Chapter 1: Fural
The clashing of energy swords rang out throughout the halls of the prison sector on the Supreme Crusader. The two highest-rank Special Operations commandos had taken over one of the prison blocks, cleared it out, and used it as a dojo to train in with each other. With every clash of their swords, the dark purple room lit up in a bright white, blinding to those who haven't gotten used to swordfighting.
"Your form is weak," said the eldest, Dom 'Nasamai, in a rough and deep voice. He lunged forward and swung his sword towards his opponent's side, but was met with a swift parry, knocking him back.
"At least I know when to attack," the other responded, Fural 'Nasamai. Dom's younger brother.
"Oh, you don't know the slightest thing," Dom responded quietly, grinding the teeth of his mandibles together. He jumped up and swung his sword aggressively, breaking Fural's guard just as he hit the ground.
Fural moved back and raised his sword to block another incoming attack, but he wasn't expecting his brother to hit so hard. Fural was knocked off balance, and he stumbled back. He raised his energy sword again to strike, but was hit on his other side, knocking him onto the floor. Fural lost his grip and the hilt of his energy sword flew out of his hand, rolling away from him on the floor. Fural closed his eyes and put up his hands as Dom positioned his sword for a finishing blow. He knew Dom wasn't going to kill him, but it was instinct.
"Pathetic," Dom grunted, shooting his hand forward. He stopped just before the blade could come into contact with Fural's flesh, and deactivated it. He attached the hilt to his hip, and held a hand out for his brother.
Fural lowered his hands and sighed before taking Dom's hand and standing up.
"That's it!" Fural groaned, "I don't need any more sword training. I'll never be as good as you."
Dom sighed and shook his head. Fural knew his brother well enough that he was disappointed. Not in Fural's lack of skill with a blade, but in his unwillingness to learn.
"Keep thinking like that, and you never will," Dom said with a reassuring tone, "your rifles have made you soft, our blades are our tradition."
Dom let go of Fural's hand and gave him a pat on the shoulder, "you will be a blademaster someday. I guarantee it."
Fural just sighed again in response. He walked to where his sword dropped and picked it back up. The two Sangheili felt the ship shake underneath their feet before they could continue sparring, indicating it left slipspace. The intercom pinged, and the two brothers stared at the speaker and waited.
"'Nasamais," came the voice of the carrier's shipmaster, Mace 'Rylanee, "the Supreme Commander would like a word with both of you. In person. I don't know how much it matters to you to say this: it's urgent."
"Tell him we are on our way. Have Jors prepare our Phantom," Dom responded and turned to Fural, "looks like you get a break."
"About time," Fural grunted, putting his weapons away. The two approached the door, and Fural put his hands forward. "After you."
Dom snorted and moved through the door with Fural behind him. The two then made their way through the ship's corridors until they made it to the nearest hangar, where a Phantom waited to transport them.
"Welcome back," the pilot, Jors 'Cinatee, chuckled as the two 'Nasamais stepped aboard.
Dom approached Jors and gave him a respectful nod, while Fural just immediately went to sit at the back.
"What's his problem?" Jors asked quietly.
"I beat him in another sparring match," Dom casted a glance at his brother, "he still has yet to beat me."
"I see," Jors shook his head and moved to the cockpit, "well, we best get moving to the Seeker of Truth. We mustn't keep Supreme Commander 'Vadamee waiting."
"I agree. Get us there as quickly as you can."
Jors nodded, and closed the Phantom's doors. The transport pulled out of the carrier's massive hangar and made its way to the flagship of the Fleet of Particular Justice.
Dom and Fural stepped into the control room of the Seeker of Truth, and calmly approached the Supreme Commander, who stood on an elevated platform in the middle of the room.
Thel 'Vadamee stood with his arms at his sides, and his back turned towards the control room's entrance. He already knew the 'Nasamai brothers had entered, nothing stepped foot in the control room of his ship without him knowing about it.
The Supreme Commander's golden combat harness shone in the bright purple and blue lights of the room, his dark purple cloak that hung from his shoulders dragged along the floor behind his feet. He slowly turned around to see the two brothers kneeling before him.
Thel exhaled through his nose at the sight of them kneeling, and raised his hand. "Warriors," he said in his usual calm manner, "you may rise."
Both of them rose at the same time, but Fural decided to speak first. He was to be very eager to find out what Thel had called them for. If they had to be meeting him in person, then it was obviously something very important.
"You called for us?" Fural said, causing Dom to shoot him a sharp look.
Thel softly exhaled again. This wasn't Fural's first time speaking out of turn, but Thel didn't exactly mind it. "Yes. We have arrived at the human's slipspace destination, and they have led us to… this."
The viewscreens all along the control room's walls activated to reveal what was so important. They showed a planet, a massive gas giant with multiple moons orbiting it. The screens began to slowly zoom in on one of the moons.
"Is that…" Fural started.
Dom was the next to speak, his eyes were wide. "Could it be?"
What they were looking at wasn't a moon. It was a massive ring orbiting the gas giant, with a visible livable surface on the inside, and blue lights common withForerunner design on the outside.
"Yes," Thel responded with a nod, turning back to the two, "a Sacred Ring has been found, and at last we can begin our Great Journey."
"What would you have us do?"
"Once the human ship has been destroyed, you two are to travel to the ring's surface, and locate the control room. Then we will-" Thel was cut off by the high-pitched voice of a San'shyuum prophet.
"You will do no such thing, Sangheili," said the Prophet of Stewardship from a projection that had appeared behind Thel, "the human ship mustn't be destroyed!"
"And why do you think that?" Thel slowly turned toward the projection and challenged the Prophet. The San'shyuum may have held higher status than the Sangheili in the Covenant, but Thel clearly wasn't afraid to go against them.
"One stray shot, and you could damage or destroy the ring! Destruction of any holy artefact is heresy of the highest order, and I will not allow it! As per the procedure of reclamation, command of your fleet shall be given to me."
Thel growled. He did not like it when the San'shyuum tried to take command away from him, and although he had faith in his gunners, he knew the Prophet was right about damaging the ring.
"Letting the humans set foot on the ring before us is heresy of the highest order, Prophet," Thel argued, "the human ship must be dealt with first, I will not cede authority until their destruction."
"Take care your tone, commander," the Prophet of Stewardship folded his hands, "but fine… I'll play your game for now. I will contact High Charity, and see what the hierarchs believe. But until then, you are not to fire anywhere near that ring."
The Prophet's projection slowly faded, and Thel sighed before turning to Dom and Fural. "I believe our priorities have changed. I will send forces to board the human ship and destroy it, Mace 'Rylanee will track their trajectory, and you will secure the crash site."
"It will be done, commander," Dom bowed, with Fural quickly following suit. The two Sangheili turned and left the control room to be deployed to the surface, while Thel crossed his arms and awaited a response from the Prophet of Stewardship. Fural couldn't believe Thel would be up here playing politics after the discovery of what the Covenant have been searching for for so long.