Chapter Ten: The Key
"That which does not kill you has made a tactical error."
- UNSC Marine Corps Handbook (Unofficial)
CAS-Class Assault Carrier Shadow of Intent
Asari Mining Colony of Tarrisa, Tarrisa System
"Status?"
"All systems are operational Shipmaster."
"Excellent. And the Reapers?"
"Ten ships leaving the surface on a course that will put them on a... vector away from our approach."
From his command chair overlooking the expansive bridge, Shipmaster R'tas 'Vadum gave a short laugh. "The Reapers know their doom when they see it. If the cowards will flee at our arrival, so be it."
"It shall certainly make our job less troublesome," said a deep, base voice behind R'tas and to his left.
R'tas turned his head and saw the Arbiter approach, laying a hand on his command chair. "Why yes Thel, it will be easier. Just not as enjoyable."
Thel pressed his four mandibles into a smirk. "Sometimes R'tas, it amazes me that you are not Jirhalannae."
"Your flattery is always welcome Arbiter," said R'tas lightly. The Shipmaster turned his head back to the holo-displays in front of him. "Yet, only ten of these Reapers for one city? And a small one at that. If they wanted to pacify this small colony, they could have done so with much less a presence."
"Perhaps the Reapers are aware of what lies here as well."
"Hmm," musedbR'tas. "If you are right, then it is just more reason that we make sure it is denied to them."
"Have you located a viable landing zone yet?" asked the Arbiter.
R'tas nodded, pressing on the holodisplay to bring up a top down view of the city. "As you can see, the city is bordered on eastern, western, and northern sides by mountains, leaving only the southern side open to ground advance. Aerial insertion would be able to bypass the mountains however."
The 'city' was mostly made up of a number of one to three story domiciles bordering the central portion of a few larger industrial-looking buildings. On the outskirts of the city in the mountains were numerous trenches and pits characteristic of mining operations.
"True, but I would rather us establish a forwards base outside the city so that we have a position of power from which to operate from."
"I see. Well in that case, this area should serve your purpose." R'tas pointed towards a large, clear area of flat land about a kilometer south of the city. "A clear path to the city, unrestricted sightlines, and enough room to deploy an entire battalion."
"The openness of the area could work against us though," said Thel, thinking out loud. "If the Reapers left behind any heavy artillery, we would be exposed to bombardment while we are initially setting up."
"Not necessarily. What if you deploy with the Type-74?"
"The Type-74? I had thought that the Huragoks were still working on that?"
"They finished a few hours ago."
"Hmm..." pondered Thel.
The vehicle that R'tas was referring to, the Type-74, was a variation of the Type-47 Scarab Ultra Heavy Assault Platform. The chassis was similar, as well as the arrangement of smaller weapons like the few anti-infantry directed energy support weapons manned on the edges and the four-barreled anti-aircraft heavy needler battery on the dorsal side. However, replacing the forward mounted heavy plasma cannon was instead an experimental shield projector that could extend a protective "dome" around a certain area. Though protective shielding wasn't a new technology, this kind of shielding was. Previously Covenant shielding had to be lowered for a split second in order to fire weapons from within, but now the Huragoks have been able to alter the charged proton flow to allow energy and projectiles to pass one-way through the shield.
And thus, the idea for the Type-74 was thought up by a Sangheili Wraith driver and approved for prototype by R'tas. The Scarab chassis that was used had a history of a malfunctioning main gun anyways, and the Lekgolo colony inhabiting it proverbially 'jumped' at the chance to see duty again.
"I suppose now is as good a time to field test it as any," begrudgingly admitted Thel.
"I know it is just a prototype but trust me, it will work," said R'tas, sensing Thel's apprehension. "Besides, with the fleeing of the Reaper warships, we have complete aerial and orbital superiority. We will be able to easily identify any sort of heavy artillery if they give away their position and take them out with orbital strikes or Seraph bombing runs."
"Of course," said Thel. "Have you determined the magnitude of the Reaper's ground presence?"
R'tas clicked his mandibles together. "Roughly."
The Shipmaster pressed his holopanel and the view of the city changed, zooming in on one of the larger streets in the city. The Arbiter took a step forwards and squinted when he saw movement across the screen.
"Is this real time?" he asked.
"Yes."
The cameras were powerful, and allowed Thel a strikingly clear view into the street far below. From the top-down perspective, it was easy to see that the street was infested with bipedal creatures. A majority were grotesque looking bulbous things that were either standing around or crouched over dark masses on the ground, but the Arbiter also saw a few thin, quick-moving, traversing through the mass as well.
The architecture of this small city reminded him of human origin, though he was unsure why; the aesthetics and the layout of the city felt as if they were a perfect match.
"It is like this throughout almost the entire city," said R'tas, snapping the Arbiter out of his reverie.
"Have they gotten into the buildings yet?"
"Unknown, but almost certainly. Our thermal scans are being distorted, but in some areas it looks like they are trying to gain access."
"Perhaps the Reapers have just arrived. Are there any signs of the colonists?" asked Thel.
"None that we can see. If there are any, they are most likely hiding," replied R'tas. "We both know that survivors are not the reason why we were sent here."
"I am well aware of our purpose R'tas, the same as everyone else," said the Arbiter, "I am just trying to take into account any potential variables. Have you been able to determine a count?"
"Four, maybe five thousand," R'tas estimated
"There are less than a thousand in the battalion we will be sending down."
R'tas's mandibles pressed together in a predatory grin. "An unfair fight. The Parasite is dead already, it just does not know it yet."
"My chosen battalion is already assembled, we will deploy to the surface immediately. Do with the fleet as you see fit while we retrieve the Key."
"Excellent. The cruiser Eternal Repentance will loiter in high atmosphere and offer fire support. The rest of us will stay in orbit in case the Reapers come back with reinforcements." R'tas paused for a moment before speaking in a lower, more grave tone. "Arbiter, the stakes here are..."
"Immense, I know. We all know. That is why we will not fail."
R'tas nodded. "For the Mantle."
"For the Mantle. For our sins..." With that, the Arbiter turned away and strode quickly towards the bridge doors.
"Ten seconds."
Thel 'Vadam stood up at the sound of the pilot's voice, followed by the ten other black-armored Sangheili in the Phantom's troop bay. The Phantom's two bay doors branched open, revealing the quickly approaching landscape. There was no visible foliage aside from a few patches of green, and the terrain alternated between large, clear flat spaces of scraggly mountains, both equally desolate. Two black-armored Unggoy manned the bay plasma turrets, watching for any signs of danger as the Phantom neared the ground.
The dominant feature however, was the expansive silver-blue shield dome emanating from the center point of the towering Type-74 Scarab, which had dropped from orbit and deployed just seconds ago.
The Arbiter moved to the lip of bay door, and once the dropship was around ten meters off the ground he jumped, landing on the hard earth with a heavy thud. The rest of the Sangheili followed him, and as they landed Thel looked up to the sky.
He saw a swarm of Phantom and Spirit dropships quickly approaching the ground as well, dropping off Wraiths, Ghosts, Revenants, and Shade Turrets from their grav-locks while dozens upon dozens of lances of Separatist soldiers disembarked from their troop bays.
The Arbiter had deliberately chosen to land on the fringe of the deployment zone, and was intently watching the white-and-purple armored Sangheili right in the middle of everything, barking orders and making crisp hand motions. The Sangheili in question was Rael 'Harum, a Sangheili Ultra and the commanding officer of Talon Battalion. 'Harum was a young officer who had honorably led his unit through the Great Schism and Sangheili Civil War with minimal casualties sustained and a high number of enemy kills. He and his battalion had been marked by the Separatist Field Command as having "potential for higher advancement." As such, Thel had decided to utilize his unit in order to secure the small city, so that he could observe 'Harum himself.
To say 'Harum was efficient was an understatement, as within less than a minute of touching down he had arranged his entire battalion into a two-layered semi-ovular line. The front line was comprised of the unit's mainline infantry; Sangheili-led Unggoy files, individual ten-strong Sangheili lances, and Mgalekgolo pairs entrenched behind energy shield barriers and the Type-74's dome-shield. Interspersed to provide heavier direct fire were Shade turrets, Type-32 Fast Attack Ghosts, and Type-46 Spectre Infantry Support Vehicles. Making up the second line were a number of Type-26 Wraith Assault Gun Carriages, tall and long Type-29 Shadow Troop Transports, and deployable anti-grav towers garrisoned by Sangheili snipers. Behind them all was the towering Type-74 Scarab, a resonating hum signaling its powering of the shield dome.
Out of the corner of his eye Thel saw a red-armored Sangheili Major approaching, and turned to face him.
"Arbiter, Rael 'Harum requests your presence on the Command Tower," he said.
The Arbiter nodded, looking back to his twenty black-armored Sangheili. "Await my orders."
"Yes Arbiter."
"Let's go," said Thel to the Major, and the two set out at a jog towards the Command Tower.
The tower itself was just a slightly larger and more ornate anti-gravity tower, and as they neared the Sangheili Major took position at the base and gestured Thel to go on. The Arbiter stepped into the swirling purple anti-grav field and ascended upwards, and upon reaching the zenith of his upwards motion he angled his body forwards and landed on the upper platform gently.
Standing there looking through a pair long-range optics was 'Harum, and upon sensing Thel's arrival he lowered the device and nodded in his direction.
"Arbiter," he acknowledged, "It is an honor."
"Ultra 'Harum," answered Thel. "You command your battalion well, I do not believe I have ever seen a unit fall into lines as quickly as they did."
"They are good soldiers, they know their duty well," said 'Harum.
"Why have you called me here?" asked Thel.
"I seek your council," he said. The Ultra then held out the long-range optics to Thel, which he took. "Look."
Thel brought up the optics to his eyes, the device automatically zooming its field of view. He looked over the city and was surprised to find no traces of smoke or the charred black scars that were typical of a battlefield where warships capable of ground attack were present. In fact, to Thel's eyes it seemed that the city was nearly untouched, as the buildings or streets were hardly marred. He saw Reaper ground troops shambling about the streets and some trying to actively gain entrance to shut doors, and he didn't fail to notice a slightly higher density of troops near the southernmost edge of the city.
'Harum spoke while the Arbiter scanned the city. "It has been nearly three minutes since we have landed, and there has been no attempted aggression. Either the Reapers have no artillery here, or they are waiting to utilize it until we break cover and advance on the city. However, live imagery and sensor readings from the Repentance do not show any sign heavy equipment. So this leads to the question, should we continue to wait or begin the assault?"
"Time is not too pressing a factor, but we should not loiter," said Thel. His eyes had now focused on the southernmost gathering of Reaper troops and how it was rapidly growing in size.
"I understand. The Key needs to be recovered," said 'Harum. He put a gauntleted hand to his mandibles, thinking. "Hmm. The Type-74 is mobile. Perhaps we could advance on the city while still under its protective shield. It would be slow, but would keep the battalion safe until we reach the city."
Thel pressed the optics back into 'Harum's hands. "I believe that this is a more pressing issue."
'Harum looked through the optics and saw what Thel was referring too. The grouping of Reaper troops at the southern tip of the city had grown exponentially, the abominations were pouring in from the streets in droves. Then, the mass started moving, no, running forwards directly towards them. If 'Harum had to guess, there had to be at least three thousand or more Reaper troops rushing the Separatist position.
"An infantry charge across a kilometer of open ground, against an entrenched defensive position reinforced by aerial and orbital superiority?" said 'Harum quietly, almost in disbelief. "It seems that retreat of the Parasite's warships coincided with their abandonment of any tactical sense. He flexed his mandibles into a malicious grin. "So be it."
'Harum pressed a button on his wristpad, keying his comm channel to a different frequency. "Eternal Repentance, this is 'Harum. I need a ship-to-surface energy strike at... these coordinates immediately. Low intensity, straight sweep, followed by Seraph bombing runs."
"Acknowledged. Firing now."
Almost immediately, a beam of brilliant silver light pierced through the clouds and impacted the no-man's land between the Separatist defenses and the outskirts of the city. Even at low intensity the scorching heat of the pure energy lance cracked and blackened the tough ground and instantly vaporized the hundreds of Reapers troops within a fifty meter radius. Thel could feel the heat radiating from the beam even from this distance.
Then, the beam started to move laterally across the open ground, sweeping across the rest of the advancing Reapers. The results were predictable enough, the vast majority of the Reaper Husks were incinerated where they stood, while those on the peripheries were melted and fused together in forms even more grotesque than they were already. The energy beam faded then retracted up after nearly half a kilometer of travel, leaving a burning, angry line scarring the earth in its wake.
Not seconds later, a group of five Seraph spacecraft screeched through the cloud cover and dove for the ground, letting loose their payload of heavy fuel-rod torpedoes. The radioactive green projectiles arced towards the ground as the tear-drop Seraphs pulled up and disappeared, then impacted the charred earth in a blanket of violent explosions kicking up clouds of dust and ash.
When the debris from the bombing run cleared, 'Harum once again brought up his optics and surveyed the field. "No movement."
The Arbiter simple nodded. "Take the city."
As Thel turned around and stepped into the gravity field, he heard 'Harum order, "All units advance."
'Vadam stepped out of the gravity lift and looked upon the storm of activity that had just fallen upon the battalion with the orders of its commander. Sangheili, Unggoy, and Mgalekgolo were loading up into Spectres and Shadows or embarking onto one of the dozens of Phantom and Spirit dropships that had deposited them not too long ago. Once all troops had acquired transportation, the battalion started to advance quickly yet orderly towards the city. A flight of Banshees from the Eternal Repentance appeared from the clouds and paired off to individual dropships. The slower Spirit dropships stayed hovering above the main formation, while the more nimble and heavily armed Phantoms and their Banshee escorts raced ahead in order to deploy advanced units.
Thel reached to his belt and grasped his helm, sliding it over his head as he jogged over to his waiting special operations team. As the helm connected to his armor's Huragok-improved hardware a sleek HUD materialized on the inside of his visor. He blinked to access his team's channel then said, "Sel, are you there?"
"Yes Arbiter, my wingmate and I are holding just above the cloud cover."
"Our operation is beginning, we need transport into the city."
"We will be there right away Arbiter."
The twenty-strong team he commanded had been with him ever since the Sangheili Civil War. They were comprised of some of the best Sangheili warriors in the Separatist military, and were unquestionably devoted to both the Separatist ideals and their Arbiter. It had been R'tas's idea actually to form the team, to act as an elite strike-force for Thel to command during his operations in the Civil War. They also served as his personal guard, given that he was one of the most important figures in both the Sangheili Separatist military and government.
Two Sangheili walked up to the Arbiter and met him a short distance away from the main group. They were the leaders of the First and Second Lances, Usze 'Taham and N'tho 'Sraom, respectively. Both Sangheili had served alongside him since Earth and the Ark, and Thel considered them some of his closest allies.
"Will the operation proceed as planned?" asked 'Taham, who was also the unit's second-in-command.
"Yes," replied 'Vadam. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye in the sky above, and looked to see two black-painted Phantoms quickly approaching "Our dropships are here.'Taham, take First Lance in the second Phantom. I will be with 'Sraom and his Lance in the first."
"Yes Arbiter."
At twenty meters the Phantoms stopped to a hover and activated their gravity lifts, and the two Sangheili lances quickly ascended into the troop bays. As Sraom's lance took seats Thel stepped towards the cockpit, seeing the familiar figure of Sel 'Therum relaxed at the controls.
"You know our destination?" asked the Arbiter.
"Of course, we all do," Sel replied.
Thel nodded, clapping the pilot on the shoulder-plate. "Orbital imagery has not shown any evidence of visible anti-aircraft batteries, but be alert. We have never faced the Reapers in ground combat and do not know what they are capable of."
"I will get us there," said 'Therum.
The Arbiter turned and walked back into the troop bay, and instead of taking an open seat like the rest of his Sangheili were he chose to stand just behind one of the Unggoy gunners and look out through the open side ramp. As their Phantom passed high above the city Thel was able to gaze down on 'Harum's battalion's assault.
In the streets, Sangheili lances and Unggoy squads disembarked from their Shadows and Specters, cutting down Reaper troops with molten plasma and carbine rounds. They then proceeded to storm buildings from the ground level while more troops deployed from Phantoms on their roofs. On one of the larger streets two Wraith tanks advanced slowly abreast, the Separatist troops behind them darting in and out for protection against angry red tracers while answering with their own green and blues. One of the tanks fired its plasma mortar at the side of a building from which a storm of red tracers were coming from, collapsing the wall and searing the Reapers inside to death. Down another boulevard a trio of Banshees performed a strafing run, bright blue balls of plasma stitching into a grouping of Reaper troops that were finished off by fuel-rod blasts. From the roof of one building a lance of Sangheili Rangers fired their jetpacks and jumped to an adjacent rooftop, and nine breached the top floor door while one with a long rifle took position in a corner. A second later a purple-blue beam burst from the rifle and traveled several blocks down the street to a target Thel couldn't see.
"The Tower is in sight. Ten seconds," came the voice of Sel over the team's BattleNet channel.
The Arbiter recalled the image of the Tower in his mind. It was a large tower, the largest building in this city, with a shape that resembled an upside-down Y. The bottom was wide and most likely comprised the actual 'building' while the tapered tip looked more for appearances than anything else. It was here where their main objective lay. "Reaper presence?" he asked.
"Significant ground troop density in the Tower's courtyard," replied the pilot.
"Hold here," ordered Thel, and the Phantom shifted as it came to a halt. With a blink he keyed his comm to the battalion's command channel. "'Harum, this is 'Vadam. I need air support just outside the Tower. We are still airborne, use your discretion."
"Affirmative. Seraph bombing run inbound," replied the Ultra. Thel could hear the unmistakable sounds of battle through 'Harum's communicator and he smiled. It seems that both of them had to lead from the front.
Not five seconds later, Thel heard the unmistakable whine of Seraphs followed by the ground shaking impact of fuel-rod bombs.
"Reaper presence reduced to minimal risk," said Sel.
"Proceed," ordered Thel, reaching back behind his back and drawing his Carbine. The other ten Sangheili knew the sign and stood up, unholstering their own weapons. Their armament wasn't standard, as each Sangheili was allowed to arm himself as he saw fit. Some had Carbines, others Plasma Repeaters, some Needlers or Needle Rifles. One wielded a long beam rifle, while another hefted a heavy portable fuel-rod cannon. Second Lance leader 'Sraom dual-wielded Plasma Rifles, while the Arbiter had a Plasma Rifle attached to his left hip as a secondary weapon. They were all equipped with grenades and other various explosives or equipment, like breaching charges or a plasma cutting torch.
"Gravity lift or out the side?" asked Sel, referring to the Arbiter for which method for deployment he wanted to use.
"Out the side," replied the Arbiter.
The two Unggoy gunners suddenly started firing, most likely at some Reapers left still standing after the bomb strike.
"Very well, approaching deployment distance in three...two...one."
At 'one' Thel surged out of the Phantom's side doors and fell five meters through the air, impacting the stone surface of the courtyard with a heavy thud. He crouched into a combat stance with his Carbine up, the rest of the Second Lance landing behind him.
He spotted a bulbous Reaper raising its arm towards him about fifty meters away near the Tower's doors and Thel quickly sent a trio of Carbine rounds into upper body, but not before the creature fired a burst of red rounds from it's own arm-cannon appendage. Thel rolled to the left, but the projectiles were too fast and three of them impacted his shield, draining it by a quarter. As his roll came to an end and he sprang back up, he saw the Reaper corpse falling to the ground, now missing a significant portion of its head.
The distinctive whine of plasma signaled the rest of his team engaging the Reaper stragglers, and Thel looked for another target. He didn't find one however, as the other twenty Sangheili quickly dispatched the rest of the opposition and the courtyard grew silent.
"Spread out, eradicate any still showing signs of life," ordered Thel, and his team obeyed, dispersing to execute any Reapers still moving with a final burst of fire.
Thel himself stepped over to a Reaper Cannibal lying dead a short distance away, and crouched to get a better look. This one's head was still intact, and he could clearly see the creature's four, dead-gray eyes. "'Harum, this is 'Vadam," he said, standing back up. "Operation update. We are securing the courtyard and will be moving into the Tower shortly."
"Acknowledged," said 'Harum. There was a notable pause, followed by, "Arbiter, we are encountering survivors in these buildings."
"Survivors? Are they hostile?"
"No, none have exhibited any hostile tendencies. I have seen them for myself, they appear more scared than anything. There are many of their kind lying dead in the same buildings they are hiding in."
"How do you know that they are frightened?" he asked.
"It – it would be easier to show you. I'm sending you a video link from my helmet optics."
In the top left corner of his HUD a square box opened up, and a video display showed five figures huddled together in the corner of a room. One distinguishing factor was immediately evident.
"They look like Humans..." said Thel.
So much so in fact the only difference he could see was the different colored bluish skin and the replacement of Human head hair with some sorts of separated crests. He understood now why 'Harum thought these aliens looked frightened, as it was an expression they both had seen in the much-alike humans often before.
"They are not moving. Every time one of my soldiers tries to approach they scream and cower in fear," said 'Harum. "It seems that they are as frightened at us as they were at the Reapers. Arbiter we have almost secured the city, but if these survivors do not wish to come with us..."
"Then we will leave them here. Our mission is much more important that providing rescue to alien civilians."
"Yes I know. The mission has first priority. But if the Reapers return after we depart?"
"That is not our concern," clarified the Arbiter. "Keep them contained for now. If they keep cowering, so be it. If they turn aggressive, kill them."
"By your order Arbiter."
"We are moving into the Tower now. Contact me when the city is fully secured, 'Vadam out." With a blink, Thel switched his communicator back to his team's channel. "We are moving into the Tower. First Lance, take the left door, I will be with Second Lance to take the right."
There were two sets of doors into the tower spaced thirty meters apart and the two Sangheili Lances quickly ran towards them, stacking up on either side. Thel pressed the tacpad on his wrist and his body shimmered, then completely disappeared as his armor was engulfed by the active camouflage field. The rest of his Sangheili did the same, and soon all that could be seen of twenty eight-meter tall heavily armored warriors were the briefest of light-shimmers in the still air.
As one Sangheili fixed a breaching charge on the door, Second Lance leader 'Sraom flicked on his thermal vision and scanned the room beyond.
"Large, open room beyond these doors. Little cover, but thermal scans are not picking up any readings," he said.
"The door is locked Arbiter," said a Sangheili operative.
"Ours is as well," added 'Taham on the left entryway.
The Arbiter grunted. "Very well. Affix breaching charges."
Still invisible, one Sangheili withdrew a breaching explosive and attached it to the door, the device revealing itself as its owner retreated back to the stack and the contact with the camouflage field was lost.
"On my mark," ordered the Arbiter. "Three, two, one, mark."
The shaped plasma charges blew the Tower's outside doors inwards with a bright flash and a loud thud, and the Sangheili poured through the smoking opening weapons raised, nearly invisible.
It was dark, and as Thel's HUD compensated for the low lighting he surveyed the room they were in, looking for hostiles. Like 'Sraom had said it was a large, open room with high, curving ceilings and walls. The floor was smooth and polished to nearly a reflective sheen, while the walls and ceiling were of a similar sheen yet much darker. The sole piece of furniture was a large desk at the end of the room, bordered by double doors on either side. There were what looked to be light fixtures suspended from the ceiling by wire, yet they were deactivated.
What was of more note however were the dozen or so Reaper bodies lying on the floor, dark blood splatters marring the pristine tile.
The Sangheili waited, and after a moment when they determined they weren't in immediate danger, relaxed their guard just a little.
"Clear," called 'Sraom.
"Clear," responded 'Taham as well.
Thel walked over to one of the Reaper body's, another of the bulbous four-eyed ones that was face-down on the floor. An invisible hand turned it over, revealing to Thel the circumstances surrounding the creature's demise, five tightly grouped bullet-holes in the Cannibal's chest.
"Wounds typical of kinetic weaponry," stated the Arbiter. "Tight groupings."
"It is the same here," said 'Taham, surveying his own Cannibal on the other side of the room.
"This one was taken down in the same way, yet with headshots," said 'Sraom, kicking over another body.
"Survivors?" theorized 'Taham.
"I doubt these are the cowardly civilians our forces have encountered in the city. These groupings are too precise," said the Arbiter.
"Soldiers then? A guard force for the colony?" asked 'Sraom.
"These bodies are not old. They might have gone cold on the thermal scans, but their blood is still pooling," observed 'Taham.
"They were defending this place from the Reapers when they first arrived," concluded Thel.
"Then they could still be here," said 'Taham.
"Yes. We must be vigilant, yet we cannot stray from our mission. We must find the Safe," said 'Vadam. He thought back to the vision they all had gotten, and how it had been extremely descriptive in some aspects, but not in others. In regard to their current mission, it had only shown that the Safe could be accessed within the Tower, but not any definitive directions on how to get there.
"'Taham, once again take the leftmost door," ordered Thel. "Push into the depths of the Tower, look for anything that could point to the location of the Safe. A map, a central control room, anything. We do not know the layout to this building, so we may become separated. If you find any signs of survivors or the soldiers who killed these Reapers, contact me immediately. They might know of the location of the Safe."
"Yes Arbiter," responded 'Taham before ordering his Lance to move out.
"'Sraom, with me," said the Arbiter, and he and Second Lance ran to the right door. One of 'Taham's Sangheili had kicked open the door and he could see the outlines of his Lance stream through the opening in his HUD.
Second Lance stacked up on either side of the door once again, and 'Sraom took position in front of the Safe, bracing himself and delivering a powerful kick right to its center. The door crumpled inwards and 'Sraom shouldered through it, Plasma Rifles raised. The Arbiter followed fourth in line and saw that they had passed into a long, narrow hallway. A few smaller rooms that looked like offices branched out from either side of the hallway, doors ajar.
"More dead," said 'Sraom, putting a marker in the Lance's HUD slightly down the hall.
"Tourn, 'Visan, 'Raul, 'Getal, search these rooms," ordered the Arbiter, and the four Sangheili in question moved to do so. "The rest of you, up the hall."
They stopped when they reached the dead Reapers, and upon a cursory investigation found that they met their death the same way the ones in the previous room did. However, what caused Thel's jaws to flex in confusion was the significant pile of blue-black ash next to one of the Reaper corpses.
"Look, another body," said 'Sraom.
The Arbiter looked down the hall and pressed his jaws together in a frown. "This one is different," he said, striding over to it. It was one of the human-like alien creatures he had seen from 'Harum's video. Based on the supposed similarity to human anatomy, the Arbiter assumed she was female by the mammary glands evident through her black and gray striped suit. Her face was a light shade of purple specked by bright pink, and her similarly colored eyes were open wide and vacant looking. A sizable kinetic wound in what would be a human's stomach area seemed to be the cause of her death.
Thel sensed 'Sraom's presence besides him. "It looks Human."
"Yes..." replied Thel, bending over to pick up the alien's weapon lying a few inches away from her splayed hand. It was a sleek, non-reflective silver-gray with rifle-like dimensions, and had a very geometrically angled design. Two distinctive front prongs framed what looked to be the barrel, and as Thel grasped it in his free hand the active camouflage projector plates in his glove recognized the presence of a new object, and the rifle quickly disappeared. He reached behind his back to see if the weapon would affix itself to the magnetic plate there, and was satisfied when it did.
"There seems to be no kind of armor plating, just what appears to be cloth... no wonder the combat suit failed," said 'Sraom, referring to the dead alien woman. The Arbiter just grunted in response.
"We found nothing in the minor rooms Arbiter," reported one of the Sangheili tasked with searching.
"Very well. We keep moving then," said the Arbiter, and the Second Lance continued quickly down the hall. "'Taham, status update."
"Little to report. There are many small rooms adjoined to our hallway, but we have found nothing of value."
"We have come across signs of continued combat, but we have not found anything yet," Just then, Thel was able to make out the outline of another door that he hoped signaled the end of the hall. "We see another door. Does your hallway continue straight?"
"No, we made a turn towards the west not long ago, and now there is another turn back to the north just ahead."
"Keep me updated and continue mapping as you go," said Thel as the Second Lance reached the door at the end of the hall. "Thermals?"
"Checking now... Arbiter I am picking up signatures!" said 'Sraom.
"How many?"
"Dozens, but none are moving."
"No movement?" questioned Thel quietly. "Taham, move to our position immediately."
"Affirmative Arbiter, we are trying to find a path to you know."
"Double back if you have to," ordered the Arbiter. "'Sraom, breaching charges on the door."
One of Second Lance's Sangheili moved to affix breaching charges on the locked door in front of them, and lacking the room to stack up on either side in the narrow hallway, the rest of the Sangheili arranged themselves in a double-file line, ready to storm into the room beyond.
Once the charges were placed, the demolitions Sangheili retreated back to his awaiting spot in the middle of the formation and the charge exploded.
The Sangheili team burst through the door with weapons raised, ready for anything. What they found however, made even the battle-hardened Arbiter frown.
The scene was one of carnage. By his rough estimate nearly two-dozen Reaper corpses adorned the ground in various states of death and dismemberment. Viscous blue-black blood both oozed on the floor out of the wounds in the freshly dead Reapers and was splattered across the pale walls of the bare room, which looked like a lobby. There were bullet-holes scattered around, as well as a few more of those piles of Reaper-blood-colored ash.
What was of more note though, were the four blue-and-purple skinned bodies mixed in with the dead Reapers as well.
"Spread out," ordered Thel, and the Second Lance stealthily obeyed.
"Ancestors..." muttered 'Sraom as he came across a light-blue skinned alien with half of her face missing.
After another few seconds of silence, one Sangheili called, "Arbiter, this one is still alive."
Thel strode over to the Sangheili's position and looked down at the alien on the floor, finding that she was pinned to the floor by a large piece of metal shrapnel through her upper chest. Dark purple blood poured out around the gloved hands pressed to the edge of the wound, and frantic purple-irised eyes darted back and forth. She coughed violently, blood spurting up from her mouth and landing on Thel's camouflage field, causing it to flicker. The alien noticed this and her eyes fixed upon the spot of the strange disturbance.
'Vadam pressed his tacpad and disengaged his camouflage, revealing all eight feet of his imposing armored self.
The blue-skinned alien's eyes grew wide in fear at his revealing, and one hand reached for some sort of pistol at her side. Thel gently pushed the weapon out of her reach and crouched down on one knee, grasping the arm that reached for the pistol in his own three fingered left hand. He depolarized his visor to reveal his face and the dying woman's eyes met his own.
The alien's mouth moved, but a gurgle of blood replaced any attempt at audible words. She raised her hands from her wound and pawed weakly at Thel's helm, pleading eyes looking directly into his through his visor.
After a couple of seconds, Thel set the Carbine in his right hand down on the floor and reached up for his helm releases, a hiss of air escaping as the airtight seal was broken. As he lifted the helm over his head 'Sraom decloaked and rushed towards him, urgently questioning, "Arbiter, what are you doing!"
'Vadam held up his right hand towards the Sangheili and he dutifully fell silent. Despite 'Sraom's sudden appearance the grievously wounded woman never took her eyes off of Thel. Now helmless, she placed both of her hands on either side of Thel's now bare head. He could feel her warm blood stick to his tough, leathery skin. By this point most of her chest and the floor under them was covered by a layer of the runny liquid, as well as nearly all of her lower jaw and throat.
The woman's mouth moved and her frightened purple eyes turned entirely black, then Thel suddenly found that he was... not where he was before.
It was dark, and Thel couldn't see anything other than himself. He took a deep breath through his nostrils to calm his rising disorientation, and his honed ears heard a soft step behind him.
He turned around and saw the woman who he had just been kneeling over seconds ago, yet instead of a blood-soaked cloth suit, she was wearing a vibrant dark blue-dress that strikingly accentuated her naturally purple skin color. Any wound that she had previously had was now gone; Thel couldn't spot a single trace of blood on her.
The alien woman turned the corners of her mouth upwards in what resembled a Human smile and took a step towards him. Thel nearly took an instinctive step back, but something told him to hold his ground.
The woman advanced until she was right in front of Thel, and then raised her arms to his head. He craned his long neck down and she placed her hands on either side of his head. They were cool and soft this time, not hot and wet with blood. She brought her head closer to his, and gently touched the tip of her forehead to his.
In that instant, he learned everything.
Memories. Culture. Family. Language. A life's worth of experiences pushed onto him by a young girl desperate to be remembered. Her name was Teyassa, and she was only 93 - barely an adult by Asari standards. Thel saw her family, her Asari mother and Turian father, her and her two sisters playing in an quite park on a young Asari colony world. He saw her education and her dream to become a biomedical engineer. That very dream shattered when Batarian slavers slaughtered her family while she was touring a university on the Asari homeworld of Thessia. He saw how her extreme grief turned quickly into depression, and she dropped out of schooling to dance in some disreputable bar. Thel experienced her realization that she was wasting her life, and saw how she enlisted into the Asari military to try and ensure other families didn't meet the same fate her own did.
Then there were the more recent memories. Her posting to this mining colony. The quiet two years of her and her company serving as the growing city's guard and police force. Then, the Reaper attack. The sight of the gigantic ships coming to a hover right above the city. The loud blares of the emergency sirens ushering everyone to take shelter. Drop pods crashing down into the streets, Reaper troops cutting down Asari civilians who couldn't make it to safety.
Captain Levas, the leader of the Asari guard company, and her order to regroup in the Central Mining Tower and defend the central power grid. The desperate fight throughout the halls and rooms of the Tower as they were overwhelmed. The forced diversion to the mess hall after Reaper troops cut off the path to the power grid. The Reaper grenade which blew up a desk and send that piece of metal into her upper chest.
Then, Thel was back in the real world. Teyassa's hands slid limply off of his head and onto the floor, splashing into the puddle of blood she was lying in. Her mouth had closed, and the color had fled out of her eyes.
Thel let out a heavy sigh and put his helm back on "Go in peace warrior."
"Arbiter, thermal scans of the room beyond are picking up multiple signatures," alerted 'Sraom.
'Vadam stood back up, picking up his Carbine from the floor. "I know." He walked over the few feet to the mess hall door and looked for the keypad and swiftly input the code. The red door lock flashed green, then the door opened.
"Arbiter!" called 'Sraom, obviously distressed about the lack of information being given to him.
"Come in cloaked behind me and spread throughout the room. Do not make another move unless it is at my word," he ordered.
Thel strode with purpose into the mess hall and saw around fifty Asari crowded together near the back of the room, hunkered behind some long, overturned tables. There were a few frightened screams as some Asari civilians caught sight of the Sangheili, and Thel saw six rifle-brandishing upper bodies pop up over the tables and take aim at him.
"Cahp-tain Levas!" he bellowed through his helm audios. The words of the Asari language felt strange passing through his mandibles, but he believed he got his point across.
"Stay right the fuck there!" a strong voice commanded, and the Sangheili complied. "Who are you?"
"I am Thel 'Vadam, Ahr-bitter of the Sangheili pheople and right now, your sahl-vation."
The Asari entourage stayed silent for a couple of seconds, before that same strong voice spoke again. One of the rifle-wielding soldiers in the center, features obscured by shadow. "What are you doing here?"
"My forces are clearing the city of Reapers, the ones who attah-cked you, as we speak." Thel noticed that the alien words begin to flow smoother from his mouth.
With those words one of the Asari stepped out from behind the barriers of the makeshift mess hall barrier, rifle still raised in his direction. She was tall for a Asari, nearly six feet in height and had dark, nearly navy blue skin. Thel couldn't make out much more from this distance, but she was wearing the same striped black-grey uniform that the other Asari soldiers were wearing.
"I can see blood on your armor. Asari blood," she said, coldly.
"Yes," replied the Arbiter. "I was with one of your dying warriors in the fin-ahl moments of her pahs-sing. She mehl-ded with me."
"Who?" asked the Asari.
"Her name was Teyassa."
The Asari lowered her rifle, taking her left hand off of the front of it to rub her eyes. "Damn... I thought that grenade had killed her. I didn't know she was still alive when I ordered the retreat to the mess hall."
"So you are Captain Levas," said Thel.
The Asari raised her free hand back to her soldiers defending the civilians and they lowered the rifles they had pointing at Thel.
"That's me," she said. "If you melded with Teyassa, that would explain how you're speaking Asari even though I've never heard of a Sag-nelly before. Never mind the fact that you sound like a six-year old."
"Sangheili," corrected Thel.
"Right," said Levas. She took a few steps towards Thel, sky-blue eyes examining up and down his armor. Now that she was closer, Thel could see tiny spots of sky-blue freckling her cheeks and forehead. "Now you'll have to excuse me for asking again, but who are the Sang-elly? What are you doing here? Are you here to fight those – things?"
"Reapers," corrected Thel again. "And while no, our initial intent was not to 'save you', my forces have nearly eradicated the Reaper forces in your city."
"I don't know whether to thank or threaten you," said Levas, sighing. "Well if you're not here to save us, why are you here?
"You have something here, something you don't understand," said Thel.
Levas' eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"It would not be wise to lie to me Captain," said Thel warningly. "Where is the Safe?"
"There's only three people who know about what we found yesterday, and two of them I saw die with my own eyes. The only other one is me, so how the hell do you know about it?"
Just then, Thel's communicator beeped. Instead of a report from 'Harum like he had expected, this one was from R'tas. The Arbiter turned his head down and to the side and opened the channel.
"Arbiter, this is 'Vadum, are you there?"
"Yes. What is it R'tas?"
"The Reaper force which fled at our arrival is back and are holding at the edge of the system. My instincts tell me that they are now serving as scouts."
"Do you think that more Reapers could be coming?" asked Thel.
"I do not know for sure, but if they know the significance of what lies here...then yes. A larger follow up fleet is likely imminent."
"Then it would be best if we do not leave anything to chance," finished Thel. "We will hurry."
"I will alert you if the situation changes. 'Vadum out."
The link closed, and the Arbiter looked back to Levas. "Captain, there is not much time. More Reapers might be arriving at any moment now. We need to get to the Safe, and unless you want to leave your survivors to the wills of the Reapers once they return, you will have to convince them to come with us."
"Survivors? You found survivors? How many?" said Levas with surprise, eyes widening.
Thel's communicator beeped again. "Arbiter, this is 'Harum. The city has been fully eradicated of Reapers."
"Excellent. 'Harum, do you have an estimate on the number of Asari survivors you have encountered?"
"Asari?" parroted the Ultra, confused.
"Right. They are the aliens of this city. I am in contact with the head of their guard and she wishes to know how many survived."
"The estimates from my men say about three hundred."
"Three hundred," relayed Thel.
Levas was quiet for a few seconds. "Only three hundred?" she said softly, biting her bottom lip and blinking quickly.
The Arbiter just nodded.
"There were over three thousand Asari living here..." said Levas. "Goddess, I am not leaving my people to those 'things' again. If you are offering us a way out of here, then we'll take it."
"There is one prob-lehm however..." began Thel. "Your Asari civilians are slightly terrified of us."
Levas let out a mirthless laugh. "Of course they are. First the Reapers, now you? Both species they've never seen before? Both heavily armed? I'd be scared out of my mind too. Is there any way I can contact them? I would use our own comm network but that was one of the first thing those Reapers took out."
"'Harum, is there any way the Asari Captain can transmit a signal to her people through our communicators?" asked Thel.
"I do not see why not," answered 'Harum.
"Transmitting now," said Thel, tapping his tacpad and holding his arm out in Levas' direction.
The Captain took the cue and stepped forwards. "To any Asari listening, this is Captain Levas of the city guard. These aliens are not here to harm us. They have killed all of those creatures that attacked us, but they say they will be back soon. These aliens are offering us refuge and I suggest that we take it, given that our own ships are destroyed."
Levas paused for a moment, then continued. "I know that this has been our home for several years now, but this is a matter of survival. If we stay here and those abominations come back, we will die. I know many of you are scared, but this is the only way. Go with them, I promise that no harm will come to you."
With that last statement Levas looked to the Arbiter, eyebrows raised, to which Thel nodded his head yes.
"The survivors are moving Arbiter," alerted 'Harum.
"Captain, do you have a place where food and other basic supplies are stored?" asked Thel. "There is a heavy chance that you will need them aboard our vessels."
"Yeah, yeah. There's a warehouse just a little south of here where most of our supplies our located," said Levas.
"'Harum, there is a warehouse full of supplies just south of the tower. I need your men to find it and load as many supplies from there as you can onto the Eternal Repentance along with the Asari survivors." ordered Thel.
"I know of the building you refer to, we will get started right away."
"Good. We also need evacuation for survivors we have come across in the Tower, about fifty individuals," added the Arbiter. Looking to Levas, he said, "Transport will be here shortly to get those here to safety."
Levas turned to the Asari still hiding behind the mess tables. "Jani, you're in charge of getting these people outside and into the transports that will be waiting."
"But what about you Captain?" asked one of the Asari who was holding a rifle.
Levas looked back to Thel. "I'm taking him into the central mine."
Just then, the twenty Sangheili of Thel's team who had been silently and invisibly watching decloaked. There were a few gasps of surprise from the Asari civilians and Thel could see as Levas visibly tensed up.
"Lead the way," he said.
"Damn, the elevator's out," cursed Levas, putting a hand on her hip.
"How far down to the bottom?" asked Thel.
"Five hundred feet."
"Not a problem," he said. Switching back to his Sangheili tongue, he ordered, "Cut open the doors, then the floor of the elevator. We will rappel down."
The Sangheili commando with the plasma torch moved forwards and started working on the door, the bright blue and purple sparks contrasting with the solid white beams of helm lights and weapon mounted illuminators.
The cut was finished shortly, and with the help of two other Sangheili the piece of door was detached and moved out of the way against the side of the mine wall.
The commando wielding the plasma torch walked up to Thel. "Arbiter, this metal slab will make a substantial amount of noise when it falls to the bottom of the shaft. If there is anything at the bottom, they will be alerted to our presence."
"Do it, stealth is not our primary concern."`
"Yes Arbiter."
The Sangheili went to work, and a short time later the section of metal he cut detached from the elevator floor and plummeted the several hundred feet down the shaft. Even from up here, Thel could hear the muffled thud and felt a slight vibration through the floor.
As his Sangheili affixed ropes and started rappelling in pairs down into the shaft, Thel looked to Levas. "You are going down with me."
"I know how to rappel," said Levas, annoyance in her voice.
"No, you do not. Not the Sangheili way," said Thel, putting a hand on her back and gently pushing her to the open elevator.
When they reached the rappel lines, Thel shouldered his Carbine and wrapped one arm strongly around Levas' waist. Then, once another Sangheili had positioned himself on the other rope Thel nodded.
"Hold on," said 'Vadam, grabbing onto the rope with his free hand and jumping down into the chasm. They fell quickly, their descent controlled only by Thel's grip on the rope. He couldn't tell over the sound of the air rushing past them, but Thel could have sworn that he heard Levas let out a small cry.
After a couple of seconds they were close to the ground, and Thel tightened his grip on the rope to slow their fall to slow their fall to a survivable level. They would have hit the ground relatively hard, but with concern for Levas the Arbiter took extra care to land with only a slight jar.
Thel was going to let go of the Captain, but when his grip loosened hers tightened.
"Are you alright?" he asked
"I'm – yeah. I'm fine," stuttered Levas, separating herself from him. "Well now that we're down, how the hell are we going to get back up?"
"Gravity lift," said Thel gruffly, looking out at a fork in the path just ahead. There were two mine shafts, one leading left, one going right.
"Yeah a gravity lift, of course," said a still-breathless Levas.
"Which way?" asked the Arbiter.
"Left," answered Levas, holding her rifle in one hand and rubbing her temple with the other.
That was how it was for a couple of minutes, Captain Levas guiding Thel's Sangheili team deeper and deeper into the mine.
The team stopped when they came upon a metal wall, or at least, what was left of it. There was a large, jagged hole torn in the center, but what was curious to Thel was that some of the edges looked fused, like they had been melted then re-solidified.
"What we discovered is just beyond this entryway, but what the hell happened here..." wondered Levas out loud. She stepped up to the hole and ran her hand along one of the smooth edges, saying "These smooth portions look to be the work of biotics, but these jagged tears..."
"Bi-ahtics?" said Thel, the word unfamiliar to his jaws.
"They're... it's hard to expla – "
Levas was interrupted by a sudden scream, but this was not anything either had heard before. This one was more of a shrieking, bloodcurdling wail of pain and agony that made Levas instinctively wince and the Sangheili tense up. The scream died down, only to be replaced by another. Then another. Then yet another.
"Cloak and through the door. Now," ordered Thel, and his Sangheili disappeared into the darkness, illumination lamps flicking off. Thel rushed over to Levas and grabbed her by the waist again, pulling her close again despite her cry of surprise. The Arbiter's active camouflage field quickly adapted to Levas' presence and covered her in the invisible field as well, and the Arbiter all but lifted her off of the ground as he rushed through the opening along with the rest of his Sangheili.
They entered into a large chamber with walls that curved into a domed top high above. It was nearly pitch black save for the chamber's sole source of light, a small metal wall that was glowing a soft orange on the opposite side of the chamber.
Illuminated in this light were four figures, tall and lithe. Even in the dim lighting the creatures' sickly dark black and gray skin was evident, and Thel thought he could see ropey black cords wind around its body. Long, sharp looking claws protruded from the ends of the things' hands and were currently being used in a vain attempt to tear open the metal wall in front of them.
"Goddess help us... Those – those monsters," stammered Levas, whispering, "Those are Asari!"
Thel took a closer look, and saw that Levas might have been right. On the back of the creatures heads were those distinctive head crests that Asari like Levas had, yet these were much more extended and pointed. Thel grimaced as he realized that the Reapers were more like the Parasite than he thought. Not only do their ships resemble them, but now it appeared that they converted captured species into their own ground troops. It would explain the resemblance of the Human-like Reaper creatures to well, the Humans.
"They aren't aware of us. Prepare to open fire," ordered Thel. "Grenade volley to start, go on my word."
Thel gave his Sangheili a couple of seconds to ready and aim their weapons and prepare grenades for throwing.
"Now!"
At once twenty blue flames of plasma erupted and were launched through the air at high velocity towards the four Asari-Reapers. Immediately after twenty Sangheili decloaked and gave a roaring battle-cry, unleashing a torrent of fire at the monsters.
For three of the creatures, destruction fell down upon them in seconds, at least three of four burning plasma grenades adhering themselves to each of their deformed bodies. Caught off-guard by the suddenness of the attack, the three Asari monstrosities had no time to raise their protective biotic barriers and the subsequent small-arms barrage fired by the Sangheili impacted to deadly effect. Blue plasma orbs burned and melted off the pieces of dead skin they impacted, while Needle and Carbine rounds pierced deep into their bodies. One Asari-Reaper was torn in two as a line of Needle rounds stitched across its presented lower back and super-combined into a violent pink explosion. Another had most of its upper body blown off with the impact of a Fuel Rod round, while the third's black skin was turned blacker by a veritable wave of scorching plasma fire. The screams of agony from the two Banshees who still possessed heads were silenced by the detonation of the plasma grenades, the superheated detonations flash-searing any sort of unprotected flesh within their radius into non-existence.
However, there was one Asari monster who survived the initial barrage. This one was turned slightly sideways towards the Sangheili instead of having its back facing them, and that split-second of warning was all it needed. Just as the grenades were about to fall upon them this one Reaper summoned some sort of whirling blue field around itself, and when the grenades impacted it instead of sticking fast to it they fell to the ground. The same amount of small-arms fire fell upon this Reaper as well, but instead of withering under the fire this one emerged unharmed. The only noticeable effect the Sangheili weapons had on the creature was when the two plasma grenades at the things feet detonated, seemingly dissipating the field surrounding it and causing it to stagger backwards.
"Hold your fire!" yelled Thel, and his Sangheili obeyed unquestionably. "This one is mine."
Thel gently pushed Captain Levas out of his way and strode forwards into the middle of the mine chamber in between the surviving Reaper and his Sangheili. Now recovered, the Reaper extended itself to its full height and faced Thel, giving him a full view of its nearly emaciated body, save for the swollen stomach and mammary glands. Then, the creature bent over and extended its arms, giving Thel a screeching wail that seemed almost like a challenge.
The Asari-Reaper stood back up and swiped a hand in Thel's direction, launched a warping blue projectile right towards him. Thel anticipated its trajectory, deftly rolling out of the way right before it got to him. The creature tried again, launching another projectile at him to the exact same result as before, with Thel rolling away unharmed, closing the gap between them. Unsatisfied at the current strategy, the Asari-Reaper screamed once again, summoning another whirling blue field around her.
Then, much to Thel's surprise, the mutated Asari started teleporting, jumping towards the Arbiter in a zig-zag pattern where she disappeared and reappeared about five meters away each time.
Thel held his ground against the rapidly approaching Reaper, bracing one hoof back and drawing his energy sword in his right hand. He thumbed its activation and the blue-white blade came to life with a hiss, as well as a smaller energy dagger he summoned out of his left gauntlet.
The Reaper continued its advance, stopping only when it had teleported a mere two meters in front of Thel, immediately swiping at him with an extended hand, finger-claws bared. Decades of combat experience and swordsmanship practice made Thel's reaction instinctual, and the Sangheili ducked under the swipe while at the same time dragging the blade of his sword through the air above him. The plasma blade contacted the monsters arm near the elbow, the intense energy contained within it dissipating the creature's protective barrier and severing the limb.
As the creature wailed in pain Thel stepped forwards, closing the distance between the two and stabbing forwards with his left hand. The energy dagger pieced into the abomination's swollen belly and as Thel bobbed back up he brought the dagger with him, the blade making a long vertical cut all the way up the thing's chest. Witnessing the effectiveness of his blades against his foe Thel decided to end it right then and there, and swiped horizontally with his full-length sword across the Reaper's midsection, cutting the creature into two halves. As the lower half flopped onto the ground the upper half now fell freely down on Thel's energy dagger due to gravity, and the Reaper's screams were finally silenced as the dagger pierced its throat, jaws, and finally, its skull.
The remains of the body started disintegrating before his very eyes into that same blue-black ash he had seen before, and Thel thumbed off of his blades.
He began to walk towards the glowing metal wall and examined it closely for the first time, seeing that it bore no signs of wear from the previous engagement. It looked just as it had in the vision, stark, bare, absent of any sort of line of other imperfection yet emanating a soft orange light. Thel stopped about a meter in front of it and took a moment to just examine it.
"You called it a safe, but how does it open?" asked Levas, who had joined him at his side.
"Like this," said Thel, reaching out a hand and placing it on the wall, palm forwards and fingers splayed. Suddenly, lines appeared where there were no lines before, then more, then more still, until it seemed that the entire wall was criss-crossed by patterns of faint creases. Then, all of the lines disappeared save for two pairs of parallel lines that formed a small box at Thel's chest level.
A thin section of the metal recessed into itself, revealing a small compartment. Thel reached inside of it with his hand and grasped the small object that lay inside of it, drawing it out into the open. He held it up and looked at the object, which looked like no more than a simple metal cylinder, long and thin.
"What is it?" asked Levas in wonder.
"A Key," replied Thel. "One of six."
"Key? Key to what?" questioned the Asari.
"The Mantle of Responsibility."
At that moment Thel thought back to the vision that he had seen, that all Sangheili had seen, when the second group of Separatist ships had arrived. The coordinates to this planet, the continent that the city was on, the city itself, the Tower, the Safe, the Key. The voice that all of the Sangheili heard. Commanding, kind, and distinctly feminine.
The time has come for the activation of your Geas. The Reclaimers will soon inherit the Mantle, but they cannot do so without your help. Go now, collect the six Keys scattered across this galaxy. You once sought to exterminate them, just as we did, but now you will help them unlock their true potential. Become, my Sangheili, the guardians of the Reclaimers. Heed my call and act, Knights of the Mantle.
Special thanks to my beta JonHarper