Halo: Indelible Past/Chapter Thirty-Nine

"The Incumbent Wrath has stabilized," Fira reported quietly to the crowded shuttle bay. "The bridge was unharmed and Sona is still alive. A cruiser has already arrived to escort it to the surface for repairs."

"At least we can take some comfort in that," Autel replied. "The crew did not die for nothing."

No one said anything for a long time after that. Autel wondered if everyone doubted that claim as much as he did. They still had no idea why the Path Walkers had attacked and retreated so suddenly or how they had chosen the Wrath as their target. Even if they had been driven back from some objective, he and the other warriors had little to show for it. Only a handful of the Path Walkers and their dull-armored allies had been killed during the fighting; even the corvette that had harried the stricken Wrath had escaped without a scratch.

His thoughts turned back to the warrior he had glimpsed back in the hangar, the one who had cut through his warriors so easily and even killed the famous David Kahn. So that was Shinsu 'Refum.

He had fought the so-called Black Knight of Sanghelios once before, in the snowy Nisa Valley where he had helped destroy the Sons of the Preserving Blade militia. 'Refum had come upon him as he lay dazed from an explosion, but instead of killing him on the spot the warrior had tossed Autel back his energy sword and bid him stand to fight.

Fira had interrupted before they could do battle in earnest, but after seeing Shinsu in action Autel was now convinced that had his friend not intervened he would not have survived that bloody day.

Shinsu sought the destruction of Vadam in recompense for the death of Sesa 'Refumee and the slaughter of his clan. Such a simple, selfish goal, yet Shinsu had somehow rallied a sizable force of warriors under his banner. Word of the "Cleansing Blade" had reached the ears of Deno and his spies, but for now the only picture they could give of Shinsu's group was a shadowy band of killers who lurked within the depths of the underworld and made alliances with criminals, pirates, and all manner of other scum.

And now they have joined forces with the Path Walkers. Autel could not understand any of it. Shinsu and Urei 'Cazal no doubt knew each other from their days together in the Fallen, but what did Shinsu have to gain from an alliance with religious fanatics? A larger force to bring to bear against Vadam?

He will come for us, and soon, Autel thought with a shudder. It was not Shinsu's fighting prowess that frightened him, but the fact that this vengeance-bent warrior was an utter mystery to him. How could he fight someone he didn't understand?

In the end, such doubts wouldn't matter. Autel would face Shinsu when the time came. They called him the White Knight behind his back; perhaps he was the perfect match to defeat the Black Knight.