ooh this is gonna be interesting
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No, that’s perfectly fine! The name’s great! I just didn’t know that there was another character by the same name myself.
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CHAPTER NINE
“What?!” Tansari exclaimed, staring at Mallake incredulously. “Are you asking us to murder eight innocent Matoran?”
“Innocent?” Mallake spoke the word with spite. “Any innocence they had was lost when Mata Nui fell. Besides, hardly anyone will notice their absence; they are already lost to the rest of the world.”
The female warrior glared at him, unsheathing her blade. “I won’t let you kill them.”
Unfazed by her defiance, Mallake looked back at Mathus, who stood hunched over behind him. “Another failure of yours, ‘King.’ You recruited a compassionate person.”
“You claim to follow the will of Mata Nui,” Tansari snapped, “yet you defy him by endangering those he asks you to protect!”
“Eight Matoran out of thousands hardly makes a difference. Besides, they’re no closer to bringing back the Great Spirit than we are.” Mallake then lunged forward and seized Tansari by the neck before throwing her into a wall. Helryx and her agents moved to confront him but were instantly pinned down as Banteras used his Mask of Gravity on the Toa while Fortaan and three others tackled Botar and the rest.
With the Order agents down, Mallake returned his attention to the Matoran. A blade extended from his arm, sparking with energy.
“It truly pains me to do this,” the ancient being said in a tone that was not at all reassuring. “But I’m afraid this needs to be done.”
Dalu broke away from Drandora’s hold on her and readied her Chargers. “If you think we’re going without a fight, then you’ve got another thing coming!”
“Ah. A Matoran standing up for herself. How amusing… and pathetic.”
A bolt of energy fired from the blade. Before it could hit Dalu, Balta jumped in the way and took the blow. The Ta-Matoran was sent sprawling to the floor, unmoving.
Before Mallake could comprehend what had just happened, Axonn lunged and slammed his body into his. Mallake retaliated by seizing the Ankorian’s head and hoisting him up in the air before throwing him into a wall.
As Mallake prepared to finish off Axonn, Botar suddenly appeared between them. The feral warrior swung a bladed arm, striking Mallake in the face and sending his mask flying off. The ancient being quickly recovered the Kanohi before attacking with his blade.
When he lunged, Botar quickly grabbed the tip of the blade and used it to pull Mallake towards him. At the same time, the Saevta extended an arm blade of his own and impaled it into Mallake’s abdomen.
Only, his entire arm went straight through his opponent’s body.
Botar’s eyes widened as he looked up at his adversary. “How–? Your mask if not one of Intangibility.”
“No,” Mallake said as he suddenly began to fade, becoming like a shadow. “It’s better.”
Before Botar knew it, Mallake vanished from view only to appear behind him, emerging from the Saevta’s own shadow. Another bolt of energy from his blade sent Botar flying, landing next to Balta’s unconscious form.
Mallake then turned to face his followers. “Bring me the Olmak.”
A Skakdi came forward with the golden mask and handed it to his leader. Mallake replaced his own rusted mask with the Kanohi Olmak and a large dimensional gate appeared in the chamber.
“We needn’t waste our time here any further. Let them live so that they may spread the word: the Hand of Artakha lives on.”
He then stepped into the portal. One by one, his followers entered it as well, with Banteras and Drandora being the first. Mathus and Dasan tried to follow them but were swatted away by Fortaan. Once the last member of the Hand had went through, the gate closed, vanishing into thin air. Only Mathus, Dasan, and Tansari remained with the Order agents and Matoran.
Axonn was the first to rise to his feet and he quickly rushed over to where Balta and Botar laid. The latter had already recovered but the Ta-Matoran was still unmoving. Axonn gently scooped him up into his arms and began to use his healing powers on him, a task made a bit more difficult with the loss of his mask.
The other Matoran watched him in anticipation, Dalu appearing the most anxious. Botar looked down at his fellow agent with a curious expression.
“Does this Matoran mean something to you?”
Axonn shook his head. “I’ve only just met him.” He glanced at the other seven Matoran. “But I know how important he is to others.”
A few minutes passed before Balta’s eyes started flickering open. He took in a deep breath before gazing up at Axonn. “What… what happened?”
“You took the blast meant for me,” Dalu murmured, walking up to her friend as he was helped to his feet. “You saved my life.”
Balta smiled sheepishly. “It was the least I could do.”
“Even so.” Dalu rushed towards him and pulled into a crushing hug. “Thank you.”
“No… problem…” Balta managed to say under the Ga-Matoran’s strong embrace.
Helryx walked up and cleared her throat, bringing the moment to an abrupt end. “In case anyone’s forgotten, we still have a few loose ends,” she said, throwing an icy glare in the direction of Mathus and the other remaining Hand members.
The Turaga raised a hand as Viraka and Brutaka stormed up to him. “I can assure you that all will be explained–”
“I’m sure it will,” Brutaka muttered, lifting him up by his robes.
While Orkosan detained Tansari, it was Kazi who accosted Dasan. The Ko-Matoran strode up to the Matoran of Sonics and jabbed a finger angry into his chest.
“What in Karzahni was that all about?” he bellowed. “You teleporting us here, you kneeling before Mallake… what are you on about?!”
Dasan backed away from him fearfully. “Please, Kazi, I can explain–”
“Fine. Do that while I punch your lights out.” Kazi raised his fist to hit the De-Matoran but was stopped when Garan grabbed his arm.
“Don’t,” the Onu-Matoran said sternly. “Violence solves nothing.”
Kazi scowled as he wrenched his arm free. “He was about to have us killed!”
“I didn’t think Mallake was going to do that!” Dasan protested. “I thought he would just–”
“Make us slaves,” Ceras said, folding her arms in a disapproving manner.
Orkosan came forward and seized Dasan. “We shall handle him,” he said to the other Matoran. “Return to your village; you are safe for now.”
“For now,” Dezalk repeated, his shoulders sagging. “That’s certainly reassuring.”
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Really excited to see where this goes
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CHAPTER TEN
The morning screech of a Lava Hawk heralded the return of Garan and his company. Matoran villagers rushed out of their homes and cheered as their leader and friends strode into the village. Elrisa was the first to greet them, beaming broadly.
“Thank Mata Nui you’re back!” the Vo-Matoran exclaimed. “We’d feared the worst. Where have you been?”
Garan smiled. “It’s a long story. I’ll—”
“Where’s Dasan?”
All of the euphoria was sapped away by those words, spoken by the Bo-Matoran Oren. All eyes fell on Garan as his expression darkened.
“He’s been exiled,” he murmured.
“Why?” asked Zaedra.
The Onu-Matoran sighed. “Like I said, it’s a long story. Follow me to the village center; all will be explained.”
“You keep saying that but I still don’t think you’re telling me everything.”
The once and former King Mathus stared defiantly into the eyes of his interrogator, Trinuma. “What more do you want to know?”
The Tirivon’s eyes narrowed behind his crimson mask. “Why has the Hand of Artakha been reformed? Were you behind it?”
“I was,” the Turaga said. “I had met up with a few former members such as Drandora and Fortaan and we all agreed to reform the Hand. We started out on one of the Southern Islands, away from your Order’s notice.”
“When was this?”
“Around the time of the Great Disruption, during the Matoran Civil War.”
Trinuma crossed his arms. “And Mallake? You knew he was going to return?”
Mathus nodded. “I had a vision in which he did.”
“A vision.” Trinuma sounded disbelieving. “I see. So where were the Hand planning to go when they acquired the Kanohi Olmak?”
“The initial plan was to transport our castle to anywhere in the universe, but it seems to me that Mallake has had a change in plans.”
“So where are they now?”
“I do not know for sure.” A small smile crossed the Turaga’s ebony mask. “But I have my theories.”
Trinuma leaned forward menacingly. “I’m all ears.”
“Think about it. The Hand of Artakha. Where would the ideal place to go be?”
Trinuma’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. “Impossible. Anyone who knew the Great Refuge’s location was… eliminated, and all of the maps destroyed.”
Mathus sneered at him. “Barbarians, the whole lot of you. But Mallake knows, I’m sure.”
“Impossible,” Trinuma repeated. “If he had known, we would have executed him as well.”
“But how would you have known?” the Turaga cooed. “Are you as omnipresent as the Great Spirit himself? Do you have eyes on every last Matoran, Toa, Turaga, and Makuta in the universe? I don’t imagine so.”
Trinuma stared at him, eyes blazing as different emotions warred within him. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and left the interrogation room, leaving the Turaga alone in the dark.
Balta walked along the Voya Nui Bay, watching the waves crash as the sun set behind the horizon. Garan’s “story session” had taken longer than expected, with nearly everyone spouting questions. Things then began to escalate when Kazi tried to beat up Oren for “selling” him and the others out. It took nearly five Matoran to restrain him.
In the end, however, things were back to normal. Garan had purposely left out some of the darker details so as to not frighten the villagers, as well as any specific details relating to Axonn and his comrades. If anything, his tale would become little more than a myth that would either be recounted for years to come, or simply fade into obscurity.
“Balta!”
Broken from his thoughts, the Ta-Matoran turned to see Dalu running up to him, a broad smile on her face. It was rather rare to see the Ga-Matoran this happy, given how her time in Karzahni and Voya Nui had hardened her.
“Oh, hey,” Balta said when she reached him. “What’s going on?”
“Not much. I just stopped Kazi from attacking Oren again. That Ko-Matoran’s got quite the temper today.”
Balta chuckled. “And they say my kind is temperamental.” He then looked around, seeing that everything was still and quiet, with no one around. Moments like these were rare on Voya Nui.
Rubbing the back of his head, he said, “Um, is there something you need?”
She smiled. “I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life.”
Balta blinked. “Um, sure you did. You even hugged me.”
“I know, but…” Dalu looked down at her feet as she shifted them. “I feel that the first one didn’t count.”
“Didn’t count? What are you—” The Ta-Matoran ceased speaking when Dalu stepped closer to him and pulled him into a tight, almost crushing hug.
After she had broken the embrace, he stepped away from her, gazing at the Ga-Matoran in wonder. She simply smiled at him before turning around and skipping back to the village.
As Balta stood there in bemusement, he noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He turned around to see Velika standing there, a wistful look on his mask as always.
Balta cleared his throat. “How… long have you been standing there?”
“Not very,” the Po-Matoran replied.
Balta glanced in the direction Dalu had went. “Did you see…?”
Velika chuckled. “Your secret shall be hidden from even the Great Spirit’s eyes.”
Balta smiled. “Thanks.”
He then trotted off after Dalu. Had he looked back, he would have seen Velika writing something down on a small slab of stone…
“We’re home.”
Stepping out of the dimensional gate, the members of the Hand of Artakha took in their new surroundings. They stood on a mountaintop with a scenic view of the Silver Sea. However, the terrain below was anything but panoramic: razor-sharp crystals littered the mountain slopes; lava erupted from nearby volcanoes; acid cascaded like waterfalls in the distance.
After taking in the chaotic view, Banteras said, “Where are we?”
“The Tren Krom Peninsula,” Mallake said. “This shall be the site of our new headquarters.”
“Why here?” growled a black-clad Skakdi. “Zakaz or even Xia would have been a better location.”
Mallake directed everyone’s attention westward, where lightning struck on the horizon. “Several kios from here is the island known as Artakha, the Great Refuge.”
“So?” Fortaan muttered. “What of it?”
The tiniest hint of a smile appeared on Mallake’s rusted mask. “Once we have amassed a large enough army, we are going to send them to Artakha and take over the island.”
Murmurs of surprise and excitement broke out among his followers. Only Banteras remained stoic. “And where are we going to find such an army?”
“My accomplice can answer that.”
Suddenly, materializing before the Hand members was a tall, lanky figure. Clad in black and white armor with scarlet accents, he carried a pair of double-edged blades, as razor-like as the crystals down below. Red eyes glowed behind his narrow mask.
“This is Makuta Krika,” Mallake introduced the newcomer to his followers. “If you wish to see our victory through to the end, then you shall obey his orders. If you wish to live long enough to enjoy that victory, then you shall respect him as you do me.”
Pride and greed burned in the ancient being’s eyes.
“Now then, let’s get to work. We have an empire to build.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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