Ch. 15 Fear Itself

I apologize that this is late but what was only suppose to be a 2-3 hour moving job took 12 hours and I didn't get in till 11 PM on Friday so I didn't have time to write till then. Nonetheless, I have strived to give my best in all my chapters so I won't keep you guys from seeing the Arbiter go crazy lol.

Edit: I was about to post it before the power went out so again I apologize that this is so late.

One other note, Since this story is ending in 1-2 chapters I want to know how you all felt about it overall. It doesn't have to be a long review but something to let me know if you didn't expect much or if you all loved it since the get go.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters belong to Bungie and 343.

The Chief faced many things in his career that would break any normal soldier; from jumping feet first into the Flood-infested High Charity to tangling with a berserking brute in CQC and he even had the pleasure of leading suicide missions into enemy territory without ever flinching but, though he would never admit this to anyone, he did start to feel some semblance of worry over the new face of his friend. That soldier-like but still somewhat normal face became cold eyes and a fierce snarling visage that would send anyone running in terror.

This was one of those times.

Quicker than the Chief thought possible, the Arbiter was charging the squad of mercenaries and within a second of reaching them had one impaled through his split jaws and straight out the top of his head while the other fell victim to a second energy blade that pierced straight through his eyes and out of the back of his skull. With sharp motions, the Arbiter pulled both blades free and the bodies dropped to the floor as she turned to face the other three Sangheili who began to back-step as she lunged with both swords cutting through the air.

"Wow...Chief, I'm actually starting to regret this entire plan." Cortana said as even she cringed when one of the Sangheili split in half at the force and intensity of the Arbiter's blades. "Those aren't normal blades."

"Where did she get them?" The Chief asked as Dava gave a short huff of laughter.

"Her mother had a knack for making things deadlier and those were her prized swords. It took her nearly 5 years to get the perfect hilt to be able to withstand the amount of energy and heat the blades produce and double that time to have a working prototype as the two just wouldn't cooperate even with the right specifications." Dava said with pride as the Chief turned back to the corpses and sure enough he saw that the skin around the wounds actually melted from the heat.

"What about around the hand?" The Chief asked worriedly.

"The mesh under her armor is made of several heat resistant materials that can withstand temperatures reaching a few thousand degrees. Combine that with the natural wind cooling and the blades inner cooling unit then you have a battle ready sword that could, in theory, cut through a metal door like it wasn't even there." Dava said as Stacker whistled.

"Those weren't being mass-produced?" Hood asked as he turned away from the sight.

"We never saw the need for them when only those of high rank use them and my wife stated that they wouldn't be used in a needless war." Dava replied solemnly as the Arbiter stood alone with dead bodies around her.

"So she was opposed to the war?" Hood asked curiously. "I thought all of your race would be for it."

"At first we were but once Humanity began to fight back just as hard we became more confused and wondered why you were never given the option to join the Covenant. It was that confusion that eventually led to questioning and resentment began to form until it exploded in the Great Schism, however there were a few and I do mean a few Sangheili back here on Sanghelios that were opposed from the start." Dava replied as Falo snorted.

"His wife kicked his ass up and down the Keep when she found out that he allowed his daughter to join the Covenant." Falo replied as Dava shot him a look.

"And yours didn't?" Dava challenged as Falo put his head down.

"Whipped." Dubbo said with a small grin.

"Where are the others." The Arbiter said lowly as one of the guards pointed to the courtyard and she calmly walked out of the main hall.

"Should we do something?" The Chief asked as Kela shook her head.

"For who? Her or them?" she asked with a slight tone of laughter.

"It's best if we let her work out her anger Spartan, she needs this more than anything right now." Dava said as the Chief grimaced.

-With the Arbiter-

The Arbiter walked out into the courtyard where the mercenaries were taking cover from the Spartan-IV's before they noticed her covered in purple blood with two energy swords in her hands. With a snarl she leapt into the fray and began an intricate dance of death as she moved from one enemy to the next as her swords cut through flesh like it was paper.

"All the years!" The Arbiter exclaimed as she cut down another Sangheili. "All the years I spent trying to prove myself in the service only to have something always hanging over my head! All the battles I have won and all my years of service only to have it all taken because of one human, the times I had to fight to prove myself in a male dominated environment only to be passed over for promotions from the beginning, the times I had to suffer as failure always weighed over my successes and I was branded with a mark that would never leave, the number of suicide missions I was forced on to regain honor that would never return and then the ultimate betrayal that I had to watch as my own race was slaughtered!" she finished as she cut through another Sangheili.

The courtyard filled with dead bodies as the Arbiter continued her dance. A couple fell to decapitations and others lost limbs or were almost cleanly split with only a thin line of flesh keeping their bodies together as the Arbiter took all her anger and frustration on those who interfered on her day. The sight of their comrades being slaughtered by a lone warrior prompted the others to start fleeing until an energy barrier stopped them before they exit the entrance gate with a team of Spartans on the other side of effectively blocking any chance for escape.

"Are you sure we can't let one of them go?" A Spartan asked as he cringed when he got a first hand look at the inside of an Sangheili.

"Would you want to face her?" Another asked as he pointed to the Arbiter.

"On second thought...it might be bad for my health." The first said as the leader laughed.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." The leader said as she grinned behind her helmet. "Girl power." she finished as one of the Sangheili at the gate dropped due to the lack of a head.

-With the Chief-

"Well the courtyard is clear." A Sangheili guard said as he looked at the blood stained courtyard.

"It's beginning to smell like burnt leather and tar in here." Dubbo said as he cleared the air around his face.

"Private!" Stacker said as he gave Dubbo a scolding look.

"Leather and tar?" Dava asked as Hood flinched.

"Some humans have said that Sangheili smell like leather and their blood smell likes tar." Cortana said as Dava tilted his head.

"Do we smell like that?" Dava asked Falo curiously.

"Not that I can tell." Falo replied as he sniffed himself.

The Chief would've laughed had he not frowned before catching a hand aimed at his belt and then delivering a hard punch to someone sneaking up behind him. "I was wondering when you show up." The Chief said as Selmon got off the ground with a snarl.

"So is this what passes as peace talks? Getting a human married to alien?" Selmon said as the Sangheili growled.

"Watch it human." Falo said as he pointed his plasma rifle at Selmon.

"Says the one who committed genocide because their leaders told them too and like blind dogs they did." Selmon shot back as the Sangheili bristled.

"Enough, Selmon you are under arrest for murder and conspiracy against the UNSC you will be taken into custody and tried by a court-martial." Hood said as a Marine squad surrounded him.

"I don't think so." Selmon said as he dropped another grenade and disappeared when everyone took cover.

"Another flash-bang." The Chief said as his ears rang.

"Did you get it on him?" Dava asked as he blinked.

"Yes, it's on him." The Chief replied as Cortana smirked.

"I got him heading north at a fast rate, probably on a vehicle." Cortana said as Hood stood up and brushed off his uniform.

"As fun as this has been, I apologize for what has happened here." Hood said as Dava looked around at the bloodstained wall and doors. "Let's not even get started on the holes in the courtyard either."

"A place of worship turned into a battleground, our ancestors would be turning in their graves." Dava replied as his guards began moving the dead out of the hall. "Fear not, we will have this place cleaned and ready in a few hours." he finished calmly as the Chief tilted his head.

"Do you need any help?" The Chief asked before Cortana could open her mouth.

"It would be appreciated." Dava said as Dubbo groaned.

"You heard the old guy, start working!" Stacker said as the Marines groaned about menial work. "Quit bitching, they're giving us free food and the Chief is getting embarrassed, I'd say that's worth a few hours of cleaning."

"I hate you Stacker." The Chief muttered under his breath.

-Outside-

"Arbiter, restrain yourself." One of the guards said as she had the last merc ready to be executed.

The Arbiter snarled but said nothing as she stepped back and allowed merc to be taken away as her father came up to her.

"I'm truly sorry my daughter for this day turned out." Dava said as the Arbiter didn't respond. "If you would like to be patient we can have everything cleaned up in a few hours." he offered but she only shook her head.

"It wouldn't do anything more than cover up what happened." she replied as she gazed at the Temple. "It's as if I am cursed to always have a cloud of dread to hang over me."

"It seems like that but there is still one silver lining in this." Dava said as the Arbiter looked at him. "You still have a ceremony to perform."

Yes, I am cutting it right here as well. *cue evil mutters from fans* Yes I am that evil but I wanted the wedding itself to be one chapter so I decided to give you all one chapter of fluffiness and good feelings so look forward to that as my special gift to all of you.

Well we only have a bit left so read and review and let's hope we see the Arbiter in H5!