The Gallery
This topic has moved here: Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic (Chapter 5 up)
  • Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic (Chapter 5 up)
Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic (Chapter 5 up)

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

This is my first proper attempt at a Halo fanfiction, although I have been writing in other respects for some time now. I wanted to explore the Brutes a bit more and the rivalry between them and the Elites, not to mention further species in later chapters.

I plan to make this rather a grand story, spanning from the point of the Covenant changing of the guard to at least the end of Halo 2, with some different perspectives on it and most likely some cameos and interlinking plots from the original storyling.

This first chapter is essentially introductory, introducing the characters, context and events and will lead into a much more interesting second chapter when I get around to it.

There are also some subtleties to the characters and such within this fiction that pertain to the plot and inform the tone and metaphors for the piece; if you wish to look for them, they are there.

Anyway, hope someone enjoys this, it would be great to get some feedback!


High Charity, Covenant Holy City

The Sanctum of the Hierarchs was a abuzz with growls of rage and discontent. The Brutes were systematically and aggressively stripping each Sangheili Honour Guard of his ceremonial armour and claiming it for themselves, a prize for their treachery.

Vita 'Sigurdee looked on in disgust and disbelief. What were the prophets thinking replacing the finest Sangheili warriors with these cretinous abominations? He retained his armour, the armour of the Light of Sanghelios and he would give it up to no fowl Brute. He spat at the ground as the atrocity continued, picturing Tartarus, Chieftan of these primitives standing in its place.

Many of the Honour Guards would not give up their garb so easily and several fights were breaking out; but one in particular caught his eye. A Sangheili refused to remove his armour and readied himself against two Brutes, who were hissing and growling through their massive canines.

'This shouldn't be much of a challenge for the Sangheili' Vita mused as the two aggressors descended on his comrade.

With a swift flick of his ornate pike the Sangheili had downed the first Brute, angering the second. He pounced on the Honour Guard and began pelting him with his massive fists. Just as Vita was about to step in, something unprecedented happened, from behind the raging Brute, a much larger one came upon the scene. He grabbed the animal off the Sangheili and tossed him across the room, snarling as he did so.

Looking back at the Sangheili on the ground, sprawling to his feet, his face became oddly calm.

"Are you injured Sangheili?" The intimidating creature inquired.
The Sangheili gritted its teeth and barked back "Filthy beast, I did not request your help, I'd rather die!"
The Jiralhanae smirked. He turned to the rest of the scene unfolding in the Sanctum and his expression turned to a grimace, he looked just as disgusted as Vita. As Vita inspected this strangely sympathetic Jiralhanae closer, he realised who he was looking at; Thanatos.

This explained everything.

Thanatos was the only Jiralhanae Vita had managed to form a bond with. He was far more than a 'Brute' and denounced the nickname that many Jiralhanae had taken on with pride after hearing it from the Humans in battle. It wasn't so much the meaning of the word they liked, but the fear in the voices of Humans whenever it was uttered. Thanatos did not think like that, he was different.

He prided himself on his intellect, his strategic nature, rather than his brute strength; despite his large size. He had learned the language of the Sangheili and the Humans and even attempted the mysterious clicks and squeals of the Huragok, although with little success. Mgalekgolo respected the Jiralhanae like no other and even many Sangheili grew to appreciate that he was more than he seemed.

He looked older now, which shouldn't have surprised Vita as it had been some time since they last had spoken; but the grey wisps through his fur still looked out of place on what he remembered as a youthful warrior. The Jiralhanae had spotted Vita and was striding over, long graceful steps that further separated him from his near-ungainly counterparts.

With a wry smile and an uncharacteristic grunt, Thanatos outstretched his hand to Vita, who responded with a forceful single shake.

"Good to see you my brother" Thanatos said humbly, still somewhat distracted by the fisticuffs in the background.

"As it is to see you Thanatos" Vita replied. If any other Brute had the nerve to refer to Vita as 'brother' a term Sangheili reserved for each other, he would have plunged his Energy Sword into their hairy hide. This was how much he respected this Jiralhanae. "It has been a long time and I fear it could be the last, this changing of the guard will surely be the end of any chance for peace amongst our species" Vita sighed and momentarily shifted his gaze to watch a Sangheili toss his Honour Guard helmet into the skull of a Brute, knocking it down and spurting its blood across the pristine purple of the Sanctum's wall.

"I hope you are wrong Vita, the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili have much to offer one another, as you and I have discovered over the years. We have made a good team and your willingness to fight alongside me has shown my Jiralhanae squadron that the Sangheili are worthy of immense respect."

"I thank you for your kind words my brother, but I am afraid the majority will always despise each other and this decision by the Prophet of Truth has only further segregated the two species." Just as he finished his sentence, as if to prove his point, a Brute tackled the Sangheili and plunged him into the curvature of a nearby podium.

He looked into the eyes of his attacker, it was Iapetos, a particularly vicious Brute who had pronounced his distaste for Vita before. He raised a hairy fist, but Vita kicked him off before he could slam it down. The Brute landed with a thud on his back, but was back up as quickly as he was put down.

"Give up your armour Vita! You are no longer worthy of it!" Iapetos growled, both fists clenched.
"I would sooner give it to an Unggoy than you Iapetos" Vita retorted, with as much disdain as he could muster.

Before the two could return to their fight, Thanatos had stepped in, glaring at Iapetos.
"You shall not harm this Sangheili Iapetos and your disrespect for a higher ranking officer of the Covenant shall see that you are stripped back to Minor if you do not get out of my sight."

Iapetos made a slow, rumbling growl "Why do you defend this vermin Thanatos? Have you gone soft in your old age?"

The elder Jiralhanae snarled and clubbed Iapetos to the ground. He did not get up. Without turning to face Vita, Thanatos spoke "I think it would be best if you removed your armour my friend, it will only make you a target for my less... agreeable brethren."

Vita had to restrain himself from screaming at Thanatos, but he knew he was right. Thanatos refused to face Vita as he removed his ornate headdress and shimmering orange armour plating. He dropped them to the ground with a clunk, catching a reflection of himself in the podium that had caused his earlier discomfort; he felt naked. The pearl-white armour of an Ultra class was all that remained on him and despite its symbolic power and the reverence that accompanied it, he would never respect that reflection again.

"It is done Thanatos, your filthy brother Iapetos is welcome to it now."
Thanatos turned to face him, dropping his gaze to his feet and then back to the Sangheili he respected so much.

"I am sorry Vita. I wish there was another way. Now come, we must talk; I have important news for you my friend."

Vita followed Thanatos as they exited the Sanctum, he took a final look back at the closest thing he had, had to a home, to a purpose, since the loss of his squad to the Demon. It no longer felt awe-inspiring, the majesty was gone; it felt dirty and tarnished by the chaos of the day, by the guttural snarls of the Brutes and by the deceit of that arrogant old fool; Truth, how aptly ironic a name for such a vilely dishonest creature.

The hum of the chamber's door and flash of its purple lights signalled a new chapter in Vita 'Sigurd's life and he would face it with honour and pride, with an unlikely brother at his side.

[Edited on 09.15.2011 3:07 AM PDT]

  • 09.08.2011 4:03 AM PDT
Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

With the great interest already displayed in this piece, I have written chapter two! Haha. I figured I may as well upload this despite the lack of interest, since I am enjoying writing it.

Lots of dialogue here, with the intention to build Thanatos' character, whether that intention was realised or not I'm not sure.

Chapter 2 The True Demon

Vita continued down the long hallway behind Thanatos, his hoofed feet clomping on the grey steel floor. He had been staring at the large Jiralhanae's back for several minutes now and had only now noticed a large scar that arced across his right shoulder blade. The mark looked consistent with many other wounds he had seen in the field, wounds from Human fragmentation grenades.

He increased his pace and met Thanatos on his right side.

"That scar on your shoulder Thanatos, how did you come by it?" Vita probed.

The Jiralhanae glanced at Vita and then returned his gaze forward before he answered "The Demon".

No two words had ever made Vita's spine crawl more than those. His mandibles clicked together as he opened and closed his mouth, attempting to find the words to respond with. He reached out a hand and pressed it to Thanatos' chest, halting him. He stopped and turned to the startled Sangheli.

"You have encountered The Demon?" Vita finally said, fighting the tremble in his voice.

"Yes brother. Only once and I do not wish to do it again."

"So the stories are true? Is it truly as powerful as we have been told?" Vita wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer to that question. His only encounter with The Demon was finding his squadron slaughtered at its hand.

"He is a cunning and powerful warrior my friend. Come, I will tell you more when we arrive at my quarters."

The next few minutes were tense, Vita said nothing, but had increased his pace twofold in order to get to the Jiralhanae's quarters without distraction.

The door hummed and whirred, its three sections splitting into their cavities on the pair's approach. Thanatos entered first. He removed the large bandoleer of spike grenades from his chest, lifted it over his head and rested it on a nearby table. Tossing his Spike Rifle on the table as well, he sat next to it, in a large violet, metallic armchair and beckoned Vita to sit across from him. Vita sat, his weight pressed forward on the chair, his hands clasped, eyeing his friend intently.

The door buzzed and hummed once more and its three metallic sections clanged shut. Thanatos took note of this and leaned in to address Vita.

"So you want to know of the Demon?" He put this to Vita sincerely, as if there was reason not to know.

"Of course old friend, please, tell me"

"As you wish. I was on a reconnaissance mission with a squadron charged with protecting the area around the location of the High Prophet of Regret's sermon. We were a mixed group of Jiralhanae Minors, many Unggoy escorted us and Kig-Yar were following on an adjacent path with Beam Rifles. Then there was myself, the only Major of the group and my Chieftain; Proteus. We had been told of a Human resistance in the area that had been spotted near some Forerunner ruins." Thanatos sighed and looked away from Vita.

"Please my brother, continue" Vita spurred him on.

"We watched from a hilltop as the Humans prepared armaments, gathering weapons and loading up their vehicles with cargo. They were the usual camouflaged 'Marines' we have been fighting for decades, with several of the black-armoured soldiers preparing larger weaponry." Another sigh from Thanatos and another brief pause that felt like a thousand years to Vita.

"The Chieftain was convinced we could handle this force on our own and refused to wait for reinforcements. This rash judgement decided my squadron's fate. We signalled the Kig-Yar to start picking up targets and soon, purple jets of light were soaring through the Humans, who were completely unaware of our presence. We sent the Unggoy in next, who charged in, mindless but tenacious. We were starting to pick off targets, lessoning their numbers, we were winning. But as soon as my fellow Jiralhanae and I charged down that hillside...it all went wrong."

Thanatos, who had been avoiding eye contact with Vita for the entirety of the tale jolted his head upwards and his eyes met the Sangheli's, burning with the fury of boiling plasma.

"The Kig-Yar were the first to fall. Four perfect shots from a Human sniper weapon were rattled off in quick succession, passed us by and ripped straight into the trees where they were hiding. Our Chieftain laughed, thinking whoever had fired them had been aiming for us, but he quickly realised that the Kig-Yar had ceased their fire on the Humans. The damn fool." Shaking his head, Thanatos snorted at his old leader and gave a sad and distant smile.

"I saw it first. Out The Demon walked from the ruins, clad in green armour from head to toe , with the stature of a true warrior. It stood smaller than I, or even you Vita, but it had more power in it's demeanour than any creature I have ever seen. It was emotionless and cold, a shimmering, mirrored visor on its helmet that shut the rest of the world out; all that was left was steel."

Vita sat, aghast, his hands clenched together so tightly he could feel them start to numb. He placed them on his knees and waited for the story to continue.

"What happened next Thanatos?" Vita asked gravely.

"I have asked myself that question on many occasions my dear friend. It all happened faster than a Slip-Space jump. One second, I was surrounded by my squadron. Then, a few shots later, the Unggoy were dead and luminous blue blood covered my feet and my hands as I scrambled for cover. The Chieftain went into a rage and attacked The Demon head on. He swung his hammer, but The Demon was too fast, he sidestepped it and fired several sniper rifle rounds into Proteus' head. I watched, uselessly as my Chieftain was slain, blood pouring from his lifeless skull as he hit the ground. As I was about to attack I heard a metallic thud next to me and looked down only to find a Human grenade at my feet. I turned my back on it and covered myself as it exploded, knocking me unconscious. I swayed in and out of consciousness until finally awaking what must have been a lengthy time after; the humans had left and I was forced to call a Phantom to airlift me from my fallen squadron's grave. I will never forget that shimmering visor, those four shots, or Proteus for that matter."

A heavy silence filled the room and Vita's mandibles clicked once again. He clenched them together and rested his large, four-fingered hand upon Thanatos' knee, as if this would offer some respite.

"I am sorry my brother" Vita finally said. "I too have lost combatants and comrades to The Demon. We shall destroy that pathetic excuse for a warrior with our bare hands if we ever come across it Thanatos"

"Do not underestimate it Vita, treat it with respect." Thanatos snapped back "It is a masterful warrior; despite a few minor casualties caused by the Human soldiers, The Demon killed my entire squadron on his own, not to mention Proteus, a powerful and battle-hardened Chieftain. It is a formidable opponent and I wont have you underestimate it and die at its hand like Proteus did."

Vita nodded solemnly "Of course Thanatos, I will heed your advice. Now, what is it you wished to talk to me about brother, before all this talk of Demons?"

In the heat of the moment, Thanatos had completely forgotten about his original reasons for bringing Vita to his quarters and had to shake off his woeful tale.

"Yes Vita, I have some troubling news I wanted to relay to you friend, regarding what we were discussing earlier."

"And what would that be brother?" Vita had already heard enough troubling news with Thanatos' story of The Demon, he wasn't sure he was ready for more.

"I have secured documents that come directly from the office of the High Prophet of Truth himself, these documents call for all Jiralhanae to cast down the Sangheli. It is a call for genocide my brother, to be enacted within the month."

Vita couldn't speak. He had known Truth favoured the Brutes, he had known him to be a deceitful liar, but this was unprecedented, this was treachery of the highest order.

"We must do something Thanatos, we cannot allow this to happen!" Vita stood up with this exclamation, clenching his right fist tightly as he did so. Thanatos stood to meet the intense stare of the Sangheli.

"This is why I have told you Vita. I have already assembled a group of Jiralhanae who are willing to refuse the Prophet's call to arms and join the Sangheli in an uprising against him, you must do the same with your Sangheli; start with the Honour Guards, they will be sure to side with you."

"Thank you my friend, I shall began amassing a force at once. This treachery shall not go without consequence and do not worry Thanatos, I shall be sure to inform my brothers of your part in our salvation. We will wage a war like no other upon Truth and his sympathisers and the weight of any and all blood spilled shall stay his feet as the rest of us ascend on the path to The Great Journey"

Vita pronounced, his voice quivering, not with fear, but with anticipation.

[Edited on 09.08.2011 7:49 AM PDT]

  • 09.08.2011 7:48 AM PDT

It was good and you've got some strong characters; the concept of having a Jiralhanae friends with a Sangheili during the changing of the guard is an interesting one.

I feel you shouldn't have elaborated so heavily on Thanatos' past so early in the story without us knowing much about his present or that of Vita's (who by the way makes me think of the upcoming PlayStation Vita), though. Lost handled back-story very well; we first got to know the characters in the present so that when we found out about their pasts it genuinely interested us. Maybe you could take a leaf from that.

Aside from that, good. Room for improvement of course as with everyone, specifically in dialogue flow, grammar and you could work on giving your characters idiolect; both of them sound quite similar right now.

I enjoyed reading and look forward to seeing what happens next.

  • 09.08.2011 8:07 AM PDT

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

It was a spir of the moment decision to elaborate on Thanatos and I admit, I could have saved it for a later chapter. I will take note of that with other characters, but I felt that he was the one I wanted anyone reading to connect with the most, straight of the bat.

As for Vita's name, it means life in Latin and Thanatos means death in Greek, hence the title. I hadn't thought about the playstation.

On the topic of dialogue flow, it was difficult writing a lengthy story from a character and attempting to keep it flowing, I had considered fading into a flashback, but it would have been difficult to write correctly, with the past interlinking with the present fluently.

Thanks for the feedback, I may make some changes based on your suggestions and will definitely think about them when I write my next chapter.

  • 09.08.2011 9:22 AM PDT

The tide is turning, brothers! Let us take our kingdom back!

I've had absolutely no sleep in the past 32 hours, so I apologize if my following comments make me sound like a dumbass.

So far, this has been surprisingly good. Your characters genuinely interested me, and your plan for the story seems to be really good. I'll admit, reading the introduction made me question it a little bit, but those questions disappeared once I started reading.

Very good. Let's see some more!

  • 09.08.2011 4:40 PM PDT
Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic (Chapter 3 up)

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

Here is Chapter 3, it is a divertion from the main characters as I wanted to capture my interpretation of Truth. He is always going to be an important character in any Covenant fanfiction, so I need a chapter to acquaint the reader with his special brand of evil.

Chapter 3 The Guiding Hand Of The Covenant

The High Prophet of Truth sat, fingers of each hand tapping against one another as he peered out across his holy city. The stars blinked at him from millions of miles away, hulking planets watched over the city; each one as conquerable to him as the next.

'Where is that contemptible Minister' He thought, growing impatient with waiting.

Controlling this city was becoming more difficult by the day, the changing of the guard had been far more unpopular than he had though; the Jiralhanae were certainly ill-equipped for the position, but far easier to control. The Sangheili's intellect and will for power would be their downfall, the Brutes were his instrument now and they would enact swift and holy justice upon those who sort to rise against him.

'Where WAS Temperance?' He pondered again, this time his patience getting the better of him. He swung his chair around, the hovering contraption humming and bobbing to match his shift in weight.

He stared at the door. Nothing. How dare a lowly minister keep the High Prophet of Truth, leader of the Covenant waiting. A lone Huragok hovered in the right-hand corner of the large, violet room, fixated on the computer screen in front it. It clicked and squeaked, it's fine cilia that protruded from one of its stumpy tentacles tickled at the keyboard, cycling through what must have been thousands of pages of data.

The Prophet watched on in awe. The Huragok were the only species of the Covenant he could rely on completely. No intent, no ambition, they merely worked and they did so quietly. Peace was something that was hard to come by for Truth of late, The Prophet of Peace withstanding, who was in and out of his inner sanctum daily with a new strategy against the Humans. He was constantly dealing with politics, he shivered at the mere thought of the word. He would have spat, if the act weren't so vulgar.

The irony of this hatred, was that he was an exceptional politician. The way he had obtained his position on the High Council was testament to that.

Truth continued to observe the Huragok, barely noticing the hum and soft purple glow of the main entrance's lights as The Minister of Temperance entered his chamber.

"I apologise profusely High Councillor, I was delayed following my sermon by an elderly Unggoy who would not accept my refusal to allow a prayer including the term 'food nipple' into my dialect with my congregation" Temperance was young for a Minister, he walked without the aid of a gravity chair and had a speed of talking that was unusual for a San 'Shyuum. His robes were the standard white of a Minister, but were wrinkled and tattier than most. He had a tendency towards excess. He drank wine by the gallon, smoked fine tobacco and was even rumoured to have dabbled in the Unggoy's recreational drug use.

But his dedication to the Journey was unwavering and Truth would use this to his advantage.

"Do not worry yourself Temperance, we all have duties to attend to, especially in these times of doubt and uncertainty amongst our brethren." Truth replied, his silver tongue beginning its hypnotic dance. He left his words hanging in the air, Temperance's presence begged the question and Truth would wait to hear it.

"Apologies for my ignorance your holiness, but why have you asked me here?"

Truth turned his chair slowly away from the lesser prophet, a wry smile crawled across his face and his voice became stern.

"I have asked you here for the same reason we are all here, for the reason we live and breathe Minister. To further the Great Journey." Truth paused once more, for effect. "In light of the passed days events" He spoke the word slowly and deliberately, inferring the changing of the guard to Temperance "Many members of the Covenant are in need of a sign from the Gods, their faith is wavering Minister and I fear they are straying from the path."

The Minister shifted his weight as the pause left by The High Prophet became uncomfortably long.

"And what shall we do to...return them to it?" He finally spoke, the words like led in his throat.
"The few who have strayed must be made an example of, it appears the trial of Thel 'Vadamee was not enough to cement our position on heresy." He hissed the word.

"I have received word from a reputable source that a Jiralhanae Major and a former Sangheili Honour Guard have been inciting treasonous and heretical propaganda against the High Council, Minister. This kind of behaviour must be stopped before it can grow, we could face an uprising if it is not quelled."

Truth span his chair swiftly in the direction of Temperance, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his puppet.

"Surely you understand why this is not only disturbing, but dangerous."

Temperance opened and closed his mouth, deciding to choose his words more carefully. A bead of sweat made its way down his bony spine as he spoke.

"Of course your holiness! An act of heresy such as this must not go unpunished and it would be an honour to be your instrument in enacting the Gods' Will against these interlopers." His voice shook with every breath, but his conviction was strong and his belief pushed him to be stronger.

Truth widened his eyes and smiled tenderly at the young Minister.

"And you will have that opportunity Temperance. I have a plan for these two and their band of miscreants." Truth watched as the Minister's eyes grew wide, expectantly.

"You shall inform them that, without mentioning my name of course, they have been assigned a mission, an errand of the Gods themselves. We shall send them to the nearby planetoid of Cerberus, where we shall tell them that heretic stragglers are amassing a force to attack our holy city; when in fact, the Jiralhanae they encounter will be under my command, awaiting my orders."

Truth's eyes glinted as he reviewed the web his silver tongue weaved, each word a coil of deceptive ingenuity.

"They shall relish the opportunity to admit more heretics to their clan and their passion for this heresy shall cement their place below, as the worthy ascend my brother"

The air around Temperance grew cold, the weight of Truth's task forced his knees to buckle slightly as he replied "I shall inform them at once your holiness, your Will be done"

"Thank you Minister, your help is much appreciated. You may leave" Truth gave a wave of his spindly, three-fingered hand to dismiss the Minister. With a respectful nod and a bow, Temperance left in silence.

Truth repositioned his chair, returning to the view from his window. He watched his people writhe in the streets below, the city glow in the incandescent light of the stars and the stars themselves as they mutely burned in the night sky.

All were conquerable, all would be conquered and Truth would prevail, as it always has.

[Edited on 09.12.2011 7:33 AM PDT]

  • 09.09.2011 9:54 AM PDT
Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic

The tide is turning, brothers! Let us take our kingdom back!

Wow, Sparbiter. That was a seriously impressive chapter. Continue to write like this, and I'll be your biggest fan.

  • 09.09.2011 10:58 PM PDT

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

Thanks a lot man! I will certainly try. Chapter 4 should be up fairly soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

  • 09.10.2011 7:58 AM PDT
Subject: Life and Death - Fanfic (Chapter 4 up)

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

Chapter 4 Swords of Sanghelios

A chill wind slapped Vita in the face as he exited the gravity lift jetting from the hastily departing Phantom drop-ship his unit had entered atmosphere in. He snarled at the wind, as if to deter it and shifted his view to a forest of snow-capped trees on the horizon.

"We shall head north, through those trees up ahead!" He barked to his unit, turning his head to them and briefly catching a glimpse of Thanatos' grimace. "They shall provide sufficient cover from which to see the Heretic camp" He finished, his elites grunting with approval.

'Heretic' The word lingered in his thoughts. It had lost its foul scent, it meant nothing to him now, the Prophet's lies had left it stagnant. Perhaps these Jiralhanae 'Heretics' could be convinced by Thanatos to join their camp, to fight against these lies. But a voice in the back of his mind continued to press upon him that this was a trap, he shook his head, as if to dismiss it.

The Minister of Temperance was a friend of the Sangheili, surely he would not send them on a mission to their death? But with Truth whispering in the San 'Shyuum's collective ear of late, anything was possible.

Vita's squadron was getting restless, they were locked and loaded and he had pondered too long.

"Onward my brothers!" He finally yelled, if a little unconvincingly. The twenty or so Sangheili under Vita's command began trekking after their leader through the thick snow; their hooves burying deep with every step.

Dardonos, the Chieftain in charge of Thanatos' comparatively smaller unit of Jiralhanae gave a grunt, the squadron replied in kind and trudged in the direction the Chieftain started in.

Vita gave Thanatos a worried look as their two units moved off in separate directions; the Sangheili to the trees and the Jiralhanae towards a mountain pathway leading directly to the supposed position of the Heretic encampment. Thanatos could do nothing but return the gaze as the Chieftain began moving at high speed away from Vita's squad.
The Sangheili unit marched toward the tree line, slowly and deliberately, each member seeking targets, watching their six, checking their peripherals; each movement of the group was in perfect synch, every mind was sharpened to a fine edge and every momentary alteration in atmosphere or surroundings was analysed. No mistakes would be made, if they should die, it would be on their terms and no one else's.

Vita turned his head and admired the unit, each Sangheili was an instrument of divine and glorious death, a hilted blade, primed to be unsheathed at his will. He cast his gaze to the Brutes, hurtling through the snow on all-fours, kicking up debris in all directions, their only focus on a fixed point; most likely all they could concentrate on. Save for Thanatos. It was almost as if he made a point of being different to his race, choosing to sprint on two legs rather than join his pack; he chose to keep his head held high.

Vita smirked, another jet of icy wind pressing hard against his cheek.

As they entered the tree line he turned to his unit, they halted instantly.

"Now we do not know what lies beyond this forest my brothers, but we shall go into this battle as we would any other, with honour, with conviction and with a close eye on our comrades. Each one of you is a member of my squadron and I shall die before Sangheili blood is spilled this day."

The lesser Sangheili roared exuberantly, while the two Zealots of the group merely nodded in approval. Vetus 'Urdee and Cato 'Shinee had been Zealots since the beginning of the Age of Reclamation, the start of the bloody Human/Covenant war. Both had been offered promotions to Ultra at several points during their military careers and Cato had even been offered Shipmaster of the Battle Cruiser Guiding Light, but both had declined, choosing instead to remain Zealots, to remain together.

Refusal of a promotion was, in most cases frowned upon, but extenuating circumstances allowed the two to remain in the same squad.

Cato had fought along Vetus' side when his son, Acerbus 'Urdee had been slain by a Human during the war upon the sacred ring. Cato swore to fight along-side Vetus until the Humans were vanquished, or until his Great Journey began. The Sangheili council honoured Cato's promise and despite continuing to offer the pair promotions, they allowed them to retain the right to deny so they may fight together.

Vita had immense respect for the two warriors and had often come to them for strategic advise over the years, their battle prowess and experience was invaluable to a young commanding officer such as himself.

He called Vetus and Cato over to his position, allowing the other Sangheili in the unit to rest. Their gold armour glistened in the dimming rays of the planetoid's setting suns, -blam!-s of golden light forming blinding prisms as they came closer.

"Yes Commander, what is it you wish to ask of us" Vetus quizzed intently.

Vita felt foolish every time he heard either of the two call him Commander, he had far less battle experience, or scalps to prove it compared to these legendary warriors. His silver armour felt ostentatious and grandiose as he eyed the two gilded Sangheili; if it weren't for his blood and honour, he would hand the reigns over to them for this operation.

"I wish to hear your opinions on this operation. Something about it smells foul to me and I believe Thanatos feels the same"

Vetus exchanged looks with Cato before speaking "I fear your concerns are not misplaced Vita, we have been curious as to Temperance's motivations for this operation ourselves" Cato nodded as his comrade spoke.

"It is indeed odd, that he would send a squadron of not only Sangheili, but also of Jiralhanae on a task that would usually be reserved for our Special Operations forces" Cato mused.

"I have been thinking the same my brothers. My concern is for Thanatos, the only reasoning I can see for this joint operation is a means to remove both him and I from the Covenant in one fell swoop" Vita kept his voice quiet, he did not want the lesser Sangheili becoming unfocused.

"Although these are the times we live in my friend, the Jiralhanae are slowly becoming more apparent in Sangheili field operations. This could just be one of said operations" Vetus did not look convinced, even by his own words.

"Perhaps Vetus, perhaps. Nonetheless, keep an eye out for anything suspicious; I trust the two of you more than any other Sangheili I have fought with and your help would be more than appreciated."

"Of course brother, we will do what we can" Cato replied, adding with a guttural growl "And if we should come across those who seek to undermine you Commander, we shall smite them before they can pray to the Forerunners for forgiveness."

"Remember this, brother, our loyalty lies with you, with the Sangheili. Not with the Prophets. Despite what they may think, not all of us agreed with Thel 'Vadamee's trial." Vetus snarled as Truth's smug grin flickered through his mind.

"Thank you, my brothers. We should move onward, the Minors are getting anxious" With a slight bow, Vita returned to his unit and motioned for them to move on. He had felt uneasy at the beginning of this mission, but with the left and right hand of the Gods themselves either side of him, he was ready for anything; Truth be damned.

[Edited on 09.13.2011 4:07 PM PDT]

  • 09.13.2011 8:23 AM PDT

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

Chapter 5 - An Unwelcome Guest

Thanatos blinked away flecks of snow, his fiery orange-hued eyes focusing upon Dardanos, who stood, arms crossed away from the rest of the pack. Night had fallen and the crest of the maroon helmet he was adorned in glinted in the moonlight, his chestnut fur swaying in the night breeze.

The air was bitter cold, but the wind had died down and Thantos' thick hide protected him from the elements. He strolled with weighty steps over to his Chieftain, passing a group of Jiralhanae laughing heartily, encircling a camp fire, its soft glow bathing him in light and warmth. He reached Dardanos and stood beside him, the Chieftain acknowledged him with a quick glance and refocused on the path ahead.

They had set up camp for the night in a clearing at the centre of a small pine forest. Trees encompassed them and large rocks strewn about the camp would allow for sufficient cover if under enemy fire. A few small tents had been erected from various materials by select Jiralhanae, who now conversed and drank about the camp site.

"Dardonos." He said, crossing his arms to match the Chieftain's stance.
"Thanatos" The reply came slowly, wryly.

The pair stood, silently for a full minute before Thanatos spoke again, both knew the conversation that was about to take place.

"This mission is a trap Dardanos. We are to be wiped from the Covenant, I am sure of it."

Silence intervened once more, Dardanos' eye-line unwavering.

"I am aware, my brother."

"Then why agree to suicide?" Thanatos' was shocked, but conveyed only respect in his tone, Dardanos would have his reasons.

"I did not come here to die, Thanatos. We shall send a message to that traitorous false Prophet. I tire of this political war with the Sangheili, if we cannot supersede them with honour and deservedness, then I should rather fight by their side so I may have the opportunity another day."

Thanatos nodded slowly in approval. Honour was something many Jiralhanae lacked, this squadron was an exception and he would not see them snuffed out by treachery. With a slight growl, he left the Chieftain to his thoughts and proceeded to a group of three Jiralhanae Majors who were discussing stratagem for the morning's campaign.

Adrastos, Atropos and Philandros had been in Thanatos' unit for many battles, spanning galaxy-wide lengths of space together. All were adept tacticians, Adrastos and Atropos were siblings, but there was no rivalry there, only respect; the two always worked together on battle strategies and had a keen eye for detail in battle. Atropos made a point of cutting back the pelt around his face and neck, to differentiate him from his brother, who was otherwise identical to him.

Philandros was a scholar, which was rare amongst Jiralhanae and thus, a well-versed tactician. He had seen the least combat time of the three, but was a strong warrior nonetheless. He and Thanatos had often had lengthy discussions on the Humans, Philandros being of the minority opinion that the Humans should be offered a place in the Covenant. Thanatos could understand the point of view, but his run in with The Demon had solidified his bias.

"A distraction will be necessary, a forward assault, followed up by a brutal flanking manoeuvre around the secondary mountain path to confuse them." Adrastos was detailing, sketching with his finger in the snow. Atropos scratched the trimmed fur on his chin, made an alteration to the sketch and looked to his sibling excitedly.

"Rather than only two units, we should segment the squadron into three groups of five, one direct assault team and two flanking, this way, we risk less casualties for the assault team and have two points of fire on the enemy."

Adrastos nodded approvingly and added with a smile "And what of you Philandros, do you have nothing to say on the matter?"

Philandros, who had said nothing up to that point eyed a shadowy figure as it drew nearer, lit up by the nearby fire.

"Thanatos approaches" He uttered, the thick fur on his neck shaking as he nodded in Thanatos' direction.

The Majors turned their heads at once to Thanatos, who slumped down in the snow beside Philandros, legs cross, fiery eyes fixing on the make shift map scratched into the ground. The tone of the group shifted in his presence.

"What did Dardanos have to say brother?" Atropos asked darkly.

"He believes the same as I Atropos. But he wishes to fight regardless. We must ready ourselves for anything." The three Majors shot each other furtive glances and reset their eyes on Thanatos as he spoke again. "Vita has procured allies in our cause, unbeknownst to the Prophets. A pair of Mgalekgolo are set to arrive via Phantom Dropship as the sun rises. They shall aid us in our fight."

Once again the Majors exchanged looks, this time of disbelief.

"Mgalekgolo you say?" Atropos asked rhetorically, a look of nervous excitement on his snow speckled face. "Perhaps this battle is not as cut and dry as Truth had hoped" He leaned forward and added two large Xs to the battle plan in the snow. He sat back, a smirk creeping across his face as he looked to each of his comrades.

  • 09.15.2011 3:08 AM PDT

Shameless plug for my blog:

Check it!

The wind picked up, ominously, sweeping across the silver-tinged fur of Thanatos, sending a shiver down his spine. The night air was filled with the booming laughter of the Jiralhanae foot soldiers, blissfully unaware of tomorrow's implications; this was the beginning of a war, a war that Thanatos and his fellow majors would be on the front lines of. He rolled his shoulders back, heaving a deep, gravelly sigh.

"I think it is time to retire for the night, until tomorrow my brothers." Thanatos uncrossed his legs, pushing on his knee to stand. He gave the Majors one last look, one they returned with understanding. Turning slowly he caught a glimpse of something dart out of view behind a bush to his left, snow particles showered the nearby shrubs as whatever it was rustled in the undergrowth.

Thanatos was quick to react, bursting through the bushes, tearing his Spike Rifle from its holster as he pushed through the shrubbery. His head snapped from side to side, seeking his target. Footprints in the pure white snow were easy to make out, he followed their direction, sprinting purposefully forwards.

The footprints took a sharp left turn around a thick pine and then vanished. Thanatos peered around at the surrounding snow for any sign of markings. He lowered on his knee and surveyed the footprints, the last two in particular. They were deeper than the others, spaced wider and the heel was pronounced. He shifted his gaze upwards, looking from branch to branch of the tall pine where the footprints had stopped. Stepping back to glean a better look he spotted a yellow glint on the top-most branches of the tree.

Whatever it was had spotted him. The yellow slits widened as the creature sprung from the tree, its leaves shaking and cascading snow to the forest floor.

Thanatos tracked his enemy as it leaped to the next pine, clinging to the branches. He fired a burst from his rifle and heard the beast screech in pain as the spikes speared its legs. It fell from the tree, emitting screams and high pitched shrieks before thumping onto the patch of dirt below.

Thanatos walked over to the creature cautiously, training his rifle on its contorting body. He pinned its spindly, impaled legs to the dirt and assessed his attacker.

The yellow slits were transfixed on him now, reptilian eyes hidden in cavernous indents under heavy eyelids. Its nose protruded out into a long slender point, ending in a bony beak. Its skin was a dim grey, scaly in texture with sharp, jet black feathers covering its arms and spiking out in a thick main around its head.

The creature shrieked, revealing several teeth lining the sides of its top jaw, which was secured to the bottom one with fleshy membranous strands. Its tongue quivered and saliva splattered the Jiralhanae's face. He grunted with disgust and pressed harder on its legs, causing it to shriek even louder.

"Kig-Yar scum" Thanatos spat back "You think you can escape me?" The Kig-Yar were the only species in the Covenant that Thanatos did not respect the majority of. They were pirates, thieves and were only members of the Covenant for fiscal purposes. They had no honour. This one was what the Humans called a Skirmisher, many members of the Covenant had adopted this name as a way of distinguishing between them and their cousins; who the Humans had named Jackals, after a scavenging animal on their planet. 'Quite befitting' He thought to himself.

Thanatos looked down at the Skirmisher with disgust, then peered around the forest. It seemed it was alone. Pinning its legs down with one foot, he rammed the other into its neck. With a muffled cry and a loud crack, the Skirmisher's head went limp, bobbing lifelessly and resting in the dirt.

Thanatos grabbed it by the curvature of its shoulder armour and carried it back to the camp. The other Jiralhanae were tracking the tree line with their rifles, expecting a premature attack. Thanatos stepped out, pushing a low hanging branch out of his path as he hauled the cadaver over to his squad mates. He tossed it at Dardanos' feet, who had been snapped out of his trance-like state by the commotion.

"The Jiralhanae we face are not alone." Thanatos stated, shouldering his rifle.

"A Skirmisher?" Dardanos pondered on his words and the body in front of him. "We have only worked with the Kig-Yar in the past because of their place in the Covenant. If these Jiralhanae were truly separatists, I can not see why they would want them amongst their ranks" Dardanos knew why, as did Thanatos.

"The deal is too sweet for the Kig-Yar in the covenant, they would not leave based on ideals, they have no ideals" Philandros scowled, kicking the body on the ground away from him with distaste.

"This comes as no shock brothers, this merely confirms what we already knew. Temperance has betrayed us, we have been sent here not to fight, but to die." Thanatos' words came as no shock to the Jiralhanae higher ups, but the lower ranking soldiers began growling in discontent.

"Quiet!" Dardanos snarled "If it is blood they want, it is blood they shall get. But it will not be ours my brothers. Thanatos" The Chieftain span to address his Major.

"Yes Chieftain" He replied.

"Get on the com channel to Vita. We will be needing those reinforcements sooner than we anticipated."

  • 09.15.2011 3:11 AM PDT

The tide is turning, brothers! Let us take our kingdom back!

Great work. Sorry I missed your fourth chapter. They are both quality material, and this is shaping up to be one fine story.

  • 09.15.2011 4:05 AM PDT