*Ardo moves to the front of the group, to stand beside Rgis and Vali.*
Ardo: Another has passed through these haunted halls.
Rgis: (sniffs) And not too long ago.
(he kicks a nearby corpse)
Vali: Move on.
*She continues down the hallway followed quickly by Scron, Kysh, and Cado.*
*Ardo and Rgis stay were they are for a moment. The warriors glance at each other before following their leader.*
...Pelican, enroute...
Maximus: I? I was one of their greatest warriors, their greatest leaders. And like all great leaders I had a great teacher. He was more than a teacher- some wise scholar... he was a friend. He taught me everything I knew... about honor, the Code, loyalty to the Prophets.
In his old age he tried to warn me. He said that the Prophet's words were lies... that they they were not leading us to our salvation... but to our graves. I did not believe him at first... perhaps because I did not want too. Did not want to know that everything I believed in, everything I put my trust in... was all lies.
(he sighs)
The Prophets charged him with heresy. He was killed... and his body paraded through our Holy City. I did not attend... so the Prophets suspected me.
(he chuckles)
They sent me on a mission... told me that my friend had made a journey shortly before he declared heresy. They wanted me to find out what- or who- had turned such a wise Sangheili scholar.
Perhaps they wanted me to die on that mission... like an Arbiter.
(another sigh)
I found what they wanted... and I learned the truth. I... went back. Tried to warn my brothers of all the lies. But my message fell on deaf ears... so I fled.