Well, no one seems to be interested, but I'll release the next part anyway. If you are reading, enjoy. Thanks for the feedback. Here's part two [b]Part two - Warrior [/b] "That plasma rifle at your belt, Sorran. Bring it out." Zharn commanded, and Sorran obeyed, grasping to delicate looking blue handle. "Excellent." Zharn congratulated as if the Sangheili Minor had actually accomplished something. "Now, I'm sure you know how the plasma is channelled, being a Scribe." "Magnetic coils embedded within either side of the weapon direct the plasma into a desired path." Sorran recited from a text he had read once in a book about Covenant weapons. "Good." Zharn simply said, and strode over to Sorran, looking at the way he held the rifle. He nodded appreciatively. "Now, the plasma rifle is capable of sustained fire, but the hotter it comes, the more inaccurate it is too. Keep that it mind. The most talented warriors fire short bursts, then take cover whilst it cools down." "I understand Major." Sorran replied, inclining his head. "I would certainly hope so. Now, look forward. I have set up deployable shield barriers in the distance. Your challenge for today is to bring every shield down with your rifle. Should one pop up before you are finished, you must start again. Begin." Sorran brought the plasma rifle up at arms length, took aim, and fired. There was no recoil whatsoever as three super heated bolts of plasma surged out of the tip of the rifle, and crashed into the foremost shield. The shield rippled, and turned a deep red. The Sangheili Minor fired again, and the shield depleted. "Well done." Zharn said. "Now you must take down the other nine, before the first can pop up again. Sorran concentrated, and managed to take down a further five. But just as soon he took the sixth down, the first one popped up again. Sorran swore, and Zharn chuckled. The Minor waited a minute for them to all pop up again, and once they had, attempted the challenge again. He got seven this time, but once again, the first regenerated. "This is impossible!" Sorran cried after the seventh try. Zharn laughed now, openly. "Yes Sorran, it is impossible. With one plasma rifle anyway. This task was so you would learn to efficiently use the rifle, rather than accomplishing it." Sorran looked at the crimson Sangheili, shook his head, and lowered the rifle to his side. "You've had me waste my time and temper upon an impossible task?" The Minor asked in disbelief. "That's low Zharn." The Major merely laughed once again, and told Sorran to holster his rifle. Zharn drew out from his person two sharp, steel blades. Sorran recognised them as holding the shape of the Energy Sword, reserved usually for only the highest ranking Sangheili. Zharn passed one over to him. "Zharn, I don't think I'm allowed to use this." Sorran protested, holding out the blade as if it were a deadly plague. Zharn looked puzzled for a second, then his face displayed recognition. "Nay, do not worry Sorran. What you are holding now is not a pure energy blade, but a metallic representation of it, crafted with the same element we use to create Hunter shields. Even the lower ranking Sangheili are permitted to use it. Whilst you may be hard pressed to cut through shields with it, it is most effective against anything else. I will teach you how to handle it." Over the next few hours thus, Sorran learnt the correct usage for the blade, uppercuts, lunges, parries, and as the sun began to set, he felt he had become a lot more proficient at fighting. "You've made remarkable progress today." Zharn praised, nodding as he did. "Of course, it is never too hard to train a Sangheili to fight: deep within every one of them is a warrior. But yes Sorran, you have exceeded my expectations. Tonight, the Deacon of this outpost is holding a sermon. I usually attend them. Will you be coming?" Sorran thought for few moments, then nodded. "I'd be glad to Zharn. But first, is there anywhere we can get food for our bellies? I have not eaten all day." Zharn chuckled, and beckoned for Sorran to follow him. "I think we can find something brother." ***** "Praise be the Forerunners, divine as they are!" The Unggoy Deacon leading the sermon called, and the assembled group repeated the line. Sorran took a quick look around the room. Nearly everyone on the outpost was here, be them Unggoy, Kig-Yar, Sangheili, or Brute. Sorran didn't like the Brutes. Very few Sangheili did. They felt that their position was being usurped by the savages, and the the Prophets showed them more favour than they should. They were a lot like a pack of the wolves native to Sangheilios, in that they worked together to kill, and constantly relayed information to one another. They were more like animals than people. As we were all praying on our knees, Sorran felt closer to the Gods than he had ever felt before. He never usually attended sermons, except when a friend would drag him along, and so this was a new experience to him. As the Deacon was handing out bread from a basket, a religious custom for which the meaning escaped me, the doors to the makeshift chapel burst open, and everyone turned to see a black armoured Sangheili stand in the door way, dripping wet from rain. He must have not had his shields active. Zharn stood up, and addressed the Sangheili. "Ahkrin! I did not expect you to be back so soon, what news have you for us?" Ahkrin as he was called strode down the red, gilded carpet in the chapel, wheezing as he did so. "Forgive me my brother, I have just ran over sixty miles without rest. Allow me a moment to catch my breath." A single phrase was being muttered around the room -- Stealth Sangheili. Sorran had heard of the Stealth Sangheili before; they had a vital, but reluctant task. Rather than fight in battle, their jobs were to observe the enemy, and report back. Many Sangheili thought this to be a task without honour. Even so though, it was needed. Ahkrin grabbed onto a nearby pole, and breathed short and shallow for a few moments, then stood up. "Humans are on the way here. With an army to rival ours." Ahkrin relayed to Zharn, prompting much chatter, especially amongst the Grunts. "Then we shall crush them like the bugs they are!" Zharn cried inspiringly, clenching his fist as he did so. Ahkrin shook his head. "You speak too soon brother." The black armoured Sangheili replied. "This is not just a normal human attack; I spied Demons with the army too." The clamouring escalated, and even the Sangheili were exchanging nervous looks now. Sorran knew why, he had heard tales of these Human Demons back when he lived upon High Charity. Apparently, they were over 10 foot tall and could smite a Sangheili with a single touch. They were supposedly invincible. "Enough!" Zharn shouted, and the room was instantly silent. "We shall not flee from these infidels, nor the Demons they collaborate with! We shall stand, and fight, and win. How long will they take to arrive?" The Major once again directed at Ahkrin. "I cannot say for sure brother, but they had tanks with them, as well as larger, even slower vehicles. I think we have a few days to prepare ourselves." Ahkrin replied. "Then prepare ourselves we shall! I shall contact the [i]Immortal Repentance[/i], asking for reinforcements. The rest of you, suit up, and be ready for a fight."