Chapter 2: Punishment…for the unworthy

0523 hrs

5th December 2552

Hall of Truth

Covenant Holy City, High Charity

Ship Master Osla 'Nosalee dragged his feet, chains were bogging him down. Dragged along by two Brutes down the hall of his booing fellow Covenant. He tried to growl at the Grunts and Jackals. Being an Elite, Grunts, Jackals and Hunters were way down below his caste. However, he was warned that he had even lesser respect than Grunts. At the end of the passageway, were the Prophets of Truth, Mercy and Regret. The leaders of the Covenant faith.

"There was only one ship…they called it the Pillar of Autumn," started Osla.

Screams of "Heresy!" was heard throughout the hall.

The Prophet of Mercy bellowed "Why wasn't it destroyed with the rest of the ships?"

"I believe the ship managed to escape what the humans call Reach…when I knew that the demon planned to blow up Halo…there was nothing I could do," Osla argued back.

The Prophet of Truth raised his hand, and the hall hushed. In a fatherly voice, he told Osla, "You were right to focus your attention on the flood, but this demon…is Master Chief…soon, the great journey will begin…but you will be left behind."

Osla's helmet was throwned to the ground and relieved of his armour. He was then half-dragged out of the hall by the laughing Brutes to a torture chamber.

1023 hrs

5th December 2552

Hall of Regret

Covenant Holy City, High Charity

The great oak doors of the torture chamber swung open, an even larger number of spectators awaited to see the spectre of an Elite being tortured. The person who would torture Osla would be Tatarus, leader of the Brutes and arch-enemy of the Elites. However, they were forbidden to attack each other by their Covenant faith.

"This is the day!" Tatarus proclaimed to the waiting crowd. Bound by an orbital device of plasmic proportions that had appeared from nowhere, Osla hung his head in shame. Tatarus mocked, "Any last words?"

"If they came to hear me beg, they will be disappointed." Osla growled. Tatarus then began the torturing session with a snort. With the touch of a button, the plasmic proportions slowly, magically transformed into powerful red beams. Osla howled and writhed with pain. Finally, after 10 minutes of pure torture, the red beams returned to their original plasmic proportion state. Tatarus raised the hot iron rod, retrofitted with a mark for heresy at the foot of the rod; Tatarus placed it on Osla's chest. A howl of rage echoed through the hall…

1030 hrs

5th December 2552

Holy Sanctuary of the Prophet of Truth

Covenant Holy City, High Charity

The light door of his holding cell vanished and Tatarus appeared in the cell. "The Prophet of Truth wishes to see you," Two Brutes grabbed Osla by his hands and dragged him to the door of the Prophet of Truth's Sanctuary. The door opened to admit them.

Out of the darkness, the Prophet of Truth glided into the light. "Tatarus leave and take your Brutes with you." The Brutes left the room, the door then sealed behind them.

Pointing at twelve purple cases on the floor, the Prophet whispered, "These are your fallen brothers of heresy. You will be the next arbiter." In the Covenant faith, the Arbiter, which means 'the will of the prophets', is always sent on suicidal missions. However, by going on these suicidal missions, only will the Arbiter be able to redeem himself in the eyes of the Covenant public. Truth pointed at the Arbiter armour and nodded. Understanding what he meant, Osla donned the ancient suit of armour…

As Osla left, the Prophet went back into the darkness; he then ordered a hundred Covenant warships to destroy Earth immediately. Regret volunteered to lead the battle group on the mission that must not fail.