Halo The Eternal Honour preview

This is the Beginning of Your End
High Charity
November Second, 2552

  The Sangheili Elites. Since the beginning of the Covenant, they were the protectors of the San 'Shyuum. They gave their lives and killed billions for the religion and promises of these Prophets.
  The Minister of Peace looked down at the Sangheili Major below him. He sighed, as if he cared about the warrior, and placed a bony hand on her shoulder. She was kneeling before where he had previously been seated, and was glaring with an expression of rage at a hologram of Tel'Xammee; a councillor and former, she considered, friend.
  "And you managed to loose the leader of your group, or did you just decide to go rogue?"
  "Go rogue?" She looked at the Prophet, a growl escaping her jaws. "Just last time you saw us you were giving us all blessings. Now you say 'Xamm is a criminal, I am a rouge, and 'Moram is a failure of an Honour Guard."
  "That doesn't answer my question, Thar." He removed his hand form her shoulder and clasped his hands.
  "I did not abandon my brothers. Councillor 'Xamm left our group, holy one. I tried to pursue him, but-"
  The Prophet snorted, and turned to look at the hologram. He tapped a bright, pink glowing display and it vanished. Thar glanced around the curving purple chamber. She heard a familiar growl from behind her, following the quiet hiss of an opening door.
  "Brutes?" Thar'Tassakahn almost spat the word.
  "Such an inelegant name, Major. But it seems they will be the new Elites here." Peace said, thoughtfully. The Sangheili was just about ready to spit at the Prophet when she felt another hand on her shoulder.
  "What is the meaning of this?" She cried as one of the Brutes pulled her to her feet.
  "You are unfit for duty, Major. You will remain in a prepared room until I am happy you are fit to serve." The Prophet said, not even looking at her.
  The Major tried to escape the grasp of the Brite, with a hiss, and was about to curse the Prophet when something crashed into the back of her head.
---
  Thar blinked. "Ugh." She growled, her face buried in what appeared to be sheets. A bed, she discovered. So she wasn't dead, she thought, which was good.
  The Sangheili slid off the thing and wandered, slowly, to a curving balcony that the room opened out into. She peered over the edge.
  "Good wake-time, mighty one." A voice exclaimed, making Thar sigh. She turned to see an Unggoy. "Brutes no like you too much." It continued, stating the mind-blowing obvious. "Not very polite to attack Elite."
  "Quiet!" She snapped at the Grunt. "I have too much of a headache already."
  "Yes, mighty one. Sorry mighty one." The Unggoy said, though it sounded surprisingly happy, which irritated Thar, a little.
  "Why am I here, Unngoy?" She asked, looking out over the city. The Grunt waddled up to her.
  "Basically, prison-rest." It said, sitting down and peering up at her. Thar sighed.
  "Good enough. And why are you here?"
  "My name is Yapir, mighty one. I go get things you need, Brutes order that way." The Grunt looked out over the city. "And I am on a little prison-rest too."
  "Suspended form my duties, with an Unggoy? Terrific." She snorted, turning and walking toward what she assumed was the exit of the room.
  "No do that, mighty one! Brutes not want!" Yapir warned, the happy tone gone from his squeaky voice. She turned to look at him.
  "And this should vex me, how?"
  "Last mighty one who tried, me never see again, mighty one." The Grunt said, pleadingly. "And he should have stayed here for long-time more. Only yesterday!"
  "Well if it was only yesterday he may still return! And it's only more of a reason for me to have a few words with the Brutes about the respect of their superiors, suspended or not." The Sangheili said, waving a hand dismissively. She placed a hand on a small glowing button to have the door open. Opening with a sad sigh, the door revealed her path obstructed by a particularly large Jiralhanae.
  "Get out of my way, Brute!" She demanded. The Unggoy behind her squealed as the Brute reached out and grabbed the Major's helmet, tore it from her head and shoved it into her claws. Thar's eyes widened with shock as she looked at the helmet in her claws. Stunned, she didn't even look back at the Jiralhanae as it took a large blade-bearing grenade launcher, known as a Brute Shot, and raised it to hit her. The only thing that saved her from being impaled was an annoying little squeal, as the Unggoy pulled her backwards. Instead of passing right through her, the blade caught the skin of her neck and scraped along down, shredding through her armour. The Sangheili grabbed the arm of the Brute and kicked its right leg out form under it, screaming at the large ape-like thing in rage. The Grunt now ran in the opposite direction, though rather to find something to use as a weapon than in fear.
  Meanwhile, Thar – who was now bleeding all over herself – was trying to tear the Brute's weapon form its paw-like hands. And failing.
  The Brute grabbed her by her arm and threw her into the wall opposite.