Authors note:
This chapter may seem a bit different from the rest. That is because this chapter (And a bit of the last) set up many plot points for the next few chapters.
Anyways thank you for reading this! It is very appreciated!
-Biko Underground Forerunner Structure-
Cas was at a loss of words, here he was. A knife in his chest in a forerunner structure together with a San 'Shyuum who did not have his chair. He sat up leaning against what appeared to be a forerunner terminal. In all honesty he did not care. His body was in no shape to even think.
Once again, he was ready to die, but as the last time just moments earlier he was saved. He could hear a voice; it was humming on a long-lost tune coming towards them. He strained himself to move closer, he needed to have a look at this. It was possibly dangerous, and he would have to give his life for Fort.
As the voice came around the corner Cas was shocked. It was an oracle. He could hear Fort stutter beside him. "Or- o- Oracle!". "Why yes, you may call me oracle, but my proper name is: 556 Eventful Bliss, I am this structure's local ancilla. Overseer of all that happens here" she said in a joyous tone. "I have not had any visitors in a hundred millennia, so this is a pleasant surprise". Fort seemed exhilarated by this even if his feet were nearly collapsing under him. "What is the purpose of this structure, oracle?" Fort asked.
"This is a forerunner medical facility, made to tend to those wounded in battle". This got Cas's attention who was barely alive. His dry and weak voice tried to speak and failed. He took a deep breath but instantly regretted it. The knife still stuck in his chest stung like hell. "Oracle, you said this was a medical facility. Is it possible you can help me?" Most other sangheili would have shaken their heads in dismay by him begging for medical help. The oracle seemed to become even happier at that request. "Well of course! We will help you at once, I seem to notice that your friend here is also weak of body. I can gladly treat that too". She said as she turned towards Fort. He seemed almost insulted for a second by the notion he was weak, but a second later accepted it and nodded.
Behind Eventful Bliss multiple sentinels appeared, they floated over to Cas and Fort and created some sort of gravity field around them. The two were moved deeper into the facility. It felt strange, like he was in water, but his body moved like it was in space. He could barely fathom how he had gotten here. He had come from a small keep back on Sanghelios and now he was here, in a forerunner structure about to be 'fixed' by the machines the gods left behind.
They arrived in a small room that had two open pods Cas and Fort were put in one each. As they entered a hard light shield blocked the opening. This was the point of no return. No matter what Cas did he could not come back. As he thought of that his arms and legs were forced down into the pod, the pod shaped around them allowing Cas to lay completely comfortable. Even this simple thing was a marvel of forerunner engineering. The gods were truly powerful.
The oracle spoke once more. "San 'Shyuum, your body is so genetically ill I'm surprised you're even alive. Alas nothing I can't fix. About you sangheili there is something curious. You appear to be more than just sangheili". At that bombshell Cas fell asleep. The pod having altered his body so he would rest. The same had happened to Fort since he as not answering either. Before she left Eventful Bliss mumbled to herself, a habit she had developed over the millennia alone, "I wish the forerunners were still here, they would know what to do about the imprint".
-UNSC High Command Reach Castle Base-
Operation Forest Fire report:
Target was tracked to covenant cruiser.
Ship was boarded and later detonated.
Target was followed to the surface.
Covenant refuelling base discovered.
Covenant refuelling base eliminated.
Forerunner structure located.
Spartan Mike sent through portal to [Codename: Covenant Capital]
Covenant capital coordinates located.
Covenant hangar on capital destroyed.
0 casualties.
"Although the assassination itself failed, the things this operation revealed outweighed that failure a thousandfold" -Hood
End report.
-Biko Underground Forerunner Structure-
Fort opened his eyes slowly. His body felt different somehow. More powerful, and in all honesty, more natural. The pod opened allowing Fort to step out. At first, he used the railings for support expecting his legs to crumble beneath him. But to his surprise he could walk completely fine. He tried to straighten up and noticed that his neck was no longer leaning as much forward, and his arms were no longer weak and frail. He found what looked like a mirror and gasped. He looked just like the San 'Shyuum of old.
He walked around the room for a solid 15 minutes. Still as amazed as when he woke up. Beside him the other pod began opening, it was Cas. Instead of the usual sangheili Cas had been, now he was different somehow. Stronger and more agile. Even taller than before. He must have been a solid 4 metres now. His eyes were more yellow than before. And the mandibles shorter and entire face longer. His entire upper body was more straight in addition to that his legs were less bent. The skin was remarkably lighter than before. A bit red in some places.
His entire stature screamed power and strength. But only that but authority. He walked around testing his new muscles. As they both were in awe at what had happened the oracle entered. "I see you are enjoying the fixed bodies". "Yes oracle, I enjoy it very much". Fort said. Barely managing to keep the childish excitement inside of him.
"And you sangheili, after much deliberation I decided to activate the imprint inside of you, and your new body is the result". Cas was shocked and stood completely silent. "Imprint?" Cas questioned. The oracle took an ai equivalent of a sigh and spoke, "Inside of you was a forerunner imprint. Left in your bloodline to only be activated in the correct person. And that person seems to be you". Cas' mandibles clicked together in confusion. He was somehow connected to the gods. A blinding revelation that he was connected to them. Then he had a purpose, he had to seek out more of the forerunners knowledge and learn his purpose. If it was the last thing he did.
As if the oracle could read his mine it said, "You can not stay here, you must leave this structure and find your purpose. I have but one last thing. You San 'Shyuum, your fate is bound to his sangheili, if he fails then you fail". And with that the oracle left. A forerunner portal appeared in front of them. Shining blue and bright, on the other side was High Chariy.
Before they stepped into the portal Cas said "I think it is best we keep this structure hidden. As well as the last things the oracle said". Usually Fort would have disagreed, but he had heard the words of the oracle. He had to aid Cas in every way possible so he could succeed.
Walking into the portal Cas got a sense of Vertigo, in combination with the feeling of being pulled apart then put together again. It took only a few seconds to go through the portal.
They came out in High Charity, having no idea where they were. Behind them the portal closed, and they were home. Cas looked down at himself, still amazed and noticed that his armour had been rescaled to fit his new body. As had Fort's clothes. That oracle had truly known how to do the gods' work.
Looking around Cas noticed they were in the lower unggoy levels. As on que the doors to a massive factory on his left opened, and literal thousands of unggoy streamed out. None seemed to notice him until one of them unfortunately bumped into him. He was going to berate it for not looking but something deep inside of him compelled Cas to not. With nothing being said the unggoy continued walking.
Cas and Fort tried to make their way upwards and out of the unggoy levels. It stank of methane down here and Cas wanted out. He spotted a lift some hundred metres forward and motioned Fort to follow. As they took the lift up, they got themselves into yet another level of unggoy. Was there really that many unggoy on high charity? Cas continued in the lift upwards until they reached what Cas could only describe as the most disgusting region in the capital. The jiralhanae level. As they walked out a particular pack of brutes walked forwards, not noticing the prophet and stopping right in front of Cas. "Split-Jaws are not allowed here scum. Leave or die. Preferably stay and give us a fight". Cas looked towards Fort who just nodded. At this point the jiralhanae had noticed the prophet and tried to speak up and apologise. Cas was having none of it. He lifted one brute as if he were an unggoy and threw him into the two others. The third he punched in the stomach so hard the brute flew 20metres back. And with that Cas had dealt with a whole pack. Him and Fort continued walking through the brute sector towards another lift with no more trouble, the others must have seen how easy he had disposed of them and stayed away. A good choice.
As they moved up Cas could see sangheili, this was a proper place, clean and full of activity. Exiting the lift, he escorted Fort out of it and smiled. He was around fellow sangheili, it felt so good. Many sangheili stopped what they were doing to look at his enormous size. One of them Cas recognised. "Suto! Suto 'Tonar!" This got the young sangheili's attention. "Cas?" he asked cautiously. "Yes it's me! What are you doing here on High Charity?" Suto took a moment before answering. "Shore leave, and how the hell did you grow so big?" At that Cas chuckled, "we can talk later, I need to meet with the high council". Suto's mandibles open wide in shock. And at that moment he not only noticed the honour guard armour Cas had but also the prophet right behind Cas. Strangely the prophet smiled at Suto. It seemed impossible but Suto's mandibles opened even wider. "Uh, very well, I will not take more of your or the noble prophets time". Cas chuckled again and continued walking with fort beside him. "Childhood friend?" Fort asked inquisitorially. Cas nodded with a smile and walked up the steps towards the high council.
It was a long trek but with his new body it was nothing. He could see that Fort was not struggling either. He did not know what to be most shocked about, his own transformation or Fort's. Both seemed impossible, but both had happened.
-High Charity Council Chambers-
Not a single head turned when Cas and fort entered. They seem to be in a heavy debate over some economical matter. At the front sits the three hierarchs. Mercy seems to have fallen asleep whilst Regret and Truth are arguing. The two sides of sangheili and San 'Shyuum are screaming across the room at each other. Cas wondered if they ever heard what the other side said before shouting arguments themselves.
At last, one of the hierarchs noticed them, Regret spoke up and silenced the room so he could speak without being interrupted. "Prophet of Forgiveness, we thought you were dead. How come you are alive?" Fort spoke up "This honour guard alone saved me first from an exploding ship, then an infiltrated base and in the end through a massive cave system". In that single sentence, Cas had been praised more times than any other person in the covenant ever had. Regret seemed to think about that answer for a bit before speaking. "It seems you have been a great example of your species honour guard. Your actions shine a good light upon all sangheili" At this the sangheili councillors roared in agreement whilst the prophets remained silent. One sangheili councillor shouted up "I say he deserves a promotion! All with, Ay!" Every single sangheili shouted in chorus "Ay!" even some prophets agreed. Regret spoke up again, "Well then it is settled, what do you want, shipmaster or general?" Cas thought for a moment then answered. "Shipmaster noble hierarch" Regret nodded to himself before speaking. "Then you will get a missionary ship and your own deacon to aid in your progress on the great journey". Fort spoke up for the second time since they had entered. "He will not need a deacon, for I am going with him". At this silence lay in the hall for a second before one of the San 'Shyuum councillors shouted "A prophet cannot be on a small missionary ship! They need a proper capital ship, everyone who agrees Ay!" And again, a roar of "Ay!" could be heard. This time it was the whole hall, every single councillor.
Cas had to applaud Fort, he was an excellent diplomat, he managed to not only get Cas a ship, but one of the larger ships whilst making every single councillor agree with that motion. That was nearly unheard of. Fort was not done yet, "I say we bring out the oracle to bless this new shipmaster". This time it was the Prophet of Mercy who agreed "Bring forth the oracle! Let its divine wisdom flow through us all" The mention of the oracle must have awoken him because now he was fully awake and looking forward to seeing the oracle.
Cas looked over to Fort who had gotten a Gravity Chair, thus his new 'body' was not as noticeable and would not spark many questions. It was of no problem for Fort since he was used to sitting in his chair all his life, a few hours more mattered little.
After waiting some more, the oracle was brought into the room. It was not responding as was usual. But the mere sight was enough to awaken zealous pride in almost every person in the hall. Except Cas, who remembered the last time he had spoken with the oracle. The words still echoing in his mind. The oracle suddenly started levitating and its three eyes turned on.
It floated to stop just in front of Cas, "The last time I saw you, you were a husk of your destiny. Now you have become the proper inheritor, just like the forerunners wished". And with that the oracle became silent and fell to the floor, its light dark and unresponsive.
This time it was the prophet of Truth who spoke up, "The oracle has opened our eyes to your great destiny we shall give you a vessel that will aid you in realising your destiny!" The entire council chambers erupted in roars of agreement. Cas was led out of the room together with Fort towards their new vessel, fresh off the docks. Cas would have the honour of naming his new flagship. An honour he was greatly thankful for.
Cas still could not get over the fact that Fort was a master negotiator. He had done something that had never happened before. He got all sangheili councillors, all San 'Shyuum councillors and the three hierarchs in agreement.
All that to give Cas a ship worth fighting for. He had been informed it would be a CAS-class assault carrier. One of the larger ship types in the covenant navy, disregarding the massive dreadnoughts like the CSO.
As he approached, he tried to figure out what to call his ship. He knew he had full control of the name, but that means you still must figure that out yourself. After a lot of thinking he finally got it. Eternal Guidance. Cas turned around to see his old Crimson Squad come, all except Atriox. "What are you doing here?" Cas asked in pleasant surprise. Didip decided to answer, "Some prophet reassigned us to your ship. To serve as you!" Didip said, Cas could sense a smile growing underneath Didip's mask. Cas smiled in return and said, "Very well my friends let's get onto my new ship". As they walked Cas could not help but smile at what he saw. They had all been promoted to the zealot rank. Something that Cas had not thought about in ages. These recent times had given him very much to think about.
As Cas cam aboard every single person, he passed gave him a quick salute which Cas returned. It seemed almost surreal; all of this were his. He entered the bridge having just equipped his shining new shipmaster armour. One of his bridge crew spoke up when he entered, "Welcome aboard shipmaster, where would you like to go?"
