Halo: Journey of Our Time

__TOC__
==Chapter 1==
Covenant world Honored Duty, 4th Age of Reconciliation (480 BCE) 
The coastal lands of clan Kanay sweltered under blistering midday sun. For those working the dockyards on the city's edge, their only relief came in the form of salt-tinged winds blowing off the ocean. Inland, at the keep's training area, the newest generation of Kanay's future soldiers were not granted such a mercy. Dressed in bronze-colored armor echoing the lineage of the ancient Arbiters, none dared appear weak as their teacher paced before them in his own battle harness.
"Younglings of Clan Kanay!" Pathfinder Jor 'Kanayee shouted, his voice echoing over the grounds, "Like your fathers before, and their fathers before them, you have now come of age to prove yourself worthy of walking the Path set before by the Ancients themselves. Today, your Trial of Valor begins." Pausing, he glanced back at the jungle that stretched from the outskirts of the city, towards a distant chain of snow-capped mountains. The untamed lands had purposely been left alone by the Sangheili of Kanay, who saw the jungles as both an excellent training facility for their military hopefuls, but also as a natural defense against their rival clan Horno, whose own territory abutted the opposite side of the mountains. Only the ancient and long abandoned Titan cannons, massive weapon platforms crafted during the War of Beginnings, proved to be the only visible sign of Sangheili habitation in the region. Bringing his attention back towards the group, Jor's face hardened, 
"The Trial can take many forms, and for you, it shall be the hunting and slaying of a Kele'norik. Returning with the carapace of the beast shall be a sign of your success." Jor paused, eyeing their reactions. As expected, a mixture of excitement and concern was cast amongst the group. The insect-like creatures of the deeper jungle often traveled in groups, and were considered a worthy challenge for even seasoned hunting parties. Rumors even persisted that the beasts shared some form of hivemind, allowing them to communicate among themselves to easily ambush prey. 
"Cast aside your fears, younglings, for you are Sangheili, chosen heirs of the Forerunners themselves! Our people are the Guardians of the Path and defenders of the faithful. I have taught you in the ways of combat since you were mere babes, and you shall have your brothers by your side in this task and the wisdom of the Ancients in your mind." Finished, Jor called out a pair of names, 
"Zil, Nelt, come forth!" Two of the younglings followed his orders, granting him a quick bow when before him. 
"You two shall each lead your own team in the completion of this Trial. Whichever team can complete the task first shall pass. Those who fail must wait until next year." 
"As you say Uncle, it shall be done," Zil replied, 
"As you command Elder," Nelt intoned, glancing back towards the rest of the group, a slight smile of arrogance on his mandibles. 
Jor gave a nod before he began assigning the rest to either leader. Once complete, both he granted them a simple nod before they were dispatched into the nearby trees. 
"Remember young ones," he called after them, "Bravery, strength, and honor shall lead you to victory." 
Zil brought his curveblade through a thick branch of mossy wood, as he and his kin continued their journey east. Watching the surrounding flora for any signs of Kele'norik, they had failed to come across any evidence of their prey after six hours of searching. 
"Leader," one of his team, an older boy by the name of Gvor, spoke up. 
"Perhaps we should try moving along a more southern route, it would bring us close to one of the lakes so that we could refill our water jugs and make camp for the night." With the humidity and temperature rising further durng the way, the now approaching sunset had done little to bring relief to the Sangheili youth. 
Zil clacked his mandibles in annoyance, he did not wish to give up yet, but knew none would be in good condition to face their prey if he marched them straight down onto the Path of Oblivion. 
"Very well Gvor. We shall heed your advice." Another unit passed before they found the lake, its lapping waters brought promises of relief and rest to the weary group. Three attempted to move ahead from the treeline before Zil stopped them.
"Hold," he spoke softly, his order transmitted to the earpieces of his team, the rest of the group became statues. The whisper of the wind rustling the leaves was the sole sound in the area. The Sangheili slowly eyed the area, checking the opposite treeline and beach for any sign of movement. Long minutes passed before Zil decided the area was clear. 
Slowly they moved up to the shoreline of the lake. As they prepared their camp, the tension slowly started to bleed away, muscles relaxing, a calmness entering each one. Eventually a fire lit the area, created more as a deterrent to predators then as a source of warmth. It did bring a sense of security to the Sangheili. Zil, and the others filled their water jugs and began eating their rations. 
"How many carapaces do you think we will require to pass?" One of the Sangheili asked. 
"Likely the entire creature would suffice," another, Kilik, answered, gulping down some water. "A single Kele'norik would be large enough for all of us. Plus extra to spare." 
"Agreed," Gvor commented, staring into the fire, "I am curious ,though. How well prepared we are for this? We've all heard the stories." The others nodded. 
"I would say so, as long as we work together," Zil added in, "We would not have been sent out if Jor and the elders did not think we could accomplish our task." 
He noticed some look at themselves and their curveblades, weighing his words. 
"You speak truly kinsmen," one of them, Gilik, replied, finishing his meal. "I look forward to our prize, my clan will raise in stature from this for sure." 
"You are not of Kanay blood?" Another of the group, Horik, asked. 
"Nay, I am Qivro, one of the smaller ones on the northern border." 
"Qivro..the continent on Sanghelios?" 
"Indeed," Gilik replied, "My ancestors were members of the ancient Swords of Sanghelios, who overthrew the tyrannical Arbiter Vema 'Togad, who ruled thse lands many centuries ago. They eventually took up the name of their homeland as their own, to carry their badge of honor throughout the lands, and later the stars." A moment of silence passed, 
"I have heard of that tale, quite mpressive Gilik," Gvro spoke, with the others nodding in agreement. 
"If we succeed," Zil commented, "I will proudly call you a member of Kanay," Zil added, giving his comrade a smile. 
"Agreed, surely with your might we shall prevail," Another Sangheili, Jek, commented with some playful sarcasm. Gilik gave a slight glare, before he and the rest of the group broke into amused, yet quiet, laughter. As the laughter died down Zil spoke up, " Let us rest now. Tomorrow we continue our hunt, brothers, and we shall all wear the name of Kanay with honor." 
"For Kanay," they all replied, in a quieter voice, before adding more firewood and drifting off to sleep. 
"Zil, move!" The yell of warning jolted him from the peaceful lull of slumber. His body now flooding with adreline. Zil rolled out of his sleeping mat, without thinking he quickly rolled out of his sleeping mat, just as a shadow fell over him. Stumbling to his feet, Zil unsheathed his curveblade and brought it before him as the figure landed. A bipedal creature stared back at the Sangheili youth. The clouds overhead slightly obsuered the being, and for a few brief heartbeats, with the sounds of combat now reaching his ears, his mind considered the possibility that the figure was another Sangheili. Had Nelt's team betrayed them? The being moved again, now revealing a pair of long claws and a tail ending in a thick bony club which arced forward in an attempt crush Zil's skull. Quickly moving away from the attack, he lept back in an attempt to gain some distance, now able to take the entire scene in as the clouds were parted and allowed the twin moons to illuminate the land. 
More of the creatures had engaged his team mates, which he now recognized as Delchin. The overly aggressive creatures occupied several areas of the jungle, and had often proven a danger, to hunters. Moving to assist his nearest team mate, Jek, Zil brought his blade to bare, before another Delchin cut him off and attempted to bisect him with its claws. Parrying with his curveblade, Zil followed with a quick punch to the beast's stomach. It stumbled back a few feet before righting itself and rushing forward again with a roar. 
Zil prepared to block and end his enemy when another Sangheili crashed into the Delchin. He watched bemused as Gvro righted himself and, without hesitation, thrust his curveblade into the head of the creature. 
"We can not let you gain all the glory now can we, leader?" He joked as he turned towards his next opponent. The next five units had the Sangheili slowly whittle the enemy down until the final Delchin found itself impaled by every curveblade at once. Silence returned to the area like an old and welcome friend. The only sounds now were the heavy breathing of the Sangheili and the quiet drip of blood. 
"Do we have losses, any wounded?" Zil managed to cough out, glancing around the area while attempting to catch his breath and clear his blurred vision. Gvro walked up to him, his skin featuring purple slashes.
"Gilik and Jek have been wounded, the latter with a broken arm. Varu appears to have been knocked out," Glancing over, Zil watched Eurn, the team's medic, and another member of the team set Gilik and Varu against a nearby tree, before fishing around in his bag for items to treat them. Ignoring his own injuries, Zil limped up to his fellow. Gilik's ragged breathing was clear as Zil approached, his chest and abdomen featuring multiple puncture wounds.
Eurn glanced up only briefly, before returning to his work, 
"He fought multiple Delchin sire," nodding over to four Delchin, all dead. 
"He took them on by himself?" 
"It was not..easy," Gilik said weakly, coughing blood as Eurn spread a penance med-patch on the wounds and ran water over his mandibles to clear his airway. 
"We only have enough supplies to temporary stifle the bleeding," Eurn spoke, looking up at his leader, 
"If he is to see another day, I and others will have to take him back to the keep." Frozen for several moments, Zil debated on what to do. Seeing the indecision, Gilik spoke up, 
"Zil..he is right. I would be..useless in a fight. Let me maintain what honor I have left." Zil winced, knowing of the ancient Sangheili belief that a loss of blood was a loss of honor. He was also aware some Sangheili clans still followed that practice even today. Kanay was not among them. 
"What nonsense," he muttered to himself before turning to face Gilik. 
"Gilik 'Qivroee, as your commander I see no loss of honor on your part. You fought multiple opponents on your own, a feat impressive even for adults. Thus I order that you shall be returned to Kanay keep with the main spike of each Delchin. You shall recover and gain more honor for yourself and your bloodline with your life restored." Gilik was quiet a moment, perhaps wanting to argue, but lowered his head. 
"As you wish commander, it shall be done," Zil nodded at Gilik before giving another nod at Eurn. The other Sangheili took the hint and injected Gilik with a serum to knock him out. As the younger passed into the land of dreams, Eurn finished sealing the last of the bleeding wounds. 
"Jek, cut the main tail spike from those Delchin. I want you to go with them, you will lose no honor in this duty either." Jek nodded, his arm already in a self-made sling,
"It will be done leader," he pulled his curve blade out and moved to complete his task. A small sense of relief filled Zil as he moved to help Gvro with treating Varu. He would not lose anyone on this trial. 
----
The dawn air was oddly chilled, a feeling reflected in the voice of Nelt's Second. 
"Attacking like that was reckless, Leader," the harsh whisper of Crun's voice rising behind his leader. Nelt didn't appear to hear, his gaze drawn to the Kele'norik below them. After a few moments though, he responded.
"Agreed, but there was a small victory from it." Nelt's response brought a look of annoyance to Crun, but the other Sangheili chose to say nothing. Nelt had always cloaked himself in an air of arrogance. Thinking himself as the mightest, and those under him as stepping stones on a path to greatness. This had been tolerated as they worked towards a common goal. After three days of searching, they had found one of the drone workers. 
Nelt, had ordered the attack, hoping to surprise and slay the beast. It failed, with two of the team killed, impaled by the Kele'norik's front blades. They had however, managed to cut through several of its legs. Nelt had been reluctant to order a retreat, before Crun finally forced a fallback to a nearby group of bushes on a bluff overlooking a dried lake bed. Rather than give chase, the creature returned to its previous job, though to the groups' disgust, the thing would now and again consume the flesh of their slain comrades. 
"We should at least retrieve Kel and Pren's blades, they did manage to wound our prey....and save your life." Nelt ignored the look Crun gave him, the damage to his armor was reminder enough, but he did consider his Second's words. The attack was on his orders, and had failed on his orders. Thus, their deaths were on him as well. 
"Yes, they've earned that, we will move once it departs." The group settled in, beginning to treat what wounds or injuries they incurred. The plan to out-wait the creature though proved to take longer then they considered. The sun crawled from the horizon, up to its zenith before their abandoned prey departed. 
They watched unfortunately though, as it took the bodies as well. Joints and muscles aching, the Sangheili youth moved back down to the area. Nearing where Kel fell, they paused. A moment of silence was given as Velk, Kel's blood brother, gave a small prayer for his sibling's soul and that of Pren before wrapping the broken blades in cloth. 
"Come, Velk...we must go," Crun put a hand on the younger's back and helped him up. The group rallied behind Nelt and began to travel down the winding pathway the Kele'norik had created through the dense jungle. Under toppled trees and over boulders they moved as a proper lance, checking to make sure no ambush lay in wait. 
"Down!" Nelt's yelped, fear gripping him as the Sangheili quickly flattened themselves. It took moments for the rest to see what brought their leader pause. A hundred units ahead stood a towering purple-tinted Kele'norik knight, the guards of any local nest. Knights had keen eyesight, and deeply territorial. Thankfully, its attention was apparently drawn towards something off to its side. 
"This way," Another Sangheili, Teleno, spoke softly, nodding his head towards a large hill. Its position would hide them and offer of a view of what they faced. Like slurp slugs, the lance moved slowly, carefully, off the path. Any sudden move caught by the knight and it would gleefully charge towards them. 
A bout of chattering issued forth from the trees above the Sangheili. Not yet in the brush, the group froze, blood becoming as cold as the void. Slowly glancing upwards, Nelt saw a pair of Cher'Fel fighting over some type of fruit on a nearby branch. His eyes moved back towards the knight, whose gaze had also turned towards the squabble. 
One of the Cher'fel ripped off a smaller branch and tossed it at the other. The rival dodged it, and the branch tumbled down the pathway. The Kele'norik gave a roar of annoyance before leaning its head back and spitting forth a pink liquid. It missed the small creatures, but managed to hit the tree branch they fought on. 
The bark at the base dissolved until the entire branch was set loose with a crack. The Sangheili managed to cover their heads in time, as the branch crashed down on top of them. Crun held back a gasp of pain as his arm was pinned against a rock by the branch, while another part bounced against Teleno, dazing him. Nelt clamped his own mandibles shut as he felt tendons in his hand tear from the impact. 
He managed a look over at the knight, its eyes appeared to stare back at his own. For a few minutes neither Sangheili nor Kele'norik moved, still as statues. Finally, the knight turned away, watching the rest of the clearing. Teleno and Velk carefully brought their curveblades out and worked on cutting through the fallen clutter. 
Stubbornly Ignoring their injuries, the group continued their journey through the leaves, finally making their way to the base of the hill. With a sigh of relief, they took pause, using the healing gel in their packs to deal with the worst of the pain. They spent the time the gel worked to eat some rations and rehydrate. 
"Alright, let's move up and see what we are dealing with," Nelt ordered after a short time. Crun nodded, moving his way up, followed by the others. As they neared the top, they could hear the rustle of the inhabitants in the area below. 
"If it is a small nest, we can attempt to scatter them with fire, or perhaps set a trap," Teleno suggested as they reached the edge. 
"A sound idea bro-" the words died on Nelt's mandibles as they beheld the sight before them. Below in a valley, sat the nest of the Kele'norik. Typically, nests had perhaps several dozen individuals. A queen, her prime mate, the knights guards, and the drones caring for the grubs. The one before them consisted of around two hundred. How the large nest had formed relativity close to the keep was beyond Nelt. 
"We...we can't take that," Velk spoke up, a quaver of fear in his voice. Others only nodded; their bodies too frozen in shock. A sudden series of light flashes from the trees line from them pulled Nelt out of his stupor. He watched the treeline again more intently, and after a few minutes the flashes appeared again. 
He realized it was a code, as his mind returned to the present. Crun was the one to understand the message first. 
"Hold..your...position." Amusement passed Crun's mandibles as Teleno chimed in, "Is...that Zil's group?" 
"It appears they see us," Eurn commented quietly from their hiding spot. Nearby, Varu moved his curveblade back into the sunlight, moved it carefully, and brought it back into shadow. Zil only nodded, keeping an eye on the nest before them. Stumbling on the area only hours ago, debate had been ongoing on what to do next. 
A group decision had been to quit the test, and head back to the keep to alert the Kaidon and his guard of the threat the nest posed. However, when Horik noticed Nelt and the others peeking over a hill a little distance away, a new plan was forged. Together, both teams could attempt to take down a knight. While difficult, it was a possibility with both groups working together. 
It would provide enough material to satisfy both groups and then they could proceed back with the news. As Varu moved forward again to repeat the message, he froze as he watched one of Nelt's group lose their bearings, and fall against a small boulder. The rock tumbled down the short cliff before rolling into the nest itself. Several drones and grubs were crushed before a knight rushed over, catching the intruder into its domain. 
It looked up at the cliff, before the hiss of another knight brought its attention behind it. Varu still frozen, curveblade drawn, reflecting sunlight directly into the knight's eyes. He blanched as he realized his mistake, pulling it back. The damage was done though, as the two knights' hiss rose into roars, alerting the rest of the nest. 
"RUN!" Zil shouted, as chaos erupted around him. Zil lost all sense of time as he found himself darting around the trees and through thick bushes with sounds of splintering of wood close behind. He had already lost track of how far he had run, only that the vile knight still gave chase. Swinging around another tree, Zil was startled to find himself colliding with another Sangheili. Losing their footing, both tumbled down the side of a steep hillside, right into a shallow river at the bottom. Landing in the shallow water with a splash, Zil coughed up water, and glanced over to see who he had hit. 
"Nelt?" 
"Zil?" 
Both stared at the other stupidly for a moment before the crash of a tree returned them to reality. The pair got up and looked around for a way up the steep sides. There was none to be found that they could use in time before the knight arrived. However, Zil noticed a short way down the opposite bank what appeared to be a cave covered in moss. Created by eons of flood tides perhaps? 
"This way, hurry!" He grabbed the older Sangheili's arm and almost dragged him towards the opening. Helping Nelt enter, he climbed in himself, turning in time to see the knight slide down the hill down where they had originally landed. They held their breath as it searched the nearby area. 
Panning its head slowly around, it moved closer to their spot, before a nearby splash drew its attention. Zil gave a prayer of thanks to the Forerunners as it moved away to investigate. Finally given a moment to catch his breath, he turned to his cousin. Nelt was clearly in worse shape. His armor was dented and damaged in multiple areas. His body was covered in various bruises, blood dripping down from various slices and cuts,had gained a black eye, and the wrist of his left hand was clearly broken. 
"By the Rings, Nelt...what happened?" He managed to move his pack forward, somehow still attached, and produced a bottle of healing gel. He removed areas of his cousin's armor, and gently rubbed the gel in the worst of the wounds. 
"My lance and I attacked a lone Kele'norik drone earlier, we failed to slay it." Zil nodded in understanding. 
For the sake of his honor, Nelt kept his mandibles shut, the only sign of pain being a twitch or grunt now and again. Relief filled his eyes as Zil finished, and the smaller wounds began to heal. 
"What do we do now, cousin?" Nelt commented, looking out the entrance. The knight searching through the muddy water. Zil watched as well, before noticing a boulder in the tree line on the far side of the bank. Kept in place on the sharp slope by a heavy grouping of vines, it appeared to be large enough to do damage to the knight. 
"I have a plan Nelt, you see that boulder on the cliif? Opposite bank? I will attempt to get the attention of the knight and draw it over. Meanwhile, you go and cut through the clutter holding the boulder in place." 
Nelt considered the plan, "What if you perish Zil?" 
"If I do...return to the keep, inform the Kaidon of our fate." With that, both drew their curveblades, ready to act. Zil moved out first, roaring a challenge at their hunter. The Kele'norik turned, gave a hiss of anger, and charged. Zil ran straight at the beast, managing to duck to the side at the last moment. The front twin blades missed their intended victim, piercing deeply into the thick mud. The insect roared in anger, momentarily trapped in the sucking muck. It finally freed itself, turning again to end the intruder who had slept behind the knight. Zil watched his prey carefully, moving his body into the Pale Gulf fighting position, ready for another charge. 
"Come beast, show me if you are worthy enough to fight a Sangheili!" He was unsure if the creature truly comprehended the words or not, not that it mattered. Its focus was now fully on him and, as he hoped, he caught sight of Nelt taking his chance and clambered out of the cave entrance. The other Sangheili moved quietly across the river bed. 
He ignored the two as the battle was rejoined, focusing more on his own task. Using his curveblade as a handhold to assist in the climb, Nelt managed to make it to the mess of logs and vines holding the boulder, and proceeded to cut through them. Zil managed to parry another blade of the Kele'norik, the sharpened calcium sickles a match for his metal curveblade. He backed up, taking notice of Nelt's progress. 
His cousin was close to finishing, and so Zil ran to the far right of his opponent. It appeared to expect this tactic, swinging its left blade, even as Zil ducked. The blade missed his head, but caught the back of Zil's armor. He gagged as he was brought to a sudden stop, pinned to the ground. 
He watched his curveblade go flying from his hands as he struggled underneath the weight of the knight. He could have sworn the hiss it gave sounded more like victorious laughter as it pulled him up, before smashing him into the ground again. Pain jolted up his body, even as he was spun around and thrown to the ground again. The knight was clearly being careful to keep the young Sangheili hooked on its blade. 
Again, and again it attempted to crush him, his armor the only thing keeping him alive. He reached up, loosening the buckles on his shoulders as he was raised again. As the knight spun him, the back of his chest harness was released. It gave a hiss of surprise as Zil went flying, before smacking into the water. 
Sputtering and bruised, he rose, glancing at Nelt, before running towards his cousin. He had to time it just right. The knight charged forward, no more playing, it was through with the thrill of the hunt. The intruder would pay for slaying its kin. 
Nelt saw the pair run towards him and prepared himself. Only a handful of ropy vines and dead tree husks kept the now loosed boulder in position. His curveblade hovered above them as Zil neared. With one, final smooth motion he slashed through them, and the boulder moved forward. 
Creaking against the tree trunks for a couple heartbeats, it broke through, tumbling down the incline. Zil saw the danger and leapt forward, just as the silhouette of the knight passed over him. It paused on hearing the crashing of rocks, and turned in time to behold its demise. The boulder smashed into the knight's midsection, crushing it under the sheer weight. 
A gurgle escaped the knight's mouth before it expired. The area was silent, only the gentle sound of the river and the panting of the two Sangheili gave any sign life was around. 
"We...did it," Zil commented, the adrenaline in his body numbing him to any pain...for the moment. Nelt slid down the incline, stumbling a bit before standing at Zil's side. 
"We..did well Zil, we proved our strength," a bit of his old arrogance resurfacing. Zil chuckled a bit before sitting down, exhaustion finally taking a toll. 
"We still need to go back and find the others Nelt, they may be in a worse case then our current predicament." He removed his armor, checking his body over for any serious wounds, and adding gel anywhere needed. 
"They are already dead Zil," Nelt commented as he moved towards the dead Kele'norik, prepared to cut the carapace off. Zil paused at that, shock crossed his features. 
"You don't know that cousin, they will need our help." Feeling the burn as the gel mended his flesh, Zil slipped his armor back on as Nelt began his work. 
"I do Zil, we lost two of our lance to a drone. We survived a knight thanks only to a careful plan. A group of younglings against such a large nest? We have here what we needed for our test." 
Zil's shock slipped into annoyance, "So you would return to the Keep, carapace in hand, but nothing of your brothers, of your bloodline? Not even their curveblades?" Nelt freed a chunk of carapace, setting it aside and looking back at Zil. 
"Those Sangheili who are chosen to serve the Covenant 's military must be strong and intelligent, Zil. Thou in faith, shall keep us safe, while we find the path," He recited the Writ of Union. "It is our duty to keep the gifts of the Forerunners secure, and the lives of the prophets safe. That's why these tests exist, to weed out the weak. You and I have passed the test, and gained honor by proving ourselves worthy of that duty, Zil." He stared at Nelt, processing what had been said. He was aware of such pragmatic mentality being a part of some Sangheili cultures across the stars. But these were still his brothers who he had been raised with, most in blood. A cold rage built inside Zil, before he marched down the river where his harness lay. 
"Have you forgotten what it means to be Kanay, to be united in blood and blade, cousin?" He slid the armor on, checking the condition of his curveblade before sheathing it. He didn't wait for an answer as he made his way to the embankment, before suddenly pausing. Looking back, Zil briefly wondered what had become of his old friend, whom he had once shared many childhood memories. 
"Tell me Nelt, where is the honor in letting our brothers die to those things? If you truly think that...you do not deserve the name of our bloodline." He climbed back to the forested edge, leaving his cousin behind without another word. 
== Chapter 2==
Jor 'Kanayee examined one of the aged scrolls unfurled on his desk, careful to keep it from the heat of the fireplace, and taking time to write down several notes within a worn book nearby. Having been unable to sleep, he had taken up an old habit of his, a holdover from his years within the Mendicant Keepers Zealot Order. During the previous Age of Conflict, the Chapter had been given the authority to collect any information that would help bring about the culmination of the Great Journey. Ranging from data sifted from destroyed combat god-machines and writings of notable pre-covenant Sangheili Hierophants, to script carved into stone by long-forgotten civilizations on dead planets, and the deranged mad-ramblings of heretics, such as as the False Hierarch of Trepidation. All were seen as valuable in helping to make the start of the Path more clear. 
A growl escaped his mandibles as he closed the book, returning the scrolls to the stasis capsules that had preserved them for Ages. Not for the first time this night, he muttered a curse under his breath. What he had access to was limited, but even so, there appeared to be more to the Great Journey then he was originally aware of.
Theories at best-the darkest heresy at worst. Perhaps if he could return to High Charity; search through the Order's monastery halls..A knock on the wooden door jostled him from his musings. Placing the book, and the capsules within a secret compartment, he got up and stood before the fire.
"Enter." The door opened, revealing a bronze-armored Custodian.
"Sire, another of the younglings has emerged from the forest." Jor gave a small grunt, turning towards the guard. 
"Another injury, I take it?" He already knew of the few sent back earlier in the week, they could attempt the Trial again next cycle The guard clicked his right mandibles together, indicating the negative.
"No, it is Nelt, he has returned with the carapace of a Kele'norik and awaits your inspection." Curiotsity passed over Jor's features as he gave a small nod, reaching for a nearby cloak as he made to follow the guard 
"Lead on then, and let us see what the youngling has for us." The cool night air, the parting gift of an earlier storm, brought a twinge of pain to the old Zealot, waking old wounds. Nearing the gate entrance, he saw Nelt, bathed in the soft glow of the nearby torches, alongside two other guards.
Spotting his elder, Nelt quickly bowed before him, allowing Jor to catch sight of the armored chunks of the famed Kele'norik on a sled behind the boy. He also took note that Nelt was indeed, truly alone. 
"I see you have done well, Nelt," he commented,walking over to the makeshift sled, closely examining the bloody pieces, confirming the color and feeling the roughness of the shells.
"You honor me elder," A look of arrogant pride momentarily lit the tired eyes of the boy as he watched.
"A knight, truly impressive kill. You and your team did well and shall be rewarded well for this prize" The youngling's look of jubilation suddenly faded, replaced by the appearance of guilt, as Jor made a show of searching the area.
"Pray tell, where are your lance brothers, Nelt?"
"They..did not help me elder. We came across a massive nest of the creatures, alongside Zil's group. The beasts were alerted to our presence and we were scattered. Zil and I were chased by this one. It was him who helped me slay the beast." 
Jor stared at Nelt for a long moment, his mandibles clasping firmly together.
"I see, and where is Zil now?" The young Sangheili squirmed under Jor's gaze, before lowering his own.
"He..went back to search for survivors, he thought they may yet live." 
"You did not join him in this endeavor?"
Wincing slightly, his pride cracking under Jor's gaze, Nelt attempted to justify himself. 
"If they are strong enough and worthy Elder, they will prevail on their own. If they are weak, and fail, than they were not worthy of service" Jor's gaze hardened, but remained steady.
"You did complete the task set before you Nelt, as set down by the rules of the Trial. For that you are granted credit. However, leaving your comrades behind can be seen as selfish glory seeking, and cowardice. Such actions can bring not only bring shame to yourself and your family, but can cost entire battles or whole campaigns."
Straightening himself, the old Sangheili appeared to tower over the boy, "A Field Commander would have authority to execute such an individual." 
Nelt visibility paled, but didn't speak.
Jor broke eye contact, looking towards the stars that were beginning to peak out from the fleeing clouds, along with the soft glow of the twin moons.
"I have failed you Elder, and brought shame on myself and our clan. I accept whatever punishment you see fit." Jor gave a grunt, 
"Your true penance will be up for the Kaidon to decide, but I can confirm this Nelt. Your chance at serving the Covenant as a warrior of the Ancients, has passed." The boy's face became a look of despair, and for several seconds, he didn't speak. 
"Hundreds," he muttered, so quiet that Jor almost didn't catch it. 
"Hm?" 
"Hundreds, my Elder, the nest held hundreds of Kele'norik. That is why I doubted the others' chances of survival." Noticing stiffen slightly at the revelation, Jor considered his options, before gesturing towards the keep's entrance. 
"This news grants you some clemency, now go and clean yourself. Remain in the chapel until I call for you." 
Nelt hesitated for a moment, complying.
Watching for a moment, Jor turned to the other Sangheili,
"Gather a detachment, heavy weapons, at least three gunboats. I shall inform the Kaidon of the situation." 
----
Zil paused, taking several gulps of water from his satchel and slowly continued his journey on the outskirts of the nest. Night had fallen, and the majority of the Kele'norik were asleep. Arriving at the site an hour ago, he had carefully searched the vicinity for any of his brothers. His reward for this was only bloody remains and bits of armor and blade. 
Tempted to give up in sorrow, he paused, noticing a mess of hoofprints leading past the nest and into the far treeline. Hope blossomed like a morning blood-thorn as he carefully tred forward, eyeing a nearby knight. He gave it a wide berth, using the trees as cover to sneak by the creature. With the nest behind him, Zil could focus on the pathway ahead. 
What lay before him was carnage. Damaged trees littered the trail ahead, crushed or cut through by the powerful insects. He gave a prayer to the Soul Shaper for the safety of his kin. A sudden roar in the distance brought his attention forward. 
He quickly scrambled through the debris, forgoing any stealth as he moved through the trees. Coming to a clearing in the treeline, he bore witness to a small group of Kele'norik at the edge of a cliff face. They appeared to be digging, gathering together a mound if dirt at the three base. He felt a shudder of fear pass through on seeing a prime among the group of knight's. 
Above them however in a niche within the rock, the soft orange glow of a fire could be seen.
"They survived.." 
Joy filled his voice and hearts as he carefully moved along the treeline, searching for an area to climb up out of view of the beasts. Finally seeing one, he began the ascent up. He cursed slightly at the loose rock, but he took time to make sure his hooves could find a solid purchase before continuing. As he finally neared the top, he heard hushed voices, along with soft groans of pain. 
Almost losing his footing, he scrambled the last himself onto the flat surface. He was suddenly blinded as light filled his vision, accompanied by the sound of a being blade drawn. Heartbeats of silence passed before a voice came forth from the light.
A gasp of shock came from thyounglings. d in shock.
"Zil? By the Ancients you're alive?!"
He turned towards the source of the voice, recognizing Gvro as his eyes became used to the torch's light.
Murmurs of surprise passed through the other Sangheili as they turned towards the illuminated newcomer.
"Yes brother, and a thousand praises to the Forerunners you are too." Gvro pulled Zil to his feet, looked around at the survivors, seeing only five left. A mix of pity and pride filled his hearts on this realization. Almost all had some type of wound, Jek lay on the ground, a leg mangled on top of his earlier broken arm. 
Another had an entire arm missing. However they had all fought and made it through this challenge. Gvro led Zil to the nearby fire, where the pair rejoined the others. Reaching into his bag, Zil gave his remaining water, meats, and healing gel to the group. 
Watching them pass around the goods for a moment, Zil sat down with a groan, the aches and pains of his body catching up to him. Gvro sat down next to him, a solemn look shown in the firelight.
"I am impressed Zil, we barely escaped ourselves." Gvro glanced over at a one-armed Sangheili from Nelt's team. " I admit, it was thanks to Crun we made it as far as we did, but tell me, what happened, what of Nelt?" 
"He and I managed to slay a knight which pursued us, but he chose to stay behind." 
"I knew he was arrogant, but a coward?" Crun questioned, wincing in pain.
"I expected more of him as well brother" Zil muttered, looking out to the stars. A few minutes of quiet passed as the group settled in.
"What do we do now, Zil?" Gvro voiced the question on everyone's mind. 
"Indeed...with Nelt gone, our loyalties...are now yours." Another of Nelt's warriors, being treated by Eurn, spoke up. Giving a sigh of exhaustion, Zil looked around the area. How were they to get out of this? 
A sudden roar greeted his ears, followed by the crash of foliage. Zil rushed to the edge of the camp and looked down to where the Kele'norik were. The knights had cut down a large tree, and were using their bladed claws to drag it back to the base of the cliff. He noted the prime standing to the side, watching as its underlings brought the trunk forward, and moved it into an angle on the dirt mound. 
The prime let out another roar, and the knight's moved to another tree, repeating the process.
"By the Journey..they are making a ramp." Zil glanced over at Eurn, who had moved up next to him. He gave a nod of acknowledgment as they watched.
"We were always told they could think in some fashion Eurn, we know this to be true now." Eurn nodded at Zil, still watching. 
"We can't fight them Zil.
"Agreed, we will make our way down the pathway i followed up here. 
"We tried that already," Crun spoke up.
"They knew of it and attempted to ambush us.." he looked down at his stump of an arm thoughtfully. Zil nodded, his mind running through various ideas.
Turning up, he studied the rocks positioned near the top of the cliff. Could the tactic from before work again? 
"What do you see?" Crun stared at his kin, before following his gaze to the rocks. A smile passed his mandibles as he realized his younger leader's thoughts.
"Clever idea, we will need to move the wounded though.
"It worked once before, I will inform the rest." Returning to the group, Zil explained his plan to crush the Kele'norik under a landslide. No objections were made by the team, and those that could, helped move the wounded to a safer location. Crun stayed with them as Zil led Varu, and Gvro higher up, to the cluster of boulders.
No words were wasted as the trio started clearing the smaller debris out of the way. 
"Careful now," Zil commented, seeing the boulder finally shift its weight as they backed up. They waited for gravity to finish their work, and it appeared to until another rock halted the boulder. Varu huffed in annoyance, "let us end this already!" He charged forward, throwing himself against the mass of rock. 
Teetering more, it still failed to give. Gvro and Zil joined in, all three throwing their weight against it. With a loud groan, the boulder finally gave, crashing down the cliff. Working loose further rocks, a cascade of earth rushed towards the Kele'norik. 
The prime had been waiting near the earth mound, focused on the knights pulling another tree forward. Had it been helping in the gathering process, it may have evaded its fate. Like a wave of water, the landslide buried the prime, who roared in anger. The knight's backed away, attempting to find shelter in the trees. 
Bursting forth from the earth, the prime gave a shriek of defiance and fury before the main boulder smashed into it. The prime's upper body vanished in a spray of blood and carapace as the culprit came to rest against a group of nearby trees. As silence slowly settled over the area, both Sangheili and Kele'norik emerged from their shelters. The insect warriors slowly moved forth, looking over their dead leader. 
Their heads suddenly wiped around back to the forest, giving out hisses before retreating into the brush once more. Zil, Crun, and Gvro watched the shaking of the trees become more and more distant before silence truly began its reign. 
"You have gained honor today Zil," Gvro commented, standing up and looking down at the aftermath.
"Indeed brother," Zil responded quietly, as exhaustion now truly began to wrap him in its embrace.
"Let us move the others back to the ridge, we shall spend the night there and move out at dawn. We will take turns resting in case the knights return." The other two nodded, as they moved down to complete the task. Daylight arrived slowly, but none of the creatures returned to bother them further. 
With the first rays of the sun, the younglings ate the last of their rations, and refilled their water satchel from a small stream of water nearby. Gvro led Zil and Eurn down the cliff, where they proceeded to use their curveblades to begin carving off chunks of the prime's carapace. The shell proved difficult to pry off, and several hours passed before the trio felt they had gathered enough for all involved, a show of all their worthiness. Larger chunks meanwhile, were fashioned into makeshift sleds for those to wounded to walk. 
Crafting straps for the sleds, the group carefully brought the rest down the incline before preparing their march. A sudden boom echoed through the air, causing the group to freeze. Another distant thump echoed throughout the air. 
"By Urs light, what was that?" Gvro muttered, as he and the others brought their weapons up, just in case the knights had finally returned with more of their ilk. Nothing issued forth from the forest however.
"Let us leave before anything happens," Eurn spoke up. Zil nodded in agreement as they moved out. The return proved slow going, with the tight clusters of trees and thick bushes getting in the way of the sleds, forcing those who could still walk to hack and cut through before advancement could be made. Often, they would be forced to pause, as another rumble issued forth from the forest ahead. By the time they neared the nest site, the sun had dominated the skyline.
"Does anyone smell burning?" Jek spoke up, causing the others to take pause. Indeed the stench of brought with it the smell of burnt food and flesh.
"Smells of that Carnik you burned once, Varu." Gvro joked, bringing a slight chuckle from the others, and a groan of annoyance from Varu himself.
"If its the start of a forest fire, we should scout ahead, find the safest path from it and the Kele'norik," Varu spoke up, 
"Agreed," Gvro commented, "Zil and I will check to see what safe passage we can find, everyone else stay here."
Drawing their blades, Zil and Gvro began carefully picking their way through the foliage and knotted trees. The smell of smoke became stronger as they neared, now accompanied by the distant sound of voices.
"Over there" Zil whispered, pointing to a clump of bushes, "We can observe from here." Peering out, the two were greeted with a impossible view. A vast area of jungle had been scorched, burned down to nothing more than blackened cratered ground. The devastation extended all the way to where the Kele'norik had once been, itself now nothing more than charred trees and carbonized exoskeletons. Hovering above, was trio of apparition dropships, the turrets still aglow with power. Moving throughout the blasted landscape, the pair saw Sangheili, dressed in the armor of the Centurion Watch. Moving out from the bush, they were spotted by one of the warriors.
"Sire, we found them!" Both Zil and Gvro watched as Jor emerge from a a clump of trees at the border of the ruined landscape, dressed in brilliant golden armor.
"Elder!" The two yelped, quickly pressing their fists to their chests in salute as he neared. Jor returned the gesture once before them. 
"Uncle, what happened? Why are you here?" Zil asked, confusion plain on his face. The old Sangheili gave a huff as he examined the area,
"Nelt returned to the keep last night, and informed us of the nest." Zil's eyes widened in shock,
"He truly returned?" Jor gave a slight nod, his face darkening as he looked back out to the clearing,
"Yes, however his actions bar him from ever entering the military, the highest he shall ever reach is our Custodians, and that is a mercy granted only to the news he revealed and the Kele'norik you helped him slay." Turning back towards the boys, he gave them a tired smile.
" Despite such grim news, I see you have done far better than expected." Both Zil and Gvro bowed, before the latter spoke.
"We have completed the Trial Elder, and each of us bring a carapace worthy of use as armor." He reached into his bag, presenting the trophy. Jor looked it over carefully, giving a click of approval.
"I am impressed young ones, the carapace of a prime is of excellent quality, you and your brothers are to be commended." Both bowed, not moving even as they heard the arrival of Eurn and Crun with the sleds.
"Thank you elder," Gvro commented, "but it couldn't be done without the sacrifices of our brothers." Jor looked the entire ragged group over, deep in thought.
"Indeed, such sacrifice though is expected from those who wish to serve as the guardians of the Covenant."
He looked each of them in the eye, 
"You have all proven yourself capable of that, there are things in this universe which would attempt to halt our holy Covenant and the Journey itself. That is why you must be ready to face them, and wipe fear from your hearts." He noticed a large bag next to Jek on his sled, the curveblades of the slain. He walked over, reverently picking up the wrapped items. Studying them for a moment, he turned back to the young Sangheili.
"They shall honored, their names entered into the archive tomes and echoed in the Hall of Eternity." Jor set them back in the sled, and turned towards his fellows, giving them a quick order to prepare to embark.
"We have cleansed the majority of this nest, but some scattered." He looked up, hearing a distant hiss, he motioned for the others adults nearby to group on him before turning back to the youths.
"You shall be sent back to the keep for treatment, while we finish this extermination." The Custodians helped the younglings to the dropship, guarding it as it began to lift off. Exhaustion finally caught up to the youths, now that they were safe.
"We.. did it," Jek commented softly as he leaned against the gunner door.
"Yes, we have," Zil agreed, thinking on his brothers who had fallen in battle. He spoke a quiet prayer to the Forerunners, that his comrades had found rest in the fabled fields of Gihbalb. For himself and the others though, duty still awaited, and they were ready to serve. Zil watched as the clearing in the forest receded, knowing now, he and the others had proven the name Kanay.
== Chapter 3 ==
Covenant world Honored Duty, 4th Age of Reconciliation (477 BCE)
Centurion Harnak 'Kanayee watched the new recruits as they fought each other through the mock arena. From his position in the observation platform, he could watch the dozens of Sangheili youth batting each other in various staged scenarios. Each of these reflected a possible form of battle they would endure in service within the Custodian Guard. Some would fail these lessons, for others, it would be a life-long service as a shield of clan Kanay. Yet for those who sought to continue on towards service within the Covenant military, the Custodians were a mere stepping stone on their path to glory. 
"Centurion, how go the trainees?" Harnak turned, bowing slightly as the Kaidon walked forward, trailed by a pair of golden armored Wardkeepers, their burnblade aglow.
"Noble Kaidon, they have improved greatly over the past several months. Those who continue for their full service will make excellent additions to the Covenant"