Burnblade

"These are genuine Qikost swords. Their blades are ever fine and true."

- Vertikus, a Sangheili weapons dealer.

The burnblade was a Sangheili sword common in the Covenant's early history. They were manufactured by arms master Sangheili living on Sanghelios' moon of Qikost in the species' early period of interstellar expansion. Burnblades were forged from metal and heated from within to deal devastating damage to targets. When active, the intense heat caused the weapon's metal blade to glow red from within. At a short distance, the burnblade's heat could scorch the exposed skin of any nearby individual. Burnblades were powered by a charger within the sword, and activated by a button on the hilt. The blade charred what it did not cut without cauterizing.

While seemingly long-abandoned by the mainline Sangheili in favor of the more effective and technologically sophisticated energy sword, burnblades continued to be in use by the Sangheili Ussans of the Refuge colony well into the modern times. By 2552, few of the burnblades in the colony remained functioning. The weapons were used in the Ussan floatfighting sport, though lethal attacks were generally avoided.

Following the reunion of the Ussans with the rest of the Sangheili, burnblades have seen a resurgence in popularity, particularly among human pirates.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Broken Circle