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A:VC - Arbiters: Vanguard of the Covenant by The Arbiter



A:VC - The Taming of the Hunters
Date: 4 December 2004, 4:09 AM

Yo', my name is Matty, and well, I haven't written anything in over a year. So, I'm a little rusty, but felt like writing Halo FanFics, mostly focused on the Arbiters- so, this will be a Series focused on all the Arbiters up to the newest one from Halo 2. So, I would like comments from you.

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Arbiters: Vanguard of the Covenant
The Taming of the Hunters.



[Covenant Holy City, High Charity
Third Age of Reclamation ]


Four beings, all matching in looks, only their robes showing distinction, sat in a circle in their hovering chairs.

"Truth! You know better than anyone that these, Hunters, are needed!"

"Yes, Regret, I know, but it seems not even our Elites can stand up to these bipedal creatures are no more than strong, yet, it seems cunning and numbers will not work against them very well. Our goal is not to kill them, but tame them, use them for the aid of our beliefs. Mercy, what do you suggest we do?"

"Truth, we must strike fast and hard! Show them that if they will not aid us, they will be left behind; the Great Journey will not take them to paradise! But, we need all of them, seeing how since they are made of multiple beings their numbers are scarce."

"I know what we need." The three: Mercy, Truth, and Regret, all peered towards the fourth who spoke out, "We need a leader. One whose strength is fueled by our beliefs... a vanguard to save us in this time of need..."

"What do you mean, Knowledge?" Truth spoke out.

"We need a Hero. Someone who will lead our Armies to his death, which will not be in vain... Someone who will pass the judgment on these, Hunters with holy might... an Arbiter." Knowledge said, clasping his hands together, lacing his fingers within one another, the other three Prophets giving an approving smile.


[ Newly Charted Planet in Covenant System
Home of the Hunters ]


A group of Grunts ran through the tall grass, followed by three Elites, and a Higher Elite, his Golden Armor glaring in the sun as he followed the two Red Armored Elites. In his hand, a sword of energy, used in ceremonies, now turned into a weapon in this needed time. The purple and blue blade pulsating dully as they flanked out, spotting a group of seven large creatures, the one called Hunters, The bulking mass walking a good nine feet, their width expanding that of three Grunts. The Hunters seemed to have more primitive weaponry than the Covenant troops, but were doing a good job in defeating them because of their strength, their only weapon being, a large shield on their left arm, which arched out past the 'hand' and spiked.

"Team one, flank to the left of the Hunters, Team Two, you take the right, and team Three; you'll be heading towards the rear. My team, we're going straight in. Team One, two, and three, activate camouflage and do not attack until enemy is engaged in combat with my team. Move out." The Higher Elite commanded, waiting for the teams to get in position, then looking at the five Grunts in his team, giving them the signal, and then lifting his Energy Blade into the air, "For the Covenant!" he yelled as the Grunts ran in, throwing a few Plasma grenades, not aiming for the Hunters, but for the area around them, to confuse them with the dirt and smoke, then began to shoot their Plasma Riffles at the large creatures, green beams landing on the heavy armored body of the Hunters who let out a scream of their own and ran towards the Grunts. The Higher Elite grinned then leapt above the Grunts coming down at one of the Hunters, who threw it's arm up to block the Energy Sword, but it the Higher Elite stuck his feet out, placing them upon the arm shield, and with his left hand grasped the side of it to stay on, then brought the energy beam towards the neck of the Hunter, "Listen, and listen well. We do not want your death, we want your salvation. We've come to offer you a place in the Great Beyond, for your assistance. I know you're the leader of this pack, so call them down and no blood will need to be shed." In the back, Hunters, Elites, and Grunts waged war with each other, blasts being shot, and reflected, Grunts being thrown, grenades exploding. The Hunter looked the Higher Elite in the eyes, and then made a few grunting noises, and the Hunters all lowered their arms and stood straight. The Elites and Grunts were standing ready, but not attacking the Hunters. The Higher Elite smirked, "Good. Now, return with us to the ship just beyond this grass." The Higher Elite jumped off the arm of the Hunter and began to walk away, his Energy Sword retreating back into its base.

Now, on the Covenant Ship with seven Hunters, now allies, the Higher Elite walked forth in front of his crew, "Do you see? Never give up hope, no matter how dim the situation is! Fight until your death, and the Covenant will reward you with stronger allies, and a place in the Devine Beyond! You are all brave, and honorable, and with your help, any one who stands against the Covenant will parish!" The crew bursts into cheers as the Higher Elite lifted his Energy Sword into the air, extending the blade out it with the finishing of his sentence. He then turned the weapon off and walked off the platform, towards the bridge, where other Elites were controlling the ship, "Status report?" the Higher Elite said, a Lower Elite taping on a small screen, the alien language appearing, "The seven Hunters from today make our total number of redemptions forty-seven, but it seems that there is a City, which almost Seventy percent of the Hunter population is held. Any attempts to break through into have failed, and many have been lost. On another note, the Hierarch left a message for you." The Higher Elite nodded, "Play message."

The Lower Elite pressed a button and the Prophet of Knowledge appeared in the form of a hologram, "Ce'tenu, come to the Covenant base next to the City of Hunters, I am awaiting your arrival, for when you come, and the Taming of the Hunters shall be completed." The hologram disappeared, and Ce'tenu smirked, "Pilot, take us to the Covenant Base where the Prophet of Knowledge is located. It's time we ended this." The pilot Elite nodded and the Covenant ship moved through the air, towards the City of Hunters.


[ Covenant Stationary Base
City of Hunters ]



The Prophet nodded his head towards Ce'tenu as he entered the tent, "Welcome, trusted Elite. You may be wondering why I called you here."

"Not really. You want me to finish this fight. I'm more than ready to do so. I and my Men are all that is needed to-"

"While your bravery is duly noted, and your winnings great, it will take more than your men to defeat these Hunters. And without faithful men, there is nothing you can do. This is why the Hierarch has agreed... you will become the Arbiter: Vanguard of the Covenant."

"Arbiter?"

"Yes. A holy warrior, powered by the Gods themselves! Come forth, wear the armor of the Faithful, and Lead our Covenant to victory with your holy might." Knowledge hovered to the side, to reveal behind him Armor, Silver, with the Marks of the Forerunners on it. Ce'tenu moved forward and gazed upon the armor, then grasped the helmet in his hands, sliding it upon his head, turning to Knowledge, "Your Arbiter is ready..."

The next day, a large group of Elites and Grunts stood outside the main wall of the city. The Arbiter stood on a platform, before the hundreds of Covenant Troopers, "Listen to me. I am no longer an Elite. I am no longer a Soldier. I am an Arbiter. I am the blade of the Covenant itself. The power of the Forerunners runs through me now. And with me, our victory is assured! Any who feel scared now, remember, you took an Oath." The crowd chanted the Oath of the Covenant. "That is correct. We do not say this Oath just because we feel like it. We say that Oath because that is what we believe in! Now, all of you will not make it back from behind these walls, but all of you will be placed in the Devine Beyond because of your loyalty. To die in battle- there is no greater honor! And there shall be no greater force than the Covenant! Now, let us fight with all our might, and let us show the Hunters that we are the only way they can see the light is by joining us! Do not hesitate to kill, we must find the leader, but try and save some Hunters for us to use!" The crowd of warriors cheered as the Arbiter ignited his Energy Sword, then turned and ran towards the great wall, as a few Energy Rockets flew over his head and blasted through the wall.

The Arbiter ran through the cloud of dust and smoke, the Hunters taking defensive stances so they can see what was happening. Yells and screams followed the Arbiter as hundreds of Covenant Elites and Grunts rushed in behind him, shooting Plasma Riffles and Plasma Pistols towards the Hunters. The Arbiter cut his way through the group of Hunters, not killing them, but knocking them back, or unconscious. There were Hundreds of Hunters in this city, but crowded together, they might not work so well. The Arbiter made his way to the middle of the city by climbing the small buildings which the Hunters had built for shelter when sleeping, or when it rained. Then, he saw it. The Hunter with the Red Armor, standing at the end of the City with four other Hunters.

The Arbiter ran across the buildings, screams of Hunters and his comrades blending together as grenades exploded, in various parts of the city. The fighting had spread out, and now surrounded the Arbiter, but he did not care, he was going straight, to the Leader, like he always did.

Once at the Red Hunter, the Arbiter tossed a grenade at him, a Hunter with him shuffling in front of it, and taking the explosion dead on, dying. The remaining three made a defensive perimeter around the Red Hunter as the Arbiter held his Energy Sword up, "You have ten seconds to surrender... One... Two... Three..." One of the Hunters rushed at the Arbiter, tilting its shoulder down in order to ram him. The Arbiter jumped over the Hunter, landed on it's back and inserted the blade into the Hunter's head, then pushed off as it fell to the ground, "Four... Five... Six..." A second Hunter rushed at the Arbiter and swung. The Arbiter was caught by the giant piece of metal and slung through a building, coming to a dusty roll, and then stopped once his body smashed into the other wall. He slowly stood, his body being covered in yellow electricity, as his shield rebuilds itself. The Arbiter rushed out and tossed his Energy Sword into the air, it spinning through the face of the Hunter that knocked him through the building. The Hunter fell through the ground and the Arbiter walked up onto the dead Hunter and looked at the Red Hunter, "Seven... Eight... Nine..." The Third Hunter rushed at the Arbiter, but was quickly taken down as the Arbiter jumped, and the Hunter fell over his fallen friend, and the Energy sword moved up and into its face, orange blood spraying down, covering the ground.

The Arbiter landed on the second in the pile of the two Hunter's back, "Ten..." The Arbiter ran at the Red Hunter who swung at him, but the Arbiter ducked, and moved to his body, wrapping his arms around him. The Red Hunter began to slam his fist on the Arbiter's back, the Arbiter letting out screams of pain, spitting up blue blood. The Arbiter then activated the Plasma Grenade in his hand and tossed it up, making it land on the back of the Red Hunter's neck. The Hunter then exploded. All the Hunters and Covenant stopped and moved in towards the pile of smoke, waiting for it to clear. The dead body of the Red Hunter shifted, and then fell over, the bloody Arbiter standing up, "... The Hunters are now... part of the Covenant..." The Covenant raised their arms in the air and cheered, the Hunters accepting the defeat. Covenant ships landed seconds after the Arbiter announced the victory, the Elites, Grunts and Hunters getting on the ships. Once the Head Elite walked onto the ship, he was greeted by the Prophet of Knowledge, "Victory to the Covenant... where is our Arbiter?"

"He was behind us, where the Red Hunter lay..."

"Ah, I see." Knowledge moved forward, towards the corpse of the Red Hunter, to see, lying beside it, the dead Arbiter, "... Well, it seems he was successful, but could not keep his life." Knowledge pressed a button on his chair, "This is Knowledge, prepare a Moslem, and a ceremony for a fallen hero... the Arbiter." The Prophet nodded to the dead Arbiter, "It seems, the tasks of the Arbiter are suicidal... and when the time comes, a new Holy Warrior will be needed..." He then turned and bored the ship as a few Elites grabbed the body of the Arbiter.





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