A/N - Hey guys, Fangz here. Sorry for the massive delay in posting this chapter. Honestly with the whole COVID-19 thing going on and being stuck alone in my home while being in lockdown has burnt me out from doing a lot of the things I used to love, writing, video games, D&D etc. But rest assured I will be continuing this story. I've had it in my head for a long long time now, (Since Reach was released on 360 all those years ago), and I don't want to give up on it. Thank you to everyone who has followed/Favorited my story. I would never expect people to genuinely enjoy the stories I create but some of you have and I greatly appreciate you all.
Chapter 9
Two units had passed since Tz'eal had been ordered his return to High Charity, the Covenants holy city. However most of his time resting was spent fighting with himself. The question the Human has asked him echoed through his mind constantly while new questions formed of his own volition. He sat among other Sangheili in one of the many dining halls, staring at his dish of food, lightly picking at it with his talons as his mind continued to wonder.
"If the Human was telling the truth then perhaps we have been lied to. If the Journey is a lie, then we have been mindlessly murdering innocent people for many Summers." He thought to himself as he glanced up and around.
The other Sangheili around him were deep into their own discussions, occasionally glancing to Tz'eal with a look of expectation before looking down. He lowered his food to the dish before raising his head, the other Sangheili suddenly going quiet as he did.
"Do not stop your discussions on my behalf." He said softly as he continued to stare at his dish of food. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other Sangheili glance around at each other. Unsure if they should continue.
"You seem to be lost in thought Zealot. It would be rude of us to interrupt you." One of the Sangheili, a Major, said after a few units of pause.
"Yes. A Zealot in thought is one we would not want to interrupt." Another, a Ranger, said in agreement.
"You did seem to be troubled by your thoughts however Zealot. Is there something on your mind?" A Minor asked. The others of the table slowly turned to look at the Minor.
"You dare?" The Major asked with a hiss.
"You are in no position to ask a Zealot anything. Sit there and bite your tongue." The Ranger said loudly which caused several heads to turn to their position.
The Minor looked down sharply avoiding the gazes of the higher ranking Sangheili around him. Before the Major slowly returned his gaze to Tz'eal.
"Forgive his insolence. He is yet to understand his place." The Major argued. Tz'eal looked past the Major to the Minor.
"There is nothing to forgive. My recent promotion and the events of the surface of the Human planet are weighing heavily on my mind at the moment. To answer your question." Tz'eal said aloud as the Minor glanced to his side.
"You do not need to answer such a private question Zealot. Please ignore the ramblings of this young one." The Ranger protested, his voice loud with a hint of anger.
"Any question asked of me I will do my best to answer. Regardless of if it is personal or not." Tz'eal said quietly as he returned to picking at his dish of food with his talons.
"We, especially Minors, are in no position to ask you anything personal." The Major argued.
"Asking questions is how we survive. Do not follow others so blindly. That attitude will result in death." Tz'eal retorted quietly.
"Then my death will serve to advance The Great Journey blindly." The Major replied proudly as the Ranger and several other Sangheili nodded in agreement.
"Do not throw your life away needlessly. You all serve the Covenant better in life than you ever will in death." Tz'eal said quietly as he stood up. The Major looked away from him slowly as the Minor looked up. Tz'eal locked eyes with the Minor for a few beats of his hearts before he slowly turned and walked out of the dining hall.
As he walked he could hear the mutterings of the Sangheili behind him. His attitude was not that of a Zealot. He did not care however. All he wanted was the time and a place to think. And he knew exactly where he should go.
His time as a Minor on High Charity was spent mostly alone. Walking through the winding halls of the holy city he reminisced about his earlier career within the Covenant. His time spent training, avoiding his fellow soldiers as they made their alliances and friendships. He chose to avoid it all as he focused on advancing through the ranks quickly. People slowed him down. He did not need distractions.
However when he was feeling lost. He almost gave up with his life. He turned into the service halls and began making his way through. The tunnels were built to allow the Huragok quick access to the different sectors of the city. They were small and winding but he knew how to navigate them effectively.
Dragging himself across the floor he managed to work his way through, eventually making his way to and overwatch. Here the tunnels opened up into a small outcropping. The opening provided a view out into the heart of the Holy City. There he could sit down and relax. While trying to make sense of his thoughts.
"We were told they were heretics. That we were removing heretical filth from the Galaxy. But everything I have seen since my time spent with the Human, all I have seen is Murder." He thought to himself as he looked out to the glowing city before him.
Banshees, Spirits and Phantoms flew through the area moving troops and supplies around. Tz'eal looked at how the city had developed during his time spent within the Covenant. Small sectors of the city which were barely built now fully constructed. 10 Summers had passed since he joined the military and now he was beginning to question if he belonged there.
He looked over the edge to the long drop before him. Wondering how long it would take to fall. The long drop but sudden stop. It would allow him to retain his honour. Maintain the honour of his family and not disgrace his family name. He slowly leaned farther forward, inching towards the point of no return when he heard shuffling coming from the tunnels behind him.
Tz'eal swung his legs back over from the ledge and stood up quickly listening to the sound coming from the tunnel. He could hear scraping and grunting, someone was making their way through the tunnel to his position. He activated the active camo of his combat harness and stood back, watching.
Several units passed before a Minor slowly crawled out of the tunnel, gasping and grunting as he stood up. The Minor glanced around before walking over to the edge and sat down. Tz'eal simply watched for a few moments wondering what was going to happen before the Minor began to speak aloud.
"No matter what I do I will always be a failure. I should not have spoke. If the Zealot was in a bad mood I could have been thrown in the cells or worse." He began. Tz'eal continued listening to the Minors self conversation, wanting to gain a little insight.
"I should never have joined. I could have stayed home with Mother and helped on the farm. Now I am a monster. Killing blindly for a cause I do not believe in. I do not know what to do." The Minor continued with a grumble as Tz'eal deactivated his active camo.
"You should talk to someone." He said calmly. The Minor spun around abruptly, lost his balance and began to tumble over the edge. Tz'eal dashed forward and grabbed the Minor by the hand, preventing his fatal fall. He slowly lifted the minor back over the edge to safety, the Minor panting as he slowly began to relax.
Taking a step forward again Tz'eal sat down, letting his legs hang over the edge without looking around.
"You have been here this whole time?" The Minor asked, sounding shocked.
"Yes. I come here whenever I am on High Charity and need to think, without the expectations of being a Zealot or a member of the Covenant, thrust upon me." Tz'eal explained.
"Please forgive what you might have heard. I do not wish to be...heretical." The Minor said quietly as he walked over to Tz'eals side.
"Do not be afraid. I will not say anything to anyone. Sit down Minor. Tell me what causes you stress." Tz'eal said calmly as he took his headdress off and placed it down beside him.
"I can not. The things going through my head should never be said aloud. Do not take the time to speak to me Zealot." The Minor argued as he took a step back.
"Tz'eal. My name is Tz'eal and I am not speaking to you as a Zealot. I am speaking to you as a fellow Sangheili. Tell me what ails you." Tz'eal said calmly as he looked over his shoulder to the Minor. The Minor looked shocked before relaxing, taking his helmet off and placing it aside he joined Tz'eal, sitting down and looked over to the city before them.
"Now. Tell me what is wrong." Tz'eal said confidently as he looked out to the city. The Minor shuffled, his hands came together and he began fidgeting as he thought of what to say.
"Spit it out boy. The words you speak fall into the void before you and will not be repeated elsewhere." Tz'eal said with a sigh and a hint of frustration as the Minor looked up.
"My name is Kavah. And I feel like I am doing the wrong thing by killing humans." The Minor, Kavah, explained. Tz'eal sighed quietly as he tracked a Banshee as it flew over the city.
"I can not help but feel like if things were slightly different we could be allies with the Humans." Kavah continued after a brief moment, expecting Tz'eal to say something in response.
"They are quite strong and powerful. Honourable and tenacious. If we were not at war with them I would have assumed, if we made contact with them, we would be allies and not enemies." Kavah continued. Tz'eal simply nodded as he understood what Kavah was thinking.
"But I can not say this anywhere else. Even speaking to you is a risk as I do not know what your intentions are." Kavah concluded as he glanced to Tz'eal.
"I understand exactly how you feel Kavah." Tz'eal confessed without looking around. Tz'eal continued to look out to the beautiful visage of the city before them.
"I too feel like if circumstances were different we would be working with the Humans, not against. However the Prophets have informed us of their heresy. As per our Covenant we must cleanse the Galaxy of their filth." Tz'eal began as he looked out to the large central structure, one of the original Forerunner artifacts which the city was built around.
"However I too have begun asking myself heretical questions. An Example: If our gods want us to ascend by walking the path of The Great Journey why did they not contact us directly?" Tz'eal asked, his mind wondering to his contact with the Human and the question he posed.
"As we were told the Prophets are their messengers. We became their arm to defend their messengers." Kavah replied.
"If that were true then why did the Gods not reach out to one of our own and explain their divine plan?" Tz'eal retorted with a nod as he glanced to his side to gauge Kavah's reaction. Kavah simply looked away as he considered the question himself.
"I do not know the answer." Kavah admitted quietly without looking back. Tz'eal simply nodded once as he returned his gaze out to the city before them.
"It is because the Journey is a lie." Tz'eal began with a growl. "We have been used by the Prophets for many generations with the promise of salvation. Salvation which will never come."
"What will we do?" Kavah asked as he watched Tz'eal slowly stand up.
"We will do nothing. You have a choice Minor. Stay and continue to fight for a cause you no longer believe in. Or leave. Leaving however will bring dishonour not only to you, but to your family." Tz'eal explained as he picked up and donned his headdress, walked over to the service hall and kneeled down beside it.
"What will you do?" Kavah asked quietly. Tz'eal simply stared down into the darkness of the service hall.
"I will seek out an ally and try to find forgiveness before my life comes to an end. It is the least I can do." Tz'eal replied confidently as he began to enter the hall before he could hear shuffling coming from behind him.
"I am coming too." Kavah said as Tz'eal looked over his shoulder at him.
"No. I have, hope I have, an ally within the ranks of the Humans. I can trust one of them and hope he can trust me. You do not have that trust. If you chose to leave, go into hiding. If you are caught you will be branded a heretic and put to death." Tz'eal explained.
"As will you." Kavah retorted quietly. Tz'eal looked away from the Minor as he began to move through the hall.
"Do what you must. But do not follow me." Tz'eal replied quietly as he entered the darkness of the hall, his destination set. A seraph fighter with which he will use to escape this system and begin tracking down his only ally within the ranks of the UNSC.