff. Pragarus slammed the staff onto the metallic stage he stood upon which activated dual curved blades on one end, similar to axes used by human executioners, Thel reflected, and wielded his weapon with both hands, roaring above the crowd so the Arbiter would recognize his already bespoken doom.
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As the dust settled, and the sound of metal crashing upon metal resonated and was gone, the sight before his eyes awed Rtas. Four human Special Operations soldiers, commonly known as the human ODST, stood in the center of the room. One of which held a special saw with energy-weapon teeth built into the chain of the device. As the ODSTs disconnected the zip lines attached at their belts, the one with a red stripe across his arm ordered the others to deactivate the containment shields. After which, Rtas addressed the leader directly.
"Human, your kind has shown great loyalty and un-surpassed honor this day. You have come in an attempt to rescue the Arbiter, am I not correct?" Rtas takes the proffered weapon, a Plasma Rifle, from the sergeant, Usze and N'tho do similarly with their corresponding rescuers.
"Yeah, that's the plan. Where is he, we couldn't see him outside the structure, and he's sure as hell not in here." The sergeant swaps out his silenced M7 for the silenced BR55 hung on his back.
Rtas nods at the ODST sergeant, "The Arbiter is being lead to his execution. Come, human, make haste if we are to rescue him." Rtas leads Usze and N'tho out the door, the four ODST all wield their silenced BR55s and follow the four sangheili.
Down the corridor leading from the Dungeon are two Honor Guard soldiers with their backs to the containment cells. The ODSTs take point, quickly dispatching the two enemies with their combined attack. Two lifeless Elites sink to the floor, lances falling to the ground with a dull metallic thud. The group of insurgents moves farther down the hallway, finding an exit out to the courtyard. There are four jiralhanae standing there, who all turn towards their new play-things smiling devilishly. It's the Sangheili's turn. Focusing all their fire upon the same Brute, the three sangheili pick them off one-by-one, leaving the smell of charred flesh as the cooked bodies begin to cool.
"We must make haste," Rtas orders, "We haven't much time for more of these conflicts; the Arbiter will have died at any moment if we tarry here much longer!"
The group of seven rush down the remaining several feet of the corridor, out into the bright light of the three suns of Sanghelios. The sight they witness is one of sorrow, defeat, hatred, and failure the Arbiter is being stripped of his armor, publically de-ranked and treated as a heretic. The Prophet moves forward inscribing with a small energy dagger Forerunner runes of hatred and anger into Thel's skin, fresh purple blood flowing from the wounds. Thel is forced by his energy-bonds to kneel before a small pedestal and places his head across the metallic stand. The large Brute Pragarus stands beside Thel 'Vadam, slightly grinning as he prepares his death-blow. Pragarus lifts the large energy-weapon above Thel's neck, everything seeming to go in slow motion. Rtas bellows a scream of anger and rage, trying to charge forth, but is held back by Usze and N'tho, who are saddened by the sight, but do not wish to die. Thel turns his head slightly so that he may watch his comrades' hurting faces and tortured looks, how ironic when he is the one being executed, for them to be tortured. As Pragarus lifts the axe again, taking steady aim, Thel stares at the human Special Operations soldiers standing with his own brothers, and for the first time witnessed by a human, a single tear drops from the former Arbiter's eye. As the axe flies downwards upon the Arbiter, the sounds of thin skin slicing, bones cracking, and cartilage tearing, Rtas lets out another bellow of anger and hatred, this time tinged with pain. Knowing that their mission was a failure, the ODSTs provide cover for the Elites as they make their way back inside, Hate's Honor Guard now making a straight line for the mixed group of sangheili and human soldiers.
[Edited on 07.06.2009 10:16 AM PDT]