Bionicle Crossroads S2 pt.8

Ancient:”How much closer are we to the citadel? what is he even doing there?”

Tahu:”It should be on the hill ahead, the road leading to it however is blocked by a ravine, as for why I can’t say I would know anything you don’t.”

Ancient:”The boss already has Gadget and some guys on it building a bridge for us to get across, they report no defenses of any kind except for one lone guard patrolling the road ahead.”

Driver:”Excuse me, could you move? I can’t really see.”

Ancient:”You saying it’s too hard to drive in a straight line? you wanna see your pay?”

Driver:”N-no.”

Ancient:”What are you complaining about then? keep going!”

Tahu:”Sylus, Izrahm, how are things on your end?”

Izrahm:”Smooth sailing so far! we’ll strangle that spineless coward’s neck before sunset!”

Tahu:”Hmm, forget I asked, Where did you get that bike?”

Sylus:”They sold all my stuff except for the mask of mechanics, Touraz said buyers wouldn’t be wanting it unless they got the bike too, hey Iz where is Touraz anyways? I haven’t seen him in forever.”

Izrahm:”Dunno, just disappeared overnight, now that I think about it he mentioned seeing Gadget about a ‘important project.”

Sylus:”Nevermind that, the citadel is up ahead, and so is the Marendar!”

Ancient:”The Marendar? that’s what it’s called?”

Sylus:”I don’t know how I know that name but that’s it’s called, I think Nepharus told me what it was called.”

Izrahm:”I don’t care if it has a name or not! run it over! I wanna hear it crunch!”

Marendar:”/…/Targets analysis;”Vehicles moving at 107 mph, predicted method of approach; Physical force…”

solution/…/

Marendar/…/Warning;”Collision imminent, initiating counter…”

Marendar:”…powering hydraulics grip at 1000%.”

(Ancient is flung off the vehicle by a vicious back smack by the Marendar, while it’s foot firmly stops the Thornatus in it’s tracks)

Driver:”This isn’t how I wanted to spend my weekend off!”

(Tahu attempt to aim the cannon at the Marendar’s looming form but cannot keep his aim on it)

Tahu:”If you came to hear me beg for my life…”

Marendar/…/counter-statement;”Incorrect, I am here because [current registered user;Nepharus] commanded me to defend this place/…/ergo; I must keep you here and prevent you from interfering.”

Tahu:”Wouldn’t that go against your programing?”

Marendar/…/admittance;Correct, as much as it pains me to disobey my primary programming…”

Marendar conclusion/…/It may be my prime directive to destroy your kind, but If I am given orders for the greater good of all…”

“…so then I must oblige/…/priming rotary cannons at 80%…firing.”

Izrahm:”Dang that thing looks tough, I like it let me at em!”

Sylus:”Could you not scream in my ear? I can’t drive without focusing on-

Sylus:”-Oh…”

Sylus:”Nevermind, let’s get off here.”

Izrahm:”Up there, is that?”

(The shattered husk of the Thornatus plummets towards them, thrown by the force of the Marendar’s cannon)

(Sylus swaps to his Kanohi of inertia while Izrahm dodges out of the way)

(The vehicle breaks in two against the Toa’s invulnerable form)

Sylus:”Ok tough call, you wanna take it from a safe distance or you want to go in full force? either way we might not be safe.”

Izrahm:”I say we rush em.”

Ancient:”It can’t take all of us at the same.”

Tahu:”While I believe we shouldn’t get close our numbers should be enough to take it on.”

Sylus:”Well that was one sided…let’s burn this thing to the ground!”

Marendar/…/Engaging multiple targets/…/three signatures confirmed.”

Marendar;/…/Calbibrating for spread shot…”

Marendar:/…/Recalbrating for CQC…”

Izrahm:”Your not so tough looking up close, lemme see what’s under that-

Izrahm:”I was right, not so tough after all…”

Marendar;/…/analysis; ERROR, armor integrity at:95.0000005%.”

Tahu:”For my brothers! for all the toa you’ve killed!”

Tahu:”For everyone! in the name of Mata Nui!”

Ancient:”We’ve got it surrounded, don’t let it get those blades near you.”

Izrahm:”Ooof!”

Ancient:”What did I just tell you!?”

Izrahm:”Don’t tell me what to do!”

Tahu:”Urggh! even with my- hrrrgg! golden armor…this is too much! where is Sylus?!”

(Faster than anyone could react, The Marendar grasps Ancient by the neck and knocks Tahu onto his knees)

Ancient:”C’mon…do it you heap of bolts…I know I’m not even suppose to be alive, just finish me off!”

Marendar:”/…/Scanning…life-form appears to possess artificially reversed life…curious, motor functions and intelligence remain intact... chrono energy signature detected/…/scan complete, you are a semi-creation of [current registered user; Nepharus].”

Marendar;/…/grief;I lament with what my programming allows me to simulate, that I must destroy you all the same.”

Marendar;/…/retract grief exe.;”Alongside all toa…my primary purpose is to eliminate all rouge elementals in the event of [Power Enigma] the primary objective has yet to be completed at 97.8% complete eradication of the local population…this one will make it 98.3%.”

Marendar;/…/Assesment;

Objective 1; destroy all toa; pending

Objective 2; Protect villagers; failed

Objective 3; recover subject Bisola from unknown anomaly; failed

New Objective/…/destroy any and all who interfere with the Salvation ritual/…/in progress, success rate 90.9999%;charging cannon-

Sylus:”Watch the debris!”

Ancient:”Sylus? what are you doing?”

(Five rounds exit the weapon and make contact with Sylus’s arm, five rounds ricochet perfectly back into the barrel causing a internal combustion inside the cannon, it’s parts completely disintegrating)

Marendar/…/…success rate at 80.9994%…”

Marendar:/…/Primary weapon analysis;complete structural failure, primary trigger missing/…/status calamitous.”

Sylus:”You want the last toa?”

Sylus:”You come get him.”

Marendar/…/”engaging PHASE LANCES at 60% power”

(Remembering what Lesovik taught him, Sylus prepares a overcharged air blast)

(The blast is enough to stagger the Marendar briefly enough to halt it’s attack)

(He quickly swaps his mask out for the lesser Knaohi Kolloh, mask of Dynamo)

Sylus:”Here goes nothing.”

Izrahm:”Oh I’m not done with you yet!”

Tahu:”Sylus! take the shot! just hurry!”

Izrahm:”I can hold em…just let me-

(Suddenly one of the Marendar’s blades wipes around and pierces Izrahm through the chest)

Izrahm:”AAARRRRGGH!

Marendar/…/”Assailant neutralized, redirecting weapons on primary target”

Marendar:/…/powering chrono war[kzzzzzttt!]

(Sylus shoves his arm into a vent on the Marendar’s back and begins to feed energy into it’s core)

Marendar/…/WARNING; power indux over regular levels; vent clog detected.”

Ancient:”Get to cover!”

Tahu:”What is he doing!? he’s going to get himself killed!”

Sylus:”Sorry but I’m done running, for too long I’ve called a fake, a fraud, and a liar and you know they were right to believe that back then.”

Marendar:/…/Exterior obstruction identified; purging obstruction”

Sylus:”…But I never took the time to consider that maybe…I was the problem, that the reason they said those things was because I never bothered to try.”

(Another surge of energy blows off more of the Marendar’s back generator, pieces of it begin to fall off)

Sylus:”To be a toa you need to stand together in unity…”

Marendar/…[][]/[][][]]E-E-RRO[][R-R[][][][][]S-S-SS—YST—-M][][]OVVVVVVVVV——-ERL0[][[][[]—-IMMI-N—-ENT(Stop!)”

Sylus:”It is our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

Marendar////…[][]]/[]./[.]/[.]//.///C-RRI[][][TICAL FA-FAIL-=-P[[[[][][URE! (STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTP)

Sylus:”And our quest to uphold peace…”

Sylus:…”Is our destiny!”

(A azure flash erupts from the Marendar’s exposed internals, the face plate cracked off to reveal a red eye and it’s back vent blown apart)

(The machine staggers, flames erupting from it’s various joints and it’s phase lance dissolving into nothing)

Sylus:”It’s done…”

(Sylus notices the remains move slightly, like something within is trying to escape)

(Sifting through the still hot wreck he spotted a strange but familiar creature inside)

(Reaching inside, Sylus yanked out a large worm like creature covered in metal plates, a kraata)

Sylus:”What do we have here? should I just squash you and be done with it?”

[NO. HAVE. MERCY…NEPHARUS. PUT. ME. IN. MACHINE... MAKE. ME. FIND. RELICS…PROTECT. VILLAGERS…KILL. ANYONE. WHO. GETS. IN. WAY.]

Sylus:”So you talk…well take me to Nepharus.”

[NO…CANNOT. WILL. NOT. MUST. NOT INTERFERE.]

Sylus:”would you prefer my boot then?”

[…I. WILL. TAKE. YOU. TO. TIME-BENDER…BUT. AFTERWARDS. GO. FREE. LEAVE. ME...]

Sylus:”Very well, show me the way.”

[BRIDGE. BROKEN. HAS. BEEN. FOR. MANY. YEARS…KNOW. WAY. AROUND. FOLLOW. I. SHOW. WAY. TO. SALVATION…BE. FAR. AWAY. WHEN. HE. DESTROYS. YOU…]

(The eel-like creature slithers off towards the cathedral]

(Sylus had half a mind to kill the kraata, but seeing his allies in such a poor state after the failed attack compelled him to find the entrance then return for them later)

[YOU. FOLLOW. YES? SAVE. WORLD. AGAIN. HERO? OR. ARE. YOU. AFRAID?]

Sylus:”Yeah…right behind you.”

(later)

Ancient:”Boss says our numbers should be enough to burn the place down.”

Sylus:”No…he would see it coming and escape probably, we can’t risk him getting away and starting the ritual elsewhere, we hit him now.”

Ancient:”Gotta admit, you’ve really taken on to the hunter lifestyle, yeah I figured you’d be dead in a weeks time when you joined but look where we are now, storming a temple? saving the world? that’s beyond what I would call a normal day.”

Ancient:”What I’m trying to say is, You’ve come far kid, don’t stop impressing us…Well (ahem) back to business, what’s our plan?”

Sylus:”The Marendar’s kraata showed me the way inside, I’m going in by myself.”

Ancient:”You going to be good in there? what about…hey! careful with those! don’t leave a single piece behind! or we’ll dock you pay!”

(A cart hauling the Marendar’s remains passes by)

Sylus:”What’s with the parts? gonna sell them?”

Ancient:”Probably…”

Ancient:”Probably not…Better than letting it just sit there for the scavengers.”

Izrahm:”Oi…toa I…I need to tell ya somethin.”

Sylus:”But your injuries… you need to-.”

Izrahm:”I don’t care about that! jus come er.”

Tahu:”I’m sorry I can’t do anything for this, the wound is too deep.”

Izrahm:”Next time you see my partner…tell him (cough)”

Izrahm:”

Sylus:”I will…I promise.”

Izrahm:”Do i’m in for me…will you…”

(The Skakdi’s body went limp as her heartlight sputtered and went out)

Tahu:”She’s gone…that was one of the few if not only noble Skakdi I have ever seen.”

Sylus:”No…no she wasn’t.”

Sylus:”She was a cutthroat and a murderer…just like me, and that’s ok…”

Sylus:”Because I may not be a toa hero, maybe I’ll never be one…”

Sylus:”So I’ll be the best damn Dark Hunter there is.”

Marendar/…/analysis; “Systems compromised critical core failure detected armor integrity compromised, excess energy detected, venting…………..venting process complete.”

Marendar/…/Conclusion;

/External components running at 78%; loading…

/Core rebooting…reboot complete…

/Weapons systems at acceptable functioning capacity

/…/”execute self repair .exe”

Nepharus:”Oh great Leviathan, grant upon thee your boon, grant upon thee safe passage into the past to undo the wrongs upon thee!”

Nepharus:”Grant me the…the power to…to…”

Nepharus:”Oh forget it! why even bother?”

{Karzahni’s World, 10 years after season 1}

{Waystone rest, present day}

{Jungle sector, 20 years before season 1}

{Overlook, 50 years in the future}

{Traveler’s ruin, present day}

{Hellway, 50 years prior}

{Karzahni’s grave, present day}

Nepharus:”Is this… a rock?”

Nepharus:”Are you throwing rocks at me? really?”

Nepharus:”Who throws ro- ow! ow! ouch! hey stop that! ow! quit it with the rocks, c’mon!”

{Artakha’s warehouse, 5 days ago}

{Artakha’s Workshop (Converted) 7000 years in the future}

{Present day}

END OF SEASON 2 [HUNTING SALVATION]

SEASON 3 NOVEL EDITION COMING SOON