I don't own Halo or any of its characters! Bungie Studios does. I only own Nala 'Aidasee character and other OC that might appear in this story.

Halo: Crossed Fates

Chapter 10

Trials, Marks And Tears

Covenant Holy City. High Charity. Outside Council Chambers.

Nala waited, for Council to decide what would happen to her. Right after her hearing The High Prophet of Truth had ordered her to leave the Chamber so that Council could "Think more clearly" as he put it.

Though they might only send her away so she could not hear their 'private' session. She was surprised that she hadn't blow up her nerves at the Council yet. Though she had been close enough to yell at them.

After waiting for ten more minutes, the door to the Council Chamber opened. Revealing a giant and muscular form of jiralhanae Chieftain. "Warrior Priestess 'Aidasee the Council would be ready to see you." Tartarus said with a wide grin. "If he is trying to make me mad, he is doing really good job." Nala thought annoyingly. For the moment she was brought before the Council, Tartarus hasn't wasted a chance to annoy (though Nala thought he was more likely to scare) her about what Council would do to her.

She walked calmly inside. The Council was still in their quiet, mumbling conversation. When she stepped on the platform, the room went silent. Then the Prophet of Truth opened his mouth. "Nala 'Aidasee, given what has happened on the Sacred Ring and Fleet Master 'Snaatee's reports about. We've come to a decision to drop out his suspicions about you." Truth said. Then nodded at Mercy.

"But be wary Warrior Priestess." the ancient san 'shyuum warned with warning voice. "Though we might have let this thing go, you still are under our surveillance."

" Which means you shall stay on High Charity. And you will answer our tasks that we have best hold upon you." the holographic Regret finished.

"What?! I thought…!"

"No." Truth interrupted. "The Fleet of Particular Justice is too scattered and missing many of their ships." Nala was about to cut in but Mercy beat up to her. "This trial is over."

"Your escort is waiting outside Priestess." Regret pointed at the door. Nala quietly scowled. This was outrageous! How could Council do this? "Guess this is just one of their punishments to Thel."

"Priestess 'Aidasee." a male Major sangheili greeted her. "If you would kindly follow me." he said, sounding respectful. Nala nodded and started following him.

High Charity. Somewhere around 'Far Tower'.

Her quarters were really small. It was just one room, with bed and of course private console, for any sorts of news or anything like that. As she decided to get 'comfy', someone entered her room.

"It has been sometime Nala." a sangheili Councilor greeted.

"Father!" Nala gasped.

She ran up to his father to embrace him into tight hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at Sanghelios?"

"I was summoned by the Hierarchs just before… well, it's not important" her father slowly let her go.

Nala nodded at this. She quickly tried to change the subject.

"How is mother?"

"Besides the fact that her only daughter is risking her own life for the sake of the Covenant, she is doing well."

"I see."

Nala looked at her father. It has been years since she had last seen him. He still had really dark brown skin that almost looked black, his red eyes still held the hard look, but the battle scars looked like they were finally healing.

"But she was almost devastated when the word came out that The Sacred Ring was destroyed and they said that, there weren't many survivors." he shook his head.

"Well, you can tell her that I'm save." Nala said.

Nala's father could see that something was bothering her. "Is there something else I need to know?"

"I've been grounded." Nala sighted. "The Hierarchs decided that I should stay on High Charity for a while." she then quietly added with a small growl. "Under their watch."

"Hmmm…" her father commented. "What exactly did you do to them to make such decision?"

Nala scowled at this. "They got the idea from the reports of an really paranoid Fleet Master Asni 'Snaatee ." she spat at the name of the Fleet Master.

"Don't you try to insult him! He did what he thought was best thing to do!" Nala's father tried to defend Fleet Master's position. But he, like almost everyone in the Covenant knew Fleet Masters reputation.

"Father, he claimed that I BETRAYED the Covenant and WORKED with the humans!" Nala now yelled in full anger. She couldn't believe this! Her father trying to defend someone like Fleet Master Asni? "How can you defend him!?"

"I'm not." he said. Trying both calming her daughter while trying to make her see from other point of view. "But you must understand, you were in a position that made him question your loyalties." Nala narrowed her father with hard look. "Don't give that look." he sighted.

When he was about to speak more Nala's door opened again and inside stepped an Honor Guard. "I'm sorry to interrupt Councilor, but you must hurry for the trial."

"You can tell the Council, I'm on my way." the Guard nodded and left them alone.

"What court? What was he talking about father?" Nala asked in confusion. She knew that her 'trial' was over. "Who else there is to judge?" then she remembered. "Oh no." she whispered. "It's Thel, isn't it?"

Her father nodded. "As a high member of Sangheili Council, I was requested to come here for Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadam's judgment and punishment."

"You can't do this father! It wasn't his fault that The Ring was destroyed! No one could not learn Demons intents until it was too late!"

"I agree on that my daughter, but not all of the Council doesn't see it in same light as we do. But he was charged a simple task and he failed. Now, if you excuse me." he said as he started leaving.

"Wait!"

Nala grabbed her fathers shoulder. "I want come with you. I wish to know what fate awaits him." she pleaded.

Her father looked at her suspiciously, as trying to say 'No you can't and you know why'. "I promise I will be quiet." Nala sighted in defeat. Her father nodded and left while Nala followed him.

High Charity. Council Chambers.

Nala waited impatiently waited for the Council trail to begin. She could see that every high ranking Councilor of the Covenant was at present. She had found perfect spot from the shadows right behind the sangheili Councilors. From there she could see perfectly the Three Hierarchs and their pet Chieftain Tartarus.

She 'hmped' at the way the Chieftain just stood there, like he was in power. But then again he held some sort of power, since the prophets seemed to highly favor the jiralhanae.

Then, The Supreme Commander of Fleet of Particular Justice, Thel 'Vadam entered the chambers. As he did, there was great mumblings around the councilors. But soon Prophet of Mercy ordered silence and the chambers went silent.

"Now Supreme Commander." Regret began. "Could you tell us how this all happened.?"

Thel took deep breath before answering. "There was only one ship."

"One?" Truth asked puzzled, still keeping his voice cool and calm. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. They called it, The Pillar of Autumn."

The Council started muttering again, but not loud enough to be silenced again.

"Why was it not destroyed, with the rest of their fleet?" Mercy asked.

"It fled, as we to fire their planet."

Nala listened as the two Hierarchs interrogated Thel, while Truth seemed to be in deep thought, almost not caring about trial.

When Regret insulted Thel about how he had led the humans to "desecrate The Sacred Ring with their filthy footsteps", Nala almost jumped and would have started yelling at the young Hierarch if not for Thel's fast reply. "Noble Hierarchs. Surely you understand that once the parasite attacked…" Thel's statement was interrupted by mostly agreeing mutterings of sangheili Councilors.

"There will be order in this Council!" Mercy slammed his fist angrily on his thronem trying to settle things down again. But this time it was Truth who calmed everyone. As he had finally seemed to come out of his thoughts.

"You were right to focus your attention on the Flood. But this Demon, this 'Master Chief'".

"By the time I learned Demons intend…" he shortly sent a searching glance around the sangheili Councilors. Soon finding a hiding figure in the shadows. He then turned his attention back to the prophet. "There was nothing I could do." he finished. At this the whole Council Chamber exploded as both sangheili and san 'shyuum Councilors "shared" their opinion.

From her position she could see the smirk the Chieftain didn't try to hide, which soon turned into quiet chuckle. Of course that's what Nala thought she saw. Since because of all the noise she couldn't hear anything. She then turned her gaze towards the Truth and Regret, who were having an argument.

Soon Truth raised his hand to silence Regret and talked to Thel. "You are one of our most treasured instruments. Long have you led your fleet with honor and distinction. But your inability to safeguard Halo... was a colossal failure." Nala could feel the disappointment radiating from Thel as he lowered his head sadly.

"Nay! It was heresy!" one of the san 'shyuum Councilors yelled. And once again the Chambers exploded. In which Nala joined. Thel looked around the Chamber, looking at the arguing Councilors who either agreed or disagreed with these claims. But it wouldn't matter. He knew what fate awaited him and he had decided to face it.

"I will continue my campaign against the humans!" Thel announced determinedly.

"No! You will not." Truth then gave nodding command towards Tartarus who barked his own command to his jiralhanae. They soon advanced on Thel, trying to grab him but instead he shacked them off. And turned towards them and the door that would lead to his fate.

Nala looked at this with horrified eyes when Truth added ,while Thel was leaving: "Soon the Great Journey shall begin. But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet. And you shall be left behind."

This wasn't fare! Her eyes slowly started blur from the tears that were slowly forming in her eyes. But she soon dried them as he turned towards the door that was behind her. Through it she ran through many corridors until she had cached up with Thel and his escorts. As she tried to walk towards Thel, trying to speak one last time with him. She was pushed aside by Tartarus.

She helplessly stared as Thel and Tartarus stepped inside a stadium that was mostly filled with unggoy and kig-yar with very few Honor Guards. But judging by the cheers there were even more.

As they chained up Thel, who was making Tartarus to believe that he was staring at his cuffs, he really stared at the door where the broken looking Warrior Priestess stood. He gave pleading look to her, trying to tell her "Please. Don't look."

"You've drawn quite a crowd." he barked.

"If they've come to hear me beg, they will be disappointed." Thel said. Trying to sound confining.

"Are you sure?" Tartarus challenged.

As the energies that were meant for long torture started heating up, Nala tried to look away, run away, but something stopped her and she just looked at what was happening. When the energies were ready, they shot two beams towards Thel. As the beams hit, the crowd starts cheering while Nala stares stunned seeing how much Thel is trying to keep the pain away.

Neither Nala or Thel couldn't tell how much time had pasted. For both of them, it felt like days. Though the torture had lasted only few minutes. But it was too much for both of them. No longer was Thel's once finely armor shining in its all glory. Now it was dirty and smoking all over from the beams energies.

Then, when Nala thought it couldn't be any worse Tartarus started talking. "Look at this failure! He was suppose to be the great Supreme Commander of Fleet of Particular Justice, who never failed. And now look at him!" anger filled Nala's mind while she listened that brute mocking Thel. "He failed to destroy a single human vessel! And because of that mistake the Holy Ring was destroyed! And that's why there can be no greater heresy! Let him be an example for all who would break our Covenant!" the crowd cheered again in agreement. In return Tartarus barked another order.

Nala's stomach was twitching horribly. Her heart was beating twice faster. She looked terrified as the jiralhanae moved on stripping Thel from his armor. This was humiliation that Nala couldn't stand anymore. It was just too much, seeing him in that situation made her feel like small parts of her soul was ripped apart.

Soon the whole armor was gone and there was standing a totally naked and dishonored sangheili male. This time Nala couldn't hold her tears back and they started flowing from her eyes like water falls.

But it wasn't still over as a large metal spike rose next to jiralhanae Chieftain. Nala could see the smoke that came from the spike. As the Chieftain raised Nala recognized the all too familiar Mark of Shame. This was too much. She quickly turned away and started running.

But she couldn't run fast or far enough, because soon she heard the painful scream of Thel 'Vadamee as they marked him. To this Nala completely collapsed on the floor in sorrow. Crying, sobbing, mourning the loss of her friend or even more. She slowly raised herself as she started walk towards her quarters. Right now nothing in this Galaxy seemed to mean anything to her.

Hope ya guys will like it. And sorry if there are some spelling mistakes or something, but I finished this right middle of a night, so I'm a bit tired :P. Anyway, don't forget to review. And of course positive or constructive comments are welcome. Flames STAY AWAY!

Till next time. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!