Thick emissions of purple gas erupted out of the back thruster's of the flying vessel, allowing it to descend down upon the heavy hanger bay gravitational pad. The entire phantom clunked violently upon the pad, its side turrets opening quickly to allow all occupants to exit and land upon the earthy ground below. They had landed inside the holy city of High Charity, home to the Covenant armada and instrument of the forerunner gods themselves.
"I haven't walked the holy steps for near a decade, how it comforts my aching feet" Aethos exclaimed slowly, allowing his heavy metallic white clad boots to land surprisingly softly on the purple metal floor. As the heavily armoured Sangheili looked out, he could see numerous vessels appearing and disappearing from inside the large domed head of the entire city; all of them heading or retreating from the central spire.
"Remember young one, we must seek haste to find the Councillor; the betrayal of the brutes will not be forgotten so easily, neither will our fallen brothers" Ra'zark replied seethingly, looking around in something close to disgust as he looked the lightly lit, wondrous city. Personally he had been in the holy city on numerous occasions in order to report in his own sacrilegious missions to the high legions of the Sangheili themselves; his own induction into the Zealot order had made sure to claim his life into the servitude of the San Shyuum and this mysterious great journey they were all attempting to embark themselves onto.
As the rather small formation of elite warriors stepped out of the hanger bay, three small Kig-Yar workers stifled their squawks and watched them walk by. As soon as the intruding Sangheili had left, the low classed jackals kneeled down and continued their work by shifting an energy propellant from one category to one that required it more.
Aethos felt a chill on the back of his neck as he walked into the large heavily populated courtyard that dominated the city space, thousands of covenant creatures could be seen from all angles inside the massive well lit space; despite the fact that he hadn't been to this city in over twelve cycles, he still felt like there was something wrong. The formation of Elites however, continued walking forward until they pushed through the overwhelming numbers, of Unggoy and Kig-Yar peasants, without much in the way of an apology. One particularly vile Jackal squawked as he saw the intruding elites, pausing for a split second before spitting a thick goblet of green saliva onto the ground in absolute disgust.
"Calm yourself Zealot" Aethos spoke slowly, his mandibles barely moving as he noticed the golden clad warrior had drawn his white handle from its holster and prepared to activate it in order to silence the disrespectful Kig-Yar. Surprisingly the Jackal didn't shirk in fear of the weapon but screech almost a challenge to the elite; wishing for the foolish Sangheili to make a move that it knew it would regret.
Finally Ra'zark snarled and sheathed his white handle in knowledge and wisdom not to start a bloodbath straight here in the streets when they had more pressing issues to deal with. A resounding screech of disgust broke through as the creature scuttled away in reattributed rage, knowing that the stand-off had not worked in its favour.
"Vile creatures, they stand not much better than the Brutes" The golden zealot spat out, flaring his mandibles violently in anticipation for any other assault that would attempt to govern his own movements towards the cities capital.
"We may deal with them later" One of the trio of blue clad Minors spoke up wisely, breaking through the veil of silence and orchestrating his own opinion as a legislated command. This was something Aethos found a bit interesting, he was unsure if the Elite Minor was even qualified to speak to a Zealot but the young warrior had done it anyway. Rules it seemed, did not have much play when you battled with your own species survival.
Meanwhile
Oo'rang breathed in slowly as he looked upon the stump that now completely encased his right arm, restricting all forms of sword combat and limiting his leadership to little more but yelling furiously at his inferiors and hoping that they would listen. The amethyst elite growled softly as he finally turned it away, he knew that this short life of suffering would be dealt with as soon as he completed his obligation to the vessel he stood upon; he had work to do first.
"Shipmaster, the unbonded hunter has been killed as you commanded" One Sangheili spoke up on his own helmet communications, relaying the strict and rather cruel message across to the restless and weary commander.
"Very well Field Warden, you may report in to the quarters; I have one final command for you" Oo'rang spoke softly, his mandibles twitching as he released what he thought to be his final communication in this life. Despite himself, he started to feel a twinge of sympathy over the unjust slaughter of the singular Hunter. The Mgalekgolo guard had revealed his good intentions by assisting them against the brutes, but after the loss of his bond brother he was simply too dangerous and unreliable to keep alive; Covenant doctrine decreed that any lost Hunter was to be killed on the spot without questions asked.
Sometimes the Sangheili simply wanted to stop, look back at the futile life he lived and would think to himself; maybe it wasn't all worth it?