EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The Breton had projected a ward through her staff towards Rossarm, but Fendros’ arrow came at enough of an angle that it did not strike it directly. It only had to pierce her shield spell, and with the strength of his bow, that could only provide some resistance. The arrow pierced into her side, nearly causing her to lose her footing as she screamed out in pain. Even as a soul, her body did seem physical enough in this realm, but the injury still did not kill her outright. Whether it be because she sustained damage differently as a spirit, or simply because the arrow did not find a vital target, she still stood.

While the Breton was able to direct her ward towards Fendros for every arrow after the first, she did not have the chance to interrupt Rossarm. While not quite as unique as the decaying spells Rossarm had been using, it was not creativity that would break through the bulwark that was the Breton’s ward: it was power. The explosion of flame against her ward engulfed her completely, but while it did obscure her from being seen, the shattering of her ward could still be clearly heard. The ward had absorbed much of the energy of the spell before breaking, but the flames that were left burned through the rags she wore and immolated large swaths of flesh. No amount of adrenaline could dull that pain.

The flames burned through skin and muscle all the way from the Breton’s stomach, up to the right side of her head, leaving behind grisly and disfiguring marks to accompany her blood-curdling scream. For nearly any mortal opponent, it would have been a crippling injury, if not lethal in short order. Yet, whether it was because of the strength of her soul, or just through sheer force of will, she still stood.

The Breton’s body started to give off the glow of Restoration magic, though there was no amount of healing that would allow her to recover from such extensive injuries. The best she could hope for was to stave off a second death in the short term. However, her retaliation still came quickly. As she slammed the end of her staff against the ground, she sent forth a massive wave of telekinetic force out in an arc in front of her, launching mortals and Daedra alike off of their feet. There was no way Fendros could avoid being thrown off of his saddle, and even Leaps ended up being rolled onto his side. Granted, being as large as he was meant that he took more of the force than more Human-sized beings.

The point of the telekinetic attack was primarily to buy the Breton time for something more decisive. Though her staff, one could easily see an immense amount of lightning being charged and amplified.

Fortunately for Ahnasha, the Breton had been facing away from her, so she had avoided being interrupted. For the moment, her gaze was fixated into the eyes of the beast in front of her. She slowly stepped closer and closer as the titan’s body twitched and its mind struggled against her spell.

The titan spoke with a deep, booming voice, though nothing about its words themselves carried the confidence that would normally be associated with it. “I cannot…will not…my compact cannot be broken.” Its claws gripped the ground, it spread its massive wings, and let out a roar. “My contract is absolute! I will not betray lord Vile!”

Ignoring the Daedra’s words entirely, Ahnasha continued to step, slowly and calmly, closer to it. Violet tendrils of magicka danced between her hands and the titan, leashed to the very essence of its being. “You already have, beast.” She spoke firmly. Finally, she was close enough as to be able to touch the titan directly. She took a strong hold of one of the titan’s horns and pulled its head downwards. All at once, the rage in the Daedra’s eyes all but vanished and an unnatural calm came over it. It retracted its wings, lowered its body, and bowed its head at her feet.

“Because you. Are. Mine.”

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

Following Aviza’s orders, Aegis team grouped off into pairs and moved in a loose formation towards the cruisers, on foot. Vael experienced little issue from either the darkness or the cold, as his combat harness could handle both through low-light vision and thermal regulation.

The trek through the desert itself took hours on foot. It came with the advantage of stealth, since there was no way the Brutes would be able to detect their approach unless a patrol simply happened upon them by chance, but they would still have to stay alert. They had already encountered hostile Forerunner machines once, and the wildlife of Sarcophagus was hardly any less of a threat. The size of their group did make it less likely for an animal to want to challenge them, but creatures had killed citizens of Paxopolis before.

Fortunately, between the sensors built into Aviza’s armor, and those back at the Mammoth, Shih was able to guide them on a path that kept them well-clear of any Forerunner structures on the way. Though, as they grew nearer to their destination, the AI was also able to form a more complete picture of the area underneath the cruisers. The ships appeared to be holding over a structure, likely Forerunner based on its dimensions. Before they could see it with their own eyes, they would not be able to determine why, but there was certainly a possibility that it could make their task more difficult. They needed to be able to follow the Brutes to the rebels’ hideout undetected, and any Forerunner defenses could compromise their position.

In any case, after enough hours of walking, the team did start coming close to their destination. From where they were, they could see not only the Brute cruisers hovering far above, but also the top of a spire-like Forerunner structure, and phantoms patrolling the area around it. There was obviously some interest from the Brutes in the structure, but based on Shih’s scans, it was located in a crater-like pit with high rock walls on all sides, and few good entrances. If they moved closer, it was possible they could find a spot among the rocky crags where they could get a line of sight down into the crater, but there was a definite risk of encountering a patrol if they moved closer. Alternatively, there was a mesa near to their current position that was tall enough for them to be able to see over the rim from long range. So far, none of the phantoms they had seen had moved that far from the crater on their patrols, but if a phantom did come out that far, there would be few options to hide from it.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

At first, the Breton mage had focused her gaze on the most obvious target for her attention: Ahnasha. She was still in the midst of casting her spell on the titan, which seemed conspicuously frozen in place instead of aiding the counterattack from above. Everything about the Breton’s expression and reaction was…unsettling, to say the least. Even with her disfigurement, she started to laugh oddly loudly. “Now what are you doing to my titan? What a bad little cat you are…stay there, I’m coming with your punishment.”

Ahnasha was not entirely unaware of her surroundings, though the concentration required for her spell did make it hard to pay attention to much else in detail. She could see, on a basic level, that their soldiers were on the backfoot. The Daedra were pushing hard, and if her plan to turn the tide did not work, they would lose. Ahnasha also heard Fendros’ objections to his father, and saw their source as well. The soul with what seemed to be a Daedric facsimile of the Staff of Magnus had ravaged part of their frontline, and had her sights on the titan.

“Better they lose their legs than their lives. Just kill that mage!” Ahnasha shouted back at Fendros, partially because she needed as much time as they could buy her, and partially because she still had her own callous nature that was not entirely dissimilar to Rossarm’s. Though, she had no concept of what Rossarm intended to do next.

The intense light of Rossarm’s equally intense spell was hard for the Breton soul to miss, so she did have her ward raised in time for the ray of light to hit her. However, her defense did not hold nearly as well as last time. Her ward brightened at first, then started to warp and dim. She started to lose ground, literally and figuratively, as a hint of panic came across her face. As quickly as she could, she charged her magic through her staff, amplifying it and projecting a new ward out in front of her. Only when enhanced by the staff could her ward hold up against Rossarm’s power for more than a few moments. Even still, her frantic spellcasting showed that she took him seriously. Just like with the Dominion soldiers, the red glow of the spell in her free hand matched the red glow of the magic she had imbued into the rocks under their feet. From underneath Rossarm, thorned vines rose from the cracks in the rocks and gnashed at his arms in an attempt to interrupt him.

From there, the Breton cast another spell, enveloping her in a dark violet portal. In an instant, she reappeared from another portal just behind Rossarm. In terms of the type of magic, the portal was quite different to the teleportation that Meesei and Sabine used. It was more similar to a conjuration portal. In any case, while he had not yet stopped her, Rossarm had at least succeeded in grabbing the mage’s attention.

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai and Shih

---

Vael moved down through the Mammoth, heading out down the vehicle ramp one he acquired his weapons. He took his usual loadout, though this time carried one of the sentinel beams in his hands as well. The battery would not last beyond a fight or two, but it would be effective while it had power.

For a moment, Vael regarded the pair of warthogs on the magnetic rail at the top of the vehicle bay. On foot, it would likely take hours to get within range to observe the ships, and anything beneath them. Though, since the entire team could not make use of the warthogs, bringing them along would not improve that pace unless they were willing to split up. To send the warthogs ahead to scout was a potential strategy, though the drivers would need to make sure not to get so close that their engines could be heard. The heavy guns would be useful when the fight did break out, but to go on foot would ensure the best chance for stealth. There were strong advantages and disadvantages for both choices. Aviza had ordered to move on foot, and Vael did not have any strong reason to disagree with that order.

Vael moved out alongside Ryker and turned his gaze towards the horizon. In contrast to the heat under the daylight sun, the night in the desert was actually fairly cold. Although, Vael could not help but to spare a thought for how Sarcophagus, which was a complete shell around its star, could even have a night cycle to begin with.

At the same time, the voice of the AI, Shih, came over the team’s radios simultaneously. ”From the Mammoth’s sensors, I can detect an SDV-class corvette and a second CCS-class battlecruiser , in addition to the one we can see. These are almost certainly the Brutes our rebels are supposedly dealing with them. I can also say that the ships are holding over some sort of structure, but I can’t say what just yet. We’ll need to get close enough to see it with our own optics.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The Breton had obviously expected retaliation, as she protected herself right away. Her wards were strong enough to stop even Rossarm’s first attack, as well as slowing Fendros’ arrow enough that the ebonyflesh spell protecting her stopped it entirely. She had not yet taken notice of Rossarm nor Fendros specifically. Her focus was on crushing the frontline to allow her Daedra to finish the rest.

While maintaining her ward, the Breton soul focused on her staff. Although it did imitate its appearance, it did not behave like Magnus’ staff. The inner light of the crystal on the end glowed red, instead of blue, and it did not absorb and store the energy of spells as raw magicka like the Staff of Magnus. Rather, it took the magicka she was pouring into it, collected it in the crystal, and after a few seconds of delay, released it in the same form, but many times amplified. In this case the magic she released when she slammed her staff into the ground was hard to identify, though clearly Daedric in origin. Spreading out all around and ahead of her, a glowing red energy formed cracks in the rocks underneath their feet, though the effect of the spell was not immediately obvious. Unfortunately, it did not take long for her to show it.

A few of the Dominon soldiers near the Breton, though burned and wounded, were still alive to face her. One formed a ward in front to protect against her, while a spearman just behind thrust his weapon forward in an attempt to skewer her. However, the Altmer’s ward would not end up being tested against her, as it did not protect against what came from underneath. Raising up her hand, the Breton prompted vines to break through the rocks and ensnare the pair of soldiers. They did not appear to be mere plants, but rather vicious, corrupted flora from Oblivion; like a thorny version of harrada root. Not only did the roots constrict and immobilize the soldiers, but they worked their way into the armor so the thorns could rip and tear into their flesh.

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

For the members of Aegis team, their journey across the desert did, fortunately, come with few actual dangers. Though, it was a long journey nonetheless, characterized by blistering heat, dry air, and cramped quarters. Sentinels did show some interest in the Mammoth whenever it passed too close to certain Forerunner structures, but its armor did allow them to take some fire as they passed without needing to engage in firefights with the machines. As long as they moved beyond the locations they were guarding, the sentinels would not follow.

Vael found that the journey was far from the worst experience he had ever needed to endure. The heat was a constant irritant for some, but his combat harness provided more than adequate environmental controls to keep him comfortable. What was more of a nuisance for him was the inability to be alone. He had to admit that he had held his rank long enough to become accustomed to its benefits. The ability to have a space to himself to mediate and center his mind had been a privilege he had long enjoyed. As large as the Mammoth was, there still was no way the avoid the nine other members of his team, plus the Mammoth crew, for any meaningful time.

Given the distance they had to travel, the team spent almost two days in the Mammoth, moving constantly across, at times, rough terrain. To fly to their destination would have been much quicker, but any attempt at an aerial approach to the Brute ships would have easily been detected. The Mammoth, ironically, provided a much stealthier approach. Of course, once they located the Brute ships, they would need to move on without the Mammoth to perform actual reconnaissance.

---

It was the middle of the night when the Mammoth came to a sudden, and complete halt. The hum of the engines and the spinning of the massive tires over rock and sand had been such a constant that having both stop was enough to jolt Vael awake, even before the diver’s voice sounded out over the vehicle’s intercom. “Unidentified Covenant ships spotted on the horizon. I am bringing the Mammoth to a halt and awaiting further orders.”

Vael sat up from where he had been laying. Their sleeping arrangements within the vehicle were rather haphazard. The Mammoth was not large enough for dedicated sleeping quarters, so the team had to make due with whatever they could arrange themselves, with the supplies they had available. Being that they were in the field, Vael had not left his armor. It did not make for the most comfortable rest, but again, he had endured far worse throughout his career. For now, the team needed to get together and decide on their approach.

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

Vael felt some irritation. He had been speaking with Tasuma before Aviza’s interruption, and he still wanted to learn more of the Lekgolo’s connection to the Humans. However, if Aviza wanted to make their plans now, his presence would likely be required.

Vael turned his head briefly towards the Mgalekgolo. “Tasuma, I want you to move around the vehicle and see if there is anywhere you cannot access. Try to get up the stairs if you can. If you are able, then you may join us on the command deck.”

As requested, Vael moved up the stairs to the middle deck, towards the Mammoth’s cockpit, which was where everything relevant to the vehicle’s command was meant to be centered. Curiously, Vael found upon entering that he and Aviza were not the first to arrive. The other Sangheili, Yalu, was at the front of the cockpit speaking to the drivers.

The driver to Yalu’s left was surprised to hear his question…and even more surprised to turn back and look at him. The Mammoth’s crew had naturally been informed of the nature of their mission, but that did not make it less strange for him to have a Sangheili asking him about his vehicle. ”Well, um, those sentinels have backed off for now, so we’re not being shot at anymore. It’s heavily armored, if that’s what you’re worried about. It would take a lot more than those beams to get through the plating.” He answered.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha could tell when the titan was close to being brought to ground, so she ensured she was ready when it was her time to act. From her satchel, she produced a filled black soul gem. With a deep breath and some concentration, she pulled the soul energy from the gem initially as if she was going to forge an enchantment, though that would not be the fate of this soul. As the gem shattered into pieces, she began to form a carefully constructed spell of conjuration energy: something into which she could weave the soul energy temporarily.

Their own allied forces only scarcely managed to clear out from underneath the titan before it was brought down in an impact that seemed to shake the ground around them. Even still, the titan seemed like it was only momentarily slowed by the attacks as it quickly let out a roar. “Fools!” It bellowed, just before the glow of cold flames appeared in its mouth. However, before it could make its attack, Ahnasha made her presence known. She stepped up just in front of the massive Daedra, violet wisps of energy swirling around her. The magicka in her spell was both greater than she could normally produce, and finely controlled. As the titan was raising up its head, she extended a hand forward and focused onto its eyes. Wisps of energy moved between them and the titan suddenly hesitated, its gaze also transfixed onto Ahnasha.

The Daedric counterattack, meanwhile, was picking up in intensity. War horns signaled their advance, but without the titan for support, their frontline might have been able to halt them with the assistance of Rossarm’s mages. However, there was an explosion of flame down the center that broke through the wards of even Rossarm’s best mages and burned warriors three rows deep into their lines. The source of the attack was not a massive Daedra, nor even a siege weapon, but a single mage. Front and center to the Daedric advance was not a Daedra, but rather a mortal. Or at least, the soul of a mortal. She appeared to be a Breton woman though most of her face was mangled and scarred by what seemed to be rather brutal torture. She had no hair, only a burned scalp. Her left ear had been removed, there was a long scar across her throat, her right eye was blind and glazed over white, and there was a hole where her cheek used to be that revealed the muscles connecting to her jaw. Her clothing was hardly more than the dirty, torn rags of a prisoner, yet it was the object in her hands that was the most exceptional. By its appearance, it almost looked like the Staff of Magnus, though if that was the intention, it was clearly an imitation. Nevertheless, the power she brought through her weapon was easily enough to break through their frontline.

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

Vael briefly turned his attention to the Mgalekgolo’s shield. Generally, they were durable enough to be all but impervious to the majority of small arms, but sentinel beams could damage even starships. Still, even in a damaged state, it would likely be serviceable against Human and Jiralhanae weapons. By Vael’s assessment, Tasuma was still equipped to fight. However, there was more for Vael to be curious about, especially the more he observed Tasuma’s armor.

”You seem ready for battle, but there is more I would know about you. I was given a document with your history, but I would prefer to ask you myself. You are unusual for one of your kind. Your armor, equipment, the way you act towards them…you have worked with the Humans long before the idea of this team was conceived. You also fight without a bond brother, yet the spikes on your back show that you do, or did, have one. I am curious what events brought you here.” Vael questioned Tasuma, though the two of them did not remain alone for long before there was an interruption. The Spartan, Aviza, approached bearing an energy sword.

Vael glanced down at the crimson blade. ”I question what such a blade is doing in a Human armory, but…it does not matter. In the hands of a Sangheili, a sword is the weapon of nobility. Of honor, and the symbol of our skill. Swordsmanship is among our most respected practices. You are correct that the sword has meaning to us, but you are not of our kind. In your hands, there is no meaning. Some may disagree with me, but for you to wield a sword, there is no honor to be gained, nor lost. You are not Sangheili, and you are not under our command. It is not of our concern what trophies you take. Regardless, our rules and customs regarding the sword are primarily respected outside the military. On the field of battle, even a lowly Minor may pick up a sword if the situation demands it.”

Again, Vael put his attention to the blade. His answer might have seemed dismissive, but he said what he believed to be true. Her use of a sword was not something worthy of offense, though at the same time, her mere use of it would not gain respect. In any case, he had no qualms about informing her on a subject about which she clearly had little knowledge. “To wield that sword in particular is not a matter of honor nor respect, but skill. That blade burns hotter than the average sword, but that heat gives it a fine edge in more ways than one. It can cut through more armor, stronger armor, with speed and efficiency, but with that blade it is possible to cut too quickly. When rending flesh, it burns hot enough to cauterize immediately. There is less bleeding, and if the wielder cuts too quick, less damage to surrounding tissue. If the cut does not find a vital area, your opponent may survive. A wielder of that blade is one who is precise, restrained, and skilled enough to always find his mark.”

Halo: Aegis Team

Shih and Vael 'Virisusai

---

Shih completed the first part of Aviza’s request before she finished her sentence, though in this case, she did not have the option to comply with the second. “I have compiled a report, and I can queue it for transmission, but our mandate for long-range radio silence prevents me from sending it back to the Thunder. At least until we positively identify the location of the insurrectionist base.”

Once he had his weapon returned, Vael went to the Mammoth’s armory to secure his sentinel beam and replenish his ammunition. The Spartan, Rex, did so as well, though the two spoke not a word to one another. Even among the other Humans, Rex kept to himself when not performing any tasks. In any case, Vael had no reason to disturb him. He had more pressing concerns in mind. First and foremost, he moved up to the top deck to check on the status of the Mammoth and its pursuers. Even lightened as it had been, the Mammoth could not hope to outrun sentinels, but fortunately, it did not need to. Once their vehicle moved far enough beyond what the sentinels were protecting, they simply disengaged. Looking at the outside plating, Vael could see plenty of scorch marks and melted armor in places, but it all seemed superficial. For now, their mission could proceed. There was no choice but to have the pilots of the Pelican join them, but as long as nothing else went wrong, that would not be a problem.

For a few moments, Vael observed the environment around him. They had landed in an arid, rocky desert, and he was unsure of how far it extended in any direction. Only a small fraction of Sarcophagus’ immense surface had been mapped, and the area they were in was not among it. There was as much distance between their current location and Paxopolis as there was between Sanghelios and its primary star. Truly, they could not know what was ahead of them; they would just have to be adaptable.

Heading back into the Mammoth, Vael decided to use the time in which they would be stuck traveling, though he was not sure of what he could accomplish that would be of value. Space was limited for a team of ten, plus the Mammoth’s crew, so that restricted his options. He ended up returning to the lower deck, and eventually set his attention on their most conspicuous team member: the Mgalekgolo Tasuma. While their kind were exceptionally durable in their armor, Vael did have concerns over how it might fare on an extended mission. As Vael approached, he took a moment to examine the Hunter’s armor. Though its base was still made of familiar nanolaminate alloys, there were some additions that were unmistakably Human. He had not yet had time to read Tasuma’s file fully and learn its background, but it was obvious that it had been working with the Humans long before the idea of Aegis Team had been conceived. “Tasuma, what is the status of your armor? Are repairs possible?”