…And chapter 6!
Chapter 6
Ekimu and the Protectors were making their way through the cold and freezing mountains. Twice Ekimu lost his footing and almost fell into a chasm. He was rescued by Izotor both times. Because of Izotor’s expertise in traversing mountainous terrain, they commissioned him to lead the Protectors’ expedition to find the underground city of the Skull Raiders.
“Should we just rest here and continue tomorrow morning?” Izotor suggested. “It’s getting really chilly here, even colder than the Region of Ice at sunset.”
“If I may ask, why is it so unusually cold here, even when compared to the Region of Ice?” Korgot asked.
Kivoda thought. “Could it be because…. of something here, perhaps in this particular location?”
Ekimu pulled out his map. He noted their location, which was very close to the center of the island. If they traveled a bit northwest they would reach the borders of the Region of Stone. He put down his map and peered over the edge of the mountain path into the chasm below. He noticed tiny little specks of light in a line leading up to some other landmark. Ekimu peered the other way and saw a giant cave. Memories of this place began to flood Ekimu’s mind as he suddenly recollected that he had traveled to this particular location with the other Toa to free an imprisoned Lewa and a pair of Okotans.
“We need to backtrack. We’ve just passed the aboveground entrances to the city city. It’s down below,” Ekimu told the assembled group.
“How do you know?” Vizuna asked.
“A while back, the Toa and I had to come here to free a pair of Okotan children, as well as Toa Lewa. I battled Kulta there, and destroyed the entire city using Onua’s hammer. As far as I know, the incapacitated Skull Raiders are still there and the city is in ruins.”
“Why did you use Onua’s hammer?” Korgot asked, interested.
Ekimu sighed. “Kulta told me I could not use my Hammer of Power.”
The group descended down the mountain on which they were climbing amidst gale-force winds. They carefully made their way across the dimly lit path to the cave entrance. It was rimmed with ice crystals and stalactites. Strangely enough, the walls Ekimu commissioned Pohatu and Onua to make were absent, leaving only fragments behind.
“There seems to have been a collapse here,” Nilkuu said, taking note of the shattered fragments of the wall that once sealed this cave.
“Or someone with exceptional control over earth,” Korgot added, quietly.
Ekimu began to understand where she was getting at. “It was probably Skull Basher,” he said quietly. “When he took Onua’s golden mask and wore it, the elemental power must have seeped into his frame.”
“If the Skull Villains also gain elemental powers, what hope is there for us and the Toa?” Kivoda asked. A very long moment of silence followed.
The party ventured into the ice-cold cave. It was littered with rubble, and the stalactites on the ceiling glowed a sickly blue. They eventually found themselves at a huge clearing, filled with a pool of a strange smelling liquid.
“This is strange,” Vizuna remarked. “The Skull Army are normally vocal creatures. Why don’t I hear anything from this place?”
“We also didn’t see any sentries here, so maybe they are all hiding?” Narmoto suggested.
“Or they could have just packed up and left for somewhere else. Beats me why they would want to do it, though,” Nilkuu replied.
Off to the group’s southeast, the faint calls of horns reverberated throughout the starless, empty night sky and through the cavern walls. These horn calls caught the Protector of Stone’s attention.
“That’s where they are,” Izotor said.
“What was that? Did it come from the Region of Stone?” Nilkuu asked.
“I think so,” Izotor responded.
Nilkuu tried listening more. In the distance, he heard the faint sounds of battle. Swords clashing, cannons firing.
“My region needs me. I must go,” Nilkuu told the rest of the Protectors. “My people are in danger, from what I do not know.”
“Why do you need to go so suddenly?” Izotor asked. “Especially now, when we are in the midst of an important quest—”
Ekimu cut him off sternly. “We’ll all go, no matter how big or small the danger is. Okoto is our home, and we are the only guardians left to deal with crises.”
“Are we, though?” Vizuna asked. “If this threat is too big, we may have to summon the Toa from the heavens again. The Region of Stone is not far from here. Izotor, can you zoom in with your scope and see what is going on?”
“I doubt it will be able to zoom in that far, but I can try,” Izotor responded. He zoomed in with his mask’s built in x-ray scope.
“Uh oh,” Izotor whispered.
“What is going on?” Nilkuu asked, nervous.
“The Skull Army,” Izotor quietly said. “They’re back at full power, and are invading our most important city. I saw plumes of smoke rising up, and everywhere I looked, the ground was littered with dead bodies.”
Everyone was silent, their faces showing emotions varying from sadness to rage.
“It’s over. We have failed our island, our people, everything. We couldn’t even prevent a single death,” Narmoto whispered, sadly. The winds of the still-as-death night in this desolate part of Okoto howled through the cavern, almost as if in agreement.
At last, Ekimu spoke up. He addressed Vizuna, Korgot, and Kivoda.
“Narmoto, Nilkuu, Izotor, and I will go to Zevrodos, and try to fend off the Skull Raiders. “You three, head back to the Temple of Time and summon the Toa. This recurring menace is far too powerful to us to take on alone. Summon the other three Protectors’ kids, if necessary, to aid you.”
“But—” Kivoda started.
“I SAID, GO! IT’S AN ORDER!” Ekimu screamed, his features contorting with rage. Rarely had anyone ever seen him this livid.
The other three Protectors left without a word more.
Kulta was having the time of his life.
It feels good to be out on the battlefield again, he thought with pleasure as he mowed down a group of sentries with laser vision. The satisfying sizzle of armor melting soothed his mind.
He was perched atop his steed, which happened to be the Alpha Skull Scorpio. His forces have been almost successful in breaching the city’s gates. So far, it is not going well for the Okotans. A legion of Okotans had made the mistake of surrendering and were butchered by Axato and his forces, while Skull Basher and Skull Slicer were storming and looting the city. Kulta looked up and saw that only the giant fortress at the center remained. Skull Warriors were bombarding it from all angles with volleys of ice arrows. It was just a matter of time before it fell. Spurred on by these thoughts, he charged into the last fortress. He heard the Okotan Commander scream.
“Keep fighting! Do not let your guard down! DO NOT SURRENDER!” the commander screamed.
Foolish imbecile thinks he can defeat me, Kulta thought evilly. Well, I’m about to show him what I can really do.
Skull Warriors and Okotans clashed with each other inside the fortress walls. Kulta charged straight at the Commander and whacked him with his staff from behind. The Commander let out a scream as he was toppled from his steed. He fell on the concrete floor face first, and his mask cracked. He turned in time to see Kulta drawing his serrated hook sword from his sheath. He quickly whipped out his own sword and began to fight. The sounds of sword clashing against sword reverberated through the fortress, and before long the duel attracted a crowd of Skull Warriors and Okotan soldiers alike. Axato was trying his best to control the Okotan soldiers from helping the commander, and often killed them if they did not comply.
The Okotan commander lunged at Kulta, threatening to stab him in the abdomen. Kulta easily sidestepped the attack and extended a foot to send the Commander sprawling. He wasted no time and advanced to the spot where the Commander lay. The Commander sprung up and drew his dagger, but before he had a chance to attack, Kulta kicked him hard in the abdomen. He slammed into the concrete wall, and let out a piercing scream.
“You will NOT defeat me!” he croaked, drawing out his laser pistol.
Kulta raised his sword menacingly and jumped at the commander. While in midair, the commander fired his pistol and sheared off part of Kulta’s leg armor. Kulta fell to the ground and roared with fury. He quickly lashed out with his hand and grabbed the commander by the throat. With the other hand, he tore the mask off the Commander’s face and threw it to the ground. He began to squeeze, and the commander’s eyes bulged with terror.
“Let me go! Let me GO!” the commander shrieked.
“Be gone, flea,” Kulta sneered. He flung the squirming Okotan in his grasp across the room with tremendous force. He slammed into another wall with a sickening thud and lay still. Kulta drew his mask stealer staff and advanced to where the Okotan lay. He raised the staff high over his head and roared with fury. The Commander opened his eyes and turned to see Kulta raising his staff menacingly. He screamed in terror, but part of it was cut off by Kulta bringing the staff down with all of his might on his bare head. The crowd gasped in horror. It made a disgusting crunch as it connected with the Okotan’s head. Everyone in the crowd, even Axato, flinched at the sight.
“It is over,” Kulta exclaimed triumphantly, standing on top of the Commander’s corpse. “The Skull Raiders have won!”
The Skull Warriors in the crowd cheered and reacted with resounding applause. After the commotion died down, Kulta turned towards Axato and gestured toward the crying and frightened Okotan soldiers.
“Kill them all.”
