The halls of the Covenant cruiser mystified her as Icca walked through them, studying every minute detail and passing warrior.

Technically she and the twenty-two other Sanctus-bound Sangheili aboard weren't supposed to be out of the civilian quarters, but apparently the Ship Master felt secure enough to let them roam free - with escorts, of course.  And even with the intended limitations raised, there were still areas banned from them, such as all troop-heavy sectors.

Icca peeped up at the tall warrior beside her for perhaps the umpteenth time.  He made no indication that he noticed her frequent glances; judging by his armor and bearing Icca knew him to be a minor, still in training himself.  This made her feel more comfortable, if also a bit annoyed at the constant shadow.

My father was in a cruiser like this, she thought, unable to help but feel a touch of pride.

"It's so large," a voice piped up from behind her.  Icca swiveled her head and noticed a child her age trailing after them.  Like herself, the stranger was wearing her best and most fitting clothes, although the train around her waist was a little long for her short stature.  Icca immediately reached out and steadied the stranger as she halfway tripped over the offending article of clothing.

"My apologies," the other child muttered, flushing slight violet.  Icca tilted her head quizzically.

"You're going to become a D'amor, too?" Icca questioned, hoping she didn't sound too dubious.  The answer was obvious of course; what else would a young female Sangheili child be doing wandering around?

"Yes," the stranger replied, although she didn't sound too happy.  She straightened herself and smiled at Icca, trying not to acknowledge the warrior standing guard beside them.  "I'm Leas of the Pak clan."

Icca immediately recognized the name of the family and was tempted to laugh.  Although there really wasn't anything funny about it, she couldn't help but mentally muse over the fact a daughter of such an esteemed family had nearly tripped into her upon meeting.

Instead Icca clicked her mandibles in a smile.  "I am Icca," she replied.  After a pause she added, "Of the Xot."

"An honor," Leas replied, bowing her head in traditional greeting.  Icca mirrored the action.

For the first time in a while the escort beside them stirred, and out of the corner of her eye Icca could tell he was listening intently to a silent transmission through his helmet.  The warrior turned to face his young charges, his expression slightly relieved. "We have arrived," he rumbled.

Icca felt her stomach flip slightly as she felt the ship shift its trajectory underneath her hooves.  Leas leaned against an iridescent purple wall, pulling a nauseated face. "I'll be happy to get off this thing," she muttered quietly.

Personally, Icca had already grown accustomed to space travel, and was suddenly loath at the thought to arrive on stable ground again.  Her escort, on the other hand, looked happy to have arrived.  This was probably due to the fact she had forced him to walk the floors of the cruiser with her multiple times.

"Too soon," Icca whispered, mostly to herself.

******************

Virtuous Sanctum was home to an esteemed Sangheili holy city, and conveniently located in conquered Covenant space.  It was a place of ritual, a world where many Ship Masters, Commanders and Admirals came for their ceremonies.  Even when she had studied it curiously back aboard the cruiser she had been struck by how similar it was to Sanghelios in appearance, sans the more dominant red atmosphere.

It wasn't High Charity, but it was still impressive. And, nestled near the heart of the city, was the home of Sanctus... the Temple and training grounds of the D'amor and aspiring Priests.

Icca's hooves felt strangely leaden as she stepped off the small transport, which had carried her and nine others from the cruiser.  Perhaps it was the resituating to natural gravity or sudden homesickness, but she suddenly felt inclined to sit down and catch her breath.  Above the elaborate walls of the Temple she could see traces of the impressive Covenant fleet keeping a silent watch over the city, along with paths of Phantoms and transports in constant motion through the skies.

She slowly breathed in and exhaled.  

So this would be her home.

It took a little longer than she anticipated for everything to be ready.  As far as Icca had been able to gather, there were forty-one members of her class. Seven were from Virtuous Sanctum, twenty-three from Sanghelios, and eleven others from various colonies.

They had come via private transports, unloading near the temple gates.  All were around Icca's age, of various demeanors and sizes, but a common bond shared by all was prestigious bloodline.  One could not become a D'amor otherwise.

Personally Icca was already beginning to feel awkward.  She probably constituted the lowest Clan represented, wealth and prestige wise.  Her grandsire had been a Commander, certainly, and a distant grandmother a priestess herself - and it was these ties alone that had enabled her to be here.

Warriors stood guard around the grounds, keeping silent vigil as the young gathered below the stairs in anticipation.  Priestesses had come to meet them, but Icca had yet to see a high-class official make an appearance.  She slipped away from the crowd of excited females and found a vacant spot on the cool stone of the stairs.

Only moments later the clicking of hooves alerted Icca to Leas' approach.  The shorter Sangheili sighed fitfully, sitting down beside her friend.  

"It should be soon now," Leas spoke up, fiddling with a tassel on her shirt.  "They've taken in our belongings."

Icca said nothing in reply, but instead swept an eye over the other arrivals as a strange feeling brushed against her.

"We're not all going to make it," she replied quietly.

Leas glanced up at Icca and blinked once before following her friend's gaze. "...No," she finally replied.  "I suppose not.  This is one of the larger classes I've seen.  They usually only graduate half this much at a time."

Icca traced her gaze over the ceremonially clad warriors standing post on the top of the stairs. "Do you think you will?"

Leas peered down at the smooth floor, idly tapping her hooves.  "I didn't want to become a D'amor," she admitted after a pause.  "I wanted to become a priestess.  But that's not... tradition." Leas glanced back up to her companion.  "What about you?"

Icca's eyes traveled to one of the glinting spires of the Temple.  "I have to," she replied, her voice suddenly firm.  "There is no question.  I will fight my way in if I must. It is..."

The only way I can find my answers.

The only way I can find my father.  

...And Ombr.

"...the only way."

****************


If the gods dwelled anywhere on the mortal plain, it was surely here.

The Temple of Sanctus was massive, and the ceremonial chamber breathtaking.  It almost made her feel she was in High Charity.

If you're lucky, you may go there one day, a voice chided her inwardly.  Icca quickly fought down the boost of adrenaline that sent excited shivers down her spine.

A silence filled the chamber as the last of the children were ushered into the Temple.  Low level Priestesses began lining the walls, casting soft shadows on the elaborate murals inscribed there.  The waiting was taking its toll on Icca, and she shifted her weight from leg to leg, impatient.  

It was then the Temple Honor Guards began filing silently into the chamber, and she heard low whispers snaking through the crowd around her.

"...Isn't it magnificent..."

"...Going to start..."

"...so handsome..."

Icca attempted to tune out the snatches of quiet conversations and slipped to the edge of the group where she had a better view of the orientation platform.  Icca easily picked up the now familiar hoof steps of Leas as she followed, obviously having similar plans.

The Honor Guards took their places along the edges of the chamber, and Icca found herself marveling at their ceremonial armor and weaponry.  They truly were impressive.  Despite everything, she found herself searching for her father's face in the personage of every warrior she saw.  She simply could not help but be fascinated with the military, especially when two close to her had disappeared within its fold.

A nudge on her side snapped Icca out of her reverie, and after pulling a slightly annoyed face at Leas, she realized the ceremony was starting. Sixth and seventh level Priestesses appeared, their robes flowing quietly over the ground as their ornate headdresses tinkled in the air. Then came the last procession; cloaked Priests followed by a score of crimson-armored warriors, who took their place at the back.

It was then that five Sangheili approached the center of the platform.  Icca was immediately taken by the flare of golden armor, so much so that it took her a moment to place the other figures.

"I didn't know a Supreme Commander would be present for our orientation," Leas uttered beside her, clearly awed. Similar whispers echoed through the crowd of younglings beside them.

"May the favor of the gods shine upon the hour of our coming."

Icca's eyes were drawn from the Supreme Commander to the central figure whose firm but gentle voice caused all others to fall silent. She was quite easily the most elegant Sangheili Icca had ever seen; tall and lean, her skin flushed slightly in the light, holding her place easily between the towering Commander and the Major at her other side.

"That's her," Leas whispered excitedly.  "Sanctus' Daughter..."

Icca marveled, finally blessed with the opportunity to gaze upon her future Trainer.  A true D'amor... what they all hoped to become.  A true Daughter of the Gods.

Silver tendrils snaked around the Daughter's waist as a silk train shimmered around her legs.  She held up a hand, silver bracers glinting in the light of the Temple as the Forerunner glyph attached around her collar glowed with a holy aura.  

"I see you," she continued, her voice soothing and gentle.  "Future daughters of our Covenant, ambassadors for our gods.  You have been chosen, your bloodlines running pure with sacred promise.  Offspring of Admirals, Councilors, vestiges of Arbiters and Champions; the pride of your mothers, the promise of your fathers.  There is a glorious destiny waiting for each of you, if you choose to accept it..."

Here the First Daughter paused, her green eyes trailing over the faces of the young peering up at her in near worship. "...And are accepted in return.  I will not hold the truth from you.  As with any sacred destiny, you must work for it, and the work will not be easy.  It will be difficult.  You will bleed, you will cry, and you will sorrow.  But such is the price we pay to serve the gods and the Covenant.  You will make many sacrifices and face many demons.  You will be faced with shame and failure. But do not let this trouble you; for no Sangheili became an instrument of worth without first being crafted into a tool of use."

Icca did not miss the challenge in the First Daughter's tone.  She had never been under the illusion that her training would be easy, but hearing it from the maw of the Daughter herself... the young Sangheili suddenly felt a shiver of excitement course through her.

She would work for it.  And she would take it.

Her father, Ombr - no one could be proud of her otherwise.

The awkwardness of earlier vanished.  Icca suddenly glanced over her class, already detecting pinpricks of doubt in the eyes of some.  They wouldn't make it.

But she would.

She had to.

"The D'amor," the First Daughter continued, "is a bridge between the divine and the mortal.  We are messengers of the gods, crafting and retelling tales and legends long past.  It is we who give life to the old stories that inspired our forefathers to take the Oath.  It is within us that the promise resides, the blessings of our race.  You will learn Scripture, and you will learn War.  It is a delicate balance we must achieve, becoming the line between the two.  I am honored to be host to these exact ends that we so strive to understand; with me, Supreme Commander Voran 'Kliztamee and Special Operations Commander Yazo 'Siiqomee. To my other side, First Priestess Lisan Jhalahar and High Ambassador Moro 'Hitolann."

The First Daughter lowered her hand as each of the four Sangheili flanking her bowed their head in acknowledgment of their title.

"It would be such an honor to speak with the First Priestess," Leas babbled.  "Lisan is truly blessed... and she resides here at the Temple, too. I would-"

Leas muffled a squeak as Icca pinched her on the elbow.  "Shh," the taller one chided.  "It's not over yet."

The Supreme Commander stepped up, his deep violet robe curling about his hooves.  He turned his attention to the chamber and the still forms that gazed upon him respectfully.

"It is my honor to be present here at this time," he rumbled in a deep but smooth voice.  "It is here that I ascended to my rank, and here that others will do the same.  You are a pride of the Covenant. May your sights never fall from our nearing salvation!"

There was a moment of deafening cheer as the warriors in the chamber saluted their Commander.  Voran's mandibles quirked in a quick, but serious smile before he stepped back to his place.

"A Sangheili of few words," Leas observed, still rubbing at her smarting arm.

"I never did like those that droned on and on," Icca responded with a teasing tone. Leas attempted to exact revenge with a pinch of her own, but Icca nimbly evaded the attempt, grinning playfully.

"Retaehc," Leas mumbled. Icca only pursed her mandibles in response.

"The hour grows late," the First Daughter began again.  "Undoubtedly you are all weary from your long travels, Children of Sanctum, Sangheil, and our sister clans. You will now be appointed to your area of housing and given your rooms.  Enjoy the rest while you can, for your Trials may begin sooner than you'd think.  After all," she continued, her voice suddenly guarded, "you are not D'amor just yet."

Icca continued to puzzle over those parting words even as she and Leas were bundled in groups and escorted out of the chamber.

***************

Phantom fingers stroked the edges of her conscious as Icca found herself being slowly roused from sleep.  She groaned slightly, rolling over and attempting to curl up against the silken sheets that adorned her new bunk.  Surely it wasn't morning already.  They had only been given their lodgings hours ago it seemed...

"Arise, young one," a voice began, the sound pulling Icca further from sleep.  The young Sangheili sighed, slowly uncurling her slim fingers from the sheets as she peeled open an eye.

The face of a third level Priestess gazed back at her, illuminated by the moonlight that slid in through a far window.  Icca blinked once - twice - her body slowly rousing from its state of sleep.

"What..." she managed to mumble, confused.  The Priestess gently took her arm, guiding Icca up into a groggy sit.  Icca glanced around the spacious room she now shared with Leas and four others, but to her surprise none of them were present.

This wasn't right.  They had all come here, gotten settled, and fallen asleep from excitement and weariness.  They should still be here, asleep in their respective bunks -

"What have you -" Icca began to demand, momentarily forgetting her situation, but she was silenced by a swift hand motion from the Priestess.

"Come, young one," the older Sangheili replied.  "Your Trial begins."