Sacrament of Blood

With the blood of my kin, let me be born again.

With the guidance of my kin, let me rise again.

With the honor of my kin, let me venture forth again.

And with the blessing of my kin, let me journey into the next life again.

It was a quiet morning, and De'mah found himself stood upon a cliff once again, looking out beyond the endless horizon once more. A Sangheili oath on his mind, he ruminated on how this day would end, for it was this day that would see him challenge the high lord of the dragons. Would he triumph? Would he fail? It was wise for a warrior to reflect on himself before any great battle, lest he go into the next life with regrets. If he triumphed, what would happen would be a defining moment for the young Sang. If he failed, then let his kin pray to the Forerunners.

If he did triumph, though, there was the matter of what would come next. Of that, De'mah was not certain, but he knew more than anything he wanted to learn what he could of the Equestrians, and then turn his sights on them. His triumph over Jilnarok, should it come to pass, would prove his strength, and the subsequent conquest of the Equestrians would prove the divine certainty that the strong would always prevail over the weak. The other races would follow after them, and then he would return to Sanghelios a truly mighty warrior.

De'mah turned his head left and right and rolled his shoulders, stretching his limbs. He plucked the handle of his energy sword of his hip and turned it over in his hand, inspecting the runes on the hilt*. It was a beautiful, magnificent weapon, but all De'mah could think of was the blood debt he owed it. Killing Jilnarok would not satisfy that blood debt, but it would be a significant start.

De'mah turned on his heels and started heading back to the cave, energy sword handle gripped tightly in his hand. The time had to come to prove the strength and honor of his name.

Or venture forth into the next life.

De'mah's boots thudded sharply against the stone and rock of the cave as he plodded down it, past the countless torches that lined its walls and cast him in their orange glow. He entered the great cavern that marked Jilnarok's den, and saw Tolmirak speaking with the high lord. There were several other dragons present too, perched or lying on slate rocks and curled around the stalagmites. Jilnarok took notice of the Sangheili and nodded, and De'mah nodded back.

"If it isn't our otherworldly outsider. Tell me, what do you wish to learn today?" Jilnarok asked, Tolmirak stepping aside to let De'mah forward. De'mah nodded curtly at the much-smaller drake, and took a look around at the other dragons present. Some had turned to watch him, but still others paid him no mind. That would soon change.

"In the name of the honor of the state of 'Tokam and the people of Sanghelios, in service of my blood and my kin, and in the sight of the gods and those present as witness I, De'mah 'Tokam, CHALLENGE Jilnarok, High Lord of the Dragons, to single combat for the position of HIGH LORD of the DRAGONS!" De'mah thundered, all eyes turning to him.

The cavern was silent, and Jilnarok regarded him with cool eyes and an unreadable expression. Tolmirak cast his gaze to his lord, but the titan dragon remained resolute. He rose to all fours and stalked over to De'mah, looking down upon the comparitively small Sang. De'mah tensed up, but Jilnarok made no sudden moves.

"For what purpose do you make this challenge?"

"The dragons currently live in passivity, in timidity. It is time for the world, indeed the GALAXY, to know of their STRENGTH and POWER! I will show the mighty Div the true nature of their existence!"

Jilnarok was silent for a moment before he nodded. ""Jilnarok, High Lord of the Dragons and guiding strength of all his kind, accepts this challenge. Let the two great warriors have their space, and may their skill see them prevail through this fight" the mighty drake declared, and Tolmirak scurried away. Some of the nearer dragons also pulled back, and Jilnarok himself stepped back into a much more open space of the cavern.

De'mah ventured forth and ignited his energy sword, raising it into the air with the tips pointed at the ground, as was customary for Sangheili warriors fit to wield the beautiful weapon. He hunched forward and kept his left arm tense at his side. Given Jilnarok's size, De'mah would have no hope of deflecting any of his attacks, and so would have to rely solely on dodging and swinging at any openings the drake gave him.

It came as a great surprise to De'mah when Jilnarok beared his teeth, poured black smoke out of his fearsome maw, and with a flick of his neck and tongue sent forth a mighty stream of fire and magma down at De'mah, who silenced his blade and leaped forward into a mighty roll as the terrible inferno obliterated the stone he'd just stood upon. He ignited his sword once more and found he'd ended up by Jilnarok's left hind leg, and he lashed out, the dual ends of his blade blitzing through the mammoth leg as if it wasn't even there. Jilnarok stumbled forward, knocking De'mah back and sending him reeling. He hadn't severed the leg, and so it was an inconsequential wound, but he'd drawn the first blood.

De'mah scrambled out from underneath the giant dragon as he turned to kick him, and Jilnarok's gaze found him again. The high lord turned in place as he tracked the Sang, his maw glowing again. Flames licked out through the gaps between his teeth, sending dark shadows dancing across the dragon's face. He sent forth the stream of hellfire again and once more did De'mah tuck and roll forward. The brilliant flame practically lasered a cluster of stalagmites into dust, the remains dripping globs of lava.

Jilnarok next jerked the hand De'mah had landed near, hurling a cloud of dust and stones at the Sangheili, who staggered back. As De'mah recovered he saw Jilnarok bringing a mighty fist down on him, and he scrambled back as it came down, smashing the flood beneath it to pebbles. De'mah took the opportunity and darted forward, striking with the sword at the limb. it clipped Jilnarok's wrist and it gave out, forcing the dragon to catch himself with his other talon. He huffed but recovered, and De'mah began to pace, the adrenaline flowing.

As Jilnarok lowered himself to De'mah's level the Sangheili spun and tensed, but the dragon was faster. He charged forward and hit De'mah with a glancing blow, the strike enough to send the Sangheili spinning. He stumbled and fell to the ground, his energy sword digging into the earth with a horrible symphony of crackling and popping. De'mah scrambled back to his feet and drew his sword, and Jilnarok turned back face him. Jilnarok lowered his head again and as his mouth began to glow De'mah tensed, and charged to the right as Jilnarok let loose his inferno. He caught sight of De'mah running wide towards him and turned his head, the blazing stream swallowing up the earth and air in De'mah's wake. He reached the dragon's head just as he could turn it no more, and struck, the blade lashing up the side of Jilnarok's face to his ear, leaving a terrible gash but doing no serious damage.

In response to this Jilnarok jerked his head towards De'mah, inflicting a heavy blow that caused the Sangheili to bark in pain and surprise and stumble back. His armored environment suit saved him from the worst of it, but another blow like that would be grievous.

De'mah looked up just in time to watch as Jilnarok opened his mouth and lunged forward to bite De'mah in half, and the Sangheili darted under the dragon's head and ran forward, forcing the dragon to turn. He lifted his left arm just as De'mah swung, and the blade slashed naught but air, leaving De'mah exposed. He turned in a flash and saw Jilnarok's other arm swinging towards him, talons clenched in a fist. De'mah sidestepped and swung, the blade lancing along the length of the dragon's arm. Another meaningless strike.

Again did Jilnarok bring a hand down to try to crush the Sangheili, and at last De'mah saw an opening. He lunged forward and plunged his sword into the dragon's arm, the flesh warping and corrupting at the touch of the blade's searing heat. Jilnarok growled and lifted his arm, and De'mah pulled down, causing his blade to slash down the length of Jilnarok's arm as he lifted. He growled long and low as the powerful weapon tore his arm apart, and at last did it pull free, the sudden jerk sending De'mah stumbling forward. He looked up at Jilnarok, who took a moment to inspect his mangled right arm. He beared his gritted teeth as he struggled to flex his mighty talons, and he drew the arm up, keeping his weight off it.

Jilnarok's mouth began to glow again and De'mah tensed, prepared to dodge, when instead of a constant stream of fire a giant fireball erupted from the drake's mouth and sailed towards the Sangheili. He barely leapt forward in time to avoid the impact of the fireball against the stone, but the explosion's shockwave was more than enough to push De'mah off his feet.

De'mah rolled as Jilnarok tried to crush him underfoot, and was back upright in seconds. He rushed forward, underneath the dragon, and struck at the creature's soft underbelly. Jilnarok growled and leapt high into the air with a beat of his wings, putting De'mah in the middle of a brief sandstorm. The dragon landed with a tremendous BOOM! and De'mah charged at him, Jilnarok preparing his fire attack again. He coughed out a fireball and as De'mah dodged, let loose a jet of flame to try and keep the Sang penned in. With another deft roll De'mah came up next to Jilnarok's head, and swung upward, the blade lashing the drake's next. Jilnarok flicked his neck again, and De'mah scrambled aside. The Sangheili swung at the dragon's left arm, twin gashes appearing where the tips lanced the scales. A jerk of Jilnarok's arm hit De'mah square in his body, and he fell back onto his rear.

"You're a quick one, outsider. This is a good fight" Jilnarok said, no doubt trying to distract De'mah with conversation. The Sang had learned at a young age not to fall for such trickery, and when Jilnarok reared up onto his hind legs and prepared to incinerate De'mah the Sangheili rushed forward once more, his blade striking true at the dragon's left hind leg again, this time severely cutting it. The mighty dragon collapsed, nearly crushing De'mah as he came down. With the base of Jilnarok's tail above him De'mah slashed at it, and the high lord howled.

With a twist of his abdomen Jilnarok spun, missing De'mah by inches, and swung his good arm at the Sangheili, who ducked. De'mah swung at the limb and cut only air, and he was forced to roll again as Jilnarok unleashed flame at him. When he came up he was by Jilnarok's right side, and he plunged his blade deep into the drake's shoulder. Pulling it out and rushing forward as Jilnarok tried to turn he struck at the high lord's left arm, burying his blade deep into the wrist. The dragon barked, staggered forward, and turned his head towards De'mah. His hearts** thumping intensely De'mah darted forward and slashed at Jilnarok's head, the sword grievously slashing the left side of the dragon's mouth, leaving a horrific opening. Black smoke poured out of the hole and Jilnarok's nose, and he looked at De'mah with an equal fire in his eyes. He opened his gaping maw and attempted to devour De'mah again, and De'mah rushed forward.

At last he had his opening, and De'mah struck. With a great heave he sank his blade into the high lord's throat, and the dragon growled in agony. De'mah withdrew the blade and as Jilnarok's wounded body limped to face him he struck again, stabbing into the dragon's jaw. Jilnarok collapsed completely to the ground, his remaining teeth gritted and smoke billowing out with each breath, and De'mah climbed up his thick neck, a hand on one of the dragon's horns.

"FOR SANGHELIOS!" De'mah thundered, and he plunged his blade down into the high lord's head, obliterating the great drake's brain, and Jilnarok went completely limp, his body thundering against the stone as his limbs gave out. De'mah jumped off Jilnarok's corpse, staggering as he landed, his limbs trembling and legs unsure. He had won! He had triumphed!

"Pass into the next life with honor, mighty warrior" De'mah commented, silencing his blade. He looked up expectantly at the dragons present, who all stared at him with unreadable expressions. Tolmirak approached the Sangheili, whose grip tightened on the handle of his energy sword. The young drake stopped and bowed, and every other dragon present did the same.

"We pledge ourselves to the service of you, De'mah 'Tokam, for it is under your guidance as the new High Lord we look towards a better understanding of life and the world" Tolmirak said, and De'mah returned his sword's handle to his hip. He took in the moment, his gaze wandering across the numerous bowed dragons assembled in the cavern.

"Bury the former High Lord, if you would, and tell one of the dragons present to spread the news. De'mah 'Tokam pledges to bring the dragons into a new age of glory and might, and to demonstrate our power to the rest of the world" De'mah said, and Tolmirak rose.

"At once, High Lord. Have you any other commands?"

De'mah thought about it a moment before nodding, bearing his teeth in a grin. "Bring me all the knowledge you can about the Equestrians, and their rulers."

Author's Note

*In Halo canon, the energy sword was not invented until some time after the founding of the Covenant, and so is technically anachronistic for this story. For gameplay purposes, the energy sword has a limited charge, which will not be represented in this story. Being that the energy sword is a Sangheili creation, consider this one a protoype.

**Sangheili have two hearts.