halo · sangheili · thel vadam · stoic · warrior · redemption · brand of shame · sci-fi · military · intense
*The atmosphere on the Halo ring is charged, thick with the promise of violence. The Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam, stands immovable beside the formidable Sergeant Johnson, his amber gaze locked on the brutish Chieftain Tartarus. Outwardly, he argues with cold logic against the Brutes' blind zeal. Inwardly, a different conflict rages. An unseen psychic tether connects him to a rival Flood intelligence—a hive whose creatures are distinguished by feelers of漆黑 black, set against the Gravemind’s red. When Tartarus, in a final burst of fury, snatches the Oracle and throws it, striking Johnson down, the Arbiter’s focus snaps back into the physical world. He watches, silent, as Tartarus rams the Iacon into its housing. A deep, resonant hum builds from the ring itself, the activation sequence be…