Halo: Fifth Canticle
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Halo: Fifth Canticle is an entry in the Halo Waypoint Chronicle series of short stories published by Halo Studios, set to be released online on Halo Waypoint and YouTube for free on October 27, 2025 to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the release of Halo 5: Guardians.[2] It is included in the 2026 print anthology compilation Halo: Waypoint Chronicles - Volume One.[3]
Official summary[edit]
| “ | 2558. Amid the chaos of the Created uprising, five tales of truth, compromise, betrayal, purpose, and change unfold across the galaxy. Doctor Catherine Halsey and Jul 'Mdama share an honest conversation, Captain Lasky makes arrangements for a vital mission to Sanghelios, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam confronts a traitor, Exuberant Witness makes some new friends, and a strange signal is picked up on Zeta Halo. |
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Plot synopsis[edit]
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Canticle I. The Children[edit]
On October 16, 2558 on the Song of Retribution, Jul 'Mdama was caught in a moment of quiet repose by Dr. Catherine Halsey, looking at a picture of his family. Halsey noted that 'Mdama looked haggard and gaunt, his grey-white skin almost sickly and 'Mdama acted as if she had caught him in a private moment, one that he was loathe to share.
Halsey reflected that whoever 'Mdama used to be had been corroded away over the years and that the sad charade of 'Mdama's zealotry was increasingly becoming more real. 'Mdama had tasted the power that being the Didact's Hand had given him and naturally wanted more. Unfortunately, the recent of crushing defeats that 'Mdama had suffered in Operation: ATHENA, Sali 'Nyon's rebellion and the recent betrayal of the Prometheans at the behest of a new commander was driving 'Mdama ever closer to impatience and stoking his rage was making 'Mdama irritable, reactive and weak. Halsey never considered herself a prisoner amongst Jul 'Mdama's Covenant, having been able to wrap the Sangheili cult leader around her finger by expressing her desire for revenge against the UNSC. Halsey saw straight through 'Mdama's act and he knew it. Despite her own recent setbacks and failures, Halsey was certain that when she returned to the UNSC, she would make quite a meal out of how she alone had been more effective at bringing down the Didact’s Hand than hundreds of their so-called Spartans.
At Halsey's request, 'Mdama spoke of how Sangheili children were honed to become warriors, their lives dedicated to duty and service to the Covenant, before being sent to battle Halsey's children, the Spartans. Halsey reminded 'Mdama that the war had been over for five years and when Arbiter Thel 'Vadam sought to make peace, 'Mdama had started a new war, one not just against humanity but against his own people. Halsey suggested that if 'Mdama's children were in danger now, it was due to his own choices. However, 'Mdama believed that the Arbiter was blinded by his need for redemption and would lead the Sangheili to ruin in pursuit of it. 'Mdama began this war to depose Thel 'Vadam because the Office of Naval Intelligence set him on this path, just as they did with Halsey. What 'Mdama did was to save his people and it was in the names of Dural, Asum and Raia that 'Mdama would free Sanghelios from 'Vadam's grasp and burn ONI out of the shadows once there was unity. Only once 'Mdama's vengeance was complete could there be a road to peace.
Halsey could at least sympathize with the rage that drove and sustained 'Mdama. After learning that Jacob Keyes had perished on Installation 04, Halsey had felt a profound shift in her logic. No longer could Halsey bear to sacrifice others for humanity's survival, she instead sought to save as many lives as she could. Even now this philosophy continued to hold true. Halsey had been given the chance to make it happen by an imprint of the Librarian herself. While Halsey did not believe in destiny or divine providence, she had been chosen to uplift humanity with the bountiful gifts of Forerunner technology. However, Halsey's efforts had ended in failure and now someone else was taking her place and awakening the Forerunner legacy from its long slumber. Halsey was unwilling to allow herself to be usurped in such a manner and had decided that her partnership with Jul 'Mdama was imminent as the Covenant leader's usefulness in the pursuit of her goals had run its course. However, savoring the irony that she was the only one that 'Mdama could truly confide in, Halsey found herself wanting to dig deeper into the truth that this Sangheili buried deep within himself -- the things that 'Mdama dared not to reveal to his own followers.
Caught up in her thoughts, Halsey failed to seize upon the opportunity to press 'Mdama further and he questioned her in turn about what Halsey would give to see her own children again and ensure that they were safe. Halsey thought about her daughter Miranda Keyes and the regret that she had over the resentment and distance Miranda had after Halsey gave her up to ensure that Miranda was loved and raised as she deserved to be, compounded by the fact that Miranda's death prevented Halsey from making things right between them. Halsey thought of her Spartans, so many of whom were dead now, and her grief at each of their loss, the only counterargument, the only clue that Halsey had underestimated her capacity to love. In particular, Halsey thought of John-117 and her recent discovery that he was still alive out there somewhere. Halsey admitted to 'Mdama that she would do anything for her children.
Canticle II. The Deal[edit]
On October 26, Captain Thomas Lasky on the UNSC Infinity was connected by Roland to Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood and Admiral Serin Osman. Lasky admitted that he was doing as well as possible given the recent Guardian emergences and Blue Team going AWOL, and informed the two that after the events on Meridian, Roland and Halsey had come up with a plan to follow the Guardian that Blue Team had boarded to its destination and find answers. However, the catch was that the Infinity needed to go to Sanghelios.
While Osman was willing to abandon Thel 'Vadam to his war with Jul 'Mdama's Covenant, Hood diplomatically but unsubtly reminded her of Kilo-Five's role in sparking the Blooding Years. Although the Home Fleet needed Infinity back for Earth's defense against the Guardians, Hood offered the compromise of sending Commander Sarah Palmer and Fireteam Osiris with Halsey instead. Osman reluctantly conceded, but ordered that if anything went wrong, the mission did not exist and if Halsey stepped out of line again, Palmer was ordered to finish the job that she had failed to complete on Requiem, Aktis IV and during Operation: ATHENA. Resigned to having been outmaneuvered, Osman cut the connection without a further word.
Privately, Hood told Lasky that he agreed with Osman that the situation on Sanghelios was currently a mess and there were plenty of people who wanted to keep it that way. However, while Halsey was a wild card, Hood was certain that she would be highly motivated to help Blue Team.
Canticle III. The Traitor[edit]
On October 27, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam continued to be haunted by the voice of the Prophet of Truth whispering in his ear, coming to him in the quiet moments along with the sensation of three spindly, elongated fingers draping over his shoulder as if to provide a sacred blessing and a phantom pain of the Mark of Shame being branded onto 'Vadam anew.
In particular, it came to 'Vadam now as he had to face a traitor within his own ranks: Murok 'Vadam, an elder of Vadam Keep who security officer