Chapter Seven – Wisdom
Time, date, and place unknown.
The Prophet of Wisdom knew what was coming. Decades of learning, teaching, living the religious zeal that was the Promise of the Rings had shown him the power of followers. If he wasn't careful, what he was about to propose might very well split the binding of the Covenant for good. In fact, that was precisely Wisdom's hope.
His thoughts and emotions threatened to overwhelm him again, as he sped his hover chair across the High Docking Port of the Holy Shrine of the Rings. Everything he had ever held onto dearly: hope of salvation and peace…had been shattered moments ago. He went over his conversation with the Oracle once again in his mind.
o o o
"Speak, oh noble Oracle, and enlighten us with your ever luminous knowledge to those who walk the Path," Wisdom said, nearly trembling at the prospect of conversing with a live and untainted relic of the mighty Forerunners. Found drifting dead in space, the Oracle was brought directly to the nearest Prophet's Phantom in-system. Bound by anti-grav generators, for security, the spherical entity now hovered in place, swiveling about to take in Wisdom and his Elite Honor Guard escorts.
It spoke. From its white orb eye, a light pulsed in tune with its mechanical speech.
"Greetings. I am 07 Innovative Gesture. I am the Monitor of Installation 00. Please, forgive my impatience. I must return to the Ark immediately and resume my scheduled duties."
Wisdom held his breath as he tried to decipher the meaning of the Oracle's words.
Why must it speak in such riddles? Perhaps there is a coded answer I must return…
"Mighty Oracle, are not all who walk the Path worthy? Tell me, when shall we find the Holy Rings? When shall our path into the divine be opened to the faithful?"
The Oracle pulsed rapidly, then spoke again, this time more impatiently.
"Please. We must not waste precious time with misunderstanding. I am the Monitor of Installation 00. If the proper procedures are not carried out in due course, the likelihood of an outbreak will surely multiply. Release me, and we may still save many lives."
Wisdom became a little frustrated with the Oracle's persistence in such vague and ominous messages. To think that in all their years of searching, the Covenant's first contact with a living relic of the gods would be postponed by such evasive converse. But Wisdom held his patience and asked again.
"Most Sacred Oracle, we do not understand. We have been told you would lead us into the light of the gods only after finding a Ring of holy origin. We have searched long and far, and have grown since first our Promise was made, but now, we are lost and in need of your divine assistance. Please, enlighten us so we might better walk the Path to salvation."
The Oracle's light glowed a fierce red.
"Enough of this nonsense! Release me now or I will be forced to take action!"
"Now, now, Oracle, there is no need- you must forgive my-," Wisdom cried out as a flash of ruby red blinded his eyes and a wave of heat washed over him like a hellish tide. There were several other cries from the Elites, and then nothing but the smell of cindered flesh and the sound of hissing steam. The Prophet of Wisdom opened his eyes.
All six Elite Honor Guards lay dead, smoldering gaps in their chests. In shock and horror Wisdom looked back at the Oracle with a new fear. The Oracle spoke again, its voice echoing about the dropship's deck.
"I will make things perfectly clear to you. My creators, the Forerunners, built the Ark and the Rings to harbor and study the Flood. When the greatest outbreak occurred, and their war seemed lost, they used the Rings to take their own lives and thereby starve the Flood infestation. I oversaw the procedures myself. 343 Guilty Spark sent me confirmation from Installation 04 that our creators were ready to activate the array. I must return to my post on Installation 00 before another outbreak occurs. I must be there to ensure that no Installation is left unchecked. Do you see now why I must leave? I must be there in the event that a Reclaimer arrives and gives the order to re-activate the array. I am vital to the Forerunners' plans. I am vital to your 'gods' plans."
Wisdom was taken aback, assaulted by the grand notion of the Oracle's words. Wisdom, despite his fear, wished to lash out at the machine and rid the heretic from this world for good! Perhaps a malfunction, a false messenger from some unknown enemy…
Wisdom collapsed further onto his knees as the weight of truth pressed down upon his conscious. He knew inside that what the Oracle, what this 'Monitor' had said must be true. For it to speak was for the gods to speak. And so it must be. Oh, the fools we have made of ourselves! Our Holy Covenant has mistaken the true path and veered off course. And yet, there was still time to make amends. To embark upon the Great Journey…
Wisdom rose from his hunched position and stared the Monitor in the eye.
"Forgive the sins of myself and all the Covenant. We must tell the other Prophets, and all the faithful, the error of our ways. Please, tell me what path it is we must take as devout followers, and we shall gladly follow in your holy footsteps, Monitor, if that is what you so wish to be called."
The Monitor pulsed a bright white again and bobbed its head.
"Excellent. We must hurry. Release me, and we may begin."
o o o
And here Wisdom sat, gliding his chair through the shield barrier that let none pass save the Prophets. The Monitor hovered over Wisdom's shoulder, humming softly to itself and taking in the intricate designs inscribed about the Shrine's walls.
There, atop the raised seven-stepped dais awaited the other two most important beings in the Covenant: The Prophet of Reason and the Prophet of Ambition. They had been alerted that the Prophet of Wisdom required their immediate audience in the Holy Shrine of the Rings, where the greatest religious undertaking had begun. After the discovery of a crystal-like object, one that was decided to be of Holy origin, massive amounts of energy were channeled from the Covenant's home world and base and funneled through the crystal in the hopes of opening up a rift into the divine beyond.
Of course, such a feat had never been accomplished; instead, the power of slipspace had been discovered using this ancient Forerunner technology. There were Prophets, such as Ambition, however, who insisted that this focused energy portal brought them close enough to the split between the realms of reality and the spiritual to even hear messages whispered by the gods. While Wisdom had always disliked this rumor, his faith in the Promise had never faltered.
Until now.
As Wisdom approached, the other two swiveled in their hover chairs to meet his gaze. The crystal object glowed brightly, hovering from within the column of blue-white energy. An Engineer drifted by, set on some task within the Shrine. Wisdom ignored it and read the look on his colleagues' faces. Reason had a look of plain curiosity as Wisdom floated up the steps upon his hover chair. Ambition's eyes flared, as if demanding an explanation. Until his eyes caught the Monitor hovering just above Wisdom's shoulder. Then Ambition's eyes seemed sharp with suspicion and perhaps disbelief. Reason, on the other hand, fell to his knees upon the cold floor in prayer, the searing light of the energy column illuminating them all from behind.
"By the Rings! An Oracle at last has come to end our strife. The Great Journey must surely be nigh!"
Wisdom held up a delicate hand to stay his words, but before he could speak, Ambition cut in.
"Do not assume we are in the presence of a saint, Reason. We know not what news this object brings. Wisdom will no doubt inform us of his discovery."
Wisdom turned his crowned head towards the Monitor, and it sped forward and encircled the trio once before examining the glorious column of energy before it.
"What function does this serve? My readings indicate incalculable energy levels to the point of near instability. Such levels required to perform inter-dimensional travel. But this beam is concentrated within this crystal-like object within. The particles are forced together rather than released to expand. This raises many questions, and I have many theories. Might I know of its origin? If it was my masters', I know not of its making. Perhaps you are in contact with the Reclaimers? Is this of their genius? Why are you so silent when not long ago you desired to speak?"
All save Wisdom seemed struck dumb by the Monitor's strange words. Reason stuttered several times, whilst Ambition frowned in disappointment. He turned to Wisdom.
"This is no Oracle. You bring us a contaminated relic. It speaks not of the Promise but of distortions in time and space-,"
The Monitor pulsed and turned to face Ambition, bobbing once in apology.
"I am 07 Innovative Gesture. I am the Monitor of Installation 00. Please, forgive my impertinence and allow me to explain…"
The three Prophets sat in attentive silence as the Monitor recounted the story of his masters, of the war between Forerunner and the Flood in greater detail, and of the Rings, the Ark, and their purpose. As the Monitor's tale neared its close, Wisdom looked at each Prophet on either side to study their reactions. Reason's almost imperceptible trembling had begun to die, as he began nodding his head in faithful recognition. Ambition merely scowled. The Monitor pulsed excitedly.
"…And so all sentient beings in the galaxy are in danger. The Flood's population levels are still not quite certain. In the event that an Installation has an outbreak, I must be ready at my post in order to-,"
"Heretic!" Ambition cried, and drew a plasma pistol from his robes and began to charge its tip with a bright green glow. The Monitor's light flashed red and it swerved to the side. Wisdom and Reason grasped their controls to propel their hover chairs and slam into Ambition. Just as they collided into him, Ambition released the weapon's trigger and loosed the trembling orb of focused plasma. The Monitor sped in another direction as the blob of green energy arced to track it.
But there was simply too little distance between the Monitor and the Prophets, and so it held its position and activated a spherical shield around itself. The gathered plasma splashed upon the reflective shield and the barrier dissipated. But some property within the Covenant projectile produced an EMP-like effect as its energy expanded and was released, and the Monitor's light flickered once, then faded, and the metallic orb fell to the hard floor with a resounding clank.
Wisdom and Reason were dumped from their hovering thrones just as Ambition was thrown off his own, and each wrestled for control of the plasma pistol, now charged with another shot. The barrel pointed between them as each struggled to overcome the other.
Finally Reason and Wisdom, both older Prophets, were able to combine their strength and tip the glowing weapon nearer towards Ambition. The Prophet cried out and released the trigger, and all three winced as a prickling hot wave of heat rippled over them. Their eyes swam in a green haze of light, and Wisdom found his grip on the plasma pistol lost. He heard three rapid short bursts of plasma and a groan. Wisdom tried again to open his eyes and see.
When at last his vision and clarity synchronized, Wisdom found the tip of the plasma pistol pointing at his face. Ambition stood over him, panting. Reason lay behind him, smoldering from the sticky mess that had been his chest. Wisdom raised a withered hand.
"Please. Wait. Do not deny wisdom before it is heard."
Ambition paused, listening.
"If you will not heed the Monitor's words, then at the least do not destroy it. It may yet be valuable in fulfilling the Great Journey."
Ambition grinned.
"And what of you, old man? Why shouldn't I kill you?"
Wisdom swallowed.
"Will it not look suspicious? That two Prophets died in a weapon discharge accident? It will not be hard for the Council to find you guilty of murderous treason. Let me live, and you have my word I will speak of this to no living soul."
Ambition seemed lost deep in thought. Decided, he lowered the weapon.
"Your words are wise indeed. Perhaps your title has yet served your purpose.," Ambition said, as he turned and strode over towards the disabled and sparking Monitor, "But there is one account on which I do not agree…"
Ambition aimed the plasma pistol at the Monitor and began another charge.
Wisdom reached out instinctively towards the Monitor, searching for the proper words to turn Ambition's heart and stay his wrath.
Ambition fired.
The Monitor melted into the floor, as Ambition followed up with several more short bursts to finish it off. Wisdom slammed his fist against the ground.
Our first Oracle…murdered.
Ambition turned about and glanced up at the vibrant column of blue-white energy, then looked Wisdom's way.
"And now…what to do with you?"
o o o
"And so, we weep with open hearts for the loss of our dear and trusted friend, the Prophet of Reason. He was noble, he was honest, and he will find no pain and suffering in the realm beyond. Such a devastating accident calls for a closer inspection of our current weapons safety, and the culprits of such incompetence have been properly disposed of. But in the meantime, we have other, glorious, news…"
The Prophet of Ambition sat upon his hovering throne and gestured to his side, where Wisdom stood on his own two feet, robes shimmering beneath the glare of a dozen recorder lights as their message was broadcast to all the Covenant. Ambition continued.
"In the wake of this recent tragedy, the Prophet of Wisdom has volunteered to lead a great undertaking in the Great Journey. Through the divine portal held within this Shrine we have heard the wise words of an Oracle…"
Ambition paused, not hearing, but knowing, the millions of gasps that rang about all who watched across the galaxy. With a gentle hand for patience, he spoke again.
"Yes, indeed, the moment of salvation draws near. The Oracle wishes to reveal to the Prophet of Wisdom all that we must know if we are to make the Great Journey. But to compile such information will take years, centuries, eons. And so the Prophet of Wisdom has promised to undertake this holy mission and step into the rift between this world and the next. It is our belief that the gods are channeling through the portal a power that will render the Prophet of Wisdom timeless, an eternal guide whom the Prophets of our future generations will converse with for his divine-inspired wisdom. He will become our elder, our link to the beyond and the one who will guide us along the Path. He is now the Elder Prophet. And his sacrifice transcends all."
Ambition held out his arms and slid aside, while Wisdom was bade off-screen by Elite Honor Guards to stand in his place and address the crowd. They were told that the Prophet of Wisdom might give in to weakness and resist his departure into the sacred realm, and that he was to be reminded of his promise at all cost: even at the use of arms. But to the millions of Covenant watching their screens, all they saw was a brave and compassionate ruler determined to save them all.
Wisdom held out his arms in compliance, wondering just what it was he was about to embark on, just how long it might be before the Covenant, before anyone, discovered the truth. He cleared his throat gracefully, and spoke what he hoped would not be his last words.
"Unto the Covenant, I give you this gift. That I should transcend into the beyond does not mean that I will not return to Reclaim those left behind. For even the gods make mistakes…and so they will help us all not to make them ourselves. I bid the faithful farewell, and a Light to guide us along the Path."
It would have to do. Perhaps one amongst the zealous crowd would see the clues, the plea in his words.
Time would tell.
It was then, upon the raised dais within the Holy Shrine of the Rings that the Covenant were shown the portal. The bright column of blue-white energy glared on their screens, illuminating the Prophets in a holy light. Atop Wisdom's head Ambition placed a new headdress, one more intricate and beautiful than any before, and in it was entombed a pink crystal, the key to the gods.
Wisdom faced the recorders once more, his arms outstretched in a sign of peace. But in his heart he felt helpless. Ambition whispered into his ear as the crystal-embedded crown was placed atop his head.
"This may work, and you shall be frozen forever in time. Or it shall fail, and you shall become obliterated by the gods' wrath. Either way, I have succeeded. No heretic shall blind the faithful from seeing the Path. No false gods shall stand in our way. Goodbye…father."
Ambition grinned. Wisdom held his stare, and whispered back to him, one last time.
"You were never wise enough to watch your step as you dash towards greatness, son. And never more were you so further from the path. You are lost, Ambition. But there are others who know the way."
Ambition's smile turned to a grimace of anger.
"Reclaimers? Fool. From here forth it shall be inscribed, no, carved into the holy writ that these Reclaimers are heretics, that they have stolen what is not rightfully theirs. Their blood will stain the hands of all the faithful, until every last drop soaks into the sands of time. As will you. No, father. There is no Reclaimer. There is only Reclamation."
It was then that Ambition pressed Wisdom's hover chair controls and drifted him into the warbling beam, contained only by the semi-liquid gel layer that contained it. Passing slowly and without molecular friction, Wisdom was absorbed by the column with ease and floated into its center. His hover chair failed and was torn away and destroyed. The crystal began to burn profusely with a pink-white light...
Wisdom watched through the waves of roiling energy that so gently curved about his body, curved by the crystal's resilience. Ambition raised his arms toward the recorders in praise. An Engineer drifted by, its gaze locked directly with Wisdom's in a brief look of understanding. There was a bright flash…
And Wisdom felt no more.