Chapter 9: Fural
The bright purple walls of the Undiminishing Conviction's troop bay surrounded Fural, the troop bay that was exactly the same as any other Phantom. Yet, it felt different. Unique. He was confident he could tell the Conviction's troop bay apart from any other Phantom's. Why do I think of these things? I must keep my mind sharp.
Dom exited the Phantom's cockpit where he was speaking with Jors and 'Vadamee. Fural could have been in there with them, but he just needed some time to himself. Time to think. About Phantom walls. How interesting.
"The Commander believes he has found a map room," Dom said. There was a slight irritation in his voice, one that probably came from Fural not being present in the cockpit.
"And?" Fural asked, standing up. The question came out slightly more bitter than he had intended it to.
"And he believes it can lead us to the ring's control room. He wants us to secure it."
"Have the humans already found it?"
"Not yet. But he believes they are going to soon."
"Urgent news!" Jors called from the cockpit, "there's been an incursion aboard the Truth and Reconciliation!"
Dom growled. Not a pleasant noise, especially coming from an older Sangheili like him.
"They may be arriving sooner than I thought," he said under his breath. He then raised his voice, "how fast can you get us there!"
"A few more minutes if you hang on tight!" Jors shouted back.
Dom nodded, turning slowly to Fural. "Well, you heard him."
Jors was right, it had only been a few minutes more before the island hosting this 'map room' came into sight. The ocean around it seemed almost endless, making the island appear as little more than a smudge on the horizon as they approached.
"No sign of human activity," Jors said, "at least not yet."
"We have some time then," Dom said.
In his mind, Fural prayed to the Forerunners that Dom wouldn't want to spend their extra time in another sparring match. He had been through far more of those than he had ever wanted to lately.
Now he was hoping the humans would arrive sooner just so that wouldn't happen. The humans can't judge me for the way I fight. If they do, I will kill them.
The map room's island came closer and closer. It was far larger than it had seemed on the way over. Massive grey-brown cliffs extended from the middle of the island, surrounded by dense foliage and massive sandy beaches. Vast structures of grey Forerunner alloy extended from various parts of the island, the functions of them indecipherable. But that's what we're here to see.
The Conviction was being tailed by a pair of other Phantoms carrying troops and supplies to begin setting up fortifications. The three dropships came to a halt above one of the beaches, next to one of the Forerunner structures.
"We got a good view ahead," a pilot from one of the other Phantoms said to Jors, his voice echoing around the cockpit, "there are more structures on the east and west sides of the island. Both seem to lead down into the island, so one of them must be the map room."
"Agreed," Dom replied, taking the conversation from Jors, "drop us at the east side. Have soldiers investigate the other."
"Affirmative."
Fural felt the Phantom shift as it moved again, bringing them over to the east side of the island. Through the Phantom's viewscreens Fural could see the big structure jutting out from the side of the island. It had a visible entrance with naturally eroded paths leading up to it. No, not naturally. None of this place is natural.
The spinning sound of the Phantom's gravity lift sounded throughout the troop bay as it activated, shining the bright blue beam through the hole in the troop bay's floor.
"Off we go," Dom said, stepping into the beam and being carried down.
"Not sure if you need it, but, good luck down there!" Jors called from the cockpit.
"Good luck to you too," Fural said before following his brother down.
Fural's feet planted down on the grass surrounding the centre of the island, away from the beaches. He was glad, he'd had enough experience with sand to last a lifetime during that battle at the human cruiser's crash site.
Dom had already started on his way up to the structure, and Fural jogged to catch up.
"I have been looking forward to this for a very long time," Dom said as he heard Fural's footsteps near him, though he didn't take his eyes off the structure.
"Never been inside one of these structures?" Fural asked.
"None as big as this."
Dom had reached the end of the path, and he stepped onto the flat platforms surrounding the structure itself. The whole structure had the look that it was all one piece, a prefab just dropped into the side of the cliff. The smooth grey Forerunner alloy construction was completely seamless.
"I don't think I've been inside of one at all," Fural said. Even if he wasn't nearly as pious as Dom, he did appreciate the artistry of the Forerunner design.
The clamping of their boots against the metal was the only sound Fural could hear aside from the very faint washing of water onto the shore in the distance.
"We are entering the structure now," Dom said into his communicator, alerting the other Covenant soldiers on the island.
"We are entering our structure as well," a Sangheili replied, Fural was patched into the same channel.
"Make sure to let the Commander know," Jors's voice was added to the conversation.
"Of course," even though they were only communicating with their voices, Dom bowed as if he was obliging to an order. Instincts I guess.
The inside of the structure was very dim, and slightly more colourful than the outside. Soft blue lights stood on the walls to the brothers' left and right, casting a barely noticeable glow that was ever-present. A brighter white light shone on a wall ahead of them, lighting up a beige wall that stood out from the grey.
Then there was a ramp leading down. The Phantom pilot was right about it leading down into the island.
"This must lead to the cartographer," Dom said as he descended the ramp with Fural behind him.
"I wouldn't assume things just yet," Fural replied. Their voices echoed throughout the tall space they were in.
"Of course you wouldn't."
Fural sighed and shook his head. The end of the ramp greeted them with the entrance to a much tighter corridor that opened to a small room at the other end. But that small room let them see an awesome sight. A window opened to a massive chamber outside, one that seemed to extend from the very top of the island and down into a bottomless pit. Bright blue lights lined the walls on the way down, lighting up the whole thing until it was obscured by a fog very far down.
"I wonder what's down there," Dom said, placing a hand on the window as he looked down.
"More Forerunner stuff probably," Fural said, following Dom's gaze.
Dom grunted and slapped Fural's shoulder. The two of them turned away and went through the next set of doors and corridors.
"This place is a maze," Fural sighed. They had been wandering around the ancient grey and beige halls for almost an hour. They'd been through room after room, some Fural could have sworn they'd been in multiple times already.
"Patience brother," Dom said. He looked through a screen projected from a device on his wrist, a device able to penetrate most of the walls in the structure to show him what was on the other side.
Times like this were when Fural was itching for action. He knew the humans would be showing up to find the cartographer for themselves soon. Every part of his body was on edge, ready to jump into battle and slay his enemies. He wished to see the red of human blood stain his light grey armour.
"The fight will come soon enough," Dom said like he had been reading Fural's mind. Though Fural sometimes showed some resentment towards Dom, there was a closeness between the two that could not be broken.
"Why must I let it come to me," Fural said as more of a statement than a question. He sighed and leaned against a wall with his forearms, "I want to be the one bringing the battle to them."
Dom chuckled as if Fural had said something funny. The younger brother looked at his elder with questioning in his eyes. Dom lowered his wrist, looking down for a few seconds before meeting Fural's gaze.
"You always insist that you're not very religious, yet you want to kill humans more than anyone else does," Dom explained, "I have never seen anyone more thirsty for human blood than you. Why?"
Fural looked down, it was a question he didn't know the exact answer to.
"Because they're the enemy," he said eventually. He wasn't sure if that was a lie or not.
"Really? That's the only reason?" Dom fully turned towards Fural, his expression showed that he did not fully believe him.
"Yes," Fural fully stood up, believing he came up with an explanation that made sense, "they are my enemy. They are all of our enemies. And enemies need to be destroyed."
"And why are they 'all of our' enemies?"
"They oppose us, and they oppose the Forerunners. It is their will to have them destroyed."
"Ah," Dom nodded, still not believing Fural, "now what if there was a human that didn't oppose the Forerunners? What if you met a human that had devoted their entire life to praising the Forerunners? One that shares all of your beliefs. Just because they're human they're your enemy, and they should die for it?"
Fural considered his brother's words. He had spent his whole life considering his brother's words. Would he let a human live if they shared our beliefs in the Forerunners?
"What are you saying?" Fural asked, wanting a complete understanding.
"I'm just wondering why you are this way," Dom sighed, crossing his arms, "you're always ready to fight the humans, all you ever want to do is fight humans. You don't ever even want to duel against me, yet you want to be a Blademaster."
"Because if you're the only one there is to train with, then I'll never be one," Fural said, raising his voice, "I don't want to train against you anymore, all you are is better than me."
A low chuckle came from Dom again. "If your only problem is that you can't learn to beat me despite all my teachings, then of course you won't be one."
Dom rested a hand on Fural's shoulder to calm him down, but it didn't have much effect on him.
"If all you want to fight is easy opponents, then you're not going to make it anywhere as any kind of warrior. You say you listen after a fight, but before the next one you've already forgotten everything. You must clear your mind, brother.
"Killing humans is all you think about. After I beat you in a duel I bet all that's going through your head is how your moves would have worked on them but not on me. Humans aren't our only enemy. There are other Sangheili out there with followers that have renounced our ways and are spoiling for a fight against us. What will you do then?"
"If they're the enemy, then they'll be destroyed," Fural repeated quietly.
"There you go again!" Dom let go of Fural's shoulder and stepped back, "you're not listening to me."
Fural sighed. He was trying to listen to Dom, but he was right. His mind was always occupied with everything but becoming a Blademaster. And when he was thinking about that, it was usually fear of losing to Dom again.
Dom put his hand on Fural's shoulder again. Though Dom was older, Fural was taller than him, and he had to look up to stare Fural in the eyes.
"You are improving," Dom said quietly, "I know I've told you this. Every fight you get just a little better. But it's not enough. You must free your mind. If all you think about is killing, then you're not going to be anyone. This is something you must do if you want to earn your name."
All Fural did in response was nod. Dom would never understand how hard it could be for him to free his mind. If he was going to listen to anything Dom was saying, that was it.
"After this mission we'll train again," Dom said, patting Fural on the shoulder before letting go of him once more, "then we'll see if you actually are listening to me."
Yet again Fural's mind was occupied with the fear of losing to Dom once more. Free your mind. Do not worry so much. You will be a Blademaster. Yes, I will be a Blademaster.
"Now, let us finish this mission," Dom reactivated the device on his wrist, "we've wasted enough time as it is."
The two brothers began to continue their search, and then Fural began to feel a very slight rumbling underneath his feet. The rumbling was then followed by what sounded like a distant and muffled explosion.
"We may have wasted too much time," Fural said finally.