The Cruelty Disease

"Tis as if the Gods themselves play with us, to bestow such a cruel fate onto Warriors as we are"

- A Sangheili contemplating the horror of the Disease

The “Cruelty Disease” is a genetic disease inherent only to the Sangheili species. Its proper medical term is Chronic Supposition Syndrome, coined by the San ‘Shyuum Minister of Synopsis in the 4th Age of Reconciliation.

Overview
The “Cruelty Disease”, as it is known to the Sangheili, is a genetic dysfunction inherent only to the Sangheili species. It is known as the cruelty disease because of its debilitating effects upon the victim. The disease breaks down muscles based tissue, beginning in the extremities and spreading progressively towards the torso. To this purpose, it causes the victim to become progressively physically weaker, which to a Sangheili, is one of the most horrific things that could ever happen to a proud and noble species, such as themselves, thus the colloquial name.

The disease is quite painful once it reaches stage 2, during which the infected muscle tissue begins to break down via necrosis. From this stage to stage 4, periodic amounts of pain occur over the following 10-15 years.

Symptoms
The cruelty disease follows a usually specific path of weakening. The disease is first characterized by weakening in either the fingers or the feet, often resulting in the victim having trouble grasping things firmly, or having a weakened stance, sometimes causing the victim to fall over or drop things.

In stage two, the disease spreads towards the victims arms and/legs, dependant upon the severity of the disease. By this time the victim is unable to hold items, and is usually reduced to limping, or often not able to stand at all. It is during this stage that the muscles begin to experience irreversible necrosis, damaging them beyond repair. This stage usually occurs 10-12 years after the first stage, it is unknown why it takes so long for it to settle into this stage, however the stage progresses slowly until it envelops the forearms and legs.

The Third stage renders the victim completely unable to walk or hold things, and occurs progressively over stage two until the Sangheili is immobilized. During this stage, the Sangheili begins to suffer from extreme medical issues, usually from inactiveness of the limbs causing blood clots and organ problems. Stage four is essentially death. If the Sangheili is strong enough to stave off organ failure and survive blood clots, then the disease finishes them off from cessation of heart activity. After around about 20-25 years, the disease progresses towards the Sangheili’s hearts, causing further muscle necrosis around and over the heart tissues, rending them incapable of functioning, thus effectively killing the victim.

Biological effects
The “Cruelty Disease” is a somewhat misleading condition. It begins in numerous cells all over the body, considering it is genetic, the DNA of the victim is what holds the disease itself. As such, when the disease becomes active, usually in the Sangheili’s mid-years of 50-70 years of age, it is impossible to effectively treat by then. In addition, a Sangheili may go years and years without knowing s/he has the disease, only to become suspicious when the minor symptoms begin to set in.

As a genetic disease, the source of it is the victims own genetic structure. The disease in actuality is a lack of length to the DNA of their muscles, meaning that after so many years, the muscle cells are unable to experience mitosis, resulting in their death without replacement. It is unknown why this occurs only to muscle based cells, or why it begins in the extremities and works its way in, however tests upon victims while they were alive suggests that the closer to the centre of the body a muscle cell is, the more length the DNS possesses.

Flood immunity
The Flood infection forms and spores have an innate sense of their victim’s bodies before entering. Such as with Boren’s syndrome, they are unable to take control of a person’s body because of the degrading ability of the Cruelty Disease. The Flood infection form finds controlling such a host to be difficult, cumbersome, and sometimes impossible, so will abandon it before entering the body in favour of a more healthy host.

Unfortunately, like Boren’s syndrome, the disease is a death sentence eventually, and won’t stop combat forms from attacking the victim simply for their biomass.

Notable Victims

 * The Previous Fleet Master of the Fleet of Decisive Judgment, Sita ‘Hurenforee, was one such victim of this disease. He was thought to have asked a friend to kill him instead of living his life in such a pitiful state.