Bionicle Crossroads Karzahni's World; novel edition

Chapter 1 [The Deal]

“It was dark, even for one such as The Makuta of Okoto when he opened his eyes. He could see that this room was pitch black save for a dim light from a nearby door… ”Where am I? how did I get here?” Makuta thought as he looked around the device he was hung up on. What looked like thin strings binding his limbs would not break no matter how much he pulled. After nearly a minute of struggling He was exhausted from his efforts. The door suddenly swung open “Hello? hey hey you! yes you! awake are we?” a voice called out from the darkness of the entryway. When Makuta looked in the direction of the voice he spotted a shadowy hunched figure approaching from the open door. He could make out most of the details in the low lighting, the figure was shorter than he was but still managed to keep a imposing presence. His entire body plated in steel and bone, his shoulder pads looked strangely organic with pulsing veins as if they were alive. His most disturbing feature was the unsettling mask worn on his face, it was nightmare fuel for a mask maker like him, the cursed thing looked as if it was four different masks fused together twisted into a psychotic grin...and it was moving. Ignoring the being’s horrific details and hungry gaze on him, Makuta put up a defiant front “What do you want from me? when I get down from here i’ll-” but before Makuta could finish his sentence the entity interrupted him “Do exactly as I say…” Too shocked to finish he let the entity continue as a screen appeared from the ceiling. ”Lets get to the point, I want you to kill some people for me and your perfect for the job.” The entity continued it’s monologue for what seemed like forever about how he hated his brother and all the ways he would kill him. Makuta’s patience was wearing thin. “I don’t take orders from the likes of you!” Makuta finally spat. The being stopped and snapped it’s head backwards in a disturbing fashion with a bemused expression, while Makuta could see the pure malice and insanity in the thing’s eyes but also a sort of twisted dark intelligence as well. “You… are not exactly in a position to negotiate my edgy friend, but I like your spark, if you ask nicely I’ll let you down from there, take your time I have all eternity.” Makuta could hardly believe what he was hearing was this deranged creature mad? or maybe He himself had finally lost it. But what the thing said was true regardless and he had little choice, so pushing aside whatever dignity he had left he forced, “May I ‘please’ be let down.” Every word felt like it was a knife driven into his pride, The mighty Makuta, former brother to Ekimu and lord of darkness now at the mercy of some psychotic demented lunatic. The being seemed pleased “Now that wasn’t so hard was it? if you had just behaved the first time you wouldn’t be so ‘hung up’.” he cackled at his own bad joke. Shortly after, another decrepit being hobbled into the room carrying a chain. When the husk handed the weapon to it’s master he cracked it like a whip, Makuta flinched when it suddenly burst into flames. The demented being turned to look at his prisoner, the flames illuminated his mask which twisted into a sinister terrifying grin, “Hold still, don’t want to take your head off.” The chain never touched him but the mere proximity of it swinging above his head still left burns on his mask and arms. The wounded mask maker tumbled to the ground as the twisted being continued his speech about his plans eventually turning his back to him, this was the opening he needed. “Big mistake.” Makuta thought as he picked up his maul which had been conveniently nearby and charged the madman…

“The blow should have knocked the lights out of that lunatic, there was no way that he could react that fast!” Makuta thought drearily, lying on the ground and gasping for air, maskless, disarmed and heavily injured. It had happened so fast he barely had time to process what had happened, one moment his weapon was mere inches away from the lunatic’s face another moment he was on the ground looking at the bizarre entity that was now examining his Mask of Ultimate Power. “Ah ah ah, only dead people get to go free, living people get to have fabulous wishes should they please me...” the maniac said running a finger across the mask’s runes “…and well you should, since you seem willing to listen now.” Makuta tried to speak but the mad god placed a finger to his mouth and making a shushing sound before continuing, “I suppose introductions are in order, I am God-Emperor, Supreme Lord, Godborne King, High Chancellor, Deathlord Zenith, X Lord, Karzhani, but you my new friend can call me…Karzahni.” Now that Makuta had a name to put to his captor He recalled the stories Ekimu use to tell the villagers about other worlds when they were still brothers, one in particular spoke of a being with that same name, Karzahni, brother to Artakha and one of the Great spirit’s first creations. Now the same Karzahni of the stories was somehow standing in front of him offering a single wish that could change supposedly lives, but how had a monster from a storybook said to have been cast into the depths be here as a god? “What kinds of wishes do you grant?” Makuta knew this was a terrible decision but it didn’t occur to him at the time that it would have dire consequences. “Anything! anything your heart desires, power, weapons, a entire web-comic compressed into a text form you name it!” Karzahni’s mask seemed to contort and twist into various expressions as he spoke that Makuta couldn’t help but feel a bit disturbed by. “C’mon make a wish, what’s the worst that could happen? other than dying horribly or having the functions of your facial features shuffled around like the last big fellow I tried to persuade, but what’s a little mutilation among friends huh?” he said offering a grimy gnarled hand for a handshake. Little did Makuta know that the months after making such a wish, that He would regret making a deal with the Devil himself.”

Chapter 2 [The Mask Maker]

“Five months…it had been five months since Ekimu had agreed to help the benevolent architect Artakha defend his home, and since then the attacks had finally shown signs of slowing down. In fact they seemed to be getting less and less every week. When Ekimu learned that his brother Makuta had disappeared from The Shadow Realm he was skeptical of the rumor. It was until he had visited the Shadow Realm to find it abandoned that confirmed it, the only thing different from his last visit was the unusual amount of chains and fire everywhere all coming from a active portal frame. Before he entered the portal however, He returned to the City of the Mask Makers to inform the villagers of his findings and announce that he was preparing for his journey into the portal. What Ekimu found on the other side however, was not what he could have prepared for, only by a chance encounter with the ancient being Artakha would He have survived a near fatal encounter with a Rahkshi Kaita. Artakha brought him to his sanctuary fortress where he explained to Ekimu the story of this universe and how the dark forces were being lead by a shadowy and brooding warlord who called himself Makuta, the very Makuta that Ekimu had come looking for. Artakha gave the mask maker a choice; either he could return home and continue to live his life in peace, or he could stay and help him save the universe.”

Now Ekimu was here, fighting hordes of creatures familiar and completely new, creating masks and architecture and studying this new world as a whole. This realm was much more peaceful long ago in a bygone age of prosperity. Currently Ekimu was studying the history of the Toa who once inhabited this universe including this dimension’s version of Tahu and his team alongside the thousands of other Toa in the universe. They had given their lives fighting the evil being Karzahni, a being he only thought of as a fairy tale and now the Toa as a whole were now considered extinct, a fact that greatly saddened Ekimu. “It’s not fair that all these heroes suffered such a fate like this, if only we had a Toa to help us (sigh) I wish we had a Toa hero to bring hope to this place.” Suddenly Ekimu was snapped back to reality by a sudden explosion in the distance that shook the room he was in. Peering out his window he could see something falling from the sky, as it got closer he could see it was actually a bright golden object and that someone or something was in it! He watched as the object started to burn up in the atmosphere and crater itself in the nearby watchtower causing it to collapse. Concerned, Ekimu bolted out the door to the Archives and made a dash to the watchtower.”

Meanwhile Makuta had just witnessed the object’s descent from the hilltop overlooking the castle at the same time as Ekimu and saw him leaving the building towards the crash site to investigate. This was the perfect time to strike while his brother was distracted and the perfect opportunity to finally confront Artakha. Makuta wasted not a second longer marching towards the fortress, ambition in each step.

Chapter 3 [The Architect]

“Ekimu Entered through Artakha’s chambers where the Architect was hard at work designing new schematics on what looked like some kind of weapon or multiple weapon concepts. Countless different blueprints, designs and notes littered the floor around Artakha’s desk, many of them stamped with a red mark of failure. The Architect looked up from his latest notes to see Ekimu passing by “Ah Ekimu, what brings you to me this day? please, I could use a break at the moment.” Artakha offered as he examined another blueprint. Ekimu adjusted his armor, careful to not step on any of the notes littering the floor “I did you hear a explosion outside? I was going to investigate and thought I would seek your advice before I go.” Ekimu responded “If this is another threat from Karzahni or my Brother’s forces I want to be ready.” Artakha briefly looked at his apprentice’s appearance, he was easily a full four feet taller than the Okoto mask maker outfitted in gilded gold plate and smoothed crystal under-armor from his world, The Architect’s own armor was a pale white and grey worn from ages of combat and wear, it paled in comparison to his old armor which was badly damaged beyond repair and had to be substituted with this adaptive armor instead. Artakha smiled and pressed a button under his desk, a slot opened in the wall revealing a crystal hammer. “Of course you can, you don’t need my permission to do anything my apprentice, just take this weapon in case.” Artakha said placing a aged hand on Ekimu’s shoulder “Please, be careful out there, you are my only apprentice that I have.” Ekimu looked up at the Artakha, he had agreed to be his temporary apprentice for the duration of his stay in this universe for the Ancient builder had a vast amount of knowledge on weapons and armor crafting that surpassed Ekimu’s own and The Mask Maker had mask building techniques that had this world had never seen, and since then both had learned much from one another, trading techniques on mask crafting and weapon designs. Ekimu carefully holstered the weapon on his back “Thank you Master Artakha, I will return soon.” He said hurrying out the exit as Artakha waved back before returning to his work, a tinge of worry furrowing his brow, something was coming that will change the course of history forever.”

When Ekimu arrived at the ruined tower a plume of smoke fumed from the newly made hole in the tower’s side. Peering inside the impact site he could see nothing but darkness inside. Using his Mask of Creation, Ekimu instantly forged a Kanohi Ruru mask of night vision to help him see into the pitch black room. What he found inside the tower was indeed the object from earlier, it was a throne covered in gold and jewels but they had melted into a deformed mass upon reentry into the atmosphere, the sides were lined with jagged blades that jutted from every angle. “Who would want to sit on something like that?” Ekimu pondered to himself before realizing that the figure he had spotted in the golden torture chair was nowhere to be found. Looking around Ekimu could make out what looked like footprints in the dusty floor leading to a corner of the building. As Ekimu followed the trail into another room cautiously unsheathing his weapon. Sudden movement in the corner of his eye made him dodge just in time to avoid a arrow from a shadow clad figure. But before he could retaliate the attacker kicked dust up from the floor into Ekimu’s eyes blinding him for the figure to knock the Ruru off his face into a corner. Ekimu barely had time to ready his weapon before he was kicked him in the side causing him to stumble into a weapons rack. All the mask maker could make out in the dark were a pair of sickly red eyes staring down at him, as the eyes got closer Ekimu fumbled around in the dark hoping to find something until he grabbed onto the nearest object, a sword shaped object and pointed it at the faint outline of his attacker. A jet of flame spewed from the weapon past the attacker and ignited a banner behind lighting up the room in flames. Now that Ekimu could see his assailant he instantly recognized the figure. “Umarak?! but your suppose to be-” The hunter pointed his bow at Ekimu and fire another arrow next to him “Dead? gone? forgotten? you simple naive fool, did you really think I would stay that way after what happened back on Okoto?” the Hunter sneered as he approached the mask maker, his armor gleaming oily black in the light of the flames, it looked much different than the last time he saw him “Do you like my new look? Makuta fashioned it for me from the bodies of your friends, and soon you’ll be joining them, but don’t worry I’ll leave just enough of you to bring back to him to make a trophy out of your corpse!”

“So it’s true, Makuta is here!” Ekimu thought watching the Hunter reach into his sheath to pull out a gleaming blade, the kind used to tear kanohi masks off the faces of it’s victims back in his world, a type of blade he had hoped would stay behind in the past. Ekimu tried using the sword again but he couldn’t move his arm, looking down he saw that his hand was caught in one of Umarak’s shadow traps, those infernal devices conjured from the darkness were silent and painless but left marks regardless. “Goodbye Mask maker, I’ll send you back to your ‘master’ as a new pair of gloves!” Ekimu’s mind raced in a panic as he thought of a way to escape but it seemed his chances were getting farther and farther away. That was until he looked behind The Hunter and saw a new figure step from the darkness raising a stolen Rahkshi staff above his head “YOLOOOOO!” a strange battle cry unlike anything neither He nor Umarak had heard before judging from the looks of surprise and confusion on both their faces. Umarak turned around just when the staff made contact with the side of his head and...broke. The new fighter looked confused at the shaft of his ‘weapon’ then back at a unimpressed Umarak, backing away from the now approaching threat. “So… what do we have here? a hero? or a fool playing pretend?” The Hunter said cracking his neck and advancing on the tall being who threw what was left of the staff at him. Umarak only laughed as he effortlessly sidestepped the staff and brandished his blade, swinging it playfully at his prey. What he didn’t notice was the staff smashing the shadow trap, damaging it enough for Ekimu to be set free. Ekimu, looked up to see that the Hunter was too preoccupied by the newcomer to notice him, carefully, He assessed the situation he was in'; He was trapped in a dark room with a being who could control darkness and a unknown stranger who may or may not be friendly. “Wait darkness, that’s it! I got it!” Ekimu thought coming up with a plan. Quickly he used his mask once more to create a Kanohi Sanok, mask of accuracy. Upon putting the mask on he could see a crack in the ceiling with a sliver of light shining through picking up the remains of the staff the stranger threw earlier he hefted it like a spear and threw the weapon into the microscopic crack with extreme precision. The ceiling started to collapse letting the midday sun pour into the room, Umarak hissed as the bright light blinded him briefly giving the stranger just enough time to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to the Hunter’s head. A loud crack could be heard as one of Umarak’s antlers snapped off clattering to the ground at Ekimu’s feet. Once the Hunter fumbled around until he found a shadow to flee into and escape the light. The Stranger turned and walked towards Ekimu stopping to pick up the horn that was left behind. Ekimu stared as the newcomer stood there staring at him. But before he could speak, the warrior knelt down and raised his hand towards him, But instead of offering a hand up he held up five finger and spoke “You owe me five bucks.” bewildered by the strange comment, the mask maker could only manage to say a single word “What?” The figure straightened up and placed his arm on his side wagging a finger at him, illuminated by the sun above “Way past cool Toa hero…at your service.”

Chapter 4 [Sylus]

Several minutes passed after the assault with Ekimu and the stranger Who introduced himself as Sylus sitting on a bench nearby the ruins of the tower. Sylus cleared his throat and spoke “So…where are we exactly?” the question was meant to break the silence but it was still a odd question to ask, Ekimu finished polishing his shoulder pad before answering “We’re on the island of Artakha, the last safe place in this world.” Sylus however didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. “Yeah I know, WHERE are we?” Ekimu stared confused at this stranger’s odd response, he didn’t understand what he was talking about “Where? I just told you, we are on Artakha’s island and you didn’t answer my question from earlier, where did you come from?” the ‘toa’ shrugged and pointed up to the sky “If I told you I came from another dimension would you believe me?” It finally clicked together for Ekimu, Sylus wasn’t from around here at all he had come from a whole different world altogether! he wanted to ask many questions but made a mental note to ask later. “Well given that I’ve seen a literal throne fall out of the sky and almost died today, then a dimensional traveler by comparison is not too unusual.” The strange toa looked back at the melted golden blob in the crater “That throne back there? that was my ride over here, I bet that it must’ve been one sick looking entrance from down there.” Sylus struck a pose while Ekimu patiently waited for him to continue his explanation “There was this kingdom then a city of some kind, some evil empire too-” The Mask Maker held up his hands for him to stop “Wait a minute, your a toa right? the heroes from the stories?” Ekimu interrupted. Sylus stopped, He had been hoping that he wouldn’t ask that particular question “Yes…yes I am a toa of…uh justice yeah like a crime fighting justice!” Sylus blurted out then did a heroic pose hoping that the mask maker couldn’t see his nervous expression under his mask.” The mask maker placed a hand on the chin of his mask (“Justice? I’ve never heard of that element before, maybe that’s an element where he comes from.”) Ekimu thought before Sylus continued his speech “Yes! we Justice Toa are very…very secretive and well hidden and we rarely show ourselves to anyone but those truly in need.” Sylus was certain he had either just sold it or had just made himself even more suspicious “Okay…so what are your powers like?” Again, Sylus stopped, but just as fast he thought of another fib to tell the Mask Maker ”Justice…is the elemental ability to sense distress from anywhere and come to aid.” Slowly, he composed himself finishing “I…I also make things mundane…yeah like they’re so boring that people ignore me and…die and stuff so…” Ekimu just gave a vacant stare for a second, was he serious? if Sylus was making this up he was doing a very poor job doing so, but regardless he decided not to judge and take it with a pinch of sand. ”Well any how Toa Sylus…how did you even get in that throne in the first place?” Upon hearing the mask maker change the subject Sylus relaxed convinced he had done it “Well i’m glad you asked! you see…”

the long winded conversation on the way back to the fortress about Sylus adventure’s through the multiverse boggled Ekimu’s mind, the existence of multiple timelines and alternate worlds left him with much to think about. How many Ekimus existed out there? Was there a timeline that He and Makuta were still brothers and that the Mask of Ultimate Power was never created? where all those stories he told to the villagers back home true? Ekimu could only imagine… “…And that’s when I stole her throne! Man, Tuyet must’ve been so mad when I took her throne into the warphole but honestly, she kind of deserved it.” the mention of ‘warphole’ caught Ekimu’s attention, dimensional vortex could only be formed from a kanohi Olmak mask of Dimensional Gates of which only two have ever existed. “Toa Sylus? If I may ask, where is your Kanohi Olmak?” The Toa of Justice glanced at Ekimu saying “Oh that thing, well you see…I lost it when I got here, dropped it when I was surfing on that fancy chair, looks like it fell into some big black building or something.” Ekimu realized where he was describing “Wait, did you say it fell where?!” Sylus pointed over north “Black building, lots of spikes, chains, typical evil lair stuff, at least it looked like it from up there.” Ekimu stopped walking, his brow under his mask a cold sweat, then he turned to look Sylus in the eyes. “This is bad, really really bad we need to go inform Master Artakha now.” the Mask Maker said before breaking into a sprint with Sylus following close behind, wondering what he was talking about.”

“Meanwhile somewhere outside of Karzahni’s castle stronghold, God-Emperor Karzahni himself was leaning back in a lawn chair made from still living matoran that were crushed and welded together, on this stormy day the mad tyrant was ‘sunbathing’ while wearing a set of misshapen sunglasses. The moans and groans of the ‘lawn chair’ was music to his ears. A sudden bright flash of light broke the cloud layer and lit up the sky, the mad emperor removed his shades to peer up at what looked like a…fancy chair? falling from the sky, he was immediately jealous. (“Is that a throne? and how come it looks so much better than mine?”) Karzahni thought, watching the golden seat of royalty plummet towards the ground. As it fell a smaller object broke away from the mass and was falling straight towards his castle. The object eventually cratered Through the side of the stronghold leaving a sizable hole where it impacted. The mad god just sighed and proceeded to jump off the balcony he was on. By the time Karzahni crashed to the ground below and climbed back up the wall towards the crash site he was greeted by something bizarre, even for him. The room through the window he peered through was covered in strange splotches that warped the room to different time and dimensional properties, some new some old. One spot was covered in blue metal bearing a strange golden winged sigil, while another was a scarlet colored bone wall wreathed in spikes. but most of the parts were entirely unfamiliar to him. But the strangest thing was the mask that sat in the center of the room it was still glowing hot from it’s fall. “What happened to my armory? what is this!?” Karzahni bellowed as he crashed through the wall and stormed into the chamber reaching over to snatch up the mask, as soon as he did the entire room reverted to normal like it had never changed, Karzahni examined the mask in his hand wondering what had just happened, it seemed familiar to him somehow and come to think of it so did that chair... But before he could examine further, it began to glow again opening a portal. Something tumbled out of the swirling white vortex before closing in on itself. To the shock of absolutely no one and to Karzahni’s amusement, it was the upper half of a corpse bearing the colors of a toa of water wearing armor that was covered in blades it looked like they had been in there for a very long time judging from the rot on their muscles and oxidization on their body. “Hello…who might you be?” the mad god said as he held the body up like it was a puppy, the corpse did not reply “Looks like you had a nasty trip, maybe…nah, who’s his face already has his hands full, but I’m certain that I have just the perfect place for you and my new toy.” He laughed manically as he broke down the door on his way out killing a unfortunate matoran slave that had been on the other side, and ran down the hallway dragging the body like it was a doll, the possibilities the mask could offer were near endless, but what are endless possibilities than endless opportunities to create mayhem to the mad god?

Chapter 5 {The hero’s journey pt 1}

Sylus’ POV*

“The rest of journey back was uneventful for the most part. I was confident that…what’s his name? I forgot to ask, had completely bought my story about how I’m a unusual Toa and a dimension traveler…The second part is technically true credit non-withstanding. We came to a large building that looked a bit worst for wear, the walls looked worn and beaten in some places. Banners had been torn from their places to patch some spots in the central structure towering high above the skyline. It all reminded me of the last place I stayed before coming here…

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The Colosseum [Toa Empire universe] [a few hours ago] pt.4

“Sylus carefully unsealed the hatch over the manhole peering out into the dark streets. Once he was certain that the coast was clear he exited the sewer and gazed up at the looming shadow of the Colosseum. The dark stronghold he had just escaped from was home to a nasty tyrant named Toa Tuyet who ruled Metru Nui with a iron fist, Tuyet had placed him in prison following a confrontation. Carefully, Sylus removed the Kanohi Ruvaja Mask of Exfiltration, a mask he had stolen from that world’s version of Artakha, it could highlight an entire structure’s layout for easy break ins or break outs, this mask had just helped him escape from said prison. He put the gilded mask away and started his long walk to the ventilation shaft behind the Colosseum that the mask had showed him where he enter behind the throne room. After crawling through a series of vents for half a hour, Sylus made it inside a abandoned reserve room that to his luck was just behind Tuyet’s throne room. Cautiously, he climbed out of the vent and checked his surroundings, but one foot inside the throne and blast of high pressure water nearly took his head off, Tuyet on the other side of the throne him said as she swung her barbed sword. “Welcome, Toa of Nothing, I’ve been waiting for you.”

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“The inside of the center building was surprisingly in much better shape. The walls were lined with various portraits and blueprints of sculptures, vehicles, weapons and most prominently, masks. I immediately got to thinking of what kind of things I could take here, things that would be small enough or unimportant enough to not be missed. Not that I was stealing them no, just ‘borrowing them forever’ as I usually put it. We left the hallway while I made a mental note to visit back later, we entered a large factory setting that seemed to go on forever, but it was dark and quiet and the machines looked like no one had used them in ages. The sight reminded me of another place from another dimension that had a very similar looking foundry, a memory that still gives me the chills…and my first real adventure.

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Somewhere under Po Wahi [The Kingdom universe] [three years ago] pt.3

“Alright! made it down here finally, sheesh, why does a place like this need so much security? its like this place was meant for more than just Shadow kraata produ- oh…that’s why.” Sylus’ monologue was cut short when he entered a massive underground factory carved out of the stone walls. Turaga Takanuva had sent him to the Po Wahi district of the city to investigate strange sounds coming from the unused tunnels under the region and reports of Shadow Kraata, a rare variant of Kraata capable of corrupting masks from a distance, emerging from those same tunnels and attacking the population. What Sylus found down there was not what he was expecting. The sounds from all the machinery was deafening it would drive anyone crazy, Quickly he climbed a set of stairs while avoiding some infected matoran and shattered a casing full of energy crystals turning the industrial racket into a uncomfortable silence, no wonder so many De-matoran and toa of sonics steered clear of these particular tunnels, surely they would thank him later. Regardless, Sylus pushed onward. What waited in that first hallway he entered would be the catalyst for the beginning of the greatest adventure ever…”

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“The foundry was soon left behind when made it to a large chamber with a impossibly high ceiling bearing countless murals of the past along it’s walls. in the center of the room was a tall imposing figure that I had assumed as Artakha except he was wearing a plain white and grey armor rather than his ornamented gunmetal and sand green armor. On the opposite end of the room was a menacing being wearing black armor with various glowing orange highlights adorned with golden ornaments, most notably was the golden mask that radiated immense corrupt power, it looked like they were about to fight. Before I could step into the room Ekimu pulled me into a corner and told me to stay there while he went out by himself. Of course being the Toa of Justice I am, I crept into the chamber and kept to the shadows, inching around the corner and staying out of sight until I was behind the looming dark behemoth. I was just inches away from him when he said suddenly “Only a fool would try to use the dark to hide from a master of shadows, and a bigger fool to come right to me thinking he would stand a chance.”

Chapter 6 [Shadowboxing]

“Moments later Sylus was thrown through a wall, Makuta glowered at Artakha before striding towards the hole in the wall “So, this is the last toa? Pathetic.” Makuta scoffed, towering over to the prone toa and lifting him up by his leg. Ekimu rushed forward weapon in hand but Artakha stopped him “No, this is something you cannot interfere in.” Ekimu looked over at the mess then back to his master “W-why? he’s going to get killed!” Ekimu protested but the Architect raised a hand to for silence “Yes, that may be, unless he can find a way to gain the advantage.” Ekimu was forced to sit back as Makuta finished his beatdown then tossed Sylus through another wall. “Before I send you to where the rest of the ‘heros’ are I will grant you at a opportunity to strike me, show me that you really are one of the toa heroes like they say you are.” When no one answered Makuta clenched his fist before punching a wall angrily and brandishing his maul, a wicked looking weapon that had been a work hammer once, now it was turned into a cruel executioner’s tool with a axe on one end and a mace on the other. The warlord entered the hole in the wall he spotted Sylus’s body, unmoving but suspiciously still, as he turned to the two onlookers he raised his fist in victory “Do you see me Architect? do you see me Brother? how I, Makuta have defeated fate itself?” He raised a fist to the sky “Do you see me now Karzahni? Victorious! despite your attempts at deception! Do you see me no-” His speech was cut of by the sound of clapping coming directly from the hole he had just come out of as none other than Sylus walked out not a scratch on his armor (not that it would matter it already looked beaten up to begin with). “Blah blah blah I win blah blah blah…geez we get it already, now are you gonna continue to blabber on about how great you are or are you gonna fight me for real? I’m waiting…” Sylus said impatiently as he pulled out a pin from behind his back. “Also, nice fancy cudgel thing you got there, shame if someone pulled something important.” On cue the maul that Makuta was holding fell apart in his hands leaving only the rod end. The dark titan let out a roar of anger, breaking into a frenzied charge at the toa intending to rip him limb from limb for this humiliation.He was inches away from knocking that mask clean off when he stopped, he had clearly hit him with full strength why wasn’t he moving? Again and again Makuta furiously bore down on Sylus becoming more and more frustrated, until he was exhausted. He looked up in disbelief when the toa sauntered over to him, leaning forward so that he was eye to eye with him “Remember when you said I could hit you once to prove I’m the real deal?”

Makuta could only watch in disbelief as he watched Sylus raise his finger up to the behemoth’s armored chest and lightly tap it. A deafening boom engulfed the chamber, a black and gold blur skyrocketed straight through the ceiling and into the horizon and over the sunset, the distant boom was the only sound heard for miles. Ekimu was at a complete loss for words, he was shaken back to reality by a slap on the back from Sylus who was laughing the whole time, ”Oh my-oh my go- did you see his face before I blew him out of the park? he was like ‘Ha ha I win’ but then he was like ‘oh no’ then BWOOSH! he’s in the stratosphere before he knows it! sorry about your…uh everything though, still not use to this mask power.” That last quote brought the mask maker’s attention though, the hall of stories was completely ruined! He vented his exasperation on the toa hero, Artakha meanwhile had knelt down to pick up the ornate mask that Makuta had dropped off the floor The mask of Ultimate Power itself. It was tempting to don it to feel it’s immense power but he quickly put it away inside of a secret compartment before turning to the two saying “As much of a tragic loss of history this is, with this new hero by our side we can make new history, of how an age of oppression was brought to an end and a new golden age was brought through him!”

Chapter 7 [With power comes a price…]

From a nearby tower a strange looking bird watches the whole scene play out, the two figures exiting the ruined tower all the way to the brawl that ensued inside of the fortress and the destruction that followed. It’s beady yellow eyes fixating on the toa before it flew back to the black castle on the edge of the jungle where the edge of the other island was left years ago. When Karzahni took over the universe he rebuilt his island and turned it into a moving fortress driving it all the way to his brother’s own island and fusing the two continents together. While the effects of this transformation left the inhabitants unharmed the wildlife became warped by the two conflicting landscapes order clashing with chaos, winters burned the air with searing heat, summers were unforgiving and cold, and the very ground screamed with every step. It was as if the island of Karzahni itself was trying to consume the other unaffected half. The ocean surrounding the island burned with deadly heat killing any fish that swam in it’s proximity and sunk any boat that tried to leave or enter, escape was impossible. The bird was unbothered by it’s surroundings and finally landed on a nearby balcony where a cloaked figure was waiting for it. Calmly the figure reached out and grasped the bird in her hand carefully opening a hatch behind it’s head and pulled a data chip before crushing the life out of it’s mechanical body. After carelessly tossing the drone aside the hooded figure inserted the chip into a nearby console and played the footage, visibly scowling at the parts with Sylus. after the footage finished she let down her hood to reveal a dark blue mask fitted with a crown. Her left eye had a gaping scar that was covered by a glowing red gem eye-patch, her armor was reinforced with heavy plating adorned with wicked blades and she hefted around a just as wicked looking barbed sword that had a gruesome axe blade welded at the top. She entered the throne room and almost brandished said blade when she saw Karzahni sitting on his throne atop a mountain of bodies. “Ah Tuyet! good to see your less dead then you were an hour ago! We were just getting down to the core of our…’business arrangement’.” the Mad lord exclaimed gesturing to the orange brute standing off to the side absentmindedly gazing at a shiny box gold gold next to him, no doubt a bribe of sorts. “Whatever your doing right now can wait, I have something that might surprise you.” Tuyet spat clearly irritated that she was forced to serve this lunatic. Karzahni didn’t stop grinning but huffed “Fine fine, how rude! and we were just about to discuss your wish too...some people just don’t have ‘half’ as much patience as us.” Karzahni said sullenly gesturing for the unusual propeller hefting hulk to take a seat in a conveniently placed folding chair in the corner. Karzahni watched the footage play out his uninterested expression slowly turned into a…slightly more uninterested expression, then shifting into his trademark demented grin that he was so well known for, the face of the devil himself. When the feed reached the part with Sylus defeating Makuta He paused the video. He turned towards the treacherous toa of water pointing out at Makuta with a condescending glance “Tell me Tuyet, can you tell me what that is right there?” he said tapping his finger on his throne patiently, when neither of them answered he said with a rising temper “A Failure…a complete and utter…failure who thought himself better, look where his ambition got him, you will not fail me like he has otherwise-.” It was then that the newcomer spoke up “Uh hey can I have my wish now? Or am I just gonna be sittin ere?” Karzahni relaxed “Oh yes your wish…whats say we make a little…deal, you and my lovely assistant-” Tuyet shot him a mean look ”-go out and…kill Artahka for me then you’ll get your wish, sound like a deal?” The behemoth stood staring at the screen showing the Architect and the mask maker for a second with a dull expression on his face before replying “Which one is that?” Tuyet had had enough of this imbecile…“The tall white and grey one! get your eyes cleaned you blabbering idiotic-” the former tyrant was silenced by the loud crack of a chain at her feet, she turned to see the god emperor reclining in his seat calmly twirling a flaming chain wagging his finger like he was disciplining a dog “Tuyet…behave yourself, you don’t want to end up like Ahkmou up there do you?” He cooed, making his point by looking up to the charred corpse of a Po matoran hanging from the ceiling. “Now if I recall correctly you want vengeance don’t you? this an opportunity to kill not one not two but three! at the same time, three rocks…one bird wouldn’t you agree?” Without another word both the toa of water and her new partner stepped out of the throne room. Once they left Karzahni let out a sigh and commanded for his thrall to wax the spot he had struck with his chain before getting up to retiring to his chambers “Another day, another complaint, Makuta why can’t you kill that measly pipsqueak you call your brother? Tuyet why can’t you just do you freaking job without threatening to kill me for five minutes? Rotor your blades just shredded my new chain-mail curtains! ugh! ingrates the lot of them!” He descended into a dark chamber with a ornate gear covered box box in the center of the room placing a hand on it “Prodigal, what must I do next? I have gathered created for the key to your prison and unlocked it, yet you do not come out, what must I do next to keep your favor?” he asked the box. The echoing answer he received left him with a maniacal grin on his face and a plan that would change this world forever...”

Chapter 8 [The Journey to now]

Ekimu’s POV*

“Later that night, after discussing our plans for tomorrow, we parted ways. Master Artakha returned to his studies with the Mask of Ultimate Power and myself to my room to look over mask designs and create molds for them. This side of island’s weather cycle had shifted into a cold rainy night and a damp mist was rising from the nearby lake. Strangely, Toa Sylus was nowhere to be found, never said where he was going he just up and left during the discussion, perhaps he wishes to know the place a bit better? and I personally cannot blame him, after all my first time here wasn’t really any different either but I came here to bring my brother back to our world to stop him and this ‘Karzahni’ once and for all…

Okoto [40 centuries ago]

“It was a bright morning in The Great Forge, Ekimu strode down the pristine hallway passing by his brother Makuta who was in a sullen mood. “Good morning Brother, ready to continue the good work?” He asked. “Yes…of course…another day…” Makuta replied gloomily, making his way to the forge, dragging his hammer behind him. Ekimu, noticing this glum demeanor followed behind him concerned for his brother “Brother? are you still upset at what happened yesterday?” Makuta turned on a heel to face Ekimu, his eyes filled with anger ”It was a brilliant idea! They just don’t understand art when they…they…UGH!” The frustrated mask maker punched a wall, “Makuta…what is the cardinal oath we follow?” Ekimu chided, patiently waiting for an answer. “Never use two or more elements in mask making.” they both said together, Makuta huffed “Yes the law is there for everyone’s safety I know! but it’s…everyone wants your masks, but nobody wants mine.” Makuta sighed with a defeated look on his face. “I thought that if I could maybe make something…special, unique…that I’ll be praised like you instead of being just the fifth wheel.” Ekimu was taken aback by this statement “Fifth wheel? nonsense! your skill at mask making is fantastic, just as good as mine! your just need to keep trying, aspire to become better!” He said placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder “But please, remember why we have that sacred law in the first place, otherwise people could get seriously hurt.”

“I opened the door to my room and sat down at the worktable to begin my work. A unfinished Kanohi Mahiki lay on the bench, it had yet to be given any power and lacked color, immediately my thoughts drifted to what I saw earlier with Sylus. He wore a Kanohi the likes I have never seen before. The design was so unlike the streamlined masks I have seen and worked on, it had several cord like fins along the top, a re-breather apparatus, and some kind of slits in the eyes. At least that’s what my sketch of it looked like, it was terrible and I threw it away. Then I thought about the power, its like the mask built up the kinetic energy from attacks to release back at the attacker, impressive, could it be used to block anything? how about elements? how much power can it store and throw back? I wished I had the time to ask for a demonstration. One of the other things I noticed was his right arm appeared to be a prosthetic, But I think asking would be a bad idea. soon I finished the Mask of Illusions I worked on and lay down to rest, dreams filling my mind…

Okoto [25 centuries ago]

“MAKUTA! what are you doing? stop!” I yelled as I approached the gathering crowd. In the center of it was My brother but what was that ghastly thing he was holding? “For millennia, you have all suffered the same sickness that plagues us all; the disease of want!” Makuta proclaimed as he raised the heretical mask in his hand “NO. MORE! for with this mask containing all six elements no one will ever want for anything ever again!” He said as he was about to place it on his face “Makuta! what have you done? creating a mask with more than one let alone all six…you promised never to do such a thing!” Makuta sneered at me with crimson eyes “I promised never to combine TWO powers you never said anything about more than that, Didn’t you say to me once that I should aspire to be greater? well witness me now as I become more…” Makuta donned the mask of Ultimate Power. There was a explosion then darkness enveloped my vision, by the time I could see again the entire pavilion was set ablaze with liseran purple flames and a choked black sky. Just ahead of me was a titan in black and gold flaming armor that gave off such a intense dark aura that it hurt just to be nearby. Then the titan spoke “Do you see now brother? this power…all of it the power of the elements, I can feel it in the air, the very earth underneath us, and in every living being, This is the power of a God!” Makuta roared into the sky as he began to absorb the elements around him. In that moment I had no time to consider the risks but the next thing I knew I was leaping into the air to strike the forbidden mask off his face. With a mighty blow and a loud clang the dark mask was blown off and everything faded to white…”

Chapter 9 [Thief]

Sylus’ POV*

Dammit! I didn’t mean to break the display case only to pick the lock! this is what I get for using that horn as a lockpick. I try to think of how to use the Hammer when I hear footsteps coming from around the corner probably that mask maker coming to investigate. Thinking fast I hide the hammer from the display case under a nearby banner just in time for him to round the corner. “Toa Sylus! I heard something break and I- What happened to the Architect’s Cudgel?” he asked me as soon as he saw the shattered display case. I had to make up something fast to make it not what it looked like, which was me stealing a priceless artifact from the people who just took me in. “The horned guy from earlier today came and tried to take it but I…stopped him again.” I lied as I uncovered the cudgel from it’s hiding place to sell my story. “That’s a relief…wait why is it under there anyways?” I didn’t think that part through “Uh, so he wouldn’t find it if he came back.” The mask maker just stared before telling me to go get some rest and going back down the hallway I sigh in relief as I wasn’t sure how much I could keep that up. As I pick up the immaculate hammer I remember a moment when I found myself staring into that same golden hue years back…

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Makuhero City [Hero Factory] [2 years ago] pt.1

Breaking News! local authorities led by hero William Furno in hot pursuit of notorious convict Rotor for the theft of a priceless artifact from the Makuhero museum of antiques. Witnesses report that the artifact in question is the golden hammer recently found on the frozen planet Kollix IV. The conv-~

“William Furno shut off the radio it had been a long uneventful day and it was just him to keep the peace around the city. Alpha 1 team had left to investigate a crime ring on the outer reaches and the rest of the rookie squad were busy elsewhere leaving him to defend the city in a borrowed hero craft which he was using to chase down Rotor. As he got closer he turned on the craft’s loud-speaker “Fugitive #7162, you have been charged with arson, vandalism, and multiple assaults on civilians, surrender now and we will escort you to you-” A meteor flew past Furno’s carrier before a new voice showed up on the comms “And leave all dis shiny loot behind? fat chance hero you ain’t catchin me again! I’m gonna be filthy rich!” the thug crowed as he reloaded his blaster.

“When Sylus finally exited the rift he found himself above a sprawling city. The only problem being that he was a thousand feet above it and was plummeting fast. Sylus only had a few seconds to activate his Kanohi mask before he smashed into a building and continued to descend into the neon world he had found himself in

After a prolonged chase Furno had finally cornered the goon in a dead end. His craft had sustained significant damage but was still intact. Rotor had lost his ability to fly and was running on foot, one of his propeller blades slightly crooked “You gonna give up now Rotor? this would be easier if you had just cooperated.” Furno said lowering the craft to the crook’s level “Alright alright I give I give! I woulda gotten away if you hadn’t- wait…what is dat in da sky?” Rotor said pointing upward towards a falling figure in the clouds “Nice try, but you aren’t fooling me again.” The hero craft was suddenly rocked by a sudden impact as a lone figure slid onto the front canopy window, the two staring at each other for a second “Um hi! can you direct me to the nearest elevator or at least the ground maybe?” Before Furno could answer a piece of the building above lodged itself into one of the turbines causing a explosion, red lights flooded the cockpit as smoke started to rise from the controls as the rookie was frantically trying to look for the eject button. The young hero gave Sylus one last terrified look before the entire cockpit was engulfed in a fiery explosion that blew the toa from the vehicle onto the balcony where the thief, who had already fled the scene was. Sylus could only stare as the massive fireball of twisted metal disappeared into the darkness leaving a trail of smoke behind it followed by the distant boom afterwards. Turning to leave, Sylus noticed a glint of gold in one of the bags the criminal had left behind and reached over to pick it up revealing the Architect’s Cudgel “Hey! that’s the thing from before! Jackpot!” Sylus thought, staring into the glistening plating of the tool. But before he could examine it further blinding lights from all sides appeared, several other hero craft and a medical carrier, drawn in by the commotion descended onto the balcony. “Unknown criminal, you have been charged with attempted murder and potential theft, drop the relics and come with us for interrogation, any attempts to escape will be met with extreme force, do not resist.” Sylus could only curse under his breath as he raised his hands…

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Ekimu’s POV*

As I returned to my room I noticed a shadow outside move in the corner of my eye over the wall and into the horizon. “Strange…” I thought as I continued back to my room.”

Chapter 10 [The Hunter’s Lament]

“The forest outside of the fortress was silent save for the wind blowing and the rustle of the trees. A large shadow deftly moved across the ground silently passing under a moonlit field and a large wall looming overhead that separated the normal forest from the twisted jungle ahead. The air there was thick with a blueish miasma and the soft breeze had become a deafening howl. That would not stop Umarak from reaching his destination as shadow travel would get him there fastest. The hunter stopped under a lone tree stepping out of it’s shadow. The shadow warrior winced, his head tilted slightly to the side where his good horn was still attached, it’s weight throwing his balance off. He brushed his hand to the spot were the other horn had been snapped off, that toa will pay for this humiliation. Umarak passed through the jungle taking note of the wildlife here where birds crawled on the ground and some spiders flew in sky with bat-like wings. Ignoring this backwards world he came to a stop in front of a crater where a large titan lay unmoving. The hunter carefully approached and the titan opened his eyes and spoke “Come to take me back to Him again? don’t bother I do not think he would be pleased to see me.” Makuta got up with some strained effort holding a hand to a sizable dent in his chest armor. “How long have you been laying there my lord?” the hunter said taking a knee “Long enough to come up with a new plan since my original plan blew up in my face.” the warlord huffed shouldering past his servant, he eventually made his way out of the forest. Months and months of planning to negotiate with the master smith for potential freedom from the mad god’s grip only for that to be ruined by a single unknown toa, they were suppose to be extinct! “What would you have me do lord Makuta? poison their supplies? sabotage their factories?” Umarak whispered as he followed at his side shifting in and out of the shadows “No, there will be no subterfuge this time I want you to keep close tabs on the toa and my brother, DO NOT engage them unless they do the same to you understand?” The hunter nodded “Then what will you do then dark one?” the hunter asked But before Makuta could give a answer the sounds of a jet engine and a propeller broke the silence of the field they were passing through. The two looked up to see a pair of figures flying overhead One in dark blue heavy armor with glowing red lights vaguely in the shape of a toa and the other a unfamiliar orange brute that was carrying the other straight towards the fortress on the horizon just as the sun was peeking over the ridge. “We act now.” was Makuta’s answer.”

Chapter 11 [Preparation]

“After some lengthy preparation involving the waxing of his armor and the forging of a brand new crystal hammer, Ekimu had picked out a select few masks from the archives that he believed would help him best on the journey ahead. The masks he had picked out were a mask of night vision, mask of shielding, mask of accuracy, mask of stealth, mask of levitation and a mask of strength, although he believed he wouldn’t need all of them he thought it would be safe to bring six in case. When he finished packing he went to check on Sylus to see if he was prepared as well. He passed through the artifacts hall he noticed that the Cudgel’s display was still empty, had Sylus not returned it? Ekimu entered the Forge room he saw Sylus and Artakha talking about something in hushed tones he got close enough to see Artakha holding the Architects Cudgel, he looked very disappointed. “Oh hello Ekimu I was just lecturing our new friend on how wrong stealing is, perhaps you would like to have a say in this?” The Architect said raising the cudgel to prove his point nudging Sylus’ arm. “No…” the toa lied before he was given a menacing side glare from Artakha that made him tense up in panic “…I would like to apologize for stealing the shiny hammer and would like to accompany you on your adventure?” The master builder gave a approving nod he relaxed “Well now that that’s settled I wanted to give you both something before you leave.” He announced before reaching for something on a nearby table. “For you my apprentice a shield of the finest crystalized protodermis we had with the strongest protosteel core I know you’ve been working on it and was going to give it to you as a surprise, may it protect you from the evils ahead.” He handed Ekimu a glistening buzz saw shield that sparkled in the light the golden spiral core gleaming in a magnificent glow that matched his armor, he was speechless. “M-master, I-I don’t know what to say…thank you.” Artakha gave his apprentice a warm smile before turning to Sylus “As for you…since you apparently like to steal things I had a look through your things as well and found this odd device can you tell me what this is?” he said as he pulled out a strange object. It was a long object that had a worn out H on it’s side the top of it had a square slot that had a number of unknown prongs and clamps inside the device that sparked weakly, clearly in no condition to be used. “Oh that? that’s a old taser device I again ‘borrowed’ from my travels It’s busted so I don’t really use it much except for a light I guess.” Sylus said poking the thing causing a spring to pop out of the top of it. “I see…well how about we fix that shall we?” Artakha said bringing out a large intricate protosteel blade that looked like several different weapons fused together the bottom of the blade looked like the perfect size for the hole in the taser. “This blade…Excalibra Nuva…was forged from the recovered weapons of the late toa nuva my greatest creations and heroes of a bygone age, along with that horn you found it should be able to ward off evil and pierce the veil of darkness that surrounds the land beyond…please take care of it and may it slay the evil in their hearts.” The Master Builder gingerly handed the blade piece to Sylus who carefully inserted the blade into the taser device. As soon as it was secured inside, it lit up coming to life as a gentle white light glowed from inside, lighting the blade and giving it a bright silvery glow. The newly christened sword was surprisingly light and fit comfortably in Sylus’ hand “Cool…but does it really do all those flowery things you said?” to which the Master builder just sighed pointing out at the horizon “Now with these gifts in hand I bid you farewell on your journey and may the great spirit protect you both…”

Chapter 12 [Showdown on the Wall]

“The journey took the two adventures to the massive wall that divided the Island of Artakha and The island of Karzahni from each other the only way to cross the border was to climb a stairwell that reached the top of the wall. From a distance on the top of the wall Umarak the hunter watched the pair of travelers climb the steps studying what they had for weapons and equipment when he laid eyes on the toa he seethed with barely controlled rage but managed to keep his composure right until he overheard their conversation “Umarak the hunter is no pushover that force of nature has been single-handedly been responsible for the deaths of many and the loss of even more supplies.” the golden figure said to which the taller figure scoffed “Oh yeah? if he’s so tough why did he run away when I snapped of his horn? and speaking of which what’s up with that getup anyways? master of darkness? how edgy do you have to be to have a title like that He’s a joke what a loser-” Sylus was cut off by a arrow directly to the chest which caused him to lose balance and tumble down the stairway leaving Ekimu along with their attacker who leapt down in front of the lone mask maker. “I was going to just watch you but you know what? NO! I’ve had enough! step aside mask maker I have no qualms with you.” Ekimu in response raised his shield and readied his mallet “If you want to get to him you will have to get through me first!” Umarak only notched another arrow chuckling darky “So be it then enjoy being another trophy on my belt!”

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The island of Mata Nui [The Kingdom Universe] [three years ago] pt.1

“Sylus stumbled out of the rift into a alleyway before removing the makeshift kanohi Olmak this dimensional hopping would take some time to get use to. After he regained his bearings he peeked out of the alley only to be met by a impressive sight. it was a sprawling metropolis far larger than he could imagine buildings of all sizes and shapes touching a bright blue sky. what was more intriguing were the numbers of matoran, dark hunters and other species all living together in harmony. But as awe inspiring as it was none of it interested Sylus. As he looked for the nearest map to he realized his missing arm would attract too much attention so after tearing nearby banner off a wall and draping it over his shoulder he strut out into the streets taking in his surroundings. As he viewed map showing the great forge he heard a scream coming from a nearby building as a frightened matoran bolted out of the building towards him. “Oh thank goodness your one of the toa that the council sent right? you’ve got to help us!” The matoran said “Kingdom?” Sylus said confused “Yes you bear the colors of the Kingdom’s elite you are a toa you’ve come to help us?” Sylus contemplated for a second before lying “Yep, im here to help with the…um what is it we’re going to take care of?” A sudden crash was heard as several more matoran staggered out of the building their masks a blackish grey and their eyes a crimson red glow all shambling towards them. “Them!” the matoran shouted before running around a corner leaving Sylus alone with four corrupted matoran “Evil midgets, what a great way to start my career…” he said to himself as he charged towards them grabbing a nearby pick-axe and taking a swing at the first one’s legs sweeping the matoran from out under before Sylus tore the mask from her face. The next two tried to surround him from both sides only for the toa to toss the pick into the face of one and roundhouse kick the other breaking both of their corrupted masks. The last matoran was preparing to charge at him with a welding torch before a paralysis disk shot out from behind the building stunning the afflicted matoran. Sylus turned to see three figures a toa and two dark hunters emerge from the shadows. the toa gestured for one dark hunter to tend to the unconcious matoran and the other to investigate the building they had come out of. “Guess you beat us to the party huh?” the toa said as he looked at Sylus who was a good foot taller than the toa of light “You new here? if so then im going to have to take you to the Colosseum, Turaga Takanuva and the others can get a better look at you, the name’s Tanma by the way.” “Sylus, toa Sylus and likewise to you.” Sylus responded. “Hey we got one of them eels in here!” one of the dark hunters said as he came out of the building grasping a writhing screeching purple worm. “That’s the sixth one this week where are they coming from?” Tanma said as he used a beam of light to turn the thing to ash in seconds. “What…is that?” Sylus asked eying the putrid smelling ash pile. “Wow you are new here, that was a Kraata but worse they’re Shadow kraata which are particularly nasty, C’mon I’ll get you introduced to the team.”

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“The sun was setting over the wall as Ekimu and Umarak met each other blow to blow neither gaining ground on the other. “Face it mask maker! only a few more minutes before the sun sets then your mine.” And he was right the sun would set soon and it meant that The Hunter would be almost unstoppable in the dark. Ekimu thought to himself “If I can’t beat Umarak in combat then maybe…” Ekimu spotted three nearby Rahkshi on the jungle side of the wall and with it a idea. Aiming his weapon towards the rays of light on the horizon he reflected a ray of light off of his shield towards the Rahkshi. The glare from the light of the sun caught one of the Rahkshi in the eye blinding it briefly as it screeched in pain the other two looked up at the wall and spotted the gold platted figure on the wall. Soon all three Rahkshi were climbing the wall and emerged behind Umarak. “You fool! what are you doing? you’ve only sealed your fate you naive-” The silence was broken by a loud roar coming from the forest side of the wall. Before Umarak could respond Ekimu used his Mask of accuracy to throw his shield into the three Rahkshi in front of him. The shield flew ricocheting off the wall behind them knocking them onto The Hunter. Soon Ekimu’s plan came to fruition as several full grown Muaka, a large tiger-like rahi came barreling up the staircase attracted by the smell of the Rahkshi. “Did you know that Muaka prey on Rahkshi? that they’re attracted by scent of their staves? I thought that was pretty cool, thought you should known that...” Ekimu said before donning the mask of stealth and disappearing “…So I might not be able to beat you but they can.” Umarak let loose a arrow at the encroaching rahi but had his weapon knocked aside before he could notch another. Backed to the edge of the wall he unsheathed his blade but all of sudden Sylus who had tumbled all way to the bottom of the staircase and had spent the whole battle climbing it collapsed into Umarak causing him to lose his balance and plummet off the side to the ground below cursing Ekimu’s name the whole way. “Hoo, what a climb…am I late? and what’s with the Muaka?” Sylus asked. Ekimu turned to look at the Muaka who were feeding on the remains of the Rahkshi “Oh that? I studied a book that told me about rahi hunting tips and what to do looks like it was useful after all.” Ekimu sighed “How about you? sorry about leaving you to climb that alone.” “Oh no it was fine, you know halfway up I got trampled by a bunch of those things so good job I guess.” Sylus said giving a glance at the big cats. As they descended the wall the moon was beginning to rise casting a light on the massive jungle ahead.”

Chapter 13 [The Silent City]

“Karzahni stood before a massive cauldron filled to the brim with molten metals so hot that the scaffolding he was standing on was melting. In his hand he held the unstable Kanohi Olmak, spacetime shimmering around it as portals to different timelines and realities opened and closed around Karzahni. But none of that concerned him, experiments ranging from hopping to different worlds to taking things from those worlds ranged from failure to spectacular failure. As long as this worked like The Prodigal, the entity inhabiting the strange box at the bottom of his castle that had guided him to his role of god in this universe and thus the only being Karzahni answered to, had told him to he would become god of the multiverse like it promised him he would. taking one step off the edge he hesitated for a second then stepped back into his castle before dashing out like a madman and swan diving right into the cauldron headfirst. In a moment Karzahni was completely immersed into the molten metals and the portals instantly vanished. It was almost an hour before the cauldron tipped over and exploded outward immolating several nearby matoran workers in molten lava. From the smoke and ash a lone figure stood bright orange eyes piercing through the smoke a faint golden aura surrounding him as he waded through the slag metal. For a time that felt like hours to Karzahni he could see things that others could not and in instant he threw his hand forward as ethereal chains shot forward into seemingly nothing. suddenly a bright yellow portal opened and through it a skyscraper the size of the mad god’s castle came screeching through as it was pulled before coming to a stop right next to a derelict tower. After examining the building’s position and giving a kick to the left which knocked over the crumbling tower Karzahni grinned and unleashed his chains in another direction “This is going to be fun!” he thought as a bright ivory colored tower came into existence, HIS existence.”

“Hours later the Mad Tyrant would explore one of these buildings A worn and ruined H adorned to the walls of a once pristine interior that had been incinerated in a nuclear meltdown. After some rummaging through some rooms he found a large room with many racks full of armor and weapons that were burnt beyond any real use. But what caught Karzahni’s attention was the sole occupant hanging in the center of the room, a charred body that wore red and orange armor under all the burn damage read on the collar [Wil ia Fur o]. Gently he took the body in his arms staring into the ruined helmet of the once noble protector before strolling out of the building. As he left the building a unnatural jet black mist began to pour from a nearby vent as sickly yellow eyes peered from within…watching….waiting.”

Chapter 14 {The hero’s journey part 2}

Sylus POV*

“We had been traveling in the jungle through some kind of strange sculpture field filled with nothing but large spheres for over five hours and haven’t seen the end since then It was like it was endless. ”Hey Eskimo are we there yet? I could have sworn we just passed that rock for the eighth time.” I asked. “No, Toa Sylus we weren’t when you asked five minutes ago we aren’t there now since you keep asking me that every five seconds! can you please for the love of the great spirit Mata Nui stop for at least a minute!” Surprised by this I took a step back “Ok sorry sorry geez, what did I do wrong this time-” I was cut off as Ekimu smashed me right in the chest with his hammer sending me flying through several trees and hit the ground with a ear piercing thud as the ground screamed out from under me. My vision was blurred from the blow as reflex kicked in and I raised my new sword to block a swing from the Mask maker. “Look i get that i’m not the greatest guy out there but It’s not worth killing me over right?” Ekimu only snarled at me as he continued to bore down on me, his eyes a bright reddish green. That’s when I saw it just beyond the horizon; A pale white Rahkshi emerging from the bushes It’s staff glowing a angry reddish color as it approached. This Species from experience was a Kurahk, a rahkshi of anger. It’s staff capable of inducing Rage in even the most reserved of beings and now it had The Mask Maker under it’s control. “Nothing personal but I hope you won’t remember this.” Hoping that this wouldn’t kill him I kicked him hard in the jaw knocking off his golden mask. As he fell to the ground unconscious I threw my blade at the rahkshi slicing it in half. Instantly the red aura around the staff flickered and died, but my relief was short lived as a screech broke through the jungle canopy as more Rahkshi came into view. there were simply too many so i took Ekimu and ran…

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Somewhere under Po-wahi [The Kingdom Universe] [three years ago] pt.4

“The door wouldn’t hold for long not with that many Rahkshi and corrupted matoran behind it. Using one of their staves to bar the door Sylus ran down the corridor. As he passed through he passed many disturbing sights through tinted windows, ranging from a Dissected Bohrok on a table, Several Skakdi in stasis tubes that looked as if they had been fused with Rahkshi, a unknown Toa who had his limbs stretched to the point of breaking his pleas for death barely heard through the glass and a body of a matoran hanging from a vine with several plants growing out of him. Leaving the hall of horrors behind him Sylus entered a large chamber with stasis tubes lining the walls. and standing in the center of the room a lone po-matoran with a black kanohi Rau spoke. “Welcome to my lab toa, It’s been so long since we’ve had any…visitors.” “Wait your the one responsible for all this? why? why do this?” Sylus asked “Because this world is dead, it died a long time ago because so called ‘heroes’ like you failed us, when the Great Spirit died I lost everything my home my job, everything! not even the Brotherhood acknowledges me anymore! abandoned like trash, left to rot in the dark to be forgotten But then I found them canisters filled with Kraata so I bred them, perfected them, experimented and created the ultimate weapon for my revenge! when I cast this island into darkness and become it’s new ruler Even the Makuta will bow to me!” The matoran chuckled darkly as he circled the room “You see those tubes up there? Those are my magnum opus my greatest creations the perfect fusion between Rahkshi, Zyglak and of course a bit of my own organic matter, vicious, unrelenting, lethal, intelligent! but most importantly they can be controlled, and you are going to be their first test subject! make yourself at home because this chamber will be your tomb! I Ahkmou will make the world rue the day they forgot me!” The traitorous matoran pushed a button on the wall which lit up the tubes lining them. Soon Shadow Kraata were slithering out of the walls into the tubes, the figures inside began to stir. Soon one by one the containment cells shattered open as horrific abominations crawled out. They stood a good nine feet tall their brown bodies writhed and contorted as spines grew out of their backs, the most horrific feature was the face resembling Ahkmou’s mask but with compound eyes in place of normal ones their faces split open revealing several rows of teeth. “Your insane…your crazy enough to invade the surface with an army of abominations.” the matoran laughed with a smug grin pulling out a remote control before pressing a button, the creatures suddenly shrieked in pain as electricity enveloped their entire beings “Quit standing around you worthless beasts and attack!” Ahkmou was becoming frustrated as he continued to press the button on his remote, a loud twang was heard as the remote control burst into flames and exploded in the traitor’s hand causing the electricity around the Ahkbominations soon stopped. Slowly one by one they turned towards their former master snarling and hissing brandishing weapons, meanwhile the po-matoran had backed himself into a corner “Get b-back! I am your master! you w-will obey me! you w-w-will…will-” Sylus was already halfway down the hallway by the time he heard Ahkmou’s screams echoing down throughout the factory.”

Chapter 15 [Triple Threat]

“Artakha watched as Ekimu and Sylus exit the front gate, his eyes turning away from the window to look at large blueprint hanging on a wall. “I could sense your darkness from the moment you flew beyond the border, show yourself and I may be so kind to let you return unscathed.” He said as Tuyet and Rotor emerged from around a corner “I see that time has made you bitter Toa of water, If you seek to make me beg for mercy you will be heavily disappointed.” The water Toa brandished her blade and made a menacing gesture towards the Architect. “You know nothing about me!” The ancient builder only chuckled to himself as he undid his cape and folded it into a neat square before putting it in a nearby receptacle, “True but over the years i’ve learned that while vengeance is a good motivator it leaves you…wanting.” Artakha did not flinch when a meteor whirled inches away from his face and exploded on the wall in front of him. “Ay old timer! quit your yappin and fight us already!” Rotor snapped reloading his blaster for another shot. “Very well, the time for talk has passed…” Artakha said pushing a wall panel which dropped a large hammer from a hatch in the ceiling which he caught in one hand “And the time for action presents itself, come then let us see who is truly righty in this world of wrong, but remember; you asked for this.”

“Somewhere in the fortress a secret panel opened up and Makuta emerged wearing a kanohi akaku mask of x-ray vision. After he dusted himself off he trudged through the well lit hallway his large metallic boots treading on the carpeted floor being the only sounds in the vast hall. He passing a variety of different items ranging from staves large and small, a variety of countless different kanohi masks some of which he recognized as his brother’s works, another display showing a the shattered remains of some dark mask that only said in it’s description “Kanohi Krahkaan“ another display case that was strangely empty it’s casing shattered, a full suit of armor labeled as a ‘Exo-toa’ armor, and in a grand opening a solitary statue of…himself? This puzzled Makuta until he took a closer look at a golden plaque below; “In memory of lost kinship, by Ekimu” On the statue’s face was a glistening gold mask, the Mask of Control, the same one that he use to wear before he created the Mask of ultimate power. Makuta removed the mask from the statue’s face and placed it on his own a sense of familiarity stored inside of him before leaving the room behind. Soon he could faintly hear the sounds of combat from a distance, soon he donned his own mask of shadows to meld into the darkness.”

“The Architect winced as he struggled between dodging Rotor’s giant propeller blades and blocking Tuyet’s blasts of water. He didn’t show it at the moment but he had made a fatal mistake challenging these foes who were much stronger than he thought. Dipping in between another swing of the barbed cleaver and the deadly propeller blades he caught a shadow forming in the corner of his eye before a large titan seeming burst from the ground out of the darkness. “Makuta you failure, trying to hide from our lord’s good graces are we?” Tuyet sneered bringing her attention away from the fight before taking a swing at him. Surprisingly the blade passed through Makuta leaving only a plume of black smoke, Before The toa of water could speak a large hand reached out from her own shadow grabbing her ankle and pulling her into the dark on the floor, seconds later the real Makuta rose from the inky black. “Is this rabble what Karzahni has sent in my place? hah! he must be getting careless this is hardly worth what I have accomplished !” He scoffed turning towards rotor who had noticed Tyuet’s disappearance “Hey hey what da big deal? I thought you’s on our side you double crossing snitch!” the mob boss roared opening fire on Makuta who walked towards him as meteors simply washed over him. Artakha noticed that the Dark lord was wearing a Kanohi Hau, it’s shields holding strong against the barrage of molten rock. Rotor resorted to using his blades at full throttle and charged. The blades at that speed would have cut anyone else to pieces but in one moment the thug found himself looking into the eyes of a Kanohi Pakari mask of strength his propeller blades were stopped, grasped in Makuta’s hands. The next moment he felt the blades being crushed into useless metal and violently torn off as the orange brute was kicked into a wall. ”This is the best you can do? pathetic! let me make one thing clear machine, the right to slay the Architect is mine and mine alone! leave, return to the mad god and tell him to send someone with at least a shred of competency!” Rotor began to back off to the door but before he did he suddenly pulled out a pistol and aimed at Makuta but it was blasted to bits by a beam of energy, The titan turned to see Artakha holding a spear of light in his hand “Perhaps you should listen to him, he may not be a gracious the next time we meet.” Rotor snarled as he made his way towards the window “Dis ain’t ova! We’ll be back! with more guys! and weapons! and-” his rant was cut short by another blast of energy to the chest that knocked him out the window. Makuta turned towards The Architect who calmly shrugged “There should be a moat at the bottom of that window no harm done.” then he asked “So changing allegiances are we?” In which Makuta replied “Only until Karzahni’s head is under my foot otherwise our truce is temporary.” Artakha nodded as he stood up brushing off debris and drying off his armor before opening a window to let the light flood the room. Makuta noticed this and said “You…you knew I was going to help you you left the room dark on purpose to let me in didn’t you?” the Architect let out a small laugh before doubling over “No, I guess I was just lucky you were around, what made you change your mind?” He said grasping his side before applying a very powder to the wound before setting it alight cauterizing the wound. “A certain statue in your hall…Did my brother make it?” Artakha looked Makuta in the eyes as he stood at full height “He misses you…every day.”

“At the bottom of the castle wall a small shadow portal opened up letting the treacherous toa of water tumble out into the bog. as she got up she began wipe away the mud on her armor before a large orange mass fell on her causing several birds to fly off into the afternoon sky.”

Chapter 16 [Against all odds]

“Sylus was getting tired, of carrying Ekimu who was hopefully not dead, of the rahkshi who had been trailing them for five hours and tired of having to run from his problems all the time. Soon he passed through a gateway like structure into a large opening. There he dropped Ekimu to the side and unsheathed his sword…until he remembered that he left it along with Ekimu’s mask five miles back. Cursing to himself he dropped to a combat pose as the nine different rahkshi emerged to surround him.”

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Inside of The Hero Factory [Hero Factory] [2 years ago] pt.2

[January 28 8:45 p.m.]

“So I’ll ask you this again, and I expect a straight answer alright buddy?” the hero in white and blue armor said checking the clock on the wall before taking a sip out of his coffee mug. The suspected criminal was easily a good two feet taller than him and wore some kind of armor, they had tried to confiscate it, the strange masks, the necklace he was wearing and his prosthetic arm only succeeding in taking two, that armor was fused to his body, and hoo boy fining a prison outfit that fit this guy was going to be tough. “Did you…on the night of January 24, 3:53a.m. in the morning, steal a valuable museum relic, vandalize a state building and put one of our rookies on life support all while letting a notorious criminal escape off-planet with a million dollar air cruiser?” Sylus just gave the interrogator a bewildered look saying “Look I already told you I didn’t do it! I fell out of the sky through a portal and landed wrong on the kid’s vehicle I couldn’t control anything that happened that night!” The hero only shook his head before pulling down a screen and pressing play on the remote. Footage played on screen of Sylus falling from the building, several pieces of debris falling with him just before he bounced off of Furno’s craft. A second later the vehicle erupted into flames and plummeted into the streets below several panicked screams filled the air as the camera panned upward to see a large air-cruiser crash into the building causing to tip over, raining glass and metal down on the frightened civilians. The footage was interrupted by a hero in grey opening the door “Hey Stormer? I don’t think he’s gonna tell us the truth and we’ve got more pressing matters at hand, the protesters outside are getting worse, the company that owned that building and that ship are suing us for-” “Duncan I don’t want to hear it right now just tell them I’ll-” Stormer was cut off as two more hero’s one in blue and one in lime green stormed into the interrogation room and pointed at Sylus “You! you did this to Furno! how could you?!” The green one shouted. “Breez not now.” Stormer sighed clearly irritated “No no! this monster almost killed my best friend, you hear that man? are you proud of yourself? huh huh?” The blue one butted in pointing his lightning shooter. “Surge…look Furno was a good kid, the best we had but can you put the weapon down please for Mr. Makuhero’s sake.” The two rookie hero’s gave Sylus one last dirty look before leaving the room. “Now back to you…since we’re very busy at the moment I’m afraid we’re gonna have to cut this short, you’ll be shipped of to a insane asylum next morning.” the toa sputtered for a second slamming his fist on the table “But that’s not fair! I barely had time to say anything!” But Stormer was already on his way out as two armed guards came in with a pair of cuffs and a taser “I’m sorry, but that’s not my call to make I don’t get to decide who walks or not.”

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“A green Rahkshi swung it’s staff at Sylus who ducked down, the blade barely scratching his head as it passes overhead. Delivering a sweeping kick that took it’s legs out from under it Sylus grabbed the staff and used it to parry a blow from a yellow colored Rahkshi. The creature’s eyes lit up signaling that it was going to use a laser attack, Grabbing it by the head in a chokehold He directed the laser to blast the arm off of the green Rahkshi before reaching in to tear the Kraata from it’s faceplate. Three other Rahkshi had flanked from behind him while he was unaware ready to pounce. Donning his Mask of Prophecy Sylus could see them getting on top of him and tearing his mask form his face. Acting on this premonition He used the staff to vault over the three at the same time that they stuck only to find nothing. Grabbing the Rakhshi from earlier he tossed the body at the nearest one knocking it over leaving only him and a tan colored Rahkshi. What caught Sylus off guard was when the beast suddenly stretched it’s body to leap over him and land behind him before wrapping itself around him in a tight squeeze. As Sylus struggled he noticed several of the Rahkshi surrounding him all eyes focused on him hissing furiously. Then from out of nowhere Ekimu materialized from behind a purple rahkshi ripping out the kraata and catching the staff before it fell to the ground. He took aim at the one nearest on and flung the staff at it impaling it through the head. Equipping his Pakari The Mask Maker grabbed the Elastic creature and pulled until Sylus could get out safely. “Hey before you let go watch this.” Sylus said grabbing one end of the Rahkshi and fastening it to a nearby tree. When He gave the signal Ekimu let go of the son of makuta flinging it into the distance screeching the whole way. the only rahkshi left were three rakhshi one missing an arm and two others just behind them. “We can take them right? just got to hit the ones to our…” Suddenly the three frontal Rahkshi began to glow as they merged together forming a much larger creature known as a kaita. the beast had large fists gripping two massive daggers and three heads all trained on the duo. the creature roared as it charged, a noxious green mist filling the air.”

Chapter 17 [Dameta, The Crimson Juggernaut]

Unknown dimension [now]

“Toa Dameta, Toa of Iron trekked back to his village from the rocky trail. It had been a long day gathering supplies from the mountain but it had been worth it. This haul would be at least enough for several weapons and to finish that door he had been working on for his home. Entering the village several of the Fe-matoran villagers greeted him to which he nodded back. For as far as he could remember He could not speak due to his condition; his entire body was mechanical for reasons he could not remember. Dameta soon reached his home, a small stone hut with a single window like many of the other houses. There were no trees anywhere in the mountain range so the villagers being Fe-Matoran had to improvise. Using the mines and the rich deposits of iron large metal domes were constructed with a opening at the top to pour magma harvested from underground. Massive rainstorms passed through the mountain range on a monthly basis allowing villagers to gather rainwater to hasten the hardening process for the magma inside. Afterwards the mold would be removed and the hardened dome would be hollowed out for use as a home.The interior of Dameta’s house was mostly empty save for the bed in one corner and a unfinished metal door leaning on a wall the only light he had was a lightstone by his bedside. Soon Dameta got to work on the door, using his metal shredder claws to bent and shape the scrap into a flat shape and using his hammer to pound the uneven surfaces out. A hour passed before he stepped back to admire his work and after fitting it on the door frame he stopped to watch the sunset, the ground still moist from a recent rainstorm, this valley would have flooded long ago if it wasn’t for him building a tunnel for all the water to drain out. This peace would not last long before The turaga came rushing to him, both he and him were both mute so the only way they could communicate was through sign language (“Toa Dameta! thank goodness your here! something is happening!) Dameta dropped to a knee before engaging in his own sign language (“Calm yourself elder what seems to be the matter?”) (“Our homes and statues…they’re missing.”) (“Missing?”) (Yes, strange chains are coming out of nowhere and taking them and then they just…disappear.”) Suddenly a pair of chains shot out of either side of them grabbing two statues and dragging them into nothing. (“Has anyone been taken?”) (“No, whatever this is it doesn’t seem interested in anyone.”) Dameta looked to the clifftops (“Could this be the work of the Makuta?”) A ethereal chain passed by inches from the Toa of Iron latching itself into his home and began to drag it into a faintly visible portal. From here Dameta could make out a figure from the other side pulling on the chain, this will not stand, not if he has anything to say about it…which he could not but still. Gripping the chain with his claws he activated his Kanohi Kolloh, mask of Dynamo a mask that allowed him to transfer energy into objects he touched. Soon the large metal cylinders on the claws sparked and roared to life as he pulled on the chain with every ounce of strength he had. Eventually the chain stopped moving and began to slowly move back outwards, the figure on the other end noticed this and began to pull harder but soon he began to be dragged towards the portal. Eventually the being responsible came into view, a horrid and grotesque mask was the first thing to show then came the rest of him came through the portal, sinewy limbs on a disfigured body, a acrid smell that caused birds to drop out of the sky and a strange ichor like substance that coated his entire being that made the very dirt under him turn grey and begin to sprout strange plants. After the being was fully on the other side He stopped and withdrew his chain. After taking in the land around him He spoke “Man, what a dump, I can’t imagine who would want to live in a wasteland like this.” He said in a grating voice that hurt Dameta’s ears. Noticing the crowd the haggardly being turned to the population watching announcing “Greetings and congratulations! all of you are now loyal subjects of my empire! each and every one of you now belong to me! your “god emperor zenith supreme magistrate deathlord”…Karzahni, surrender any riches, items, free will etc. and I may allow you to live in my new kingdom...” The mad god added with a flourish “…and! if you really want to...why not make a wish? anything you could want I can give it to you, I can give it ALL to you! wish it and It shall be so just step up to apply!” Several matoran stepped forward before the turaga stepped in between them (“No! do not listen to this demon’s lies! would you give up your lives just for petty greed?”) He signed pointing towards Karzahni furiously signing at him, The mad tyrant just stood there with a bemused expression “What is he doing? can someone tell me what he’s doing?” he looked down on the Turaga “Well whatever it is your doing it looks stupid, stop that or i’ll-” The elder responded by whacking him on the foot “Yeeouch! you…measly pathetic piece of…grrhhhhhhhhggg you would dare strike your god!?” With a swipe of his hand he backhanded the Turaga into a nearby building causing Dameta to step out from the crowd to come face to face with the Tyrant “Teach him to disrespect me…Oh a toa…do I need to teach you your place too? your just another fool to crush under my foot hit me with your best shot c’mon.” he spat poking Dameta in the chest “A toa of fire like you is just a spark compared to-” The toa of iron in response by grabbing the mad lord’s arm and punching him so hard in the chest that the arm was ripped out of it’s socket with a loud crack. As Karzahni flew through the portal, screaming the whole way and leaking a yellowish substance, Dameta held the severed limb over his head for all the village to see as they cheered for him, this village was beholden to no one not the Brotherhood of Makuta not the Order of Mata Nui and certainly not this so called ‘God Emperor’ He also hated it when people mistook him for a toa of fire. After the crowd cleared out he rushed over to the hole in the building to find the turaga brushing himself off, bruised but still alive (“Turaga! are you alright?“) which he responded in slow motions (“I am fine it’s gonna take more than that to put me down…but our village…half of it is gone.”) Dameta pointed at the portal signing (“Do not worry I will return with what was stolen from us.”) Dameta signed turning to march towards the portal until the Elder grabbed his hand (“Wait stop, before you go, take these.”) The turaga opened a panel in the wall revealing a pair of bright red gauntlets. (“On the other side of that vortex we don’t know what you will find, so I want you to have these, my old toa tools I was going to give them to you when we found a safer location for the people but I believe they would be put to better use defending us from that maniac in case he returns.”) Looking to the portal he pointed with his staff (“I fear that being, this ‘Karzahni’ I felt a dark power that I have felt once before…like The Plague bringer himself…dark…bitter…evil…take great care, for the path ahead is treacherous…and please…come back to us safe, we believe in you.”) Dameta took the claws and with one last look behind him at the village of refugees, He took his first step into the a ruined world of madness.”

Chapter 18 [Hunting and hunted]

(“This world…if feels so…wrong.”) Dameta looked around his surroundings with various buildings from different worlds all around him, under his foot the very ground screamed for release (“What black sorcery is this?”) The lunatic from earlier was no where to be found so he took this moment to explore the dreary city. A hour later The toa of iron started to notice black fog enveloping the structures around him. Picking up the pace he took shelter in a nearby building when he saw a flash of light coming from the entrance and three figures standing there beckoning him to come in. “Oh Toa Dameta thank the Mata Nui your here! that madman was going to turn us into husks if we hadn’t escaped! Dameta signed to the villagers (“It is good to see you are alright…I find this place…unsettling, come let us return home.”) But it was that he noticed that the other two figures were different, noticing this the villager apologized “Oh i’m sorry I haven’t introduced you to my new friends, this one in the green is Jerran he’s a Le-matoran from what he tells me heh and the white one is Solek get this he says he’s a Av-matoran! which I’ve never heard of them before but it’s suppose to be a closely guarded secret so…” The Matoran of light approached Dameta looking him up and down “Interesting…my Fe-matoran friend says your a Toa of iron yet your armor coloration doesn’t match with what I’ve heard why is that?” Dameta was about to explain when Jerran called out to the others “Hey everyone! look-see what I found!” The group gathered around a secret entrance that had been uncovered, more black smoke pouring out of it “Jerran, I don’t think that now’s the time to go treasure hunting.” “Pfft, what are you so afraid-scared of? thought-think about it, this building could have something to assist-help us against that maniac c’mon what are you dally-waiting for?” He said darting into the dark room without hesitation. Solek turned to Dameta and the others who had confused expressions “Tree speak…you get use to it after a week listening to it.” he sighed following Jerran into the dark.

“The room ahead was so dark that the lightstones that Dameta brought with him barely provided any light but after some investigation thanks to Solek’s light powers they eventually found a fusebox that Dameta charged using The Kanohi Kolloh the lights came to a absolute mess. The room was a containment area with various items that Dameta recognized like Kanoka disks and toa weapons, and others objects foreign to him like what Jerren called a “toaster oven”. In the center of the room was a single shattered display case where the fog was pouring out from. Jerran tried to reach into the smoke only to pull it back with a yell holding his hand which was covered in what appeared to be mutagenic growths growing out of it. Dameta Then reached into the fog using his gauntlet and pulled out a eerie looking kanohi mask. As soon as the fumes stopped leaking from the pedestal a loud screech was heard and a disembodied voice could be heard from all around them speaking in some alien language that no one could understand. then the voices grew louder and louder to a almost deafening level as the remaining fumes in the room suddenly turned to slime and the growths on Jerran’s hand began to rapidly engulf his entire arm. Suddenly the voices stopped completely as lights suddenly exploded leaving the room in uncomfortable silence and darkness save for the sound of breathing and Solek’s light as nobody dared to move a muscle for fear of what could happen next. It was then that Jerran made a dash for the door only to disappear as a shadowy mass crashed down from a vent above, he barely had time to scream as the sludge enveloped him. The remaining matoran cowered behind Dameta as the black gooey mass began to take shape as a spindly figure climbed out of the muck, blackish green ooze leaking from various holes in it’s body and from the eyes in it’s cervidae-like mask. The Toa of Iron and the creature eyed each other before the thing spoke in a hollow rasping voice drowned by black tar-like ooze “L'. ep nilgh'ri fahf yar traveler ot yar stands mgep ya ehye ahog, ai ya ahf' ymg' mgepah ymg' ai yog ya?” When Dameta stood his ground it spoke again “Y' ymg' mgr'luh ah nafl ai ngnah kadishtu mgepog r'luhhor's tongue, ahnythor Y' resort l' ahuaaah fahf primitive language “ymg' orr'enahh ahuaaah?” Solek was the one who spoke up “We aren’t afraid of y-you…!” The being laughed in a low monotone voice that echoed into the empty room “Oh foolish naive matoran of light…how misplaced your faith is, your feeble beliefs in your lesser gods makes breaking your mind all the easier, for I Ahmvohkahn am far above your mortal means of harm.” But this didn’t stop Dameta from charging straight at the Makuta and punching a hole in it’s chest splattering it around the room, The Toa of iron ushered the remaining Matoran out the door but before they could leave the puddle suddenly grabbed Solek by the leg and began dragging him into the already reforming ooze. Dameta struggled to pull the matoran in but he was already waist deep in the horror as it began to spew out more of it’s eldritch language “ymg' ahor't run hup ya syha'h Y' ymg' ephaiulnah Iiahe Y' mgep mgepulnah countless others mgep!” Solek looked Dameta at before he managed to turn himself around and ready a blast of light “Just leave me and get out of here! tell the others to remember my sacrifice.” Dameta nodded sadly as he let go of the matoran, watching him be consumed by the Makuta. a second later a blast of light tore the demon in half as it began to sink back into it’s puddle only to reform a moment later with Solek’s sturdier limbs it tested it’s new limbs like it was trying on a pair of gloves. Dameta and the remaining matoran were in the main lobby by the time it noticed. Ahmvohkahn followed closely behind silently watching them leave into the makeshift street. “Fahf shuggog ah ripe llll spreading malaise. ya uh'eog's ephaiah ahorr'eog geb Y' ahor feel h'. yes leviathan ahor gokln'gha soon. soon…” He said fading back into the shadows.”

“Dameta and the remaining villager turned a corner and spotted the portal ahead (“That…that was The Plague Bringer of myth! what is it doing here?”) the matoran responded in sign. Dameta only grimaced as he kept running, He didn’t dare look back to see if the nightmare was still following them (“I do not know little friend but we must return to the turaga and tell him what we have-) He was cut off as a red and black blur crashed right into him pinning him to the ground with unnatural strength green eyes staring into his and a fiery blade at his chest. soon a laugh echoed around the city as Dameta managed to see Karzahni decend from the dark like a hulking spider holding the fe-matoran villager by his leg before turning to him with a mock expression of surprise “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you since you entered my realm, you really did a number on me back there, an entire arm! no one has ever done that to me before and I would like to thank you for showing me what that feels like, but that aside welcome…I have a proposition for for you that might be perfect for.”

Chapter 19 [Fire on the Hellway]

“It was unusually quiet on the Hellway, a stretching highway lined with Karzahni statues which was constructed under mad god’s’s personal supervision to commemorate his conquest of Artahka’s island in which it was planned to span across the two continents. two Vahki guards, ancient mechanical constructs made for law enforcement watched over the bridge. It was until one of them noticed a bright light coming from the bridge leading to the castle that they scanned the incoming vehicle and stood at attention. seconds latter the motorbike parked against the wall and it’s rider dismounted, his armor was a crimson red with yellowish orange detailing but most of it was charred black and chipped in various places. His helmet was horribly burned to a crisp to the point that the only visible details was the visor which glowed a light neon green alongside the core on his chest. The vahki eyed the newcomer steadily as he disappeared into the jungle.”

“One full minute later Sylus and Ekimu stumbled out of the jungle a greenish mist following behind them “Did we HAVE to round back to get your mask?” “Well you couldn’t do much without your sword either couldn’t you?” The vahki units turned their weapons on the pair and opened fire. A vahki’s main weapons while non-lethal can bring about serious psychic damage to the ones on the receiving end, Ekimu raised his shield to block most of the blows but a stray shot caught him in the legs scrambling his sense of direction leaving him to swing his weapon wildly. One of these struck Sylus in the back tripping him and Ekimu into a heap. As the Vahki surround them The Rahkshi kaita lumbered out followed by the red and black rider who held a white hot blade in hand. When his attention turned to Sylus he immediately tensed up his hands shaking with a all consuming rage for the one who killed him…”

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Repair chamber [Hero factory] [two years ago] pt. 4

“Carefully Sylus slipped away as the riot raged on, soon he found the evidence room where after a quick search he collected his kanohi masks, the cudgel, a broken taser that might work as a weapon later and some kind of blueprint for a kanohi mask he didn’t recognize. “This must have been that blueprint that the Metus guy told me about.” he mused looking the sheet over carefully. The instructions called for a assortment of materials that didn’t exist here but maybe…Sylus glanced over at the Architect’s cudgel then at a map that showed the hero assembly tower at the top of the tower. Through the chaos and crumbling architecture Sylus sneaked and fought his way around guards and armed inmates to the hero chamber, passing a room where a gravely injured William Furno had finished receiving his quaza recharge he noticed the toa run by and unhooked himself from the machine, several warnings blared on a screen that the repairs were incomplete but Furno had already left the room. At the top Sylus found the machine and several compartments containing weapons and armor. Picking a few helmets and armors He got to work to create the mask, several shapes had to be improvised from bits of the helmets and some armors were melted down to provide the materials needed for creating a material similar to protosteel for the frame. Soon Sylus was finished with the mask frame he got closer to inspect it barely missing a bolt of fire that whizzed past his head. behind him Furno was holding his flame sword pointing it at the mask in the builder frame. “What do think you’re doing?” He shouted “Making my ticket out of here!” Moving in the way of another shot and staggering back from the blow. “The Hero assembler is not made for that! your going to destroy it and everything else in a mile radius if you finish it!” Sylus thought about his time here, how they had arrested him for a crime he didn’t do, his unfair jurisdiction and lockup and now they were going to stop him from his destiny, Blowing up this place wasn’t what he had intended but if that’s what it took to get out of here. The mask was halfway up the assembly tower when the rookie hero leapt from the balcony and tried to wrench the unfinished mask from the mechanism, Sylus jumped up after him and pulled him off both of them landing on the floor below. ”All I want to do is get out of this crazy world is that too much to ask for?” He reasoned after leaping out of the way of a barrage of flame bolts searing and melting the racks of weapons “Your a thief, a liar and worst of all…a murderer” Furno snapped quickly swinging at the toa slashing several lift arms in the process “I’m sorry if I hurt you even almost killed you, but that doesn’t mean you have to kill me! Aren’t you suppose to be the good guys in this?” Furno fired more shots hitting him in the arm “All I ever wanted to be was a hero like you and if I cant go home then I’ll never get to live that dream.” Sylus drop kicked Furno to the ground “Do you believe me when I say that I didn’t mean to harm anyone here, you know under different conditions we could have been…friends.” He sighed dropping the taser weapon raising his hands to the sides “If you can find it in your heart-core thing to forgive me…then strike me down right here.” Furno lowered his weapon and turned around to activate the comms station “Furno! William Furno come in!” He responded back to them “Yes I’m here over.” “We’re experiencing severe losses down here! we won’t last without you we nee-!” an explosion rocked the chamber as the comms cut out. "Alright lets call it a draw and-” but Sylus was nowhere to be found, he looked up just in time to see the mask entering the charging station. As the hatch closed the Hero tried to open the door only to find it sealed shut. A new voice came on the speaker “Hey, it’s me again Sylus, just wanted to talk to you again before I leave with this new mask, it lets me fly ships and that’s what I’m gonna do first thing, and one more thing? that speech back there? lied about it, just stalling for time till my new product was fresh off the assembly gotta give it to you guys you have some top notch stuff. If your still mad about being left for dead? don’t be, you won’t feel anything soon…no hard feelings?” The comms device shut off promptly as Furno waited for the end but then…nothing. The Assembly tower lowered it’s rig, empty except for a small bundled device the digital counter at 0:03 seconds. From orbit Sylus watched Makuhero city be consumed in atomic fire.”

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“The rider brought his blade up to strike the toa when suddenly one of the vahki came up to him and knelt back activating a built in hologram projector. A Karzahni flickered into view and spoke “Furno…what did I tell you about how to greet guests? this is no way to treat visitors to our lovely home.” Hesitantly Furno lowered his weapon Before the hologram continued turning to Sylus and Ekimu “As for you two…I am truly impressed by how far you have come to witness my new city being made...” Ekimu watched as another massive building came into existence “…so lets make this visit worthwhile, I proposition a contest…a race to see who can reach the castle gates first, winner gets a free wish for no price whatsoever!” “And if we lose?” Ekimu spoke up, the mental scrambling had finally worn off. “Why should I tell you? It would be-” “It’s death, enslavement or some weird mix of both isn’t it?” Sylus said. Karzahni just stared with a disgusted expression looking towards Furno pointing a thumb at them to which the Hero just shrugged, then with a frown the mad tyrant said “Your no fun you know that? anyways I’ll give you an hour before we start, toodles!” The hologram flickered and disappeared at the same time the vahki projecting fell apart in a heap. “Well how are we suppose win a race? I don’t even know how to drive.” Ekimu said “Hey, don’t sweat it…I have a secret weapon.” He whispered bringing out the Kanohi Kuri mask of Mechanics.”

Chapter 20 [The Race to the to the City of Karzahni]

“An hour later and Furno was still seated on his bike impatiently waiting for his contender. He had slashed several Vahki to bits out of boredom and was considering slicing the smug looking statue of Karzahni that stared down at him to pieces. True the mad god had brought him back from the brink of death after being left for dead but at the cost of being horribly disfigured. Sylus, the one who did this to him, the one who let that madman destroy what was left of him, his voice, his mind and his heart. He will pay by being ripped apart by the tyrant a fitting retribution in his eyes. Furno was about to take a swing at the statue when the roar of a engine tore through the jungle as a red black motorcycle flew from the bushes. On the driver’s seat sat Sylus wearing that same mask that had destroyed Furno’s old life and had damned him to this hellish servitude. “Yo E this ride is sick! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you could just…make stuff from thin air!” Ekimu hobbled out from the bush stripped bare of his armor drapped in sheet of ragged cloth from a nearby banner “I can’t! I just had to use my armor to make it…A thanks would have been appreciated by the way!” he shouted as he struggled to climb on the back of the bike. A booming opulent voice from a loudspeaker caught the attention from both riders “Attention racers! the race is about to begin! our lord currently occupied with some…business that just came up, as much as he would have loved to be here he instead asked me to stand in for him as the host for this race! Conjuror here with his average co-partner…Av…avo…Amvoh…” A tired voice from another speaker joined in “Avak…it’s Avak…” “Oh! Avak! sorry I’m not good with remembering names…anyways before we let the both of you tear each other apart for our Emperor’s amusement lets set down the ground rules! One; Any tools or masks you have are allowed except for powers that alter or divert from the race track. Two; The statues along the road are to be left untouched, any racer who damages a statue intentionally or not will be in violation of the rules, they were expensive to make.” Furno looked at the statue before threw down his sword and angrily walked back to his bike. “Three": Drivers are required to bring a passenger with them and are as well required to bring them across the finish line to count as a win, passengers are not allowed to interact with the vehicles, drivers or track unless it is to defend themselves from the other passenger.” Conjuror continued “I believe that is the rules anything else to add Avasa?” “Yeah we…eh…placed a proximity bomb in both of your vehicles so that if one of the rider falls too far behind the other or goes off the track then…boom.” Two Bohrok drones lugged a pair of bombs and fastened them to the backs of the vehicles “One more thing…If we catch you breaking the rules or tampering with or in any way trying to remove these bombs we can just…blow em up manually...so no cheating got it?” The racers revved up their bikes waiting at the entrance the castle of Karzahni looming ominously in the distance. A green light appeared in the eyes of a statue blinking to yellow then flashing bright red signaling the start of the race as both rider’s cycles screamed down the highway.”

“So that’s what you brought me out here for?” Karzahni himself was uncertain about what he was looking at but he was irritated at being dragged away from the race for this, A building covered in some kind of mold like substance that appeared to be causing it to decay at a alarming rate. Several new reports showed that buildings were starting to show signs of a eerie fungal mold that spread to whatever it touched causing objects to rot and turn into piles of sludge. several detachments of matoran workers, rahkshi, and even vahki had been sent into the infected buildings with varying results. Many of the teams returned but often not without a few casualties. On the other hand, Rumors of a unidentifiable shadowy entity with a horned mask that had been spotted lurking in the darker parts of the city were still at large squads sent to hunt the anomaly had failed to find anything, some of them never returned at all. While fire and sunlight were found to be effective at burning away at the mold it would grow back faster than it could be contained. “This…mold…you say that it’s been spreading for how long?” He mused tearing off a piece of mold and rubbing it between his fingers, it felt sticky in his hand. The matoran messenger trembled before handing him another report about evacuation orders”S-sir the u-uh workers commute wants to k-know if we should e-e-evacuate?” The mad lord turned to the worker picking him up by his head screaming“…Then what are you doing standing here!? my kingdom is falling apart and you want to leave?! and who said you had the right to vote? GET BACK TO WORK!!!” Throwing the worker into the streets where he got up and ran as fast as he could. Karzhani in the meantime sighed exasperated as he began to pull more buildings from other worlds to replace what had been lost.”

“So here’s my plan on how we kill da builder, we sneak through da sewers and we disguise ourselves as waiters to serve him tea, an when he’s not lookin we poison his drink and he’ll die a slow painful death, pretty foolproof plan amiright?” Tuyet continued to sharpen her sword, uninterested in Rotor’s “master” plan. “Yes that would have worked…if He was an idiot…which as you can see from your last four attempts to get in is…how do I put this…is what you are.” Rotor just rolled his eyes and continued to write another plan about using a giant trampoline to jump over the walls into the tower “Eh, if your so smart whys you not making a plan?” As Tuyet continued to sharpen her sword her good eye flashed a crimson red color “My plan…all it needs is muscle and I think I know just where to get it…”

Chapter 21 {The hero’s journey part 3}

“The two speeders raced down the highway at mach speed. Sylus and Ekimu riding on one side with their crimson motorcycle and Furno on his furno bike with a Black armored rahkshi in the back. The two bikes clashed side by side before spiting apart from one another “This isn’t working we can’t seem to go any faster!” Sylus shouted over the wind. “Hold on just let me think of something!” Ekimu responded. The race continued, both staying neck to neck with each other.”

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Council room [The Kingdom Universe] [three years ago] pt.2

“And this is the door to the council room where debates are held.” Tanma said pointing to a large door where voices could be heard from within “They’re in a meeting right now so we gotta wait a bit.” So they waited, Tanma would ask questions about who Sylus was and he would give very vague answers.”

Q: “So where are you from?” A: “Would you believe me if I said I’m not from anywhere you’d know?”

Q: “What happened to your arm?” A: ”…A unfortunate smelting accident, not pretty.”

Q: “Are you a Toa of Magnetism?” A: ”Are you a Toa of Air?”

Q: “Do you have a toa team?” A: “No…” Q:”Do you wanna talk abo-” A: “No…”

Q: “What kind of mask is that? i’ve never seen one so…complex.” A:”Thanks, I like to think it’s part of who I am.” Q: ”What does it do?” A; ”It makes people regret picking a fistfight with me.” Q: ”…Ok scary but… in a cool way.”

“When the door finally opened a matoran peeked through to let them know that they could enter. Sylus walked into a pearlescent room with several gold clad seats surrounding a large table. The figure in the center seat was a turaga who wore white and gold armor and wielded a spear of light. “You must be the newcomer we’ve been told about, welcome to our city.” The other Turaga clad in black and red spoke up “You must have many questions, but first we would like to know more about you.” In the far corner a orange colored matoran leaned forward saying “Indeed, we have no record of any toa matching your descrption, state your intentions and we shall pass judgement.” Sylus explained that he was looking for the Great Furnace to craft a kanohi mask of great power. The council murmured amongst themselves before debating on what to do. Some time later the council came to a decision, a tall ominous black and yellow being announced “We have decided that as a unknown to our kingdom…that your request to use the forge…is denied!” Sylus was about to protest but was stopped when the being spoke continued “…Unless…you prove to us that you can be trusted.” “Ok so what do i have to do then?” Sylus asked ready for whatever task they could throw at him. It was then that a Skakdi on the opposite side spoke “You must go to source of the Shadow kraata infestation and destroy it! we’ve sent several bohrok squads towards what we assumed was the spot where they were coming from but they never came back.” The golden turaga looked over at a frail toa of water who whispered something in his ear when she finished he nodded and got Sylus’s attention saying “If you can do this, we…this entire city will be in your debt, the entrance to this foul place is in a sewer grate in where Po-wahi use to be, tread carefully and may the memory of Mata Nui you give you strength.”

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“Sylus…Sylus!” Ekimu’s voice brought the toa back to reality when he realized that the motor bike was lagging behind. Immediately picking up speed Ekimu told Sylus of his idea. “Ok so I can’t do anything about the other vehicle but I have a plan, just get me close and I’ll do the rest.” The toa nodded and drove behind Furno’s bike where Ekimu used his Kanohi Sanok to pick up a rock from the road as they passed then using the mask’s increased accuracy he swatted the rock with such force that it lodged itself into the other bikes Exhaust pipe. Soon the rahkshi Vorahk noticed this and turned around to attempt to unclog the blockage giving The Mask Maker the opportunity he needed. Using the mask of Levitation he grabbed onto the staff of the rahkshi jamming it into the engine while Sylus kicked the kraata out of the head of the creature. Soon the staff’s effects started to take effect as it began to drain the bike’s battery . Ekimu held on to the staff as the levitation kicked in causing the Furno bike to slowly lean forward and eventually into the sky. Only when the vehicle’s engine sputtered and died did Ekimu used the mask of strength to toss the vehicle downward towards the ground. Sylus drove by just as the enemy bike crashed into the bridge with a crunch before bursting into a fiery explosion. He began to cheer but was cut short when Furno who had ejected before the bike had crashed, landed on the front of his bike. Narrowly ducking under a swipe from the hero He swapped to his mask of Inertia to block another strike but in doing so he lost control of the vehicle without the mask of mechanic’s assisted driving.The gates were fast approaching as Furno furiously hacked away at Sylus’ invulnerability the cycle was catching fire and Ekimu was still somewhere in the sky. Sylus waited until the gates were inches away then with a frontward leap off of his cycle and using the energy buildup from the hero’s attacks he delivered a powerful kick to the front of the vehicle sending it and Furno spiraling into the distance. Five seconds later a earth-shattering Explosion rocked the Hellway and caused it to completely collapse inward Statues that weren’t consumed in the explosion crumbled under the impact of the collapsed highway. As the toa watched the bridge fall into the abyss The Mask Maker landed beside him. “Wow, they weren’t kidding when they said that thing was rigged to blow huh?” Sylus joked nudging Ekimu’s arm who just stared into the abyss “The other rider…the way he looked at you…that hatred in his eyes, the kind of hatred for someone that had taken something held dear to them, but also, something noble like a bright spark of hope…Is just hope that he’s at peace now.” After a while of staring at the ruined bridge the pair continued their treacherous journey into the dark city of despair the sounds of the highway crumbling in the distance.”

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Makuhero ruins (Hero Factory) (two days ago) pt.5

“Karzahni stepped from the portal looking for inspiration for his city. the ruins of Makuhero city have long since been abandoned with it becoming a cesspool for villains, thugs and mercenaries while surviving civilians departed from the city to avoid enslavement or turning to a life of crime themselves to survive. The mad lord took in the sights marveling at the crumbling architecture, the ruined plaza, a gang war fighting for a pile of metal and watching as a family of survivors were mugged and robbed of everything they had left. but he took care to stay out of the crossfire of the locals for while he was immortal back in his home dimension any wounds sustained here would not heal. A flash of light caught Karzahni’s attention as he sifted through the remains of what used to be the Hero Tower spotting a burned out body of a unknown being [V n N bu la]. He looked into the empty eyes of the hero-turned villian seeing the dark future it had. In a swift motion he had punched deep into the corpse’s chest and pulled out a hero core still pulsing with barely visible light. After kicking aside the body and taking a interesting looking staff from under it he left the crater and this dying world of anarchy and it’s once noble legacy behind to be forgotten…”

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Chapter 22 [Magic show]

(One hour earlier)

Conjurer stepped back to admire his handy work as Avak hefted another glittering prop into place“Thank you so much for helping me get the big show set up…A…avoka…” “Avak…” The brown Skakdi sighed wiping non-existent sweat from his brow. “Can I ask something real fast? how is all this suppose stop those two from getting to city center? looks more like a party or somethin.” Conjurer did a fancy twirl in place before leaning on his staff “Oh my skeptical spiked friend look around you, this place is so drab and boring no offense to our gracious lord but he just doesn’t have any taste, like these white towers next to the wooden bridges, or take these ugly, pitiful little stone huts that just got dragged in, did whoever make these live under a rock?” Avak took a closer look at the stone huts “Those are lava casts, and think they’re impressive that they even work, look at this engineering the amount of time it would even take to make just one is astounding even for-.” Conjurer scoffed at the brown piraka with a expression of exasperation “Tut tut, you and your machines, always with the bland and dull…ugh I just think that it’s just so ugly around here, and with that weird mold eating all my props it’s borderline impossible to-” From out of nowhere Karzahni dropped in between them startling the pair “Hey folks! how’s our little ‘surprise’ coming along?” he asked. At the same time, Toa Dameta wandered around the corner marveling at the bright lights and sparkling banners (“So many colors…I’ve been living the mountain valley for so long…”) Karzahni noticed and his face lit up “Oh I forgot about you! everyone this is our newest Wishful Toa Dameta! don’t be shy he won’t rip off your limbs…unless you want him to.” This caused Conjurer and Avak to stare uneasily at the red hued toa. “Anyways…Conjurer! how’s your magic show coming along by the way the lights and stuff…love it keep up the good work.” then he turned to Avak with a more disappointed expression “Avakado, buddy…we gotta talk about your ‘robot’ thing.” Avak nonchalantly brought out a data pad and showed Karzahni a blueprint of a colossal war machine with various notes stating, standing at a whopping 5 stories tall, comes with 20 hidden machine gun compartments throughout, fingers have built in flamethrowers, eye lasers, chest lasers, foot lasers, giant metallic wings and thrusters for flight, a massive modified Kanohi Olisi for the face plate, and a super weapon hidden in the back as a last resort.” Karzahni read through these before pointing at a single word underneath UNFINISHED. “And there’s your problem right there where’s my giant robot?” “But god emperor! the Colossus is still in the field testing phase burning away at the mold around the city, we can’t just-” Avak was silenced by a finger to his lips as Karzahni leaned forward ”Did. I. stutter?” he whispered, behind them Conjurer smirked a smug grin clearly amused by Avak’s humiliation. “I just think we sho-” “I-eh e he hu ah uh uh uh bu! that’s you, that’s what you sound like right now.” the mad tyrant mocked, turning to leave. “Play nice you three!” he shouted before leaping into the skyline. The three figures stood around in silence before Conjurer broke it” Well well well you must be the new guy, welcome to our mostly cordial little group, I am Conjurer, wizard supreme pleased to make your acquaintance.” he held out his hand in greeting for Dameta to shake. “And this bumbling unimaginative peon is Avril say hello Andre!” “It’s Avak! and I heard that you pompous egotistical…” The wizard turned back to Dameta as the Skakdi continued to spot out insults”He’s not usually like this don’t mind him lets continue the tour!”

(One hour later)

“Wow, this place is huge, how long did this take to build?” Sylus remarked looking around at the city around him. “I don’t think any of this is built rather than they were stolen.” Ekimu said. Before long the duo started to see strange fungal. growths on some of the buildings the way that it pulsated caused Ekimu to get closer for examination but before he could touch the mucus Sylus called over to him, apparently he had found a trail of brightly colored confetti that lead to a large opening, bright strobe lights and colorful banners. in the center of the arena a solitary box sat illuminated by a spotlight. Sylus and Ekimu cautiously approached the box before it suddenly began to shudder and shake, and before long it blew open in a mess of confetti and sound of music in the background as a unusual figure floated above. “Greetings ladies and gentlemen! thank you for coming here this evening for today’s special event with our two special guests! give it up folks for Sylus and the golden guy!“ from everywhere a roar of applause boomed from the building windows all around them, Sylus was posing for the crowd while Ekimu stood dumbfounded at the mispronunciation to his name.Only when Conjurer raised his staff did the cheers stop “For the first act of the show can our contestants survive…the deadly takea shark pit of doom!!” The floor opened up revealing a pit full of hungry takea sharks snapping and leaping out of the water at the toa, “Oh looks like we’ve forgotten to feed them, looks like tonights main course is toa and mask maker!” The platform which Ekimu and Sylus stood was lowering into the shark pool at an alarming rate ”Would now be a good time to say that I don’t know how to swim?” Sylus said staring at the water below as Ekimu donned his kanohi Miru “Hold on let me get us out of here and…wait why isn’t it working?” he took off the mask and looked at it closely spotting a notable crack along the inside rendering it worthless. While Ekimu was frantically searching through his masks Sylus calmly brought out his Kanohi Ruvaja and began a scan. soon a holographic map of the sewer system was found giving Sylus all the information he needed. without another word he leapt off of the platform into into the pool with a splash as Ekimu looked on horrified “Sylus have you lost your mind?!” The audience gasped as the toa disappeared into the shark tank as Conjurer narrated “Oh looks like one of our contestants couldn’t handle the pressure and took the coward’s way out, a shame…for our next act of the night lets turn up the heat with the fabled…KANOHI DRAAAGON!!!” The platform rose upwards Leaving Ekimu alone to fend for himself when the magician threw a massive cloth over the ground and took it off revealing a colossal angry dragon underneath that caused the air around it to burn.”

“Meanwhile outside of the stage Sylus popped open a manhole cover sputtering and his armor covered in bite marks. The mask had shown him a drain at the bottom of the tank as he let his heavy armor drag him to the bottom and let him tank a few passing bites from the sharks. Carefully he climbed to the top of the scaffolding overlooking the arena and spotted Ekimu running for his life from a fiery Kanohi Dragon. Below him Conjurer floated in place watching the spectacle amused while the crowd laughed and jeered at the mask maker. noticing a rope he cut it from it’s bindings and swung down from the towards Conjurer’s prone back. But right as his blade would have connected with the magician the rope snapped causing Sylus to lose his grip and tumble to the ground, shortly after the dragon chasing the mask maker disappeared in a puff of smoke. Above him Conjurer gave a slow clap while wearing a smug sneering expression “Well look who survived the shark pit folks! this just makes tonight’s performance all the more exciting! came ‘this’ close to ending the show early! tsk tsk tsk, play nice down there!” Through the applause Conjurer leaned a little closer to the toa saying “Nice trick, but you were lucky this time you won’t survive this next one.” he spat before he rose back into the air to address the audience. “Alright everyone! who’s ready for the grand finale?! I know I am let’s put our hands together for a surprise special guest! Hailng from a unknown land and chosen as our frivolous emperor’s new champion lay it all down for…TOA DAMETA!!!!” No sooner had he said this the ground shook and cracked open. Dameta leapt out of the crevice landing with a boom in front of Sylus glaring at the smaller toa. ”Uh Sylus? are you sure you want to fight him?” Sylus laughed looking back at his friend before He approached the larger toa winding up his fist “I can take him easy He’s not so tough looking, the bigger they are the harder they…” His fist connected hard on Dameta’s chest armor with a resounding clang, but the behemoth didn’t even flinch (“Is that all you’ve got? alright…”) Dameta thought as he bunched his arm back and grinned at the puny Toa Sylus in his crosshairs (“Let me show you a real punch.”)”

Chapter 23 [Sylus vs Dameta]

“Where have I seen this before?” Sylus thought, dusting himself off and gazing down the hole in the arena that he had been punched through. On the other side the Crimson Juggernaut glaring down at him, neon green eyes illuminating the dark and a well armored body highlighted by his yellow glowing claws that melted the stone walls around him.”What’s your deal huh? you some kind of Dark Hunter?” Sylus said. The Toa of iron said nothing (“You must be the one that Karzahni kept talking about, the one that I must destroy to leave this place.”) Dameta tightened his grip on his claws (“You do not look like the weakling He said you were, good I needed a challenge.)”

(Sylus)

“I barely dodged a devastating swipe from those shredder claws he’s using, Those look especially lethal when I turned to see the pillar he hit melt into glowing slag, something I’m not looking to be. Charging in I slashed a few times at the colossus’s legs then some more swipes and stabs at various points on his body but nothing seems to work, not a scratch! I need to find a weak point fast or something strong enough to-”

(Dameta)

(“The small dishonerable toa hopes to find a weakness but I have no such thing.”) Dameta swings his claws around trying to hit the smaller faster blur as it stabs and slashes at his armor (“Try as he might, this armor is near unbreakable! it has endured centuries of battle against stronger blows than this, He’ll wear himself down until he is tired enough to be finished without further violence.) although He is unable to land a blow on Sylus he finally lands a lucky strike caught the toa in the chest throwing him back out of the wall’s interior back out into the arena.”

(Sylus)

“This guy is unbeatable! what kind of armor is that? I’ve hit everywhere on him and he doesn’t flinch! Wait maybe I’m not hitting him hard enough I think I know just how to do that with my Mask of Inertia! ha! hit me try it!”

(Dameta)

“Dameta stepped out from the wall back into the arena but was puzzled to find Sylus on the ground stiff as stone unmoving as if he was frozen. (What is this? bah if he wants to yeild this easily then so let hi- wait.”) Dameta stopped mid thought, claws inches away from Sylus’s mask until he looked closer at the body and noticed a thin but barely visible layer of energy protecting him from damage. Withdrawing his weapons and stepping back calmly The Toa of Iron slowly circled around The other toa studying him carefully, in the short time of a single cycle He deducted that he wore some kind of Kanohi that made any attack landed on him be returned tenfold, a second cycle He calculated the strength of the floor foundation and on the final cycle he came up with the solution.”

“Ekimu’s battle with the magician Conjurer was going poorly, straight away he bombarded him with his ‘back stage performers’ while he flew up to some kind of contraption on the wall with three slots and a pipe at the bottom. “While our main attraction seems to have come to a standstill, let’s take a break with some “GAMBLER’S DELIGHT!!” He announced as spotlights flashed on the machine and catchy game show music played in the background over the cheer of the audience. “It’s simple, these three slots have a variety of symbols and whatever matches up on all three they get what comes out! now lets give it a spin!!!” Conjurer pulled a wall mounted lever, causing the slots to spin followed by a cheery jingle when they all eventually landed on matching symbols, resembling round insectoid creatures with stubby legs and arms. “First roll…Bohrok!” Soon the sound of rumbling could be heard from the inside of the machine, several round spheres shot out of the pipe like cannonballs and embedded themselves into the ground around Ekimu. “Now I know you folks all know the Bohrok, insectoid robots, ‘clean it all it must be cleaned’ so and so, and that we tried to use them to clean the mold…didn’t end pretty…but they are here tonight to entertain you and to destroy our unlucky guest!” The spheres soon unfolded into bipedal creatures that chittered and screeched at the mask maker. It was until he noticed their metallic shells and silver weapons that alarmed him “These aren’t ordinary Bohrok aren’t they? they’re Bohrok-Kal! How did you get these? ” Ekimu asked the mage who laughed at the maker’s folly below “Lets just say that a good magician never reveals his secrets…”

(Sylus)

“Why isn’t he hitting me? what’s he doing? Ugh he’s smarter than he looks I’ll give him that, but why is he digging into the ground? I don’t see how cutting up the ground is going to…why is he glowing-”

In the short period after his observation, Dameta used his shredders to cut a long slab of stone out of the ground while digging out two deep ditches on either side making them deep enough to make a makeshift seesaw, all the while keeping a close eye on toa Sylus making sure that he remained still. Soon after placing a few flat stones on the opposite end to balance the weight he put away his gauntlets and exchanged them for a massive hammer which he tested it’s heft and weight before powering it up with his mask to strike the stone and launch the toa into sky. Slamming down with all his might he launched Sylus into the air disrupting his mask’s power and making him vulnerable. Dameta soon followed suit and blocked several sword strikes from Sylus before a strong kick to the chin stunned him. When he recovered Sylus slashed at his armor, the toa of iron retaliated with a series punches that blew the smaller toa back. (“You dishonor the toa code with your actions have you no shame?”) Sylus spat at Dameta his fist glowing a bright yellow hue “C’mon you want a piece of me you scrap bucket? lets see that armor hold up to my power! come get some!” Dameta suddenly realized that his opponent had baited and taunted him into striking him while his mask power was active in between strikes. (“A fatal miscalculation, but a fixable one, very well take your shot, ‘hero’.”) he thought raising his gauntlets up in a fighting stance as Sylus decended like a meteor on him. The force of a train collided with Dameta in a blinding flash in the sky becoming a falling star that crashed into the arena with a mass scale explosion. When the dust cleared Dameta stood unfazed with Sylus’s still flaming fist in his metal claw “H-how? that’s impossible! What kind of power did Karzahni give you!?” Sylus dispaired (“Do I look like I need his power?”) Dameta thought, raising his other claw and delivering a mighty blow to Sylus’s Back knocking him unconcious. The Toa of Iron stood victorious over his opponent before a shout from behind him caught his attention.

Noticing a battle raging in the far end of the arena where Ekimu was being thrashed by several enhanced aggressive Bohrok Dameta paused looking back at Sylus who remained unmoving on the ground he rushed over to the Mask Maker’s aid, smashing several bohrok on the way and with a single swing Dameta cleared out the bohrok , while the remaining survivors dissapeared into the city depths. The stunned mask maker turned to his would be savior who stood a good two feet taller than him now glancing down in silence “You saved me why?” Dameta continued to stare silently if he could answer he would have made a joke about a brakas monkey. the silence was broken up by Conjurer’s announcement over a loudspeaker “Having second thoughts Dameta? thinking about switching sides so soon? well don’t turn in the towel now cause your opponent won’t!” Dameta felt a sharp pain from behind him where a arrow stuck out from a exposed part of his armor and had punctured a tube that fed into his mechanical body’s power and life support system. Quickly he used his guantlet’s flame to weld the tube together before anymore luminescent green energy could leak out turning around. From the shadows Sylus notched a arrow into the bow he had taken from Umarak earlier and shot another arrow “Hey pick on someone closer your own size buddy!” Dameta could feel his body weakening from the shot as he charged but mustered enough strength to pick up speed deflecting and dodging Sylus’s ranged attacks. soon he would close the distance and smash the ground to push him towards the center of the area.”

(Dameta

(“Only a coward fights from the shadows! fight me like a real toa, you fiend!”) Dameta’s anger and outrage would prevent him from noticing that he was standing on the seesaw from earlier until it tipped back causing him stumble into the pit. Sylus laughed at his blunder but was cut short when The crimson juggernaut burst out of the ground underneath him and shut him up with a uppercut to the chin. (“You call yourself a toa, yet you fight like a makuta! spineless scum!”) He would follow up grabbing Sylus by the foot and tossing him into the air unsheathing his hammer and leapt up towards him. The two would duel in the night sky for hours until Dameta reached over and tear Sylus’s mechanical arm off leaving him vulnerable to The Toa Of Iron’s final attack. Dameta took his massive mallet and with the force of a train smashed Sylus’s head off his shoulders and shattering his mask to pieces before he could activate it, far in the distance Karzahni watched the lifeless body plunge to the ground laughing the whole time.{{}}{}{{}} This premonition from the Mask of Prophecy gave Sylus pause his arrow notched in the bow aimed at Dameta’s back, instead he noticed Conjurer floating above the fight back turned to him he readied a explosive shot and aimed for his head. “…I said…cause your opponent won’-ackkk!” Conjurer screamed as a arrow embedded itself into his leg and exploded causing him to lose concentration and fall to the ground. “You would…strike a wizard while he was at his most vulnerable? coward!” he spat now being surrounded by the three figures, his leg blown clean off. “Dameta you traitorous…We offered you power and you turn around and side with them?” Suddenly a chain from above wrapped around him and carried him into the night sky. Soon another voice boomed across the opening “Looks like the show’s been cancelled, so let’s start with the pilot of our latest in the works!” Red eyes glowed at the top of the building as a faint silhouette of something colossal staring back down at the trio before it leapt from it’s perch and landing with a earthshaking boom. When the dust cleared a towering mech stood weapons primed and flames flaring from it’s fingers. In the cockpit Avak and Conjurer sat at the controls from where the ex Dark Hunter announced “Put your hands together for G0D-B0URNE MK V!”

Chapter 24 [The Wishful]

“Artakha the builder, Artakha the Architect, Artakha the weakling.” Tuyet sneered. Artakha lay before her beaten and battered his armor dented and cracked. He clutched where his right forearm use to be where it lied a short distance away. Beside her Rotor interjected “Oh oh can I chop his head off? I really wanna decapitate im!” Tuyet turned to her companion with a unamused expression “And why should exactly would I let you do that?” Rotor took a good 10 seconds to think of a answer before replying “Cause dat monsta is busy thrashin the other guy and wanna chop some heads!” Tuyet sighed and pressed her finger and thumb to her mask “Fine…do what you want just bring back proof or else Karzahni won’t believe us, I’m going to check on Umarak and make sure there’s at least something left of that traitor.” She said sheathing her blade and turning to check on the other chamber where the faint sounds of fighting could be heard on the other side.

“Makuta was losing…badly, not only had he underestimated Umarak the Destroyer’s power since destroying him the first time on Okoto, but his kanohi Hau had cracked in half deflecting a blow from the 30 foot abomination leaving him defenseless. To make matters worst the toa of water showed up and began to blast him from behind leaving him open to attacks from both. Exhausted and bruised the former dark lord collapsed to the ground, his hammer clattering to the side. The Beast roared triumphantly and closed in for the final blow when Tuyet stopped him “No…leave him alive I have plans for him later, and bigger plans for you.” Umarak snarled at the tyrant and gave her a hateful gaze but eventually relented and turned to leave the room dragging Makuta’s unconscious body behind him. “Big plans indeed…and soon not even The so called ‘God Emperor’ can stop me…”

(4 hours later)

Artakha awoke to the drops of rain on his mask, when he tried to get up He found he could not as he was without hands. His other forearm had been severed recently but now the pain was a dull feeling. Artakha winced when he tried to get up everywhere ached and his armor was dented and shredded in some areas, his hammer had been tossed to the far corner of the room and…”The Weapon!” He thought as he struggled to get to his feet. Walking to the center of the main chamber it despaired him to see the once illustrious hall now a ruined shell, various displays had been destroyed or displaced the mural of the legend of Matoro’s sacrifice was covered in claw marks and green acidic ooze, and the main doorway was torn off it’s hinges and shattered. Through the hallway leading to the memorial room he glanced at the monstrous footsteps leading towards his destination and the damage that trailed behind it, the floor and ceilings were damp with water damage from Tuyet’s assault and the air had a acrid sulfur smell of radioactive exhaust. When Artakha finally reached the memorial chamber his heart sunk at the sight of Ekimu’s statue in the center of the room shattered to pieces, the head of the statue at his feet. Carefully he investigated the ruined statue eventually stopping to examine a hidden lever at the base behind the sculpture, when he pushed it with his foot a low rumble was felt and a secret wall opened up revealing a experimental looking weapon sitting inside. It was shaped like a long hammer with a golden blade rigged to the opposite end, the front had a pointed drill like tip that while dull was weighted so it could shatter armor. the bottom of the weapon had a curved claw-like blade used for decorative purposes. The Architect reached for the weapon only to be reminded of his lack of hands, pondering deeply on his predicament he came up with a solution. Running outside to the mask displays and sifting through them he finally found what he was looking for; a Kanohi Matatu Mask of Telekenesis. with the mask on his face he activated it’s power, slowly but surely The Weapon began to levitate and float towards Artakha. Silently reveling in his success The Architect soon got to work on finishing this weapon of war further using the Matatu’s power to manipulate tools and materials around him. Without hands it would be very taxing but his first he had to make some new ones first…”

“When Makuta awoke he found himself in a familiar scenario, threads bound up his arms and he was hanging several inches off the ground in a dark room. All around him various tools of torture lined the wall on his right to his left…a gleaming pair of eyes on a twisted mask stared back “Let’s fix that attitude problem of yours shall we?“ Karzahni cackled as the shrill sound of a drill drew closer and closer.”

Chapter 25 [The Hand that feeds you]

“A barrage of bullets pounded on the wall where Dameta was taking cover, His hammer was on the other side of the giant mech that was pummeling his cover, he had been wounded in the beginning crossfire and was unable to run fast enough. On the other side of the ruined arena Sylus and Ekimu took cover from a plume of flames slowly melting the stonework around them. “There’s no way were going to be able to get close enough to get you inside that thing without getting squashed, incinerated or gunned down!” Sylus shouted over the sounds of gunfire, flamethrowers and heavy metal music in the background. “I don’t know just let me think a second!” Ekimu shouted back dodging under a laser that took more of their steadily decreasing cover “Any longer and we won’t be thinking any time soon! Ekimu’s eyes suddenly lit up as a idea formed “I got it! just get it’s attention and give us some breathing room till I come back.” He said donning his mask of stealth to vanish from sight”Us? what are you talking about…oh, him…”

“Dameta noticed the sounds of gunfire had stopped when a unseen voice startled him, a golden figure appeared beside him in his makeshift cover “Um hello, I couldn’t help notice that you helped me back there with those bohrok, why?” The question baffled Dameta (“We are in the middle of a battle and your asking me questions? fine I will make it quick.”) The toa of iron made quick sign language motions to the Mask Maker and to his surprise he understood “Sign language? oh! yes I understand! (You were taken here against your will to fight for Karzahni? why?”) The red Behemoth nodded pointing towards the sky. (My people were attacked by that madman, I followed to try and destroy him and found myself here, for longest time since I arrived I believed that the Tyrant ruled unopposed, then I saw you racing down the fancy bridge with your strange companion against the small machine man and blew him and the bridge up! and when you where fighting the chrome bugs by yourself, I saw something in you that I had not seen in a very long time, the spirit of a true toa!”) Ekimu smiled and signed back (“I’m glad that we can find common ground toa…um sorry I never got your name.”) (Toa Dameta, defender of my people the Fe-matoran.) He signed pounding his chest with a gauntlet (“Ah Dameta, good to meet you, anyways…) A explosion from the distance rocked the battleground followed by the panicked screams of Sylus and more explosions. (“I need you to get me close enough to that machine so that I can disable it from the inside, think you can tear a hole in that armor?”) Ekimu signed. (“These gauntlets can carve through solid protosteel like wet paper, The machine will break, I’m sure of it.”)

“Sylus was unsure how much longer his mask of inertia could hold against the barrage of bullets and missiles bearing down on him, he could feel the strain it was putting on him but if he released now it would mean instant death. Meanwhile Dameta and Ekimu were preparing a catapult built from the bohrok remains using Ekimu’s mask of creation. Dameta suddenly grabbed Ekimu and climbed into the launcher and fired himself at the back of the back of the great machine. Swapping to his Kanohi Waaran mask of impacting, a mask that let it’s wearer fly like a missile, he and the Mask Maker struck directly into the spine of the G0DB0URNE and landed inside. The impact caused the mech to lurch forward, stopping the barrage and letting Sylus release his mask power, staggering to his feet he could feel the sheer immense power flowing through him from the barrage. Winding back his fist he ran at the mech with fervor before leaping into the air and landing a devastating blow on it’s foot. The mech staggered backwards, it’s right leg warped and dented from the punch got caught in the hole Dameta had made earlier where it became stuck in place.

“What is happening?! You told me this would guarantee victory!” Conjurer shouted as he shook Avak back and forth in his chair. “Not in this state, the boss wanted it released before I could make sure everything was ready!” the brown Skakdi shouted back pushing the magician into the wall. “Y’know I’ve been thinking long and hard about this whole gig and I think this ain’t worth it.” Conjurer, taken aback could barely piece together a sentence, Avak could only chuckle “What? can’t think of anything to say without your fancy vocabulary? take your time cause I’m out of here! ”Avak pressed a button on his chair which caused a hole in theceiling to open up for the chair to suddenly blast off into the night sky. The magician watched his former partner become a tiny glowing dot in the distance “Y-you too Avery? your l-leaving me here alone with t-t-them?” In a fit of anger he kicked over a convenently placed folding chair before rushing over to the exit “either way I’m not going down with the…” he broke into a cold sweat when a massive crimson claw punch through the door…”

Ekimu winced at the screams echoing from the upper levels of the mech but continued to work diligently at sabotaging the wires and mechanisms. “Whoever put this thing together knew what they were doing it’s all very intricate and impressive, but what would happen if I cut…”

From outside the mech Sylus dodged a flame attack from the machine’s fingers when they suddenly stopped working properly. The autopilot controlling the G0DB0URNE lifted it’s arm puzzled at the malfunction when the hands started to glow bright orange and started to melt. When they caught fire Sylus ran to cover when they exploded in a fiery inferno that engulfed several nearby buildings.

From his Castle, Karzahni spotted the inferno from his moaning lawn chair. looking closer he saw the battle against the Massive mech and a smaller being brawling it out in the central square…and the mech was losing. “Bah! I thought I told those idiots to take care of them! Tuyet! Orange guy! come here I need you to handle the situation… preferably with extreme predjudice, Makuta come with me I want you for something in mind…something important.”

“Leave me a-alone you win! just stop!” Conjurer cried over the sounds of him being beaten with his own staff. In the process Dameta had also shredded and smashed several control boards and other vital components causing the Autopilot to malfunction. Another explosion rocked the mech likely from Ekimu’s tampering, red lights flared throughout the control room as a voice blared “WARNING SEVERE DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO CORE, INITIATING MEGA WEAPON CHARGE UP IN FIVE MINUTES” The toa of iron ceased his attack to gaze out of the cockpit’s back window to a view of a hatch opening on the back of the mech revealing a large pylon like device. Behind him Conjurer coughed and wheezed out a laugh “M-my final ace up the sleeve…when that w-weapon goes off…everything in a hundred mile r-radius…this whole wretched city! will be turned to ash! I-if I can’t h-have my G-grand finale…I’ll make sure no one will.” the Ex Dark Hunter cackled weakly before a portal appeared behind him and a gnarly hand reached out to grab him, dragging him inside before it blinked out of existence. Quickly, Dameta tore a hole in the wall and leapt out into free fall onto the streets below.”

“Somewhere deep underground, a skeletal being that leaked ooze and wore a antlered mask sensed the mold around the central square burning above it. It was aware of the infernal machine that burned away at it’s work in a effort to stop the spread of the so called corruption. through the many eyes embedded in the mold it watched the city and it’s occupants and learned from them, selectively consuming a chosen few that it believed would enhance it’s growth, and it through this assimilation that it would learn about the world it found itself in. "i ephainafl mgah'ehye cahf ah'legeth ah'mgehye ya work, o sacred leviathan ahf' ah thy bidding?" Somewhere in the dark recesses of the void a otherworldly voice whispered out to the being who drank up the deep symphony with voracious ferver like it was the sweetest honey. After the voice went silent the being regained it’s composure and allowed a chuckle as it’s lanky frame cracked and sickly blisters and cysts popped leaking black pus. "yes temporary alliance, mgep way l' judgement ah clear, orr'enahh ahornah mgr'luh ya Iiahe mghri mgng inevitable salvation c' ephaiuaaah. brothers."

“Ekimu is still in there! can’t you work any faster?!” Sylus shouted as He and Dameta slashed and punched at the mech’s chest armor, the low hum of the super-weapon slowly becoming louder and louder (“Funny coming from the one who tried to kill me a moment ago.”) Dameta thought rolling his eyes. “…And quit it with the tough silent guy act! it’s not like your some kind of mute or something.” Before The toa of iron could respond the duo noticed the mold around them had begun to move towards them, frantically they attacked it but it grew back faster than then they could destroy it “What is that stuff!? its been everywhere since we got here.” Sylus said kicking at the mold. But as he did his foot became enveloped in it and started to drag him into it. Luckly, Dameta was there to pull him out and burn away at the clinging mold before his leg could be fully consumed, all that was left of Sylus’s prosthectic foot was a withered twisted stump that smelled of sulfur and bile. “Oh thanks, I owe you…what’s your name?” The toa of iron used sign language to communicate to him his name (“I am Toa Dameta”) Sylus stared confused by the gesture clearly not understanding sign language “What? I don’t get it what are you…nevermind look!” The encroaching mold that had surrounded them was rapidly spreading up the G0DB0URNE’s body covering it in a greenish black mass of corruption until eventually it reached the super-weapon. To the surprise of the toa the mold had ignored them entirely to focus on the bigger machine as the corruption formed a dome around the node of the weapon until it covered the entirety of the mech. Moments later the body of the machine began to melt until it eventually was nothing but a empty frame and a stinking green ooze, Ekimu who was still inside was completely unharmed as the mold began to retreat from the desecrated shell. “Sylus? Dameta? what’s happening? one second I was cutting wires in the mech’s core another moment a bunch of the strange mold began growing everywhere and on me!” He said gesturing to his new suit of golden armor, greenish lights glowing faintly from the strange engravings on his armor “The next thing I know It melted off of me and I was wearing this…” Dameta kneeled down and signed at Ekimu (“Are you…feeling alright? how do we know it’s safe for you to wear that?”)Ekimu gazed at his glowing armored hand (“I’m not sure, I don’t feel any different.”) Sylus cut in raising his hands in the air to exclaim “Can someone PLEASE tell me what is going on and what you two are doing?! it’s weirding me out and I can’t help but feel a little left out!” A slow clap echoed around the empty square as the trio turned towards the nearby alleyway. Tuyet walked out from the shadows, a smug grin plastered on her face as she was accompanied by Rotor “Well well well look who it is, the wanna be toa has made friends, I’m impressed they’ve stuck with you this long, but will they stay when they know about who you really are?”

Chapter 26 [Deadly Truths]

Avak awoke from the wreck of his pilots seat, around him were the walls of a castle no a tower with a hole in the wall beaming down light from outside a gaudy looking golden chair embedded into the floor “What a ugly looking throne.” Avak thought. He exited the tower and found himself in a courtyard, above him was a banner of Artakha, he was in the stronghold of The Architect. Instead of being intimidated The Skakdi heaved a sigh and strolled through the ruined front gate, taking note of the battle damage. When reached a door with faint lights emanating from underneath He paused with his hand hovering over the door handle did he really want to do this? what about the potentially disastrous result that could occur…nah.

a low creaking sound from the door behind caught Artakha’s attention. he noticed a small brown spiked figure walking towards him “You’ve come a long way from My brother’s city to see me.” he said without turning around, the brown piraka seemed unfazed “I’ve come for more than just seeing you, The Weapon…hand it over.” Avak spoke plainly pointing at the finished hammer secured inside of a containment tube in the center of the room. The Builder drew his own hammer and inserted it’s head on a matching imprint in the ground twisting the hammer clockwise, soon the sounds of clockwork could be heard throughout the entirety of the fortress as the weather outside fluctuated from clear sky to a raging blizzard that avenged the castle followed by a thunderstorm, it was as if the entire building was alive rooms cracked in half and floors gave way exposing massive gears underneath. Slowly the roof of the chamber they were standing in opened up to a artificial full moon above. Massive focusing lens focused the light downwards on the tube causing it to slowly rise into view. But before Avak could take the weapon it began to rise higher beyond his reach until it rocketed through the roof shattering the lens on it’s way out showering the room below in glass as it continued it’s journey into the stars and beyond into The Forever. “What have you done?! that was the only thing that could give me a advantage over Karzahni! have you become as mad as him?” Avak shouted angrily. Artakha stood his ground calmly eyeing the smaller being “It’s better this way, for what is coming nothing will survive it, I know this because I’ve seen it happening, have you not noticed it? the way the air smells of something indescribable the sky is always a pinkish color even at night? whatever my brother will end up bringing total ruin to the world he so desperately wanted to rule, The Weapon will be safe wherever it finds itself anywhere but here.” With barely contained rage the Skakdi pulled out a remote and spoke into it “Prototype ARCHITECT 1777S initiate shutdown sequence erase system 32.” Suddenly Artakha’s eyes went dark and he collapsed lifelessly on the floor smoke fuming from his body. Avak walked over to the body and brushing aside the cape he opened a panel on the back revealing circuitry and machinery “You ruined everything! years of planning wasted! all because I gave you a personality chip! worthless hunk of junk!” He screamed ripping out circuits and data chips until he reached what he was looking for. A large ornate blue and black tablet like object lodged inside of Artakha’s body, carefully gripping it in his hands Avak ripped out the device out of it’s slot causing the rest of the body to fall apart allowing him to take the strange relic, it’s surface covered in runes that were mostly illegible all around Avak the world seemed to compile itself into text on a screen showing that this was the twenty-sixth chapter “Well at least I won’t be leaving empty handed.” He mused to himself as he left the crumbling castle behind on his way back to the city.

Tuyet watched from a nearby rafter as Rotor was busy fighting Sylus and his friends. She couldn’t help but wonder how had this delinquent come so far, then she remembered something important on that fatefully day they crossed paths with one another.

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The Colosseum (Toa Empire universe) a year ago part 1

Tuyet sat on her throne, polishing her blade, ”Another day another execution scheduled later, does it never end?” she thought, flicking off another speck of dirt from the axe tip of the jagged blade glistening in the sunlight. Executions were some of her favorite pastimes sure, but the sheer amount of dissenters, traitors, and ‘criminals’ she cleaved the heads off of daily left her exhausted and sore by days end. Her thoughts were interrupted when the massive doors to her throne chamber swung open and two to a guards entered dragging a bound and gagged figure covered in sea brine and soaking wet, she could smell him from her golden bladed throne. “Empress, we found this one wandering on the beach without a permit what should we do with him? put him in the queue?” Tuyet visible frowned but examined the prisoner intently, coming to the conclusion that this ‘toa was no threat at all “Send him to the torture chambers, my schedule is full for today.” She waved her hand dismissively, what caught her attention however was the golden mask in the stranger’s hand “Hold, what do you have there?” getting up from her throne and stepping down from the pile of masks and armor from previous executions she leaned forward to have a closer look. Suddenly the bigger toa broke free from his captor’s, rolling backwards hands still bound kicking the toa of water in the face giving her a visible scar across her mask’s right eye. This act of defiance caught Tuyet off guard for a moment before she unsheathed her barbed sword pointing it at the one who dared to strike her. “Ha, it’s been too long since someone had the audacity to attack me much less leave a mark and even longer since I had a proper fight, what is your name? I want to know before I tear you apart and have you welded piece by piece to the front of the Colosseum.“ She said with a deadly calm. The stranger stood to full height before he answered “The name’s Sylus, and My business is none of yours lady step off!” Several more armed guards entered the throne room and formed a ring around the two. Tuyet brandished her blade while Sylus picked up one of the fallen guard’s spears, both fighters studying the other before the toa of water made her first move…

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"Running a finger over the old scar on her mask of intangibility she continued to watch the battle below. Her attention turned to Umarak the Destroyer who lurked in the shadows looking for a opening, like a great predator stalking it’s prey. Drawing in a deep breath she called upon a storm with her powers amplified by the nui stone embedded in her armor. The sky began to darken as the low rumble of thunder became louder and louder until a torrent of rain pummeled the fighters below. “Where did this rain come from?” Ekimu said to himself, by now the water had begun to fill the open area making the mold turn to a mud like substance that stuck to the feet of everyone on the ground as Rotor used his jet propeller to fly above the battle. Tuyet watched the two enemy toa struggle to move in the bog with a arrogant smirk but the moment was ruined when Rotor started blindly firing his meteor blaster down below “Hahahahah! dis is like shootin fish in a barrel!” He laughed before Tuyet shouted up at him to stop “You blundering moron look at what you’ve done!” the heat from the fiery projectiles had heated up and hardened the mud allowing Sylus and Dameta to break free. “I had them I had them right where I wanted them and you ruined it!” she screamed blasting him out of the air with a bolt of water short circuiting his propeller’s engine. “Watreya doin?! stop messin with my blades!” He yelled Tuyet scowled at him unforgiving “I’m doing what I should have done before you outlived your purpose a week ago!” Rotor screamed as he spiraled downward into a particularly nasty patch of the mold causing a large explosion that incinerated the grove and in the process the unstable half rotted supports of the nearby oil tower as well. The tower collapsed on in the center of the arena and exploded spreading the flames to the outer buildings, Dameta helped Sylus and Ekimu on top of a collapsed pillar as the trio faced off against the tyrannical toa of water. (“You call yourself a toa? no you are a coward who gets other to do your dirty work, you are worst than the snide one here!”) Sylus asked Ekimu to translate his sign language “Yeah you dumb excuse for a- hey! not cool…who even calls anyone that anyways?” Ekimu just nonchalantly shrugged. Tuyet sneered at her enemies below the flames illuminating her bladed armor and glowing red eyes filled with insane rage “Peasants! all of you! you will beg me for mercy before I pound you into the nothings you are!” Behind her the storm became a raging tsunami “I have the power of a thousand toa! there is nothing you can do to harm me! I could flood this whole city if I so desired…But please do try anyways, it will make crushing you so much more entertaining!”

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The Colosseum throne room (Toa Empire Universe) a year ago part 2

“Pah! too easy as always.” Tuyet stood triumphant over Sylus’s unconscious body, her victory had been swift and merciless and without a scratch. Kneeling down she took a hold of his head smugly gazing into his mask imagining it hanging on a wall beside the countless others she had in her trophy room. “you call yourself a toa? your nothing more than a matoran playing pretend thinking he can be the hero, there are no heroes here only perfect law and order.” Tuyet ordered a couple of nearby guards to take the body away to the dungeons underneath before she retired to her chambers with the golden mask in hand looking over it’s thrown together design and exposed insides. With this Kanohi Olmak as a backup spare to the one she already had, she would be able to escape into a different world if things went wrong that Takanuva character earlier in the week seemed like he was going to be more trouble than she thought no matter, he wouldn’t stand a chance against her or her army even if he could somehow make his own…”

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The Nui crystal fragments on Tuyet glowed an angry red against her darkened silhouette cast by the ever growing colossal ball of water she held above her head using her powers. “No smart mouth quips? no irritating catchphrases? not even that annoying shrug? thought you might want a last say in before your demise!” Tuyet shouted down at them. Ekimu stared at the moon sized sphere of water in the air then at the water below noticing the oil floating on it’s surface, an idea struck. He quietly ushered Dameta over to the edge of the pillar and brought him down to his height to whisper his idea “Toa Dameta can you gather all the oil in the water and put it into a sphere?” The toa of iron signed his concern of the idea before he nodded back and dove beneath the waves. The mask maker snapped his fingers to get the Toa of justice’s attention “Sylus I need you to keep her occupied for a bit can you do that?” Sylus gave him a thumbs up and Ekimu activated his mask of creation to forge a pair of Kanohi Kaukau masks of water breathing putting one on himself and leaping into the water to hand Dameta his. “Hey Tuyet! yeah you, I heard that you aren’t ‘half’ of what you use to be!” The toa of water narrowed her gaze at him “Your just ‘waist’ing your time trying!” The toa of water tried to respond but her hold on the orb was starting to wane forcing her to focus on it instead “What’s the matter? legs getting weak on you? hold up who’s legs are those anyways? definitely not yours!” Sylus could see the anger building up inside as she was visible trembling in rage, perfect. “Did you know that Toa Gali obliterated this island in another timeline? yup, wiped it out in a single blast,and yet here you are trying to do the same thing but with a ball of water, you ask me you just don’t make the- Tuyet finally exploded screaming “FINISH THAT LINE AND I WILL MOUNT YOUR HEAD ON A PIKE!!!!!” Sylus may have been wearing a mask but he was grinning ear to none-existent ear “…Cut…”he managed to say before he broke down into a laughing fit. Tuyet’s shaky fast breathing became loud snarling and erupted into a roar as she prepared to drop the sphere when from the depths Dameta followed by Ekimu leapt out of the water holding a large glowing metal sphere in his gauntlet. [“You may want to cover ears little one.”] he signed winding back into a pitcher’s stance and launched the orb with all his might into at the toa of water. She spotted the giant cannonball flying at her, activating her mask of intangibility letting the sphere pass right through. When she unphased she laughed down at them “You went through all this just to fail in the end! I’ll admit…you ‘almost’ had me with the insults but a predictable trick like that? HA! you must think I’m stupid! like what’s left of that brute down there, that will be your last mistake worms! Dameta walked forward and signed at her (“Stupid says what?”) confused the tyrant stared down clearly not understanding “What?” before a drip of oil splattered her shoulder, then it dawned on her…they weren’t aiming at her. Slowly she turned around and spotted the still glowing orb floating inside of the sphere of water leaking a black substance that began to leak from above like a black trickle. Tuyet couldn’t even activate her mask in time before the oil sphere detonated shattering the water orb and raining ten tons of water on top of her.

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The Colosseum prisons (Toa Empire Universe) a year ago part 3

Sylus awoke in his cell aching all over, his masks and weapons had been confiscated again, he was locked in a jail cell again and worst of all it smelled really bad, at least the heroes had given him some clean quarters. “Great…great! stuck in a cell again! just my luck! crashing that hero ship into that golden statue didn’t get me in trouble but walking on the beach did!? what kind of place is this?” “The kind that gets people executed if they step out of line.” Sylus turned to the source of the voice, slowly a tall figure stood up and hobbled into the light, “Artakha?” Sylus asked, his formerly regal armor had been stripped of of him and his mask had been taken and replaced with a rusty kanohi Hau, his stance was hunched over due to him missing a leg as he held himself up on a makeshift crutch , the eyes of the Architect no longer held the prominence it once had but was replaced by a tired and defeated aura of someone completely crushed. “Yes, surprising that someone would still recognize me after all those years, who are you stranger? what brings you to my forge today?” he sighed gesturing to the tiny campfire in the corner and pile of metal bolts and bent metal beside it. “Well, for starters the name’s Sylus, secondly, do you happen to know the way outta here?” At this Artakha laughed loudly slapping his knee and pounding on the walls of his cell “Escape? escape? do you know how long i’ve been in here? want to know how I got here? I made a statue a millennia ago to her highness Empress Tuyet made of 24K gold but it had a slight impurity! she threw me in here because of a microscopic error!!!” a passing matoran guard slammed his shield against the bars “Shut up in there!” Artakha finally calmed down placing his head in his dirty hands “ I’m sorry but there is no escape…I’ve tried I really have…I’ve tried everything except for this.” He looked outside of the bars to make sure no-one was coming before he crawled under his bed and brought out a bundle of cloth “What I’m about to show you is my special secret, promise me you won’t snitch?” Sylus nodded to which he relaxed and uncovered a pristine horned mask with various tech underneath it’s shining hood “This…is my…my masterpiece The Kanohi Ruvaja, mask of Exfiltration, once upon a time there were more of these, created by the Nyrah Ghosts so that the resistance could stand a chance against the Empire…but as always Tuyet cracked down on the operation and had the Ghosts wiped out and all of the masks destroyed, except…this one it’s my key out of here but I don’t want to risk getting caught or I’ll lose it so…” Sylus reached over to touch the mask only to have his hand swatted away and he tossed the mask back under the bed “No! it’s mine! it’s mine! you can’t have it!” “Then how am I suppose to get out?” As if to answer his question two guards walked in escorting a toa in white and gunmetal armor passed by tossed him into a neighboring cell and came to theirs . Artakha was picked up off the ground and dragged away screaming and kicking with his one good leg until they knocked him out and took him through the door. Sylus sat alone in his cell quietly listening to a conversation the other toa was having with his roommate before he cautiously crept towards the bed and brought the mask out. When he wore it, a image of the entire building and it’s weaknesses appeared in his vision that also pointed to a weak wall in his cell that led to a passageway connecting to the sewer system below. When the guards had gone to sleep he dug up the passage and crept through to his freedom

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Toa Tuyet heaved up a mouthful of water, the flood in the central square had all drained into the rest of the city leaving everything damp and wet. Her armor was covered in slick heavy oil making moving difficult and she had lost her sword which sat a few feet away, but as she reached out for it Toa Dameta stepped on and shattered the blade to pieces. (Brittle piece of metal is shattered, what do we do with her now?”) Ekimu and Sylus follow behind keeping a close eye on her “She may be disarmed but she’s still dangerous, I can’t think of anything other than we make sure she can’t get away, anything to add Sylus?” The ‘toa’ glared down and began to approach the toa of water when she spoke up “You…you hypocrite you think I don’t have one last trick up my sleeve? how about I tell everyone the truth behind everything here?” Sylus froze in place while Ekimu and Dameta looked confused “Yeah that’s right I thought so before you lay a finger on me think about the terrible terrible things I could tell your friends, so you let me go and I’ll keep your secret alright?” Dameta stepped in front of Sylus wearing a Kanohi Rode mask of truth (“Liar…”) A powered fist swung downward to crush her but at the last second she triggered her mask power again and slipped away “She’s getting away!” Ekimu shouted as the toa of water made a break for it. But just as she passed a alleyway a massive clawed hand shot out and grabbed her, Tuyet was soon face to face with Umarak the Destroyer, “Good your here now get me out of…wait No…NO.” Her gaze fell on the strange mold covering his chest and black ichor leaking from his lifeless black eyes. Then in one swift motion the Destroyer takes Tuyet in both hands and rips her in half waist from torso as she screams her last, the life from her eyes fading to black and her mask of intangibility clattering to the floor before the shocked trio. The monster examines the corpse of the former toa of water before he drops it into a nearby patch of mold, immediately the corruption begins to consume the body and eventually nothing is left. Umarak shakes his body as if he were showering in warm water before taking in a deep spore ridden breath and terrifyingly, spoke “AH…SWEET SWEET SUSTENANCE, LIKE NECTAR FROM A FLOWER, KNOWLEDGE FOR MY LEVIATHAN, MY GIFT…MY OFFERING TO YOU.” the beast turned it’s empty gaze like a puppet to the three, lifting it’s arms in praise “PRAISE BE HIS NAME…FOR HE WILL SAVE US ALL.” With a worried expression Ekimu stepped forward and asked “Umarak? is that you?” to which the beast shuddered for a moment before it stood straight upwards, the voice responded apologetically “THIS…VESSEL RECOGNIZES YOU…BUT YOU DO NOT…I AM ALL AROUND YOU AND NOT. I AM HE-WHO-SPEAKS, THE SILENT ONE AMONGST YOU KNOWS ME AS…” (Plague bearer…”) Dameta thought with disgust, the creature possessing the Destroyer who gave what looked like a disappointed expression “PLAGUE BEARER… A MISNOMER, WHAT YOU REFFER TO AS ‘MOLD AND SICKNESS’…AS EVIL…ANOTHER MISUNDERSTANDING.” “A PLAGUE IS A NATURAL CONSEQUENCE, A MONUMENT TO THE FAILURES OF THE LIVING, A INEVITABLE STATE OF BEING…FOR ALL…IT IS NO MORE EVIL THAN WATER IS TO FLAMES. ”THIS EGREGORE…IT IS A PART OF ME AND I AM A PART OF IT…MY GIFT TO THIS DYING FACADE OF A WORLD.” “SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT ENOUGH WITH THE FORMALITIES YOU…MORTALS AND HE-WHO-PRETENDS-TO-BE-THAT-HE-WHICH-HE-IS-NOT…I MAY BE CALLED, ANVOKHAN…OR I MAY BE NOT…I MAY BE NOTHING…BUT I WILL BE EVERYTHING…BUT WHAT IS OF IMPORTANCE NOW IS THAT WE STOP HE-WHO-ACTS FROM TURNING THE KEY AND OPENING THE DOOR THAT CANNOT BE CLOSED, COME…TIME WAITS FOR NONE FOR THE MEANS OF RECKONING IS AT HAND.” Slowly Anovkhan’s vessel turns around and walks through the streets humming a eerie tune, causing the mold around them to respond and clear out of their way for the three adventurers, with concern on all their minds they follow far behind the eldritch being as mold closes off the path behind them.

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The Colosseum throne room (Toa empire Universe) one month ago part 5

Sylus is pushed into a wall by a beam of water from the tyrant as she swings her sword “You should have just stayed in that cell!” pointing out a window where outside a battle was taking place. “I have to put up with some ‘uprising’ that just happened and I don’t have time for you!” she said as she made a break for the door. She is stopped when a spear lands at her feet, Sylus stands behind her with several other spears under his arm “What did you do to Artakha?!”He demanded lobbing another spear at her. Tuyet arrogantly laughed as she sliced and dodged spears “That’s stupid question, I had him executed! and I should have executed you as well when I had the chance!” A explosion shook the throne room, a column falls between them as the battle came closer. Sylus took the chance to run to the golden throne and and grab the Olmak from it’s resting place on the top of it. “You wanna kill me? now’s your chance!” he taunted, donning the mask and activating it’s power. Tuyet was a a couple feet away from cutting him in half when both he and her throne vanished in a flash of light. Tuyet had little time to lament the loss of her throne or the Olmak when the pounding on her door drew closer, summoning a deluge of water she cast it down the hall and through the door into the battle outside. When she stepped outside she was met with a small resistance for led by a white and gunmetal toa standing defiant “I know who you are, she said “Or rather I had guessed. You don’t belong here.”

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Chapter 27 {The End of The Hero’s Journey}

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Hero Tower prison cells (Hero Factory) [2 years ago] Part 3

“Sylus struggled against the iron grip of the three heroes holding him down, their armor visibly scuffed and dented from his attempts to escape, at least he could be proud of that. the three heroes brought him to a well lit clean cell and shoved him inside. “Now you two behave yourselves in there.” the green hero said while the silver and yellow ones sat back tapping on a wall panel to lock the door with a force field. Sylus dusted himself off and looked around the barrier “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you, they never cleaned out what was left of the last guy who tried.” Laying on a bench was a short white and blue figure wearing a spiked helmet that covered the top of his head. “The name’s Metus kid and looks like you’ve found yourself on the wrong side of the law around here.” When Sylus continued to stare he didn’t seemed bothered “Since you haven’t tried to shiv me or threaten my life yet I think we’re going to be fast friends whats your name don’t be shy!” “My name is Sylus Toa of Justice, what is a matoran doing in here anyways?” Metus seemed taken aback for a second before composing himself “A matoran me? you never seen an agori before? and I thought you were a decent guy, Kid lemme tell you how it is. This is Makuhero city one of the safest places in this galaxy, mass takeovers and anti-matoran bias aside. this isn’t a bad place to settle down and set up a business.” Metus sat up and stretched “Only reason I’m in here is because some people thought I sold some information to some criminals outside the system or something, a criminal Me? only a real scumbag would stab his friends in the back right? eh?” he joked pointing finger gun at Sylus who seemed skeptical ”Yeah…a backstabber…wait a moment you mentioned ‘anti-matoran’ what are you taking about?” The agori beckoned him to a window overlooking the city as the sun rose over the horizon “A week ago the mayor of the town stepped down from his position so that the people could vote for a new leader to take his place. ‘Senator Colorado’ took office and issued a law that the local matoran and toa had to live in the outskirts of the city because he believed they weren’t ‘economically friendly’ a load of baloney. It was just an excuse so he could strong arm them out of their homes and take their lands for profit and as a gesture of good faith he let only those who agreed to ditch their friends to stay in the city we were paid pretty good to do so too. Standing here, I realize…what a stupid mistake that was to take up his offer.” Metus turned away from the window and stood in front of the door, Sylus spoke up “I may have accidentally killed someone, someone important.” Metus didn’t turn around “I know…William Furno, wow your gonna be here for a very long time kid, he’s not dead but he’s in very bad shape. don’t know what you did but it sounded pretty bad, they might just send you to one of those isolated prisons in space for that.” Sylus looked visibly worried “I didn’t try to kill him it was an accident!” Metus shook his head watching a pair of Skakdi in the cell across fight each other over a scrap of food, a small grin on his face “That doesn’t matter, your a toa you get the penalty, either way you just being here is violating several laws but they aren’t going to execute you no, look at me, I’m here regardless cause someone got the wrong idea, all I am is a innocent salesmen who gets by in life and had a decent job before the ‘mayor’ raised all the prices on everything, well that reminds me I may have said some not so nice things about him and now everything I had is all gone now. (sigh) you can’t beat the system” a bell rang above them and all the cell doors opened. One by one the inmates walked to the mess hall “What’s going on?” Sylus said “Well that’s the morning bell, come on new ‘friend’ stick with me and i’ll show you the ropes.” Sylus followed behind Metus as he casually strolled into the mess hall “Here is where our kindly ‘benefactors’ let us out to socialize with each other. It’s a relatively humane practice unlike most other outer rim prisons, just a word of friendly advice; don’t pick a fight. the heroes won’t be there to save you if that happens.” They found a seat in a lone corner to sit down at, Sylus brought up a question “Metus? if there are no toa around how do they defend from things like Makuta? Dark Hunters?” Metus laughed, pointing out at the crowd “Look around you! won’t find em anywhere else. Every possible threat from out there has been either brought here or is in the ‘solitary confinement’ wing under the tower.” Sylus was impressed, had these heroes done all of this with technology alone? “They did all this without elemental powers?” “Yeah! I thought it was crazy as well until I saw it myself! a Makuta…reduced to a glowing red essence in a glass jar being carted down below.“ Metus lowered his voice “Did you know there right under us through that door? an entire storage room of those jars underneath us like some sick twisted bug collection? I shouldn’t be telling you this but if anyone asks…well you didn’t here it from me.” Sylus leaned a little closer whispering “Why are you telling me this?” Metus suddenly got up and waked into the crowd “You didn’t hear it from me…you know what to do.” Sylus looked on in confusion as Metus strolled towards a particularly nasty looking Steltian and whispered something in his ear. Seconds later the Steltian stood up from his seat, picking up the whole bench and hurled it at a nearby group of criminals, eventually the entire courtyard was in chaos while several heroes struggled to restore order. Metus ran back to Sylus “What did you do! what did you say?” The agori grinned in excitement as he watched the anarchy unfold “You worry about your own business, now what are you waiting for?” Understanding this Sylus weaved through the anarchy until he reached the door to a central tower control room, inside was a single robot operating some kind of security room, the small bot panicked and went for the alarm but not before he was snatched up by the toa and shoved into a drawer. looking over the screens he made out the Solitary confinement wing, taking note of the jars glowing with evil energy. However the control panel was something different, manning the mic he turned on the speaker in the mess hall hoping Metus was still there “Metus? hey! witch button do I press to release the Makuta?” The agori who was enjoying a drink at the time spat it out “Kid!? you made it? good just press the red button!” The ‘toa’ looked at a panel labeled ‘prison controls’ trying to find the right button, it would have been easy if they weren’t all red (“Ah screw it I’m just going to press all of them.”) He thought to himself. when he was done and certain that no red button was left unpressed he checked the screens again. panic had taken hold in the hero factory as vile red spectral spheres flew overhead possessing robots, heroes and villains alike while the prison cells had all opened up letting a wave of criminals flow outwards into the rest of the tower plaza. Metus’s voice came into the speaker again “What have you done you idiot! You were suppose to release one! not all of them now how am I suppose to get the blueprint?!” a siren sounded in the background as a team of heroes entered the courtyard only to be bowled over by a mob, two heroes came up behind Metus and cuffed him “Wait fellas you got the wrong guy i’m innocent I swear! I’m innocent i’m innocent!” i’m-” the camera feed suddenly cut to static as the tower tipped over and crashed into the side of the main building. Sylus emerged from the debris and looked around, the air was filled with smoke and dust, and he was in a armory of some sort, a grin forming on his face as he got to work on his plan.

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The streets were eerily quiet save for the occasional Vahki patrol or Rahi, both of which were easily dispatched by Anvokhan. Dameta, Ekimu and Sylus kept a far distance when this happened “I’m going to ask him a question.” Ekimu suddenly announced, “What? no! I cannot say how much of a terrible idea that is and that’s coming from me!” Dameta nodded anxiously in agreement. “What’s the harm in one question? clearly this…whatever it is wants something and is only using us for that something, the only way we’re going to find out is to ask while it’s here, wish me luck…” Ekimu strode towards the vessel despite protests from the two toa behind. “Excuse me, I have a question for you…” The vessel halted in it’s tracks and turned around “YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? TYPICAL MORTALS AND THEIR IGNORANCE OF THE UNIVERSE’S WORKINGS, VERY WELL…SPEAK.” Ekimu fidgeted in place under that soulless gaze “What is your goal? why help us when you could easily destroy us right here?” Anvokhan laughed, a horrible hollow sound “YOU ASSUME THAT I HAVE A OBJECTIVE THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLE COMPREHEND, SO I SHALL GRANT YOU CLARITY IN PLAIN…HE-WHO-ACTS, THE ONE YOU CALL…KARZAHNI ABUSED THE POWERS OF TEMPORAL TRAVEL TO CREATE THIS CITY… LIKE FLIES BREEDING ON A ROTTING CORPSE THE WOUNDS HAVE FESTERED GROWING PUTRID AND SPREADING AND SOON MY LORD WILL EMERGE FROM THE TORN TAPESTRY ONCE ENOUGH TEARS HAVE BEEN MADE…BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY, I WISH ONLY TO BE THE ONE TO HAVE THE HONOR OF BRINGING MY LEVIATHAN’S PRESENCE TO THIS PLACE, NOT THAT INSOLENT WEAKLING, HIS PATHETIC ATTEMPTS AT THE SUMMONING WILL REND THIS WORLD ASUNDER, AND TO SUFFICE THAT NEED, I. NEED. YOU…HE-WHO-PRETENDS…SYLUS…” The vessel raised a rotting finger towards Sylus “HE HOLDS THE KEY…BUT ALSO THE TRUTH, LET US WITNESS IT IN IT’S TERRIBLE GRANDEUR.” A vision of the past shapes in minds of the trio…

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Karzahni’s World (the beginning)

Karzahni sat in his brand new throne room contemplating his recent success in conquering the universe his castle was being rebuilt from the ruins of the old one “My greatest accomplishment finally manifest!” He exclaimed as he caressed the head of a recently executed vortixx. The entire world was finally at peace, fires were raging, screams drowned out any other noise and corpses decorated the sides of the castle like banners, everything was right in the world… Until a vortex opened in the ceiling above and dropped a throne and a terrified Sylus on the still unaware Karzahni. Fortunately, The throne stopped a couple of feet above the mad tyrant’s own throne, it had gotten caught on the many hooks that hung all around the room. Sylus didn’t dare move from his spot on the hanging golden throne when Karzahni got up from his chair to look out at the vista. The chains above creaked under the strain of the golden throne until it crashed down on top of and shattered Karzahni’s own seat of power with a boom, Sylus could hear footsteps approaching from the balcony rapidly approaching and hid behind a pillar. Soon Karzahni burst into the chamber drawn by commotion flaming chain in hand “Who dares? show yourself!” he demanded cautiously swinging his chain around once he noticed the golden throne sitting in the place of the old one he stopped to examine it, Sylus took this as his chance to escape.But just as his hand touched the handle Karzahni called out to him “Leaving so soon? I wanted to properly thank you for this new seat of power, honestly I liked the old one better but this will have to do.” Burning chains wrapped around the his waist pulling him close to the tyrant’s grim mask “Do pray tell what is your name? I vaguely recall something familiar about you.” Hesitantly Sylus cleared his throat “M-my name is…Sylus I’m…here from somewhere else.” Karzahni rubbed his mask pondering the name until it dawned on him “Sylus…I clearly recall a Sylus, you were my personal test subject weren’t you? I’d take you apart and put you back together while you were still alive I never would have imagined you would become a full fledged toa! fate is a humorous thing… I could still tear you apart regardless but that would be too…straightforward? Perhaps you would like to make a deal? from one ascended being to another?” Sylus saw no other way out, this was Karzahni the same madman who had shaped him into the broken husk he was today, he had taken him apart and reassembled him so many times that he wasn’t sure he was still the same person, He had effectively created him. “Alright…what do you propose?” The mad lord’s eyes lit up with delight “Well let us get to the point I have this…power, not originally mine but something special but I’ve never actually tried it on anyone before and I was wondering if you could be my test subject one. last. time?” Sylus blinked “Ok but what is this power exactly? I want to know before you go zapping me or something.” Karzahni let a small shrug show as he circled his former test dummy “This isn’t some kind of conventional power no sir, this is a ability to grant wishes to others and who else benefits from that than the one i’m granting a wish to? just tell me your deepest desire and I will make it come true, I mean after all…I am this universe’s new master, what’s the harm?” Karzahni reached out a hand to Sylus who considered for a second before grasping it tightly “I wish… I wish for the greatest adventure of all time…an adventure so great that it will be remembered for the rest of time.” a gust of wind blew through the room surrounding the two, after a second the chamber was dead silent once more “Wish…granted hm quite the fanfare.” Sylus turned to leave until Karzahni stopped him “Oh you really thought that was going to be it? I assume that you came here with this?” He held Sylus’s Kanohi Olmak in his hand teasing him with it then putting it out of reach when he tried to grab it “This adventure isn’t going to set itself up, your going to get some stuff done first.” Exasperated the toa shouted at him “You tricked me! I thought you said you were going to grant me my wish!” He lunged forward with weapon in hand ready to strike until a invisible force stopped him from landing the blow “It would seem that you cannot harm me, a side effect of the wish making? no matter, it looks like you have no choice but to serve.” A mighty blow sends Sylus hurling into a wall his weapon shattering to burning pieces “You couldn’t live with being a failure, like a Zyglak, unwanted…a mistake, and where has fate decided better than to send you back to me…full circle, just so you could try to be something you were never meant to be.” another blow pummels him into the ground “I made you…and I can easily unmake you like I said earlier, but if you value your life you had best heed my words.” the pressure of Karzahni’s foot on his head felt like his mask would crack apart at any moment “Alright alright! I yield…i yield…” the pressure was lifted soon after “Good…good I was hoping you would eventually see things my way, only one thing on the list, Artakha, my brother has been quite problematic lately and i need him taken care of…violently, among some other things on this list, after that your done! everything else should fall into place.”

Karzahni’s World (a month later after Artakha’s death)

Sylus returned later with a bag in tow only to find the throne room empty. “Karzahni! i’ve done what you wanted so where’s my reward? hello?”the silence was making him uncomfortable when a vortex opened above the throne and deposited the mad god on the throne “Ha ha! terrorizing other worlds is so much fun! but it’s time to- oh Well well well hello new friend! I assume your the one that He told me about?” Sylus took a moment to proce-

“Wait! before you finish that line I’ll just tell you before the writer spends half a paragraph filled with too many of ‘as’ and ‘before’ (as if this story needed anymore poorly explained plot holes and stuff that made zero sense in the original webstory before) I’ll just save you the time and effort…”

“I killed him…yeah the dude from before? yeah he’s dead, donezo, but not in the way you might think it happened.” Sylus was still confused, Karzahni shook his head and showed him the Olmak “You see while He was waiting for you to kill my brother he got bored and decided to try and explore the multiverse fun stuff, i’m sure you would know about all that. Anyways he went places saw some things he wasn’t suppose to and lets just say that’s where he’s staying for a very long time, catch my drift?” “So your the same Karzahni but different? like a split personality?” Sylus said “Ding ding ding! that’s right!! almost, we are the same person but not really same body different person, what he saw in the last place we were in there was this thing that called us a Hand, something that acts. It took him and created me out of the memory last person he was thinking of…” the truth dawned on Sylus “Me? so this new persona is based on my personality?” “Like looking into a dark mirror…this is how it was meant to be! someone has to take care of this world and it looks like I must be the one to do it! anyhow your stage has been set take your mask and this throne, toodles!” Another vortex appeared above Sylus sucking him, the Olmak and the golden throne into it where it appeared in the sky plummeting towards Artakha’s castle.”

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“THE TRUTH HAS BEEN REVEALED AND THE PATH LAIN BARE, JUDGE AS YOU MUST, FOR IT IS NOT MY PLACE TO.” Ekimu was the first to speak, his voice trembling with rage “You…why? why did those people deserve to suffer?” Sylus shook his hands backing away slowly “L-look he was going to kill me if I didn’t do what he wanted ok?!” Ekimu could hold back no longer “SO YOU MADE OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES MY LIFE A LIVING NIGHTMARE JUST SO YOU COULD SAVE YOUR SORRY HIDE?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FRIENDS I’VE WATCH DIE? HOW MANY I’VE HAD TO BURY BECAUSE OF YOU?” Ekimu snapped, Dameta stood to the side glaring with a disapproving look “I…I…” “I don’t care about your excuses, you lied to me! you said you were a toa!” “I AM A TOA!” Sylus yelled back “LIAR!!! that’s all you’ve been doing, now I understand why the Architects cudgel was stolen, you wanted to give it to Karzahni that’s it?” Ekimu stepped up to the ‘toa of lies’ pressing a finger to his chest “NO! no…I just want to fix my mistake…please that’s all I want right now” Anvokhan was watching the whole thing unfold and he reveled in it “YOU SOUGHT TO CREATE A TRUTH OUT OF A ELABORATE DECEPTION ONLY TO BRING COMPLETE RUIN…YOU WOULD MAKE FOR AN EXCELLENT DISCIPLE…HE-WHO-PRETENDS AS HE-WHO-IS…A TRUE METAMORPHASIS INTO YOUR TRUE SHAPE...RELISH IN YOUR ACHIEVEMENT.” Sylus turned angrily towards the vessel “Shut up! your responsible for all this too! if you hadn’t shown up we wouldn’t…wouldn’t…you.” Anvohkhan leaned forward “I HAVE DONE NO WRONG…ONLY BROUGHT THE INEVITABLE TO LIGHT…” This was the breaking point “You know what? fine I wanted to fix my mistake but if this is how I’m going to be repaid then forget it Im going to do this myself my way! I don’t need you, you wanna-be builder!” Ekimu was taken aback, clearly offended. “Don’t give me that look you mute! if you got something to say say it to my face!” Dameta looked down at him disappointed but not angry. “And I especially don’t need help from the likes of you goo face if there’s anyone I should blame for this it’s your fault!” Sylus turned back on the group eyes ahead “If there’s anyone to blame it’s him…” Dameta and Ekimu were left alone by themselves and without another word they continued to follow Anvokhan to the castle ahead

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(The Kingdom Universe) part 5

The sounds of Sylus’s footsteps echoed through the pristine halls of the Colosseum, a stark contrast compared to the stinking sewer he had just come out of. Tanma was waiting for him by the door to the council room “Sylus your back! did you find the source of the shadow kraata?” Sylus shrugged and explained how the mastermind behind the dark eels was a matoran named Ahkmou who had been breeding them below the city in a bid to take over the island and how he had also been experimenting with various other things, things that led to his untimely demise. “Great spirit protect us…you at least sealed off the entrance right? the shadow kraata were difficult enough to contain but mutants? once the council is finished you should tell them right away!” On cue, the doors opened and a white and gunmetal toa strolled past them "Takanuva! how did it go?” The toa of light turned to meet them “We need to inspect the light barriers around the city, Rahkshi are getting through using shadow armor, who’s this?” Sylus awkwardly stepped forward “I am Toa Sylus, I assume your the toa of light everyone’s been talking about?” Tanma stepped in “Actually we’re both toa of light we can change colors…oh! get this this is actually Takanuva from another dimension!” Sylus inspected the toa of light “Thought you’d be taller…is it true that you challenged Teridax to a Kollhi match and won?” Takanuva put a hand behind his head “Well that’s half true he challenged me and we fought but I won when- hold on how do you know about that? I never told anyone that.” Sylus realized that he had just stepped over his bounds “Uh…um…lucky guess? news travels fast?” but the toa of light wasn’t buying it “You aren’t from around here are you? that could only mean your traveling worlds too?” the ‘toa’ shrugged, no point in hiding it now” Yep, I’m still kind of new to this though, this traveling stuff…hey listen, I would love to stick around and chat but I’ve got to let the council know about those weird things under Po Wahi so can’t keep them waiting!” Sylus hurried towards the council room behind them. Tanma watched him go “You think he’ll want to help us with our mission later? Takanuva gazed at Sylus as he disappear behind the massive doors “No…he’s got other things to do, bit I can’t help but think there’s more to him that meets the eye, but I think I know someone else who can help, where’s Matoro?” Later after the meeting, and their decision to seal the tunnel under po wahi, Sylus traveled to the Great Furnace to pick up a new mask where he was met by a toa of fire working the forge “What can I do for you today- oh you must be here for that mask that Turaga Takanuva commissioned for you he came earlier saying you needed something new.” Sylus tapped his foot impatiently while the toa monologue about The Kingdom’s politics “You venture into the depths without a clue where your going then your gonna get lost. Which is why you need some insight, premonition if you will, and that’s where this comes in!” The mask maker pulled a mask out a nearby bag and handed it to Sylus “This custom one of a kind piece is for you. It’s supposed to tell you the future but I haven’t been able to get it to work, here you go, try not to break it.” As Sylus left he examined the mask in his hands, still warm from the forging process. This was his first Kanohi mask ever aside from the one on his face and the Olmak, he put the mask on out of curiosity to see what would happen but found nothing he did would activate it, had they given him a dud? He took it off and put it away disappointed, replacing it with The mask of dimensional gates he summoned a portal and stepped inside to continue his adventures under the shadow of a recently raised statue of Matoro.”

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Chapter 28 [The Cryptex]

“Just kneel in front of the box and we will begin the ritual.” Karzahni commanded, Makuta obeyed, kneeling down in front of a large box covered in gears sitting in the center of a dark room “Good, now say the rites I like we rehearsed.” Makuta recited, “Oh Great and Mysterious Prodigal, unknowable and omnipresent, grant upon us your infallible wisdom.” After he finished the rite…nothing happened the box remain silent, “Oh come on! why won’t you answer me?!” Karzahni yelled stomping his feet and kicking the box, the only response then was a stubbed toe and more silence. “Urrrggggghhhh! again! again! it has to answer me!” This time Makuta wearily rose to his feet to give his suspicions “Lord Karzahni, We’ve tried to commune with this Prodigal twenty times already, and all we have received is nothing, how can we be sure that it even exists?” “Because I know so, you dare doubt your god? now again kneel!”

Sitting cross-legged in a dark corner of the room was a lone thrall watching the spectacle, frail and shaky it’s armor was so brittle that any sudden movements would cause it to crumble apart. it’s mask was a blank save for the three symbols running down it’s face. Sensing the approach of it’s target in the castle, it got up and silently vanished into the dark…"

Sylus’s plan was not going as intended, his plan to snatch up the Olmak from the treasure room and ditch this place had flopped from the get go, it was apparently fused into Karzahni himself giving him immense power, and now Sylus was stuck here “This night just keeps getting worst and worst! first that blob spills my secret that I‘m TRYING to keep and now my ticket outta here is now inside a lunatic god and great spirit knows where he is right now…” He slumped up against the wall of the treasure room donning his mask of Exfiltration to examine the castle’s layout, he utilized the mask of Prophecy for any clues and even his mask of Mechanics just so he could do donuts around the room on his motorcycle out of boredom. “Auuuugghh! why can’t things go my way for once!” he shouted into the vast hallway, the murals of death and destruction offered no response “…Pre-haps you…are lo-oking in…wrong place.” a small weary voice called out. From the dark stepped a small frail blue creature that hobbled towards him, Sylus prepared to charge “Another servant of Karzahni? give me ten seconds and I’ll finish you off.” The thrall easily sidestepped the attacks thrown his way “Ten? to-o gen-er-ous…” A blast of suppressing energy pins Sylus to the wall “I…only ne-ed five to de-feat you… will you lis-ten now?” “Seeing as you put me in here then yeah I think I got plenty of time, go on shoot…figuratively.” Suddenly the thrall began to rise into the air a greenish tinge taking hold until it disappeared in a flash of light “What the? your just gonna ditch me here and-” Sylus’s vision faded to black…

somewhere else

The ‘toa’ awoke in a open field to a bright blue sky, a far cry from the demented twisted halls of the castle. the air was fresh and clean compared to the acrid smell of sulfur and death before a majestic vista of a countryside spanned before him “Welcome, Toa of Magnetism to the Cryptex, my personal realm.” Sylus blinked for a second and before him a bizarre being stood before him, it was a tall white and silver being with four arms, no eight, the other four appeared to be made out of energy. Each hand held a object from a sword to a shield in the other it’s mask was blank but a glowing orange what could be presumed to be ‘eye’ was visible underneath “What are you?” Sylus said. The being strode towards him extending a jewel encrusted hand “I am The Prodigal, the unknowable and known, The Judge, Salvation, and you are a anomaly, you in question are just as much an otherworldly visitor as I.” “Touche, but what’s with the scenery? I appreciate it but…oh wait I get it, you wanted someplace to talk privately that’s it?” The faceless being nodded “You will be needed soon, your companions will face a insurmountable challenge that they cannot overcome, you and only you alone will be able to give them that edge, an edge that you must only wish for, for it is not one granted freely.” it pointed towards a pillar in the distance “Traverse the field and claim the sphere, then you will be granted power.” Without another word Sylus began his long trek to the column, as he walked through the quiet meadow visions of his past shimmered in the grass around him, the burning ruins of Makuhero city, the battle torn Colosseum and the abandoned labs under Po Wahi. Phantoms manifested in the forms Ahkmou, Tuyet and Furno hovered behind him, Tuyet, missing her lower half completely was the first to speak “You killed me, bravo I applaud you…or I would if you had actually done so yourself, coward.” Ahkmou came up from behind her, his body was shredded to pieces barely able to walk and his mask only had one visible eye hole through the warped mess “Toa are suppose to protect the weak, not leave them to die, why didn’t you save me? were you afraid that you would end up like me?” Furno’s eyes glowed a unnatural green that illuminated his charred body as he descended behind Sylus “You ruined not just my life but everyone I knew and cared for now have to suffer because of your greed, are you proud of yourself? or maybe you just wish you’d actually killed me the first time?” as much as Sylus didn’t want to admit it he did. The phantoms swirled above him as he walked accusing him of the terrible things he had done to them the voices were beginning to wear on him, halfway there he took a swing at the nearest specter, it laughed and faded away only to return shortly after. This would continue until he reached the column and the sphere on top, Ahkmou sneered “What will you do toa of lies? get your friends to help? oh wait you have none, you pushed them all away.” Furno gazed up at the sphere “My friends all perished in the destruction of my home, those that came back from off planet returned to a nightmare they only would dream of before...it’s real now thanks to you.” The specter of the tyrant sharpened her ghostly blade “Friends…pah! some friends they turned out to be, leaving you in that room to burn.” Furno shot her a glare before he returned his attention to Sylus who had begun to climb the pillar “Speak for yourself hypocrite! you turned on your own just for power, you even killed that Toa Lhikan because he was in the way, if you were in my world you would have been put into solitary confinement.” Just as Sylus reached for the orb Ahkmou’s ghastly mask popped up next to him “Do you know what it was like to be ripped apart by things with your own face? to watch someone abandon you when you need them most?” a burst of flame knocked the ‘toa’ off balance, below him several Ahkbominations with Sylus’s mask waited below “Would you like to find out?”

Another door exploded outward as Dameta punched through them, Ekimu following behind him, Anvokhan had left them to scale the walls outside when they reached the castle leaving them by themselves [“So Dameta…your a toa? I don’t mean to be rude but How come i’ve never heard of you before? you seem much more laid back then most toa of fire i’ve read about.”] the colossus shrugged [“Because I am not a toa of fire, In my home dimension I am the last toa of iron in existence as far as I know, I help my people, other Fe-matoran hide from the things that want them, like the Brotherhood of Makuta and The Order of Mata Nui, both of them want us because we’re either a threat or a weapon to them, though I would take the Brotherhood over the Order any day of the week.” Ekimu had heard of the order before but was surprised to hear him speak of them so poorly [“Aren’t the Order the good guys? your a toa of iron you would be invaluable to them! you could help everyone!”] Dameta sighed loosening his grip on his gauntlets [Yeah, help everyone else, us toa and matoran of iron are nothing more than weapons to them, tools made to fight their war, If I was given a choice to fight one or the other, I think that I’d want to at least fight on my own terms than throw my life away for some secretive organization that only cares if your powers can be used against metal, on the other hand the Makuta want to kill us all off because of that reason…so it stands, I come from a world that wants us dead, does that answer your question?”] Ekimu felt bad for asking such a sensitive question [“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”] The bigger toa rested a hand on his shoulder [“No harm done, It is just that I’m tired of everyone asking that, personally I should thank you for helping me get that off my chest, haven’t spoken to anyone outside of my tribe in years, I’m sure the turaga would have liked you.”] another door busted down and it was getting darker [“Something he told me once back when I was a new toa was that that it was better to make a home out of wood than stone, I remember thinking of it as a metaphor, wood was only reserved for fires and tool crafting, it made no sense to make a house out of such brittle material when stone was the better sturdier choice, until one stormy day the valley flooded for the first time and all the homes made from stone were submerged, and the wooden ones floated to the top where we used them as rafts until the water drained outwards, many lost their homes that day and it was also the day when I learned to take the turaga’s words more seriously, years later I would dig a hole so that the rainwater would easily drain from the valley to prevent flooding…wooden huts would eventually be abandoned in favor of magma molded homes, but we never forgot what that day taught us, so we built ships in the event that the valley flooded again, and when it did we were thankful that we had done so, the point is that sometimes lesser is better, and that lesser can save your life, even if it is a simple wooden hut.”] Ekimu looked at a mural of Karzahni sitting on a golden throne being carried by matoran slaves, “A lesson lost on many it seems.” he said aloud as the next door Dameta broke down opened into a sunlit hallway, at the other end Makuta stood, hammer in hand eyes blazing under a unfamiliar black mask “Lord Karzahni is not seeing any guests today, leave or I shall make you, forcibly if I must.”

Sylus dodged and weaved between fire bolts, water blasts and gnashing teeth in his retreat back to the Prodigal, and the sphere was not getting any lighter. In fact it was getting heavier by the second, growing larger and larger in his hands until it was bigger than his head, yet he could see the being from here awaiting him. More attacks threw his attention back to the task at hand but it was too late, the sphere had grown so large that he could no longer carry it and had to roll the now massive orb across the meadow. Tuyet shook her head while Ahkmou glared at Sylus while he fought off the monsters and dodged fire blasts “Persistent wretch, die already!” Ahkmou gave her an uneasy look as he glanced back at Furno who slashed at the toa with his blades “You, burnt one! try harder!” Tuyet demanded impatiently “…And you…little backstabber, don’t just float there do something useful!” the po matoran gazed at the insults to life below as they had already begun to destabilized and melt into residue, their life expectancy was only so brief “What is a matoran suppose to do against a armed toa?” Furno rose to their level “He is resilient but he will not endure what comes next…” Sylus could barely shove the massive sphere any further before he collapsed from exhaustion as the spirits circled overhead until they descended as one exploding in a plume of smoke, when it cleared a majestic being stood, it’s mask was marked with elegant engravings and looked similar to the one Sylus wore, it’s sword was clean and guided sliver with the matoran words for honor and justice, the being’s armor was a true work of art with a flowing white cape behind it and several glowing lights, the only off-putting thing about it was it’s red eyes as it gazed down at Sylus with sympathy while the toa cautiously got up “Who or what are you?” he asked. The shining being laughed, “Don’t you recognized me? I am you, but if your path consisted of helping those in need instead of taking from them.” it said in his voice, it continued “I found a team of toa in desperate need of help and assisted them in stopping a threat that would have ended all reality, a demon creature calling itself The Leviathan, it attempted to escape but we tracked it down and slew it, bringing it’s head back as a trophy, for my deed the great spirit Mata Nui ascended me to godhood as it’s emissary.” Sylus could barely form words in his mouth, this was him? this is what he could have been instead of wasting his time dropping into other worlds messing with the space fabric of reality? He could have stayed in his world and made it a better place, a place where he could be…loved and respected. “Why didn’t I stay behind? why did I make that stupid mask and ruin everything?” the other Sylus set his sword by his side while the original bowed his head in shame. “Because you are selfish and self-centered, and because of you I can never be real unless…you let me take your place in the real world, stay here and let the real hero save the world.” The being offered a hand “and all you have to do…is wish it.”

Chapter 29 [Countdown to Oblivion]

“You defy the Master’s will by being here in these sacred halls! submit and I will grant you a swift and merciful death!” Makuta bellowed swinging at Dameta who blocked it with a gauntlet swing. So far Makuta had consistently kept the upper hand against the two, whatever Karzahni had done to him had made Makuta nearly invulnerable to all attacks, tanking each blow like nothing, Dameta was getting desperate, [“He is too strong! nothing I do is hurting him! Ekimu we need to fall ba-”] This was enough time for Makuta sidestep him with alarming speed and land a crushing blow to a unprotected part of his armor severely damaging several parts of his body and leaving a sizable dent in his midsection. The toa of iron collapsed to a knee clutching his side which had begun to leak a green fluid, Ekimu rushed to aid him but was blown back by Makuta’s hammer, his new armor protecting him from the impact “Brother…please this isn’t you! your better then this!” the dark warlord responded by implanting the bladed end of his maul into the ground between them. “Yes I am better! better than you finally after years of being beneath your shadow, Lord Karzahni has opened my eyes and through his guidance I am stronger because of it!” He strode towards the mask maker, lifting him up by his arm “No longer shall I be held back by paltry things like ‘brotherhood’ and ‘friendship’ I have become more than you could ever aspire to be! you are the one beneath my shadow now.” He hurled his brother through a mural shattering it, but Ekimu managed to grab on to a piece of glass while he watched the pieces plummet towards the dark city below even while he could feel the sharp edge biting into his hand, he endured the pain and hoisted himself back into the hallway clutching the deep gash in his left hand and pulling out the shards of shattered glass stuck in his back. Ekimu’s former brother had resumed his attack on Dameta relentlessly beating down on the toa while he attempted to defend himself, Damea tried to bend Makuta’s armor with his elemental iron powers but found that the material not metal, the next blow shattered the armor on his shoulder and damaging the mechanical joints underneath. “Is this all Artakha has? are these the heroes sent to stop my master’s ascension to godhood? pitiful!” another blow shatters Dameta’s legs and knocks his gauntlet out of his hand. Makuta loomed over him a eerie purple smoke pouring from the Dark lord’s body and black horned mask wicked maul raised aimed directly above him. At the very last second a bright light blinded everyone in the hallway as a portal materialized and a sword spun through the air impaling Makuta through the shoulder and disarming the weapon from his grasp. A familiar figure stepped out of the vortex, Sylus had returned with a confident grin “Hey big guy, long time no see, wanna go for round two?”

(A hour ago)

“and all you have to do…is wish it.” Future Sylus says extending his hand out to his present day self. this was it, he could finally be a hero, but… “What about me? what will happen if you become real?” The future Sylus shook his head “Well, you’ll fade into nonexistence simple as that, but look at this.” a window into the present opened up showing Dameta and Ekimu getting thrashed by the powered up Makuta, and it looked like they weren’t going to last much longer “Your friends need help, but you abandoned them, let me help them win!” Sylus watched the battle painfully taking place . He was responsible for this, everything could have been avoided had he just refused that deal. “No…” His future self did a double take “No? you realize if they continue to-” Sylus held hand out to stop him “No…I have to go back this is my fault I should be the one that fixes it.” The skies darken and the meadow turned a deep shade of dead brown “Is that so? you think your really ready to go back so soon? you haven’t even fulfilled the request the Prodigal gave you, what makes you so certain about being able to fix this?” His future self suddenly shifted into the twisted nightmarish form of Karzahni but his mask vaguely resembled his own. The faker menacingly sharped his blade while pacing around his present self offering his hand once again “I’ll ask one last time take the deal and let the real heroes save the world from destruction, last chance.” Sylus unsheathed his own sword, Future laughed “You think that fighting yourself is going to end well? I AM YOU! right down to every step you take, thought and every breath! you can’t possibly…” Instead Sylus turned around and struck the sphere behind him. Cracks formed in the surface of the orb as it hissed a blue gas, Sylus’s future self began to fade “What have you done?! you’ve ruined it! now I’ll never-” it’s voice fluxing between the mad god and his own until with a scream it faded into nothingness. the meadow was silent as Sylus lay in the grass gazing at the now night sky until footsteps got his attention “Well done, you are the first to survive, and the first to receive this power.” The Prodigal approached taking a seat beside him “Well I couldn’t have done it without…huh how did I do that? spooky ghosts, spooky me…I guess all it took was the right blow to the right place.” The Prodigal sighed internally, this was not the intended outcome, yes Sylus had survived and by that right he deserved the power, but he had learned nothing, perhaps an error on it’s part, too much of a challenge? maybe it should have been something much more clear…but that didn’t matter now, If he was not the champion it desired then it’s search for one will continue, at the very least it could help him save what was left of his universe, It needed to search harder, but at least it could try again the next time they met. “The power you seek lies within the shell, take it and prosper.” Sylus carefully climbed into the sphere waving away blue smoke that smelled like flowers, inside was a emancipated corpse grasping onto a tiny green orb the size of a zamor sphere. slowly he picked up the orb as the body crumbled to dust on contact, before Sylus could have a closer look at the ball of energy it melted into his hand as a luminous green energy surged up his prosthetic arm then faded. “What was that?!” he exclaimed, The Prodigal gentle held the toa’s mechanical hand studying it intently like a stone carver carefully chiseling out a important detail on his sculpture, it had been a gift from the Kingdom timeline to help him in his mission to find the source of a shadow kraata infestation made from a melted down piece of a Makuta’s protosteel armor found in those depths, The Judgement could see this for psychometry was not limited to just a mask power, it eventually found what it was seeking…it’s power resting within the toa’s core faintly beating within his heartlight. The Prodigal withdrew and cast it’s blade into the ground and began to carve out a circle, the circle transformed into a glowing portal “The way back to the realm of The Hand is open to you.” Without another word Sylus leapt through the gateway as it disappeared, but not before he dropped something, The Prodigal, Judgement of the Leviathan stooped down to pick up the dull golden object, a kopesh amulet with a orange gemstone, as the being stood alone in the empty field it gazed up at the stars above wondering if it had made the right choice…

Makuta glowered as he tore the blade from his shoulder which had already begun healing itself, Sylus taunted him with a finger wag “Hey big guy, long time no see, wanna go for round two?” Turning to Ekimu he said “Miss me?” The mask maker didn’t answer instead me crawled over to Dameta’s unconscious body to tend to his wounds. Makuta snarled “The traitor comes crawling back, come to join you ‘friends’ in their fate?”

Chapter 30 [The Leviathan’s gaze]

“I-I swear Lord Karzahni! I d-didn’t mean what I said about blowing up the city! please!” Conjurer pleaded kicking his legs over the massive drop below him as Karzahni held him by the throat over the side of his castle’s tallest tower “Hold up, you wanted to blow up my city?” Karzahni asked cocking his head to the side in confusion, at this the magician realized he made a critical error and corrected himself “What I-I mean is that…I didn’t want them to blow up the city! yes they wanted to destroy it and I-” The mad god threw him back onto the roof of the tower “No no no no no no! my friend I brought you here because I wanted to commend you on your progress! you’ve always gone above and beyond to please me and I am VERY pleased indeed…” Karzahni offered a handshake to Conjurer “I wanted to offer you a free wish on top of the one you’ve already got…go on make a wish!” The ex Dark Hunter considered for a moment he sure had a strange way of giving promotions, but on the offer, could this be the promotion, the recognition of greatness he’d worked so hard for? how could he say no? “Well I wish…to be as strong as you! unlimited power!!” Karzahni withdrew his hand slightly “Are you sure? I can allow for more time to reconsider for a better wish bu-” Conjurer stepped forward looking him dead in the eyes arms outstretched “Yes! ultimate power! I am sure of it! now give it to me!” Karzahni grinned and shrugged “Very…well Wish Granted.” A eerie shriek pierced the silence of the night as a slick black claw emerged over the side of the tower’s balcony followed by a garbled roar and the rest of the body revealing itself black goo and all “HEED NOT HIS UN-PRAYERS MORTAL FOR THEY SHALL BE YOUR UNDOING!” Anvohkhan hissed pointing at Conjurer. Karzahni rolled his eyes whipping his chain out from his waist “Another uninvited guest in my home, when will you ungrateful little mortals learn to knock first? looks like I’m going to have to put you in your place like the rest.” a bright orange glow enveloped Conjurer as the wish finally took effect Karzahni noticed and cackled “But first…how about I let my newest work of art demonstrate his newfound potential?” Each step that Conjurer took felt like the world trembled under him, was this what Karzahni felt? it was amazing, with all this power he wouldn’t let him down, he raised his hand to fire a beam of energy at the monster before him, a sharp pain shot up his shoulder like it had been stabbed with a white hot blade, then he looked at his arm…or rather the burnt stump of where his arm used to be. The pain spread through the rest of his body like a wildfire burning him from the inside out, he screamed as energy began to escape from his other arm until it burst flaring outwards, one of his eyes had been blinded leaving him unable to see until he stumbled back towards the ledge teetering over the abyss below, everything hurt so much. Karzahni casually strolled towards him and leaned on the railing with a smug grin plastered on his face “How’s your wish? do you like it? after all you wanted this and do you know why I granted your request? because you champ…deserve it, honestly did you think I wouldn’t catch on to your little scheme like everyone else I’ve taken in? you worked so hard just so you could betray me and look what happened to them.” The mad tyrant swiped his chain at Conjurer’s knees severing them from his body and causing him to tumble into the depths below. The last thing the ex dark hunter saw with his one good eye was Karzahni leaning over the edge waving to him in a taunting manner before the darkness consumed him…

Anvokhan watched the whole spectacle unfold before him, it was easily predicted that it would happen but a tiny part of him couldn’t help but feel…satisfied watching such unrequited suffering on display, as the mad god would say ‘a work of art’ but the time for admiration had long since past, now was the time for business “HAND, YOUR INCOMPETENCE WILL HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES…BEYOND WHAT YOU COULD EVEN HOPE TO SUPPRESS! OUR LEVIATHAN WILL ARRIVE SOON AND-” Karzahni yawned and filed his claws with the late Conjurer’s severed hand “Blah blah blah Leviathan this Leviathan that that’s all you ever talk about, out of all the people I’ve ever met you where always the most BORING person I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting, when are you going to get it through that gooey skull of yours that I DON’T CARE about your stupid Leviathan, or whatever If you love it so much why don’t you just marry it?” Anvohkhan snarled under his breath at the slander of his Lord, he was going to take his time with this one…or rather it looks like he wouldn’t need to. The whole sky seemingly begun to rip apart as if it were cloth, entire blocks of buildings began to crumble apart and the land began to rise into the sky, the air began to smell of something indescribable. Karzahni meanwhile was completely oblivious to the gigantic compound teeth filled eye that stared at him through the gaping tear that filled the sky as far as the horizon until he turned around and screamed. “WHAT IS THAT DOING HERE?! WHY IS THAT IN MY SKY?” The Primordial god made no answer as debris continued to rise into the air, Karzahni turned to the vessel livid with what had happened “You…you ruined my city! do you know how long it took for me to clean you gunk out of everything?” Anvokhan shook his head “YOU HAVE ONLY DONE THAT YOURSELF HAND, THE SCHOLAR OF THE DEEP SHALL SOON SING IT’S SYMPHONY OF UPENDING AND LULL THIS REALM INTO THE DEEP SLUMBER OF OBLIVION, WITNESS MY TRUE SPLENDOR, MY METAMORPHOSIS COMPLETE, BEHOLD!” The vessel shuddered then it’s skin melted into blackish green ichor, in it’s place was a moderately sized figure as tall as Karzahni but smaller than his previous form, a thin netting covered his upper body which hid a faint greenish glow underneath, the Voice’s mask had long antlers, a trait presumably taken from his previous host and a long beak-like extension around the front of the mask, Anvokhan’s eyes no longer leaked black fluid but rather they formed intricate black markings around the mask he wore, in his hand was a gnarled staff. Karzahni laughed “Am I suppose to be impressed? I have fought a dozen other versions of me from other timelines! beaten a thousand Toa into submission at once! slain a Kaethrani with it’s own torn limbs! and shattered Teridax’s mind! what can you do against a god?!” Anvokhan did not flinch but continued to slowly approach with his hands behind his back “PATHETIC…YOU CALL YOURSELF A GOD IN THE PRESENCE OF A PRIMORDIAL OLDER THAN THE COSMOS ITSELF, A PRETENDER PLAYING WITH TOYS...NOTHING MORE THAN A SIMPLE CHILD PRETENDING TO BE MORE...” Karzahni stared dumbfounded then snickered “Are you really comparing me to a child? really? funny coming from a talking piece of scum planning to betray his own god!” The Voice was surprised his illusion of calm gone, he had not anticipated this response it was suppose to be a his secret, a shame…he had hoped he wouldn’t have to kill him immediately, but such is the disappointment that is life. “LIES…YOU SPEAK FASLEHOODS PRETENDER! WE HAVE WASTED ENOUGH OF OUR LORD’S TIME WITH CONVERSATION I. WILL. UNMAKE. YOU.” Anvokhan shot into the sky and descended on the mad god “Your awfully bitter, did I push a button? hit a nerve? good right into my trap.” in the moment Karzahni tapped into his Kanohi Olisi mask of alternate futures The Voice realized what was happening too late. The next moments where in deep space, a Colossal beast before him, under it’s shadow he was a microscopic speck. The creature’s gaze from it’s five compound eyes were angry and it’s body glowed a bright violet like a sun, Ahnvokhan cowered back as it spoke to him in his mind

“B E T R A Y E R… I. C A S T. Y O U. F R O M. M Y. D O M A I N… B E G O N E!”

the next thing he felt was the force of several planets worth of force being smashed right into him by the Leviathan’s finger flicking him like a fly into the dark space beyond. The Voice could feel his body crumbling into burning pieces before he crashed to the surface of a moon and shattered to pieces…When he regained consciousness he was back on the tower and Karzahni was nowhere to be seen, the Leviathan’s eye still gazed at it’s surroundings. A slow clapping sound caused him to turn around to spot the God-Emperor sitting on a throne eating from a bag of burnt black kernals “Wow what a show, bravo who would have made the winning guess that the great and mighty Plague Bearer was not a true Leviathan fanboy after all, but I don’t think we’re done here just yet.” The mad god tapped into his mask once again “Like what I’ve done to my mask? it’s like a illusion except you feel everything that happens, let’s go for round two!” Once more Anvokhan was cast into another horrifying illusion of many to come, if this was the price to pay…if he had to endure a million deaths and sufferings to accomplish his goal, so be it then…he will play this game a little longer.

(A minute earlier)

Sylus dodged past a swing from Makuta’s onslaught of dark energy projectiles “That’s new, What in Mata Nui’s name did He do to you?” A stray bolt caught him off guard sending him flying into a wall landing next to Ekimu “Hey, I take it your not too happy to see me?” Ekimu scoffed and turned away “For once your right, I thought you made it clear you didn’t want to be part of the team?” Ekimu said. “Look I…I’m sorry…” Sylus looked down at his hands. Ekimu sighed and turned around “I overreacted and that wasn’t the right call for me to make, yes you’ve caused so much damage and that’s no excuse for your actions but then I see you trying to fix them and I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, If you really wanted to fix your mistakes then you wouldn’t have accompanied me on this quest, you wouldn’t have driven me across that bridge in a wild drag race and you wouldn’t be here sitting with me in the face of inevitable doom! I am a firm believer of second chances and you haven’t used yours yet.” Sylus thought to himself on this “So could we work together just this one time? then I’ll get out of your way.” Ekimu got up despite his pains and offered Sylus a hand “Only if you promise me that you won’t violate the Toa Code anymore or at least for now.” With eagerness Sylus takes Ekimu’s hand and with the both of them together they stand against Makuta one more time.

Dameta regained consciousness just in time to see Ekimu and Sylus battling Makuta, he thought that Sylus had abandoned them for personal gain. Outside through the smashed window The toa of iron saw the sky tear apart like paper and a grotesque mass of gnashing teeth beneath a glossy eye pushing it’s way through the tear as far as the horizon. [“What in the great spirit’s name is that abomination?!”] his attention was suddenly caught by the flaming body falling into the dark below then…disappearing in a blink of light? Confused, Dameta crawled over to the window and hefted himself up, what he saw at the top of the tower was some sort of battle, flames and black blots of negative energy he could feel from down below. what was going on up there?

Anvokhan awoke to the top of the tower for the eightieth time, this time his essence had been ionized into nothingness under a million suns and his body crushed into a fine powder that had then been refined into a dozen metal spoons, the mad god was creative he would give him that, but in that time he had been killed seventy times over, a creeping feeling he thought was long gone from his psyche had reemerged from the deep dark depths of his conscious…joy...joy that this lesser being had thought that he had brought him so low that this ‘god’ was arrogant enough to think he had won, joy that he would let the tyrant gloat and then…it would only be a matter of time before the inevitable closing of the trap’s jaws…then it would be too late. Karzahni stepped down from his throne looking down on him grinning “I can think of over a million more ways to torture you until you break! but I’ve saved my favorite just for you.” The final vision was of him on a desolate desert planet alone and forgotten. He tried to move but found he couldn’t as the sand began to seep into his joints and into his mask, above him the massive silhouette of Karzahni loomed above him laughing at his misery, he won’t be soon, calling upon his Kanohi Ocuul mask of Deprecation he managed to raise his arm at the face in the sky and just as the sand submerged his head underneath he fired. a blazing yellowish orange bolt hit the tyrant square in the mask knocking him over and disrupting the illusion, the Voice found his footing on solid land as the mad tyrant fell face first into the ground. When Karzahni got up his Olisi cracked apart off his face, as the mad god scrambled to piece it together a clawed foot crushed the pieces and ground them underfoot. Karzahni was dumbfounded at first but equip another Olisi he had in reserve but found that he couldn’t activate it, it was Anvokhan’s turn to laugh “I TIRE OF THIS GAME PRETENDER, I WILL COMMEND YOU ON YOUR EFFORTS BUT THAT IS AS FAR AS YOU WILL BE GIVEN…” Another mask took the place of his horned one, a more ghastly looking one with barred eyes and jagged prongs. “Do you think I can’t fight you without a mask? useless! I’ll crush you like the bug you are! for I have risen as a god! and you will kneel!” summoning all of the Olmak’s remaining power he managed to call forth a swirling portal where a black hole was seen inside. Anvokhan, unfazed by this tapped into The Kanohi Quanari, mask of Desiccation’s ability to corrupt powers. Beneath that vile visage, The Eldritch said to the god the one word that would scar the mad god for eternity and crush his morality “F A L L…” Karzahni’s powers began to corrupt and corrode altering the portal’s destination to that of the front of a unknown sun. The mad god was immediately fried on the spot burning and screaming as the portal frame eventually closed leaving only a charred and barely alive Karzahni to collapse to knees, with his body falling apart he shuffled towards Anvokhan who had already begun to ascend to the sky to join his master, his work complete, the Leviathan had begun the process of destroying the world below it “FESTER IN YOUR FAILURE HAND, YOU WERE NOT DESERVING TO SERVE LIKE THE MANY HANDS BEFORE YOU, NOT GODS NOR KINGS BUT SIMPLE MINDED DISCIPLES WITH NARROW ASPIRATIONS AND LITTLE DRIVE TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER PURPOSE, AND SO NOW YOU SHALL DROWN IN THE DEEP ABYSS OF YOUR OWN UNMAKING, FAREWELL...GOD EMPEROR…ENJOY YOUR CRUMBLING KINGDOM WHILE IT LASTS…” Before he left, the Voice of the Leviathan tossed the Quanari beside The as the former God-Emperor Karzahni’s reign finally crumbled to ash and scattered to the penumbral winds that blew in from the eye above staring down at the skeletal remains of a ruined world and it’s conqueror as it’s disciple, The Voice entered a portal to return to his own world.

The Battle between Sylus, Ekimu and Makuta came to a halt as Makuta collapsed to a knee all of a sudden, the darkness that protected him vanished. Cautiously the pair approached him “B-Brother? are you…” Ekimu asked, hammer ready in case. When Makuta looked up and nodded before answering “It’s been so long since I stared you in the eyes and not feel utter contempt for you, enjoy this moment of gratitude while you can.” Ekimu sighed in relief and helped him up so they could fix Dameta. Sylus meanwhile leaned against a pillar staring at the hand that the Prodigal touched searching for any sign of the ‘power’ it bestowed on him, but to no avail. Suddenly he realized that his amulet was missing and panicked “Where’s my amulet?” Ekimu and Makuta looked up from their work, “I can’t find my amulet! where did it go?!” Ekimu got up to diffuse the situation “Amulet? why is it so important?” Sylus began to pace back and forth “What if I lost it on the bridge or inside that weird box dimension?” he continued “No no I kept it around my neck at all times it can’t be…” “Sylus! snap out of it! what is so important about that amulet? I’ve never seen you wearing one.” Sylus calmed down and explained that it was a gift given to him from a toa of plant-life he had met long ago before he began his travels. When he finished Ekimu placed a hand on his shoulder “I’m sorry for your loss but it’s the memory that counts, I’m sure your friend would want that.” Makuta interrupted them “I want to give you the good news and the bad news.” Sylus came forward “What’s the bad news?” “Want to get it out of the way hmm? well the rift in the sky with the teeth has grown larger, we may have approximately twenty hours before this realm is consumed, the good news is that the toa of iron is fixed, let us not waste anymore time!”

Chapter 31 {H A R U S P E X.} [THE END]

The four rushed up the stairs to the top of the tower where Dameta had described the battle taking place. The air had changed to a purplish hue and smelled like a mix between rot and salt water. When they reached the peak the sight of Karzahni’s remains shocked them “Dead? disappointing I was hoping to repay him for his mind picking with some of my own.” Makuta huffed. Sylus and Dameta examined the corpse closely, it had been scorched by something very very hot and most of the armor had either melted or disintegrated his mask looked like it was warped and scarred in such a way that what looked like teeth were showing through. [“What could have done this to such a powerful foe?”] Dameta mused, Sylus gazed at the burnt armor and wondered how he was going to get home now. beside his corpse was a eerie mask that didn’t look like it was part of the body Sylus picked it up carefully, instantly voices whispered in his head in all sorts of different languages all vile from what he could tell. Dameta immediately recognized it and reached into his satchel for it only to find a hole in the bottom, it must have fallen out somewhere in the city below but what was it doing up here? how did it get up here? no sooner had he thought this Ekimu suddenly clutched his chest and fell to his knees “Ekimu!” “Brother!” they rushed to his side to help him. But when he stood up his voice was not his own or any that they recognized.

“I. S E E. Y O U. F R O L I K I N G. B E L O W… B L I S S F U L. I N G O R A N T. S W E E T. C H I L D R E N. O F… N U I. R E J O I C E! T H E. W E L L S P R I N G. F L O W S. A P L E N T Y.… R E J O I C E! F O R. T H E. F A L S E. K I N G S. H A V E. B E E N. V A N Q U I S H E D. R E J O I C E! F O R. T H E. S H A C K L E S. O F. M O R T A L T I Y. H A V E. B E E N. C A S T. A S I D E. R E J O I C E! R E J O I C E! A N D. B E. G L A D… S A L V A T I O N. H A S. A R R I V E D…”

Ekimu slumped over and collapsed the others checked for injuries but it was too late…Ekimu was dead, his eyes lifeless and grey. The armor that Anvokhan had gifted him had begun to melt off into a black puddle under him leaving a trail of ichor to drain off the side of the tower. A tremor shook everyone to their senses as the tower began to crumble and rise into the air, the trio with Makuta carrying his brother’s body down the stairs. A screech permeated the air as they were closely followed by a horde of bloodthirsty mold infected rahkshi, likely Anvokhan’s doing. Once they reached the courtyard a brown figure was waiting for them there “Move it whoever you are, we have no time for you!” Sylus shouted, Avak held his hands in the air and pulled out a kanohi Olmak from his pack conjuring a portal. Makuta was the first to step through with Ekimu in , Dameta after he smashed a pillar behind them to prevent the horde of rahkshi from following them before leaping through. Avak stopped Sylus before he entered “Sorry bud I was given specific instructions to take you somewhere special, follow me.” confused sylus followed Avak to a empty room under the castle after blasting open a wall with some explosives they entered a large room with a box in the center “Alright place your hand on the box.” Sylus and Avak felt a tremor from the ceiling as a piece of it fell down and crushed the Skakdi underneath instantly killing him. the Toa had no time to wait around and slapped his hand on the box hopping that something would happen “Please work please work please work please for the love of Mata Nui WORK!” The eye above watched from the hole in the ceiling, it’s mouths chanting the same word over and over again…

“R E J O I C E.”

…As if to answer Sylus’s prayers the box slowly began to open to a white nothingness. But before he could enter the void the ceiling cracked and none other than Karzahni himself crashed through the roof behind him and roared “NO! I won’t let you escape! you belong to me! Î ÁM GØD!” Karzahni screeched through his ruined mouth, Sylus could wait no longer as the entire castle had been torn off of it’s foundations exposing the fleshy sky above “Are you freaking kidding me you were just dead!” Sylus yelled as the God Emperor bound towards him on all fours. Sylus had barely managed to drop inside when Karzahni grabbed him by his prosthetic hand trying to drag him back out, with a swing of Excalibra Nuva he sliced Karzahni’s forearm off as well as his own hand. The last thing he saw was Karzahni’s deformed melted screaming face become farther and farther away until all he could hear was the silence of the white void as he fell through a seemingly endless plummet into the unknown…

Makuta stepped out of the portal and in front of the beach on his home island Okoto, after a while he found the entrance to the City of the mask makers and stepped through the front gates. Many villagers gave him scared or alarmed looks and more hid inside of their homes or workplaces, Makuta had returned and Ekimu was dead apparently by his hand according to them, Makuta would have to work hard to rectify that. The titan walked up the stairs to the temple, each step felt like a million from a foreign land to familiar grounds he once knew. Once he reached the forging chamber of their old home he gently placed Ekimu down on his old bed and immediately began working on a new set of armor for his fallen brother, after he was done He placed him inside the tomb where the toa had found him so many years ago. Later he visited the volcano in the Region of fire with a specially crafted container designed to resist heat. Slowly he peeled the Mask of Ultimate power off his face feeling it’s power leave him and reverting him back to his old self. He placed the forbidden mask inside the container before tossing it into the volcano watching it sink into the magma... Makuta would return to the city he gathered everyone to the foot of the temple of the mask makers announcing that Ekimu was dead, he sacrificed himself so that he could have a second chance and that if he was a firm believer in such that they should follow that example. Makuta then presented a golden gleaming mask and placed it on a newly created statue of his brother that would retain it’s gleaming golden sheen for the days to come…

“The end”

EPILOGUE [Possession]

“Hello?…anyone…please…r-respond, I’m stranded here on…who k-knows where and I t-think I’m dying, my...arms…and legs…I-I can’t feel them. How am I suppose to be a-a great magician if I can’t even (Gak!) …walk? Blast it all…my stupid ambition…(Cough cough) for p-power…making that…stupid wish to that psychopath! (Cough) I hope…hope t-hat Karzahni gets what he deserves that f-freak has it…coming (Gasp!)…well t-this…is my final…encore f-folks I hope…that I-I Conjurer…entertained you t-tonight,…(Wheeze) fare…well…“Wait who, what is that?”

”Oh hello! don’t mind me just going to permanently borrow your soon to be corpse, no hard feelings?”

“No…no not after everything I’ve gone through! you…you can’t-”

“Au contraire friend! your in no condition to keep going on what are you even going to do without limbs? just…give in, it will be all over soon.”

”What? no no no! you are not allowed to take my body! I will not allow it! I the great Conjurer will not allow for a mere being like a lowly Makuta to lay me low aaggghhhh!-”

“Finally! a body for me to use! I was worried for a second, hmm missing limbs and in terrible shape but great magical potential…Perfect for I Makuta Nepharus, last of my kind! now with nasty business over with, let my holy crusade begin…”

Anvokhan soared through the green skies of his realm pondering on the recent events that had occurred, with the knowledge gleamed from his assimilation of Toa Tuyet’s memories into his own. The memories of Sylus’s truth interested him, he had potential to be a serving disciple for his Lord and ultimately his own ambition but refused to acknowledge the greatness of his deed…the perfect catalyst for the Makuta’s inevitable ascension, and all he must do is convince this ‘Toa Sylus’ to serve by his side when the time comes for his scheme to bear fruit.

<TO BE CONTINUED

to the one calling himself “The Voice”

“Did you think that it would be so easy? did you think that I would just lie down and die after everything I’ve done? You may have scorched my body and torn my world apart with your cosmic god powers but doesn’t matter anymore so I will remind you, I will never die…I will never be truly beaten, and I will never rest until every world burns, because your Leviathan wishes it so it told me to do it and it wants me to let you know this because I will find you again. You win this time but when you fall…and you WILL fall, if not by my hand then someone else’s…I will be waiting…with open arms and show who is truly God when yours inevitably abandons you…see you soon…”

-A unsent burnt letter in the ruins of Karzahni’s Castle, claimed by The Leviathan

*all licensed characters belong to the lego group