Love For A Heretic (A Halo Fanfic)

Chapter 3: The Heretic

Threshold Gas Mine

        Sesa 'Refum would be tinkering an a console...as he would be eyeing and making sure they facility systems were in check and ready for the coming storms that would arrive soon, one from the planet and one sent by the false Prophets he once idolized for not only their religious views, leadership, and care for the Sangheili. 

Like many of his brothers on this station once he learned of the true nature of the holy rings and the danger they proposed to not just his species but to others, he hoped that he could spread the truths that The Prophets lied for all these years and pay for the blood that many of his brothers spilled for a war that meant nothing

His train of thought would halt when he heard the faint sound of humming coming to him, as he turned his gaze to the vent entrance before seeing The Oracle, who once saw care of the destroyed Installation above them

"Ahh there you are...I was hoping to find you here." they said, as they hovered down to the Elite and eyed console the port, observing they recent changes to the facility. "Hmm I see you increase the defense capabilities of my Sentinels and aswell their production, I must inform that if you continue to stretch the production of my drones, you'll decrease the success they'll have with dealing The Flood." as Sesa listened but ignored 

"Sesa if I-"."No Oracle, we will need as many of your Sentinels if we are to buy time for our departure, the information you have can prove vital for the future of my kind." he said, as he would input to increase production in one part of the facility that was compromised, he needed more time. "B-But this will only cause stress to the power the facility needs to withheld the storm and not to mention The Flood."

"Believe me, The Flood will be the least of your worries..." He said, as he would finish the last input which directed some of the power to not only his ship...but to another hidden away, as he turned from the console before heading to where his banshee was. "If your talking about those you say who will not heed the knowledge of my installation and others like it, I suggest we should at least try to reason with them" he said, as Spark would hover infront of Sesa and stopped him in place

"No...if anything The Prophets will send warriors whos faiths cannot be questioned..." he said, as he would walk past and headed for the door but stopped before turning back to The Oracle and their gaze met. "For now I want you to hide yourself, your to important to be captured by them." He said, as The Oracle would only stare for a moment before swiftly hovering back to the entrance

Sesa watched before walking out and on his way, his commlink would go off. "Leader, Covenant forces have breached the station, we're holding them at bay but their on your way to you!" he heard, as his eyes widen...they weren't ready, they were here early then he expected and he picked up the pace. "Hold them off as long as you can, I'll head to my ship and lead them away for some of you to escape." he said and on the move he would change his comm frequency before speaking. "The plan has changed head to my ship, I need you to buy me time for me and my warriors." as he would sprint down the corridors

Elsewhere, The Arbiter would be taking out one heretic after the another, as much as he hated killing his own it had to be done to secure the future of The Great Journey. He watched as one by one he shot down as he marched down the corridors to find The Heretic Leader, but what struck him odd was the fact the Sentinel's were helping the Heretics...it could have been that they had reprogram to fight for their side, but he knew it was impossible to do so.

He had tried to back on the ring before it's destruction, to help him and his fleet take back the ring from The Flood but no matter what they tried nothing worked. For now they were another target for him.

As he finished another wave of Grunts and Sangheili, he would post up on the door to the next room and with how these warriors fought...their leader had to be in here, as he then moved up as the door opened and he saw Sesa in the room as he was making his way outside, Thel quickly raised his rifle and rushed as shot at him and hit his shields but couldn't finish him as the door behind shut and he stood on the other side, Thel would quickly pull his sword and would activate it before slashing at the window and roared

Sadly the glass took no damage and Sesa only watched and eyed the Arbiter and looked surprise, the fact that The Prophets would send an Arbiter was not out of the question but who it was is what surprised him. "Arbiter, well I can't say I'm not surprised to see you...I thought you would be dead." He said, as Thel only glared at him and tightened his grip on sword

"and I thought your belief in the journey was not out of question." he responded, as he thought only of the disappointment he had with him. "I trusted you...to hold this station in the name of The Covenant and in the name of-"."Who...The Prophets, if only you knew what I know about their lies, but that doesn't matter with you now, you made your choice by putting that armor on and becoming their slave." He said, as Sesa would turn to face his banshee

As Thel then banged his hand on the glass before suddenly Thel heard the sound of another sword ignited before quickly dodging out of the way and turned back to see another strike as Thel then blocked it with his sword before pushing him away with it, as he watch to see who his attacker was, as it was a Sangheili in black and red armor and wielding a red blade. "Hold him off brother, I...will defend the Oracle." as Sesa then jumped into his banshee and flew into the storm

Thel eyes widen when Sesa said Oracle and he knew that if there was one stationed here, it had be the one from the ring. He focus now though was on the unknown warrior who attacked him, who's armor he did not recognized, as it wasn't Covenant and while it did dawn the color of The Banished, they did not bear the insignia. "Who are you...and why do you defend this heretic?" as the both would then walk in a circle. "I defend him because he speaks the truth, Arbiter..." he said, as he would then lunge into a slash making Thel block was once as he would kick the attacker in the abdomen and shoved him away

"He speaks of lies and what you heresy!" As Thel jumped up and went to stab his blade into him, as the warrior would clash his sword with his and two began to exchange blow after blow...their blades clashing over and over, as soon both their blades would interlock, as both would glare at each other. "Why...believe his lies, don't you know this would break The Covenant our ancestors build!" as Thel, would push his weight against him.

"It's not his truths I believe, but my own...that The Prophets only lie and it's because of them that I am the last of my bloodline." The warrior would protest and then deactivate his sword before going into cloak, making Thel stumble forward and looked around the room.  "Show yourself coward!" As Thel would eye his HUD and readied his blade. 

"A coward? the true cowards are the ones who sit on thrones, as they lie, send out our brothers to fight in a war that means nothing if we all die in the end." He heard him speak in the room, as Thel turned to were he heard his voice. "We will be in Salvation in the end, our people...your people will live as the promised for The Prophets"

"Is that what you still believe!" They yelled from the shadows, making Thel quickly turn. "I-"."I'm sure they lied when they gave you that armor and in the end they will cast you out like many other they deemed unworthy for their 'path'. like me they branded you a 'Heretic'...even when you did the honorable thing and sacrificed what you believed...or cared for."

Thel listened, as he...a part of him wanted to agree, when they branded him they only thing he thought about was why...the honor of not just him but also his fleet and brothers was endangered by both The Flood and the sole human that was responsible for the rings destruction, so how was it dishonorable trying to save them from a fate worse then death

He only lowered his guard, his fate and his beliefs in question and while questioning. The Warrior would decloak and prepare to attack till suddenly on que behind the window, a Phantom would appear and began to fire it's cannons. "Arbiter get down!" As Thel was snapped back into reality and rolled out of danger along with the warrior, as the glass would break sending a gust of wind into the room, as the elites shields would take the blow from both the glass and shots of plasma while he retreated to the door the Arbiter came in from before cloaking

The phantom would stop firing, as it hovered. "Are you well, Arbiter?"said Rtas, as Thel got back on his feet. "I'm alright...what of the heretic?" he asked, as he would step over what was once the window. "We tracked his banshee to the other of the facility, I suggest getting into one aswell...enemy forces have already set up turrets and ships, it'll be an air battle for us." 

"Understood...I'll provide cover..." he said, as Thel would hop in one of the banshees docked and hover close to the Commander and in view saw banshees closing in on their location...as they prepared for themselves for battle in the storm.

[End Of Chapter 3]