A True Warrior

It was morning. Gwon, the greatest solder in the Covenant army, was alone with his wife. Suddenly, a loudspeaker came on and asked for all solders to meet in the briefing room. Upon arrival, Gwon and the other soldiers were informed of a planet containing a massive supply of artifacts. They were told to exterminate all inhabitants because they refused to hand over the artifacts. Gwon returned to his wife and explained the situation.

"You're leaving!" she exclaimed.

"Just for a few weeks. This one bears all of the signatures of a conversion. We just have to scare them into joining us; it never takes long." said Gwon.

Gwon had already fought in the Brute conversion, and he assumed this one would work out the same way. A dozen battles, maybe kill a few hundred of 'em; a month tops. And at first it seemed it was going to work out this way, but then they Glassed the planet. Gwon hated this practice, he had always seen it as barbaric and wasteful. He knew the planets could be un-glassed just as easily, but he disliked the fact that so many animals went extinct when it happened.

Years passed. The war raged on.

"These ones are going to get a high rank" he said to a friend named Roun, one day.

"No question, they'll certainly be just below us, I look forward to commanding some in a few years". Roun replied. " if only Grunts were as powerful".

"Power is not the measure of a true warrior. Anyone can be strong; there's no merit in size or strength" Gwon replied "The measures of a true warrior; bravery, loyalty, the ability to admit one has done wrong, and to forgive those who have done wrong to you; this is the measure of a true warrior. We will always have the advantage in size and strength. But in the measures of a true warrior, they outclass us in every way possible."

Roun was speechless.

At that moment, a loudspeaker come on. Gwon had been called on mandatory leave. He wondered why. He wondered...