Twenty years. That is how long I have lived my life for. Twenty years, filled with nothing but patience and acceptence. Even from when I was naught but a youngling, my path was as clear as the rivers that surround my village of what I was destined to be. Though I would be playing a similar role as those I have some to call friends, why should that say that it would be the same specific role? One of us could end up being greater than we dared to imagine, proving our worth and scaling the top of the food chain until we were top predator. A role I would need to prove my worth to, if I had any chance of achieving such honor. Still, now was my chance. The great journey had seen something of of a usefulness within my village, as had my people predicted, and now they were initiating a call to arms, that those who believe themselves to carry honor and cause, to join the ranks of its divine covenant and ascend to Godhood.

From the moment I could stand, I had been trained by the academy to learn all that I could about being a warrior worthy to my kind. And every day afterwards, I became stronger and stronger. But that was not all that drove me. Being a warrior was more than just learning in a circular arena, fighting an opponent that the same wooden staff that you held however. Being a warrior was in my blood, this I knew. My father served proudly in the covenant, as did his father before him. Both whom had gone on to achive pride and honor for the family name. And now it was my turn.

Now I sat down on top of my bed, waiting outside for them to arrive. Those who will take us into the next step of our lives. My stomach turned and my two hearts ached as I sat waiting. Every second of every minute of every hour my patience began running out as I was sure all others were that found themselves within the same position I was in. Willing to do their family name the same honor.

Finally, I heard it.

The roar of a ships engines getting louder and louder. No longer holding in my emotions, I knew I had to see. I found the sudden courage to leap from my bed and out my room, exiting my home and allowing myself to get a proper glimpse of the ouside sky and what it contained. My mandibles twitched with amusement. My eyes could clearly see a lone cruiser up high in the sky. A covenant one no doubt. But even closer, the source of the roaring engines. Several phantoms ascending down towards the direction of my village. And my soon to be brothers of the great journey, they stood there alongside me, experiencing the same emotions I felt. None of us daring to speak a word. This was a moment to saviour.

The phantoms landed, at least five or more surrounding the village. One in front of my home, at least a dozen metres away. The roaring engines got quieter and the airship hovered in the air, high enough for the gravity lift underneath the belly of the beast to come into use. And it did.

From the metal beasts stomach dropped three large warriors. Sanghelios warriors. The warriors that I prayed that I was destined to be. Two of them were classed as minors. Blue armour coated their forms which shined brightly due to the harsh sun that battered the village. They held a silver spear each, just as large as the owners they belonged to. They stood proudly on either side of the gravity lift as it threw up small amounts of dust into the air. Just looking at our more experienced brothers was a sight to behold. Looking almost a fierce as some of the more... savage species the covenant had accepted into their society. Long had we heard of them but never properly met any of their kinds. The unggoy, Kig-yar, Lekgolo and more. Lesser races they were, but they served purpose. Many minor sangheli warriors within the covenant, if prove their worth, would be tested with their own squad of these creatures to prove their worth. Still, that thought can go uncared for at the moment. The third warrior, a red major officer, Stepped forth before all of us, inspecting all who fell before his gaze. Finally after viewing the future soldiers before him, he spoke. His voice deep and booming, allowing the whole village to hear what he had to say.

"I see that many of you stand here with hopes that you shall achieve much as you serve your beloved covenant". He began, keeping up his harsh glare. "But all of you have only aqquired the mere taste of what it means to be a warrior in the covenant. To crush all heretics and nonbelievers, is a step that shall seperate the weak from the strong. A test that I can promise each and everyone of you that you shall take, one way or another".

Ah, the rule of the battlefield. Kill or be killed. Something that racked every soldiers minds within the first few days of training when they are told this rule. I listened on to what else the major had to say.

"Now comes the day you enlist within the ranks of the covenant. Though be warned, there is no turning back should you step forth now, and show your confidence".

Though I was not the first, I took a single step forward, signalling to those before me that I was ready. There was none who stayed with their feet planted on the ground. We were all eager and waiting. The major nodded.

"In a few moments, the phantoms shall take you back up to the covenant ship Might of Justice where you shall be fitted with your armour and weapons. Be ready and stand strong".

It did not take long before we were herded like animals into the gravity lift of the phantom. I watched as one by one, the phantom swallowed up another soon to be soldier of the covenant. In less than a minute, I found myself next. I stepped forth past the two minors and into the purple cylinder shaped beam of light. Gravity took over and I felt myself being lifted up into the air. One moment, I could see the ground and sky of Sanghelios, the next, the metal of the inside of the phantom surrounding me on all four sides. My feet touched the smoothness of the phantom floor as I landed with a clank. Another minor, unarmed, led me to the side where the rest of the new additions waited, holding onto grey hooks attached on the top of the hull. I responded in motion and copied the action, as did the next one before me, and so forth until at last, the last of us were inside of the ship. The two minors and major followed suit. The silence inside of the ship was eiree. No one dared to move. Not that it lasted long.

The engines of the ship started. Inside of the phantom itself, the engines remained loud, yet muffled by the thick hull. It did not take long for shock to replace my current emotions as I was almost thrown back into the warrior behind me had I not had a firm grip on the grey hook above. The phantom was not racing back to the Might of Justice at an impossible speed. It ended up being too much for one of the novices as the stench of vomit hit my nostrils, causing myself and few others to groan in disgust. But letting bygones be bygones, we were quick to forget about it. Especially when the ship slowed down quickly and then to a full stop. It could have only meant one thing. We were now within Might of Justice.

The phantoms gravity lift started once more and the minors dropped down first into the bigger ship. The major then ordered us to follow. And so we did. I dropped from the phantom into the hangar of the cruiser. It was an incredible sight.

The hangar was of an incredible size, almost as big as my village alone! More sangheli warriors littered the area, some wearing white ultra armor, as well as some of the bizarre creatures I instantly recognised as unggoy and kig-yar. Unfortunatley, there was no time for sightseeing. Not here at least. I and the rest of the novices stood right in the centre of the hangar and had to be led through a series of doors to make way for the other four phantoms that had dropped down at the village. Nothing was said by anyone. Not us nor our commanders. Instead we allowed ourselves to be led until we reached another large room. Only that this one consisted of amour and many different types of weapons.

Each of us were given the opportunity to branch out and explore the room. To put on our armor. Weapons would quickly be sorted out by the major as we were quickly informed. Our first piece of equipment given was a skin suit. Our robes were discarded as we put them on. The suit was black and leathery and covered my entire body save for my head hands and feet. Then came the actual armor itself. It fit rather easily to the skin suit, although it was magnetised. Only a couple of minutes and I had managed to fit on every piece of minor armor but the helmet of which I grasped in both my hands. I gave a long look at it, knowing that wearing it proved my proud role in the covenant and that my family line of warriors would continue. After a moment, I turned the helmet round and placed it upon my head. At that moment, I felt a new sense of pride. I embraced it.

Finally came the weapons. Dangerous tools of destruction to be inflicted on those foolish enough to stand in their way. Who should recieve what weapon was the responsibility of an ultra, standing at the entrance of the armory. Some of the new minors were able to recieve focus rifles, fuel rod cannons, rather destructive weapons. Other, plasma rifles, needlers and plasma repeaters. When I stepped forth, the ultra gave me a hard look, this I could tell even if his helmet covered his entire face. After a while he pointed to the left towards an experienced minor and handed me the tool of my destruction. A needler rifle. I was then thrown out of the room as there was nothing more that was needed of me for now. All that mattered now was to explore the ship until I and the rest of the newer members were summoned by the shipmaster onboard where we would be briefed and recieve our next orders.

For now, I must learn my surroundings...

...

Hi everyone. Welcome to a short story introduction of a halo OC I created. His name will remain a mystery for now... (Also because I don't know any good elite names ^^;)

This was a short story because I just wrote it as a break from my previous story that I'm writing at the moment and I'm a big fan of halo so I decided to throw together this. I'm very doubtful that this would actually be how newbie elites would be welcomed into the covenant, but hey, it's close enough. Whether I'll be writing more for Halo or not I'm not too sure, but if this is liked enough, I guess I will. Farewell for now and Cheerio!