Madness.
That is what the others said when they heard that Hugru planned to give the ritual battle challenge. The enemy known as the Covenant had killed the last five generals that had given the challenge. Hugru was not frightened by death for his own bond sister had been killed in the first battle with the aliens. Lasha Nasu Hraga was a great leader of men and a fearsome fighter. When Hugru had first entered the military he had been ashamed to be bond brothers with a female. However Hraga quickly became a renowned tactical and strategic genius. It was a shame that she died so dishonorably, slain by cowards hiding behind their advanced weaponry. However, the slaughter of the Covenant troops by her army had been one of the few victories of this war.
Hugru's hunched form walked among his troops as they hurried into their places. At a mere nine feet of height Hugru was considered short among his people. The tallest Neurok'Sal stood at about twelve feet with his head stalk fully extended. Hugru paused for a moment in his brooding to gaze at his people. With their heavy lumbering bodies and thick limbs all Neurok'Sal's looked like living battering rams. The razor sharp spines fanning from the base of the neck heightened their frightful appearance. Their immense strength allowed them to wield heavy weapons and wear armor that would have crushed a Human. But Humans have no place in this story because on Earth a new nation is still struggling for independence and its inhabitants have not yet decided to conquer the stars.
The Neurok'Sal have evolved in the normal way of their planet, Neurok. Things tend to get large and grow many more teeth than usual in their effort to become the ultimate predator. An example of this is the moderately domesticated Baock beasts. These massive creatures stand about three stories tall and are trained by the Neurok'Sal as war beasts. Shaped like four-legged Tyrannosaurus Rexs with scythe blades for hands these creatures inspired great panic and confusion among the first Covenant troops to encounter them. Mounted with armor thick enough to withstand any weapon short of anti-ship capability and two heavy caliber cannons on the back, the Baock beasts are the ultimate land weapon in the Neurok'Sal arsenal. Ten of these beasts had survived the war up until this point, the rest were killed when their handlers were slain and the beasts were mobbed by the Covenant.
Hugru stood and watched as his men arrayed themselves for battle. An odd mix of modern rifles and primitive melee weapons constituted a brigade of Neurok'Sal. Across the vast plain a Covenant army was also preparing for the last fight. They knew Hugru could run nowhere else and that his honor demanded a fight. Hugru's army consisted of every last Neurok'Sal soldier left on the planet and even a large complement of militia. Every warrior here had an important stake in this fight, but the most important of all was the survival of their race.
A small group of thirty soldiers were all that lived of the populous trade center of Gromalesh and there were countless others, not all in the army, that had lost friends, family, and communities to the alien invaders. All told about eight hundred Neurok'Sal were gathered on this plain to decide once and for all the fate of their race.
Hugru looked down at the small jewel that rested in his gauntleted hand. The gem flashed brilliant red in the rising sun's light and reminded him of the birthday during which Hraga had given it to him. Hugru had vowed vengeance on the day he learned that she was dead and the coward that killed her yet lived. The cowardly alien commander belonged to a race known as Elites and was easily spotted by his blood red armor. A light tapping on his shoulder brought him back to reality and the concerned face of his aide-de-camp Shrasa.
"You do not look well general. Perhaps you should retire to your tent until the battle begins and give up this foolish notion of honorably challenging those scum." Shrasa's voice was full of venom when he spoke of the Covenant. Hugru knew this was because Shrasa's parents had been in a village the Covenant had razed as an 'example' to others who defied them.
"No Shrasa. I must challenge them. It is the only way for our race to die with honor. And of course I would not regret my own death. From what I hear those plasma weapons are quite painless if they hit you in the right spot." responded Hugru wearily.
"Do not speak of such things before a battle sir!" Shrasa made the gesture of warding off evil, that of lowering his spines and dipping his head stalk twice, "It is an ill omen to speak of your own death before any battle, let alone this one. Your troops need you out there. Without you they would have quickly fallen into their old clan rivalries and if you die issuing the challenge we will have an even lower chance of victory. So low we might as well all commit suicide." Shrasa sagged as he made this last remark.
Hugru laughed, "Now you are the one making ill omens. You know I won't let myself get killed that way. Going out in battle is the only way to go."
"Then you will not go through with this?"
Hugru turned to walk to the front lines and replied of his shoulder, "Over my dead body."
* * * * * *
At the front of his army Hugru climbed onto a small podium that the camp staff had erected before arming themselves. Raising the challenge spear over his head Hugru activated his radio and called for silence over the wide band. The Covenant could probably hear his speech but it wouldn't matter anyway.
"Hunters of Neurok! Heed my words! Today we stand at a great crossroads. One path leads to victory and glory while the other leads down into defeat and dishonor. The path to victory is harsh and paved with the bodies of many a fine warrior but we will prevail! We are the Neurok'Sal! The greatest hunters on this planet! Even the mighty Baock beast bows to our might and allies itself with us."
At this the Baock beasts in the back row let out a terrible roar that echoed across the plains and undoubtedly scared the Covenant to death. Hugru could only hope that the enemy commander actually did die. It would make his job much easier.
"But to obtain this victory we must destroy the enemy! Destroy them like they destroyed out homes, our land, and even our mighty naval fleets!"
The part about the war fleets was a touchy subject. In the beginning of the war the Covenant had made the mistake of bringing one of their space ships into range of the guns of the first naval fleet. The barrage of firepower crippled the ship and it hastily retreated back into orbit, leaving behind a debris trail miles long. The Covenant responded by unleashing their own barrage. From orbit three Covenant cruisers opened fire on the fleet. The intense heat of the plasma destroyed the fleet and boiled cubic miles of water. It was the single greatest defeat the Neurok'Sal had even suffered.
"We must unite together to drive these invaders from our land and reclaim what is ours! Our planet!"
The resounding cheers from the army almost outdid the roar of the Baock beasts. Hugru knew that they couldn't win this fight but that didn't mean they wouldn't give their all. Stepping down from the podium Hugru made his way to the halfway point between his army and the middle of the soon to be battlefield. Surprisingly an Elite stepped out from the massed ranks of the Covenant and paralleled Hugru's course. The Covenant had never before acknowledged the ritual battle challenge and had even gone so far as to shoot the challengers. Hugru couldn't see the Elite clearly at this distance but he knew what it would look like. Its blood red armor reflecting in the sun like a blister on the plains and its double jawed mouth open in its characteristic smirk, as though it was somehow better then everyone else it looked upon.
As Hugru reached his chosen spot he was able to see the Elite more clearly and was surprised to see it wearing bright gold armor. Further inspection revealed a second Elite standing behind the gold armored one. The second Elite was wearing the red armor but it looked chastised, even humiliated. Could it be that it had been demoted or punished for its dishonorable actions, the loss of so many of its people to the rampaging Neurok'Sal? Hugru decided it didn't matter at this time, for the Elite wouldn't live long enough to be punished as much as it should for all of the brave warriors it had killed. Readying his spear Hugru lifted it over his head and drew in a deep breath.
Launching the spear with all of his mighty strength he watched it sail through the air. It adamantium shaft glinted dully in the sun's light as it reached the apex of its arc. Descending even more rapidly, it fell right on target. The red Elite was blinded by the sun and could not see the spear in time for it to run. The gold Elite must have sensed something for it stepped away to minimize its chances of being hit instead. A strangled cry erupted from the red Elite's throat as the spear pierced its personal shield in a bright flash and drove through its torso. Pinned to the ground the Elite could do nothing but twitch feebly as its lifeblood seeped away.
The gold Elite spared his dying fellow no more then a momentary glance as he reached for something at his belt. Drawing it forth the Elite extended the object and it became a long spear that glowed white-hot. Hugru roared his defiance as the Elite hurled the spear at him. Instead of lofting it overhead the Elite threw it directly at Hugru. The spear lodged in his shoulder plate and its plasma blade started to burn through before he yanked it out and tossed it to the ground. The Elite let out his own warbling cry of challenge and both commanders ordered their armies into battle.
* * * * * *
Hugru, panting heavily, ducked behind the corpse of a Baock beast to take cover from a plasma grenade. The battle was going horribly, it went wrong from the the moment his forces engaged. First the Covenant revealed a new deadly weapon, a new type of tank. Launching large spheres of contained plasma the mortar tanks ripped huge holes in the Neurok'Sal lines and proved devastatingly effective against the Baock beats which proved to slow to escape once they were targeted. Half of his army and eight of his Baock beats were gone. Shrasa was dead from one of the first mortar barrages and the militia reserves at the camp were not answering any of Hugru's radio signals.
Hugru ducked around the dead beast and fired his heavy canister pistol at the small figures in front of him. The Grunts, diminutive creatures that breathed methane and were used as cannon fodder by the Covenant, popped like oversized firecrackers when the explosive round blew their methane tanks. The Grunts had popped out of the ground to the rear of the main Neurok'Sal advance and started cutting his soldiers down from behind, where their armor was nearly non-existent. Currently Hugru himself was cut off from his guards by about fifty of the creatures and they had him surrounded. Hugru did not want to die pecked to death by a dozen birds, he wanted to die fighting the Covenant commander. Unfortunately Hugru had thought for too long when he should have acted. From behind crept a Grunt with a plasma grenade clutched in its fist. Activating the little blue ball it started fizzing audibly and he threw it at Hugru. Reacting instinctively Hugru spun around and caught the grenade in his hand. Realizing his mistake Hugru tried to shake the grenade off but it stuck to his gauntlet like a burr. Hugru began prying off his gauntlet and was partially free when the grenade exploded in a bright blue flash. Hugru knew a moment of bright light and noise and then all was quiet and dark.
* * * * * *
"The following is a message to all citizens of the planet Neurok. I am your new leader, the Prophet of Truth. We of the Covenant have conquered your world and our currently solidifying our hold on your cities."
The blackness of the screen resolves into a scene from space where a dozen Covenant warships wait in orbit and several hover over the remaining large cities.
"We have defeated your armies and crushed all those who would oppose our reign as destined by the gods."
A Grunt walks among the dead bodies of Elite and Neurok'Sal alike. He picks anything pretty or valuable looking from the detritus of the battle and deposits them in a pouch.
"We have defeated your mighty generals and slaughtered their followers."
The same Grunt, his orange armor dirty with mud and blood finds a Neurok'Sal blown in half by a grenade. Searching nearby finds him a rare red gem. Glistening with blood or its own red color he cannot tell.
"We have dissolved your resistance cells and executed those who would defy us."
A Covenant firing squad lines up ten Neurok'Sal in front of a wall. A quick order from the Sergeant, a bright flash of plasma, and the figures are reduced to nothing more then smears on an already blackened ground. More are lead in.
"We have destroyed all resistance to our divine reign and have prepared your way into the glorious ranks of the Covenant."
The view shifts finally to a small wrinkled figure sitting in a hover chair with a microphone held under its mouth by an attendant Elite. Behind the Prophet of Truth stand three high ranking Neurok'Sal, their postures signifying utter defeat.
"But one last sacrifice is required before you can join our ranks. It has been decided that you shall no longer be known as Neurok'Sal. You shall be known simply as Hunters. And may you hunt all of our, nay, your enemies into the abyss they so rightfully deserve!"
* * * * * *
As the years passed the newly christened Hunters were gradually pulled from their planet and relocated throughout the soon-to-be extensive Covenant empire. Serving as elite shock troopers and military police removed the Hunters from their heritage and eventually the battle for the planet of Neurok and the fate of its people faded into history and remained of interest only to scholars. Thus were the Neurok'Sal forgotten and the Hunters came into being.