Aethos groaned outwards in pain as he slunked heavily against the reinforced purple door, halting anything from trying to get in by placing his own weight against it. The Ultra breathed in deeply as he looked down at his own wrist; it burned with weary and endured pain. The art of swinging such a violent sidearm such as an energy sword was one that required a lot of energy; both physical and inside the weapon itself. As the Sangheili breathed down a thick gulp of tainted oxygen, he released his grip on the white handle and allowed it to clatter against the purple ground of this new setting and challenge.
For his part, Ra'zark could barely even tolerate the notion of seating himself; stirring forwards restlessly with a sheer determination and will orchestrated inside his regulated and militarised thought process. In his tight golden grip, the elite Zealot held onto the energy blade that had been christened 'Fire-Smite' by its previous master; it was a weapon of pure refined plasma and would be used accordingly.
"I think the plans have been shifted" The golden royal zealot drawled out loud mainly to himself, looking as he recalibrated the numerous changes that had affected their plans. The warrior snapped his jaws together softly as he looked around for a new strategy, holding his golden energy sword and wielding it as a source of light against the almost pitch back mausoleum.
"Brother" Aethos replied softly, yanking himself up from the cold and remorseless floor in order to stand with his own brethren member, the Ultra's mandibles flared quickly as he voiced his own fears to the superior Sangheili warrior, "do you think the prophets would have outrun the parasite?"
"I do not think it matters anymore, this mausoleum was constructed to hold out any force but we will have no way of exiting peacefully" Ra'zark almost spat out ominously, staring at the numerous coffins that decorated the chamber's walls. Many Arbiter corpses resided inside those sacred tablets; they had been buried here and thus would never be assaulted or intruded by the vile efforts of the Flood.
"How are we to get to the Hierarchs?" The white Ultra spoke up slowly, attempting to govern his own will and mission with that of his brother; personally he was completely out of ideas and thus wished the Zealot would be more thoughtful and tactical.
"We aren't, we must escape this wretched city and all it holds" The golden clad Sangheili replied without a beat or fraction of hesitation; he knew that the underling would not fare well with the concept of leaving but he barely cared. This fight wasn't about honour, mentality or roles thrust upon ones shoulders; it was based on simple survival and the will to flee, "And I think I know how"
The Royal Zealot kneeled down by the thick purple tablet that dominated most of the room, deactivating the golden energy sword momentarily in order to grasp onto the heavy metal. The two Sangheili were swiftly engulfed in absolute darkness, no light source revealing themselves to light up the holy mausoleum. As Aethos fumbled to activate his own blue cackling energy sword; a sudden and violent sound suddenly vibrated throughout the entire chamber.
Almost as if the light had been keeping something back, a howl started emanating from the numerous coffins that dotted the walls; causing both Sangheili warriors to roar out in fear and survival. They both activated their energy swords warily, causing mirror lights of gold and blue to spark the walls and reveal the new horde of enemies.
The coffins were being ripped apart from the inside, clawed talons breaking through the once powerful metal and unleashing the corpses underneath. As Ra'zark watched with disgust, his own talons still firmly grasped on Fire-Spite; he suddenly realised who these creatures were.
"The parasite has engulfed the legendary Arbiter's; we must ensure this undisciplined rise is quickly expunged!" The Zealot roared out in fury, enraged with the unholy assault onto their most sentient and sacred vanguard. As one of the infected arbiter figures tore itself out of the coffin like chamber, it screeched violently and rushed itself forward in hopes to infect and digest the two victims that had been foolish enough to trespass.