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Thel ‘Vadam was beginning to feel the “cosmic karma” of the “heresy of the Arbiter” was starting to grow sadistically overblown. Or bullshit. That sounded right, too.
Maybe the first sign of that came after being launched off a platform by Tartarus, allegedly ordered by the highest heads of their empire. Maybe it was the “meeting” with the Gravemind and Demon, where he was suspended by tentacles and demeaned by the very forces that brought about his “heresy”. Maybe he felt it the moment the High Council equated his failure to a betrayal of faith.
There is no way I could be an incarnation of Fal ‘Chavamee, he had dared to voice - but only to himself. >He< insulted our entire way of life to the face of a Hierarch! I stood before the whole Council - all three Hierarchs as well - and proclaimed my unwavering devotion, even after the greatest embarrassment a Covenant member could ever face should have permanently silenced me in shame.
And he was ashamed. Back then, it was due to the destruction of Halo. His instinct to protect his fleet and the entire galaxy from the sudden appearance of the parasite had opened the door for a Demon to reign. Perhaps that is what came off as so blasphemous to everyone else - that instinct should’ve been directed to the holy relic. Would the holy light of Halo have acted as a cleanser against the parasite should it have been fired? Did he need not worry as he did?
"Ask the Oracle about Halo. How they would sacrifice us all for nothing!"
"Look around you, Arbiter. This facility and dozens like it resulted in the study of the Parasite, but where are the weapons, Arbiter? What was the result?”
"Oracle? Great Journey? Why do you meddlers insist on using such inaccurate verbiage-”
“Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring.”
“This thing is right. Halo is a weapon. Your Prophets are making a big mistake.”
Why was it that in the holiest of places, the desecrating Flood always followed? This had to be the second or third time such a situation occurred. Perhaps more, if previous encounters ended with no survivors.
The face of his direct predecessor for some reason came to mind almost instantly. It was yet another implied insult to him - that they dare compare him to Ripa ‘Moramee. They dared to compare every Arbiter to Ripa ‘Moramee.
For longer than the Sangheili could even remember, the legend of the Arbiter persisted. It was said that those who inherited the ceremonial role were always destined to, as they had always held the soul of the original Arbiter within them. It was why there could only ever be one occupying the role at a time, and why it would always take some time after an old one’s death for a new one to arise.
Why this was the case was actually unclear. It could have been that the original Arbiter was no mere mortal to begin with. It could have been that he was, but had ascended to something else entirely after death. It could have been an oddly worded prophecy set to repeat every generation.
It could have been they had all taken ancient, mystic words too literally than intended.
Trying to prove this conundrum was just as difficult both inside and out. Anyone could see that there had been a range of Arbiters: celebrated leaders to tyrants vanquished with prejudice, heroes to villains, the greats and the failures. Comparing the whole line to Ripa ‘Moramee wasn’t just insulting; it was misleading. Ripa ‘Moramee was infamous for his wrath, Fal ‘Chavamee was infamous for his heresy. Maybe if you squinted, you could see how ‘Chavamee’s slaying of an entire army could be similar to ‘Moramee’s ability to utilize his rage on the battlefield. You could compare ‘Moramee’s attempted coup to ‘Chavamee’s heretical beliefs.
But then you would have to tie it back to the Grunt Rebellion, the Taming of the Hunters, every other instance of an Arbiter. And then you would have to connect Thel ‘Vadam to it all as well. It just didn’t fit. The idea a soul could evolve his behavior with each life could only explain so much. If that was the case, it was a very indecisive soul that couldn’t commit to a basic personality. And the Covenant wanted to claim that one Arbiter’s heresy was one that reflected on everyone who held the rank?
Well, Thel’s role in ending the Covenant wouldn’t help in that department. They’d only conjure up the image of Fal ‘Chavamee in their heads. Despite how necessary it was for everyone’s survival - despite him being in the right - they’ll all claim it had always been his destiny to do so. That it could be the Arbiter’s soul finally getting revenge.
Mentally sighing to himself, Thel reached a conclusion. Fine. Let them believe in fairy tales. Then, I’ll become a legend that no one shall soon forget.