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The Dark Chapters
Posted By: Mister Frodo
Date: 17 February 2006, 4:04 am
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Oena 'Hyjoolne sighed. The Brutes had slain his best warriors in the last battle. The last remnant of his forces, an ambitious Sangheili recruit and a few Unggoy, hardly reflected his high rank. But, heretics had no rank, did they?
Loni 'Homelac, a young warrior with only a needler and three human kills, approached Oena. "Commander, the Brutes have taken hold of the next structure. Two Phantoms rest on the landing pads as well. I cannot be sure of the security of the buildings, but only Kig-Yar guard the doors."
"No doubt the Brutes are inside, unfortunately." Oena stared at the blue-armored recruit. "Tell me, Loni, have you ever heard the tale of Orna 'Fulsamee?"
Loni shook his head. "No, sir."
"It is a new tale of our sagas, but still a valued one. Orna 'Fulsamee was once a great Ship Master, leader of the fleet that found the first Sacred Ring. But the Demon destroyed the Ring, bringing Orna into a life of heresy, even though he had committed no crime. The Prophets saw that he was a promising warrior, and thus, they made him the Arbiter. They promised him that he would die on his missions, but the first task came and lo, he had not fallen. The Prophets were secretly upset, for they wished to give power to the vile Brutes. But Orna did not know of this betrayal, so he took the next mission with the same eagerness. The Prophets tasked him with recovering the Sacred Icon. But when he had fought through the vicious parasite and recovered the Icon, the Prophets ordered his death. Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes, delivered it personally." Oena paused. "But Orna is not dead let. We will fight for his memory, against the Brutes, against the Kig-Yar, and against the Prophets."
"Thank you for the tale, Commander." Loni looked back at the set of structures in the distance. "Will we fight now?"
"Yes, Loni, we will fight." Oena raised his plasma rifle. "For the Arbiter!"
"For the Arbiter!" Loni replied.
---
Jennifer Perfidy stumbled on the rocky ground. Her Brute captor shoved her forward, into the dirt. "Come now, female. Can you not walk?"
Blood ran from her nose. She pushed herself up, only to be brought back into the dirt by the Brute's fist. His chuckles filled her ears as she struggled to her feet.
"You are the example of her puny race, human. You stumble and try to walk, but no, you cannot even move, for you have something stronger pulling you down. It is in your history. It is the truth of you existence."
Jen felt the Brutes filthy hand place itself in her back. She kept walking, averting her gaze from the dead soldiers near her. The Brute laughed louder.
"Afraid for your little friends? They cannot help you now. And you cannot help them. You and your entire race will soon die, and I hope my hands can cause this!"
They neared a large building. Jen stared up at the foreign architecture. Under normal circumstances, it might cause her to stop.
But these weren't normal circumstances.
A door slid open. The Brute led her through several halls. They passed cages filled with Grunts and Elites. At the end of the hall sat an empty chamber. The Brute pushed her in. "You will stay here, human. Don't try to escape." He smiled. "Hunting you is much too easy."
She settled into the room as an energy shield appeared over the opening. The opposite corner was bathed in shadows.
Her hands trembled. She wiped away the tear sliding down her cheek. No. Hold yourself together. You're not dead yet.
She had signed up with the UNSC because that's what her brother had done. She always wanted to be like him, even though she didn't tell him that.
Now she'd never have that chance.
Something moved in the far corner. She held still as someone emerged from the shadows.
It was an Elite, only stripped of his armor. She looked away from it as it moved into the light. "Hello? Is someone there?"
She stared at the alien. Surely it saw her. Then she noticed that its face was swollen where the two eyes were. She winced when it touched her hand.
"Human!" It drew back. She watched it huddle in the corner, all dignity forgotten.
She had killed countless Elites during her combat days, and seen many of her comrades fall to their attack. But she had never seen one like this, deprived of its armor and weapons. Almost like someone had removed its honor and replaced it with grief.
The Elite trembled. "They killed all of my squad. I was the only one to survive. And then...I had to watch as they slaughtered your kind. Even we slayed you in battle, never as a public display..." He hugged himself. "From ashes comes stone. From ashes comes stone. From ashes comes stone."
"What's your name?" The sound of her voice startled her. Why was she making conversation with a monster?
"My name has no meaning. Not anymore. But in your tongue my name is Illuh 'Revoshu. The Brutes have taken my rank, my name, my dignity...all that is left is me. And I am nothing."
He stayed in the corner for the next few hours, not responding to her attempts at conversation. He just kept repeating the same words over and over: "From ashes comes stone. From ashes comes stone. From ashes comes stone."
She had passed the time by praying and counting the number of indentions on the walls. Now she'd memorized the entired layout for their cell and the part of the hallway she could see. So she sat there and thought. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides still waters, he restores my soul. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and staff, they guide me. Even-" A rustle interrupted her.
The Elite stopped and moved his face towards the hall. "What is it?"
"I don't know." She moved towards the cell "door." Two Brutes tried to lead an Elite towards the other door. He kicked and punched and bit at them.
"Let me go!" The struggling Elite fought even more as one of the Brutes pinned his arms behind his back and shackled his hands. "Unhand me, vile beasts!"
She leaned back. A few prisoners had come in already, mostly Elites. One of them had struggled too.
His blood still rested on the hallway floor.
"Just another prisoner," she replied to her cellmate.
"No, not the disturbance. Your chant. What is it?"
"Chant?" She scratched her head. "Oh, you mean what I was saying before?"
"Yes. What is it?"
She stopped. Could aliens be saved? Had God created them with a purpose as well? Or had He doomed everyone to death?
It can't hurt. "It was a Psalm, written by one of the leaders back on my planet. Before this war, before we could even travel in space."
"Yes. And is this "Lord" you spoke of one of the gods? Or is it one of your race's creations?"
She sighed. The Elite couldn't understand. "No, He isn't a creation of us. We're a creation of Him . I don't know if you're interested..."
He clicked his lower jaw. "I have no other way to spend my time. Tell me."
She nodded. "Alright. But first, can you tell me what 'from ashes comes stone' means?"
"Yes. It is a saying from my birthplace. Ash comes from our great mountains of fire. The ash brings destruction and pain. But from this ash comes stone, to be built upon. When one feels pain, that means that soon one will have to rebuild. And from those times the opportunity to do so will come." He hung his head. "The Prophets did not sanction this phrase, saying it is not the truth, but among my fellow warriors it is used sparingly. Now, with nothing to make me obey them, I can use it freely."
"Hmmmm." She looked around. "I'll tell you about my God, but then, can you tell me about the Covenant?"
"It is forbidden to reveal information to humans." He clenched his fist. "Just as it is forbidden to say 'from ashes comes stone.' You will tell me what I want to know, and I will tell you the same. But speak quickly, for the Brutes will soon kill us both. There is not much time."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Then let me start. It all began with a man named Adam..."
---
Oena stopped behind some rocks near the entrance. "We will head through the entrance. Unlan, lead your Unggoy behind us. And stay with us this time."
Unlan nodded. "Yes, sir, big Elite. We shoot stinky Brutes and Jackals just like you say, big Elite."
He sighed. "Loni, come with me. We are going to surprise these traitors." He smiled and looked down at his deactivated energy sword. "And I know how much they love surpirses."
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