The Hunt (IC)

[Huka]

OOC: ha ha, very funny

Roaring as the Queen howling in blind fury and pain, Til bounced against a tree, and lept. Soaring the air, the Minor Domo impaled his spear deep into the the Queen's left eye. Surprisingly it resisted against his spear for a moment as it dug into the hard organ.

She hollered and flailed as the spear penetrated her eye, yet she still lived, wildly firing her electric bolts from her tail.

"Accursed Beast of the Moons," Til cried as he swung onto his spear, landing on her back. Feeling the Sangheili on her back, the Queen screamed and slammed against a tree but Til still hanged on with his armored talons digging into her scales.

His fatigue was starting to get to him again, but he refused to yeld to death.

Climbing to the back of her neck, his muscles aching and struggling to end the battle, he ripped his quill from his belt, and grabbed the back of her head.

Spreading his tusks, Til roared as he perpared to stab her remaining eye, but in mid swing, a bolt of electricity hardly missed his side, but a current made contact with his armor and surged into the hunter. With the Gods' grace, Til's interia carried his quill onward and stabbed into her eye easily.

The Queen howled as her own electricity surged through her body and the quill penetrated her skull.

She thrashed and continued to move for Legra and Sorsa.

Pain wrecked Til's body as he heaved and breathed raggedly with dripping saliva from his mouth but he held on and twisted the quill, digging it deeper, prompting another howl of pain.
Each earthshaking roar made Til want to scream in pain but he didn't let it out or rather couldn't in his own fits of furious roars.
"By the Gods, why won't you die!" Til roared in frustation as he pushed even deeper and in response to this pain, the Queen shot another bolt, much more closer this time. More electricity surged into Til and the Queen.

Finally the combined attacks were too much for the Queen and her organs exploded within. Letting out a death throe, she collasped infront of Sorsa and Legra.

Til, however, was smoking. His upper body erect, in a statue-like pose of howling pain. His once maroon armor was nearly charcoal black, his mandibles were wide open, his right eye was glazed, and the smell of burnt skin filled the air.

Looking straight up into the sky, seeing the stars and the moons, he coughed blood before collasping off the Queen, and landing on his back next to her corspe, nearly close to death, but a thread of life still hanging.

[Spartan 999]

Sorsa hobbled as fast as he could to Til, kneeling next to the other Sangheili. He checked Til's wounds, but avoided physical contact.

"Legra, what must we do?" Sorsa asked as Legra also knelt beside Til.

[kartoffelfogel]

"I..."

Legra paused, gasping for breath, suddenly feeling all the pain of his wounds at once.

"I..."

He gasped, and threw his eyes skyward.

"I...really..."

He let out his breath slowly, then slowly inhaled again.

"I really don't know. But I couldn't care less."

He turned toward his friends.

"We have done what no other has: killed a Queen, with neither the permission nor the assistance of the Prophets. At any moment, the authorities will arrive."

"And yet, although we may be rewarded as heroes..."

"We might yet be punished for killing a Queen without the Prophet's blessing, and finishing the Sanctified Hunt before its time..."

"...and punished as heretics."

[Spartan 999]

"Nothing new for me." Sorsa growled, sighing heavily. "But nontheless, I would prefer to avoid being labled as a Heretic again."

[kartoffelfogel]

OOC: Double post! DOUBLE POST!

Legra gave Sorsa a quizzical glance, then shook his head. There were too many secrets there to drag into the light.

He stood up tall, and walked over to the Queen.

"This may be the death of us, but this is certainly an achievement."

He stalked over to the Queen's tail. The bioeletrical blasts that had emanated from it were no longer any danger. He reached over for the one and half meter barb at the tip. He pulled it out of the charred, electrified flesh at its base.

"This will make a good sword." He said, lifting it up to glint in the sevenfold light of the moons.

"Come, let us enjoy our prize while we still may."

PS OOC: Who's going to post for the Magistrate and the Huntsmaster? I'm staff, am I in charge again? Or is Duffle? (no preference)

[Spartan 999]

(OOC: Crappy phone! CRAPPY PHONE! You started it, so you should end it.)

Sorsa nodded, standing up with wobbly legs. He went to the head of the Queen, a massive specimen of natural power. He inspected how it was. The skull probably wouldn't be very damaged, so it would be able to be mounted well. He looked around, searching...there. A quill from the Queen was on the ground, and he picked it up.

The quill was in excellent shape, apart from the poison dripping out the end. Sorsa shaked the quill, getting the excess liquid out. He drew a knife, then proceeded to cut a tiny hole in the base of the quill. When he was done, he threaded a thin, flexible but powerful wire through the opening. He then placed the trophy about his neck, admiring the way it looked against his armor.

Sorsa walked back towards Til, and thudded to the ground heavily. He sighed, wondering what was ahead.

[kartoffelfogel]

OOC: Okles. I'll finish it up...soon. Like tomorrow.

Legra watched as Sorsa picked up a Queen's quill, and turned it into a pendant. He twitched his mandibles in approval.

"Aih. A worthy trophy."

As the words left his mandibles, a movement caught his eye.

Suddenly, an Unggoy burst into the clearing.

"All you Sangheili bow before great Magistrate of Templar's Rest and big Huntsmaster!" It proclaimed.

[Spartan 999]

Sorsa and Legra looked at each other briefly before their gazes returned to the Unggoy.

"Let's hope this turns out better than my last hearing.."

[Huka]

Til's body jerked as he painfully regained some form of consciousness. His remaining functioning eye looked at blurrs of Sorsa and Legra. Inhaling horribly, pain shocked through his horribly burned body. His mandible twitched, trying to form words, but dry weezes came out and his head dropped, falling back to unconsciousness.

[kartoffelfogel]

The Magistrate was unhappy.

The great recreational plan that had been broached to her had seemed foolproof: give the warriors some relaxation time, and double the Hunt's attendees and gain Templar's Rest quite a lot of publicity.

"Let three insane Sangheili kill the Queen without your permission" was definitely not part of the Plan. There was sheer incompetence here; Alphas had been killed before, but never had the Queen been drawn out on the first death.

Then, instead of curbing the issue then and there, the Huntsmaster had let another Alpha be killed... and the Queen acted.

Now it was disaster upon disaster. Here she was, in the forest of all places, with her official favorite hanging his head low in shame. The Huntsmaster would have to be punished; there was no doubt about it.

Her chief servant, the Unggoy Baliw, ran ahead of her. From behind the rise of the hill, she could still hear the pitiful creature's deplorable grammar. She would have to get a new herald, too.

Her hover chair floated above the rise, she beheld a gruesome sight. A dozen ba'knwa lay strewn across a small clearing within the woodland copse, and the monstrous body of the Queen lay in the center. Three Sangheili met her eyes--one grizzled and with a wounded arm, one who looked poison-pale, yet had a confident bearing that she had only seen in the deadliest Sangheili, and nearby lay an unconscious but still-breathing young warrior.

Huntsmaster 'Adantai came up behind her. His voice was solemn, humble.

"Prophet, the young one is obviously injured, and that one looks poisoned. We should take--"

She waved him silent. He practically choked on his words.

"You may immediately treat the young Minor. Til 'Muramee, is he not? Muram, hmm... a desert tribe, no?" She said absently. The Huntsmaster nodded.

"And what of the swordsman, the Special--"

"We do not know he is a Special Operator for sure, Huntsmaster." she said, severely, watching the Zealot cringe. It would do no good to spread rumors.

"Do not treat him. If he is still standing, he can endure the poison a while longer."

Around her, a few of the Unggoy bustled toward the young one, accompanied by one of her Honor Guards. A few others from her detachment went over to check on the corpse of the queen, and then four of them sauntered over and surrounded the two standing Sangheili.

"Major Domo Legra 'Adantee, native of Templar's Rest. That is you, is it not?" She said, indicating the older Sangheili.

"And you, my good friend, have so much decryption in your file that I'm using it to store my darkest secrets. But through research, I've determined that you can be none other than Sorsa 'Xirsasai, a special o--ah--a special individual, indeed. You are also known as a heretic, friend Sorsa, although the details are hidden."

"You have killed a Queen. I want to hear what you have to say."

[Huka]

The Unggoy reached for Til but suddenly yelped as small and painful shocks stroke them from his armor. The honor guard barked at them to be careful with the Minor Domo. One of them cursed in their language as they attempted to pick him up again. Successful with some difficulty of Til's weight, they lifted him up, prompting a low unconscious growl from the Sangheili, and carried him off to the Huragok.

[Spartan 999]

"Your details are more or less accurate, Prophetess." Sorsa growled, his mandibles parting in a grin as he ripped off his bracers to reveal the matched Marks of Penance on the inside of his forearm. "You can take take up the discussion with my...'employer'...the Prophet of Conviction. I'm sure he would be overjoyed to give you the background of my life."

Sorsa glanced at the body of the Queen briefly. "Well, what can I say? I just helped kill one of the fiercest creatures alive. And it felt very good..."

[kartoffelfogel]

Huntsmaster 'Adantai was not having a good night.

Debacle after debacle had hit him... an Alpha killed without a Pursuant present... a Special Operator loose on Templar's Rest... another Alpha killed... the Queen drawn out...and killed.

It was his duty to keep the Sanctified Hunt under control...and he had failed.

The Prophet was enraged--and he had no idea how she would react. He could only hope that whatever the Sangheili hunters that had killed the Queen said would mitigate his punishment...

When the Magistrate had announced herself to the hunters, he had been incredibly nervous. Whatever the hunters said first would determine their fate... and his.

"Your details are more or less accurate, Prophetess."

No! 'Adantai inwardly groaned. He could not have possibly gotten the information wrong as well.

"You can take take up the discussion with my...'employer'...the Prophet of Conviction. I'm sure he would be overjoyed to give you the background of my life."

Was he threatening the Prophet? No, I'm just being paranoid. I hope he is more polite, and shows proper remorse for his--or my--crime.

"Well, what can I say? I just helped kill one of the fiercest creatures alive. And it felt very good..."

He buried his head in his hands. The Magistrate was going to execute them all.

"Phahahaha!"

What?

The Prophet's sounds of mirth echoed in the suddenly silent woodland clearing. "Ahh..." The Magistrate sighed.

She spoke with a wry smile. "You are indeed brazen and courageous, Special Operator. It is no surprise that it would be you to help kill the Queen."

She cast her gaze over the two. The older one--Legra? Possibly the son of Hrun?--showed proper deference, but 'Xirsasai stood as boldly as ever.

"Oh, I have quite a mess that I've inherited from the lot of you. My Huntsmaster has gruesomely failed--"

'Adantai almost doubled over.

"--and I have a Queen to bury with proper pomp and ceremony, and your fate to decide."

The Magistrate settled back in her hover throne, surveying the three Sangheili, two standing and one supported by Unggoy.

"Hear, and obey."

The Huntsmaster's heart beat a staccato rhythm in his tympanae. He wished he were anywhere else--anyone else.

"Legra 'Adantee, by assisting in the death of a Queen without permission, an act of heresy, you are to be reprimanded."

"However, the shame in disobeying permission is far outweighed by the glory of killing a Queen..."

"You are forgiven."

The Sangheili looked ready to burst into tears.

"Sorsa 'Xirsasai, by killing an Alpha and starting this fiasco, you too are to be reprimanded."

"By helping kill the Queen, you too are to be rewarded."

She smiled slyly.

"But to do either of those things is beyond my control. You'll have to go to your Prophet of Conviction to decide your fate."

She turned.

"Til 'Muramee, you too are to be reprimanded and commended."

"You are all forgiven."


OOC: Wait. There is more.

Feel free to post a bit, though.

[Huka]

Before being carried completely off, The Unggoy nearly dropped Til beside Sorsa and Legra, much to their Sangheilian overseer's annoyance.

Injected with adrenline, Til was painfully awakened, and growled in pain and frustation in being in such discomfort. As he concentrated hard to keep the pain controlled, he heard the Prophetess' words amongst the throbbing;

"Til 'Muramee, you too are to be reprimanded and commended."

"You are all forgiven."

Exhaling, Til could only think his words, as his throat seared, "Thank the Gods."

Coughing drying, his hearts raced again, causing more pain.

"Gods, it hurts." He thought before slipping slowly to unconsciously for the third time, much to his annoyance.

[Spartan 999]

Sorsa barely managed to contain his laughter at the way the Huntsmaster was acting, but his mandibles parted slightly in an unconcious display of mirth. He couldn't care less what Conviction did, as the Minor Prophet wouldn't want to kill off his best Special Operator. All the same, he did give at least a half-bow to the Prophetess. He walked back to Legra, his head cocked slightly.

"What now?"

[kartoffelfogel]

Legra gave Sorsa a panicked look. "Silence! Our lives still hang by a thread--"

The Magistrate raised a hand. Legra stopped, his mandibles still opened comically.

"There is no need to worry, 'Adantee. You are quite safe. Indeed, I think you deserve a reward."

Legra turned, not closing his mandibles, in a state of stupefied shock.

"Legra 'Adantee, as a child of Templar's Rest, do you know the requirements of a Huntsmaster?"

"What?" Legra gulped out.

The Prophet laughed.

"One, the Huntsmaster must be a native of Templar's Rest.

Two, they must have served as a holy warrior of the Covenant.

And three, they must help kill a Queen."

Legra and the Huntsmaster stared blindly at the Magistrate.

"Legra 'Adantee--

By virtue of vigor and favor of faith
By tooth and by talon and by fang and by claw
I name you Huntsmaster--
By the Magistrate's law!"

Legra fell to his knees.

"But--but--I'm just a Major. I haven't completed my duty to the Covenant. I--"

The Magistrate waved him silent. "By the time the seven moons conjoin again, you will have attained your glory in battle to join your glory in hunt. It is of no matter. You already bear the barb of the Queen; merely carve it into a sabre, and you are the next Huntsmaster."

She turned to her previous Huntsmaster.

"You are free to go."

The ex-Huntsmaster bowed deeply and gave thanks, the fear in his voice suddenly replaced by gratitude. He walked over to Legra, whispered in his ear, and then walked away.

The Magistrate turned.

"Til 'Muramee, can you stand? If so, walk before me under your own power, but only if you can. I'd hate to do this with you unconscious."

[Huka]

Hardly hearing the Magistrate, Til looked at her and hardly nodded.

Trying hard to stand, he felt his bones jolt painfully as if the remnants of the Queen's wrath clawed at their marrow, but he took slow steps, wincing at each one, using one of the Unggoy to straighten himself if he fall. The only thing keeping him from falling and dying now was his own pride and will to strengthen himself.

"Walk, young one." The Honor Guard whispered as he watched this burnt wretch move to his next step. Til nodded, groaning as he felt pain stab his neck.

Stopping in a respectful distance from the Prophetess, Til dropped to his knees, breathing raggedly, and lifted his heavy head, his one eye looking to her, scared to even blink in fear of having it pop from his pain.

"What is thy bidding, holy Magistrate?" He asked.

[kartoffelfogel]

"Til 'Muramee, before this night, you were but another Minor in our Holy Covenant."

"By your deeds, you have changed that."

"Answer me true and answer me well; was it you who slew the Queen?"

[Huka]

Feeling and hearing his hearts beating like a wounded drum, Til inhaled, embracing the pain of his ribs extended and relaxing, before answering.

"No, my holy one." He said before craning his head for his good eye to look at his new friends and mentors, "I only landed a fatal blow. All three of us killed the Queen. Sorsa, Legra, and I are the slayers of the Moon Queen. We are wounded and scarred for this, with the most wounded for destroying such a magnificent beast. I submit myself and life to your decree."

[kartoffelfogel]

"Well spoken, if predictable." The Magistrate said, thoughtfully casting her eyes.

"Ah, but you are young, and this night is but the beginning of wisdom. Very well. Til 'Muramee, warrior of the Covenant--"

"Through the glory of spear and sword, I promote you to the rank of Major Domo."

Without pausing, she continued on.

"And as the glorious slayer of the Moon-Queen, I, Magistrate of Templar's Rest now name you--"

Under the moons conjoined and the skies of night
By the Forerunner's blessing of sevenfold light
By the courage of your claw and the faith of your fang
For the honor of your people and that of your clan
Now name only you, and indeed no other
As the child of the Forerunners, and as their brother
I name you now, with knowledge of Fate
In the Hunt of the moons the Hunter Great!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue

The pomp and ceremony (and the anger of the jealous hunters) that followed the naming of the new Huntsmaster and Great Hunter was tumultuous, and the events surrounding it were the talk of the town (indeed, of the world) several months after. Some of the news of the scandal was obviously rumor, some of it was tantalizingly true.

It was true, for example, that there was a third, unrewarded hunter, but most are unsure whether that mysterious hunter was a certain celebrated swordsman and famed heretic or not.

It was true that the new Huntsmaster had never before participated in a Hunt prior to the current one, but most wise heads chose to discredit the story that the previous Huntsmaster had been responsible for shaming his nephew, the new Huntsmaster, into leaving Templar's Rest and joining the fleet several years before.

It was true that the young warrior Til had killed the Queen, but most doubted that the young warrior had survived a head-on electrical blast.

It was however known that the three went their separate ways--only to meet again.

OOC EPILOGUE:

1. Legra is now a Huntsmaster, but still a Major Domo.
2. Til is now a Major Domo, and a Great Hunter. He has been rewarded with an Energy Dagger.
3. Sorsa was not publicly rewarded--although he is perhaps the most debated of the three.

You can post an epilogue--one post for each of us.

[kartoffelfogel]

Legra stood amongst his lance, pondering. At his side was a ba'knwa-bone curveblade, his one souvenir of the Hunt that he was allowed to bring with him.

They were all waiting for their Spirit to arrive, and some were showing off little trinkets that could count as small, personal baggage.

Seroth flaunted a special pendant he had of a moonbeast's claw, Crilin had an interesting temporary tattoo on his arm, and Breek had bought a new book of Ascetic prose. They were all chatting happily, ready for battle.

Somehow, Legra reflected, the future looked so dark--illuminated only by the past.

In a few moments, their Spirit arrived, and they left the world of Templar's Rest--out in to the deepness in the sky.

[Spartan 999]

Sorsa leaned back in his seat, deep in thought. Conviction hadn't wasted a second in forgiving the Special Operator, which worked out perfectly for him. He had heard of what had transpired with Legra and Til, but hadn't seen either since the fall of the Queen. He had left a curveblade at each of their living spaces as a reminder of him.

Looking at the quill he had taken as a trophy, Sorsa smiled at the memory of the Hunt. He was looking forward to the next hunt, specifically that of the humans. But for now, rest. It was a miracle, the doctor had said, that he hadn't died from the poison. Of course, it all came with being a Xirsas, one of the toughest clans on Sangheilios. He couldn't wait to see the expression on the elder's face, much less the Kaidon's, when he told them of his adventure.

The grin faded from Sorsa's face, and his eyes fell to his clasped hands. His eyes narrowed as he pondered the future, and what would happen next...

[Huka]

Weeks after the Sanctified Hunt of Templar's Rest...

In the blazing sands of the Helian Desert, a hooded traveler rode through the wasteland on a well-designed ghost vehicle. The sun just rising over the distant mountains, he came to a 'city' of encampments with very few farms of noticable harvest. The robed people who looked upon the newcomer was marveled to see a obvious member of the Covenant military coming to their little home.

Passing by without disturbing their life, the newcomer stopped to upon the reason of his travel; a elegantly built keep made of stone and wood sitting on a raised hill, surrounded by aged but strong walls.

The Keep of the Muram clan...

A keep that have stood for five ages since leaving the Moram clan, strong from many clan feuds, and the representation of the clan's strength in the sands.

Coming to the large front gates, several guardsmen stood, some on the ground with spears and clad in chainmail underneath their sun-blocking robes, others on the wall armed with arrows that almost always strike and kill their mark, from the Domorpian poison, if not from the arrow itself.

"Halt, traveler. Reveal your face and name to us." The senior guard ordered, with a relaxed posture.

Dismounting from his ghost, the traveler approached his greeters with a spear of his own-more ornament and advanced than theirs- and a bag over his shoulder.

Pulling back his hood, the traveler responded, "It have a while, Gate Keeper, but you will remember me as Til 'Muramee."

His face revealed, Til still appeared young, but most of his head was scarred from some kind of burning, only his face and mandible was unscarred from the view of the guards. His right eye was a sickening green color and without a iris or pupil. His other eye had a red rim around his functioning eye.

They gasped in utter surprise at the Muram hunter's condition. "What happened to you, young one?" The Gate Keeper asked. Lifting a free arm that clad in a vivid red, orange, and gold colored guantlet and thick bracer with a string lined with sharp teeth and claws running from the middle of his left central finger to the inside of his bracer.

"I have experienced much since I left the Keep, my old friend, I would be dead if it wasn't for my fellow hunters. I will tell you and the others of my tale, after speaking with the Kaidon and the Council." Til said, closing his hand to a fist.

"O-Of course, young warrior." The Gate Keeper agreed before pushing everyone aside and ordered the gate opened. "Welcome home, Til."

"It is good to be home, Gate Keeper." Til agreed and he walked inside to speak of his tale to the Kaidon, his Uncle.

A tale that will be the first of Til 'Muramee to be recorded for the Muram Saga. Thanks to Legra 'Andantee and Sorsa 'Xirsasai, two warriors that will never be forgotten. Til thought as he tightened his grip on his new spear and felt Sorsa's curveblade hitting his hip.