Silent Shadow: Difference between revisions

|branch=[[Covenant Special Operations]] {{C|formerly}}<ref name="tfs"/>

|type=[[Special Operations Sangheili]] unit<ref name="tfs"/>

|role=Assassinations, extraction<ref name="tfs"/>

|size=Several squads<ref name="bf"/>

|commanders=[[Resa 'Azavayl]]<ref name="tfs"/>

<br>[[Tel 'Szatulai]]<ref name="HSS18"/>

{{Quote|We are the Silent Shadow. Once our charge was varied—assassination, extraction—direct and thorough acts of violence. Our goals, strategic—pointed and precise. Our ends, religious, verging on Godly. Those days are over. Or, at best, on hold. Now we have but one aim… the slaughter of [[Jiralhanae|beasts]].|Resa 'Azavayl<ref name="tfs"/>}}

The '''Silent Shadow''' was a unit of [[Special Operations Sangheili|special operations]] [[Sangheili]] within the [[Covenant]]'s [[Covenant Special Operations|Special Operations]] branch. It was made up of several individual squads. The Silent Shadow undertook numerous missions during the [[Human-Covenant War|Covenant War]], including assassinations and extractions.<ref name="tfs"/>

One such squad was led by [[First Blade officer]] [[Resa 'Azavayl]]. Following the [[Great Schism]], Resa's squad took it upon themselves to wipe out every [[Jiralhanae]] they encountered. However, [[Atriox]] was ultimately able to convince the rest of squad to betray 'Azavayl and join the [[Banished]].<ref name="tfs"/>

At some point prior to [[2552#December|December 2552]], a unit of the Silent Shadow laid a trap for two two-person teams of [[Spartan-III]] [[Headhunter]]s. On an unnamed moon, ten Covenant base camps were established to field crew for a [[Forerunner]] artifact dig site, which the Spartans were ordered to destroy. The Spartans observed the base for the next two days, identifying patrol routes, high-ranking enemies, and important control sites, unaware of the trap prepared for them. On the third day they infiltrated the base, eliminating all hostiles and setting demolition charges around the base. At the moment the Spartans let their guard down, the cloaked First Blade impaled [[Roland-B210|one of the Headhunters]] with his energy sword, while his subordinates appeared and surrounded [[Jonah-B283]]. The First Blade suggested the Spartan surrender, informing him that the second Spartan team was already dead. Refusing, Jonah lured the Sangheili closer to the charges before setting them off, killing himself and the Elites.<ref name="shadow"/>{{clear}}

{{Quote|I see you for what you are and what you could be. We can do great things together. Not as master and slaves, but as the warriors you truly are—free to continue your crusade without the shackles of outdated faith.|Atriox, offering the Silent Shadow a place within the Banished<ref name="tfs"/>}}

After the Covenant's betrayal of the [[Sangheili]] and the outbreak of the [[Great Schism]], the squad led by First Blade [[Resa 'Azavayl]] dedicated themselves to eliminating all [[Jiralhanae]], as well as any forces under their control. Notably, the Silent Shadow wiped out a Jiralhanae [[pack]] in an armory on the fourth [[moon]] of [[Victors' Truth]], runaway Jiralhanae forces aboard the stolen [[Covenant corvette]] ''[[Adherent]]'', "butchers" encamped in a resource enclave in the northern highlands of [[Thalia]], Covenant holdouts aboard a derelict colonial substation in the low orbit of [[Sansar]], and the last remaining members of [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]]' crew aboard the [[Covenant cruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''.<ref name="tfs"/>

  "Agreed. Atriox is of a kind with our enemies, but he is OTHER, and an ally worth considering."''</ref> As 'Azavayl moved to attack, he was slain by the rest of his squad, who desired to join the Banished. Afterwards, Atriox allowed the remaining members of the Silent Shadow to join the Banished, offering to reward them with "blood and sport and spoils".<ref name="tfs"/>