Riftblade

Haruspis: "While the void acts as a deterrent, the Wardens have struck down Forerunner essences from the valley when necessary, especially during the early years after the Halo Array was fired, and many tried to force their way in. This cannot be achieved with the simple light sword, which is so effective in the physical realm. As you experienced yourself, light blades only wound. Killing an essence completely requires a quantum weapon, a riftblade."

Didact: "This generates a quantum blade?"

Haruspis: "It does."

— The Haruspis arms the Didact.

The Riftblade is a Forerunner quantum melee weapon.

Description

As a quantum weapon, a riftblade was the only thing capable of completely destroying essences in the Domain. In its inactive state, the riftblade took on the form of a simple hilt. When activated, the blade proved to be made of the same translucent building blocks that framed the Domain, and it seemed to cut through the fabric of the wasteland of the Domain's outer boundaries even while at rest. It was only active while being held, going inactive if dropped.

The wounds generated by a riftblade could only destroy an essence if the essence was given fatal wounds. Otherwise, the wounds would eventually heal. It could shred both Forerunner personal armor and the hard light that the Warden Eternal's body was made out of.

History

At some point, the riftblade was developed by the Forerunners, presumably to destroy any essences in the Domain that became a threat.

In his role as the guardian of the Domain, the Warden Eternal used a riftblade to strike down Forerunner essences in the outer boundaries when necessary, especially during the early years after the Halo Array was fired, and many tried to force their way in.

While plotting to destroy the Warden Eternal, the Haruspis provided the Didact with a riftblade that he had found, explaining that it was the only thing that could destroy the Warden. After all of the Warden's iterations in the Domain and its outer boundaries were drawn into one body, the Warden switched out his lightblade for a riftblade double the size of the Didact's. The two engaged in a sword fight with the Didact landing a few hits, but being outmatched by the Warden, suffering several slashes that shredded several plates of the Didact's armor. By channeling his anger into strength, the Didact managed to get within the Warden's grasp in a flurry of strikes, and then allowed the construct to grab him as part of a calculated risk, causing the Didact to drop his weapon. As the Didact had hoped, the essences of the Forerunners and humans around him attacked the Warden, giving the Didact a distraction to grab his weapon, shove it into the Warden's torso with all of his might and drag it downwards. Although the Warden attempted to escape through a self-generated rescue portal, the Didact finally destroyed him by slicing the Warden's head in half diagonally with his riftblade. The Warden Eternal fell, slowly disintegrating before he hit the ground, becoming glittering fragments that filled the sky and burned up until there was nothing left.

List of appearances

• Halo: Epitaph (First appearance)