Author's Notes:

The theme for this chapter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MrZUmMpZM

In this chapter, see the Arbiter's memories of Sanghelios and his birth as a warrior, as well as the beginning of his recovery from his wounds. Also, see the connection of friendship and trust between the Arbiter and a certain alicorn blossom.

It was quiet on Sanghelios, as it often was in the evenings. The suns were setting; one dipping below the horizon while the others lingered above the hills. Urs, the largest of the system's three stars, cast a red hue over the clouds while Joori, the smallest sun, painted the sky gold and pink. The moons were up as well, Quikost and Suban, both in their full phases marking tonight as a special night in the year. Tonight was the only night in the year the Gods' Tree would bloom.

Tradition and faith meant that each of the great houses of Sanghelios kept a Gods' Tree in their keep. It signified a holy place, a place for prayer and reflection. But, the tree was night-flowering, and only bloomed beneath the amplified light of rare twin full moons.

Vadam Keep was built atop a bluff with cliffs high enough to look over some clouds. The technological might of the Covenant had seen to the modernization of many of the other keeps, but the house of Vadam honored the old ways. Itss architecture remained arcaic, stone and wood, all carved from the rocky cliffs by hand; the perch the state's proud rulers lived upon was ancient, and just as old was the massive, solitary tree on its grounds.

The God's Tree was no doubt mighty, but it was colorless, brown and drab. It seemed almost dead, lifeless, if not for the smallest green buds decorating the fringes of the smallest branches. Its bark was haggard; its limbs twisted and writhed around each other as the trunk spiraled upwards around knots in the heartwood. The Gods' Tree of Vadam grew on a rocky precipice behind the palace-like keep overlooking the Kaidons' Valley, and it was here, beneath the crooked, gigantic limbs of the great tree, that a young Thel waited for the night to begin.

He breathed in the hot dry air, and felt his lungs fill with his homeland's essence. He savored it, and let it back out slowly. He gazed out over the Kaidons' Valley, admiring how far its sands reached before the silhouettes of the eastern cliffs broke its expanse. He looked west to the harbor, the mighty sea glistening with a thousand sparkles as the waves caught the sunlight. He beamed north, peeking down over the sandstone cliffs he sat atop, and looked up to the silver face of Quikost. This was home, and yet, the young Sangheili would have to leave it behind.

The sound of approaching steps caused him to turn, and upon seeing a familiar face, he respectfully stood.

"Uncle," the adolescent Sangheili said in greeting, placing a fist over his chest as he bowed his head.

"Nephew," reciprocated the newcomer, and he returned the gesture.

The new Sangheili was old; he seemed withered, from his voice to his skin, but he still walked tall and with pride. His eyes were white with cataracts, and his teeth were worn dull. He was not clad in armor but in the sterling robes indicative of the rank of Councilor, robes much more decorative than the plain tunic draped over his younger counterpart. He also wore the purple cloak signature of Covenant Shipmasters, a symbol of prestige and respect from his past, yet despite his attire, there was an aire of kind wisdom around him.

"I do not mean to disturb you," the older of the two said as he came up beside Thel, "After all, it is your evening."

Thel looked down as his uncle placed a hand over the bark of the God's Tree.

"I remember my first name night," he said almost nostalgically, "The night the God's Tree bloomed for me, and Lak became Lak 'Vadamee."

The elder could see his nephew was troubled; he kept looking down instead of forward, an oddity on such an occasion, when he should be filled with pride.

"Something bothers you?" he asked, and Thel slowly nodded.

Lak responded by slowly taking a seat among the exposed roots of the tree, sighing as his aged joints complained against the movement. When he was on the ground, he patted the dirt next to him; he seemed not to care sullying the uniform of his rank, as if his nephew was more important to him than the symbolism of his robes.

"Come then, sit."

The two sat side by side beneath the Gods' Tree, the desert wind blowing softly through its branches above their heads, and together they continued to admire the sunset. Lak did not speak, but rather waited for his nephew to confess his troubles. It did not take long for the youth's voice to clear.

"Uncle," Thel began; his voice was just beginning to change, just as his chest and legs were beginning to broaden, "I worry of what will come."

Lak 'Vadamee smiled.

"And what has you so worried, you who are the son of my sister and a 'Vadam swordsman?" the Councilor asked, "You have victory and honor in your very blood, and you have shown it. Of all the recruits in my common house, of all those I have trained, you are the most worthy to serve our Covenant. You have proven to be the best in sparring and hunting, in marksmanship and strategy. That you worry would worry me, were I not so sure of your future glories."

Thel looked down again, his amber eyes ageless and fiery.

"Yes, you have taught me well, and I have enjoyed learning from you," he admitted, his speech seeming to try and mimic the prose of the battle poems of old, "There is not a better teacher in all of Sanghelios, but..."

"But what?" Lak pursued, the larks in the trees above singing oblivious to the torments below their nests.

"I worry that, without your guidance, I will not thrive as I have here."

The boy's voice elevated as he explained, growing nervous and anxious as he spoke.

"I leave here tomorrow to begin my training under the Prophets, and I worry they will not see my skills befitting to serve them. What if they cast me aside? What if I am not the best among their recruits? What if I am not strong enough to serve our gods? What if I dishonor our name?!"

"Now, now..." interrupted Lak, putting a firm, yet gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder to calm him, "It is natural to fear such things."

"I am not afraid!" objected Thel, denying fear as he had been trained to, but Lak saw through it.

"It is perfectly natural to be afraid. I was afraid more times than I could remember."

Thel looked up at him with doubt at first, the thought of a renowned warrior such as his uncle being afraid outlandish, but slowly, his doubt faded just as the light above them grew dimmer.

"Everyone finds himself being afraid of something at some point in life," Lak continued, "What matters is not that you are afraid, what matters is what you do despite your fear. That is when true courage shows its face."

Thel swallowed his uncle's words, admiring their wisdom; he would remember them forever.

"In a few short minutes, you will have earned your surname. You have already been chosen to train under the Prophets to be their right hand on our pilgrimage, and you will join the ranks of the finest warriors in the Covenant. And if ever you find yourself afraid again, remember this night, the night you became a 'Vadam."

As he finished, the suns set, the sky turned lavender, and Lak stood, his cloak billowing behind him in the wind. The two looked up, and slowly, the wind calmed as if hushed, and the blossoms began to open. They were vibrant, varied in shades of pink and red in color, and they held a sweet fragrance unlike anything in the harsh land of Vadam. Thel looked at the blossoms in awe, the tree seeming to embrace him in its beauty, until the voice of his uncle called him back.

"Rise now, Thel 'Vadamee," he said, and as Thel stood up, he placed one hand on his shoulder, and with the other, he presented an ancient steel blade from under his cloak; Thel took the handle, and Genj's hand closed over his, "I, Lak 'Vadamee, bestow upon you the name 'Vadamee, for you have rightfully earned it in the eyes of all who have come before you. In taking our ancestors' name, you take up their creed of conviction and honor, of sacrifice and truth, of righteousness and pride. Wear your name proudly as one wears a sword; draw upon it should you need its light to guide you, and if ever you find yourself amid doubt or fear again, call upon these words: remember who you are."

And as he finished, the wind picked up again lightly, and carried the blossoms down the cliff side like an aerial river of pink flowers. Thel 'Vadamee watched them go until they disappeared from sight, and then, with gilded fire in his eyes, he looked to the stars.

Thel 'Vadam saw nothing but darkness, but he heard plenty: a rhythmic droning, a kind of beeping that matched the rhythm of his heartbeats, the shuffling of hooves and boots, metallic clatter and hushed voices, some of which he recognized. Slowly, his other senses returned to him. First came touch, as he realized how light he felt and how sore his body was. There was pain everywhere, and he felt unbearably weak. Then came taste, the taste of blood lingering in his mouth. Yet, the air about him smelled clean, almost alpine in how pristine its quality was.

Finally, his eyes drifted open, and light stabbed at him. When he had adjusted to the white room, he looked around. He was in some sort of medical bay, and he was laid down on a bed far too small for his body; his feet hung off the edge. His armor was gone, but a glint in the corner of the room hinted to its location. Instead of clothing, he was wrapped in white bandages, some of which were colored blue by his blood; it seemed he had more linen visible than skin. On the table next to his bed was a bouquet of sunflowers and a balloon, upon which "Get well Soon" was written; its pink color alluded to who had put it there. All around him were smiling faces: the princesses, the Elements, Captain Shining Armor and his wife, and a few ponies he had not met before wearing white hats adorned with red crosses. But, standing over him, almost protectively, was Rtas 'Vadum, still armor clad and bristling with his weapons.

"Morning," bid Princess Luna from his bedside, all the others drawing a little closer upon realizing he was awake.

"How did you sleep?" the Arbiter said back in greeting, and he went to sit up until a shooting pain through his abdomen caused him to fall back to the mattress, causing it to bow violently beneath his weight.

"Finally, you're awake," Rarity said as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, and she placed a hoof over one of his hands as she sighed, "You had us all worried sick."

The Arbiter seemed not to care about her sentiments; he was too focused on the stitches in his abdomen from which his pain had originated, and the other myriad sealed wounds all over his chest, legs and arms. The more he looked, the more he found, and he looked away from his mended flesh to the only stallion among the medical staff, presumably the head doctor.

"You let him operate on me?" he said in horror, looking with anger and shame towards Shipmaster 'Vadum.

Rtas shrugged defensively, and with sigh said, "I thought it would be more honorable for you to live on and see the demise of the Covenant than to keel over and die."

The Arbiter's mandibles clicked, and he inspected the room further, seeing surgical tools in the corner, and a wire in his arm connected to a small monitor.

"How bad was I?" he asked, passing a hand over a stitched wound on his shoulder.

"While you were passed out in your quarters, the Elements fought off a Zealot in your defense. Twilight saved your life with healing magic in the palace," explained Celestia, causing her protege to beam in pride, "Luna saved you again on the way over from Canterlot, and this doctor brought you back from cardiac arrest..."

She looked towards the stallion, his scrubs light blue to contract the white of the nurses, and he answered.

"Five."

"Five times since we arrived," continued the princess.

The Arbiter looked down, the realization of how close he'd come to death hitting him hard. He didn't know to be reverent, fearful or just thankful.

"I've been asleep through all of this?" he asked, "I never felt a thing... the last thing I remember is being ambushed in my quarters."

Twilight asked aloud, "You were just dreaming a moment ago?", confused how he could be so at peace in mind after coming so close to dying.

"I was on Sanghelios," he said, almost nostalgically, longing in his aged amber eyes, as if he yearned to dream of it again.

As he looked to the Elements, the nurses and the doctor approached the bedside, checking up on his state. When the Arbiter felt a small pinch in his arm, he looked down, and saw a syringe drawing blood from his bicep. He snarled, and grabbed the doctor by the throat, the syringe falling to the floor and spattering blood over the marble tiles.

"You dare assault me!" he yelled, lifting the unicorn stallion from the floor while the nurses struggled to try and restrain him.

The Arbiter's fingers squeezing his wind pipe, the doctor wheezed an answer in his own defense, his eyes wide.

"We need a blood sample to analyze, in case you need a transfusion. We have no idea what your blood's composition is! If we can analyze a sample, we may be able to produce blood plasma."

The Shipmaster leaned down, and glared into the doctor's eyes.

"What you are stealing is sacred," he growled, his fists balled at his sides, "I allowed you to stem his blood's flow, but you will not rob him of any further honor."

The Arbiter's predatory, lion-like growl was the only sound in the room now, ominous and foreboding, reminding those in the room that he was not only still alive, but still dangerous.

"Doctor," Princess Cadence began from Shining Armor's side, her tone concerned, "I think it best to let this one be."

The doctor nodded agreement, his eyes shifting between the Arbiter and the princesses to show them both that he agreed, and would not try it again. The Arbiter's grip loosened in response, and the stallion's hooves once again hit the floor. He coughed, and then somewhat frustrated, he defended his actions.

"We have no idea what we're dealing with here," he snapped, gesturing towards the aliens, "This has been one of the most complex patients we've ever had. From the moment he's been here, nothing's gone right. We have no packets for a transfusion and he's lost a lot of blood. We have no idea if his insides are right because we don't know alien anatomy. Not even the heart monitor is working properly."

"That's because Sangheili have two hearts, Doctor," offered Shining Armor calmly, explaining part of the predicament.

The doctor's eyebrows went up, and he went to write something down on his clipboard as he whispered under his breath, "Noted."

The room went from vibrant to dull in a moment, and the tension between the Sangheili and the medical staff only seemed to be building. So, Luna sought to relieve the situation.

"Doctor, might we have the room?" she asked, and the medics left quickly and without complaint.

The door shut while the sound of hooves disappeared down the hall, and the Shipmaster grumbled, "I hate doctors."

In an effort to calm the Elites, Applejack sought to make peace.

"Can we get y'all anything?" she asked amicably with a friendly smile.

The Arbiter clicked his mandibles, and felt his empty stomach churn.

"Meat?" he asked, causing the Equestrians to all recoil a bit.

"I wish we had some for you," Celestia sympathized, "You could be malnourished from the lack of proteins, and you'll need your strength to recover."

Maternally, Cadence asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like death," the Arbiter said, chuckling before he winced, the laughter hurting his sore abdomen.

"Fitting," Luna said, smiling at the Arbiter's strange humor, "You almost died."

"We are a nation of herbivores," Celestia explained, reverting to the Arbiter's previous request, "We lack the resources to provide meat, but we can see about getting a shipment of fish or something from Griffonstone."

The Arbiter seemed satisfied with the offer as he nodded approval, but he once again grimaced when he tried to shift his weight on the minuscule mattress. His hand fell to the wound in his belly, and with heavy breath, he subtly growled.

"Well, if you cannot provide me sustenance or the means to return to duty," he panted, "perhaps you would enlighten me on how we were attacked in what should be the most secure site in this country?"

Downward shifting eyes proved that what the Arbiter said had merit; Canterlot was overrun, and because of it, their guest almost died. The Shipmaster spoke now, his investigation of the clues post raid being the best source any of them had, and presented his theories.

"An Ossoona infiltrated our ranks; we know not when. From him, they learned we had a listening device and used that information. We know the transmission regarding 'Vol's discovery of the relic was a ruse meant to draw us out, hence the trap. During the raid, what we thought was a defective plasma grenade hitting the hull of the Phantom was a homing device they used to track us. Once they knew where we were headquartered, they struck in an attempt to decapitate our leadership and simultaneously raid the library. They succeeded in one of their objectives, and failed disastrously at the other."

The Arbiter sighed, and looked down at the wounds in his chest.

"Only nearly so," he reflected, and then looked back up before quietly asking, "How many were killed?"

"Seventeen guards, and the Remnant lost about twelve," answered Shining Armor with a crack in his voice, leaning on a table near the window, "We think the main purpose of the attack was not to inflict mass casualties, otherwise they would have just bombarded the whole castle. We believe it was an objective based surgical strike, and that perhaps, we were not their primary objective, and the library was their first."

The Arbiter's voice was bereft of its old vigor, his tone a hoarse whisper, and he kept on clearing his throat as if expecting to sound like his old self again. But here he was, bedridden and looking like a mummy he had so many bandages over his grey skin. It was humbling to those in the room; if Celestia could have scar tissue on her chest, and the Arbiter could be hospitalized, what could happen to the rest of the world's warriors who would be standing up to the Covenant.

"How extensive was their success, in regards to the library?" asked the Arbiter.

There was another moment of quiet before a quiet answer came forward.

"They took everything."

The Arbiter's brow rose in an expression of surprise, and he looked past the others to the pony, now avoiding his sight by hiding behind her mane, who had answered. Seeing her friend's timid predicament, Applejack stepped in to seize the Arbiter's attention.

"Twilight... before we were attacked...," she drawled, slowly articulating her point as she thought it out, "We found some things, and she came up with an idea about what the Covenant might be looking for."

The Elites' eyes fell on Twilight expectantly.

"There may be a link between ancient holy sites and manna pools," the lavender mare said, unveiling the fruit of her research for the first time, "Some of them coincide."

"That's quite intuitive," complemented the Shipmaster as he crossed his arms, visible wounds on his forearms and biceps left unattended now scabbed over, "What else do you know?"

Twilight shrugged and with a sigh, answered, "We lost all the texts we were studying and notes we'd taken when the library was raided. They even took Star Swirl's prophecy."

The expression on the Arbiter's face was as if he'd tasted something sour, likely the bitter consequence of defeat. They'd lost almost everything they'd had. He knew it would take a long time to rebuild, and they didn't have much time. He growled, but that angry growl faded into a disheartened groan, and his palm met his throbbing forehead.

"Do you remember any of the sites?" he asked quietly as he rubbed a sore spot through bandages on his ribs.

Twilight's eyes looked up while she tried to remember, and with a deep breath and a pawing hoof, she began rattling off what she could remember.

"The Tree of Harmony, the Crystal Empire's crystal fields, Gods' Doorstep, the Everfree For..." she listed, when her brother interrupted her.

"Gods' Doorstep?" he asked, standing up a bit excitedly as he did, "Did you know it was attacked by the Covenant?"

Surprised, Twilight looked to the princesses for confirmation. It was news to the Elements.

"High King Gilderoy informed us during the council," confirmed Celestia, nodding as she spoke, "They raided the Library of Griffonstone and dug a quarry a mile deep at Gods' Doorstep, destroying the site in the process."

Now the Elites stood up excitedly, 'Vadum stepping forward with his fists balled while the Arbiter sat up, only to fall back to his pillow as he grasped at pain shooting through his chest.

"They were looking for a relic, I'm sure of it," the ivory-clad Shipmaster affirmed, his green eyes vibrant, "When we were in the Covenant, the artifacts we sought were seldom on the surface. We had to dig deep, using Harvesters. The damage to the earth you described is signature of such an excavation."

Cadence now spoke her mind, seeking consultation to a thought.

"Is it possible that the Covenant has narrowed its search to these coinciding holy sites and manna pools?" she asked

"I would go so far as to call it likely," the Shipmaster answered, "From what you all have taught me about magic, it sounds very similar to our gods' power. With the resources the Covenant has stolen, they will know this as well. Since their scans of the planet are not working, they will have to act on the information they've gathered from the libraries alone. Manna pools and ancient holy sites, especially those pertaining to deities therefore could be a tempting target for Covenant investigation; they probably thought it exhibited traits of a Forerunner temple."

The Arbiter sighed, and once again snapped his mandibles together.

"In the least, it is a promising theory and a place to focus our efforts," he speculated, looking with favor towards Twilight, "But, if you are right, we are a step ahead of the Covenant. We now know a few places where they will be."

Smiles went around the room, and Twilight blushed a bit while those that had helped her beamed. This had been their last salvaged hope, and it seemed a beacon in what would otherwise be a time of mourning.

"Speaking of whereabouts, where are we?" asked the Arbiter after a little pause.

"Ponyville Hospital," came the quick response from Pinkie Pie, who was excitedly jumping up and down as she introduced her hometown to her alien friend, "You've been asleep for two days."

"Two days?" the Arbiter asked, looking around for confirmation; the Shipmaster, his arms crossed, shrugged and nodded his head in response.

"What is Ponyville?" he asked; Celestia was quick to respond.

"A rural settlement, and an inconspicuous hideout. You'll be safe here while you heal and we regroup. My sister and I, as well as the Royal Guard Special Forces you've been working with, will begin traveling the world to train and outfit the other militaries in what you've taught us. In a short while, we'll consolidate against the Covenant and drive them away."

"War is not meant to be safe, and I am still a warrior. What am I doing here?" asked the Arbiter, hardly a gap in the conversation before he began to object to Celestia's bidding.

"You need to heal," explained the Shipmaster, believing the news would be better swallowed if it came from him, and he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder as he went on, "This is the perfect place to do so. Gather your strength, and with Equestria's champions see if you can pursue Twilight's theory and learn where the relic the Remnant seeks may be."

The Arbiter turned to Rtas as he nodded towards the Elements, and asked him, "And where will you be?"

"I'll be drifting between you and the other armies to help train them along with the Captain and the princesses. First I'll go to The Crystal Empire with them, then the Badlands, then Griffonstone. After that, I may return, or I may go on to Tauren. I do not know yet."

The Arbiter sighed, and looked at Rtas' hand on his bandaged shoulder.

"You've never left my side before," he said, his deep voice a bit sad.

"Nor am I now," reaffirmed 'Vadum as his brow tilted, "I'm only allowing you some time to rest while I see to other matters."

The Arbiter looked crestfallen and defeated, as if his spirit were being sapped. No one spoke, and for the first time, the Arbiter seemed truly sad, the weight of everything finally hitting him it seemed. Between his team being lost, his body being all but broken, his ability as a warrior nullified by the hospital walls and now his closest friend leaving his side, he did not quite know what to do or how to feel.

The others picked up on his mood; it was the first time many of them had seen a true emotion other than anger or pride, and as the Arbiter's gaze descended towards his wounds, the sound of hooves approaching his bedside brought his eyes back up to see the Elements surrounding him.

"Oh, cheer up darling, it won't be so bad here," consoled Rarity, putting a hoof over his hand, "It's a nice town after all. And when we're not showing you around, you can read all you want about anything in Twilight's library."

Suddenly Rainbow Dash, who had been quiet, giggled a bit at a passing thought, and hovered over the Sangheili as she said, "Yeah, I bet we could have some fun scare pranks with your active camo!"

The Arbiter stifled a laugh, and Twilight continued from the foot of his bed.

"The good news is, the doctor says the major wounds aren't a danger any more. As long as you take it easy they won't open again, and your own tissue can start growing back. You've been released; as soon as you're ready, you can check out of the hospital."

"I suppose your magic is to thank for that?" the Arbiter asked a bit sarcastically, "My body will live, but my strength will take time to return? Is that right?"

The others nodded affirmation before they saw that he was nowhere ready to leave quite yet.

"We'll let you get some rest," said Twilight, "We'll be by later to pick you up."

"And we must be on our way as well," Celestia announced, causing all but one in the room to get up and leave, but not without minding courtesy and saying their own goodbyes to the Arbiter.

The last one left in the room was Luna, who didn't seem like she wanted to go just yet.

"Anything else about the Remnant?" asked the Arbiter.

Luna smiled at the question.

"You are a selfless one, aren't you?" she began, a certain jovial admiration in her tone, "Here you are, in a place for the sick and dying, and rather than being concerned for yourself, the only concern you express is for your cause."

The Arbiter slowly turned to her, and he glared a bit.

"Many have died for my cause, a sacrifice much greater than mine," he growled ominously, "To forget it is to forget all of them."

Luna looked down, scolding herself for her lack of tact. When she looked back up with an apologetic smile, she continued.

"There is nothing to tell we haven't already said," she said with a shrug, her voice light but still serious, "Now, it's just up to us to take initiative and bring the fight to them, instead of standing by while they make preparations to kill us all. And that initiative begins with training and outfitting our allies to take the fight to the Covenant."

The Arbiter's eye looked away from her as she spoke, following the cords attached to his arm to a small heart monitor. He watched the strange waves the green line in its screen's center made as it fluctuated with his hearts' staggered beating, and Luna sought his attention further.

"They're calling this alliance the Army of Hope, and Equestria's Angels seem to be the Army's rallying cry," she explained, trying to get him to appreciate the good news; they finally had help from the rest of the world.

But, the Arbiter's interest found something else in the topic as he slowly turned back to her, and with his voice low and quiet, he said, "You keep calling us angels, but I do not know what an angel is."

Luna's smile faded a bit, but it came back when she began to explain the Swords' namesake.

"They're good spirits," she said, her deep blue eyes shifting towards a window open to the sunlight outside, "They watch over us and guide us from heaven, and help us when we need them."

The Arbiter waited to see if she was serious before he chortled, and he winced at the pain it caused in his ribs.

With his head on the pillow, he looked to Luna, and with an ominous smile, he challenged, "And you think this is a good analogy for me? A divine, benevolent spirit?"

She didn't respond; her smile stayed, but her brow grew a bit more stern as the Arbiter began to glare.

"You clearly do not know me," he said as he shook his head, and looked away from the Princess of the Night.

The princess looked at the back of the Sangheili's turned head, his contempt cutting her more than a little. Her smile ran away now, though the alien did not see its slow retreat. And as the Arbiter ignored her, she quietly spoke from her place beside his bed.

"I know you better than you might think," she said, nodding slowly as he turned back to her.

The Arbiter shook his head and shrugged, his disbelief more than evident.

"What do you know about me?" he challenged.

Luna looked into his eyes, gilded amber meeting the blue of dusk, and she told him, "I know you have nightmares."

The Arbiter again shrugged, and subtly shook his head in denial.

"Do you know what those nightmares include?" he imposed.

Slowly, the alicorn nodded.

When he saw the gesture, the Arbiter's defiance ended. He again let his head fall to the pillow, and he stared at the dots in the ceiling.

"Then you know what I am... a killer," he said sadly, slowly, shaking his head at the notion as if he wished it were false, "That's all I've ever done... kill, for one cause or another... only recently did I begin to ask why, and even then, does that justify anything? I live off of destruction. I make war to convince myself and others that one day, there will be peace. But what peace can there be through war, except the peace amidst the ashes settling once we have destroyed everything... including ourselves."

For a moment, the room went silent; even the heart monitor stopped its drone for what seemed like a second or two, before the Arbiter's pulse resumed. Luna watched him with sympathy, her eyes flitting from his tired gaze at the ceiling to his damaged body, before she chewed her lip and hummed to herself.

"Mhm, and this haunts you," she began, causing the Arbiter to look her way once again, "You wake in the middle of the night amidst visions of fire and death, and you are terrified because they aren't dreams, they're memories. But there was a time when you didn't just say what you are doing is right, that your initiative was the only hope for your kind... there was a time when you believed it."

There was doubt on the Arbiter's face, before he heard a familiar phrase from his past.

"You need to remember who you are."

As the words left Luna's lips, the Arbiter drew a deep breath in, and the monitor sped up as his eyes widened.

"How could you...?" he asked, dumbstruck, before he realized someplace he had seen the mare beside him before.

He sat up in his bed, the weight of memory in his weary face, and for once, he took no notice of the tremendous pain in his body.

"I saw you... in a dream... you were with me in the Control Room... the glassing... Reach."

Luna looked down and pawed the ground before she adopted her regal self once again, her back straightening and her wings folding tightly to her sides; her posture was a mirror of the characteristic stance of her older sister, right down to the way she looked at the Arbiter with neither apathy nor obsession. But, her voice was as gentle as before.

"I have a gift... the ability to dream walk," she admitted slowly, "I've seen much of your past... I apologize if it seems like an intrusion."

"It does," the Arbiter said defensively, looking at her suspiciously.

The Sangheili looked down for a little while before he looked back to Luna, the weight of a memory still in his expression.

"In the courtyard, when I burned the pyre during my brothers' funeral," he began slowly, Luna nodding as she too remembered the moment, "you said you could understand what I had done, because you had done something similar."

"I did," she affirmed quickly, looking to the door as she continued, "If we had more time, I would tell you now, but I'm afraid I must be going. The next time we see one another, we'll talk about the past... both our pasts."

The Arbiter seemed conflicted, not knowing if this revelation was taken as a moment of weakness or a moment of being strong for too long. Regardless, his sterling armor still rested in the corner, and here he was, practically naked without it. But, as Luna got up to join the rest of her company headed for the Crystal Empire, he called after her.

"I would... like that," he admitted, and the alicorn gave him a smile.

"Until next time, Arbiter."