Rending

"If you wish to follow the Covenant, then leave here now! For myself—I will not surrender to the San'Shyuum! Nor will anyone loyal to my clan! And do not be deceived—the tale that this is alliance and not meek surrender is a lie! What is a Sangheili but his honor? His honor is equal to his soul, and his soul to his honor! We cannot submit to the Covenant. It is better to die than to live without dignity."

- Ussa 'Xellus delivering a speech at his keep.

The Rending was an insurrection sparked by Ussa 'Xellus in 851 BCE against both the Writ of Union and the Covenant at large.

The Disassembly
After Ussan traitor Salus 'Crolon was captured by the Covenant, he informed the empire of the Ussans' refuge on the shield world. Interested in capturing the shield world and eliminating the Ussan rebels, the Hierarchs sent in a Covenant fleet led by the Prophet of Inner Conviction to do so.

Inner Conviction attempted to reason with Ussa 'Xellus and offered to aid in guaranteeing his people's freedom if he allowed himself and his mate to be tried before the Covenant, and likely executed. However, Ussa was not assured that his followers would ever be able to be allowed to return to Sanghelios alive. Instead, Ussa had monitor Enduring Bias activate the shield world's Disassembler process as the Covenant military invaded the world. The shield world was seemingly destroyed, along with all of its inhabitants.

Ussans
Although Inner Conviction did not believe that the Ussans were killed, he decided to not court trouble and he ordered his fleet to leave the system. In truth, Ussa and his allies survived aboard large freight movers. After the fleet had left, Enduring Bias set the fragmented habitats of the shield world within the system's asteroid belt, as Ussa pledged to one day have his people take back Sanghelios.

The Ussans continued to inhabit the disparate components of the shield world until 2553, when they were discovered by a group of Sangheili-led Covenant fleeing High Charity. The inhabitants returned to contact with the Sangheili and those willing to return to Sanghelios were given the opportunity to.

Legacy
The events of the Rending were recounted by the Prophet of Clarity in his Notes on the History of the Covenant which was composed in 2552.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Broken Circle