Sorrowful Swords

The Sorrowful Swords are a specific group of Spec Ops Elites originally created under the Covenant as a group dedicated with hunting down deserters or traitors to the Covenant Empire. Although traditionally equipped with more stealth-centric equipment loadouts, they were also allowed to utilize heavier weapons and equipment (Concussion Rifles, Jumppacks, etc) if they deemed it necessary. Although rarely seen on the field, their presence in human engagements means that either a deserter is near the battlefield or is colluding with humanity. They would also be employed when high-ranking individuals are suspected to betray the Covenant, and are subsequently eliminated.
When recruited to the Sorrowful Swords, the Sangheili operatives are removed from any public registry, effectivly disappearing from the Covenant.
==Operational History==
===Creation and usage===
Created during the 23rd Age of Doubt due to growing dissent and rebellions, the Sorrowful Swords were created by the Sangheili High Council and managed by High Councilor Jepa 'Zufamee to rectify the dishonour brought by deserters and traitorous sangheili in the Covenant. The Sorrowful Swords would be rarely employed, normally sent in situations that require the presence of a Sorrowful Sword to complete their objective.
During the Human-Covenant War, the Sorrowful Swords would be employed much more often, mainly traitorous sangheili that exploited the Covenant’s full focus to annihilating Humanity to secede from the Covenant and strike back against them. 
===Great Schism===
During the Great Schism, High Councilor Jepa ‘Zufamee was killed by Brute Honor Guards. This left the Sorrowful Swords with no leader to report to. For the first time, they all regrouped while fighting across High Charity, eventually engaging the flood and later fleeing the ruined city aboard a docked SDV-class Corvette along with a small group of Huragok that were stationed in the corvette, which recieved heavy damage while fleeing the space battle over outside High Charity. The eldest member, Cosze, was unanimaously chosen to lead them by the remaining survivors of the Sorrowful Swords.
Without a purpose, the small crew of ninety four Sorrowful Swords and fifteen Huragok agreed to first work on improving the condition of the corvette. During their voyage across the cosmos, the Sorrowful Swords found many debris fields ripe full of salvage, moreso on glassed human planets that had fought back against the Covenant during the war. Using the salvage discovered, and with the aid of the Huragoks, they repaired the ship as best they could for their future voyages.
===The first victim of the new hunts===
After several months, Cosze and his crew encountered a small force of Jul ‘Mdama’s Covenant Remnant over a small undiscovered planet. The shipmaster of the CCS-class Faithful Bond, Basa 'Nrazam, hailed the SDV and attempted to recruit Cosze into the Remnant. Cosze considered it but requested to board the Faithful Bond to discuss it further. Basa agreed, allowing a single Phantom to land in the CCS. During their discussions, Basa boasted about having looked after his sangheili brethren rather than worry about prestige over the decades. Cosze knew it to be a lie, since he knew Basa as an unreasonable commander that blamed his subordinates for his failures. This behaviour remained even after the war, and as the disgruntled Remnant minor said after meeting Cosze in the hanger, the crew were “on the verge of mutiny”. Cosze took his chance, stood up and ignited his energy sword, signalling the other cloaked Sorrowful Swords that accompanied him aboard the Phantom. Basa yelled, angered at being deceived and out-numbered, he would claim that Cosze had no honor for not fighting him in a duel. Cosze simply walked to a nearby terminal and spread a localized message across the ship, stating that Basa had mistreated his crew for long enough and would duel for control of the cruiser.
None of the crew protested, and Basa became even more furious. He pulled out his own energy sword and attempted to cut down Cosze but was no match for the Sorrowful Sword leader, who dodged the Remnant commander’s lunge and sliced his own energy sword across his stomach, leaving Basa’s innards to flow out as he stumbled down to the floor, drowning in his own blood. Cosze, easily besting the former commander, gave the crew a choice: to either follow his Sorrowful Swords in punishing those that bring dishonour to their clan and fellow brothers, or to remain on the planet and continue to serve Jul ‘Mdama.
Although several sangheili and the other species aboard the cruiser preferred to fight for the Covenant Remnant, many other sangheili were intrigued by Cosze’s ambitions, and would join him. Cosze transferred the remaining Sorrowful Swords and Huragok onto the Faithful Bond, and left the SDV to the remainder of the Remnant’s forces. Soon after, they began a voyage to Arcadia, where another warlord with a history of dishonour was currently raiding. After gaining the Faithful Bond, Cosze implemented a mandate where the surviving Sorrowful Swords would each get their own lances, and train them appropriately to match their methods.
==Appearence and weaponry==
Appearing in Spec Ops Sangheili armor in a mix of both black and cyan, Sorrowful Sword sangheili are normally deployed alone or accompanied by a lance of specially picked Covenant infantry. Their shielding matched those to Sangheili Ultras and are normally equipped with Needle rifles, Plasma rifles, Plasma repeaters,Carbines, Beam rifles, focus rifles, and Active camouflage modules but they are not restricted to them, as when deemed necessary they can arm themselves with higher calibre weapons such as Concussion rifles, Plasma Launchers, Fuel Rod guns and jump-packs. 
Despite having shields akin to a normal Elite Ultra, Sorrowful Sword Sangheili are much more exceptional fighters. Unlike traditional skilled sangheili mainly skilled with their energy swords, Sorrowful Swords are skilled in numerous weapons and vehicles. A single Sorrowful Sword can wipe a full squad of ODSTs or a brute pack led by a brute Chieftain singlehandedly. Their methods are fast, silent strikes, with unpredictable fighting methods not normally associated with Sangheili culture, further increasing their unpredictability.
===Confirmed Engagements===
 
*Sorrowful Sword Rtir and Khezo infiltrated a UNSC bunker on the planet Kholo after the initial glassing, eliminated the human survivors and executed the Sangheili minor that attempted to reveal secrets of the Covenant. They evacuated from the bunker shortly before the rest of the fleet began the glassing.
*Sorrowful Sword Cosze infiltrated a Covenant Hydro-processing facility which was raided by Banished forces. Despite not finding Atriox, Cosze easily bested Banished Rangers that were stationed there. 
*Sorrowful Sword Hazun was slain engaging a Demon on the planet Reach in one of the massive Titanium mines on the planet
*Sorrowful Sword Rado, Sekan, Bivo and Tiso were slain by Brute Honor Guards while protecting High Councilor Jepa 'Zufamee and the rest of the Sangheili High Council, High Counciler Jepa was killed in the engagement.
*Sorrowful Sword Leader, Cosze, executed Basa 'Nrazam, claimed his cruiser and its crew for the Sorrowful Swords.