[i]Prologue[/i] [b]I Am Sangheili[/b] [b]Year 2535, Location Unknown 17 years ago[/b] Sangheili. A humanoid, reptilian race of once bloodthirsty and savage and now intelligent beings. Standing at over seven feet tall, broad, their mouths naturally split in four directions to form mandibles. Their hearts enveloped in an unbreakable code of honor and pride. The most powerful warriors in the Universe. And yet so ignorant. Daka 'Solonee was a Sangheili--one far too confident in his raw talent and constant luck in battle. He had just barely passed battle training on his homeworld, Sanghelios, where he'd managed to survive a grueling and unadventurous twenty years of his life. The title 'peasant' would have been a more than welcome promotion in his lonely, dark-shrouded home in the slums of the city Solon. And now, once again, he was standing as still as a statue, in darkness, his weary, bloodshot eyes fixated on the immense, ancient door in front of him. He was not alone. Szana 'Rethnee drew up beside him, 'Solonee's oldest friend and comrade, which was odd enough since 'Rethnee was a well recognized, disciplined and proven warrior who even donned the glimmering silver armor of an Ultra in the ranks of the Covenant military. "So we have found it, at long last," 'Rethnee said softly, bowing his head as if the door possessed some divine power. "So it would seem," 'Solonee agreed. He turned to his partner, and suddenly he didn't look so exhausted. Arriving here seemed to have rejuvenated him, washed away the pain that had weighed him down for so long. "We've come to the end of the journey. We did it. We made it through in one piece." "I wish we could say the same for the others," 'Rethnee murmured. "The others died aiding this expedition. They are what got us here now." 'Solonee sighed. "I don't think they'd have wanted to go out any other way." There was a moment of silence while the two pondered the loss of their four comrades. They'd done their grieving already. It was time to seal those memories away and move on. "You're right." 'Rethnee laid hand on his friend's armor-clad shoulder. "Open it. Retrieve the artifact. Let us return to High Charity as heroes." 'Rethnee stepped back as 'Solonee tentatively approached the door. It was time. After all the trouble they'd been through, it was finally time to claim his honor. Claim his infinite riches for the discovery that would change the universe. Perhaps even claim his position on the Covenant High Council. Whatever the future held, 'Solonee was sure he'd be pleased with it. He'd never been happier in his life. The Sangheili placed his left hand on the door, then his right, his fingers anxiously scanning the ancient architecture. He knew it was more than beautiful. It was alive, textured with steel veins of long-shackled power and engulfed in unsolvable mystery. He closed his eyes, breathed in a long, steady breath-- held it for a long moment-- then exhaled quickly, his eyes snapping open. In that instant, the veins of the door glowed a faint and yet greatly illuminating white. Pain shot through 'Solonee's fingertips, up his arms, spread all through his torso and down his legs. Pain that countless other ignorant adventurers had felt before him. His scream was just another melody in a never-ending song of misery. "Daka!" 'Rethnee shot forward to aid his friend, his eyes wide with horror. "NO!" 'Solonee screeched, gritting his teeth. "STAY BACK!" Reluctantly, the Sangheili stopped in his tracks, pleading to the gods that his friend would be spared. By luck, he received an immediate answer. Suddenly, all around them, the white veins of light streaked through the caverns, the powerful white glare battling fiercely against the darkness. A metallic, gritty voice, older than time itself, boomed through the underground facility. The world rumbled angrily, throwing 'Rethnee off his feet. [i]What sentient ventures into the Nexus?[/i] 'Solonee raised his head triumphantly at the sound of the voice. He pressed harder than ever before on the door, not even wincing at the pain that would have annihilated a normal being. He opened his mouth, and boomed a command in some unknown tongue. The rumbling stopped. The door swung open slowly for the first time in thousands of years. 'Rethnee gasped, confused and more frightened than he'd ever been. 'Solonee walked over and helped him to his feet, a newfound pride in his eyes. His comrade stared at him. "Those words..." 'Rethnee began. [i] "Massa er axa mana,"[/i] 'Solonee translated. "I am Sangheili." [b]Halo: Heretic or Hero---An Elite's Story[/b] [Edited on 07.28.2010 5:18 AM PDT]

Wasn't this originally in the first person? I might be getting mixed up, but I'm sure it was. Anyway, great writing, as always.

Well, I've waited quite a while for this.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Wolverfrog Wasn't this originally in the first person? I might be getting mixed up, but I'm sure it was. Anyway, great writing, as always.[/quote] Yeah, but that was when it was from Sol's perspective, the prologue is from his father's eyes. * Ah, it was a pleasure to have been the first to read this yesterday. I am - as you know - a bloody big fan of this story. A very mysterious prologue, the ending had me on the edge of my seat already. The grammar was all good, I see you've not yet rectified that mistake I showed you. ;P Lookin' forwards to where you go with this.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Wolverfrog Wasn't this originally in the first person? I might be getting mixed up, but I'm sure it was. Anyway, great writing, as always.[/quote] Yeah, but that was when it was from Sol's perspective, the prologue is from his father's eyes. * Ah, it was a pleasure to have been the first to read this yesterday. I am - as you know - a bloody big fan of this story. A very mysterious prologue, the ending had me on the edge of my seat already. The grammar was all good, I see you've not yet rectified that mistake I showed you. ;P Lookin' forwards to where you go with this.[/quote] Really? Aw, I thought I'd squashed that one already...must have forgotten. And yes, ajw is right--the 'Solonee that you see in the story's Prologue is [i]not[/i] Sol himself. It's his father, seventeen years ago, who is accompanied by yet another character you would remember :D Thanks for reading, guys. I'm writing the next chapter today and releasing it tomorrow, in honor of the story's two year anniversary!

I never read the first one, but I already know that this story is going to be brilliant :D I liked the self-examining description of the Sangheili at the beginning, that was very interesting. The two characters seem intriguing as well :) You handled the mystery very well, and the ending was very powerful and even more mysterious. There could have been a bit more description of their surroundings though; I found it very hard to imagine where they are because you gave us no starting point. But aside from that, I loved it and can't wait to see where you take the story :D Your spelling and grammar was fantastic. I only noticed one very minor errors; "gods" should have a capital g, so it's "Gods". As I said, extremely trivial mistake, but still :) Overall, it was fantastic :D Can't wait for more!

As I explained in the Mirratord, Evil - Murph's use of "gods" is correct. :P

Yes I like this new story. And the prologue revealed a bit about Sols father which is great.

Simply Epic :D [Edited on 07.28.2010 3:22 PM PDT]

I'm loving this right now.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 As I explained in the Mirratord, Evil - Murph's use of "gods" is correct. :P[/quote] Yes, I concede. I saw it spelled without a capital G somewhere else. My apologises :)

Brilliant read my friend, keep it coming!

IT'S BACK!

Good work, friend. It saddens me to see such nice work on the third page. Its common to get your work buried in this forum though. Good luck with the rest of your story.

I'm sure you HoH veterans are tired of reading this chapter, but nevertheless, here it is, and it's better than before :D [i]Chapter One[/i] [b]Regrets[/b] I never wanted to be a traitor. I never sought after separating; not once had I considered switching sides, abandoning all that I'd come to know. I was taught that way. Taught to be at the obedience and convenience of my wicked master. Taught to be nothing more than a terribly misguided pawn, blinded by a furious honor and tied down by an oath sworn by my forefathers. My name is Sol. This is my story. *** [b]Delta Halo, Regret's Chamber November 2nd, 2552[/b] "Take your positions, my brothers! Defend the Hierarch!" The command was immediately answered. Eighteen Honor Guards spread out in a wide semicircle, as they'd always been taught, sealing off side routes between the entrance to the immense, segmented throne room and their master, the High Prophet of Regret himself. I was one of them. "When the Demon arrives, unleash everything you have!" the appointed Commander barked. "Unggoy in front and Sangheili behind. Let us use our strength in numbers against him!" I lined up in accordance with the other guards, taking my place on the left flank beside the bridge, which extended laterally across the entire chamber. Behind me, the tranquil sound of a waterfall filled my ears, though it was not the least bit soothing. Four Unggoy, Grunts as they were often called, tentatively took their positions in front of me. A shame. The puny, methane breathing creatures wouldn't last very long, and they knew it. They were simply there for the enemy to waste precious ammo on. To give their own lives for the Great Journey. Close behind, though I dared not look back, I heard the ominous hum of a gravity throne. The Prophet of Regret himself, humming thoughtfully. If he was frightened by the prospect of facing the human's most feared warrior in combat, he did not express it. "Let him come forth," the Hierarch prodded. I could easily picture the wry, wicked smile unfolding on his ugly face-- overconfident in his own abilities, and taking his enemies lightly, as always. As if in answer to his demand, a thunderous explosion cracked from just outside the throne room, blowing the door off its hinges and sending two Elites careening through the smoke, smacking against one of the many pillars before sliding down to the ground as corpses. We all knew he would come. It had only been a matter of when. I suddenly realized I'd taken for granted the precious moments of serenity before he arrived. My insides clenched, and I anxiously squeezed the handle of my Plasma Rifle, frowning, my heart sinking faster with every passing moment. I was not ready. [i]He[/i] was. Everything happened at once. A figure clad in a battered, iradescent green suit of armor and a shimmering gold visor waded through the smoke. It took a moment for me to realize that the blood stains that had long since dried on him were not his own. He made his way up to the balcony and looked out on the temple, and although I could not see his eyes, I knew his gaze had fallen upon the Prophet. The Hierarch himself drifted forward on his gravity throne, murmuring inaudibly. Perhaps a final plea to the gods? "You dare interrupt my sermon?" he boomed, hovering ever closer to the balcony, challenging the Demon to strike. In response, the human warrior lifted his weapon almost casually, poising it in a direct line to the Prophet. Regret snarled, embracing his true cowardice and gliding back to safety on the far side of the temple. "Guards! Remove this vermin from my sight!" A great battle cry erupted from the line of Guards, Elites and Grunts alike, and together we began to close the gap between the demon and the Hierarch, as we had always been told. Two swordsman flanked the Demon from the left and right, both eager to be the famed Sangheili to have slain him. Without hesitation, the Demon ducked under the arc of both swords, then, with impossible quickness, sidestepped to the left and slammed the barrel of his weapon into the Guard's back, cracking his spine. Hoping to catch his enemy by surprise, the second Guard lunged forward, roaring triumphantly, but to no avail. The Demon shuffled to the right, unloading his entire magazine into the Guard's head, mutilating the unworthy challenger. Horror took hold of me. I was no fighter. I didn't want to die for the Great Journey. I didn't want to die for anything, and if I faced the Demon in battle, the result would have me as naught but a lifeless shell, forever pondering why I had given my own life for something I didn't believe in. I was not going to die. Not today. By now, all hell had broken lose. Mutilated corpses tumbled to the ground like ragdolls. Volleys of searing plasma fire seemed to be fired blindly, even the most skilled marksmen unable to contend with the Demon's speed and cleverness. Even the Prophet himself had utilized the twin cannons attached to his throne, scorching the temple walls but never landing a blow. "'Solonee!" The voice startled me out of me out of my paranoia, but only briefly. I whirled around to face one of the Guards, clutching his arm, blood seeping through the gaps of his fingers. Several stray bullets had penetrated his shielding. I could see the pain in his eyes as he struggled toward me, gasping for breath. I grabbed hold of him and tentatively laid him down behind the cover of one of the pillars, looking all around for some way to help him. Some way to halt the endless flow of blood from several openings. Instead, he grunted loudly, calling for my attention. I knelt beside him. He extended his arm toward me, using all of his remaining strength. His bloody palm outstretched, and the Elite's deactivated Energy Sword fell at my feet. "Take it," he whispered. "Take it...and use it well." His eyes widened and his mouth slowly fell open. The warrior breathed his last. At that moment, everything fell into a new perspective. I gazed around the chamber, at the corpses littering the ground, their blood soaking the once immaculate ancient tiling. The forever echoing screams of pain and the thunderous crack of bullet and plasma fire, forming together in endless song. Below me, I caught sight of the Demon himself, easily dispatching another group of Guards. His gaze then averted back to the Prophet. Before anyone could react, he leapt to the side and sprinted forward, leaping up and catching the Prophet by surprise. A raspy wail erupted as a metallic fist clashed with the Hierarch's delicate face. Then the other. Regret's gravity throne spun wildly, smacking into pillars and knocking over an entire Grunt lance. "Animal! How dare you--" Another wail of pain, echoing. Joining the song. I snatched up the Energy Sword that the dying Sangheili had given me, but I did not start in the direction of the Prophet. A dark cowardice embraced my heart, and before I could change my mind, my legs were carrying me towards the exit. I flitted across the temple, faster than I'd ever run in my life. I didn't care what the consequences would be. I didn't care about honor, about the Covenant, about what it meant to be a member of the Guard. I certainly didn't care about the Prophet's life. The bastard would get what he deserved. I vaguely recalled something my father used to say, so long ago. [i]"There'll always be another day, my son. Live to fight for it."[/i] Yes. There would be another day. A better day. One without slaughter and death and warfare. Nobody stopped me as I drew up near the doorway-- everyone was dead or wounded-- but even so, I could feel a pair of eyes on my back. I didn't need to turn to know who it was, but I did anyway, slowly looking over my shoulder like a nervous child. The Prophet of Regret sat in his gravity throne, his face drenched in his own blood. The Demon grasped on to the hovering device, preparing to deliver the final blow. Something was different about him, though. No longer was his glare full of malice and hatred. Instead, he just stared at me, eyes wide in shock. He started to say something, then stopped, the pain overwhelming him. He was silently begging for his life. Begging for someone to come to his aid, to die for him, as they always had. For the briefest moment, on account of my 'honorable' instincts, the idea of turning back passed through my mind, but it was very quickly relinquished. The Hierarchs had taken everything from me once, not so long ago. They didn't deserve my help. They certainly didn't deserve my life. I drew in a deep breath and strode out of the chamber, Regret's last scream echoing behind me. [i]End Transmission[/i] Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, though I must admit it was tough to write for two reasons. For one, most of you guys have actually played this stage of Halo 2, so I had to try my best to mirror the image that you all have in your mind, and, to top it off, I've written this three times over the last two years, so I had to find ways to improve it form the originals. More to come soon. Thanks for reading! ~Murph

Brilliant chapter Murph.

This is great writing. I like how the dialog fits well with how elites are presented in the game and how you made the Elites seem like a human by giving them the same sorts of thoughts.

[i]Chapter Two[/i] [b] To Walk the Path[/b] It was only after I took that last, fateful step that I knew how stupid a decision I'd made. I was a traitor, fending for myself in an unknown world. Brigades of humans; an immense Covenant Fleet-- all were my enemies now. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the brightness outside, the light of which had only seeped through the small openings in the temple's rooftops. The scenery was nothing short of fascinating-- a vast lake overshadowed by a crescent-shaped green mountain range, engulfing me in a semicircle though it was not time to marvel now. Now, it was time to escape. Find a place where I'd be safe. Find my way home, somehow. *** Private Jacob Burns hit the ground hard, practically faceplanting in the dirt. Bolts of multicolored plasma sizzled over his head, the superheated ammunition missing him by near inches. In the nine months he'd been enlisted, he'd felt the inimitable sting of a Covenant weapon once. He'd make damn sure he never felt it again. Hesitantly, Burns peaked out from behind the fallen pillar he'd taken cover behind. The material was ancient, and evidently not made by humanity or the Covenant. He didn't know how much more abuse it would take before giving out. The moment his head came out of cover, a Kig-Yar, which ONI had long since deemed 'Jackals', hissed furiously, letting loose another volley of green light while cowering behind the safety of his shield. Burns again evaded the attack, returning to his cover, frustrated. How long had he been pinned down here? He quickly glanced to his right, at the mutilated corpses of his two squadmates. He quickly averted his eyes. Stay focused. Don't be consumed by the grief. Fight it. Burns dropped to his stomach and crawled his way over toward his fallen teammates, who had taken cover behind a large, spire-like ruin. Good. The Jackal patrol wouldn't be ready for his flank. He closed his eyes and counted to three, all the while curling his fingers around his last M9 High Explosive grenade. [i]Three.[/i] He pulled the pin and whipped around the corner, lobbing the armed grenade towards the Jackal patrol. It bounced once, kicking sand into the air and alerting the patrol, but by that time it was too late. A moment later, an immense [i]crack[/i] resonated through the area. A fist of black smoke punched toward the sky, dismembered Jackals thrown left and right. A perfect toss. Burns fell to the ground, panting, wiping sweat off his forehead and loading another magazine into his BR55 Battle Rifle, hoping he wouldn't need it. Extraction should have been en route by now. There had been no chatter on the COM channel. Was he alone? Thunderous footsteps clamped into the dirt from behind him. The all-too familiar static of an activated Energy Sword found his ears. He was certainly [i]not[/i] alone. "Come out, vermin, and die with what honor you have left," a deep voice queried. Burns snuck a glance around the corner of the tower. Amidst the mutilated Jackal corpses, a tall, hulking, armor-clad alien stood, a brutal and yet vaguely elegant energy weapon at his side-- a Sangheili Energy Sword. The twin-pronged energy blade would slice through him with ease. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. He was a sitting duck out here, waiting his turn to be gutted like a fish. He had no choice. Private Burns leapt out of cover, poising his BR55 in front of him. He let loose two three round bursts, the bullets slamming into the Sangheili, nicknamed 'Elites'', chest. His shields flickered, then gave out. It rolled to the side, narrowly evading the finishing shots. Odd. It usually took five bursts to the chest to drop an Elite's shields. Why was this one so weak? The answer came to him as the Sangheili began to fade into the environment, his body disappearing from immediate view. Of course. The bastard had swapped upgraded shield technology for an Active Camo generator. Why hadn't he seen it coming? Burns cursed, his hand flying to his belt to load another magazine. In an instant, the gun was twisted out of his hand, and an enormous, invisible hoof slammed into his chest, the effect of which could be compared to being hit by a school bus. The Elite shimmered back into view, his features becoming solid again before Burns' horrified eyes. He brought back his Energy Sword, taking his time. "I'll admit, human, you're more bold and formidable than most of your kind," the creature mused. "But your race never stood a chance." With that, he raised the blade, and then plunged down toward the helpless soldier... ...and a slug of accelerated metal sliced clean through his back. A spray of purple leapt from the alien's chest, then it toppled to the ground, it's head landing at Burns' feet and its sword skewering into the dirt. It twitched for a split second, then fell limp. A Warthog mounted with a Gauss cannon skidded to a halt a few feet away. Another followed close behind. Burns struggled to his feet. Two Marines clambered out of the Warthog and helped him over, leaning him against the combat reconnaissance vehicle. He snapped an uneasy salute at the uniformed Corporal in front of him. His tag read 'Parker'. "At ease, Private. You're not under my orders, anyway," Corporal Parker informed him. "Sir?" The Corporal gestured toward the second Warthog, the one that had fired the shot. Smoke emitted from the barrel of the mounted Gauss cannon. A figure hopped off it and walked toward him. Even through a near-blinding mixture of dirt, sweat and blood caking his face, Burns recognized him with ease. "Oh, hell," he remarked. "They sent [i]you?[/i]" Sergeant William Anderson chuckled lightly, approaching his lower-ranked friend and comrade. "If they hadn't, squid face would have cut you up and served your ass on a silver platter." Burns couldn't help but smile. Sometimes, it seemed to him that no level of misery and death and hopelessness could dampen Anderson's spirits. It had been several months since they'd seen each other, when Burns had been transferred to a different squad. The war didn't seem to have taken any toll on the Sergeant-- he was still on the shorter side, broad, a clean shaven head and a recently unshaved beard. There was a tattoo of an eagle on the side of his neck. Anderson's expression faded suddenly, however. He looked around, squinting. "Private Burns, Corporal Hughes and Private Stockley are--" "KIA, sir." Anderson sighed. "We'll have to send a team down here to recover them later. Right now, we've got a new objective, and it's damn important." "Sir?" "It's a fairly basic recovery mission, Private. I'll explain on the way." Anderson grinned, then climbed into the driver's seat of the Warthog. The ignition roared to life. "Get on that turret, Burns," he ordered. "We're going to find us a Spartan." [i]End Transmission[/i]

The new chapter is amazing!

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Goalie Master 8 The new chapter is amazing![/quote] Thanks, I personally thought it was my best as well.

So, you're rewriting the whole thing? Did you even finish the original?

it's about time :D this version looks a hundred times better than the originals. it looks like you've really improved over the last couple years :) Tell me, though--will there still be an epic duel at the end between [redacted] and [redacted]? EDIT: Names removed for those who haven't read the original story :) [Edited on 08.30.2010 7:22 AM PDT]

I took some time to read the whole thing again today, I still love how (even though it's totally different) it's still the same basic form of the old HoH. Chapter One was pulled off much better than the other (billion) times. ;) One thing I'd reccomend though is that you put more character thought in; and when you do, put it in italics. It makes the characters a lot more believeable and it goes a long way. Can't wait for more, I can't wait to see some of the old faces.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] xBR 2 DA FAC3x it's about time :D this version looks a hundred times better than the originals. it looks like you've really improved over the last couple years :) Tell me, though--will there still be an epic duel at the end between [redacted] and [redacted]? EDIT: Names removed for those who haven't read the original story :)[/quote] Thank you, and yes. I plan to re-do the duel sequence as well, and hopefully give it a better end this time (I literally wrote the original conclusion in ten minutes because people were getting so anxious!) I'm not going to spoil the outcome of the new duel, but I will say that it has quite a bit to do with the Prologue (as does the rest of the story) [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 I took some time to read the whole thing again today, I still love how (even though it's totally different) it's still the same basic form of the old HoH. Chapter One was pulled off much better than the other (billion) times. ;) One thing I'd reccomend though is that you put more character thought in; and when you do, put it in italics. It makes the characters a lot more believeable and it goes a long way. Can't wait for more, I can't wait to see some of the old faces.[/quote] Ha! I felt so awkward rewriting that sequence (Old Prologue, now Chapter One) for a [i]third[/i] time. I'm just glad someone enjoyed it more than the other two attempts. Thanks for the feedback, I'll make sure to try and delve deeper into the characters in the upcoming chapters. If you liked seeing Burns and Anderson again, you should be ready to get re-acquainted with the most dishonrable antagnogist of all time...

I will be waiting for the next chapter. Good stuff.

When can we expect Chapter Three?